THE COMPLAINT OF THE POOR Being Deprived of their former way of Living, by the Uncharitable, lately made against Begging.
The first Cry.
Nil habet infelix Paupertas durius in se
Quam quod ridiculos homines facit
—Juven
[...]
Printed for the Godly, to Consider the Poor's Case. 1700.
The Pitiful Complaint of the POOR.
YE Ruler
[...] all both Great and Smal,
me think ye stand no aw.
To trouble and oppress the Poor,
by this Your new coin'd Law.
In
Judah and in
Israel
of old have Poor Men been,
Who were allow'd by Divine Law
Fields and Vineyeards to glean.
They might not wholly reap their Corn▪
as ye may read and
[...]e,
But part of them leave to the Poor:
Deut. 24: 20. 19 Levit: 19, 9. & 23 22:
that he may live with thee.
[...] they by chance foreget o're night
on Fields a Sheaf of Corn,
Into that sheaf the Poor had right,
to bring it home the morn.
[...]nd such as could not see nor walk,
John 9. 8.
we read have likewise been,
[...]ho begged by the High way side,
because they could not Glean.
[...]ut now, alas! that Law's made void,
the loss is ours therefore,
[...]hey'le neither suffer us to glean,
nor beg from door to door.
From Poor Mens cryes they stop their ears,
and close their Eyes do they,
Their stubborn words to Beggars tears▪
their hardned hearts bewary,
To some they gave a little thing,
their Favourites yet more:
But such their Wisdoms who displease,
their Names quite out they score.
Judas pretends more Charitie,
John 12 5.
than any of the Rest,
Yet was a Traitor in his heart,
for all that he profest:
He was a Thief, and bear the Bag,
and all that was therein:
But yet he car'd not for the Poor,
the greater was his sin.
Ye Kirk-men who did undertake,
us Beggars to mantain;
One day, be sure, account ye'le make.
what S
[...]ewards ye have been,
Gods Law Commands,
we shall not Steal
Exod 20
[...]
it's Just and Equal too,
Your Law commands,
we shall not Begg
alas! what shall we do?
For Cold and Hunger cause our grief,
'gainst which we cannot Fend:
If shortly we get not Relief,
our Lives most take an end,
our Wisdoms now have raised Stents,
which sore the People grieve,
And such as pay not willingly,
from them ye poynd and Rieve.
But we would ask at you wi
[...]h leave
Precept or Practice found,
Where ever Charity was forc'd,
or yet the Poor was bound▪
Begin, Sirs, at the
Genests,
read all the
Bible throw,
Find Precept or Example there,
that will your Deeds allow,
For
Christ who is the Truth, hath said,
Jo
[...] 6: 12:
we alwise Poor shall have.
Who from our Doors shall never cease,
supply from us to crave.
But now, forsooth, your Wisdoms say,
tha
[...] ye will us Discharge:
And for our Maintenance cause men
their Charity enlarge.
And force them pay under the pain
of poinding and of more,
The like in
Scotland was not seen
these Thousand years before:
To force men pay unto the poor
more than Abilitie;
Let all the world Hear and Judge
if this be Charitie▪
Th' Afflicted's cause
God will maintain,
Psal: 140: 12
and right of all his poor:
Our cause is good,
God Mighty is,
our victory is sure.
The Poor shall not cease from the Land,
although at them ye grieve:
Then open, Sirs, your Scattering Hand,
and grudge not-when ye give.
For he that giveth to the poor
Prov: 16: 17.
unto the Lord doth lend:
On all that Mans Affairs, be sure
GOD will his Blessing send.
Let such as will no Mercy shew,
James 2: 1,
for Justice them prepare,
Without a mixture, that's for you,
as Scripture doth declare.
Beware then of our Guiltless Blood,
and let the Poor alone:
There will be Beggars in the Land
when ye are dead and gone.
And Thieves and Rogues will never cease
for ought that ye can do:
The Godly poor if ye them wrong,
Judgment will follow you.
Since Widows, Poor and Fatherless
so much of you complain,
Then Gracious
Lord who sees their case,
their Rights judge and mainain.
That Noble Grace of
Hamiltoun,
She gives much to the Poor:
If she knew how its Distribute,
She would be grieved sure.
All that her Grace doth in this Land,
she doth it for the best,
But knows not how the poor are starv'd,
yet people are opprest.
If any ask, what way opprest?
Or how this shall be kent?
The poor among them alwise Beg
though People pay the Stent
An half penny for every day,
on some they do allow,
And other some an Achison,
judge ye if they be fow,
When poor Folke Begg, they answer them,
ye shall get nought from me,
I'm not a fool to pay a fine,
for giving your supplie.
Yet others will some Favour shew,
though it be very small,
And say, thou'st not at my door die,
when down we're like to fall.
We wander thus from house to house,
when it is dark and late;
We Moutn, we Cry, and make a Noise,
no Lodging we can get.
Some are found dead into the Fields,
some Swoon upon the Street,
And other some are starv'd to death,
for fault of Cloaths and meat▪
Lay down a way us to preserve,
or else let us alone:
Though we be poor our Blood will cry,
when we are dead and gone.
The Lord the poor did not forget,
when he did give the Law.
[...] Charter
Moses then did write,
we have it ye
[...] to sh
[...]w,
J
[...]dicial Laws sh
[...]uld be observ'd,
good Morals where they teach:
And what they say contrare to these,
doth no mans Conscience teach.
This Foolish Law can find no ground
except what's very bare
For Law and G
[...]spel both do sound,
against it every where;
Christ saith, a Trumpet do not sound,
Matt. 6:2:
when Charity ye give:
But now a Sett of men is found,
will not let Neighbours live.
Except that they the Trumpet Blow,
they'le blow them to the Horn,
And poind their Plates and S
[...]oups also,
if they their Orders scorn,
Again, let not your left Hand know
Matt: 6:
[...]
what your right Hand doth give,
When ye your Charity bestow
give freely, do not grieve.
But now mens Names enroled be.
(ye know, it's best be sure)
That all their Neighbours hear and see
what they give to the poor.
Once more, the Scripture doth advise
2
Cor. 8: 12:
for readiness of will,
In giving Alms, or otherwise
our Charity we Spill.
If there be first a willing mind,
it is enough we hear,
To give according as we find
our want or wealth can bear.
Because, he saith, a Cup of Water
Matt
[...] 10: 420
bestow'd upon the poor,
When honest hearts can give no better,
shall be rewarded sure.
But now we want out sop and bit,
which often did us good,
Yet Givers not opprest by it,
we'le make this understood;
Cold Pottage, Broth, or Bits of Bread,
where Cats perhaps had pist,
Did very oft relieve our need,
and yet were never mist:
Yea Six did gave us Meat and Drink,
where one gave us a boddle;
So these new Beggar Laws we think,
bred in an emp
[...]y noddle.
For some do see since for the poor
they
[...]ais'd this foolish Stent,
Their Meat was blest to them before,
but now a Curse is in't.
And some for shame have promis'd more
than well they can allow.
Their Stocks exausted are so sore
and almost spent we now:
Yet strive to keep a fair our side
for fear their Credits crack,
And Labour thus their case to hide,
least all should go to Wrack.
But these Corrosive Stents do gnaw
their pu
[...]sses to the bone,
This mischief fram'd into a Law
hurts not the poor alone.
The Scripture saith, with hold nor good
Prov: 3: 17:
from him to whom it's due:
This passage now is understood
and done by very few.
That help ye ought us. Sirs, we might
from this place fully prove,
Not only from the Law of Right,
but from the Law of Love,
But yet, we fear, some Churle might say,
proud Beggars get you gone:
What interest in my means have they?
are not my goods my own?
I got my wealth by no mans wrong,
I earn'd it with my sweat,
should Strangers then come in among,
my Fortune and Estate?
And Lazie▪ Lusie Rogues, should spend,
my substance and my store,
Who seek no Honest way to fend,
but Skip from door to door.
Such Gaber-Lunzie men as they,
no Charity should have,
But whip them twice or thrice a day,
when they their Dinner crave.
If this were done, this Land might soon,
from Beggats cryes be free,
And
Scotland yet might change her tune.
if this we once might see.
It's true, sir, you may please your self,
with such a merry cant,
Because you have the penny pelf,
which poor men now do want,
But had we Money in our purse,
then we might Reason thus,
And Rich men we could plague and Curse,
who now do hunger us.
Come change your Lots a while with ours,
since ye our case envy?
Take ye our Denners, give us yours,
the best way is to try,
Come every cold and stormy night,
give us your Chamber free,
Take ve the sheep-house never dight,
or take the Barn or Bire,
Come take our Tatter'd Lousie Rags,
we'le better Cloaths put on:
Then, Sirs, we fear for all your brags,
ye soon would change your tone.
Your well fed Cheeks, we fear, should then
grow pale as ours are now,
When Death his picture with a pen,
had drawen upon your brow.
Were ye but Lodged half a year,
as some of us have been,
In houses wanting fire; we fear,
a change would soon be seen,
It's easy, Sirs, for you to Cra
[...]k,
and p
[...]at against the poor:
Your Reasons are not worth a plack▪
in Gods sight, we are sure.
Ye say that poor men should not Beg,
lest Rich men take offence.
That Reason is not worth a
[...]egg,
to any man of sense,
When
Jesus went from
Jericho,
Mark, 9. 49.
(the story well is known)
Great multitudes did with him go,
as Scripture hath us shown.
Blind
Bartimens got his sight,
but no Reproof at all,
For Begging, though the Lord had Right,
him to account to call,
From whence an Observation we,
may draw from our Relief,
Which may for Consolation be,
'gainst poverty and grief.
Poor
Lazarus, Lepers, Bedlams, Blind,
and other sorts also,
Without a Cure we alwise find,
did never from him go,
Whereas the Lawyers and the Lairds,
and others like the same,
Who tempted Christ by Flattering Fairds,
went oft times as they came.
If some of us be lame and halt,
and so unfit to dig,
Why should your Wisdoms then find fault
with us because we big,
If some of us be come to years,
and yet we nothing have,
Should ye bring down our Old gray hairs,
with Hunger to the Graves.
Again, if some of us be young,
(and younger none can wish)
Alas! shall we be alwise dung,
with hunger in our dish?
If some of us have held a house,
with grief and care perplext,
With less-meat than would starve a mouse:
Sirs, what shall we do next?
For if we take the Prick and Sheet,
and Staff into our Hands,
We dare not now be seen on Street
in City or in Lands.
For by and by
John Scourge the Poor:
or else the
Hangmans Son,
Doth Cudgel us from Door to Door
as we had Mischief done.
So we who sometimes wont to Bliss,
the Rich Man as our Father,
Are thus provocked now to wish,
them Hanged all together.
Where its deserved all Confess,
the Poor-mans Curse is sad
And often hits, Sirs, ye may guess
Oppression makes us madd.
We gather Weeds amongst the Corn,
this is but small Relief,
And yet for pity we get Scorn,
which adds into our grief;
Such filthy Trash corrupts our Blood
our Humors poisons too,
Yet doth our Stomack little good
Ah! Sirs, what shall we do!
That is true the Land knows well,
we speak it as it is,
Yea some who neither begg nor Steal,
have follow'd us in this.
Who such a sobber shift did take,
when Richer sort did Sleep.
We think such sad Complaints should make
even Hearts of Stone to Weep.
A
[...]d this through Summers scorching heat,
out way these Years hath been
We thought that all things tasted sweet,
if they were only green.
Ay waiting till
Autumnus should
make Fruits in case to pull:
[...]f that were come we thought we would,
get P
[...]s and Pockets full.
o some went Northward to
Falkirk,
from thense down to
Dadersse,
And then when once the Night grew Mirk,
we spied down through the
Kerse.
his spot doth lye like
Goshen Land
both good and fertile is,
Nature it self cannot Command,
a Richer soil than this.
But yet we need not like it well,
we got not leave to lu
[...]k,
Because
Egyptians there do dwell
more Savage than the Turk.
These Sons of
Anack did us Scarr
and chase away with ease,
Who watch like
Judas Men of War▪
to keep us from the Pease.
We silly Souls came creeping home,
and this was all we got.
But all did not return: for some
did fall upon the spot,
And did not rise, not never will,
untill the Judgement day,
When Rich shall see, Poot-men to kill,
hath been no pleasant play.
Th
[...]se Brosie Fellows thought that we
were alse well fill'd with Meat
As they, when every Man may see
we nothing have to Eat,
Our Harvest, Winter, and our Spring
and Summers are alike:
We can foresee no other thing
but Die, Sirs, by a Dyke!
But yet our Gentlemen and Lairds,
who cares not for the Poor,
Can spend their Guinea's at the Cards
or yet upon a Whore,
While not reform'd from Drink and Play▪
and such vain Conversation,
How can your Wisdoms think or say
this is a Reformation?
Kirk men who should the Poor preserve
who to their Cure belong;
Have found a way the poor to starve
Sirs, is not this a Wrong?
They call us idle Vagrant Lowns,
when at their Gates we yell▪
And some of them do knock our crowns
although we dare not tell.
Sirs, ye may think this a Lie,
and forg'd out of envy,
But yet it can instructed be,
if ye the matter try.
But what's the hazard how we die,
by Hang-man, or by Priests?
We will no more regarded be
then we were Brutal Beasts.
When thus our Souls wear out at last,
they lay us on a Barrow.
Us and our Rags in holes they cast,
thus ends our Earthly sorrow:
But well are they who dy'd before:
for they who stay behind,
Must dy a Thousand Deaths and more,
while thus with hunger pin'd▪
Some got a Three-pence in a Week,
and other some got less,
When Meal gave Twenty pence a Peck
how we liv'd ye may guess;
I
[...] is no wonder, we Conf
[...]ss,
your Projects backward go;
For poor mens boweis do not bless
as they had wont to do.
It's true, the
Bishops as a Weed
fr
[...]m this Church cast ye have
Y
[...]
Bishop Weed; believe indeed,
k
[...]eps some folk from their grave:
For were it not that Stinking Weed,
our Po
[...]s play very thin,
Y
[...]a nothing, Sirs, our Guts to feed
at all would be therein.
But
Prelacy on
English Ground
brings plenty as we see
Wh
[...]le
Bishop Weed, as we have found,
br
[...]ught SCOTLANDS Miserie.
Now since that Noxious Weed is cast
out of the LORDS Vineyard,
What can the Causes be at last,
h
[...]
[...]oth us not regard?
[...] years of Dearth we may be sure
have not come on by guesse,
Judge as ye will: we who are poor
at least can think no lesse▪
Men are complaining now of dayes▪
of sharpness of the Rod;
Yet few discernign how their wayes
displeasing are to GOD.
Of many Causes, ye may say,
it's one among the rest,
That we poor Beggars, once a day,
no thankfulness exprest;
When White and Gray. Meal p
[...]cks were full,
and we no hardship felt,
With GOD who gave us wealth at will
ingratefuly we Dealt.
We grant that is a sober Truth,
though Jocundly exprest,
But yet to stop the Beggars mouth,
do not conceal the rest:
If ye the Argument retort,
believe it, so can we:
For poor folk, when they came athort,
no other thing cou'd see.
In stead of Bibles in your hand,
we saw a stock of Cards,
As fitter than the Ten Commands
for Gentlemen, and Lairds:
And some of you have play'd so long,
and
Beasted it, we see,
No sober man comes you among
but must infected be.
(
[...]
[...]e
[...] us if we lie)
So
[...] Religion being starv'd
at last did from you flee:
In stead of Prayers and of praise,
your Throats did sound like Hell,
With Blasphemies both Nights and Dayes
and words we will not tell.
Ye persecuted Honest folks,
who could not do as ye,
Yet think them now such silly
[...]ouks,
as thus deluded be:
Ye think because ye come and hear,
they should repute you Saints,
Who fill'd the Land but t' other year
with all their sad Complaints.
Your Doublet, Sirs, lets out and in
as selfish interest goes,
Though for a while ye do begin
as Friends, ye'le end as Foes.
What ye have done Remember then,
against both Bond and Vow:
We're sure ye will prove honest men,
e're some believe you now.
There are among you, Sirs, who think
your selves far been, we're sure:
Who yet can Dance, and Spew, and Drink
and Curse, and Play the Whore.
Of old the Curious
Bethshemites
1 Sam: 6: 19:
by Fifty Thousand fell:
If so, ye furious
Ishmaelites
what waits you who can tell?
Ye who like
Edonis wofull brood
Obadiah through out.
Gods People Cap
[...]ive led,
Who in the Cross wayes often stood
to hew them down that fled,
To pick up such as did remain
who raised the
Hue and
Cry,
In stead of grief, whose hearts were fain
at their Calamity.
Ye Gentlemen to save your Riggs,
ye Countrey men your Hogs,
Lest greater men should judge you Whiggs
did hunt like
Spaniel Dogs.
That Principle which ye cry'd down,
in former Empror's Reign,
Your Wisdoms now are made to own,
but with a worse design.
Your ill raised Fortunes some men see,
this day are mouldring down:
And otherwise how can it be,
since GOD on them doth frown?
That man who gave the
Covenant,
but from his hand to burn;
Yet GOD his Judgments did not want,
his means to overturn.
These stately Lands in Sixteen hours,
to Rubbish turned were:
Then tell us, Sirs, pray what is yours
that Wrath ye should not fear?
Upon that Fire as Various men,
their Sentiments exprest,
We Beggars our politicks then
brought forth among the rest.
They clos'd there Ports against the Poor,
and set at them a Guard:
To keep the Beggars out: be sure,
this was a due Reward.
Edinburgh that might get far more ill,
than Beggars many one.
'Twixt
Abby, and the
Castle-Hill,
by Begging could have done.
The place where first the fire began,
was where they sold the Meal:
Where Mongers many Curses wan,
made many Begg and steal.
But here i's best due bonds to keep,
our Tongues should speak with fear;
Gods Judgments are so great a deep,
we rather shall forbear.
Besides, we do not throughly know,
what
Covenants do mean?
How far their Obligations go?
nor why thy fram'd have been?
For Pulpits gave no Cer
[...]ain sound,
that Ignorance to cure:
Their wisdoms other work have found,
to Persecute the Poor.
Mean time their fancy strangely vents,
as oft they find occasion,
To
[...]attle ov'r their Sentiments,
of former Reformation.
Some call our Vowes the Bonds of strife.
(which Young Men chiefly do.)
Who scarce have read them all their Life,
and yet Reformers too.
Though others or them all are clear,
(if Men may them believe,)
Their Burial never brought a tear,
nor did their breach them grieve:
Yea some professors will not want,
whatever may be fall,
Their tippling Kan for
Covenant
Church, Government and all.
Some grant the
Covenants were good
and therefore should be lov'd,
Yet ill Manadg'd occasion'd blood,
Experience hath prov'd:
For still Malignants took a Rant,
and sakeless blood did spill
When we renew'd the
Covenant,
and this ye know did ill.
Therefore out Wisdoms judge it best
as matters now do stand,
To Bury them, and let them rest,
and not disturb the Land,
Yea we resolve, for good nor ill,
not to displease the Pow'rs:
But let the Great men take their will
since we cannot get ours.
If Parliament now when it sits,
should us command to Swear,
The
Covenant: why, then it sits
our minds, the Case is clear.
But if their Wisdoms good shall find,
(as no doubt but they will)
No Acts against it to rescind,
but let them all stand still.
What would Schismaticks have us do,
who see the case thus goes?
We want both Will and Courage too,
their doings to oppose.
We do confess, its bloody cryes,
which mens wit now disdains,
Increase our fears, it yet may rise,
and pay us for our pains.
These
Covenants seem bits of paper,
if Justice were come forth.
Their price, we fear, prove litle cheaper
than some mens necks are worth.
But yet when all is come and gone;
it's best to hold our peace,
For other Help we see there's none
in such a ticklish case.
We should learn wit from what is past,
and still more Pââkie grow,
So what we have, we may keep fast,
it is enough ye know;
This is a Conttovetted point,
'twixt us and other some:
But Unity we'le not disjoint,
whatever case may come.
Some say, there are some faults to mend,
which may be helped too:
But what! Complaints will never end,
what therefore shall we do?
Shall men of wit go draw to Factions?
then shortly all should be
In Hurly▪burlies and Distractions:
the thing is clear ye see▪
Whither such Tales be hot or Cold,
we Poor Folk cannot tell:
Or if their Arguments do hold,
these Reasons who Refell,
By saying, Truth gives alwise Beauty;
to Union where it is:
Conspiracy is not a Duty,
in such a Course as this?
It is well known to all these Lands,
what we Engadg'd to do;
How
Scotland sware with lifted hands,
States. Men, and Church-Men too,
To own that Covenanted cause,
with Lise, Goods, and Estate,
Which had the Sanction of the Laws:
which now are out of date:
How Resolutions brought in,
(whence sprang the Churches tears)
The cause of all, the Noise and din,
hath been these many years.
Malignants then, that bloody crew,
by this so proud were grown,
Our Covenants they brunt: and flew,
all who the same did own.
Yet all they did had not the force,
mens Courage to impair,
Till some devis'd that
Trajan horse,
Indulgence for a
[...]uare:
Then
Gilead Balm came to cure,
the Church of her distress,
And Coy-Ducks did the wild allure,
and gain'd ay more or less.
Malignants then sent forth
Dragoons,
brought poor men in as prizes;
Professing
Presbyterian Lowns
did sit on their Assizes.
Yea Ministers (alas therefore)
herein gave great offence,
By growing silent more and more
With prudence for pretence.
When Curates Sermons did no good
to any who went near them,
But did deprive poor Souls of food,
yet Ministers did hear them:
If every one had done as they,
and made no greater stirs:
In what case had we been this day,
by all appearance, Sirs?
Ye prove, or ye assert it rather
ye now say what ye will:
Ye are mistaken Ghostly Fathers,
but do not take it ill:
These men who have not yet comply'd,
Schismaticks cannot be,
For if the case were duely try'd,
impartial men might see;
The Arguments for your defence,
which in this case ye bring,
To thinking men bear as good sense,
ye worse in every thing:
As put the case, that
Glasgow steeple
should in a windie night,
Fall down on Houses and the People,
which were a dreadfull sight.
Yet confidently cry, a Hollow,
these Stones which yet do stand,
Schismaticks are, that will not follow:
let's all go hand in hand.
It's true somes Conscience makes no bones,
if thereby gain they get,
To lift these old Foundation stones
our first Reformers let.
Yea will Malignants Justify,
rather than such as stood
For truth and Mankinds Liberty
resisting unto blood;
And could not at Defection wink
as others basely did;
We need not prove it: For we think
these things cannot be hid.
Such tales as these we sometimes heat
when we a Begging go;
And yet indeed we are not clear
in any of the two:
For no man's ill thats good to us,
profess, Sirs, what he will:
It's well if we could purchase thus
our Backs and Bellies full.
Most part of us do where we Lodge
comply with the Good-man:
And of his Graces do not Judge
whether he bless or ban,
If he bid fill our empty Dishes,
and in a house us lay,
We give him many empty Wishes,
and so we come our way.
But now its time we end our speach,
within a verse or two:
It's long enough to
[...]ight a breech,
the way we fear it go,
If our Complaints no hearing get,
for all that we can say;
We must content our selves and wait,
untill another day.
This is indeed our day of Hunger,
which nips and bites us sore:
The day of Thirst to come is longer;
to some for evermore,
We know Objections that are brought;
should have been answer'd here;
Which to have done we also thought;
but yet we must forbear-
It's neither, Sirs, for want of Rime,
nor yet for want of Reason:
But we must choose another time,
more now is out of Season,
Yet this may be a help to some,
to light their pipe,
si placet;
Since it a proverb is become,
pauper ubiqu
[...] jacet:
FINIS.