%ISOlat1; %ISOlat2; %ISOnum; %ISOpub; ]> True Blew the Plowman, / Or, A Character of several Callings which he could not freely fancy, when he found their / grand Deceit. / He never yet would change his Note, / He'd rather be a slave. / Nay, wear a poor and thread-bare Coat. / than counted as a Knave. University of California - Santa Barbara The Early Modern Center English Broadside Ballad Archive (EBBA) Director Patricia Fumerton Associate Director Carl G Stahmer 1685-1685 Early Modern Center, University of California Santa Barbara Santa Barbara, CA 09/19/2018 35864

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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

R228616 1 The Country Farmer King James's Jig; The Country Farmer The Country Farmer NOw Trading is dead I resolve to contrive, / And study some calling in order to thrive, Information in this section of the Source Description refers to the original ballad manuscript. : True Blew the Plowman, / Or, A Character of several Callings which he could not freely fancy, when he found their / grand Deceit. / He never yet would change his Note, / He'd rather be a slave. / Nay, wear a poor and thread-bare Coat. / than counted as a Knave. True Blew the Plowman, Or, A Character of several Callings which he could not freely fancy, when he found their grand Deceit. He never yet would change his Note, He’d rather be a slave. Nay, wear a poor and thread-bare Coat. than counted as a Knave. True Blew the Plowman, Or, A Character of several Callings which he could not freely fancy, when he found their grand Deceit. He never yet would change his Note, He'd rather be a slave. Nay, wear a poor and thread-bare Coat. than counted as a Knave. 1685-1685 P. Brooksby

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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 9/19/2018 Santa Barbara, California, United States of America economics / commerce labor / craft rural life trickery / deceit vice Ballads, English 17th century Broadsides, England 17th century 9/19/2018 4:24:31 PM XBallad Stark, Nicole Created XML Version of Ballad 9/19/2018 4:24:31 PM Transcription Supervisor McCants, Kristen Transcription of ballad manuscript 9/19/2018 4:24:31 PM Double-Key Comparison and Merging Ward, Jayne Transcription of ballad manuscript 9/19/2018 4:24:31 PM Transcriptionist Two Saylor, Colton Transcription of ballad manuscript 9/19/2018 4:24:31 PM Transcriptionist One McCants, Kristen Transcription of ballad manuscript 8/6/2018 Checker Minh Hua Edited Ballad Catalogue Record 8/6/2018 Checker Minh Hua Edited Ballad Catalogue Record 7/18/2018 Checker Jessica Zisa Edited Ballad Catalogue Record 7/18/2018 Checker Jessica Zisa Edited Ballad Catalogue Record 11/1/2016 Bibliographer Rachel LevinsonEmley Initial Ballad Catalogue Record Created
<seg n="1" rend="left"><hi rend="italic">True Blew the Plowman,</hi></seg> <seg n="2" rend="left"><hi rend="italic">Or, <hi rend="bold">A Character of several</hi> Callings <hi rend="bold">which he could not freely fancy, when he found their</hi></hi></seg> <seg n="3" rend="left"><hi rend="bold"><hi rend="italic">grand Deceit.</hi></hi></seg> <lb/> <seg n="4" rend="left"><hi rend="italic">He never yet would change his Note,</hi></seg> <seg n="5" rend="indent"><hi rend="italic">He'd rather be a slave.</hi></seg> <lb/> <seg n="6" rend="left"><hi rend="italic">Nay, wear a poor and thread-bare Coat.</hi></seg> <seg n="7" rend="indent"><hi rend="italic">than counted as a Knave.</hi></seg> <lb/> <seg n="8" rend="left"><hi rend="italic">To the Tune of,</hi> The Country Farmer.</seg> <lb/> <seg n="9" rend="left">This may be Printed, <hi rend="italic">R.P.</hi></seg>
NOw Trading is dead I resolve to contrive, And study some calling in order to thrive, But I will be just in whatever I do, My Name I must tell you is honest True-Blew: Though Fortune does oftentimes smile on a Knave, By their unjust dealings they do get and save, But honest Plain-dealing does live like a slave, While Ranting brave Hectors goes gallant & brave. At first I considered what Trade I might be, To live with Plain-Dealing without Knavery, I would be a Brewer at first. I did think, And then to be besure I shall never want drink: But straightways I thought of the Brewers old fault Who put in the Water and left out the Mault, If I should do so and make pittiful Beer, I should have the Curse of the Tinkers I fear.
As I was a walking along very sad, I met a fine Hostess that wanted a Lad, Her words were so wiinning I could do no less, But go along with her to tend on the Guess, She said, when you wait on a jolly boon crew, Each Pot as you draw, then be sure you score two, I told her false-dealing now never would do, 'Twas better be ragged and torn and true. If this be your dealings I never will stay, Thought I then I'le pack up my Awls and away, I finding by this how the current did run, Poor men by those Ale-wives are often undone, No wonder it is now that they are so great, To flourish in Silks at so gallant a rate, 'Tis folly that makes men to sell their Estate, While Ale-wives can flourish & drink in their plate.
Then home to my Father I went again, And of my hard fortune I did complain, He told me no trouble nor cost he'd spare, Of me he would take a particular care: I would have a calling without all deceit, But with such a one, I as yet could not meet, My Father was willing my joys to compleat, And now of a Taylor I mean for to treat. I went upon liking a Taylor to be, And now I will tell you a passage I see, One brought in my Master some Cloath for a Cloak, And he at his Cabbaging had a good stroak: For taking his Shiers he whipt off an Ell, And straight he condemn'd it, and sent it to Hell, Down under his Shop-board, which when I did see, Thought I then I'le ne'r be Prentice to thee. A lusty brave Miller came up to the Town, And I as a Prentice with him must go down, Thought I with an honest man now I am blest, But soon I did find him as bad as the rest: For if you'l believe me, I think in my Soul, He dad a great Dish was as big as a Bowl, And there was old taking and taking of Toul, Thus he would be fishing against all controul. Beside he was counted a slippery blade, And fain would be toying with every Maid; There was a young Lass, and her name it was Kate, With whom he would fain have bin playing the mate: One day as she came with her Grist to the Mill, My master the Miller was tempting her still, The Maiden with courage catch'd hold of his Ham, And tumbled him headlong into the Mill-Dam. It hapned to be the lower-side of the Mill, But yet he lay crying and calling out still: I could not tell well what the matter might be, And therefore to him I did run hastily. But when in the River I did him find, Thought I in my Heart thou art serv'd in thy kind, And thus by the Maiden the Miller was fool'd, For then in the River his Courage was cool'd. Thought I, I will ne'r be a slave to this Elf, For fear he should make me as bad as himself, With some honest Farmer i'le get me a place, Where I may live happy and free from disgrace: And thus I did leave the old Miller i'le vow, Then taking myself to the Harrow and Plow, 'Tis free from deceiving, all Men will allow, I labour and live by the sweat of my brow.
Printed for P. Brooksby, at the Golden Ball in Pye-corner.