A New Ballad against unthrifts.  

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

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

When ruffling roisters will bestow,  
upon their backs such fine array:  
And be not worth that which they own,  
falling thereby in to decay.  
Yet will they set thereon a face:  
and brag and crack it out a pace.   

When lively lads will ply the dice,  
consuming there away their good:  
No man will count them to be wise,  
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 work:  
and honestly their livings get:  
But had rather in corners lurk,  
then that they would with labour sweat.  
Therefore no wealth they can attain:  
but live in trouble and in pain.   

When doting dolts will enterprise,  
to work such feats as I have told:  
Not ceasing for to exercise,  
worse deeds than those with courage bold.  
Then some do lay their coats to gauge:  
till that they have 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 Coat was laid.  
Yet will they not by this take heed:  
but still 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 have 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 assoon as they be espied:  
With whips they are laid on the skin,  
at a carts are being well tied.  
But all this can not those amend:  
that will do mischief to the end.   

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

Then some at Newgate do take ship,  
sailing full fast up holborn hill:  
And at Tiborn their anchors piche,  
full sore in deed against their wil  
But than it is to late I say:  
to call again the yesterday.   

Wherefore all ye that use this trade,  
leave of betimes if ye be wise:  
Lest that perchance this way ye wade,  
full sore against your own devise.  
For here ye see the end of such:  
as little have and will spend much.   
¶ Finis.  quoth. W. F.  

¶ Imprinted at London at the long shop adjoining unto Saint mildred's Church in the Poultry, by john Alde.