Classic Poem

As : I walked of late by one wood side,
to god for to meditate was my entent,
where vnder a hawthorne I suddenly espyed
Asilly poore creature ragged & rent;
w i th bloody teares his face was besprent,
his fleshe & his color consumed away;
w i th turning & winding his bodye was toste,
& his garments they were all mire, mucke, & clay
" good lord! of my liffe depriue me, I pray,
for I, silly wretch, am ashamed of my name!
my name, " q uo th hee, " is the causer of my care,
& I cursse my godfathers tha t gaue me the same! "

this made me muse, & much desire
to know what kind of man hee shold bee;
I stept to him straight, & did him require
his name & his secretts to shew vnto me.
his head he cast vp, & wooful was hee,
[ " My name, " quoth hee, is the causer of my care,]
& makes me scornd, & left here soe bare. "

then straight-way he turnd him & prayd him sit dow[ne]
" & I will, " saithe he, " declare my whole greefe.
my name is called Conscience; " wheratt he did fro[wne]
he pined to repeate it, & grinded his teethe
...............
for while I was young & tender of yeeres,
I was entertained w i th K ing s & w i th Peeres,

" there was none in all the court tha t liued in such fame;
for w i th the K ing s councell he sate in Commission;
Dukes Erles & Barrons esteemed of my name;
& how tha t I liued there needs no repetition;
I was eu er holden in honest condition;
for howsoeu er the lawes went in westminster hall,
when sentence was giuen, for me the wold call.

" noe Incombes at all the landlord wold take,
but one pore peny, tha t was their fine,
& tha t they acknowledged to be for my sake;
the poore wold doe nothing w i thout councell mine;
I ruld the world w i th the right line;
for nothing tha t was passed betweene foe & freind,
but Conscience was called to bee at an end.

" noe Merchandize nor bargaines the Merchants wold ma[ke],
but I was called a wittenesse therto;
no vse for noe mony, nor forfett wold take,
but I wold controwle them if tha t they did soe;
tha t makes me liue now in great woe,
for then came in pride, Sathans disciple,
tha t now is entertaind with all kind of people;

he brought w i th him 3, whose names they be these,
tha t is couetousnes, Lecherye, vsury, beside;
they neu er p re uailed till they had wrought my downe-fall.
soe pride was entertained, but Conscience was deride.
yet st[i]ll abroad haue I tryed
to haue had entertainment w i th some one or other,
but I am reiected & scorned of my brother.

" then went I to the court, the gallants to winn,
but the porter kept me out of the gates
to Bartlwew spittle, to pray for my sinnes,
they bad me goe packe me; it was fitt for my state;
" goe, goe, threed-bare conscience, & seeke thee a mate! "
good L ord ! long p re serue my K ing , Pirince, & Queene,
w i th whom eu er more I haue esteemed beene!

" then went I to london, where once I did wonne,
but they bade away w i th me when the knew my name;
" for he will vndoe vs to bye & to sell, "
they bade me goe packe me, & hye me for shame,
they lought at my raggs, & there had good game;
" this is old threed-bare Conscience tha t dwelt w i th St Peete[r];
but they wold not admitt me to be a chimney sweeper.

" not one wold receiue me, the Lo rd god doth know.
I, hauing but one poore pennye in my pursse,
of an aule & some patches I did it bestow;
I thought better to cobble shooes then to doe worsse.
straight then all they Coblers they began to cursse,
& by statute th e wold proue me I was a rouge & forlor[ne,]
& they whipt me out of towne to see where I was borne.

" then did I remember & call to my minde
they court of conscience where once I did sit,
not doubting but there some favor I shold find,
for my name & the place agreed soe fitt.
but therof my purpose I fayled a whitt,
for the iudge did vse my name in eu er ye condic i on
for Lawyers w i th their qu[i]lletts wold get a dismission.

" then westminster hall was noe place for me;
good god! how the Lawyers began to assemblee;
& fearfull they were lest there I shold be!
the silly poore clarkes began to tremblee;
I showed them my cause, & did not dissemble
soe then they gaue me some mony my charges to beare,
but they sworeme on a booke I must neu er come there.

" then the Merchants said, " counterfeite, get thee away,
dost thou remember how wee thee found?
we banisht thee the country beyond the salt sea,
& sett thee on shore in the new-found land,
& there thow & wee most freindly shook hands;
& we were verry glad when thou did refuse vs,
for when we wold reape p ro ffitt heere thou wold accuse vs."

" then had I noe way but for to goe an
to gentlemens houses of an ancyent name,
declaring my greeffes; & there I made moane,
& how there forfathers had held me in fame,
& in letting of their ffarmes I alwayes vsed the same
the sayd, " fye vpon thee! we may thee cursse!
they haue leases continue, & we fare the worsse. "

" & then I was forced a begging to goe
to husbandsmens houses; who greeved right sore,
who sware tha t their Landlords had plaged them so sore
tha t they were not able to keepe open doore,
nor nothing the had left to giue to the pore.
therfore to this wood I doe repayre
w i th hepps & hawes; tha t is my best fare.

" & yet w i thin this same desert some comfort I haue
of Mercy, of pittye, & of almes-deeds,
who haue vowed to company me to my graue.
wee are ill put to silence, & liue vpon weeds;
...............
our banishment is their vtter decay,
the w hi ch the rich glutton will answer one day. "

" why then, " I said to him, " methinkes it were best
to goe to the Clergee; for dealye the preach
eche man to loue you aboue all the rest;
of mercy & of Pittie & of almes they doe teach "
" O, " said he, " no matter of a pin what they doe preach,
for their wiues & their children soe hangs them vpon,
tha t whosoeu er giues almes deeds they will giue none. "

then Laid he him downe, & turned him away,
prayd me to goe & leaue him to rest,
I told him I might happen to see the day
to haue him & his fellowes to liue w i th the best;
" first, " said hee, " you must banish pride, & then all England were blest,
& then those woldloue vs tha t now sells their lands,
& then good houses eu er ye where wold be kept out of hand. "