It appears that these lyrics from a broadside have never been posted at Mudcat. Note they are a bit different from the ones made famous by the Copper family, which can be seen in our DT. From the Bodleian collection, Harding B 17(321a):


THE TRADESMAN'S COMPLAINT
Printed and Sold by J. Pitts, 14, Great St. Andrew Street, Seven Dials.

Draw near, brother tradesmen; listen to my song.
Tell me if you can where our trade is all gone,
For long I have travelled but I can get none.

[CHORUS:] Oh! The dead time in old England!
In England, what very bad times!

If you go to a shop and ask for a job,
The answer is no with a shake of the nob.
'Tis enough to make a man turn to and rob.

There's many a tradesman you'll see in the street
Walks from morning to evening employment to seek
Till he has scarcely any shoes to his feet.

There are sailors and soldiers returned from the wars
Who bravely have fought in their country's cause
To come home to be starved; better stayed where they was.

Provision it is pretty cheap, it is true,
But if you have no money, there's none for you.
What is a poor man with a family to do?

So now to conclude and finish my song,
Let's hope these dead times they will not last long,
That we may have reason to alter our song,

[CHORUS:] And sing: O the good times in old England!
In England, what very good times!