The Mad-mans Morice; Or,
A warning for young men to have a care,
How they in love intangled are:
Wherein by experience you shall find,
His trouble and grief, with discontent of mind.
To a pleasant new Tune.
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HEard you not lately of a man,
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that went besides his wits,
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And naked through the streets he ran,
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wrapt in his frantick fits?
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My honest Neighbours it is I,
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heark how the people stout me,
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See where the mad man comes, they cry,
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with all the boys about me.
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Into a Pond stark naked I ran,
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and cast away my cloaths sir,
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Without the help of any man,
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made shift to get away sir:
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How I got out, I have forgot,
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I do not well remember,
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Or whether it were cold or hot,
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in June or in December.
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Tom Bedlams but a sage to be,
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I speak in sober sadness,
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For more strange visions do I see,
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then he in all his madness;
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When first to me this chance befel,
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about the market walkt I,
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With capons feather in my cap,
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and to my self thus talkt I.
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Did you not see my love of late,
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like Titan in her glory?
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Did you not know she was my mate,
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and I must write he story,
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With Pen of gold on silver leaf,
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I will so much befriend her,
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For why I am of that belief,
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none can so well commend her.
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Saw you not Angels in her eyes,
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whilst that she was a speaking?
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Smelt you not smells like Paradise,
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between to [R]ubies breaking;
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Is not her hair more pure then gold,
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of finest spiders spinning?
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Methinks in her I do behold,
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my joys and woes beginning.
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IS not a dimple in her cheek,
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each eye a Star thats starting:
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Is not all graces instald in her,
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each stop all joys imparting,
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Methinks I see her in a cloud,
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with graces round about her,
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To them I call and cry aloud,
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I cannot live without her.
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Then raging toward the sky I roar,
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thinking to catch her hand,
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O then to Jove I call and cry,
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to let her by me stand:
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I look behind and there I saw,
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my shadow me beguile,
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I wish she were as neer to me,
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which makes my worship smile.
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There is no creature can compare,
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with my beloved Nancy.
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Thus I build Castles in the Air,
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this is the fruit of fancy:
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My thoughts mount high above the sky,
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Of none I stand in aw,
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Although my body here doth lye
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upon a pad of straw.
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I was as good a harmless youth
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before base Cupid caught me,
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Or his own Mother with her charms,
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into this charge hath brought me,
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Stript and whipt now must I be,
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in Bedlam bound in chains,
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Good people now you all may see
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what love hath for his pains.
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When I was young as others are,
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with gallants I did flourish,
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O then I was the proprest Lad,
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that was in all the parish
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The Bracelets which I usd to wear,
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about my arms so tender,
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Are turned into Iron plates
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about my body slender.
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My silken suits do now decay,
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my cups of gold are vanished,
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And all my friends do wear away,
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as I from them were banished:
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My silver cups are turnd to earth,
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Im jeerd of every clown,
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I was a better man by birth,
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till Fortune cast me down.
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Im out of frame and temper too,
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though I am somewhat chearful,
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O this can love and fancy do,
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if that you be not careful.
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O set a watch before your eyes,
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least they betray your heart,
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And make you slaves to vanities
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to act a mad mans part.
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Declare this to each Mothers Son,
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unto each honest Lad,
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Let them not do as I have done,
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least they like me grow mad.
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If Cupid strike be sure of this,
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let reason rule affection,
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So shalt thou never do amiss,
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by reasons good direction.
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I have no more to say to you,
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my Keepers now do chide me,
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Now I must bid you all adieu,
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God knows what will betide me,
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To picking straws now must I go,
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my time in Bedlam spending,
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Good folks you your beginning know
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but do not know your ending.
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