Classic Poem

O Boston, though thou now art grown
To be a great and wealthy town,
Yet I have seen thee a void place,
Shrubs and bushes covering thy face;
And house then in thee none were there,
Nor such as gold and silk did weare;
No drunkenness were then in thee,
Nor such excesse as now we see.
We then drunke freely of thy spring
Without paying of any thing;
We lodged freely where we would,
All things were free and nothing sold.
And they that did thee first begin
Had hearts as free and as willing
Their poor friends for to entertaine,
And never looked at sordid gaine.
Some thou hast had whome I did know,
That spent theirselves to make thee grow,
And thy foundations they did lay
Which doe remaine unto this day.
When thou wast weak they did thee nurse,
Or else with thee it had been worse;
They left thee not, but did defend
And succour thee unto their end.
Thou now hast growne in wealth and store,
Doe not forget that thou wast poore,
And lift not up thyselfe in pride,
From truth and justice turne not aside.
Remember thou a Cotton had,
Which made the hearts of many glad;
What he thee taught bear thou in minde,
It's hard another such to finde.
A Winthrop once in thee was knowne
Who unto thee was as a crowne.
Such ornaments are very rare
Yet thou enjoyed this blessed pair.
But these are gone, their work is done,
Their day is past, set is their sun:
Yet faithful Wilson still remains,
And learned Norton doth take pains.
Live ye in peace. I could say more.
Oppress ye not the weake and poore.
The trade is all in your own hand,
Take heed ye doe not wrong the land,
Lest he that hath lift you on high,
When, as the poore to him doe cry
Doe throw you downe from your high state,
And make you low and desolate.