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The Poore Man Payes for All 
The Poore Man Payes for All 
As I lay musing all alone Upon my resting bed, Full many a cogitation Did come into my head: And, waking from my sleepe, I My dreame to mind did call: Me thought I saw before mine eyes,
 How poore men payes for all. 
Me thought I saw how wealthy men Did grind the poore men's faces, And greedily did prey on them, Not pittying their cases: They make them toyle and labour sore For wages too-too small; The rich men in the tavernes rore,
 But poore men pay for all. 
Me thought I saw an usurer old Walke in his fox-fur'd gowne, Whose wealth and eminence controld The most men in the towne; His wealth he by extortion got, And rose by others' fall; He had what his hands earned not,
 But poore men pay for all. 
Me thought I saw a courtier proud Come swaggering along, That unto any scarce allow'd The office of his tongue: Me thought, wert not for bribery, His peacock's plumes would fall; He ruffles out in bravery,
 But poore men pay for all. 
Me thought I was i' th' countrey, Where poore men take great paines, And labour hard continually, Onely for rich men's gaines: Like th' Israelitcs in Egypt, 
The poore are kept in thrall; 
The task-masters are playing kept, But poore men pay for all. 
Me thought I saw poore tradesmen, 
I' th' city and else-where, 
Whom rich men keepe as beads-men, 
In bondage, care and feare: 
Thei'l have them worke for what they list-
Thus weakest go to the wall: 
The rich men eate and drinke the best, But poore men pay for all. 
Me thought I saw two lawyers base 
One to another say, 
"We have had in hand this poor man's case 
A twelvemonth and a day: 
And yet wee'l not contented be 
To let the matter fall; 
Beare thou with me, & Ile beare with thee, While poore men pay for all. 
Me thought I saw a red-nose host, 
As fat as he could wallow; 
Whose carkasse, if it should be roast, 
Would drop seven stone of tallow: 
He growes rich out of measure 
With filling measure small; 
He lives in mirth and pleasure, But poore men pay for all. 
And so likewise the brewer stout, 
The chandler and the baker, 
The mault-mon also, without doubt, 
And the tobacco-taker: 
Though they be proud, and stately growne. 
And beare themselves so tall ; 
Yet to the world it is well knowne That poore men pay for all. 
Even as the mighty fishes still 
Doe feed upon the lesse; 
So rich men, might they have their will, 
Would on the poore men cess: 
It is a proverbe old and true-
That weakest goe to th' wall; 
Rich men can drink till th' sky looke blue, But poore men pay for all. 
But now, as I before did say, 
This is but a dreame indeed; 
Though all dreames prove not true, some may 
Hap right as I doe reade: 
And if that any come to passe, 
I doubt this my dreame shall; 
For till 'tis found too true a caseThat poore men pay for all. 
From A Ballad History of England, Palmer Printed 1630 Note: Beads-men: suppliants See also Farmer is the Man, Dodger Song, Hard Times of Old England etc.