They never prevail'd, till they had wrought my downe-fall; Soe Pride was entertained, but Confcience decried, 46 And now ever fince' abroad have I tryed

To have had entertainment with fome one or other; But I am rejected, and scorned of my brother.

50

Then went I to the Court the gallants to winn,
But the porter kept me out of the gate:
To Bartlemew Spittle to pray for my finne,
They bade me goe packe, it was fitt for my state;
Goe, goe, threed-bare Conscience, and feeke thee a mate.
Good Lord, long preferve my king, prince, and queene,
With whom evermore I efleemed have been.

56

Then went I to London, where once I did' dwell' : But they bade away with me, when they knew my name; For he will undoe us to bye and to fell!

They bade me goe packe me, and hye me for fhame; 60 They lought at my raggs, and there had good game; This is old threed-bare Confcience, that dwelt with faint Peter:

But they wold not admitt me to be a chimney-fweeper.

Not one wold receive me, the Lord 'he' doth know;
I having but one poor pennye in my purse,
On an awle and fome patches I did it bestow;
'For' I thought better cobble fhooes than doe worse.
Straight then all the coblers began for to curfe,

65

V. 46. was derided. MS.. V. 53. packe me. MS. V. 57. wonne, MS.,

And by statute wold prove me a rogue, and forlorne, And whipp me out of towne to 'feeke' where I was

borne.

Then did I remember, and call to my minde,
The Court of Confcience where once I did fit:
Not doubting but there I fome favor fhold find,
For my name and the place agreed foe fit;
But there of my purpose I fayled a whit,

70

75

For thoughe' the judge us'd my name in everye ' commiffion,'

The lawyers with their quillets wold get my difmiffion.

Then Westminster-hall was noe place for me;
Good lord how the Lawyers began to affemble,

And fearfull they were, left there I fhold bee!

80

The filly poore clarkes began for to tremble;
I showed them my caufe, and did not diffemble;
Soe they gave me fome money my charges to beare,
But fwore me on a booke I must never come there.

Next the Merchants faid, Counterfeite, get thee away, 8
Doft thou remember how wee thee fond?
We banifht thee the country beyond the salt sea,
And fett thee on fhore in the New-found land;
And there thou and wee most friendly fhook hand,
And we were right glad when thou didst refuse us; 90'
For when we wold reape profitt here thou woldft
accufe us.

V. 70. fee. MS.

F. 76. condicion. MS. F. 77. get a. MS.

Then had I noe way, but for to goe on
To Gentlemens houfes of an ancyent name;
Declaring my greeffes, and there I made moane,
Telling' how their forefathers held me in fame: 95
And at letting their farmes how always I came'.
They fayd, Fye upon thee! we may thee curfe:
Theire' leafes continue, and we fare the worse.

And then I was forced a begging to goe

To husbandmens houfes, who greeved right fore, 100 And fware that their landlords had plagued them fo, That they were not able to keepe open doore,

Nor nothing had left to give to the poore

Therefore to this wood I doe me repayre,
Where hepps and hawes, that is my best fare:

Yet within this fame defert fome comfort I have
Of Mercy, of Pittye, and of Almes-deeds;
Who have vowed to company me to my grave.
Wee are all' put to filence, and live upon weeds,
And hence fuch cold houfe-keeping proceeds':
Our banishment is its utter decay,

The which the riche glutton will anfwer one day.

Why then, I faid to him, me-thinks it were beft
To goe to the Clergie; for dailye they preach
Eche man to love you above all the rest;

105

110

115

Of Mercye, and Pittie, and Almes- deeds', they teach,

O, faid he, noe matter of a pin what they preach,

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

120

Then laid he him down, and turned him away,
And prayd me to goe, and leave him to rest.
I told him, I haplie might yet fee the day
For him and his fellowes to live with the best.
Firft, faid he, banish Pride, then all England were bleft;
For then those woldlove us, that now fell their land, 125
And then good 'houfe-keeping wold revive' out of hand.

*We ought in juftice and truth to read 'can'.

Ver. 119. almes-deeds. MS.

V. 126. houfes every where wold be kept. MS.

II.

PLAIN TRUTH, AND BLIND IGNORANCE.

This excellent old ballad is preferved in the little ancient mifcellany, intitled, "The Garland of Goodwill."-IGNORANCE is here made to Speak in the broad Somersetshire dia lect. The fcene we may suppose to be Glaftonbury Abbey.

TRUTH.

OD speed you, ancient father,

Go

And give you a good daye;
What is the cause, I praye you,
So fadly here you staye?

And

IGNORANCE.

Ah! ah! che zmell thee now, man;

Che know well what thou art;

20

25

* i. e. faithen: as in the Midland counties they fay houfen, clofen, for

boufes, clofes, A.