University of Virginia Library

The Knaue of Harts his Supplication to Card-makers.

VVee are abused in a great degree;
For, there's no Knaues so wronged as are wee
By those that chiefely should be our part-takers
And thus it is my Maisters, you Card-makers,
All other Knaues are at their owne free-will,
To braue it out, and follow fashion still
In any cut, according to the time,
But we poore Knaues (I know not for what crime)
Are kept in pie-bald Suites, which we haue worne
Hundred of yeares, this hardly can be borne
The idle-headed French deuis'd vs first,
Who of all fashion-mongers is the worst:
For, he doth change farre oftner than the Moone
Dislikes his morning suite in th' after-noone.
The English is his imitating Ape,
In euery toy the Tailers-sheares can shape,
Come dropping after, as the Diuell entices,
And putteth on the French-mans cast deuices.
Yet wee (with whom thus long they both haue plaid)
Must weare the suites in which we first were made.
It is no maruell euery base Consort,
When he hath lost his money, will report
All ill of vs, and giueth these rewards,
A poxe vpon these scuruy, lowsie Cardes:
How can we choose but haue the itching gift,
Kept in one kinde of cloaths, and neuer shift?
Or, to be scuruie, how can we forbeare,
That neuer yet had shirt or band to weare?
How bad I and my fellow Dimond goes,
We neuer yet had Garter to our Hose,
Nor any Shooe to put vpon our feete,
With such base cloaths, tis e'en a shame to see't:
My Sleeues are like some Morris-dancing fellow,
My Stockings Ideot-like, red, greene and yealow:
My Breeches like a paire of Lute-pins be,
Scarse Buttocke-roome, as euery man may see.
Like three-penie watch-men, three of vs doe stand,
Each with a rustie Browne-bill in his band:
And Clubs he holds an Arrow, like a Clowne,
The head-end vpward, and the feathers downe.
Thus we are wrong'd, and thus we are agrieu'd,
And thus long time we haue beene vnrelieu'd.
But, Card-makers, of you, Harts reason craues,
Why we should be restraind, aboue all Knaues,
To weare such patched and disguis'd attire?
Answere but this, of kindnesse, we require:
Shew vs (I pray) some reason, how it haps,
That we are euer bound to weare flat-Caps.
As though we had vnto a Cities trade,
Bin Prentises, and so were free-men made.
Had we blacke Gownes, vpon my life I sweare,
Many would say that we foure Serieants were:
And that would bring Card-play in small request
With Gallants that were fearefull of arrest:
For, melancholy they would euer be
A Seriants picture in their hands to see:
Others that Clubs and Spades apparrell notes,
Because they both are in side-guarded Coates,
Tearme them two Vsurers, villanous rich,
To whom the Diuell is beholden much,
And loues their Trades of getting gold so well,
They shall be welcome to his flames in Hell.
Others say, if we had white Aprons on,
We would be like vnto A non, A non,
VVhat is it Gentlemen you please to drinke?
And some, because we haue no beards, doe thinke
We are foure Panders, with our lowsie lockes,
Whose naked Chinnes are shauen with the Poxe:
Diuers opinions there be other showes,
Because we walke in Jerkins and in Hose,
Without an vpper Garment, Cloake, or Gowne,
We must be Tapsters running vp and downe
With Cannes of Beere, (Malt sod in fishes broth)
And those they say are fil'd with Nick and Froth.
Other auouch w'are of the smoky crew,
A trade that stinckes, although it be but new,
Such Fellowes as fit all the day in smother,
And drinke, like Diuels, fire to each other.
Thus are we plaid vpon by each base Groome.
Nay, let a paire of Cards lye in a roome,
Where any idle fellow commeth in,
The Knaues hee'll single out, and thus begin;
Here are foure Millers for their honest dealing:
Or Tailers, for the gift they haue in stealing:
Or Brokers, for their buying things are stole:
Or Bakers, for their looking throw a hole:
Or Colliers, for not filling of their Sackes;
Thus we are plaid vpon by sawcy Iackes.
And therefore if perswasions may but winne you,
Good Card-makers, (if there be any goodnes in you)
Apparrell vs with more respected Care,
Put vs in Hats, our Caps are worne thread-bare,
Let vs haue standing Collers, in the fashion:
(All are become a stiffe-necke generation)
Rose Hat-bands, with the shagged-ragged-Ruffe:
Great Cabbage-shooestrings (pray you bigge enough)
French Doublet, and the Spanish Hose to breech it:
Short Cloakes, like old Mandilions (wee beseech it)
Exchange our Swords, and take away our Bils,
Let vs haue Rapiers, (knaues loue fight that kils)
Put vs in Bootes, and make vs leather legs,
This Harts most humbly, and his fellowes begs.