%ISOlat1; %ISOlat2; %ISOnum; %ISOpub; ]> The poor Mans Counsellor, / OR, / The marryed mans Guide. / If God have blest thee with a careful wife / Take my directions how to lead thy life, / Tho Riches thou dost want yet thou shalt find / Far greater wealth in a contented mind, / Thy honest labour shall thy charge maintain, / Being truly got, not by unlawful gain. University of California - Santa Barbara The Early Modern Center English Broadside Ballad Archive (EBBA) Director Patricia Fumerton Associate Director Carl G Stahmer 1680-1680 Early Modern Center, University of California Santa Barbara Santa Barbara, CA 11/14/2016 30722

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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

R181940 1 The Poor Man's Comfort Bonny Sweet Robin; My Robin is to the Greenwood Gone The Poor Man's Comfort COme friend if thy leisure permit thee to stay, / Ile teach thee some precepts the same to obey, Roxburghe Ballads Editor None None None None Information in this section of the Source Description refers to the original ballad manuscript. 2: 266 The poor Mans Counsellor, / OR, / The marryed mans Guide. / If God have blest thee with a careful wife / Take my directions how to lead thy life, / Tho Riches thou dost want yet thou shalt find / Far greater wealth in a contented mind, / Thy honest labour shall thy charge maintain, / Being truly got, not by unlawful gain. The poor Mans Counsellor, OR, The marryed mans Guide. If God have blest thee with a careful wife Take my directions how to lead thy life, Tho Riches thou dost want yet thou shalt find Far greater wealth in a contented mind, Thy honest labour shall thy charge maintain, Being truly got, not by unlawful gain. The poor Man's Counselor, OR, The married man's Guide. If God have blessed thee with a careful wife Take my directions how to lead your life, Though Riches you do want yet you shall find Far greater wealth in a contented mind, Your honest labor shall thy charge maintain, Being truly got, not by unlawful gain. 1680-1680

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 Early Modern Center Ballad Project Keyword Taxonomy advice affliction/ health alcohol Americas animals/ nature Bible/ biblical figures buildings/ architecture catastrophe children class clothing/ appearance country/ nation crime death economics/ commerce entertainments family Featured folklore gender holidays/ seasons infidelity labor/ craft law London love maritime marriage military/ war monstrosity mythology/ Classical news nobility/ court politics/ government procreation punishment race/ ethnicity religious concepts religious figures religious groups royalty rural life servitude sex/ sexuality supernatural/ magic travel trickery/ deceit urban life vice violence virtue vulgar humor youth/ age Library of Congress Subject Heading Taxonomy 11/14/2016 Santa Barbara, California, United States of America advice economics/ commerce marriage religious figures Ballads, English 17th century Broadsides, England 17th century 11/14/2016 11:59:44 AM XBallad Levinson-Emley, Rachel Created XML Version of Ballad 11/14/2016 11:59:44 AM Transcription Supervisor McAbee, Kristina, Nebeker, Eric Transcription of ballad manuscript 11/14/2016 11:59:44 AM Double-Key Comparison and Merging Becker, Charlotte Transcription of ballad manuscript 11/14/2016 11:59:44 AM Transcriptionist Two Nebeker, Eric Transcription of ballad manuscript 11/14/2016 11:59:44 AM Transcriptionist One Megna, Paul Transcription of ballad manuscript 8/8/2016 Checker Jeremy Chow Edited Ballad Catalogue Record 7/30/2011 Checker Shannon Meyer Edited Ballad Catalogue Record 4/1/2011 Checker Bethany Wong Edited Ballad Catalogue Record 2/7/2011 Checker Danielle Davey Edited Ballad Catalogue Record 12/1/2008 Bibliographer Shannon Meyer Initial Ballad Catalogue Record Created
<seg n="1" rend="left"><hi rend="italic">The poor Mans Counsellor,</hi></seg> <seg n="2" rend="left"><hi rend="italic">OR,</hi></seg> <seg n="3" rend="left">The marryed mans Guide.</seg> <lb/> <seg n="4" rend="left"><hi rend="italic">If God have blest thee with a careful wife</hi></seg> <seg n="5" rend="left"><hi rend="italic">Take my directions how to lead thy life,</hi></seg> <seg n="6" rend="left"><hi rend="italic">Tho Riches thou dost want yet thou shalt find</hi></seg> <lb/> <seg n="7" rend="left"><hi rend="italic">Far greater wealth in a contented mind,</hi></seg> <seg n="8" rend="left"><hi rend="italic">Thy honest labour shall thy charge maintain,</hi></seg> <seg n="9" rend="left"><hi rend="italic">Being truly got, not by unlawful gain.</hi></seg> <lb/> <seg n="10" rend="left"><hi rend="italic">Tune of, The Poor Man's Comfort,</hi></seg>
COme friend if thy leisure permit thee to stay, Ile teach thee some precepts the same to obey, Now thou hast betaken thy self to a Wife How thou maist live happy all daies of thy life, Then take my directions tho thou art but poor Ile learn thee to keep the wolf from the door. Tis not all mens fortune great Riches to have And they that have little have most need to save, For Riches have wings and away they will fly And leave them forsaken that once were so high, A little is better with peace and content Then wealth in abundance in misery spent.
The wealth of the world doth too many bewitch And they are too blame that make hast to be rich For goods ill gotten like snow-bals will wast And he that was rich shall be poor at the last. Therefore be content with a lowly degree And God will provide in due time you shall see. If thou hast a wife that is loving and kind Great comfort in her at all times thou wilt find Whatever betide thee she will bear a share And help to advize thee in woe or welfare, Then strive not her patience at all to provoke But freely submit to draw both in a yoak.
A wife that is froward I do not commend What thou dost take pains for she'l lavishly spend And do what thou canst for to humor her still She'l hold thee in scorn if she want of her will, Make much of thy wife that is loving and chast For she will be saving and fearful to wast. Each morning when thou dost thy labor begin Have God in thy mind 'twill keep thee from sin A penny hard earned, since it is thy lot Will do thee more good than a pound thats ill got, Then labour to thrive by the sweat of thy brows For thats the best way all honest men knows. If God give a blessing that Children you have The more you must labour in time for to save And do not you murmure & count them a charge The better you'l thrive, & your stock will inlarge Twil be a great comfort thy children to see If that they obedient and dutiful be. Let no man intice thee thy money to wast Be careful to spare and lay up what thou hast Whoever shall ask thee, he is not thy friend To go to the Alehouse thy money to spend, Avoid such bad courses as bring men to want And thou shalt have plenty when others have scant. Lewd houses and Gaming be sure that you shun Ther's many frequent them and so are undone By such bad companions a man that's misled May quickly be brought to a morsel of bread A cup of good liquor at home with thy wife Will chear up your hearts, & prevent further strife.
Be courteous and kind to thy neighbours abo[ut,] And then then will love thee thou need not d[oubt;] Avoid all contention with strife and debate[,] For that will procure thee all honest mens ha[te;] Be civil to all men as they are to thee Then kindly respected thou surely shalt be, If times do prove hard and Money be scant, Then labour for little before you do want, And thankfully take whatsoever God sends As times do grow better it will make amend[s,] A dinner of Herbs with content serves as w[ell,] As all the rich dainties which far doth excel. When thou for thy labour some Money hast g[ot,] Be sure do not spend it in tossing the pot, Make haste to thy wife and children small, And that will supply when they for bread do c[all.] 'Twould be a great grief to thee whilst thou d[ost live,] To hear thy Babes cry and and have nothing to [give.] Whatever affliction befall thee or thine, Yet do not thou murmur or seem to repine, For God that hath given thee mean to subsist Can take it away whensoever he list, Therefore be contented whatever betide, Submit with all patience and God will provi[de,] Take care to remember what here I have told[,] And value it dearer then silver or gold, When thou art inclined to wander astray Perhaps it may bring thee into the right way And by thy example all others may see, 'Tis good to be careful and live honestly.
[Printed for Philip Brooksby, at the Golden-Ball, Pye-Corner.]