The Low-Country SOLDIER turned BURGOMASTER.
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HERE you may see the turns of fate,
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From woe to joy, from poor t[o] great;
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A mark of fortunes special love,
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Who did a soldiers grief remove.
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One who in former days, tis told,
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Had trudgd thro weather hot and cold,
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Till he was poor and pennyless,
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You would have laughd to have seen the dress.
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His shoes with trudging up and down
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No sole they had; a hat no crown;
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His coat no sleeves, his shirt the same,
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But by his side a sword of fame.
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Without a scabbard good or bad,
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Nor was there any to be had;
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His coat and breeches would not come,
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[I]n depth to cover half his bum.
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Now being weary of his trade,
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One day he to his captain said,
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Pray now give me a full discharge,
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That I my fortune may enlarge.
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I am persuaded I shall be
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A burgomaster, sir, said he.
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To Venice, if youll let me go.
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His captain smiling answerd, No.
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With you, said he, I will not part.
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Then, thought the soldier, Ill desert
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My colours, let what will befal:
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And soon he went for good and all.
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Now as he marchd with all his might,
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A coachman and his worthy knight,
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Upon the road he chancd to find.
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And askd to borrow full five pound.
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At this the knight laughd out amain,
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And said, When will you pay it again,
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H answerd, Sir, you shall be paid
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When I am burgomaster made.
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Of Venice, which will be my lot,
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The noble knight away he got.
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And laughd to see him in that trim,
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But still the coachman lent it him.
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This being done, away he went
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To Venice, where some time he spent,
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To view the palace rich and gay,
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And then to Burgos took his way.
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Who kept a house to entertain
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All kind of guest. He calld amain
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For wine and other liquors free,
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Tho in a wretched garb was he.
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THIS soldier was a gallant blade,
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And while in pleasure there he stayd;
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Behold a squire living near,
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Courted the burgos daughter dear,
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Now as he kept her company,
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One day the soldier sitting by,
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Feigning asleep, he overheard
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This private talk as it appeared.
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Part of the private talk was this,
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My dear sweet love the charming bliss,
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Let me enjoy this self-same night.
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The damsel told him that he might.
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If he would to her chamber creep,
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When all the house was fast asleep,
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About the hour of twelve oclock
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She would the door for him unlock.
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The soldier heard the whole design,
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Thought he, The pleasure shall be mine,
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And thereupon he went before
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To the young ladys chamber-door.
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He knockd, and soon she let him in.
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A pleasant game did then begin
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And ere an hours time was past
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Her love the squire came at last.
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He knockd, Whos there, the lady cryd?
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The soldier lying by her side
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Said, It is the ragged fellow sure,
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Who seemd as if he slept secure.
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He heard us, and is come to have
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That pleasure which our love did crave;
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But its in vain, I will arise
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And dash the piss-pot in his eyes.
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Accordingly, in woeful case,
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He dashd it in the squires face;
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Away he goes, and nothing said,
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Supposing it had been the maid.
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She laughed at the pleasant jest,
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And gave him then among the rest
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A diamond ring with kisses sweet,
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But did not understand the cheat.
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Then he arose and went his way.
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Behold on the succeeding day,
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Upon his right-hand the ring she espyd.
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Pray where had you the same, she cryd?
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He answerd then, and thus he said,
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Pray be not in the least dismay;
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For you was loving, kind and free,
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Last night, and gave the same to me.
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O bless me! did I lie with you?
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Since it is so, I pray be true;
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And do not let the same be told,
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So thou shalt never want for gold.
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He vowd he would conceal the same,
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Soon after this the squire came,
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Saying, Why was you so unkind?
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The piss pot made me almost blind.
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The youthful damsel answerd thus,
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Tis good enough if it were worse:
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Because you thought to ruin me,
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My honour and my chastity.
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IN part the third we must return,
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Unto a mighty great concern;
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Conststing of some thousand pounds,
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Which the poor soldiers fortune crowns.
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Behold her wealthy father he,
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Did send four mighty ships to sea.
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Laden with glorious merchandize,
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Rich silks and other wares likewise.
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They had been gone full seven year,
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No tale or tiding they could hear
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Of them; at length he gave them oer,
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And never thought to see them more.
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At length there was a letter brought,
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The ships were safe with riches frought:
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Near to the borders of the land,
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Which news came to his daughters hand.
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Then having viewd and read the same,
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She to the ragged soldier came;
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Crying, My dear, be true to me,
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You shall a Burgomaster be.
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My father thinks his ships are lost,
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Which now are on the Venice coast;
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And ere he does the tidings hear,
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Go buy his right in them, my dear.
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And when thou hast the bargain bought,
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Of four large ships richly fraughr;
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Be what it will, of me you shall
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Have money to pay for it all.
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Then on her father he did wait,
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And struck a bargain with him strait;
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For the four ships four hundred pound,
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Whether the same be lost or found,
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No sooner was the bargain made,
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And that small sum of money paid;
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But he heard the ships were come.
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Their burden was a mighty sum.
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Then did the Burgomaster fret,
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Cause he with such a loss had met;
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But since it could not better be,
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He with the soldier did agree.
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To take the daughter for a bride,
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With all my heart, he then replyd;
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Then out of hand they married were,
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The soldier and the lady fair.
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No sooner were they man and wife,
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But strait her father left this life,
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And when he in his grave was laid,
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The son was Burgomaster made.
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He that had travelld many miles
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Was now by fortunes special smiles
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Made mighty, powerful and great,
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And knew no end of his estate.
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NOW mind the latter part I pray,
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I make no question but youll say,
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Still as you read the story out,
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The things were strangely brought about.
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While he was Burgomaster we hear,
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His former captain did repair
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Unto his house by chance to dine,
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With other brave cammanders fine.
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The Burgomaster seeing that,
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He strait put on his no crownd hat;
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With all his ragged cloaths,
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And so into the room he goes.
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The captain then began to swear,
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Lieutenant, pray see who is there
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My ragged Burgomaster, who
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In private from his colours flew.
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Strait from the presence of his good
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He stepd away, himself he drest
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In sumptuous robes he drest amain.
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And then returnd to them again.
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The captain said, Right worthy sir
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Here is a foolish ragged cur:
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Endud with neither wit nor sense,
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Ill hang him eer I go from henee
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He from his colours did desert.
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The Burgo said, Be not so tart.
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In presence of these gentlemen,
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Write his discharge, heres guineas ten.
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He wrote the same, and took the gold
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The Burgomaster said, Behold,
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I am the man, and now at last
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What once I said is come to pass.
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The captain then began to fume,
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And told his gallants in the room,
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If he had known as much before,
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It should have cost him ten times more.
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And then within a month or less,
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The knight whom once he did address,
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To lend him five pounds on the road,
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Come there to take up his abode.
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The Burgomaster as before,
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Put on his robes both rent and tore;
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So that the knight might know him strait,
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As he did on his worship wait,
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He to his coachman turnd him round,
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And said, Theres one owes you five pounds
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When do you think the same to get,
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He is not Burgomaster yet.
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The coachman said, as I do live,
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I freely do the same forgive;
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Because I to my sorrow see,
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He still remains in poverty.
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For some short time he went away
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And drest himself in rich array;
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In feathers fine, and rich perfume,
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And so returnd into the room.
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Having discoursd with them awhile,
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He told the coachman with a smile.
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As he helpd him in time of need,
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He would return it now indeed.
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He gave him then five thousand pound
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Likewise a match for him he found,
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A sweet young lady fair and clear,
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Daughter to a renowned peer.
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The knight was vexed to the heart,
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That he must with his servant part?
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But let him grieve, it must be so,
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Whether his lordship will or no.
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Thus he who once was mean and poor,
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At length enjoys a happy store;
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W[h]ich fortune unto him did send,
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And he provd grateful to his frind
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