%ISOlat1; %ISOlat2; %ISOnum; %ISOpub; ]> Poor Robins Dream; commonly called Poor Charity. / I know no Reason but this harmless Riddle / May as well be Printed as Sung to a Fiddle. 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 04/10/2008 21957

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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

4.295 R187320 2 A game at Cards A New Game at Cards A Game at Cards a compleat Tune, well known by Musicians, and many others: A Complete Tune, Well Known by Musicians, and Many Others: HOw now good fellow what all amort; / I pray thee tell me what is the news, Pepys 4.295 Wing P2880C; Rollins (2) 2139 (Jan. 15, 1668, ii, 383, Jno. Clark); Rollins (2) 2140 (Mch. 1, 1675, ii, 500) 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: 295 Poor Robins Dream; commonly called Poor Charity. / I know no Reason but this harmless Riddle / May as well be Printed as Sung to a Fiddle. Poor Robins Dream; commonly called Poor Charity. I know no Reason but this harmless Riddle May as well be Printed as Sung to a Fiddle. Poor Robin's Dream; Commonly Called Poor Charity. I Know No Reason but this Harmless Riddle May as Well be Printed as Sung to a Fiddle. 1/2 sheet oblong folio, 200 x 330 ?cropped right edge, uneven inking cast fleurons 1684-1686 Printed for J. Clark, W. Thackeray, and T. Passinger. J. Clark, W. Thackeray, T. Passinger 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 4/10/2008 Santa Barbara, California, United States of America Various Subjects advice entertainment supernatural/magic 04/09/08 Checker Rachel Mann Metadata updated, xml created 07/18/07 Checker Rachel Mann Ballad checked 02/12/07 Transcriber Talya Meyers Original transcription 9/7/2004 Bibliographer Maggie Sloan Bibliographic SQL Database Record Created
<seg n="1" rend="left"><hi rend="bold"><hi rend="italic">Poor Robins</hi></hi> <hi rend="italic">Dream; commonly called <hi rend="bold">Poor Charity.</hi></hi></seg> <lb/> <seg n="2" rend="left"><hi rend="italic">I know no Reason but this harmless Riddle</hi></seg> <seg n="3" rend="left"><hi rend="italic">May as well be Printed as Sung to a Fiddle.</hi></seg> <lb/> <seg n="4" rend="left"><hi rend="italic">To a compleat Tune, well known by Musicians, and many others: Or, A game at cards.</hi></seg>
HOw now good fellow what all amort; I pray thee tell me what is the news, Trading is dead and I am sorry for't which makes me look wors then I use, If a man hath no employment whereby to get a penny he hath no enjoyment if that he wanteth money And Charity is not used by many. I have nothing to spend nor i've nothing to lend i've nothing to do, I tarry at home, Sitting in my Chair, drawing near to the fire, I fell into a sleepe like an idle drone. And as I slept I fell into a dream, I see a Play acted without e're Theam, But I could not tell what the Play did mean.
But afterwards I did perceive and something more I did understand, The Stage was the world wherein we live, the Actors they were all mankind, And when the play is ended the Stage down they fling then there will be no difference in this thing, Between a Beggar and a King. The first that Acted I protest, was Time with a Glass & a Sithe in his hand With the Globe of the World upon his breast, to shew that he could the same command: There's a time for to work, and a time for to play a time for to borrow, and a time for to pay, And a time that doth call us all away,
COnscience in order takes his place, and very gallantly plays his part, He fears not to fly in a Rulers face, although it cuts him to the heart: He tells him that all this is the later Age Which put the Actors into such a rage, That they kick'd poor Conscience off the stage. Plain-Dealing presently appears in habit like a simple man, The Actors at him mocks and jears; pointing their fingers as they ran: How came this fellow into our company, away with him many a gallant did cry. For Plain-dealing will a Beggar dye. Dissimulation mounted the Stage, but he was cloathed in gallant attire, He was acquainted with Youth and Age, many his company did desire; They entertain'd him in their very breast, There he could have harbour, and quietly rest, For Dissemblers and Turn-coats fare the best.
Then cometh in poor Charity methinks she looked wondrous old, She quiver'd and she quak'd most piteously, it griev'd me to think she was grown so cold: She had been i'th' City, & in the Country, Amongst the Lawyers and Nobility, But there was no room for poor Charity. Then in comes Truth, not cloathed in Wool, but like unto youth in his white Laun sleeves And sayes the Land it is full, full, full, too full of Rebels worse than Thieves. The City's full of poverty, the French are full of pride Phanaticks full of Envy, which order can't abide And the Usurers Bags are full beside. Hark how Bellona's Drums they do beat, methinks they go rattling through the Town Hark how they thunder through the street as tho they would shake the Chimneys down, Then comes in Mars, the great God of War, And bids us face about and be as we were: But when I awak'd I sate in my Chair.
Printed for J. Clark, W. Thackeray, and T. Passinger.