No body loues mee.
Nobody loves mee.
To the tune of Philliday.
Translated into modern spelling by myself.
Now all my money is gone, how should I swagger?
Now may I sit alone with wooden Dagger
Robert and honest John with my host Kester,
Could drink a dozen cups out of a tester [1]
If now I wash my throat
Needs must I pawn my coat.
Nobody loves me.
I florish with my friends while my coin lasted,
Now that my sudd[? ends ?]eir love's blasted, [2]
He and he with his pot [don't treat me kindly], [2]
While I could pay my shot ... loving me blindly: [2]
Now that I have no Chink, [3]
With the Ducks [4] may I drink,
All my friends from me shrink,
Nobody loves me.
My Hosts with a smile would entertain me,
Now like a varlet vile [5] does she disdain me
I had the Parlor before at my command,
Now in the kitchen I take up my standing: [6]
Now all my revell ruff,
Is turned to kitchen stuff,
And I sing, Marry muff, [7]
Nobody loves me.
When as I had no want, each one would lend me,
Now that my money is scant, they say, God send ye:
They leave Pearce-penniles, [8] with high disdaining,
And all are pitiless, to my complaining:
Their words are guilded fair,
Their deeds base copper ware,
Now I am waxen bare,
Nobody loves me.
Fair Maids would follow me fast for a Fayring, [9]
I was good company, Purse was not sparing:
The finest froe [10] in this town, I might have kissed her,
And perhaps laid her down, now I must miss her.
Now that my money is lost,
They bid me kiss the post,
Was ever man thus crost, [11]
Nobody loves me.
Top of my kin I thought, would not deny me,
When I do ask them ought, strait they pass by me
Nought but old proverbs on me they venter, [12]
Save nought in summer and starve in winter.
Old Proverbs fly about,
No money pull they out,
Their hands have got the gout, [13]
Nobody loves me.
Faith I'll go dig for more and if I find it,
Like rich Cobs [14] hand and foot, fast will I bind it.
And hide it in the hay untill it canker, [15]
Then farewell thriftlessness play, and good Ale Tanker:
I'll drink plain whig [16] and whey, [17]
Untill my dying day,
Black pots brings all away,
Nobody loves me.
I'll save my money I, to make a purchase
Or else before I die, for to build Churches:
Like worldlings every hower [18] will I be scraping,
Or like hell still for more will I be gaping:
Ere I do spend my coin,
I'll let my Carcas pine,
And eat beans from the swine.
Nobody loves me.
If I be once rich again, I wil be wiser,
And learne of money-men to be a Miser:
Rather then lend a groat [19] to one or other,
I'll help to cut his throat, were he my brother.
I will shut up my door,
Always against the poor,
So Karls do get their store. [20]
Nobody loves me.
[1] Large drinking vessel, like a fowler.
[2] Line is corrupted on the broadsheet.
[3] Coins; enough money to clink together.
[4] Literally ducks, as in drink water from a pond.
[5] Evil villain.
[6] Perhaps an allusion to being sent to the kitchen to work off an unpaid bill.
[7] Slang for nonsence
[8]
Pierce Penniless, His Supplication to the Divell, (1592), a story about a man who has not met with good fortune.
[9] A gift, usally given or purchased at a fair.
[10] A cutting tool with handle and blade at right angles, possiblly being used here as a sexual innuendo.
[11] Crossed.
[12] A protuberant and often hollow anatomical structure; used here as "hollow words".
[13] A disease long atributed to rich people, or to people who eat a rich diet.
[14] A small Spanish coin, maybe? It's the most likely definition of 'cob' that fits the context. Definitely not the cob from an ear of corn (maze) and a small, docile mare doesn't make sense. Nor does a male swan, or the clay and straw used to make wattle and daub walls.
[15] Either rusts and becomes unidentifable, or grows like a canker sore.
[16] Water, an illusion to Scottish Presbyterians who were nicknamed whiggamores.
[17] Whey, the liquid seperated from curds during cheese making. Very drinkable, but not alcoholic.
[18] Hole.
[19] A silver coin worth 4 pennies.
[20] No clue. Karl can be short for Charles, which doesn't make sense in context. It also means "freeman" in Swedish. I don't know.
