Chapter III: Part I

1
Young people all I pray draw near,
And listen to my ditty here,
Which subject shews that drunkenness
Brings many mortals to distress.

2
As for example now I can
Tell you of one, a gentleman,
Who had a very good estate;
His earthly travels they were great.

3
We understand he had a son
Who a lewd wicked race did run;
He daily spent his father’s store,
When moneyless he came for more.

4
The father oftentimes with tears
Would sound this alarm in his ears:
‘Son, thou dost all thy comforts blast,
And thou wilt come to want at last.’

5
The son these words did little mind;
To cards and dice he was inclind,
Feeding his drunken appetite
In taverns, which was his delight.

6
The father, ere it was too late,
He had a project in his pate,
Before his aged days were gone
To make provision for his son.

7
Near to his house, we understand,
He had a waste plat of land,
Which did but little profit yield,
On which he had a cottage built.

8
‘The Wise-Man’s Project’ was its name;
There was few windows in the same;
Only one door, substanti[a]l thing,
Shut by a lock went by a spring.

9
Soon after he had playd this trick,
It was his lot for to fall sick;
As on his bed he did lament,
Then for his drunken son he sent.

10
Who, sent for, came to his bed-side;
Seeing his son, he then reply’d,
‘I sent for you to make my will,
Which do you faithfully fulfil.

11
‘To such one cottage is one door;
Neer open it, do thou be sure,
Until thou art so poor that all
Do then despise you, great and small.

12
‘For to my grief I do perceive
When I am dead this life you live
Will soon melt all thou hast away:
Do not forget these words, I pray.

13
‘When thou hast made thy friends thy foes,
Pawnd all thy lands, and sold thy cloaths,
Break ope the door, and there depend
To find something thy grief to end.’

14
Thus being spoke, the son did say,
Your dying words I will obey;
Soon after this his father dear
Did die and buried was, we hear.