The Downfall of Pride. Riband-Cod-pieses, Black-patches, and whatsoever is Antic, apish, fantastic, and dishonourable to a civil Government.  
To the Tune of, Bragandary.  
 

A Ballad, a Ballad, let's make in haste,  
a Ballad let's make with speed,  
Let every Poet make a verse,  
for there never was more need  
Men and women are out of their wits,  
Possessed with strange frantic fits,  
O people, monstrous people,  
What do you mean to do?   

Some carry about them every day,  
a Haberdasher's shop,  
Like Puppets in a Puppet-Play,  
about the streets they hop;  
Just against the place of lust,  
With gaudy Ribbons they are trust,  
O men, monstrous men,  
What do you mean to do?   

Some women sometimes use to wear,  
black Patches on their face,  
What ever of themselves they think,  
'tis but to their disgrace:  
They make themselves with those fond toys,  
A laughing stock to girls and boys,  
O women, monstrous women  
What do you mean to do?   

The civil Soldiers laugh at ye,  
to see you so disguised,  
And I do hope to live to see,  
Pride not so highly prized,  
Costly Baubles you have store,  
But never a penny for the poor,  
O people, monstrous people  
what do you mean to do?   

If that the fashion should be now  
great Garlands for to wear  
As Paris-garden Bulls have done,  
our people would not forbear:  
they would wear them about their necks  
To pride they give such great respects,  
O people, monstrous people  
what do you mean to do?   

Or if the fashion should be now,  
As I may well suppose,  
That points and Ribbons should be worn  
in men and women's nose,  
Pride would quickly have it so,  
That they like Antics thus might go,  
O people, monstrous people  
what do you mean to do.   

The second Part,  
to the same Tune.  
 

OR if the fashion should be now,  
on shoes to wear great beads,  
Or if some people should but wear  
hand-baskets on their heads:  
The rest will follow them I know  
that they like Coxcombs thus might go  
O people, monstrous people  
what do you mean to do?   

Or if the fashion should be thus  
to wear the ears of Pigs,  
In women's breasts or on their heads  
As men wear Perrywigs:  
Pride will give that fashion place,  
The Pigs would go to wrack a pace,  
O people, monstrous people  
what do you mean to do?   

Curled locks are daily sold  
to women for to wear,  
An ugly sight for to behold.  
 see them wear false hair,  
Women and men fantastic Elves,  
Know not what to wear themselves,  
O people, &c,   

Men with white Powder, powder their hair  
they look like Miller's right  
What colour soever their clothes are  
the Powder makes them white:  
Boots they wear with a picket-toe,  
straddling through the streets they go,  
O men, etc.   

Our Ancestors were civil men  
As we may read and hear;  
Though they were men of good account,  
would leather shoestrings wear,  
Their hands unto their shirts were sown  
But now we are more gallant grown,  
O people, monstrous people  
what do you mean to do.   

A Leather-Girdle about their waste,  
as plain as plain may be,  
An honest heart within their breast,  
from guile and falsehood free?  
No Bills nor Bonds betwixt them then,  
But now we live more like Devils than men  
O people, monstrous people,  
what do you mean to do?   

What I have said good people all  
is merely out of love,  
I do desire that great and small  
may fear the Lord above:  
That cruelty and pride may cease,  
And that we may enjoy true peace.  
That Pride may be o'erthrown,  
And charity take place.    
FINIS.   

London Printed for Francis Grove on Snow-hill.  
H.C.