A most excellent Ballad, of an old man and his wife, who in their great want and misery sought to
Children for succour, by whom they were disdained, and scornefully sent away succourlesse, and Gods
vengeance shewed upon them for the same. To the tune of Priscilla.
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I T was an old man which with his poore wife
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in great distresse did fall :
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They were so feeble with age God wot,
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they could not worke at all.
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A gallant Sonne they had,
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which lived wealthily:
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To him they went with full intent,
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to ease their misery.
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Alacke and alas for woe, etc.
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A hundred miles when they had gone,
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with many a weary step:
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At length they saw their Sons faire house,
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which made their hearts to leape.
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They sate them on the greene,
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their shooes and hose to trim:
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To put cleane bands about their neckes,
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against they should enter in. Alack, etc.
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Unto the doore with trembling joynts,
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when those old couple came:
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The woman with a shaking head,
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the old man blind and lame :
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Full mannerly they knockt,
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fearing for to offend:
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At last their Son doth frowningly come
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unto them in the end. Alack, etc.
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Good folks, quoth he, what would you have here,
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me thinkes you are too bold?
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Why get you not home to your Country
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now you are lame and old?
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With that they both replyed,
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with sorrow, care, and griefe:
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Here are we come to thee our Sonne,
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for succour and reliefe. Alack, etc.
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This is thy Father (gentle Sonne)
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and I thy loving Mother:
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That brought thee up so tenderly,
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and lov'd thee above all other:
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I bare thee in this wombe,
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these brests did nourish thee:
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And as it chanst, I often danst
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thee on my tender knee.
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And humbly now we thee intreat,
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my deare and loving Sonne:
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That thou wilt doe for us in our age,
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as we for thee have done.
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Nay nay, not so, he said,
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your sute is all in vaine:
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Tis best for you, I tell you true,
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to get you home again. Alack, etc.
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The world is not now as when I was born
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all things are growne, more deare:
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My charge of Children likewise is great,
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as plainely doth appeare.
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The best that I can doe,
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will hardly them maintaine:
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Therefore I say, be packing away,
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and get you home againe. Alacke, etc.
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The old man with his hat in his hand,
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full many a legge did make:
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The woman wept and wrung her hands,
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and prayed him for Christ his sake
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Not so to send them backe,
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distressed and undone:
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But let us lie in some Barne hereby,
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quoth she, my loving Sonne. Alack, etc.
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By no meanes would he thereto consent,
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but sent them soone away:
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Quoth he, You know the perill of Law,
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if long time here you stay:
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The stockes and the whipping poast
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will fall unto your sha[r]e:
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Then take you heed, and with all speed,
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to your Country doe repaire. Alack, etc.
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Away then went this wofull old man,
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full sad in heart and minde:
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With weeping teares his wife did lament
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their Sonne was so unkinde.
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Thou wicked Childe, quoth they,
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for this thy cruell deed,
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The Lord send thee as little pitty
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when thou dost stand in need.
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Alack and alas for woe, etc.
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His children hearing their Father set
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his Parents thus at nought:
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In short time after to have his Land,
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his death by subtlety wrought:
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What cause have we, quoth they,
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more kindnesse to expresse,
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Then he unto his Parents did
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in their great wretchednesse?
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Alacke and alas for woe, etc.
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They murthered him in pittifull sort,
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they waid not his intreats,
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The more he pray'd compassionatly,
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the greater were their threats,
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Speake not to us, quoth they,
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for thou the death shalt die:
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And with that word, with dagger & swo[rd]
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they mangled him monstrously.
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Alack and alas for woe, etc.
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When they had got his silver and gold,
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according to their mind:
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They buried him in a stinking ditch,
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where no man should him find.
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But now behold and see,
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Gods vengance on them all:
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To gaine their gold, their Cousin came,
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and slew them great and small.
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Alacke and alas for woe.
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He came among them with a great clu[b]
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in dead time of the night,
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Yea two of the Sons he braind therewi[th]
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and taking of his flight,
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The murtherer taken was,
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and suffered for the same:
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Deserved for their cruelty,
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this vengance upon them cam[e]
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Alack and alas therefore,
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Alack and alas therefore.
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