TIME'S ALTERATION.

ANONYMOUS.

WHEN this old cap was new,

'Tis since two hundred years;

No malice then we knew,

But all things plenty were: All friendship now decays

(Believe me this is true);

Which was not in those days,
When this old cap was new.

The nobles of our land

Were much delighted then,

To have at their command

A crew of lusty men,

Who by their coats were known,
Of tawny, red, or blue,

With crests on their sleeves shown,
When this old cap was new.

Now pride hath banish'd all,

Unto our land's reproach,

When he whose means is small

Maintains both horse and coach:

Instead of a hundred men,

The coach allows but two;

This was not thought on then,

When this old cap was new.

TIME'S ALTERATION.

Good hospitality

Was cherish'd then of many; Now poor men starve and die,

And are not help'd by any: For charity waxeth cold,

And love is found in few; This was not in time of old, When this old cap was new.

Where'er you travell'd then,

You might meet on the way Brave knights and gentlemen,

Clad in their country grey; That courteous would appear,

And kindly welcome you;

No Puritans then were,

When this old cap was new.

Our ladies in those days

In civil habit went;

Broad cloth was then worth praise,

And gave the best content:
French fashions then were scorn'd;

Fond fangles then none knew ;

Then modesty women adorn'd,

When this old cap was new.

A man might then behold,
At Christmas, in each hall,

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TIME'S ALTERATION.

189

Good fires to curb the cold,

And meat for great and small :

The neighbours were friendly bidden,

And all had welcome true;

The poor from the gates were not chidden,

When this old cap was new.

Black jacks to every man

Were fill'd with wine and beer;

No pewter pot nor can

In those days did appear:

Good cheer in a nobleman's house
Was counted a seemly show;

We wanted no brawn nor souse,
When this old cap was new.

We took not such delight

In cups of silver fine:

None under the degree of a knight

In plate drank beer or wine:

Now each mechanical man

Hath a cupboard of plate for a show;

Which was a rare thing then,

When this old cap was new.

Then bribery was unborn,

No simony men did use; Christians did usury scorn,

Devised among the Jews.

The lawyers to be fee'd

Yet now and then, the maids to please,

At midnight I card up their wool;

And, while they sleep and take their ease,

With wheel to threads their flax I pull.

I grind at mill

Their malt up still;

I dress their hemp; I spin their tow;

If any wake,

And would me take,

I wend me, laughing, ho, ho, ho!

When any need to borrow ought,
We lend them what they do require:
And, for the use demand we nought;
Our own is all we do desire.

If to repay

They do delay,

Abroad amongst them then I go,

And night by night,

I them affright,

With pinchings, dreams, and ho, ho, ho!

When lazy queans have nought to do,
But study how to cog and lie:
To make debate and mischief too,
'Twixt one another secretly :

I mark their gloze,

And it disclose

To them whom they have wrongèd so: