THE
Noble Man's Generous Kindness;
OR THE
Country-Man's Unexpected HAPPINESS.
Giving a True account of a Nobleman, who taking Notice of the poor Man's
Industrious Care and Pains for the maintaining of his Charge, which was Seven
small Children, meeting with him upon a day, Discoursed with him, and
invited him and his Wife, with his Children, Home to his House; and
accordingly bestowed upon him a Farm of Thirty Aikers of Land, to be con-
tinued to him and his Heirs.
To an Excellent New Tune.
|
A Noble Man liv'd near a Village of late,
|
Hard by a poor Thresher, whose Charge it was great;
|
He had seven Children and most of them small,
|
And none but his Labour to keep them withall,
|
He never was given to idle and lurk,
|
This Noble Man seeing him go daily to work:
|
His Flail, with his Bag, and his Bottle of Beer,
|
As cheerfull as those that had hundreds a year.
|
Thus carefull and constant each morning he went
|
To his Daily Labour with Joy and Content,
|
So jocund and jolly, both whistle and sing
|
As blith and as brisk as a Bird in the spring,
|
One morning this Noble Man taking his Walk,
|
He met with this poor Man, and freely did talk,
|
He asked him many a Question at large,
|
Familiarly talking, concerning his Charge,
|
Thou hast many Children I very well know,
|
Thy Labour is hard, and thy Wages is low,
|
And yet thou art cheerful; I pray tell me true,
|
How you do maintain them so well as you do.
|
I carefully carry home all that I earn;
|
Now daily experience by this I do learn;
|
That though it is possible we may live poor.
|
We still keep a ravenous Woof from the door.
|
I Reap and I Mow, and I Harrow and Sow.
|
Sometimes I to Hedging and Ditching do go:
|
No Work come amiss for I Thresh and I Plow
|
Thus I eat my Bread by the sweat of my Brow.
|
My Wife she is willing to pull in Yoak,
|
We live like two Lambs, and we never provoke
|
Each other, but like to the labouring Ant
|
We do our endeavour to keep us from want.
|
And when I came home from my Labour at night
|
To my Wife and Children, in whom I delight,
|
To hear them come round me with tatlling noise
|
Now these are the Riches that poor Men enjoy.
|
Though I am as weary as weary my be.
|
The youngest I commonly dance on my Knee:
|
I find that Content is an absolute Feast.
|
I never repin'd at my Charge in the least.
|
The Noble Man hearing then what he did say,
|
Was pleas'd, and invited him home the next day:
|
His Wife and his Children he charg'd him to bring
|
In token of Favour, he gave him a Ring.
|
Then thanked his Honour; and taking his leave,
|
He went to his Wife, who would hardly believe;
|
But that this strange story himself he might raise,
|
Yet seeing the Ring she was then in a maze.
|
Betimes in the morning the good Wife arose;
|
And made them all fine in the best of their cloaths
|
The good Man and Wife, with his Children small,
|
They then went to Dine at the Noble Mans Hall,
|
But when they come there, as the truth doth report
|
All things was prepar'd in a plentiful sort
|
And they at the Noblemans Table did Dine,
|
With all soats of Dainties, with plenty of Wine
|
All things being over, he soon let him know:
|
What he then intended on him to bestow:
|
A Farm, with full Thirty good Acres of Land,
|
And gave him the writings into his own hand
|
Because thou wast careful and good to thy Wife,
|
I'll make thy days happy the rest of thy life;
|
It shall be for ever to thee and thy Heirs:
|
For why, I beheld thy indsturious Care.
|
No Tongue then was able in full to express,
|
The depth of their joy & their true thankfulness.
|
With many a Courtesie and Bow to the ground:
|
But like such Noble Men there is few to be found.
|
|
|
|
|
|