A new Song, shewing the crueltie of Gernutus a Jew, who lending to a
Marchant a hundred Crownes, would have a pound of his Flesh,
because he could not pay him at the day appoynted.
To the tune of, Blacke and Yellow.
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I N Venice towne not long agoe,
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a cruell Jew did dwell,
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Which lived all on Usurie,
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as Italian writes tell.
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Gernutus called was the Jew ,
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which never thought to die:
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Nor never yet did any good,
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to them in streetes that lie.
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His life was like a Barrow-hog,
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that liveth many a day:
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Yet never once doth any good,
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untill men will him slay.
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Or like a filthy heape of Dung,
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that lyeth in a whoard,
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Which never can doe any good,
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till it be spread [abroa]d.
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So fares it with the Usurer,
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he can not sleepe in rest:
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For feare the theefe will him pursue,
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to plucke him from his nest.
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His heart doth thinke on many a wile,
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how to deceive the poore:
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His mouth is almost ful of mucke,
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yet still he gapes for more.
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His Wife must send a Shilling,
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or every weeke a Penny;
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[Y]et bring a pledge that's double worth,
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if that you will have any.
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And see (likewise) you keepe your day,
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or else you loose it all:
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This was the living of the Wife;
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her Cow she did it call.
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Within that Citie dwelt that time,
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a Marchant of great fame,
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Which being distressed, in his need
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unto Gernutus came,
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Desiring him to stand his friend,
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for twelve month and a day,
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To lend to him an hundred Crownes,
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and he for it would pay
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Whatsoever he would demaund of him,
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and Pledges he should have.
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No (quoth the Jew with flearing lookes)
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Sir aske what you will have.
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No penny for the lone of it,
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for one yeare you shall pay:
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You may doe me as good a turne,
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before my dying day:
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But we will have a merry jest,
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for to be talked long:
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You shall make me a Band (quoth he)
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that shall be large and strong.
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And this shall be the forfeyture,
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of your owne Flesh a pound:
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If you agree, make you the Band,
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and here is a hundred Crownes.
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With right good-will the Marchant sayd,
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and so the Band was made.
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When twelve month and a day drew on,
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that backe it should be payd,
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The Marchants Ships were all at Seas,
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and Mony came not in:
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Which way to take, or what to doe,
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to thinke he doth begin.
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And to Gernutus straight he comes,
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with cap and bended knee:
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And sayd to him, of curtesie,
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I pray you beare with mee.
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My day is come, and I have not
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the Mony for to pay:
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And litle good the forfeyture
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will doe you, I dare say.
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With all my heart, Gernutus sayd,
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commaund it to your minde,
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In thinges of bigger waight then this,
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you shall me ready finde.
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He goes his way, the day once past,
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Gernutus doth not slacke,
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To get a Sergiant presently,
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and clapt him on the backe:
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And layed him into Prison strong,
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and sued his Band withall.
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And when the judgement day was come,
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for judgement he did call.
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The Marchants friendes came thither fast,
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with many a weeping eye:
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For other meanes they could not find,
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but he that day must die.
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The Second part of the Jewes crueltie, setting foorth the
mercifulnesse of the Judge towardes the Marchant.
To the tune of Blacke and yellow.
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S Ome offered for his hundred Crownes,
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five hundred for to pay:
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And some a thousand, two, or three:
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yet still he did denay.
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And at the last, Ten thousand Crownes
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they offered him to save:
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Gernutus sayd, I will no Gold,
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my forfeite I will have.
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A pound of flesh is my desire,
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and that shall be my hire.
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Then sayd the Judge, yet good my friend,
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let me of you desire,
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To take the flesh from such a place,
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as yet you let him live:
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Do so, and loe an hundred Crownes,
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to thee here will I give.
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No, no (quoth he) no judgement here,
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for this it shalbe tride:
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For I will have my pound of flesh
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from under his right side.
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It grieved all the companie,
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his crueltie to see:
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For neither friend nor foe could helpe,
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but he must spoyled bee.
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The bloody Jew now ready is,
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with whetted blade in hand,
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To spoyle the blood of Innocent,
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by forfeit of his Band.
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And as he was about to strike
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in him the deadly blow
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Stay (quoth the Judge) thy crueltie,
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I charge thee to do so.
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Sith needes thou wilt thy forfeit have,
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which is of flesh a pound:
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See that you shed no drop of blood,
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nor yet the man confound.
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For if thou doe, like murderer,
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thou here shalt hanged bee:
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Likewise of flesh see that thou cut,
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no more then longes to thee.
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For if thou take either more or lesse,
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to the value of a Mite,
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Thou shalt be hanged presently,
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as is both law and right.
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Gernutus now waxt franticke mad,
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and wotes not what to say:
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Quoth he at last, ten thousand Crownes
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I will that he shall pay:
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And so I graunt to set him free.
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The Judge doth answere make,
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You shall not have a penny given,
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your Forfeyture now take.
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At the last he doth demaund,
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but for to have his owne.
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No quoth the Judge, doe as you list,
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thy Judgement shalbe showne.
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Either take your pound of flesh, quoth he,
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or cancell me your Band:
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O cruell Judge, then quoth the Jew ,
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that doth against me stand.
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And so with griping grieved minde,
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he biddeth them [far]ewell:
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All the people pray[ed to t]he Lord,
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that ever this heard tell.
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Good people that doe heare this song
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for trueth I dare well say,
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That many a wretch as ill as he,
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doth live now at this day.
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That seeketh nothing but the spoyle
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of many a wealthy man:
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And for to trap the Innocent,
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deviseth what they can.
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From whom, the Lord deliver me,
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and every Christian too:
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And send to them like sentence eke,
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that meaneth so to bee.
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FINIS .
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