A Merry Life and a Short: Or, The Way to bring a Noble to Ninepences.  
By this Example you may learn to shun  
Expenses vain, which many bath undone:  
A Hawk, a Hound, and also change of Whores,  
Will turn a rich man quickly out of doo●s,  
Tune of the new Corant, now ●●l in use.  
 
 

THe World it goes merrily round  
now I have time for to reckon my gains,  
I once had ten hundred pound,  
& now I have nothing but 9 pence remains:  
I thought it would never be day,  
my money in my Pocket did burn,  
But now it is melted away,  
and o●re a new leaf I must turn.   

To tell you what hast I did make,  
thinking my gold it would never have end,  
I prodigal courses did take.  
 
My silver I lost it like hay,  
for I had no need for to borrow,  
I would have my humour to day,  
and I never took care for to morrow.   

I bought me a Hawk and a Hound,  
and a good Gelding to gallop along,  
I hunted within my own ground,  
and thus I followed my pleasure ding dung  
I got whatsoever I thought,  
at all might my sense's delight,  
Believe me I wanted for nothing,  
but a Lady to lie with all night.  
I ranged the City about,  
of all the beauties to take a full view,  
And many a fine girl I found out,  
every day changing an old for a new,  
I then was so wanton and wild,  
and given so much to the game,  
Although I got twenty with child,  
I yet acknowledged the same.   

When I met with a wench that was fair,  
than I would lay her down flat as a cake,  
Her humour I pleased to a hair,  
& Gloves & Ribbons I bought for her sake.  
I tumbled her over and over,  
and called for a glass of good sack,  
And after I saw I could love her,  
I gave her what ere she did lack.   
 
 

THere was scarce a girl in the town,  
but she was willing my love to embrace  
Because I was prodigal grown,  
and never valued for cost in the case.  
Rich Dinners I oft did provide,  
my Ladies of Pleasure to feast,  
Then afterwards up and go ride,  
for the second course still I would fast.   

There's dainty fine simpering Sue,  
lives at a house of resort in the strand,  
And if I should give her her due,  
a better never engaged with a man.  
There's Moll at the maypole as good,  
and Grace in the heart of the City,  
And Nan at the Man in the wood,  
all are Girls that are wondrous pretty.   

Besides many more I could name,  
girls that are used to play in the dark,  
Dame Venus hath taught them the game,  
& ever since they will mount like a lark.  
On such I my money would waste,  
to charm all their senses asleep,  
The pleasures of Love I would taste,  
though I pumped my purse never so deep.   

One morning as I did go out,  
I heard a Lady most sweetly did play,  
And casting my eye all about,  
I saw the window wherein her lute lay.  
Then up to her chamber in haste,  
I came for to bid her good morrow,  
And lovingly then we embraced,  
but it afterward prov●d to my sorrow.   

Although in Dame Ve●u● sweet wars,  
I a bold Warrior often had been,  
I still did escape without scars,  
for such hot service I never had seen.  
A pox take her trade for a whore,  
Old Nick take her craft so to move me,  
To leave her I had not the power,  
when I heard her cry love me, O love me.   

I wish I had been in the stocks,  
when I did gaze on her powder and paint,  
She sent me away with a pox,  
and prov●d a devil more like than a saint.  
And t●us from the best to the ●orst,  
I danced my Sellinger's round,  
But I may remember the last,  
for it cost me no less than ten pound.   

And thus I have taken my swing  
till my money was wasted and gone,  
A Noble to Ninepences to bring,  
that you do see may be easily done:  
But if that you follow my ways,  
you never will thank me for't,  
For t●o many do now a days,  
live a merry life and a short.    

Printed for P. Brooksby, at the Golden-ball, near the Hospital-Gate in Westsmit●-field.