A PEPYSIAN GARLAND - online book

Black-letter Broadside Ballads Of The years 1595-1639

	THE HONEST AGE
	9 ALso the Butcher so iouiall and bold, Is turn'd a plaine dealer as you may behold, They'l put forth no tainted meat for to be sold To wrong any Neighbour for siluer nor gold, O this is an honest age, This is a plaine dealing age. 10   The Miller that vsed too deepe to take tole, Is now in great feare to endanger his soule, Of late Robin Conscience tooke him by the pole, And charg'd him to flye those offences so foule. O this is an honest age, This is a plaine dealing age. 11    The Brewer that made his beere very small, Hath changed his hand since Malt had a fall, And by this meanes gained the loue of them all, The rich and the poore, the great and the small. O this is an honest age, This is a plaine dealing age. 12   And the neat Shooemaker who merrily sings, Whose predecessors were heires vnto Kings, To such good perfection all matters he brings, That throughout all Europe his credit rings, O this is an honest age, This is a plaine dealing age. 13   The Weauer, the Glouer, the Mason also, The Painter that makes such a gorgious show, The Pewterer, the Plumer with other trades mo Will vse no false dealing where euer they goe. O this is an honest age, This is a plaine dealing age. 408