A Caveat for Young Men. 
 OR, The Bad Husband turned Thrifty.  

This Caveat may serve both for Old and young,  
For to remember that Old Age will come;  
If you these Verses do mind and read,  
I hope hereafter you will take better heed:  
This Song it was set forth and penned,  
To teach Bad Husbands to amend.  
Therefore bad Husbands mend your lives,  
And be more kinder to your Wives.   
To the Tune of, hay ho my Honey.  
 
 

ALL you young Ranting Blades,  
that spend your time in vain,  
Remember that old age,  
you cannot it refrain:  
And whilst that you are young,  
this Caveat take of me,  
Be ruled by no tempting tongue,  
to bring you to poverty.   

I have been a bad Husband long  
and have spent store of silver and gold,  
Yet now I'll save something whilst I am young,  
to keep me when I am old.   

I had good store of means,  
and I lived most gallantly:  
But yet upon Whores and Queens,  
I spent it by and by:  
My Hoastis she was full of laughter,  
so long as I had money good store;  
And my Children must drink fair water,  
whilst I in the Alehouse did roar.   

I have been, etc.   

My Wife would me entreat,  
the Ale, house to refrain;  
Then I with anger great,  
made answer strait again:  
If you begin to scold,  
than I will bang thy coat;  
What woman her tongue can hold,  
when a man swallows all down his throat   

I have been, etc.   

My Children and I must sit,  
until we starve and pine,  
Whilst you your guts full get,  
of Tobacco, Béer, and Wine.  
Half that you spend in vain,  
and merely throw away,  
Our Family would maintain,  
and our House-Rent it would pay,   

I have been a bad Husband long,  
and have spent store of silver and gold;  
Yet now I'll save something whilst I am young,  
to keep me when I am old.   

But yet I'd not be ruled  
by these words she did say,  
Myself I often fooled,  
which brought me to decay:  
I no sooner had sold a Cow,  
but strait to the Alehouse I ran;  
My Hoastis unto me would bow,  
until all my money was gone.   

I have been, etc.   

She'd chuck me under the chin,  
and perhaps would give me a kiss,  
As Venus drew Adonis in,  
my Hoastis would never miss:  
She'd tell me it was too early,  
or else it was too late,  
until by the Oil of Barley,  
they had gotten my whole estate,   

I have been, etc.   

Thus day and night I ranted,  
and no company did refuse,  
whilst my wife and children wanted,  
I did myself abuse:  
I could not scarce afford  
my children clothes to wear;  
Nor my wife one good word,  
such was her grievous care.   

I have been, etc.   

The more my wife did speak,  
the worse I would be,  
I'd drink till my brains did ache,  
only to anger she,  
So long as I had a penny;  
i'd never give out for gain;  
But since I have found by many,  
a Good Fellow's a costly name.   

I have been, etc.   

At last I did perceive,  
my Estate was almost gone,  
Then it was time to leave,  
and some words I thought upon:  
I went into an Alehouse,  
where all my Coin I had drowned;  
In company with good fellows,  
I had spent an hundred pound,   

I have been, etc.   

I then these words replied,  
Hoastis, money I have none,  
A Flagon she me denied,  
and bid me strait be gone:  
what, will you not trust me a Flagon,  
those words replied I,  
No, quoth she not a Nogging,  
if you should starve and die.   

I have been, etc.   

I than went sighing home,  
and a vow straightway did make.  
They should sit whilst day of Doom,  
before one penny of me should take:  
A new life I will now begin,  
the Alewives shall sit like Elves;  
They shall both Card and Spin,  
or else go hang themselves.   

I have been, etc.   

Now I all men advise,  
this Caveat think upon,  
Be ruled by your wives,  
for old age it will come.  
If they know you have money,  
the Alewives with you will crack,  
They'll suck you as Bees suck honey,  
then hang you behind your back,   

I have been, etc.   

Therefore in time be ruled,  
save something whilst you have it,  
By no Alewives be you fooled,  
and then repent too late:  
For when that all is gone,  
and you have but little stock,  
If to the Alewives you make moan,  
they will you but jeer and mock.   

I have been a bad Husband long,  
and have spent store of silver and gold;  
Yet now I'll save something whilst I am young,  
to keep me when I am old.   
FINIS.  By John Wade.  

London, Printed, for W. Thackeray, T. Passenger and W. Whitw●ood