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They never prevail'd, till theywrought mydowne-fall; 45 Soe Pride was entertained, but Confcience decried,

And

now ever fince' abroad have I tryed

To have had entertainment with fome one or other; But I am rejected, and fcorned' of my brother.

Then went I to Court the gallants to winne,

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But the porter kept me out of the gate:
To Bartlemew Spittle to pray for my finne,
They bade me goe packe, itt was fit for my state;
Goe, goe, thread-bare Confcience, and feeke thee a mate.
Good Lord, long preserve my king, prince, and queene,
With whom I ever efteemed have been.

Then went I to London, where once I did

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dwell':

But they bade away with me, when they knew my name; For he will undoe us to bye and to fell!!

They bade me goe packe me, and hye me for fhame; 60 They laught at my raggs, and there had good game; This is old thread-bare Confcience, that dwelt with faint Peter:

But they wold not admitt me to be a chimney-sweeper.

Not one wold receive me, the Lord he doth know;
I having but one poor pennye in my purse,
On an awle and some patches I did it beftow;
For I thought better cobble fhoes than to doe worse :
Straight then all the coblers began for to curfe,

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And

And by ftatute wold prove me a rogue, and forlorne, And whipp me out of towne to feeke where I was

borne.

Then did I remember, and call to my minde,
The Court of Confcience where once I did fit,
Not doubting but there I favor shold 'find,
Sith my name and the place agreed foe fit;
But fure of my purpose I fayled a whit,

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For thoughe' the judge us'd my name in every com

miffion,

The lawyers with their quillets wold get my difmiffion.

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Then Westminster-hall was no place for me;
Good lord! how the Lawyers began to affemble,
And fearfull they were, left there I fhold bee!
The filly poore clarkes began for to tremble;
I fhowed them my cause, and did not dissemble
Soe they gave me fome money my charges to beare,
But fwore me on a booke I must never come there.

e;

Next the Merchants faid, Counterfeite, get thee away, 85
Doft thou remember how we thee fond?

We banisht thee the country beyond the falt fea,
And fett thee on fhore in the New-found land;
And there thou and wee most friendly fhook hand,
And we were right glad when thou didst refuse us; go
For when we wold reape here thou woldft accufe us.

Then

Then had I noe way, but for to go on

To Gentlemens houfes of an ancyent name;
Declaring my greeffes, and there I made moane,
Telling how their forefathers held me in fame :
And at letting their farmes how always I came'.

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They fayd, Fye upon thee! we may thee curfe

Theire leafes continue, and we fare the worfe.

And then I was forced a begging to goe

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To hufbandmens houses, who greeved right fore, 100
And sware that their landlords had plagued them foe,
Thet they were not able to keepe open dore,

Nor nothing had left to give to the poore :
Therefore to this wood I doe me repayre,
Where hepps and hawes, it is my best fare.

*105

Yet within this fame defert fome comfort I have
Of Mercye, of Pittye, and of Almes-deeds;
Who have vowed to company me to my grave.
We are all put to filence, and live upon weeds,
And hence fuch cold houfe-keeping proceeds': 110
Our banishment is its utter decay,

The which the riche glutton will anfwer one day..

Why then, I faid to him, me-thinks it were beft
To goe to the Clergie; for daylie they preach
Eche man to love you above all the reft;
Of Mercye and Pittye and Almes-deeds they teache.
O, faid he, noe matter a pin what they preache,

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For

upon,

For their wives and their children foe hange them
That whofoever gives alms they will * give none.

Then laid he him down, and turned him away,
And prayd me to goe, and leave him to rest.
I told him, I haplie might yet fee the day

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For him and his fellowes to live with the best.
Firft, faid he, banish Pride, then England were bleft;
For then those wold love us, that now fell their land, 125
And then good house-keeping wold revive out of hand.

*We ought in justice and truth to read ' can'.

II.

PLAIN TRUTH, AND BLIND IGNORANCE.

This excellent old ballad is preferved in the little ancient mifcellany intitled, "The Garland of Goodwill."—IGNORANCE is here made to speak in the broad Somersetshire dialect. The fcene we may fuppofe to be Glastonbury Abbey.

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TRUTH.

OD speed you, ancient father,
And give you a good daye;
What is the cause, I praye you,
So fadly here you staye ?

And

And that you keep fuch gazing

5

On this decayed place,

The which, for fuperftition,

Good princes down did raze ?

IGNORANCE.

Chill tell thee, by my vazen

That zometimes che have knowne

A vair and goodly abbey

Stand here of bricke and stone;
And many a holy vrier,

As ich may fay to thee,

Within thefe goodly cloysters

Che did full often zee.

TRUTH.

Then I muft tell thee, father,
In truthe and veritiè,
A forte of greater hypocrites

Thou couldst not likely fee;
Deceiving of the fimple

With falfe and feigned lies:

But fuch an order truly

Chrift never did devife.

IGNORANCE.

Ah! ah! che zmell thee now, man;

Che know well what thou art;

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A vel

i. e. faithen: as in the Midland counties they say boufen, clofen, for boufes, closes. A.

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