All things be dear but poor mens labour; or, the sad complaint of poor people. Being a true relation of the dearness of all kinds of food, to the great grief and sorrow of many thousands in this nation. Likewise, the uncharitableness of rich men to the poor. This song was begun at Worcester, the middle at Shrewsbury, the end at Coventry. / By L. W. To the tune of, Hold buckle and thong together. L. W. 1680 Approx. 5 KB of XML-encoded text transcribed from 1 1-bit group-IV TIFF page image. Text Creation Partnership, Ann Arbor, MI ; Oxford (UK) : 2009-03 (EEBO-TCP Phase 1). B06749 Wing W77A ESTC R186106 52529357 ocm 52529357 179218 This keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the Early English Books Online Text Creation Partnership. This Phase I text is available for reuse, according to the terms of Creative Commons 0 1.0 Universal . The text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. Early English books online. (EEBO-TCP ; phase 1, no. B06749) Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 179218) Images scanned from microfilm: (Early English Books, 1641-1700 ; 2780:19) All things be dear but poor mens labour; or, the sad complaint of poor people. Being a true relation of the dearness of all kinds of food, to the great grief and sorrow of many thousands in this nation. Likewise, the uncharitableness of rich men to the poor. This song was begun at Worcester, the middle at Shrewsbury, the end at Coventry. / By L. W. To the tune of, Hold buckle and thong together. L. W. 1 sheet ([2] p.) : ill. Printed for J. Clark at the Bible and Harp in West-Southfield, [London] : [1680] In verse. Caption title. Place and date of publication from Wing. In two columns. Imperfect: cropped and stained with slight loss of text. 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Broadsides -- England -- 17th century. 2008-02 TCP Assigned for keying and markup 2008-05 SPi Global Keyed and coded from ProQuest page images 2008-06 Mona Logarbo Sampled and proofread 2008-06 Mona Logarbo Text and markup reviewed and edited 2008-09 pfs Batch review (QC) and XML conversion All things be dear but poor Mens Labour ; Or , The sad Complaint of Poor People . Being a true Relation of the dearness of all kind of Food , to the great Grief and Sorrow of many Thousands in this Nation . Likewise , the uncharitableness of Rich Men to the Poor . This Song was begun at Worcester , the midle at Shrewsbury , the end at Coventry . By L. W. To the Tune of , Hold Buckle and Thong together . KInd Country-men lissen I pray unto this my harmless Ditty , Observe these words which I shall say for it is true the more 's the pitty ; But chief to those that stand me by , whether stranger , or my neighbour I think here 's none that can deny . all things are dear but poor man's labour , We find that Bread-Corn now is dear , in every Town throughout this Nation , The Rich now poor men will not bear because Charity 's out of fashion , Poor men do work all day and night for that which in it hath small sauour A Loss of six pence is but 〈◊〉 . Béef and Mutton is so dear a mans weeks wages cannot buy it , There 's great complaints in every place , all things are dear who can deny it , But poor mens labour is too cheap , and Trading's dead which makes times harder That all their pains wont find them meat all things , &c. Chéese and Butter is so dear you know it better than I can tell ye T would grieve a stony heart to hear the poor complain thus for their belly . And 〈…〉 dead , 〈…〉 t find them bread I 'll makes my very heart to ake , to hear poor people thus complaining , For all their care and pains they take , rich men the poor are still disdaining , But let Rich Misers consider well the poor , and show to them some favour Or else their Souls will hang in Hell , all things , &c. In it not sad for Parents now , to hear their Children for bread crying , And has it not for them to give although for food they lye a dying , Poor little Babies they must fast , although it grieves Mother and Father , A bit of bread they cannot tast , all things , &c. To hear the many sad Complaints , as I have heard in Town and City , I think youd cry as well as I , the Rich has for the Poor no pitty For if they work now for Rich men , there 's some will kéep their Wages from them And make them run to and agen , Which makes the Poor cry fye upon them . Farmers so covetous now they be , their Corn they 'l hoard for better profit Although the Poor do fast we sée , their grain they 'l keep what ere comes of it Whole Ricks of Corn stands in their yards and scorns to shew the Poor some favour For some do swear they do not care , if things be dear , but poor mans labour . A Rich man there was in Stafford-shire , which is a Knave , i 'me sure no better He hop'd to sell his Corn so dear e're long as Grocers do their Pepper . When Wheat was sold for shillings ten he would not Thrash , Fan , nor yet rake it Let poor despair , he oft did swear . heed keep it for a better market . Too many their is of such base men , all England round in Town and City , They 'l see the poor starve at their door before they 'l shew them any pity ; For some will make poor men to work , all day and night for little favour , For Rich men be , cruel we see , all things be dear but poor mens labour . But thanks to God ' Corn falls apace , and all things else that 's for the belly , Yet still it doth go bad with some although they work full hard I tell you , Six-pence a day , is now the pay for a days work , and held a favour , This must maintain Wife and Babes , all thing be dear , &c. So to conclude , le ts be content with what the Lord doth please to send us , Let us our evil lives repent , then in our woes God will defend us : And let rich men be merciful unto the poor stranger or neighbour , For all do know , unto their woe all things be dear but poor mens labour . Printed for J Clark at the Bible and Harp in West-smithfield .