The Pore Man and the Kinge
I TT : was a pore man, he dwelled in Kent,
he payd our King 5 d of rent;
& there is a lawyer dwelt him by,
a ffault in his [lease,] god wott! he hath ffound,
" & all was for ffalling of 5 ashe trees
to build me a house of my owne good ground.
" I bidd him lett me & my ground alone;
to cease his selfe, if he was willinge,
& pike no vantages out of his lease;
& hee seemed a good ffellow, I wold giue him 40 s "
[ " 40 s nor 40
wold not agree this lawer and mee,
w i thout I wold giue him of my farme ground,
& stand to his good curtesye.]
" he said, " nay, by his fay, tha t hee wold not doe,
ffor wiffe and children wold make madd warke,
but & he wold lett him and his ground alone,
he seemed a good ffellow, he wold giue him 5 marke "
" he said, " nay by his ffay, tha t wold he not doe,
ffor 5 good ash trees tha t he ffell. "
" then Ile doe as neighbors haue put me in head,
Ile make a submission to the K ing my-selfe. "
by [that] he had gone a dayes iourney,
one of his neighbors he did spye,
" Neibor! how ffar haue I to our King?
I am going towards him as ffast as I can hye. "
" alas! to-day, " said his neighbour,
itts ffor you I make all this mone.
you may talke of tha t time enoughe
by tha t tenn daies Iourney you haue gone. "
but when he came to London street,
for an host house he did call.
he Lay soe longe othe tother morninge a-sleepe,
tha t the court was remoued to winsor hall.
" arrise, my guest, you haue great neede;
you haue Lyen too long euen by a great while;
the court is Remoued to winsor this morning;
hee is ffurther to seeke by 20 mile.
" alacke to-day! " q uo th the poore man,
" I thinke yo u r K ing att me gott witt;
had he knowen of my cominge,
I thinke he wold haue tarryed yett. "
" he ffoled not for you, " then said his host,
" but hye you to windsor as fast as you may;
& all yo u r costs & yo u r charges,
haue you no doubt but the K ing will pay. "
he hath gotten a gray russett gowne on his backe,
& a hood well buckeled vnder his chin,
& a longe staffe vpon his necke,
& he is to windsor to our Kinge.
soe when hee came to windsor hall,
the gates were shutt as he there stood;
he knocket and poled w i th a great Long staffe:
the porter had thought hee had beene woode
he knocket againe w i th might & maine,
sais, " hey hoe! is our K ing w i thin? "
w i th tha t he p ro ffered a great reward,
a single penny, to lett him come in.
" I thanke you, S i r, " q uo th the porter then,
" the reward is soe great I cannott say nay;
there is a noble-man standing by,
ffirst Ile goe heare what hee will say. "
the nobleman then came to the gates,
& asked him what his busines might bee:
" nay, soft, " q uo th the ffellow, " I tell thee not yett,
before I doe the K ing himselfe see;
itt was told me ere I came ffrom home,
tha t gentlemens hounds eaten arrands by the way,
& pore curr doggs may eate mine;
therfore I meane my owne arrands to say. "
" but & thou come in, " saies the Porter then,
" thy bumble staffe behind wee must stay "
" beshrow the, Lyar, " then said the pore man,
" then may thou terme me a foole, or a worsse;
I know not what bankrouts bee about our K ing ,
for lacke of mony wold take my pursse "
" hold him backe, " then said the noble-man,
" & more of his speech wee will haue soone;
Ile see how hee can answer the matter
as soone as the match att bowles is done. "
the porter tooke the pore man by the hand,
& ledd him before the noble-man:
he kneeled downe vpon his knees,
& these words to him sayd then:
" & you be S i r K ing , " then said the pore man,
" you are the goodlyest ffellow tha t euer I see;
you haue soe many I[i]ngles Iangles about yee,
I neuer see man weare but yee. "
" I am not the K ing , " the Nobleman said,
" although I weare now a proud cote. "
" & you be not K ing , & youle bring me to him,
ffor yo u r reward Ile giue you a groat. "
" I thanke you, S i r, " saith the Noble-man,
" yo u r reward is soe great, I cannott say nay;
Ile ffirst goe know our K ing s pleasure;
till I come againe, be sure tha t you stay. "
" here is such a staring, " said the pore man,
" I thinke the K ing is better heere then in our countrye;
I cold haue gone to ffarmost nooke in the house,
Neither Ladd nor man to haue troubled mee. "
the noble-man went before our Kinge,
soe well hee knew his curtesye,
" there is one of the rankest clownes att yo u r gates
tha t euer Englishman did see.
" he calles them knaues yo u r hignes keepe,
w i th-all hee calls them somewhatt worsse,
he dare not come in w i thout a longe staffe,
hees ffeard lest some bankrout shold pike his pursse "
" lett him come in, " then said our King,
" lett him come in, and his staffe too;
weele see how he can answer euery matter
now the match att bowles is done. "
the Noble-man tooke the pore man by the hand,
& led him through chambers and galleryes hye:
" what does our K ing w i th soe many empty houses,
& garres them not ffilled w i th corne and hay? "
& as they went through one alley,
the nobleman soone the K ing did spye;
" yond is the K ing , " the noble-man sayd,
" looke thee, good ffellow, yond hee goes by! "
" belike hee is some vnthrifft, " said the pore man,
" & he hath made some of his clothes away. "
" now hold thy tounge, " said the Nobleman,
" & take good heed what thou dost say. "
the weather itt was exceeding hott,
& our K ing hath Laid some of his clothes away;
& when the noble-man came before our K ing ,
soe well hee knew his curtesie,
the pore man ffollowed after him,
gaue a nodd w i th his head, & a becke w i th his knee:
" & if you be the king, " then said the pore man,
" as I can hardly thinke you bee,
this goodly ffellow tha t brought me hither,
seemes liker to be a K ing then yee. "
" I am the K ing , & the K ing indeede;
lett me thy matter vnderstand "
then the pore man ffell downe on his knees:
" I am yo u r tennant on yo u r owne good Land,
" & there is a Lawyer dwells me by,
a ffault in my lease, god wott, hee hath found,
& all is for ffelling of 5 ashe trees
to build me a house in my owne good ground.
" I bade him lett me & my ground alone,
& cease himselfe, if tha t hee was willing,
& pike no vantage out of my Lease;
he seemed a good ffellow, I wold giue him 40 s
" 40 s nor 40
wold not agree this lawer and mee,
w i thout I wold giue him of my farme ground,
& stand to his good curtesye.
" I said, " nay, by fay, tha t wold I not doe;
ffor wiffe & children wold make madd warke;
& hee wold lett me & my ground alone,
he seemed a good ffellow, I wold giue him 5 marke" "
" but hast thou thy Lease eene thee vppon,
or canst thou shew to mee thy deede? "
he pulled itt fforth of his bosome,
& saies, " heere my Leege, if you cann reeade. "
" what if I cannott? " then sayes our K ing ,
" good ffellow, to mee what hast thou to say? "
" I haue a boy att home, but 13 yeere old,
will reede itt as ffale gast as young by the way. "
" I can neu er gett these knotts Loose, " then said our K ing ;
hee gaue itt a gentleman stood him hard by.
" tha ts a proud horsse, " then said the pore man,
" tha t will not carry his owne p ro uentye;
" & yee paid me 5 s rent as I doe yee,
I wold not be to proud to loose a knott;
but giuet me againe, & Ile loose itt for ye,
soe tha t in my rent youle bate mee a groate "
an old man tooke this Lease in his hande,
& the K ing s maiesty stoode soe,
" Ile warrant thee, pore man, & thy ground,
if thou had ffallen 5 ashes more. "
" Alas to-day! " then said the pore man,
" now hold yo u r tonge, & trouble not mee;
hee tha t troubles me this day w i th this matter,
Cares neither for yo u r warrantts, you, nor mee. "
" Ile make thee attachment, ffoole, " hee sayes,
" tha t all tha t sees itt shall take thy p ar t
vntill hee haue paid thee a 100
thoust tye him to a tree tha t hee cannott start "
" I thanke you, S i r, " said the poreman then:
" about this Matter, sith you haue beene willinge,
& seemed to doe the best you cann,
w i th all my heart Ile giue you a shillinge. "
" a plauge on thy knaues hart! " then said our K ing ,
" this mony on my skin Lyes soe cold. "
he fflang itt into the K ing s Bossome,
because in his hand he wold itt not hold
the K ing called his tresurer,
saies " count me downe a 100 —
since he hath spent mony by the way, —
to bring him home to his owne good ground. "
when the 100 was counted,
to receiue itt the pore man was willing:
" if I had thought you had had soe much siluer & gold,
you shold not haue had my good shilling. "
the Lawyer came to welcome him
when hee came home vppon a sunday:
" where haue you beene, Neihbor? " hee sayes,
" methinkes you haue beene long away. "
" I haue beene att the K ing , " the poore man said
" & what the deuill didest thou doe there?
cold not our neihbors haue agreede vs,
but thou must goe soe ffarr ffrom heere? "
" there cold no neighbors haue agreed thee & me,
nor halfe soe well haue pleased my hart;
vntill thou haue payd mee a 100,
Ile tye thee to a tree, thou cannott start. "
when the 100 was counted,
to receiue itt the poreman was most willing;
& for the paines in the Law hee had taken,
hee wold not giue him againe one shilling. "
god send all Lawyers thus well serued!
then may pore ffarmers liue in rest
god blesse & saue our noble Kinge,
& send vs all to liue in peace!
he payd our King 5 d of rent;
& there is a lawyer dwelt him by,
a ffault in his [lease,] god wott! he hath ffound,
" & all was for ffalling of 5 ashe trees
to build me a house of my owne good ground.
" I bidd him lett me & my ground alone;
to cease his selfe, if he was willinge,
& pike no vantages out of his lease;
& hee seemed a good ffellow, I wold giue him 40 s "
[ " 40 s nor 40
wold not agree this lawer and mee,
w i thout I wold giue him of my farme ground,
& stand to his good curtesye.]
" he said, " nay, by his fay, tha t hee wold not doe,
ffor wiffe and children wold make madd warke,
but & he wold lett him and his ground alone,
he seemed a good ffellow, he wold giue him 5 marke "
" he said, " nay by his ffay, tha t wold he not doe,
ffor 5 good ash trees tha t he ffell. "
" then Ile doe as neighbors haue put me in head,
Ile make a submission to the K ing my-selfe. "
by [that] he had gone a dayes iourney,
one of his neighbors he did spye,
" Neibor! how ffar haue I to our King?
I am going towards him as ffast as I can hye. "
" alas! to-day, " said his neighbour,
itts ffor you I make all this mone.
you may talke of tha t time enoughe
by tha t tenn daies Iourney you haue gone. "
but when he came to London street,
for an host house he did call.
he Lay soe longe othe tother morninge a-sleepe,
tha t the court was remoued to winsor hall.
" arrise, my guest, you haue great neede;
you haue Lyen too long euen by a great while;
the court is Remoued to winsor this morning;
hee is ffurther to seeke by 20 mile.
" alacke to-day! " q uo th the poore man,
" I thinke yo u r K ing att me gott witt;
had he knowen of my cominge,
I thinke he wold haue tarryed yett. "
" he ffoled not for you, " then said his host,
" but hye you to windsor as fast as you may;
& all yo u r costs & yo u r charges,
haue you no doubt but the K ing will pay. "
he hath gotten a gray russett gowne on his backe,
& a hood well buckeled vnder his chin,
& a longe staffe vpon his necke,
& he is to windsor to our Kinge.
soe when hee came to windsor hall,
the gates were shutt as he there stood;
he knocket and poled w i th a great Long staffe:
the porter had thought hee had beene woode
he knocket againe w i th might & maine,
sais, " hey hoe! is our K ing w i thin? "
w i th tha t he p ro ffered a great reward,
a single penny, to lett him come in.
" I thanke you, S i r, " q uo th the porter then,
" the reward is soe great I cannott say nay;
there is a noble-man standing by,
ffirst Ile goe heare what hee will say. "
the nobleman then came to the gates,
& asked him what his busines might bee:
" nay, soft, " q uo th the ffellow, " I tell thee not yett,
before I doe the K ing himselfe see;
itt was told me ere I came ffrom home,
tha t gentlemens hounds eaten arrands by the way,
& pore curr doggs may eate mine;
therfore I meane my owne arrands to say. "
" but & thou come in, " saies the Porter then,
" thy bumble staffe behind wee must stay "
" beshrow the, Lyar, " then said the pore man,
" then may thou terme me a foole, or a worsse;
I know not what bankrouts bee about our K ing ,
for lacke of mony wold take my pursse "
" hold him backe, " then said the noble-man,
" & more of his speech wee will haue soone;
Ile see how hee can answer the matter
as soone as the match att bowles is done. "
the porter tooke the pore man by the hand,
& ledd him before the noble-man:
he kneeled downe vpon his knees,
& these words to him sayd then:
" & you be S i r K ing , " then said the pore man,
" you are the goodlyest ffellow tha t euer I see;
you haue soe many I[i]ngles Iangles about yee,
I neuer see man weare but yee. "
" I am not the K ing , " the Nobleman said,
" although I weare now a proud cote. "
" & you be not K ing , & youle bring me to him,
ffor yo u r reward Ile giue you a groat. "
" I thanke you, S i r, " saith the Noble-man,
" yo u r reward is soe great, I cannott say nay;
Ile ffirst goe know our K ing s pleasure;
till I come againe, be sure tha t you stay. "
" here is such a staring, " said the pore man,
" I thinke the K ing is better heere then in our countrye;
I cold haue gone to ffarmost nooke in the house,
Neither Ladd nor man to haue troubled mee. "
the noble-man went before our Kinge,
soe well hee knew his curtesye,
" there is one of the rankest clownes att yo u r gates
tha t euer Englishman did see.
" he calles them knaues yo u r hignes keepe,
w i th-all hee calls them somewhatt worsse,
he dare not come in w i thout a longe staffe,
hees ffeard lest some bankrout shold pike his pursse "
" lett him come in, " then said our King,
" lett him come in, and his staffe too;
weele see how he can answer euery matter
now the match att bowles is done. "
the Noble-man tooke the pore man by the hand,
& led him through chambers and galleryes hye:
" what does our K ing w i th soe many empty houses,
& garres them not ffilled w i th corne and hay? "
& as they went through one alley,
the nobleman soone the K ing did spye;
" yond is the K ing , " the noble-man sayd,
" looke thee, good ffellow, yond hee goes by! "
" belike hee is some vnthrifft, " said the pore man,
" & he hath made some of his clothes away. "
" now hold thy tounge, " said the Nobleman,
" & take good heed what thou dost say. "
the weather itt was exceeding hott,
& our K ing hath Laid some of his clothes away;
& when the noble-man came before our K ing ,
soe well hee knew his curtesie,
the pore man ffollowed after him,
gaue a nodd w i th his head, & a becke w i th his knee:
" & if you be the king, " then said the pore man,
" as I can hardly thinke you bee,
this goodly ffellow tha t brought me hither,
seemes liker to be a K ing then yee. "
" I am the K ing , & the K ing indeede;
lett me thy matter vnderstand "
then the pore man ffell downe on his knees:
" I am yo u r tennant on yo u r owne good Land,
" & there is a Lawyer dwells me by,
a ffault in my lease, god wott, hee hath found,
& all is for ffelling of 5 ashe trees
to build me a house in my owne good ground.
" I bade him lett me & my ground alone,
& cease himselfe, if tha t hee was willing,
& pike no vantage out of my Lease;
he seemed a good ffellow, I wold giue him 40 s
" 40 s nor 40
wold not agree this lawer and mee,
w i thout I wold giue him of my farme ground,
& stand to his good curtesye.
" I said, " nay, by fay, tha t wold I not doe;
ffor wiffe & children wold make madd warke;
& hee wold lett me & my ground alone,
he seemed a good ffellow, I wold giue him 5 marke" "
" but hast thou thy Lease eene thee vppon,
or canst thou shew to mee thy deede? "
he pulled itt fforth of his bosome,
& saies, " heere my Leege, if you cann reeade. "
" what if I cannott? " then sayes our K ing ,
" good ffellow, to mee what hast thou to say? "
" I haue a boy att home, but 13 yeere old,
will reede itt as ffale gast as young by the way. "
" I can neu er gett these knotts Loose, " then said our K ing ;
hee gaue itt a gentleman stood him hard by.
" tha ts a proud horsse, " then said the pore man,
" tha t will not carry his owne p ro uentye;
" & yee paid me 5 s rent as I doe yee,
I wold not be to proud to loose a knott;
but giuet me againe, & Ile loose itt for ye,
soe tha t in my rent youle bate mee a groate "
an old man tooke this Lease in his hande,
& the K ing s maiesty stoode soe,
" Ile warrant thee, pore man, & thy ground,
if thou had ffallen 5 ashes more. "
" Alas to-day! " then said the pore man,
" now hold yo u r tonge, & trouble not mee;
hee tha t troubles me this day w i th this matter,
Cares neither for yo u r warrantts, you, nor mee. "
" Ile make thee attachment, ffoole, " hee sayes,
" tha t all tha t sees itt shall take thy p ar t
vntill hee haue paid thee a 100
thoust tye him to a tree tha t hee cannott start "
" I thanke you, S i r, " said the poreman then:
" about this Matter, sith you haue beene willinge,
& seemed to doe the best you cann,
w i th all my heart Ile giue you a shillinge. "
" a plauge on thy knaues hart! " then said our K ing ,
" this mony on my skin Lyes soe cold. "
he fflang itt into the K ing s Bossome,
because in his hand he wold itt not hold
the K ing called his tresurer,
saies " count me downe a 100 —
since he hath spent mony by the way, —
to bring him home to his owne good ground. "
when the 100 was counted,
to receiue itt the pore man was willing:
" if I had thought you had had soe much siluer & gold,
you shold not haue had my good shilling. "
the Lawyer came to welcome him
when hee came home vppon a sunday:
" where haue you beene, Neihbor? " hee sayes,
" methinkes you haue beene long away. "
" I haue beene att the K ing , " the poore man said
" & what the deuill didest thou doe there?
cold not our neihbors haue agreede vs,
but thou must goe soe ffarr ffrom heere? "
" there cold no neighbors haue agreed thee & me,
nor halfe soe well haue pleased my hart;
vntill thou haue payd mee a 100,
Ile tye thee to a tree, thou cannott start. "
when the 100 was counted,
to receiue itt the poreman was most willing;
& for the paines in the Law hee had taken,
hee wold not giue him againe one shilling. "
god send all Lawyers thus well serued!
then may pore ffarmers liue in rest
god blesse & saue our noble Kinge,
& send vs all to liue in peace!
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