Classic and Contemporary Poetry
THE LINEN WEAVER, by ANONYMOUS First Line: On saturday with joy bill dubs his half Last Line: "to slave for upstart gentry. I'll go serve, / with willing mind, his majesty king george" Subject(s): Linen;weavers & Weaving | ||||||||
ON Saturday with joy Bill dubs his half, And plaits it most exact, then folds it up And into wallets puts, then throws it o'er His shoulder and, with many an eager stride, He gravely stalks along. At warehouse door He makes his entrance, takes his wallet down, And empties the contents. His master's man With poring eye surveys the piece before him, And finds no fault. 'Why then,' cries honest Bill, 'A shilling more you'll give for work like this.' 'Nay,' says the servant. 'Then I'll bring my reed, For this has been a most confounded piece,' The weaver cries. 'Go call my master, I Act only by instruction.' Then appears A man dressed like a squire, or justice-like, With large white wig and ruffles o'er his hands, Enough to daunt a bolder man than Bill. 'Come, what's the matter, weaver?''He demands A shilling more, sir, than the common wage.' 'No, sure! Does any other master give it?' 'I can't say so,' cries Bill.'Why then should I Give more than they? Maid, fetch a jug of ale: Let's drink together, Bill, to thy good health.' 'I thank you, master.''Come, here's to'rds your own, And all your family.' The matter ends. But should some surly weaver chance to miss His stripe, or selvedge mar, the game begins: 'Jack, you must bate for this.''Bate! What d'ye mean?' Then by his Gand by his She swears He never will, but, forced at last, he flings Out of the warehouse door with dreadful curse: 'Must I, like slave in Turkey, hag and work My heart's blood out to gratify the pride Of wanton bs, flounced and furbelowed In silk and silver, sipping tea and cream, Or powder check-men's wigs? No, dn oppression; I've brought my hogs t'a pretty market sure, To slave for upstart gentry. I'll go serve, With willing mind, his majesty King George.' | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...TIS A LITTLE JOURNEY by ANONYMOUS "'TIS MIDNIGHT, AND THE SETTING SUN" by ANONYMOUS "'TWAS ROLLOG, AND THE MINIM POTES" by ANONYMOUS 1648 : FOR COSSACKS by ANONYMOUS A CHERRY YEAR / A MERRY YEAR by ANONYMOUS A COMET FROM THE RHYMERS' CLUB AFAR by ANONYMOUS "A FOX, A FOX, UP GALLANTS TO THE FIELDS" by ANONYMOUS A HORSE AND A FLEA AND THREE BLIND MICE by ANONYMOUS "A LAIRD, A LORD / A COOPER, A THIEF" by ANONYMOUS |
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