ANCIENT PO E M S. They ranted, drank, and mérry made, Till all his gold it waxed thinne; He had never a penny left in his purse, The tone was brafs, and the tone was lead, Nowe well-away, fayd the heire of Linne, But many a truftye friend have I, And why fhold I feel dole or care ? But one, I wis, was not at home,.. Another had payd his gold away; Another call'd him thriftless loone, And bade him sharpely wend his way. Now well-away, fayd the heire of Linne, Now well-away, and woe is me ! On me they liv'd right merrilee. 131 60 65 70 75 80 То To beg my bread from door to door I wis, it were a brenning fháme : To rob and fteal it were a finne : To worke my limbs I cannot frame. Now Ile away to lonesome lodge, For there my father bade me wend; When all the world should frown on mee, I there fhold find a trufty friend. 85 A PART THE SECOND. WAY then hyed the heire of Linne O'er hill and holt, and moor and fenne, Untill he came to lonefome lodge, ; That stood fo lowe in a lonely glenne. He looked up, he looked downe, In hope fome comfort for to winne, But bare and lothly were the walles : Here's forry cheare, quo' the heire of Linne. The little windowe dim and darke Was hung with ivy, brere, and yewe; No fhimmering funn here ever fhone; No halefome breeze here ever blew. 5 10 ( ANCIENT POEMS. 133. No chair, ne table he mote spye, No chearful hearth, ne welcome bed, Nought fave a rope with renning noofe, That dangling hung up o'er his head. And over it in broad letters, These words were written fo plain to fee: "Ah! graceleffe wretch, haft fpent thine all, And brought thyfelfe to penurìe? "All this my boding mind mifgave, Sorely fhent wi' this rebuke, Sorely fhent was the heire of Linne, His heart, I wis, was near to braft With guilt and forrowe, fhame and finne. Never a word fpake the heire of Linne, 15 20 25 Never a word he spake but three: "This is a trufty friend indeed, "And is right welcome unto mee," Then round his necke the corde he drewe, 30 When lo! the ceiling burft in twaine, 35 And to the ground came tumbling hee. K 3 Aftonyed |