A COPY OF VERSES PRESENTED To all his Loving Masters and Mistrisses, In the town of Lambeth,
By THOMAS OULDMAN, Bel-man.
The PROLOGUE.
Good people all, both Old and Young,
Attend the Merry Bel-mans come,
To wake you with his merry theams,
And rouze you up out of your Dreams;
I hope to please some with my Rhimes,
who pleases all must rise betimes.
Howe'r my Masters you all know
I trudge about in Frost and Snow,
And many a bitter blast indure
To keep your Houses safe and sure;
Then Think upon the Bel-mans care,
And so I wish you well to fare.
On a Frosty Mornings,
ALL you that hear my morning sound,
When I abroad do walk my Round
To see your Houses safe and well,
That you at quiet in them dwell;
Wherein you may both hug and kiss,
I think there is no harm in this;
The mornings cold, creep close together
For this is much like Winter Weather.
On a blustering Rainy Night.
HArk how it blows and Rains, 'tis dirty weather,
Therefore be rul'd by me, lye close together:
Were I as you are now between the Sheets,
I would not rise to walk about the streets.
On Long Nights.
I Walk abroad a nights and ring my Bell
To give you notice Masters all is well;
Though with the noisesome people I offend,
Yet others still my care they will commend
I hope you will excuse me for the wrong,
You may have sleepe enough, the nights are long.
Or the Bel-man.
THe danger of the night doth much require
Your Bel-man's care for to prevent the fire;
In walking round to seek and search about,
To see if that your Fire and Lights be out;
Your safeties all I do desire to see,
Your faithful Servant I shall ever be.
On St. ANDREW.
SAint Andrew, an Apostle of our Lord,
Went o're to Nations to Preach his Sacred word,
For Christs dear sake; no Torments he deny'd,
Still for the Cross, and on the Cross he dy'd.
God make us Christians, as St. Andrew was,
Faithful to Christ, a lover of the Cross.
For CHRISTMAS Day.
THis is the Glorious joyful day we keep,
Arise all drowsie souls now from your sleep:
This is that happy and most blessed Morn
Our Saviour Jesus Christ himself was born.
Let all good Angels in their Quires sing
O welcome, welcome, to their Heavenly King.
On St. Stephens Day.
ST. Stephen, the first of Martyrs, who did see
The Heavens to op'e, and Jesus Christ to be
Set on his Fathers Right Hand, there to make
Prayer and Intercession for Man's sake.
Awake O Man, awake, arise and Pray
Call on the Lord, while it is call'd to day:
For if the Bridegroom entring, shut the Gate.
Then may you call, but it will be too late
On St. JOHNS day.
ST. Iohn was chief Apostle of the rest,
Christ gave him leave to lean upon his breast;
He in a Revelation saw all that should come
Upon the World untill the Day of Doom;
Which how nigh 'tis no mortal man can tell,
Then whilst thou liv'st, endeavour to live well;
That when Christ comes these words be said to thee
Come now ye blessed, come and live with me.
On INNOCENTS Day.
HEROD surprised, with grief was discontent
The Eastern Star, he knew not what it meant
But was so much astonisht at the news
Of one new born, who shall be King o'th' Jews;
He then contriv'd this way to use his Skill
All new-born Babes he charg'd his men to kill,
Thinking thereby this matter to prevent
But by an Angel was the Virgin sent
to Aegypt, were this blessed Babe was sav'd,
With our Redemption on his breast engrav'd.
On NEW-YEARS Day
Now let us all Repent, and all begin
This Year like Christians, turning from our sin:
For ought we know, before the Year be done
We may be dead and rotten every one;
Then is it not high time for to repent?
Since all our dayes in Vanity are spent,
Let us from Heaven beg help while we have time
For Death takes many in the very prime;
Ye Young and Old may both together go,
For none shall scape the Grave we all do know,
On the World.
THe World shall pass away, and all therein
Shall be no more, as if they had not been
As if they never were; they all shall fade
They all are moving since they first were made:
Each word of God is good, and there's no clause
Of thretning Ruine to those Righteous Laws
To him that keeps those blest Commands, for he
Reward shall have unto Eternity.
Remembrance
The time, O man! that thou hast spent in sin
It is to much, therefore at length begin
To call to mind that one day thou must dye,
But the time when, thou canst it not descry
Thou knowst not but Death may come to day,
And from thy body take thy soule away;
Therefore repent before thou breathe thy last
Lest thou wilt wish thou hadst when time is past,
To his Masters
MY loving Masters, you all shall plainly see
My love my care and my fidelyty,
Since providence did me your Servant chuse
There's nothing for your safety I'le refuse:
Giving you thanks, and so I shall do ever,
As long as life doth last, do my endeavour;
To keep you safe, that you may sleep with joy
And no disturbance may your state annoy,
On Love.
O Man! be carefull of your Wife,
And love her as thou lov'st thy Life,
And then I dare with boldness say
There will be quietness every way:
For women are such necessary things
Fit Companions for Emperours or Kings;
Though with my Bell this discourse I raise,
Yet want a tongue to speak a Womans praise.
On Death.
NOthing more certain is to mortal Men
Then Death, and yet it tis uncertain when;
For like a Thief, Death on all men doth steal
And with the Rich and Poor alike doth deale.
No Kings nor Princes from his Darts are free
For his Arrest let us prepared be;
Or elce 'twill be for us a dreadful day,
When he doth come to post us hence away.
Conclusion.
ANd now my Worthy Masters, if you please
To accept my Love in such poor Lines as these,
I humbly thank you, and will strive to be
Your faithful servant most continually:
And that your Health and happyness still may
Continued be, do I your Bell-Man pray.