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, &c.
Licens'd and Enter'd.
TO drive away the weary day,
a book I chanced to take in hand,
And therein I read assuredly,
a story as you shall understand:
Perusing many a History over,
amongst the leaves I chanc'd to view,
The books name and title is this,
The Second Lesson, too good to be true.
There read I of a Northumberland Man,
that was born and brought up in the King's land,
He paid twenty shillings rent a year
to the King, as I do understand:
By him there dwelt a Lawyer false,
that with his farm was not content,
But over the poor Man still hang'd his nose,
because he did gather the King's rent.
He told him he his lease had forféit,
and that he must there no longer abide:
The King by such Loons hath mickle wrong done,
and for you the World is broad and wide.
The poor Man pray'd him for to cease,
and content himself, if he would be willing,
And pick no vantage in my lease,
and I shall give thee forty shilling.
It's neither forty shilling, nor forty pound,
ise warrant thee, can so agree thee and me,
Unless thou yield me thy farm so round,
and stand to my courtesie.
The poor Man said, I may not do so,
my Wife and my Bearns will make ill work; mark.
If thou with my farm wilt let me go,
thou seem'st a gude Fellow, ise give thee five
The Lawyer would not be so content,
but further i'th matter he means to smell:
The Neighbours had the poor Man provide his rent,
and make a submission to the K. himsel.
He gat a humble staff on his back,
a jerkin, I wot, that was of grey:
With a good blew bonnet, he thought it no lack;
to the King he is ganging as fast as he may.
He had not gone a mile out o'th' Town,
but one of his Neighbours he did espy;
How far is't t'th' King, for thither i'm bound;
as fast as ever I can hye.
I am sorry for you, Neighbour, he said,
for your simplicity I make moan,
Ile warrant you, you may ask for the King,
when nine or ten days journey you have gone.
Had I wist the King had wond so far,
ise never a sought him a Mile out o'th' town
He's either had sought me, or we'd ne'r ha' come near,
at home I had rather ha' spent a crown.
But when he came to the City of London,
of every Man he for the King did call:
They told him, that him he need not to fear,
for the King he lies now at the White-hall,
And with 'spying of Farues in the City,
because he had never been there beforn,
He lee so long a bed the next day,
the Court was remov'd to Windsor that morn.
You ha' lay too long, then said his Host,
you ha' lay too long by a great while:
The King is now to Windsor gone,
he's further gone by twenty mile.
I think I was curst, then said the poor Man,
if I had been wise I might ha' consider,
Belike the King of me has gotten some weer,
he had ne'r gone away, had not I come hither.
He fled nor for you, then said his Host,
but hye you to Windsor as fast as you may:
Besure it will require your cost,
for look what is past the King will pay?
[...]
But when he came to Winds
[...]or Castle,
with his humble staff on his back,
Although the gates wide open stood,
he laid on them till he made 'um crack.
Why stay, pray Friend, art mad quoth the Porte
[...],
what makes thee keep this stir to day?
Why, I am a Tennant of the King's,
who have a message to him to say.
The King hath Men enough, said the Porter,
your message well that they can say.
Why, ther's ne'r a Knave the King doth keep,
shall ken my secret mind to day:
I were told e're I came from home,
e're I got hither it would be dear bought,
Let me in, ise give thee a single penny,
I see thou wilt ha' small, e're thou do it for nought.
Gramercy, said the Porter then,
thy reward is so great I cannot say nay:
Yonder's a Nobleman within the Court,
I'll first hear what he doth say.
When the Porter came to the Nobleman,
he said he would shew him pretty sport,
There's sike a Clown come to the gate,
as come not these seven years to the Court.
He calls all Knaves the King doth keep,
he raps at the gates, and makes great din;
He's passing liberal af reward,
he'd give a good single penny to be let in.
Let him in, then said the Nobleman,
Come in Fellow, the Porter gan say;
If thou come within thy self, he said,
thy staff behind the gate must stay;
And this Cuckold's cur must lig behind,
what a Deel, what a Cur hast got with thee?
The King will take him up for his own sel,
Ise warrant when as he doth him see.
Beshrew thy limbs, then said the poor Man,
then maist thou count me a Fool or worse,
I wot not what Bankrupt lies by the King,
for want of money he may pick my purse.
Let him in with his staff and dog, said the Lord,
he gave a nod with's head, and a bend with's knee,
If you be Sir King, then said the poor Man,
as I can very well think ye be:
For as I was
[...]old e're I came from home,
you'r goodliest Man that e're I saw beforn,
With so many jingle jangles about one neck,
as is about yours, I never saw none,
I am not the King said the Nobleman.
Fellow, though I have a proud coat.
If you be not the King, help me to the speech of him,
you seem a gude Fellow, ise give you a Groat.
Gramercy, said the Nobleman.
thy reward is so great, I cannot say nay;
I'll go know the King's pleasure, if I can,
till I come again besure you stay.
Here's sike a staying, then said the poor Man,
belike the King's better than any in our Country
I might a gane to the farthest nuke i'th' house,
neither Lad nor Loon to trouble me.
When the Nobleman came to the King,
he said he could shew his Grace good sport,
Here's such a Clown come to the gate,
as came not this seven years to the Court.
He calls all Knaves your Highness keeps,
and more then that, he terms them worse,
He'll not come in without his staff and dog
for fear some Bankrupt will piek his purse.
Let him in with his staff, then said our King,
that of his sport we may see some:
We'll see how he
[...]ll handle every thing,
as soon as our matth of Bowls is done.
The Nobleman led him through many a room,
and through many a gallery gay;
What a deel doth the King with so many Houses,
that he gets them not fill'd with corn and hay?
At last they 'spied the King in a garden,
yet from his game he did not start;
The day was so hot, he cast off his doublet,
he had nothing from his wast but his shirt.
Lo yonder's the King, said the Nobleman,
behold, follow, lo here he goes:
Believ's he's some Unthrift, says the poor Man,
that has lost his mony, and pawn
[...]d his cloths.
But when he came before the King,
the Nobleman did his courtesie:
The poor Man followed after him,
and gave a nod with's head, and a bend with's knee:
And if you be Sir King, then said the poor Man,
as I can hardly think ye be:
Here is a gude Fellow that brought me hither,
is liker to be the King than ye.
I am the King, his Grace now said,
Fellow, let me thy case understand.
If you be Sir King, I'm a Tenant of yours,
that was born and brought up in your own land:
There dwells a Lawyer hard by me,
and a fault with my lease he saith he hath found,
And all was for felling five poor ashes,
to build an house upon your own ground.
Hast thou a lease here, said our King?
or canst thou shew to me the deed?
He gave it into the King's own hand,
and said, Sir, here 'tis, if that you can read.
Let's see thy lease, then said the King,
then from his black box he pull'd it out,
He gave it into the King's own hand,
with four or five knots, ty'd fast in a clout.
We'st never unloose these knots, said the King,
he gave it to one that behind him did stay.
It is a proud Horse, then said the poor Man,
will not carry's own provender along the high-way:
Pay me forty shillings, as ise pay you,
I will not think much to unloose a knot;
I would I were so occupied every day,
I'd unloose a score of 'em for a great.
When the King had gotten these letters read,
and found the truth was very so,
I warrant thee, thou hast not forfeit thy lease,
if thou hadst feld five Ashes mo.
Ay, every one can warrant me,
but all your warrants are not worth a flee,
For he that troubles me, and will not let me go,
neither cares for warrant of you nor me.
Thou'st have an Injunction, said our King,
from troubling of thee he will cease,
He'll either shew the good cause why,
or else he'll let thee live in peace.
What's that Injunction? said the poor Man:
good Sir, to me I pray you say,
Why, it is a letter I'll cause to be written;
but art thou so simple as thou show it to day?
Why if't be a Letter, I'm never the better,
keep it to thy self, and trouble not me;
I could ha' had a letter written cheaper at home
and ne're a come out of my own Country.
Thou'st have an Atachment said our King,
charge all that thou seest take thy part.
Till he pay thee a hundred pound,
besure thou never let him start:
If any seem against thee to stand,
besure thou come hither straightway.
Ay, marry, is that all ise get for my labour,
then I may come trotting every day.
Thou art hard of belief, then said our King,
to please him with letters he was willing,
I see you have taken great pains in writing,
with all my heart ise give a shilling.
I'll have none of thy shilling, said our King,
Man, with thy money God give thee win,
He threw it into the King's botom,
the mony lay cold next to his skin.
Beshrew thy heart, then said our King,
thou art an Carl something too bold;
Dost thou not see I am hot with Bowling,
and the mony next my skin lies cold.
I never wist that before said the poor Man,
before sike time as I came hither,
If the Lawyers in our Country thought 'twas cold,
they would not heap up so much together.
The King called up his Treasurer;
and bad him fetch him twenty pound;
If ever thy errand lye here away,
I'll bear thy charges up and down.
When the poor Man saw the Gold down tendred
for to receive it he was willing:
If I had thought the King had had so mickle gold
beshrew my heart, i'de ha' kept my shilling.
The poor Man got home the next Sunday,
the Lawyer soon did him espy;
O Sir, you have been a Stranger long,
I think from me you have kept you by.
It was for you indeed, said the poor Man,
the matter to the King, as I have tell:
I did as my Neighbour put into my head,
and made a submission to him my sel.
What a De'il didst thou with the King, quoth Lawyer,
could not Neighbours & Friends agree thee & me?
The De'il a Neighbour or Friend that I had,
that would have been such a Day's Man as he:
He has gin me a letter, but I know not what they call't.
but if the King's words be true to me
When you have read and perused it over,
I hope you'll leave, and let me be.
He has gin me another, but I know not what too,
but I charge you all to hold him fast,
Till he pay me an hundred pound
I will go tye him fast tull a post.
Marry God forbid, the Lawyer said,
then the Tachment was read before them there,
Thou must needs something credit me,
till I go home and fetch some mear.
Credit, nay that's it the King forbad,
he bade if I got thee I should thee stay
[...]
The Lawyer paid him an hundred pound
in ready mony e're he went away.
Would every Lawyer were served thus,
from troubling poor Men they would cease;
They'd either shew him good cause why,
or else they'd let him live in peace.
And thus I end my merry song,
which shews the plain Man's simpleness,
And the King's great mercy in righting wrongs
and the Lawyer's fraud and wickedness.
London: Printed by and for W. O. and are to be sold by the Booksellers in Pye-corner and London-bridge.