THE
King and Northern Man:
Shewing how a poor Northumberland Man (Tenant to the King) being wronged by a
Lawyer (his Neighbour) went to the King himself to make known his Grievance.
To the Tune of, Slut, etc.
Licens'd and Enter'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 chanc'd 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 brought up in the King's 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 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 had forfeit,
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and that he must there no longer abide:
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The King by such Loons hath 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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and I shall give thee forty shilling.
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It's neither forty shilling, nor forty pound,
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ise warrant thee, can so agree thee and me,
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Unless thou yield me thy farm so round,
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and stand to my courtesie.
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The poor Man said, I may not do so,
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my Wife and my Bearns will make ill work;
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If thou with my farm wilt let me go,
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thou seem'st a gude Fellow, ise give thee five mark.
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The Lawyer would not be so content,
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but further i'th' matter he means to smell:
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The Neighbours bad the poor Man provide his rent,
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and make a submission to the King himsel.
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He gat a humble staff on his back,
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a jerkin, I wot, that was of grey:
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With a good blew bonnet, he thought it no lack;
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to the King he is ganging as fast as he may.
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He had not gone a mile out o'th' Town,
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but one of his Neighbours he did espy;
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How far is't t'th' King, for thither i'm bound;
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as fast as ever I can hye.
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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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Ile 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 wond so far,
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ise never a sought him a Mile out o'th' town
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He's either had sought me, or we'd ne'r ha' come near,
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at home I had rather ha' 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, that him he need not to fear,
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for the King he lies now at the White-hall.
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And with 'spying of Farues in the City,
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because he had never been there beforn,
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He lee so long abed the next day,
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the Court was remov'd to Windsor that morn.
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You ha' lay too long, then said his Host,
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you ha' lay too long by a great while;
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The King 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 ha' consider,
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Belike the King of me has gotten some weer,
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he had ne'r gone away, had not I come hither.
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He fled not for you, then said his Host,
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but hye you to Windsor as fast as you may:
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Besure it will 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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Although the gates wide open stood,
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he laid on them till he made 'um crack.
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Why stay, pray Friend, art mad quoth the Porter,
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what makes thee keep this stir today?
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Why, I am a Tennant of the King's,
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who have a message to him to say.
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The King hath Men enough, said the Porter,
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your message well that they can say.
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Why, ther's ne'r a Knave the King doth keep,
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shall ken my secret mind today:
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I were told e're I came from home,
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e're I got hither it would be dear bought,
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Let me in, ise give thee a single penny,
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I see thou wilt ha' small, e're thou 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 doth 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 come 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 gates, and makes great din;
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He's passing liberal af 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 gan say;
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If thou come within thyself, he said,
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thy staff behind the gate must stay;
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And this Cuckold's cur must lig behind,
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what a Deel, what a Cur hast got with thee?
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The King will take him up for his own sel,
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Ise warrant when as he doth him see.
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Beshrew thy limbs, then said the poor Man,
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then maist thou count me a Fool or worse,
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I wot not what Bankrupt lies by the King,
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for want of money he may pick my purse.
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Let him in with his staff and dog, said the Lord,
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he gave a nod with's head, and a bend 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 ye be:
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For as I was told e're I came from home,
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you'r goodliest Man that e're I saw beforn,
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With so many jingle jangles about one neck,
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as is about yours, I never 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 be not the King, help me to the speech of him,
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you seem a gude Fellow, ise give you a Groat.
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Gramercy, said the Nobleman.
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thy reward is so great, I cannot say nay;
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I'll go 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, then said the poor Man,
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belike the King's better than any in our Country
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I might a gane to the farthest nuke i'th' house,
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neither Lad nor Loon to trouble me.
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When the Nobleman came to the King,
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he said he could shew his Grace good sport,
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Here's such a Clown come to the gate,
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as came not this seven years to the Court.
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He calls all Knaves your Highness keeps,
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and more then that, he terms them worse,
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He'll not come in without his staff and dog
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for fear some Bankrupt will pick his purse.
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Let him in with his staff, then said our King,
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that of his sport we may see some:
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We'll see how he[']ll handle everything,
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as soon as our match of Bowls is done.
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The Nobleman led him through many a room,
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and through many a gallery gay;
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What a deel 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 'spied 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 wast but his shirt.
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Lo yonder's the King, said the Nobleman,
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behold, follow, lo here he goes:
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Believ's he's some Unthrift, says the poor Man,
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that has lost his mony, and pawn[']d his cloths.
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But when he came before the King,
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the Nobleman did his courtesie:
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The poor Man followed after him,
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and gave a nod with's head, and a bend with's knee:
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And if you be Sir King, then said the poor Man,
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as I can hardly think ye be:
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Here is a gude Fellow that brought me hither,
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is liker to be the King than ye.
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I am the King, his Grace now said,
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Fellow, let me thy case understand.
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If you be Sir 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 saith he hath found,
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And all was for felling five poor ashes,
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to build an house upon your own ground.
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Hast thou a lease here, said our King?
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or canst thou shew to me the deed?
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He gave it into the King's own hand,
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and said, Sir, here 'tis, if that you can read.
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Let's see thy lease, then said the King,
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then from his black box he pull'd 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'st never unloose these knots, said the King,
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he gave it to 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 carry's own provender along the high-way:
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Pay me forty shillings, as ise pay you,
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I will not think much to unloose a knot;
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I would I were so occupied every day,
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I'd unloose a score of 'em 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 hadst feld five Ashes mo.
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Ay, everyone can warrant me,
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but all your warrants are not worth a flee,
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For he that troubles me, and will not let me go,
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neither cares for warrant of you nor me.
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Thou'st have an Injunction, said our King,
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from troubling of thee he will cease,
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He'll either shew the good cause why,
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or else he'll let thee live in peace.
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What's 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 letter I'll cause to be written;
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but art thou so simple as thou show'st today?
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Why if't be a Letter, I'm never the better,
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keep it to thyself, and trouble not me;
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I could ha' had a letter written cheaper at home,
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and ne're a come out of my own Country.
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Thou'st have an Atachment said our King,
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charge all that thou seest take thy part,
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Till he pay thee a hundred pound,
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be sure thou never let him start:
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If any seem against thee to stand,
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be sure thou come hither straightway.
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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 a shilling.
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I'll have none of thy shilling, said our King,
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Man, with thy money God give thee win,
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He threw it into the King's bosom,
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the mony lay cold next to his skin.
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Beshrew thy heart, then said our King,
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thou art an Carl something too bold;
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Dost thou not see I am hot with Bowling,
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and the mony next my skin lies cold.
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I never wist that before said the poor Man,
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before sike time as I came hither,
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If the Lawyers in our Country thought 'twas cold,
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they would not heap up so much together.
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The King called up his Treasurer,
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and bad him fetch him twenty pound;
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If ever thy errand lye here away,
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I'll bear thy charges up and down.
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When the poor Man saw the Gold down rendred
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for to receive it he was willing:
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If I had thought the King had had so mickle gold
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beshrew my heart, i'de ha' kept my shilling.
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The poor Man got 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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the matter to the King, as I have tell:
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I did as my Neighbour put into my head,
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and made a submission to him mysel.
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What a De'il didst thou with the King, quoth Lawyer,
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could not Neighbours & 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 Day's Man as he:
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He has gin me a letter, but I know not what they call't,
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but if the King's words 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 me another, but I know not what too,
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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 tye him fast tull a post.
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Marry God forbid, the Lawyer said,
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then the Tachment 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 mear.
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Credit, nay that's it the King forbad,
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he bade if I got thee I should thee stay.
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The Lawyer paid him an hundred pound
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in ready mony e're he went away.
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Would every Lawyer were served thus,
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from troubling poor Men they would cease;
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They'd either shew him good cause why,
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or else they'd let him live in peace.
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And thus I end my merry song,
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which shews the plain 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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