University of Virginia Library

The Authors Dreame.

Good Lord what fancies fal in sleepe? what wonders men shal see:
That neuer like were seene nor heard, nor neuer like to be.
For profe, peruse this Dreame of mine, and see what Fancies strange,
Me thought the world began to turne, vnto a wondrous change,
First, Kings cride out of lacke of cares, the Lords of too much liuing:
The Courtiers all of two much ease, the poore of too much giuing.
The Ladies wearie weare of loue, they found their friendes so true:
Not one was false, (though euery day) they seemd to seeke a new,
The Lawyers left their studies off, and burnt their bookes a pace:
And pittie let them take no fee, to pleade the poore mans case.
Among the common people, troth was tride by yea and nay:
The swordes and bucklers laid aside, and daggers throwne away.
The ritch men emptied out their bagges. and beggers throue so fast:
That sure it was incredible, that such a world should last.
The Merchants sold their wares good cheape, they made no count of gaine,
Why? Cittizens were neuer found, in such a goodly vaine.
The countrie men, both tag and rag, came running on a heape:
And seeing wares at such a price, they sold their wares good cheape.
The Fidlers plaid for meate and drinke, they cared not for coyne:
Why, money lay about the street, none needed to purloyne.
The Pillaries in euery place, were full of periured knaues,
And vp to Tiburne to their end, went all condemned slaues,
The place of punishment of vice, had not a prisoner:
And seeke all London, and not finde one foolish woman there.
The Churches all were full of folkes, not one was found a sleepe:
Good Lord how some would sigh for sinne, and some for sorrow weepe
The Preacher he was held a God, and God was honourd so:
That euery man was glad to run, his heauenly will to know.
And (to his power) to doe his will, did each one so delight,
That sure to see how all agreed, it was a heauenly sight.
But well the world is figurde rounde, that turneth like a Ball:
Now this side vp, now that side downe, as Fortune lets it fall.
For see, this happy blessed state, continued but a while:
Some froward fate began to frowne, that late did seeme to smile.
For suddainely the day was darke, the Skie was ouer-cast:
The thunder ratled, Lightning flasht, and downe came raine at last.
The streetes that erst were fayre and dry, grew full of mire and durt:
And as they walkt, against their willes did one another spurt.
And by the spots now grew the spight, Iacke Sauce was in a snuffe:
Looke how you dash my hose quoth Dick, Rafe rageth for his ruffe,
Tom Tinker raps me out an oath, he would not so be vsde:
But dasht his Dagger on his pate that hath bin so abusde.
And swearing Wat will haue the wall, and euery worde an oathe:
With such a knaue t'was but a iest, to sweare by faith and troth.
Zwounds and wurse, heele haue a purse, if it be to be got:
He will haue scope, but ware the rope, the gallowes catch him not.
And Saunders Snuffe, was in a ruffe, not one that should goe by:
His Hat and Feather was his grace, and he would keepe them dry.
But Lawrence lookt as big as he, not one in all the towne:
That should presume to offer once, his hand to set him downe.
Now Mistresse Needens with her mate, comes fiddle fiddle by:
And Iack must needes giue Gill the wall, what knaues vse curtesie.
No, Saunder sweares, nor he, nor she, but he will set them downe:
Then out Tom Tinker drawes his toole, and claps him on the crowne,
And Katherin she began to cry, her customer is slaine:
And vp shee raiseth all the streete, with billes and clubbes amaine.
Before the Constable can come, there's blowes on eyther side:
And friendes come in on eyther part, and then it must be tride,
Who is the man among them all, who beares the bell away:
The villaine boyes about the streetes, begin to cry a fray.
Then hurlie, burlie, tag and rag, comes downe to see this riot:
And many hurt and maimed sore ere they be set at quiet.
One hath a wipe crosse ore the shinnes, an other on the head:
One other ouerthwart the face, another lyes for dead.
The Constable is disobeyed, and called Iohn a Noddes:
And honest neighbours, cuckolds knaues, but boyes must needs haue rods.
And rascals must be rulde by force, and rigour of the Lawe:
Put vp your shirt, what need you sweare, now knaues begin to claw.
The Counter is a cruell cage, but ware a Newgate byrde:
Well, now good Maister Constable, but will you heare one worde.
I pray you let me goe, (alas) I came to part the fray:
And so did I, and so did I, the Drab is slipt away.
Poore Peter that stroke neare a blow, or euer drew before:
He bids a vengeance on them all, heeres brawling for a whore.
Mast Constable, I came but by, my Maister sent me forth:
If I should goe, it were as much as halfe my life were worth.
My Maister he would turne me off, and then I were vndone:
Beshrew their hearts with all my heart, that first the fray begun.
But tush a Tester must come forth, a pot of Ale and so:
Poore Peter payes for seeing frayes, and so is he let goe.
But chafing out of charitie, to thinke vpon his coyne:
The plague and vengeance fight for him, let him that list goe foyne.
Now Peter gone, the rest must packe, to prison for their paine:
Good Lord to see what quarrels rose about a showre of raine.
Now Sessions comes, the Iudges set, the prisoners at the Barre:
Enditements now of murther read, that's past a iesting iarre.
Then guiltie or not guiltie founde, the Quest doth verdit giue:
And he that guiltie is giuen vp, cannot haue long to liue.
And God of heauen forgiue thy sinne, haue mercie on thy soule:
And as you passe to Tyburne, yet, call for Saint Giles his bowle.
Now this must not be so put vp, reuengement must be had:
The Cutlers shops will florish now, for young men will be mad.
Another fray or two ere long, when lustie fellowes meete:
Then swordes and Bucklers be the tooles thart are to keepe a streete.
And now a fray, the blades are out, Clubs now must part the fight:
And in a heate, strike here and there, and care not where they light.
One runnes vnto his Neighbours shop, and snatcheth vp a bill:
And neuer beares it home againe, but shift it how he will.
But he will haue it home againe, the other aunswers much:
And then my neighbour in a chafe, to haue an answere such,
Sweares by all the flesh on his backe, but he will make him know:
How he shall vse his Neighbour, and so much his better so.
He celles him thiefe, he stole his goods, he calles him lying knaue:
And so with knaue and thiefe, and both, the bill will haue.
He that hath wealth to worke his will, vnto the Lawier goes:
And vnto him complaines his case, and all he doth disclose.
How he was robbed of his bill, and ere the tale be tolde:
He claps me in the Lawiers hand, a peece of Angell gold.
With Sir, how thinke you, may I not endite him vpon this:
For taking it vnlawfully. Ile tell you what he is.
A very knaue. Berlady Sir, me thinketh sir sayes he:
It was a bolde attempt, and more for ought that I can see,
You may well wring him for his paines, my man shall draw your booke:
To morrow come and you shall see, how well weele ouer-looke,
And set it downe in order so, that you shall like it well:
Then with another peece of gold, the Lawier hath farewell.
Now comes the poore man with his crowne, and with a patched hose:
He tells the Lawier thus it is, and so the matter goes.
He calde him thiefe, and witnes by that he should steale his bill:
He had it not, yet to his face he would affirme it still.
How he might doe, to be reuengde, of this his iniurie:
Though he were poore, he would be lothe to liue by theeuery.
No marrie honest man, sayes he, a theefe is great disgrace:
It is a worde enough to beare an action of the case.
To morrowe come againe to me, and thou shalt further see:
When I haue thought vpon thy case, what I will doe for thee.
Thus is the churle with Angels gone, poore Tom with patched coate:
To try by lawe the theefe or foole, till both haue not a groate.
The Preachers oft rehearsed, Loue thy Neighbour as thy selfe:
And be not couetous too much, to hoord vp filthy pelfe.
Tush, sayes the Churle and carelesse knaue, he doth no good I see:
For all his talke, but tell me what a prating knaue was he.
The money that (me thought) did lye in heapes in euery streete:
And euery man (as foolish trash) did spurne at with his feete.
The raine so washed had away, I could not finde a scute:
And now who so would seeke for coyne, should finde full colde a sute.
Now money grewe to be so scant, good company gan breake:
And one another to their friendes, did strangely seeme to speake.
That coyne should haue a rap, a curtesie and a knee:
He that was poore might stand at doore, where beggers wont to be.
Now lacke of money did in some, a secrete enuie breede:
To see their foes to florish braue, and they to liue in neede.
The ritch still kept the poore in awe, they might not be too bolde:
The beggers throue not worth a strawe, oh charitie was colde.
Now ritch men would their children wed, vnto as ritch as they:
But noble youthes of gallant mindes, would beare the bell away.
Thus age and youth in hatred grew, aboute the sute of loue:
The one with wealth, the other will, did seeme his sute to moue.
And he or she that loued best, for coyne would quickly change:
Now Ladies liked not of loue, their friendes did seeme so strange.
The Lords so sawe the Lawiers thriue, they thought their liuing smal
And he that had neuer so much, was not content withall.
The Princes seeing all things change, began to growe in care:
How they should keepe their state in peace, and see the world so fare.
For to be short, a showre of raine, the world had washed so:
That after it, but fewe or none, that euer good did grow.
But take good heede, least if such ill rise, by a showre of raine:
Come not a fire to plague the world, with an infernall paine.
From which, God shield both man and childe, and graunt vs of his grace:
So here to liue, that he may giue vs all in heauen a place.