A Ballad, intituled the Old mans Complaint against his
Wretched Son, who to advance his Marriage did undo himself.
To the same Tune,
|
ALL you that Fathers be,
|
look on my misery,
|
Let not affection fond
|
work your extremity:
|
For to advance my Son
|
in marriage wealthily,
|
I have my self undone,
|
without all remedy.
|
I that was wont to live
|
uncontrould any way;
|
With many checks and taunts
|
am grieved every day:
|
Alack and woe is me,
|
I that might late command:
|
Cannot have a bit of bread,
|
but at my childrens hand.
|
While I was wont to sit,
|
chief at the tables end;
|
Now like a Servant slave,
|
must I on them attend:
|
I must not come in place,
|
where their friends merry be:
|
Least I should my Son disgrace
|
with my unreverency.
|
My coughing in the night
|
offends my daughter in Law
|
My deafnesse and ill sight,
|
doth much disliking draw:
|
Fie on this doting fool.
|
this crooked churl (quod she)
|
The Chimney corner still,
|
must with him troubled [b]e.
|
I must rise from my chair
|
to give my children place;
|
I must speak servants fare,
|
this is my woful case:
|
Unto their friends they tell,
|
I must not say they lie:
|
That they do keep me here
|
even of meer charity.
|
When I am sick in bed
|
they will not come me nigh
|
Each day they wish me dead,
|
yet say ile never dye:
|
O Lord ant be thy will,
|
look on my wofull case:
|
No honest man before
|
ever took such disgrace.
|
This was the old mans plaint
|
every night and day
|
With woe he waxed faint,
|
but mark what I shall say:
|
This rich and dainty pair,
|
the young man and his wife
|
Though clogd with golden coin
|
yet led a grievous life.
|
Seven years they married were,
|
and yet in all that space,
|
God sent them ner an heir
|
their riches to imbrace;
|
Thus did their sorrow breed,
|
joy was from them exild
|
Quoth she a hundred pound
|
would I give for a child,
|
To have a joyful child,
|
of my own body born
|
Full oft I am revild
|
of this my barren womb:
|
Much Physick did she take
|
to make a fruitful soyl,
|
And with accesse thereof
|
her body she did spoil.
|
Full of grief, full of pain,
|
full of ache grew she then,
|
That she crys out amain,
|
seek for some cuning men,
|
That I my health may have,
|
I will no money spare,
|
But that which she did crave,
|
[?] fell to her share.
|
Alack, alack, she said,
|
what torments I live in,
|
How well are they apaid,
|
that truly ease can win:
|
So that I my health had
|
and from this pain was free
|
I would give all my wealth
|
that blessed day to see:
|
O that I my health had,
|
though I were ner so poor,
|
I card not though I went
|
beging from door to door:
|
Fie on this muck quoth she,
|
it cannot pleasure me,
|
In this my woful case,
|
and great extremity.
|
Thus livd she long in pain,
|
all comfort from her fled,
|
She strangled at the last,
|
her self within her bed:
|
Her Husband full of grief,
|
consumed wofully,
|
His body pind away,
|
suddenly he did dye.
|
Ere thirteen years were past,
|
dyd he without a will,
|
And by this means at last,
|
the old man living still:
|
Enjoyd his Land at last,
|
after much misery,
|
Many years after that
|
liv[]d he most happily.
|
Far richer then before,
|
by this means was he known
|
He helpt the sick and sore:
|
the poor man overthrown:
|
But this was all his song,
|
let all men understand,
|
Those Parents are accurst
|
live [?]
|
|
|
|
|
|