The Wretched Miser:
OR,
A brief Account of a covetous Farmer, who bringing a Load of Corn to Market,
swore the Devil should have it before he would take the honest Market price;
which accordingly came to pass, as you shall find in these following Lines.
To the Tune of, O Folly, desperate Folly, etc.
Licensed according to Order.
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YOu Farmers now both far and near,
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make conscience of what you do,
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A sad account I bring you here,
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Aa nd yet it's no more than true:
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Farmer who had a great-plenty of Grain,
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And sold it the Devil for lucre of gain,
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For which he in sorrow at length did complain
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O Farmers, covetous Farmers,
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why wou'd you pinch the Poor?
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This Farmer to a Market went,
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and knowing that Corn did rise,
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His heart to cruelty was bent,
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that he wou'd not hear the cries
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Of thousand distressed that lives in this Land
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Who scarce had a morsel of bread at command
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He for a high price was resolved to stand:
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O Farmers, covetous Farmers,
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why wou'd you pinch the Poor?
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An honest dealer to him came,
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and bid him a Market rate;
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But this rich Farmer, void of shame,
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he fell in a passion straight;
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Then setting his hand in a huff by his side,
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The Devil shall have all my Corn, he reply'd,
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Before I will 'bate you one Tester, he cry'd:
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O Farmers, covetous Farmers,
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why wou'd you pinch the Poor?
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The honest dealer went his way,
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to buy in another place;
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Now on the self same Market-day,
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in less than an hours space,
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To him there did come an old Fellow in black,
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Who having an old nasty Gown on his back,
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He told him a vast stock of Corn he did lack:
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O Farmers, covetous Farmers,
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why wou'd you pinch the poor?
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The Corn the Farmer then did show,
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which t'other did not dislike;
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They to an Alehouse straight did go,
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where they did a Bargain strike
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For that in the Market, and thirty load more
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Which he had at home in a plentiful store;
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He never had such a free Chapman before:
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O Farmers, covetous Farmers,
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why wou'd you pinch the Poor?
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Five pounds he in his hand did lay,
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the Bargain more firm to bind,
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Then pitching on a certain day,
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he Waggons and Teams wou'd find:
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The Farmer reply'd, I will do what I can;
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And thus did the Bargain go merrily on,
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Now this was the Devil in shape of a Man:
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O Farmers, covetous Farmers,
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why wou'd you pinch the Poor?
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This deed he had no sooner done,
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but straight he was grieved sore;
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And in his thoughts it then did run
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what he had said just before;
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Then fearing that he with the Devil had dealt
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In tears of sad sorrow the Farmer did melt,
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No tongue can express the sad torment he felt.
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O Farmers, etc.
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Then for a pious Man he sent,
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who gave him his best advice,
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And bid him instantly repent
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that ever he made that price;
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And since with the devil this bargain you made
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Against the time get your Corn ready, he said,
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To some other Friend let the Money be paid:
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O Farmers, etc.
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A Conjurer he did employ,
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who did in the Barn stay,
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And when the hour did draw nigh,
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old Lucifer came straightway,
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With Waggons, which seem'd to be drawn in the air,
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By frightful strange mostrous fiends that were there,
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Which terrible sight did the Conjurer scare;
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O Farmers, etc.
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The Devil paid the Money down,
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then sweep'd away all the Corn,
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Then gave the Trustee such a frown,
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that never since he was born,
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Had he been so scar'd with a wonderful sight:
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In horrid confusion they then took their flight,
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Strange Vermine destroy'd as much more the next night:
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O Farmers, etc.
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Let other Farmers warning take,
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oppression is bad, you see;
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A Conscience here you ought to make,
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and be not so rash as he:
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It was a great mercy that this did suffice,
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He might have been torn in pieces likewise[,]
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This is a Deliverance which he may prize:
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Now Farmers, wealthy old Farmers,
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see that you love the Poor.
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FINIS.
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