POOR ROBIN'S Observations upon Whitsun-Holidays.  
Concerning the fair and foul weather happening thereon.  
TOGETHER With the Manly exercise of the Cornish-men of Hurling the Ball in Hyde-park on Whitsun-Tuesday last.  

Islington.  

What ails ye O ye clouds why do you frown  
With angry influence upon our Town?  
Spoiling the Harvest hopes of all our gains,  
And makes us lower when we see it reins,  

Was not our loss enough the first of May  
When as the rain got all our gains away?  
When company we wanted who consumes  
Our Cheesecakes, Bottle-Ale, and our Stew'd-Prunes.  
All which hung on our hands (the more's the pity)  
And sent with loss afterwards to the City.  
What would have yielded us a pound sold dear  
Scarcely an Angel doth for them appear.  
How can we pay our Rent at such a rate,  
When Rain does make our Trading out of date?     

Whitsun Monday.  

The Heavens weeps tears, which makes us too to weep,  
we're at a loss for those things which we keep.  
For when the Sky with showers doth on us frown  
It brings the price of Cakes, and Cheesecakes down:  
The weather did our hopes so foully cozen  
Eel-pics must go now eighteen to the dozen.   

Now Dick the Apprentice with his Neighbour William  
Who meant to walk abroad with Nell and Jilian.  
Feasting their guts with Flawns and Fools and Custard,  
And drinking Bottle-Ale till they are flustered.  
When merry catches they do sit and sing,  
And love each other like to anything;  
The Rain which on the earth the Clouds did spill  
Made them good Husbands sore against their will.   

Citizen's wives who did new clothes provide  
To show themselves abroad at this same tide,  
And would be generous now in spending chink  
Though they three days before scarce eat or drink;  
Besides their Husbands who abroad do walk  
To hear the Cuckoo his sweet Tune to talk.  
When after they have ta'en the pleasant air  
Unto our houses use to make repair,  
But this foul weather will not let them room  
The Cuckoo they may stay to hear at home.   

We Servants did provide against this day  
To wait on them which do at Ninepins play,  
Besides the others which wait in the house,  
But all our Trade now not worth a louse;  
Our Rooms are empty and to tell you truly,  
No Red-noses being seen; makes us look blewly.   

Had Sol shined on us with a glorious ray  
And been so kind to give us a fair day,  
Our houses had been thronged, and every Arbour  
To young men and to maids had been a harbour,  
Our profits would come in as sweet as honey,  
We scarcely could have time to change their money.  
But being wet weather our Trading fails,  
Maids would not budge out to have dagled tails.    

Whitsun Tuesday.  
But Whitsun-Tuesday was more kind unto us,  
Had that been wet such weather would undo us,  
The sun shined on the earth with Radiant face  
Which sent unto us customers apace;  
The Rooms now thronged with Guests, Arbours not empty  
Of young men and of maids we then had plenty,  
Our Cider, Mum, Cheesecakes, Cakes and stewed Prunes,  
This numerous company them all consumes.   

The Cornish Hurling of the Silver Ball.  
But yet Hyde-park a man might truly say  
Had in it much the glory of that day.  
Stout Cornwall, always Loyal to their King.  
A hundred brave resolved persons bring  
Of their own County to the Park that day  
One of their Country's exercise to play.  
Where being come themselves they do divide  
To East and West, their manhood to decide;  
I'th' midst o'th' park's thrown up a Silver Ball,  
Which being done, stoutly to it they fall:  
Heels were tripped up, and bodies come to ground.  
The Cornish Hug always good play was found.  
Long time it lasted, and now East then Waif  
At several times had each of them the best.  
Thousand spectators stood with greedy Eyes  
To see them Act this Manly Exercise:  
His Highness Yorks great Duke beheld the same  
With other persons of renowned fame.  
Brave Cornish men you are to be commended  
And will be so until the world is ended.    

London, Printed by Peter Lillicrap.