Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, BARTHOLOMEW FAIR: NIGHTINGALE'S SONG, by BEN JONSON


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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

BARTHOLOMEW FAIR: NIGHTINGALE'S SONG, by                 Poet Analysis     Poet's Biography
First Line: My masters and friends, and good people draw near
Last Line: Than live to be hanged for cutting a purse.


My masters and friends, and good people draw near,
And look to your purses, for that I do say;
And though little money, in them you do bear,
It cost more to get, than to lose in a day.
You oft have been told,
Both the young and the old;
And bidden beware of the cutpurse so bold;
Then if you take heed not, free me from the curse,
Who both give you warning for, and the cutpurse.
Youth, youth, thou hadst better been starved by thy nurse
Than live to be hanged for cutting a purse.

It hath been upbraided to men of my trade,
That oftentimes we are the cause of this crime.
Alack and for pity, why should it be said?
As if they regarded or places, or time.
Examples have been
Of some that were seen,
In Westminster Hall, yea the pleaders between:
Then why should the judges be free from this curse,
More than my poor self, for cutting the purse?
Youth, youth, thou hadst better been starved by thy nurse,
Than live to be hanged for cutting a purse.

At Worcester 'tis known well, and even i' the gaol,
A knight of good worship did there show his face,
Against the foul sinners, in zeal for to rail.
And lost (ipso facto) his purse in the place.
Nay, once from the seat
Of judgment so great,
A judge there did lose a fair puch of velvet.
O Lord for thy mercy, how wicked or worse,
Are those that so venture their necks for a purse!
Youth, youth, thou hadst better be starved by thy nurse,
Than live to be hanged for cutting a purse.

At plays and at sermons, and at the sessions,
'Tis daily their practice such booty to make:
Yea, under the gallows, at executions,
They stick not the stareabouts' purses to take.
Nay one without grace,
At a far better place,
At court and in Christmas, before the King's face.
Alack then for pity, must I bear the curse,
That only belongs to the cunning cutpurse?

But O, you vile nation of cutpurses all,
Relent and repent, and amend and be sound,
And know that you ought not, by honest men's fall,
Advance your own fortunes, to die above ground,
And though you go gay,
In silks as you may,
It is not the high way to heaven (as they say)
Repent then, repent you, for better, for worse:
And kiss not the gallows for cutting a purse.
Youth, youth, thou hadst better been starved by thy nurse,
Than live to be hanged for cutting a purse.





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