The following Song, entitled The Complaint of Conscience, is printed from the Editor's folio manuscript. Some corruptions in the old copy are here corrected; but with notice to the reader wherever it was judged necessary by inclosing the corrections between inverted' commas.' As I walked of late by an' wood side, And his garments they were all mire, mucke, and clay. "My name," quoth he, "is the cause of my care, 5 1C 16 Then straightway he turnd him and prayd 'me' sit downe, Yet while I was young and tender of yeeres, For howsoever the lawes went in Westminster-hall, And that they acknowledged to be for my sake. 20 25 30 Ver. 1, one. MS. V. 15, him. MS. V. 19, not in MS. The poore wold doe nothing without councell mine; For nothing was passed betweene foe and friend, "Noe bargaines nor merchandize merchants wold make, But I was called a wittenesse therto; Noe use for noe money, nor forfett wold take, But I wold controule them if that they did soe; "He brought with him three, whose names, 'thus they That is Covetousnes, Lecherye, Usury, beside; 35 40 They never prevail'd till they had wrought my downe-fall 46 To have had entertainment with some one or other, "Then went I to the Court, the gallants to winn, But the porter kept me out of the gate. 50 To Bartlemew Spittle, to pray for my sinne, They bade me goe packe; it was fitt for my state; 'Goe, goe, threed-bare Conscience, and seeke thee a mate!' Good Lord, long preserve my king, prince, and queene, With whom evermore I esteemed have been ! "Then went I to London, where once I did' dwell,' But they bade away with me when they knew my name ; 'For he will undoe us to bye and to sell!' 56 60 They bade me goe pack me, and hye me for shame, But they wold not admitt me to be a chimney-sweeper. V. 35, an end. MS derided. MS. V, 46, was V. 43, they be these. MS. "Not one wold receive me, the Lord 'he' doth know. 65 And by statute wold prove me a rogue and forlorne, And whipp me out of towne to 'seeke' where I was borne. “Then did I remember and call to my minde, 71 But there of my purpose I fayled a whit, · 75 For thoughe' the judge us'd my name in everye 'commission,' The lawyers with their quillets wold get 'my' dis- "Then Westminster-hall was noe place for me; 80 "Next the Merchants said, 'Counterfeite, get thee away, 86 And there thou and wee most friendly shook hand; And we were right glad when thou didst refuse us, 90 'Then had I noe way but for to goe on 95 V. 77, get a MS They sayd, 'Fye upon thee; we may thee curse! "Theire' leases continue, and we fare the worse.' "And then I was forced a begging to goe To husbandmens houses, who greeved right sore, 100 And sware that their landlords had plagued them so, That they were not able to keepe open doore, Nor nothing had left to give to the poore. Therefore to this wood I doe me repayro With hepps and hawes; that is my best fare. 105 "Yet within this same desert some comfort I have The which the riche glutton will answer one day." 110 115 "Why then," I said to him, “me-thinks it were best That whosoever gives almes they will give none. Then laid he him down, and turned him away, 120 46 First," said he, “banish Pride, then all England were blest; For then those wold love us that now sell their 125 And then good house-keeping wold revive' out of hand." II. Plain Truth and Blind Ignorance. This excellent old ballad is preserved in the little ancient Miscellany entitled, The Garland of Goodwill. Ignorance is here made to speak in the broad Somersetshire dialect. The scene we may suppose to be Glastonbury Abbey. 1. faithen: as in the midland counties they say housen, closen, for houses, closes. A. VOL. II. |