Whereupon, back again Whittington came with Speed, A Servant to remain, As the Lord had decreed. Still bleffed be the Bells, If God fo favour me, I will not prove unkind; London my Love shall see, And my large Bounties find. But, fee his happy Chance! His Master ventur'd forth, Whittington had no more But this poor Cat as then, Which to the Ship he bore. Like a brave valiant Man: Vent'ring the fame, quoth he, Whittington's Merchandise, The King of the Country there, Of many Mouse and Rat. Meat that on Trenchers lay, No way they could keep fafe But by Rats bore away, Fearing no Wand or Staff: Whereupon, foon they brought Home again came these Men, By this Cat thus to grow; Scullion's Life he forfook, To be a Merchant good, And foon began to look How well his Credit flood. After that, he was chose Sheriff of the City here, And then full quickly rofe Higher, as did appear : For, For, to the City's Praise, Thrice Mayor of London. More his Fame to advance, And after, at a Feast Which he the King did make, He burnt the Bonds all in Jeft, And would no Money take. Ten Thousand Pounds he gave As God thus made him great, Prisoners poor cherish'd were, Widows fweet Comfort found; Good Deeds, both far and near, Of him do still refound. Whittington's College is Newgate Newgate he builded fair, Many more fuch like Deeds Were done by Whittington Which Joy and Comfort breeds, To fuch as look thereon. An Account of a King who flighted all Women, and at length was constrain'd to marry a Beggar, who prov'd a Fair and Virtuous Queen. To the Tune of, I often for my Jenny frove. Upon the first reading of this Ballad, I took the Story for the Invention of fome Poet, who would not give himself the Trouble of turning History over, to find out a proper Subject; and I had actually laid it afide among ft the fabulous Songs: But upon a Second Review, I found my felf mistaken; at leaft, I have good Reafon to believe my felf fo. And having fince communicated my Thoughts to fome good Judges, they affur'd me I was in the right; and that the Bal lad |