 | Works of John Taylor the Water Poet not included in the folio volume of 1630 |  |
2
The Bil of John Taylor, or a Taylors Bill, without either Imprimis, or Items.
Old, lame and poor, by mad contentions beggerd,
And round about vvith miseries beleaguerd:
Too many Masters made me Masterlesse,
Too many vvrongs have made me monylesse,
Helples, and hopeles, and remedilesse,
And every vvay encompast vvith distresse.
To ease my griefes I have one trick of vvit,
(If you that read vvill set your hands to it:)
VVhich is, vvhen I do give you good account
From London unto Cornevvals Michaels Mount,
Of all my iourney, and vvhat Nevvs I found
In ayre, or sea, above, or under ground;
VVhen I do give you truths of this in Print,
Hovv I did travell, gravell, dust, durt, flint,
My entertainment, vvhere tvvas good, vvhere ill,
Then (in good mony) give me vvhat you vvill,
Your, nams & dvvellings, vvrite that I may find you,
And I shal (vvith my book) seek, find, and minde you,
And round about vvith miseries beleaguerd:
Too many Masters made me Masterlesse,
Too many vvrongs have made me monylesse,
Helples, and hopeles, and remedilesse,
And every vvay encompast vvith distresse.
To ease my griefes I have one trick of vvit,
(If you that read vvill set your hands to it:)
VVhich is, vvhen I do give you good account
From London unto Cornevvals Michaels Mount,
Of all my iourney, and vvhat Nevvs I found
In ayre, or sea, above, or under ground;
VVhen I do give you truths of this in Print,
Hovv I did travell, gravell, dust, durt, flint,
My entertainment, vvhere tvvas good, vvhere ill,
Then (in good mony) give me vvhat you vvill,
Your, nams & dvvellings, vvrite that I may find you,
And I shal (vvith my book) seek, find, and minde you,
vvith humble thankes.
Seven times at Sea I servd Eliza Queen,
Since vvhen, I thrice in Germany have been,
Once in Bohemia tvvixt Earth, Sea, and Sky,
And once to Scotland, and the Mountains high:
Then unto Quinbrough, in a Paper Boat,
Then next (from London) I to Yorke did float
VVith a small paire of Oares (or little VVherry)
And in like fort from London to Salsberry.
Next that my man and I did ride our Steedes
To Leicefter, Lin, Hull, Hallifax and Leedes,
Ore lofty mountains, vvher the vvinds blevv bleak,
To Chester, Darby, and Devils arse a peak.
Then vvith a Scullers boat to Cicester,
From thence (up Seaverns flood) to Glocester,
To VVorster, and the Tovvn of Shrevvsbery,
From thence to Bristoll, and to Bath I fly;
These are no fictions, or false Idle Tales,
I passe from Bathe to the River VVye in VVales?
Then Hereford did me vvell entertain,
From vvhence I home came in my Boat again.
Last (to the King) at the Isle of VVight I vvent,
Since vvhen my best content, is discontent:
Thus having traveld North, and South, and East,
I meane to end my travels vvith the VVest.
Since vvhen, I thrice in Germany have been,
Once in Bohemia tvvixt Earth, Sea, and Sky,
And once to Scotland, and the Mountains high:
Then unto Quinbrough, in a Paper Boat,
Then next (from London) I to Yorke did float
VVith a small paire of Oares (or little VVherry)
And in like fort from London to Salsberry.
Next that my man and I did ride our Steedes
To Leicefter, Lin, Hull, Hallifax and Leedes,
Ore lofty mountains, vvher the vvinds blevv bleak,
To Chester, Darby, and Devils arse a peak.
Then vvith a Scullers boat to Cicester,
From thence (up Seaverns flood) to Glocester,
To VVorster, and the Tovvn of Shrevvsbery,
From thence to Bristoll, and to Bath I fly;
These are no fictions, or false Idle Tales,
I passe from Bathe to the River VVye in VVales?
Then Hereford did me vvell entertain,
From vvhence I home came in my Boat again.
Last (to the King) at the Isle of VVight I vvent,
Since vvhen my best content, is discontent:
Thus having traveld North, and South, and East,
I meane to end my travels vvith the VVest.
| Works of John Taylor the Water Poet not included in the folio volume of 1630 | |