For their wives and their children foe hange them upon, That whosoever gives almes they will * give none.

I 20

Then laid he him down, and turned him away,
And prayd me to goe, and leave him to reit.
I told him, I haplie might yet see the day
For him and his fellowes to live with the best.
First, said he, banith Pride, then all England were bleft;

For then those woldlove us, that now sell their land, 125
And then good house-keeping wold revive'out of hand.

* We ought in justice and trutb to read can'.

Ver. 119. almes-deeds. MS.
1.126. houses every where wold be kept. MS.

II. PLAIN TRUTH, AND BLIND IGNORANCE.

This excellent old ballad is preserved in the little ancient miscellany, intitled, “The Garland of Goodwill."-IGNORANCE is bere made to speak in the broad Somersetshire dialeft. The scene we may /uppose to be Glastonbury Abbey.

5

And that you keep such gazing

On this decayed place,
The which, for fuperftition,

Good princes down did raze?

10

IGNORANCE.
Chill tell thee, by my vazen *,

That zometimes che have knowne
A vair and goodly abbey

Stand here of bricke and stone;
And many a holy vrier,

As ich may say to thee,
Within these goodly cloysters

Che did full often zee.

TRUTH.
Then I must tell thee, father,

In truthe and veritie,
A forte of greater hypocrites

Thou couldīt not likely see;
Deceiving of the simple

With false and feigned lies :
But such an order truly

Christ never did devise,

20

IGNORANCE.
Ah! ah! che zmell thee now, man;

Che know well what thou art ;

25

* 1. c. faitben: as in the Midland counties they say boufen, clofen, for bpuses, closes. A.

U 4

A vel.

A vellow of mean learning,

Thee was not worth a vart : Vor when we had the old lawe,

A merry world was then ; And every thing was plenty

Among all zorts of men.

35

TRUTH. Thou givest me an answer,

As did the Jewes sometimes Unto the prophet Jeremye,

When he accus'd their crimes ; 'Twas merry, fayd the people,

And joyfull in our realme, When we did offer spice-cakes

Unto the queen of heav'n..

48

1

IGNORANCE.
Chill tell thee what, good vellowe,

Before the vriers went hence,
A bufhell of the best wheate

Was zold vor vourteen pence; And vorty egges a penny,

That were both good and newe ; And this che zay my zelf have zcene,

And yet ich am no Jewe.

45

TRUTH. Within the sacred bible

We find it written plain,

The

1: 1

IGNORANCE. Chill tell thee my opinion plaine,

And choul'd that well ye knewe, Ich care not for the bible booke

Tis too big to be true,
Our blessed ladyes psalter

Zhall for my money goe;
Zuch pretty prayers, as there bee,

The bible cannot zhowe.

Probably alluding to the illuminated Pfalters; Misals, &

75

IGNORANCE. Cham zure they were not voolishe

That made the masse, che trowe; Why, man, 'tis all in Latine,

And vools no Latine knowe. Were not our fathers wise men,

And they did like it well ; Who very much rejoyced

To heare the zacring bell?

TRUTH.
But many kinges and prophets,

As I may say to thee,
Have wifht the light that you have,

And could it never see :
For what art thou the better

A Latin fong to heare, And understandelt nothing,

That they sing in the quiere i

85

90

IGNORANCE.
O hold thy peace, che pray thee,

The noise was passing trim
To heare the vriers zinging,

As we did enter in ;
And then to zee the rood-loft

Zo bravely zet with zaints ;
But now to zee them wandring

My lieart with zorrow vaints.

95

TRUTH.