Now God above that made all things
Heaven and Earth and all therein
The Ships upon the Swas to Swim
To keep foes out they come not in:
Now every one doth what he can
All for the use and praise of Man
I wish in Heaven that Soul may dwell
That first devis'd the Leathern Bottel
Now what say you to the Canns of Wood ?
Faith they are naught they cannot be good;
When a man for Beer he doth therein send
To have them fill'd as he doth intend
The bearer stumbleth by the way
And on the ground his Liquor doth lay
The straight the Man begins to Ban
And swear it was long of the Wooden Can:
But had it bin in a Leather Bottel
Although he stumbled all had been well
So safe therein it would remain
Until the man got up again
I wish in Heaven that Soul may dwell
That first devis'd the Leathern Bottel
Now for the Pots with handles three
Faith they shall have no praise of me;
When a man and his wife do fall at strife
As many I fear have done in their life
They lay their hands upon the pot both
And brake the same though they were loth
Which they shall answer another day
For casting their liquor so vainly away;
But had it bin in a Bottel fill'd
The one might have tugg'd, the other have held
They both might have tugg'd till their hearts did ake'
And yet no harm the Bottel would take
I wish in Heaven that Soul may dwell
That first devis'd the Leathern Bottel
Now what do you say to these gla**es fine ?
Faith they shall have no praise of mine;
When friends are at a table set
And by them several sorts of meat;
The one loves flesh, the other fish
Among them all remove a dish;
Touch but the gla** upon the brim
The gla** is broke, no wine left in;
Then be your table cloth ne'er so fine
There lyes your beer, your ale, your wine
And doubtless for so small abuse
A young man may his service lose
I wish in Heaven that Soul may dwell
That first devis'd the Leathern Bottel
Now when this Bottel is grown old
And that it will no longer hold;
Out of the side you may cut a clout
To mend your shoo when worn out;
Or hang the other side of a pin
'Twill serve to put many odd trifles in
I wish in Heaven his Soul may dwell
That first invented the Leathern Bottel