%ISOlat1; %ISOlat2; %ISOnum; %ISOpub; ]> The Poor Mans Comfort. / Being an Excellent new Composed Dialogue, between a Man and his Wife, / drawn up in a Coppy of Verses according to the Time, In which Ditty is con-/tained four special matters to be taken notice of, which is as followeth: A des-/pairing Husband a comfortable wife, the deadness of Trading, and a way to thrive / in hardness of Trading, and a way to thrive in hard Times. University of California - Santa Barbara The Early Modern Center Director Patricia Fumerton 1684-1686 Early Modern Center, University of California Santa Barbara Santa Barbara, CA 08/20/2007 21756

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Patricia Fumerton Early Modern Center - English Department University of California Santa Barbara, CA 93105 United States of America EMail: pfumer@english.ucsb.edu

4.92 R187316 1 Fair Angel of England Bonny Sweet Robin; My Robin is to the Greenwood Gone Fair Angel of England MY heart is oppressed with sorrow sweet wife,/ My mind and my sences are each one at strife Pepys 4.92 Wing P2864B Pepys Library The Pepys ballads : facsimile volume Editor W.G. Day D.S. Brewer Cambridge [England] 1987 Information in this section of the Source Description refers to the original ballad manuscript. 4: 92 The Poor Mans Comfort. / Being an Excellent new Composed Dialogue, between a Man and his Wife, / drawn up in a Coppy of Verses according to the Time, In which Ditty is con-/tained four special matters to be taken notice of, which is as followeth: A des-/pairing Husband a comfortable wife, the deadness of Trading, and a way to thrive / in hardness of Trading, and a way to thrive in hard Times. The Poor Mans Comfort. Being an Excellent new Composed Dialogue, between a Man and his Wife, drawn up in a Coppy of Verses according to the Time, In which Ditty is con- tained four special matters to be taken notice of, which is as followeth: A des- pairing Husband a comfortable wife, the deadness of Trading, and a way to thrive in hardness of Trading, and a way to thrive in hard Times. The Poor Man's Comfort. Being an Excellent New Composed Dialogue, Between a Man and His Wife, Drawn up in a Copy of Verses According to the Time, in Which Song is Contained Four Special Matters to be Taken Notice of, Which is as Follows: A Despairing Husband a Comfortable Wife, the Deadness of Trading, and a Way to Thrive in Hardness of Trading, and a Way to Thrive in Hard Times. 1/2 sheet oblong folio, folded, ?205 x 343 cropped left edge, torn top and right edges, uneven inking 1684-1686 Printed for J. Clarke, W. Thackeray, and T. Passenger. J. Clarke, W. Thackeray, T. Passenger Blagden

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 Taxonomy used by Pepys to Organize Ballads in Albums A Small Promiscuous Supplement Devotion & Morality Drinking & Good Fellowship History - True & Fabulous Humour, Frollicks &c Love Pleasant Love Pleasant and Unfortunate Love Unfortunate Marriage Sea State & Times Tragedy Various Subjects Early Modern Center Ballad Project Keyword Taxonomy advice affliction/health alcohol animals/nature appearance Bible/biblical figures buildings/architecture catastrophe children class clothing/fashion country/nation crime death economics/trade entertainment family/procreation folklore gender historical figures & events holidays/seasons infidelity law London love maritime marriage military/war monstrosity mythology/Classical world news nobility/court politics/government punishment religious concepts religious figures religious types & sects royalty rural life servitude sex/sexuality supernatural/magic The New World travel trickery/deceit urban life vice violence virtue vulgarities/crass humor Library of Congress Subject Heading Taxonomy 8/20/2007 Santa Barbara, California, United States of America Marriage class economics/trade marriage 8/20/07 Checker Rachel Mann Transcription checked, Metadata updated, XML created 10/19/06 Transcriber Jessica Murphy Original Transcription 9/14/2004 Bibliographer Liberty Stanavage Bibliographic SQL Database Record Created
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Man MY heart is oppressed with sorrow sweet wife, My mind and my sences are each one at strife To see what sad matters are now come to pass, For the World is grown harder then ever it was: The thought of which matter half kills me with care And makes me run frantick and ready to dispair. Wife. [I] pray you good husband that you'l patient be, [A]nd in a few matters be ruled by me; [I]'le find out such ways whereby we may live, [T]o have of our own and be able to give; [S]hear up thy heart therefore, though now we be poor [Y]ou know not what blessings the Lord hath in store Man. [M]ethinks wife your tongue runs a little too large, [Y]ou know that house-keeping requireth much charge [F]or Candle, for fireing for food and house-rent [A]ll these must be paid for, though money be scant: [T]his makes me lye waking while others do sleep, [W]hilst rich folks are merry, we poor folks may weep
Wife. It grieves me most sharply to hear your sad moan, Yet if you'l be pleased to let me alone, I'le do my endeavour to ease your sad smart, To cherish and comfort your sorrowfull heart: If you'l have the patience my words for to hear Each thing in right order shall plainly appear. Man. Then speak thy mind freely (sweet wife) unto me, And I will hence-forward be ruled by thee: For this I have often-times heard it exprest, That womens wits they are accounted the best, Therefore whatsoever you wish me unto, I'le do my endeavour the same for to do. Wife. why thus I would have you keep God in your mind, And to be contented with such as you find: Though trading be dead now and money be scant, God will not long suffer his servants to want: Remember how Job for a season was poor, But God in due time did his Riches restore:
Man. T[here] is an old saying, which some do observe, That while grass grows, horses may starve: So fares it with us now, that trading is dead, We cannot get Victuals to put in our head: The labours of poor men are lightly set by, Though rich men do flourish and live gallantly. Wife. But here is a comfort to help us this year, Bread corn it is cheap and good mault is not dear; A cup of good drink and a peice of good bread, Will serve us to sup with, before we go to bed: For Beef & for Mutton and roots and such stuff, Let's give God the praise there is plenty enough. Man. If a peck of wheat were sold for a penny, Yet if a man had neither Credit nor money; In midst of great plenty, he may live and lack, Both food for the belly, and cloaths to the back: As Tantalus starved amongst plenty of meat, So many folks do now for no meat they c[a]n get. Wife. Though money be short, yet if God lend us life, Seeing you are my husband and I am your Wife, We'l do like two Birds that are both of one feather Or draw like two Oxen in one yoak together: And by our endeavours I hope we shall thrive, And get means enough for to keep us alive.
Man. Wife we have four Children that will cry for bread, We know this that every mouth must be fed: Our Labour is too little our Babes to maintain, Because for our work we receive so small gain, Now tell me how this gear may be canvast about And then we shall prosper we need not to doubt. Wife. though children be young they must bite no the bridle I'le teach them to work, for they shall not live idle: Two of them are able some goodness to do, When I have instructed and taught them thereto: I'le teach my Son Thomas if God give him grace To work at our Trade in a very short space. I'le teach pritty Nanny to Card and to Spin, Though she do but little, some gain will come in: And for my own part, I will work for the nonce, Whilst the skin of my fingers do stick to the bones: Now let all men judge if we may not live well, By taking of such courses of which I do tell. Man. Why now loving wife, I needs must confess, Your councel is good, I can speak of no less And for my own part I will use my best art, In weal and in woe, for to take my wifes part: And so to conclude and to finish the strife, Come kiss and be friends, god-a-mercy sweet wife
Printed for J. Clarke, W. Thackeray, and T. Passenger.