To the worshipful our good benefactor.  
IN all lamentable manner, most humbly beséecheth your good Worship, we the miserable multitude of very poor distressed prisoners, in the hole of Woodstréet Counter, in number fifty poor men, or ther●abouts, ying vpon the bare boards, still languishing in great need, cold an● misery, who, by reason of this daungerous and troublesone time, be almost ●●mished and hunger starved to death: others very sore sick and diseased fo●●●nt of relief and sustenance, by reason of the great number which daily incr●●seth, doth in all humbleness, most humbly beseech your good Worship, even for gods sake, to pity our poor lamentable and distressed cases. And now ●●l●e to relieve, and comfort us with your christian and godly charity against this holy and blessed time of Easter. And wee, according to our bound duties, do, and will, daily pray unto Almighty God, for your long life, and happy prosperity.  
We humbly pray, your christian and godly charity to be sent unto us by some of your seruants.   

 woodblock representation of a male figure with a halo facing left, looking left, with a cow or bull, and two stars  woodblock representation of a male figure with a halo facing left, looking right, with a cow or bull  woodblock representation of a male figure with a halo facing right, looking right, with a cow or bull, and one star  woodblock representation of a male figure with a turban facing right, looking right  woodblock representation of a female figure facing left, looking left, with an oval object and one star A proper new balad in praise of my lady Marques, Whose death is be wailed, To the tune of new lusty gallant.  

LAdies I think you marvell that  
I writ no merry report to you,  
And what is the cause I court it not  
So merry as I was wont to do,  
Alas I let you understand,  
It is no news for me to show,  
The fairest flower of my garland  
Was caught from court a great while a go.   

For under the roof of sweet Saint paul,  
There lieth my lady buried in clay,  
Where I make memory for her soul,  
With weeping eyes once every day,  
All other sights I haue for got,  
That ever in court I joyed to see:  
And that is the cause I court it not,  
So merry as I was wont to be.   

And though that shee be dead and gone,  
Whose courting need not to be told,  
And natures mould of flesh and bone,  
Whose like now lives not to be hold,  
Me thinks I see her walk in black,  
In every corner where I go:  
To look if any body do lack,  
A friend to help them of their woe.   

me thinks I see her sorrowful tears,  
To princelye state approaching nigh  
me thinks I see her trembling fears,  
Leste any her suits should hit a wry,  
me thinks she should be still in place  
Apitifull speaker to a queen,  
Be wailinge every poor mans case,  
As many a time shee hath ben seen.   

me thinks I see her modest mood  
Her comely clothig plainly clad,  
Her face so sweet her cheer so good,  
The courtly countenance that shee had  
But chief of all me thinks I see,  
Her virtues dentie day by day,  
Homblie kneeling one her knee  
As her desire was still to pray.   

me thinks I could from morrow to night  
Do no thing ells with very good will,  
But spend the time to speak and writ:  
The praise of my good ladies still  
Though reason saith now she is dead  
Go seek and serve as good as shee  
It will not sink so in my head  
That ever the like in court will bee.   

But sure I am ther liveth yet,  
In court a dearer friend to me,  
whom I to serve am so vn fit,  
I am sure the like will never bee,  
For I with all that I can do,  
unworthy most may seem to bee  
To undo the lachet of her shoe,  
Yet will I come to court and see.   

Then haue a mongste ye once a gain,  
Faint harts faire Ladies nouer win,  
I trust ye will consider my pain,  
When any good Venison cometh in,  
And gentill Ladies I you pray,  
If my absentinge breed to blame,  
In my behalf that ye will say,  
In court is remedy for the same.   
{quod}. W. Elderton.  
¶ Finis.   

¶ Imprinted at London in Fletestreat beneath the Conduit, at the sign of S. John evangelist, by Thomas Colwell.  
 silhouette representations of four dragons or griffins   

A New Ballad against unthrifts.  

When raging louts with feeble brains,  
most wilfully will spend away:  
And eke comsume more thē their gains,  
in riotyng al the long day.  
And spend with him that will spend most:  
yet of their gain they need not boast.   

When drunken Drunkerds will not spare,  
the Alehous daily for to ply:  
But sit and tipple there full square,  
and to their gains will haue no eye.  
Nor will not cease I warrant ye:  
so long as they haue one penny.   

When rufling roisters will bestow,  
vpon their backs such fine array:  
And be not wurth that which they owe,  
falling thereby in to decay.  
Yet will they set thereon a face:  
And brag and crack it out a place.   

When lively lads will ply the dice,  
consuming there away their good:  
No man will count them to be wice,  
but rather to be mad or wood.  
For when that all their money is gone:  
then are they dressed like a mome.   

When lazy loiterers will not wurk:  
and honestly their livings get:  
But had rather in corners lurk,  
then that they would with labour sweat.  
Therfore no wealth they can attain:  
but live in trouble and in pain.   

When doting doltes will enterprise,  
to wurk such feats as I haue told:  
Not ceasing for to exercise,  
worse deeds then those with courage bold.  
Then some do lay their coats to gauge:  
till that they haue received their wage.   

Then some the Counter oft do kiss,  
if that the money be not paid:  
Or if that they their day do miss,  
for which to gauge their Cote was laid.  
Yet will they not by this take heed:  
but stil continue to proceed.   

Then some thereby their credit lose  
so that no wise man will them trust:  
wherefore they can no longer gloze,  
but rub and revel not they must.  
For wheresoever they become:  
they are not so well trust as known.   

Then some at length do beg their bread,  
who if in time they had been wise:  
Might well haue had enough to fed,  
themselves, their children& their wives:  
But when that all is gone and spent:  
it is to late then to repent.   

Then some to pilfer do begin,  
but as soon as they be espied:  
With whips they are laid on the skin,  
at a carts ars being well tied.  
But al this can not those amend:  
that will do mischief to the end.   

Then some proceed to rob and kill,  
counting al fish that comes to net:  
And yf that they might haue their will,  
for right or wrong they would not let.  
till at the last they fall in bands:  
and can not escape out of hands.   

Then some at Newgate do take ship,  
sailing full fast up holborn hil:  
And at Tiborn their anckers piche,  
full sore in dead against their will.  
But then it is to late I say:  
to call again the yester day.   

wherefore al ye that use this trade,  
leave of betimes yf ye be wise:  
Lest that perchance this way ye wade,  
full sore against your own devise.  
For heer ye see the end of such:  
as little haue and will spend much.   
quoth. W. F.  
¶ Finis.   

¶ Imprinted at London at the long shop adjoining unto Saint mildreds church in the Poultry, by John Alde.