John of Badenyon, or, A man in search of a friend/John of Badenyon
JOHN of BADENYON.
WHen firſt I came to be a man,
of twenty years or ſo,
I thought myſelf a handſome youth,
and fain the world would know.
In beſt attire I ſtept abroad,
with ſpirit briſk and gay,
And here, and there, and every where,
was like a morn in May.
I had no care nor fear of want,
but rambled up and down;
And for a beau I might have paſs'd,
in country or in town:
I ſtill was pleas'd where'er I went,
and when I was alone,
I tun'd my pipe, and pleas'd myſelf,
with John of Badenyon.
2.
Now in the days of youthful prime,
a miſtreſs I muſt find,
For love they ſay, gives one an air,
and e'en improves the mind:
On Phillis, fair above the reſt,
kind fortune fix'd my eyes,
Her piercing beauty ſtruck my heart,
and I became her prize.
To Cupid now with hearty pray'r,
I offer'd many a vow,
And danc'd, & ſung, & ſigh'd, & ſwore,
as other lovers do:
But when I came to breath my flame,
I found her cold as ſtone,
I left the jilt, and tun'd my pipe,
to John of Badenyon.
3
When love had thus my heart betray'd,
with fooliſh hopes and vain,
To friendſhip's port I ſteer'd my courſe,
and laugh'd at lovers pain.
A friend I got by lucky chance,
'twas ſomething like divine,
An honeſt friend's a precious gift,
and ſuch a gift was mine.
And now whatever might betide,
a happy man was I;
In any ſtrait I knew to whom
I freely might apply:
A ſtrait ſoon came; I try'd my friend,
he heard and ſpurn'd my moan,
I turn'd away, and pleas'd myſelf,
with John of Badenyon.
4
I thought I would be wiſer next,
and would a patriot turn;
Began to doat on Johny Wilkes,
and cry up Parſon Horn.
Their manly courage I admir'd,
approv'd their noble zeal,
Who had with flaming tongue and pen,
maintain'd the public weal.
But e'er a month or two was paſs'd,
I found myſelf betray'd,
'Twas ſelf and party after all,
for all the ſtir they made.
For when I ſaw the factious knaves,
inſult the very throne,
I curs'd them all, and tun'd my pipe,
to John of Badenyon.
5
What to do next I muz'd a while,
ſtill hoping to ſucceed,
I pitch'd on books for company,
and gravely try'd to read:
I bought and borrow'd ev'ry where,
and ſtudied night and day,
Ne'er miſt what dean or doctor wrote,
that happ'ned in my way.
Philoſophy I now eſteem'd,
the ornament of youth,
And carefully through many a page,
I hunted after truth;
A thouſand various ſchemes I try'd,
and yet was pleas'd with none,
I threw them by, and tun'd my pipe,
to John of Badenyon.
6. And now ye youngſters every where,
who want to make a ſhow,
Take heed in time, nor vainly hope,
for happineſs below.
What you may fancy pleaſure here,
is but an empty name,
For girls, and friends, and books alſo,
you'll find them all the fame.
Then be advis’d and warning take,
from ſuch a man as me:
I'm neither Pope nor Cardinal,
nor one of high degree:
You'll find pleaſure ev'ry where,
then do as I have done:
Even tune your pipe, and pleaſe yourſelf,
with John of Badenyon.
This work was published before January 1, 1929, and is in the public domain worldwide because the author died at least 100 years ago.
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