Luckidad's garland, or, When my old hat was new (1)/Luckidad's Garland

Luckidad's Garland;

O R,

When my Old Hat was New.

To which is added,

The Forsaken MAID.

Entered according to Order.

LUCKIDAD'S GARLAND.

SINCE my Old Hat was New, it is
about fourſcore of years,
But now it is both old and torn,
fall'n down about my ears.
It was made of the ſilk ſo fine,
and ſtood above my brow,
O what a ſtrapping youth was I,
when my old hat was new.

About threeſcore of years ago,
the truth I do declare,
Every one took other's words,
I wot they ſought nae mair:
Now bonds and bills cannot men hold,
their words are ſo untrue,
Such villainy did not abound,
when my old hat was new.

Where brotherly love did once abound,
there's nothing now but feud,
For they take many poor mens ground,
that they can get no bread,
And makes them wander up and down,
but knows not what to do;
In my young days it was not ſo,
when my old hat was new.

For the moſt thing a farmer had,
was but a plough of land,
Which did maintain his family,
as you may underſtand;
The good-wife ſhe a toy did wear,
and corſe-claith on her brow,
And he himſelf a good grey coat,
when my old hat was new.

But now they velvet caps do wear,
and cloaks of ſcarlet red,
And o’er the poor they tyrannize,
that they can get no bread.
They are oppreſt on ev’ry hand,
but know not what to do,
In my young days it was not ſo,
when my old hat was new.

Our great good-wives now miſtreſs get,
and they muſt have their tea;
And, ſome of them wear gowns of ſilk,
as you may plainly ſee.
But in old times it was not ſo,
for this was a’ their due,
A gown ſuch as their mother ſpan,
when my old hat was new.

The good-man ſat at the board-head,
and did the table grace,
The ſervants ſat down as they came,
all ranked in their place;
The good-wife ſerv’d with modeſty,
gave ev’ry one his due,
Humility did then abound,
when my old hat was new.

But now the caſe is altered,
as you may underſtand,
For they muſt have their dining-room,
pride has them at command.
And they ſit down like Lord's of ſtate,
I ſpeak but what is true;
Such vanity did not abound,
when my old hat was new.

The hind-followers are all ta'en down,
the ſheep are ta'en away,
And Maggy has nae woo to ſpin,
how can ſhe make her grey?
The weather cold, their clothing thin,
their happings are but few,
That were weel clad in back and bed,
when my old hat was new.

The cot-houſes are all thrown down,
the commons ta'n away,
Their ſheep and kine they muſt remove,
no longer there to ſtay:
In former times it was not ſo,
for this was all the due,
The poor to have both milk and woo',
when my old hat was new.

When the Romans liv'd in our land,
theſe commons they did give,
Unto the poor for charity,
to help them for to live:
They've ta'en from them their proper right
which makes them for to rue,
Although the fame to them belong'd,
when my old hat was new.

And when the time of harveſt came,
that we went out to ſhear,
Sometimes we were fu' hearty made,
with brandy, ale and beer:
And when the corn was all led in,
and built into a mow,
The ſhearers got a ranting kirn,
when my old hat was new.

But inſtead of a good hot ſupper,
we us'd to get before,
They give to us our portion,
like beggars at the door:
Unto their houſes we may not come,
though we were ne'er ſo few,
Where we us’d to drink & dance a' night,
when my old hat was new.

Every one their ſpring did chuſe,
according to their mind,
And a' the night we kiſs'd and danc'd,
and O but we were kind,
The hindmoſt, oft, was foremoſt then,
ſo danc'd this jovial crew,
This was good ſport and merriment,
when my old hat was new.

And when we to the church did go,
to hear the goſpel preach'd,
Our miniſters with ſermons fine,
their hearers there they teach'd.

But now they loath that honey-comb,
their ſtomachs are ſo low,
Whoſe ſermons fine did brightly ſhine
when my old hat was new.

Our young men and our maidens too,
they run off to the hills,
And when they do come home at night,
of others get their wills;
And when the laſſes aprons mount,
and belly it turns fu',
For ſuch a crime we thought great ſhame,
when my old hat was new.

The young men with their fair ſpeeches,
the laſſes they beguil’d,
They promis'd for to marry them,
and then get them with child:
But oft did not ſland to their word,
for ſome of them did rue,
And leave them with their apron up,
ſince my old hat was new.

When wives unto the weavers went,
for them to warp their yarn,
Their laps they were ſo ſtuffed up,
they held it in their arm,
But now their aprons hang ſtraight down,
which uſed to be fu',
Which made the clothe both thick & broad
when my old hat was new.

And when they for a tradeſman ſent,
old things for to repair;
Of every thing was in the houſe,
he always got a ſhare,
Of fleſh and meal, butter and cheeſe,
they thought it a' their due,
Such things did well the tradeſmen pleaſe,
when my old hat was new.

But now their hearts they are ſo full
of pride and vanity,
Tradſemen they're had in no account,
as you may plainly ſee.
Their wages they have ſo impair'd,
they ſcarce can get their due,
Which makes their wives & children ſad,
ſince my old hat was new.

At ev'ry merry wedding day,
the pipers were the ring,
And all the lads and laſſes they,
right wantonly did fling;
They cry'd play up the lads of Dunce,
and danced it thro' and thro',
O what a jovial crew were we,
when my old hat was new.

But now the caſe is altered,
the pipers they are ſcant,
The fidlers are increaſed much,
which makes them for to vaunt;
But in former times it was not ſo,
for this was a' their due,
To take ſuch ſprings the piper play'd,
when my old hat was new.

But now the times are changed much,
and what more can we ſay,
O what great alterations,
been in mine aged day?
But let them alter as they will,
I ſpeak but what is true,
The world is turned upſide down,
ſince my old hat was new.