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. This made me muse and much 'to' desire To know what kind of man hee shold bee; 66 'My name," quoth he, " is the cause of my care, 5 1C 16 20 Then straightway he turnd him and prayd 'me' sit downe, "And I will," saithe he," declare my whole greefe. My name is called CONSCIENCE :"-wheratt he did frowne, He pined to repeate it and grinded his teethe. "Thoughe now, silly wretche, I'm denyed all releef,' 'Yet while I was young and tender of yeeres, I was entertained with kinges and with peeres. “There was none in the court that lived in such fame, For with the kings councell 'I' sate in commission; Dukes, earles, and barrons esteem'd of my name ; And how that I liv'd there needs no repetition. I was ever holden in honest condition, 25 For howsoever the lawes went in Westminster-hall, "No incomes at all the landlords wold take, But one pore peny that was their fine, And that they acknowledged to be for my sake. 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; That is now entertained with all kind of people; "He brought with him three, whose names, 'thus they call,' That is Covetousnes, Lecherye, Usury, beside; 35 40 46 They never prevail'd till they had wrought my downe-fall To have had entertainment with some one or other, my brother. "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 ! 56 "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!' They bade me goe pack me, and hye me for shame, They lought at my raggs, and there had good game; This is old threed-bare Conscience that dwelt with Saint Peter;' 60 But they wold not admitt me to be a chimney-sweeper. V. 35, an end. MS derided. MS. V. 43, they be these. MS. V. 46, was V. 57, wonne. 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 75 For thoughe' the judge us'd my name in everye 6 commission,' The lawyers with their quillets wold get 'my' dis- "Then Westminster-hall was noe place for me; Soe they gave me some money my charges to beare, 80 "Next the Merchants said, 'Counterfeite, get thee away, Dost thou remember how wee thee fond? We banisht thee the country beyond the salt sea, 86 And sett thee on shore in the New-found land, And there thou and wee most friendly shook hand; 90 us. "Then had I noe way but for to goe on To Gentlemens houses of an ancyent name, And at letting their farmes how always I came. 95 V. 77, get 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 "Yot 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 7 That whosoever gives almes they will give none." Then laid he him down, and turned him away, I told him, I haplie might yet see the day 120 "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. e. faithen: as in the midland counties they say housen, closen, for houses, closes. A. VOL. II. |