Slippery Will, or The old Bachelors complaint, with his advice to all young men not to do as he had done:  
His youthful time he spent away,  
Which makes him now this Proverb say,  
That he that will not when he may,  
When he would, he should have nay.  
To the tune of, The Bonny Bonny Broome.  
 

LOng have I lived a Bachelor's life,  
and had no mind to marry,  
But now I would fain have a wife,  
either Doll, Kate, Sis, or Mary,  
These four did love me very well,  
had my choice of many,  
But one did all the rest excel,  
and that was pretty Nanny:  
O young men all, to you I cry and call,  
make not too long delay,  
For if you will not when you may,  
when ye would, ye shall have nay.   

These Lasses fair did love me very dear,  
when I was in my prime,  
But now give ear and you shall hear,  
how I spent away my time:  
I promised Kate to be her true love  
and would not falsify,  
But soon I did contrary prove,  
oh I cannot it deny.  
O young, etc.   

●fter Kate I went and wooed Doll,  
she was my duck and my dear,  
Her own sweet heart she did me call,  
of me she had no fear,  
But I left her for Siffes sweet sake,  
for which poor Kate did grieve,  
And she did proclamations make,  
that no Maid should me believe▪  
O young, etc.   

Now Sisly she my true love must be,  
many fine words I her told,  
And she most faithfully believed me,  
and gave me silver and gold;  
Which freely I in company  
did spend and made no care,  
She called me her dear honey,  
and bade I should not spare.  
O young, etc.   

Now I having wasted much of her coin,  
she then began to grow wear,  
Then did she seek me to combine,  
that I with her should marry.  
But I was loath to yield unto her will,  
I told her I would tarry.  
Then afterward I did use my skill,  
for to be beloved of Mary.  
O young, etc.   

Now Marry she did think verily,  
that I had been her own,  
But she was much deceived in me,  
as plainly shall be shown,  
She was so cunning, crafty and wise,  
that she would not part with her money,  
Then when I found her so precise,  
I went and wooed Nanny.  
O young men all, to you I cry and call,  
make not too long delay,  
For if you will not when you may,  
when you would, you shall have nay.   

The second part.  
To the same tune.  
 

Sweet Nan did love me bear indeed,  
she would not see me to lack,  
She gave me money to serve my need,  
and apparel to my back,  
She called me her honey, coney, dear,  
her true delight and her love,  
no always bade that I should not fear,  
but that she would constant prove.  
O young men all, to you I cry and call,  
make not too long delay,  
For if you will now when you may,  
when you would, you shall have nay.   

Thus did I spend away my time of youth,  
and now begin to wax old,  
The Proverb now I find is truth,  
Hot love soon waxeth cold.  
I went and tried my Lasses over again,  
but I found them all very strange,  
They tell me now it is in vain,  
so often to fleet and change.  
O young, etc.   

When I came to prove my first true love,  
ask her if she did well,  
But now she doth contrary prove,  
and wished that the devil of hell  
Might take me up upon his back,  
and carry me about to sell;  
She bid me thence away to pack,  
and not come where she doth dwell.  
O young, etc.   

From Kate to Doll I did then repair,  
and called her my own Swéet-heart,  
She asked me what I did there,  
and bade me thence depart,  
She culled me slave and cheating knave,  
and swore she would procure  
Some punishment for me to have,  
that I might smart endure.  
O young, etc.   

I hearing her to threaten me so,  
went quickly from her sight,  
Then to my Sisly I did go,  
which was my heart's delight;  
But when she saw me at the door,  
she would not let me in,  
But told me of my fault● before,  
and said, She would baste my skin.  
O young, etc.   

Then wand'ring from thence I want,  
and came to Mistress Mary.  
Who was resolved with full intent,  
my life for to miscarry:  
She fetched a spit and ran at me,  
thin●ing to end my life,  
She used me most cruelly,  
and at me drew her knife.  
O young, etc.   

Then presently to Nan I bied,  
to see if she would be kind,  
But she at me did rail and chide,  
and swore she would heat me blind,  
She took her Distaff in her hand,  
and laid on me very sore;  
I thought it was no boot to stand,  
but get me out of door.  
O young, etc.   

I must confess that I did amiss,  
in loving of so many,  
O but now what a plague is this?  
am not beloved of any,  
My heart is grieved very sore,  
to think an former joys,  
O I shall never see them more,  
then list to me, young boys.  
For time and tide doth quickly glide,  
and time for none will stay,  
Then take your time when as you may,  
or else perhaps you may have nay.   
FINIS.    

Printed at London for E. B.