The KING and NORTHERN-MAN.
Or, The Oppress'd TENNANT Redress'd.
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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 king's 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 hang'd his nose,
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Because he did gather the king's rent.
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He told him he his lease did 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 pray'd 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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I shall give to thee forty shilling.
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It's 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 will let me go,
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Thou seem'st a good fellow, I'll give the 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 bid 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 blue 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 espye;
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How far is it to the King for thither I'm bound
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As fast as every 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 ne'er sooght him a mile out of the town;
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He's either sought me. or we had ne'er 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 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 lain too long by a great while,
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The King he is now to Windsor gone,
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He's further gone by twenty mile.
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I think I was curst, then said the poor man,
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If I had been wise I might had consider;
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Be like the king of me he's gotten some note,
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He had ne'er gone away had not I come thither.
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He fled not for you said the host,
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But hie you to Windsor as fast as you may;
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Besure you 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 on them till he made [t]hem crack.
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Why stay, pray friend art thou 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, said the porter.
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Your message well that they ean say;
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Why there is ne'er 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 e'er I came from home,
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E'er I got thither it would be dear bought;
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Let me, I'll give thee a single penny,
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Or if thou'lt e'en 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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Yonder's a nobleman within the court,
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I'll first hear what 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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There's sike a clown came to the gate,
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As come 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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He passing liberal of reward.
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He'd 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 without the gate must stay.
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And this cuckold's 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 with 's head and bow with 's 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 e'er I came from home,
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You're the goodliest man that e'er I saw before,
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With so many jingle janges about one's neck,
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As is about yours I ne'er 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 ben't 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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Gramacy, said the nobleman,
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Thy reward is so great I can't say nay;
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I'll know the king's pleasure if I can,
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Till I come again be sure you stay.
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Here's sike a staying said the poor man,
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Belike the king's 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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Here's such a clown come to the gate,
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As come not these seven years to court.
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He calls all knaves your Highness does keep,
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And more than he tells them worse;
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He'll not come without his staff and his dog,
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For fear some bankrupt shoold 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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We'll see how he'll 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 de'il doth the king with so many houses
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That he gets them not fill'd 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 waist but his shirt.
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Lo yonder's the King said the Nobleman,
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Behold fellow, lo yonder he goes:
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I believe he's some unthrift, said the poor man,
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That has lost his money and pawn'd 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 King than thee.
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I am his Grace now said the king;
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Fellow let me thy case understand;
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If you Sir be King, I'm 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 selling of five poor asses,
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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 shew to me this deed,
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He gave it into the king's 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 pulled it out;
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He gave it into the king's own hand,
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With four or five knots ty'd fast in a clout.
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We'll never unloose these knots, said the King,
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He gave it 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 every 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 sell'd five asses more;
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Aye 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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Thou'st have an injunction said our King,
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From troubling you he will cease;
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He'll either show the good cause why,
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Or else he'll 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 let I'll cause to be written,
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But art thou so simple as thou seem'st to-day?
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Why if it be a letter, I'm never the better,
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Keept it to thyself and trouble not me:
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I could have had a letter written cheaper at home
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And ne'er come out of my own country.
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Thou'st have an attachment said our King,
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Charge all thou seest to take thy part;
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Till he pay thee an 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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Besure thou come hither straitway,
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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, then 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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I'll have none of thy shillings then said our King
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Man with thy money, God give thee wisdom.
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The country man threw it unto the king's bosom,
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And 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 ne'er 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 order'd 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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I'll bear thy charges up and down.
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When the poor man saw the gold down tender'd
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For to receive it he was willing;
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If I had thought the King bad 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, you have 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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Tho matter to the King, as I have tell;
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I did as my neighbeur put into my head.
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And made a submission to him myself.
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What a de'il dost thou with the king, said the lawyer
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Could not neighbours and friends agree thee & me
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The de'il a neighbour or 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 call't
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But if the King's word be true to me,
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When you have read and perused it over,
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I hope you'll 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 an hundred pound,
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I will go and tie him fast to a post.
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Mary God forbid the lawer he said,
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Then the 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, that's it the King forbad,
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He bad if I got thee, I should the 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 serv'd thus.
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From troubling poor men they would cease;
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They'd either shew them good cause why,
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Or else they'd let them live in peace.
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And thus I end my merry song.
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Which shews the poor man's simpleness,
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And the King's great mercy in righting wrongs,
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And the Lawyer's fraud and wickedness.
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