A pleasant History of a Gentleman in Thracia, which had
foure Sonnes, and three of them none of his own; shewing how
miraculously the true heire came to enjoy his Inheritance.
To the tune of, Chevy Chace.
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IN searching ancient Chronicles,
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it was my chance to finde
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A story worth the writing out,
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in my conceit and mind;
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It is an admonition good,
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that Children ought to have,
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With reverence for to thinke upon
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their Parents laid in grave.
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In Thracia livd a Gentleman,
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of Noble Progeny,
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Who ruld his houshold with great fame
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and true integrity;
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This Gentleman did take to wife,
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a neat and gallant Dame,
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Whose outward shew and beauty bright
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did many hearts inflame.
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The luster that came from her lookes,
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her carriage and her grace,
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Like beautious Cynthia did outshine
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each Lady in that place;
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And being puffed up in pride,
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with ease and jollity,
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Her Husband could not her content,
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she other men must try.
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Lasciviously long time she livd,
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yet bore it cunningly,
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For she had those that watcht so well,
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that he could nought espy;
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With bribes and gifts she so bewitcht
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the hearts of some were neere,
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That they conceald her wickednesse,
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and kept it from her deare.
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Thus spending of her time away
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in extreme wantonnesse,
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Her private friends when she did please,
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unto her had accesse;
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But the all seeing Eye of heaven,
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such sinnes will not conceale,
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And by some meanes at last will he
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the truth of all reveale.
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Upon a time sore sicke she fell,
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yea to the very death,
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And her Physician told her plaine,
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she must resigne her breath;
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Divines did likewise visit her,
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and holy counsell gave,
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And bade her call upon the Lord,
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that He her soule might save.
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Amongst the rest, she did desire
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they would her husband bring,
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I have a secret to reveale,
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(she said) My heart doth sting;
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Then he came posiing presently,
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unto her where she lay,
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And weeping, then he did desire,
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what she to him would say.
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She did intreat that all might voyd
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the roome, and he would stay:
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Your pardon, husband, I beseech,
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(unto him she did say;)
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For I have wrongd your marriage bed,
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and plaid the wanton wife,
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To you the truth I will reveale,
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ere I depart this life.
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FOure hopefull sonnes you think you have,
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to me it best is knowne,
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And three of them are none of yours,
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of foure but ones your owne;
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And by your selfe on me begot,
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which hath so wanton been,
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These dying teares forgivenesse beg,
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let mercy then be seene.
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This strooke her husband in a dumpe,
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his heart was almost dead,
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But rouzing of his spirits up,
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these words to her he said;
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I doe forgive thee with my heart,
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so thou the truth wilt tell,
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Which of the foure is my owne sonne,
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and all things shall be well.
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O pardon me, my husband deare,
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unto him she did say,
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They are my children every one,
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and so she went away.
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Away he goes with heavy heart,
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his griefes he did conceale,
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And like a wise and prudent man,
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to none did it reveale.
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Not knowing which to be his owne,
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each of his love did share,
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And to be traind in vertues paths,
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of them he had a care;
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In learning great and gentle grace,
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they were brought up and taught,
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Such deare affection in the hearts
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of Parents God hath wrought.
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They now were grown to mens estates,
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and livd most gallantly;
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Each had his horse, his hawke, his hound
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and did their manhood try;
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The ancient man did joy thereat,
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but yet he did not know,
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Which was his sonne amongst the foure
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that bred in him much woe.
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At length his glasse of life was run,
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the Fates doe so decree,
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For poore and rich they all must dye,
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and death will take no fee;
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Unto some Judges he did send,
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and Counsell that were grave,
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Who presently to him did come,
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to know what he would have.
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They comming then to his beds side,
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unto them he did say,
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I know you all to be my friends,
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most faithfull every way;
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And now before I leave the world,
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I beg this at your hands,
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To have a care which of my sonnes
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shall have my goods and lands.
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And to them all he did relate
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what things his wife had done;
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There is but one amongst the foure
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that is my native sonne;
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And to your judgement I commit,
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when I am laid in grave,
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Which is my sonne, and which is fit
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my lands and goods to have.
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He dying, they in Councell sate
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what best were to be done,
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For twas a taske of great import,
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to judge which was his sonne:
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The brothers likewise were at strife,
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which should the living have;
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When as the ancient man was dead,
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and buried in his grave.
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The Judges must decide the cause,
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and thus they did decree,
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The dead mans body up to take,
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and tye it to a Tree;
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A Bow each brother he must have,
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and eke an arrow take,
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To shoot at their dead fathers corps,
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as if he were a stake.
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And he whose Arrow neerest hit
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his heart as he did stand,
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Theyd judge him for to be right heire,
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and fit to have the land:
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On this they all did streight agree,
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and to the field they went,
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Each had a man his shaft to beare,
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and Bow already bent.
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Now (quoth the Judges) try your skill
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upon your Father there,
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That we may quickly know who shall
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unto the Land be heire;
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The eldest tooke his Bow in hand,
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and shaft where as he stood,
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Which piercd so deep the dead mans brest
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that it did run with blood.
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The second brother then must shoot,
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who straight did take his aime,
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And with his Arrow made a wound,
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that blood came from the same:
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The third likewise must try his skill,
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the matter to decide,
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Whose shaft did make a wound most deep
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into the dead mans side.
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Unto the fourth and youngest then,
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a Bow and shaft was brought;
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Who said, Dee thinke that ere my heart
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could harbour such a thought,
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To shoot at my deare Fathers heart,
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although that he be dead,
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For all the Kingdomes in the world
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that farre and wide are spred?
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And turning of him round about,
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the teares ran downe amaine,
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He flung his Bow upon the ground,
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and broke his shaft in twaine:
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The Judges seeing his remorse,
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they then concluded all,
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He was the right, the other three,
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they were unnaturall.
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And so he straight possest the Lands,
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being made the heire of all,
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And heaven by nature in this kind,
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unto his heart did call;
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His brothers they did envy him,
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but yet he need not care,
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And of his wealth in portions large,
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unto them he did share.
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