# Five Exccllent New Songs/The Spendthrift clap't into Limbo

The Spendthrift clap’t into Limbo.
To its own Tune.
Once who was great, full little am grown, A mimick of multum in parvo, Am buried alive in a cluſter of ſtone. Some ſay, it is what I deſerve—O: ⟨In⟩ what they have ſaid, there is ſomewhat of truth, I have been a wild and extravagant youth, ⟨So⟩me hundreds I have ſpent upon Rachel and Ruth, For which I am clapt up in limbo. The ſong that I ſing, it is abſolute true, Mark well my open devotion, ⟨It i⟩s of myſelf, give the devil his due, I hope I will make an impreſſion: ⟨On⟩ the hard’ned hearts of prodigal beaux. Friends, let me tell you now, under the roſe, Thoſe who love you beſt, they’ll prove your worſt foes, If ever you get into limbo. My father he left me five hundred a year, My mother ſhe left me her jointure; ⟨But⟩ little of that from mortgage was clear, ⟨S⟩till I went to the bottle and pinter; ⟨Still⟩ day after day to the tavern I went, ⟨My⟩ land I ſold off, all my money I ſpent;
My heart was ſo hard’ned it would not relent, Till once I was clapt up in limbo, I kept me a brace of as delicate jades, As ever brought nine pence to nothing; I kept them as long as my credit would hold, Together with meat drink, and cloathing; My creditors they for their debts would not ſtay, But ſtill haunted after me day after day. And now they have caſt me into jail, you will ſay, To drink the cold water in limbo. I uſed to rant, as if I could fly, And ſtrut like a crow in a gutter; Moſt people did call out, whene’er I paſt by, There goes Maſter Fopling flutter. Like top and top gallant I hoiſted my ſail, With my fringed cravat, with wig and three tails; And now I am ready to gnaw my own nails, Confin’d in a chamber in limbo Add as I was lying one day on the ſtraw, Bewailing my woeful condition, With hunger, my fingers was reapy to gnaw, I ſigh’d and brought forth this expreſſion; If I could but get the young whores to my hand. To argue the caſe very long I’d not ſtand, To threſh the young bitches as ſmall as the ſand, I’d teach them to leave me in limbo. I had an old uncle who liv’d in the weſt, When he heard of my ſad diſaſter, Poor ſoul, his heart was never at reſt, His ſorrows came faſter and faſter: He came to the priſon to ſee my ſad caſe, No ſooner I ſaw him than I ſtraight knew his face And on him ſtood gazing like one in amaze; I wiſh’d then to be out of limbo. Said he, if I ſet thee once more on thy legs,
And put thee in credit and faſhion, D’ye think you can leave off Bridget and Peg? And can you now bridle your paſſion? Believe me, dear uncle, If ever they come To tempt me to ſin, as before they have done, Odds wounds, I will ſoundly belabour their bums; I’ll teach them to leave me in limbo. He threw me a purſe of five hundred pounds, Which was all told me into guineas; Receiving the ſame, return’d him thanks, Then I went to ſee Betty and Jenny; I went in my rags, they knew not of my gold, They turn’d me out in the rain and the cold; You’d laugh to ſee how the bitches did ſcold, And laugh’d at my lying in limbo. I pull’d out my purſe of five hundred pounds, I pour’d them out on the table; This glitt’ring ſight they no ſooner beheld, Than they began to ſnigle and gigle; And turning me round, would ſit in my lap, And ſmerking and laughing, my cheeks they would clap; I told them that I would have no more of that, It was it that brought me to limbo. They had no ſooner got ſight of my gold, Than my pockets they fell a picking; I beat them ſo long as my cane would hold, And then fell to cuſſing and kicking: Some call’d out murder, while others did ſcold, But I was not able my hands for to hold, I threſhed their bodies for the good of their ſouls, And taught them to leave me in limbo. Come all you young gallants, take care what I ſay, I’d have you take warning by me, boys, That little you have you don’t make it away, For fear you be ſerv’d as I was,
They’ll kiſs you and bleſs you, with many fine tales; So ſoon as your money begins for to fail, They’ll be the firſt that will pack you to jail; Take care that you keep out of limbo.