A most excellent new Ballad, of an olde man and his wife, which in their olde age and misery
sought to their owne children for succour, by whom they were disdained & scornfully sent
away succourlesse, and how the vengeance of God was justly shewed upon them for
the same.
To the tune of Prissilla.
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IT was an old man, which with his poore wife,
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in great distresse did fall:
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They were so feeble with age God wot
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they could not worke at all
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A gallant sonne they had
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which lived wealthily
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To whom they went with full intent,
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to ease their misery
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Alack and alas for wo,
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Alack and alas for wo.
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A hundred miles when they had gone
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with many a weary step
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at length they saw their sonnes faire house
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which made their harts to leape:
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They sate them on the greene
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their shoes and hose to trim
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And put cleane bands about their necke
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gainst they should enter in. Alack etc.
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Unto the doore with trembling joynts
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when this olde couple came
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The woman with a shaking head
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the olde man blind and lame
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Ful warily they did knocke
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fearing for to offend
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at last their sonne doth frowningly come,
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unto them in the end. (Alack, etc
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Good folks quod he what would you have here
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me thinkes you are too bolde
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Why get you not home to your country
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now you are olde and Lame
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With that they both replied
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with sorrow care and griefe
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Heere are we come to thee our sonne
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for succour and reliefe. Alack, etc.
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This is thy father gentle sonne
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and I thy loving mother
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That brought thee up most tenderly,
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and lovd thee above all other
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I bore thee in this wombe
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these brestes did nourish thee
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And as it chaunst I often daunst
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thee on my tender knee. Alack, etc.
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And humbly now we doe thee intreat,
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my deare and loving sonne
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That thou wilt doe for us in our age
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as we for thee have done
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No, no, not so he said
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your sute is all in vaine
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Tis best for you I tell you true
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to get you home againe. Alack etc.
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The world is not now as when I was born
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all things are growne more deare:
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My charge of Children is not smal
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as plainely doth appeare
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The best that I can doe
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will hardly them maintaine:
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Therefore I say be packing away,
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and get you home againe. alack, etc,
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The olde man with his hat in hand
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full many a leg did make.
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The woman wept and wrong her hands
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and prayd him for Christ his sake:
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Not so to send them back,
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distressed and undone
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But let us lie in some barne here by
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quoth she my loving sonne Alack etc,
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By no meanes would he thereto consent,
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but sent them soone away,
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Quoth he you know the perill of Lawe
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if long time here you stay:
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The stockes and whipping poast
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will fall unto your share
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Then take you heede and with all speed
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to your country do repaire. Alack, etc.
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Away then went this woful olde man,
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full sad in heart and minde
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With weeping teares his wife did lament
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their sonne was so unkinde.
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Thou wicked child quoth they
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for this thy cruell deede:
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The Lord send thee as little pittie,
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when thou dost stand in neede. Alack etc.
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His children hearing his father set
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his parents thus at nought
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In short time after to have his lands
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his death they subtilly wrought
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What cause have we quoth they
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more kindnes to expresse
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Then he unto his parents did,
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in their great wretchednes Alack, etc.
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They murdered him in pittifull sort
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they wayde not his intreates:
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The more he prayd impassionately
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the greater were his threates
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Speake not to us quoth they,
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for thou the death shalt die:
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and with that word with Dagger & sword
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they mangled him monsterously Alack etc.
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When they had got his silver and golde
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according to their minde
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They buried him in a stinking ditch
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where no man could him finde:
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But now behold and see
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Gods vengeance on them all:
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To gaine that gold their couzen came,
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and slew them great and small. alack etc.
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He came amongst them with a great club,
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in dead time of the night:
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Yea two of the sonnes he brained therwith,
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and taking of his flight
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The murderer taken was,
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and suffered for the same:
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Deservedly for their cruelty,
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this vengeance upon them came.
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Alack and alas therefore,
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Alack and alas therefore.
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