The KING and NORTHERN MAN.
Shewing how a poor Northumberland Man, Tenant to the King, was
wrongd by a Lawyer; how the poor Man went to the King and made
known his Grievance.
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TO drive away the weary day,
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A book I chanced to take in hand:
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And therein I read assuredly,
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A story as you shall understand.
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Perusing many a history over,
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Amongst the Leaves I chanced to view,
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The Books name and Title is this,
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The second Lesson too good to be true.
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There read I of a Northumberland Man;
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That was born and bred up in the kings own land
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He paid twenty shillings rent a year
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To the king as I do understand.
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By him there dwelt a Lawyer false,
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That with his farm he was not content:
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But over the poor man still hangd his Nose,
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Because he did gather the Kings Rent.
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He told him he his Lease had forfeit,
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And that he must there no longer abide:
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The King by such loons had mickle wrong done
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And for you the world is broad and wide.
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The poor man prayed him for to cease,
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And content himself if he would be willing;
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And pick no vantage in my Lease,
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And I shall give thee forty shilling.
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Its neither forty shilling nor forty pound,
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Ise warrant thee can agree thee and me;
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Unless thou yield me thy Farm so round,
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And stand unto my courtesy.
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The poor man said, I may not do so,
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My wife and bairns will make ill work,
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If thou with my Farm wilt let me go,
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Thou seemst a good fellow, Ise give thee 5 mark.
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The Lawyer he would not be so content,
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But further in the matter he means to smell;
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The Neighbours bad the poor man provide his rent
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And make submission to the King himself.
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He got an humble staff, on his back,
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A Jerkin I wot that was grey:
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With a good blew Bonnet he thought it no lack,
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To the King he is ganging as fast as may be.
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He had not gone a mile out of the Town,
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But one of his Neighbours he did espy;
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How far is it to the King, for thither I am bound
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As fast as I can hie.
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I am sorry for you Neighbour he said,
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For your simplicity I make moan;
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Ise warrant you, you may ask for the King,
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When nine or ten days Journey you have gone.
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Had I wist the King had gone so far,
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Ise neer sought him a mile out of the town;
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Hes either sought me, or we had neer come near
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At home I had rather spent a Crown.
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But when he came to the City of London,
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Of every man he for the King did call,
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They told him he need not fear,
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For the King he lies now at the White Hall.
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And with spying of Earls in the City,
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Because he had never been there before:
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He lay so long a-bed the next day,
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The court was removed to Windsor that morn.
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You have lain too long then said the host,
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You have lion too long by a great while,
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The King he is now to Windsor gone,
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Hes further gone by twenty mile
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I think I was curst, then said the poor man,
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I[f] I had been wise I might had consider;
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Belike the King of me hes gotten some Note,
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He had neer gone away had not I come hither.
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He fled not for you then said his Host,
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But hie you to Windsor as fast as you may;
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Be sure it will requite your cost,
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For look what is past the King will pay.
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But when he came to Windsor Castle,
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With his humble staff on his back.
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Altho the Gates wide open stood,
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He laid laid on them till he made them crack,
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Why stay, pray friend art mad? quoth the Porter
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What makes thee keep this stir today?
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Why I am a Tenant of the Kings,
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Who have a message to him to say;
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The King has Men enough ssid the Porter.
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Your Message well that they can say;
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Why there is neer a knave that the king doth keep
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Shall ken my secret mind to-day.
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I were told eer I came from home,
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Eer I got hither it would be dear bought;
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Let me in, Ilse give thee a single penny,
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I see thou ha small eer thou do it for nought,
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Gramercy, said the Porter then,
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Thy reward is so great I cannot say nay.
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Yonders a Nobleman within the Court,
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Ill first hear wbat he will say.
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When the Porter came to the Nobleman,
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He said he would shew him pretty sport;
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Theres sike a Clown came to the Gate,
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As came not these seven years to the Court.
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He calls all Knaves the King doth keep,
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He raps at the Gate and makes a great din:
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Hes passing liberal of Reward.
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Hed give a good single Penny to be let in.
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Let him in then said the Nobleman,
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Come in Fellow the Porter did say,
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If thou come within thyself he said
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Thy Staff behind the Gate must stay,
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And this Cuckolds Cur may lig behind,
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What a Devil what a Cur thou hast got with thee
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The King will take him up for his own self,
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Ise warrant when he does him see.
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Beshrew thy Limbs, then said the poor man,
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Thou may count me Fool or worse,
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I wot not what Bankrupt lies by the King,
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For want of Money may pick my Purse.
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Let him in with his staff and his dog said the lord,
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He gave a nod withs head and bow withs knee
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If you be sir King then said the poor man,
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As I can very well think you be.
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For I was told eer I came from home,
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Youre the goodliest man that eer I saw before,
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With so many Jingle Jangles about ones neck,
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As is about yours I neer saw none.
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I am not the King said the Nobleman,
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Fellow, though I have a proud Coat;
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If you bent the King help me to the speech of him
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You seem a good Fellow, Ise give thee a Groat.
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Gramercy said the Nobleman,
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Thy reward is so great I cant say nay;
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Ill know the Kings pleasure if I can,
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Till I come again be sure you stay.
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Heres sike a staying said the poor man,
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Belike the Kings better then any in our country
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I might ha gone to the farthest nuke o the house
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Neither Lad nor Lass to trouble me.
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When the Nobleman came to the King,
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He said he would shew his Grace good sport;
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Heres such a Clown came to the Gate,
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As came not these seven years to the Court.
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He calls all Knaves your Highness does keep,
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And more than that he tells them worse;
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Hell not come in without his Staff and his Dog,
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For fear some Bankrupt should pick his purse.
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Let him said the King with his Staff and Dog,
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That of his sport we may see some;
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Well see how hell handle every point,
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As soon as our match of Bowls is done.
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The Nobleman led him thro many a Room,
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And through many a Gallery gay:
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What a deil doth the King with so many houses
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That he gets them not filld with Corn and Hay.
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At last they spyed the King in a Garden,
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Yet from his Game he did not start;
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The Day was so hot he cast off his Doublet,
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He had nothing from his Waste but his Shirt.
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Lo yonders the King said the Nobleman,
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Behold Fellow, lo yonder he goes;
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I believe hes some Unthrift said the poor Man;
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That has lost his Money and pawnd his Cloaths
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But when he came before the King,
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The Nobleman made his courtisie,
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The poor Man followed after him,
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Gave a Nod with his Head and a bend with his knee
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If you be the Sir King then said the poor Man,
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As I can hardly think you be,
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He is a good Fellow that brought me hither,
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More likely to be a King than thee
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I am the King his Grace now said,
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Fellow let me thy case understand;
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If you be Sir King, Im a Tenant of yours,
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That was born and brought up in your own Land.
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There dwells a Lawyer hard by me,
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And a fault with my Lease he said he had found,
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And all was for felling of five poor Ashes,
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To build an House upon your own Ground.
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Has thou a Lease here said our King,
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Or canst thou show to me this deed,
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He gave it into the Kings own hand,
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And said Sir, here it is if you can read.
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Lets see the Lease, then said our King,
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Then from his black Box he pulld it out;
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He gave it into the Kings own hand,
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With four or five Knots tyd fast in a Clout.
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Well never unloose these knots, said the King,
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He gave it to one that behind him did stay.
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It is a proud Horse then said the poor Man,
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Will not bear his own Provinder along the highway.
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Pay me forty shillings as Ise pay you,
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I will not think much to unlose a Knot;
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Would I were so occupied ever day,
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I would unlose a score of them for a Groat.
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When the King had gotten these Letters read,
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And found the truth was very so;
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I warrant thee thou hast not forfeit thy Lease,
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If thou had felld five Ashes mo;
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Ay every one can warrant me,
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But all their warrants are not worth a Flea;
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For he that troubles me and will not let me go,
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Neither cares for Warrants of me nor you.
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Thoust have an Injunction said our King,
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From troubling you he will cease;
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Hell either show the good cause why,
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Or else hell let thee live in peace.
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What is that Injunction said the poor Man,
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Good Sir to me I pray you say;
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Why it is a Letter Ill cause to be written,
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But art thou so simple as thou shewst to-day?
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Why if it be a Letter, Im never the better,
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Keep it to thy self and trouble not me:
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I could have had a Letter written cheaper at home,
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And neer come out of my own Country
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Thoust have an Attachment said our King,
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Charge all that thou seest to take thy part:
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Till he pay thee a hundred Pound,
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Before thou never let him start.
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If any seem against thee to stand
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Be sure thou come hither straightway,
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Ay marry is that all ise get for my labour,
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Then I may come trotting every day.
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Thou art hard of belief than said our King,
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To please him with Letters he was willing,
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I see you have taken great pains in writing,
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With all my Heart ise give thee a shilling.
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Ill have none of thy Shilling than said our King,
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Man with thy Money, God give thee win
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He threw it unto the Kings Bosom,
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The Money lay cold unto his Skin.
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Beshrew thy Heart then said our King,
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Thou art a Carle something too bold;
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Dost thou not see I am hot with bowling;
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And the Money next my Skin is cold.
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I neer wist that before said the poor Man,
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Before sick time as I came hither;
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If the Lawyers in our Country thought it so,
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They would not heap up so much together.
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The King calld up his Treasurer,
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And bad him fetch him twenty Pound,
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If ever thy Errand ly hereaway,
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Ill bear thy Charges up and down.
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When the poor Man saw the Gold down tenderd,
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For to receive it he was willing;
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If I had thought the King had so much Gold,
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Beshrew my Heart I had kept my Shilling.
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The poor Man got him home the next Sunday,
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The Lawyer soon did him espy;
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O Sir, youve been a Stranger long,
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I think from me you have kept you by.
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It was for you indeed, said the poor Man,
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The Matter to the King as I have tell;
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I did as my Neighbours put into my Head.
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And made a Submission to him myself.
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What a deil dost thou | with the King, said the Lawyer,
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Could not Neighbours and Friends agree thee and me;
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The deil a Neighbour nor Friend that I had,
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That would have been such a Days-man as he.
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He gin this to me but I know not how they callt
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But if the Kings word be true to me,
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When you have read and perused it over,
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I hope youll leave and let me be.
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He has gin this to me but I know not what tis
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But I charge you all to hold him fast;
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Till he pay me a hundred Pound,
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I will go and tie him fast to a Post.
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Mary God forbid the Lawyer he said,
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Then th Attachment was read before them there;
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Thou must needs something credit me,
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Till I go home and fetch some more.
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Credit, nay thats it the King forbad.
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He bad if I got thee, I should thee stay.
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The Lawyer he paid him an hundred Pound,
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In ready Money before he went away.
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Would every Lawyer were served thus,
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From troubling poor Men they would cease;
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Theyd either shew them good cause why,
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Or else theyd let them live in peace.
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And thus I end my merry Song.
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Which shews the poor mans simpleness,
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And the Kings great mercy in righting wrongs,
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And the Lawyers fraud and wickedness.
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