The KING and the BISHOP:
OR,
Unlearned Men, hard matters out can find,
When learned Bishops Princes eyes do blind
To the Tune of, Chievy-Chase.
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IN Popish time when Bishops proud,
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in England did bear sway,
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Their Lordships did like Princes live,
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and kept all at obey:
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Their Pallaces with Arrace hang'd,
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their Houses shin'd with gold,
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Their train of gallant Gentlemen,
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most gallant to behold:
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A King then in this Land did Reign,
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(some say it was Henry)
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One day he for a Bishop sent,
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his Schollar-ship to try:
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Then straightway to the Court he went,
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in all his Pomp and State,
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And took it for a favour great,
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upon the King to wait;
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And when he came unto the King,
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he did both bow and bend,
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His Graces Pleasure he did crave,
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why he for him did send.
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Bishop, quoth he, I sent for thee,
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to put thee to a task,
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And I resolved true will be,
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of three things I will ask.
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And three weeks time I will thee give
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on it to meditate,
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And then if you not tell me true,
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I vow to have thy pate.
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If that it like your Majesty,
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(the Bishop then did say)
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I'le try the utmost of my skill,
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your will for to obey.
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The first thing now, then said the King,
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is this that I would know,
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Unto a very hour the time
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a Traveller may go
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About the vast and spacious world,
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and then return again,
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Unto the place he did set forth,
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and this I know would fain.
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The second thing that try you must,
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even to one poor Half-Crown,
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What I am worth that am a King,
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(this made the Bishop frown)
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The third thing it is this, he said,
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the which you must explain,
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To tell me what I do think,
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when you come here again.
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And now good Bishop you do know
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what things I do desire,
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And for to be resolv'd therefore
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of you I do require:
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Tell me the truth and keep your time,
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or else your head shall flye
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From off your shoulders when you come,
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your wits you now must try:
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These are hard things to be resolv'd,
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unto the King, he said,
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No man on earth can tell the same,
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I greatly am afraid:
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Yet I will try my greatest skill,
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and so he took his leave;
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The task and sentence both were hard,
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which made his Lordship grieve,
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The second part, to the same Tune.
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WHen he came home, to study hard
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the Bishop then did go,
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His brains did hammer in his head,
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his heart was fill'd with woe:
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But yet for all his Learning great,
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these things he could not find,
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The time began for to expire,
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which did torment his mind:
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The heavy sentence of the King,
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did touch him to the quick,
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With grief and over-studying,
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he presently fell sick:
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The Bishop he a Brother had,
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a man that hard did fare,
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A Shepherd by Profession,
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for whom he did not care.
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This Shepherd when that he did hear
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his brother sick did lye,
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To visit him he did think best,
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before that he should dye:
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With much ado, at length he got
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admittance him to see,
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It griev'd the poor man at the heart,
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at this his misery;
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Saluting his Lord brother then,
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askt him how he did do,
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He answered him with heavy heart,
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O full of grief and woe:
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You cannot help my misery,
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no man my life can save,
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The task's too hard for me to do,
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the King my head will have.
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Dear brother (then the Shepherd said)
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to me your grief explain,
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And if that I can save your life,
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i'le venture to be slain:
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The Bishop told him everything,
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cause he ado did make,
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If this be all, the Shepherd said,
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the same i'le undertake.
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You know that we are very like,
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in person, speech, and face,
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Let me put on your Robes of State,
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i'le execute the place:
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Your trains of Gallants to the Court,
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must bear me company,
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And if I do not tell these things,
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instead of you i'le dye.
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The time being come, next day he went
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to see his Majesty,
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Who presently was entertain'd
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with Court-like Courtesie:
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Now welcome Bishop (quoth the King)
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can you resolve me true?
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And if you cannot, he did say,
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I know what I must do.
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Unto your Grace's Question,
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the first I answer make,
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Let any man ascend the Sky,
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and the Sun's Chariot take,
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In four and twenty hours time
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about the world may ride,
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The which is but one day and night,
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this journey to abide.
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Thou sayest true, then said the King,
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unto the second then,
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Now unto that (the Shepherd said)
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I answer thus agen,
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The King of Kings, our Saviour Christ,
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for thirty pence was sold,
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I undervalue you by far,
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for all your Crown of Gold,
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Then said the King, Bishop 'tis right,
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what thou hast said before,
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Now tell me truly what I think,
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and I will ask no more:
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You think that I the Bishop am,
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the Shepherd then did say,
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Why so I think, then quoth the King,
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in spight of all says nay:
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You have confest I told your thought,
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an't like your Majesty.
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Although I wear the Bishop's Robe,
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a Shepherd poor am I:
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One Father and one Mother both
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we had, and Brethren are,
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And for to please your Royal Grace,
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my brother had a care.
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He now lies sick near unto death,
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and hither me did send,
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Who bid me tell you all these things,
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for fear he should offend.
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Commend me to him (quoth the King)
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and thank him heartily,
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He now hath satis[f]y'd my mind,
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and pleased well am I.
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A hundred pound the King bestow'd
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upon the Shepherd then,
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And taking leave away he went
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with all his Gentlemen:
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When to the Bishop he did come,
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all things he did relate,
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He thankt his Brother, and was glad,
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of this his happy fate,
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Upon him he bestow'd a Farm,
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of Forty pounds a year,
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As well he might, for he did find
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of him a Brother dear:
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And thus unlearned men sometimes,
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hard matters out can find,
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When Learned Bishops miss the mark,
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and Princes eyes do blind.
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