JACK CATCH HIS bridewell ORATION, OR A WORD OR TWO OF ADVICE TO HIS FRIENDS.  

GOod People all, observe what I shall tell;  
My Name 'tis known, some know my name too well;  
For many I have fingered in my time,  
And made some 'gainst their Wills to Wrymouth climb;  
Strong Hemp the mighty Engine of my Trade,  
Has got me coin, of which bad use I made,  
Yet money more than manners still I had,  
More luckless is my Fate, my Case more bad:  
Little I thought thus to be gazed upon;  
What mean you Friends, thus to come crowding on?  
What though I 'm caught, who many caught before,  
It does not hinder but I may catch more;  
What though more Sauce than pig brought me to this?  
Come tell me which of You han't done amiss;  
You Leer and Gape as if ye came to flout;  
Poor Jack i'th Pens, who would, but can't get out:  
Well, well my Neighbors, 'tis not kindly done;  
The case in time good folks may be your own,  
Or worse perhaps, the need that here I thump,  
May be a means to make some of ye jump:  
A dose of This, Friends, managed well by me,  
Will make you know the Squire o'th Triple-Tree:  
O● Miss, my Daughter, what are you come too?  
Fie naughty Girl● has't nothing else to do;  
Go get thee home, thou little staring fool,  
When I come out thou shalt to'th Boarding-School;  
I have no time to hear you whimper now;  
Go, get ye home, and see what's there to do,  
Go, let my Journymen have Tripes enow:  
And now good People I must tell you plain,  
Was I once out, I'd ne'er come here again,  
Though 'tis a Mansion I have had before,  
A Place where I have been in days of Yore,  
And you will say I might have frightening ta'n,  
And not have tempted Fate to come again,  
But now I'm in, your admonitions vain:  
Alack and Welladay, what must I do?  
Speak Friends, a word of Comfort, one or two,  
As I in such a case might do to you:  
No way but to submit? No there is none;  
Well, well my Friends, no more it shall be done,  
And Reason too, since there is no other way,  
I was a Coxcomb e'r to disobey.  
Thus haughty Jack you see will bait his Pride  
Rather than be a tenant to St. Bride:  
Then learn by me all you that stomach it,  
All you that grumble as you thought not fit,  
To your Superiors freely to submit,  
Least I put in and nimbly tie the String,  
Which may perhaps too late Repentance bring,  
And you a Tune that does not please you Sing;  
But I have said enough to you, and now  
I will go think what else I have to do;  
But stay, I had forgot, I 've more to say;  
You that are Servants hasten home I pray,  
And stand not loitering here, lest in the end,  
It be your lot in this place to be penned;  
And you that are not, mind your business too,  
For here I 'm sure you little have to do,  
Say Jack Catch  told you that, and so Adeu.    

This may be Printed,  
R. P. January the 14th. 1685.   

LONDON, Printed for D. M. 1686.