Pray Remember The Poor

For Christmas

Words and Music: Anonymous

Source: A Broadside from the Johnson Ballads Collection
Pitts, Printer, between 1819 and 1844

1. Now winter is come with its ice & its snow
    And whose hardships were forced to endure
And its thus the cold frosty streets do we tread,
    To beg you'll remember the poor.

2. Our wives and our families at home we have left
    With neither fire nor provisions in store
But on your benevolence kind we do hope
    And beg you'll remember the poor.

3. Our case it is hard when once like yourselves
    Had a home full of comforts secure,
But misfortunes in life have blasted our hopes
    And we now your kind bounty implore.

4. But alas now at home no comfort I can finde
    But poverty and misery sore.
I'm compell'd by my wife and family dear
    To beg you'll remember the poor

5. We hope that your children will not be like us
    But fortune will give them much more,
How hard would it be if you give it a thought
    That they like us should become poor;

6. Now my prayer I'll conclude and thanks I'll return
    To all friends on Briton's blest shore
Whose hearts are all open and willing to give
    And relieve the distress of the poor.

Broadside from Broadside Ballads Online at the Bodleian Library
Roud Number 1121

Johnson Ballads 1062, between 1819 and 1844

"Winter Piece"
"Now winter is come with a cold chilly breath"

 &

 "Pray Remember the Poor"
"Now winter is come with its ice & its snow"

Pitts; Printer, Wholesale Toy and Marble Warehouse, 6, Great st Andrew Street, 7 dials

This very unusual broadside has two songs with similar themes: winter is coming and please remember the poor. And although the "Winter Piece" is sometimes headed as "Remember the Poor," the second song, "Pray remember the poor," is very different.

The first song, the "Winter Piece" song, is also on this website; please see Now Winter Is Come, with additional broadsides and notes.

Other broadsides printed by Pitts included the second song; see Harding B 25(1555) and Johnson Ballads 958.

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