Classic Poem

That I would not persuaded be
In my young reckless youth,
By plain experience I see
That now it proved truth:
It is Tom's song, my lady's page,
That service is no heritage.

I heard him sing this other night,
As he lay all alone:
Was never boy in such a plight —
Where should he make his moan?
" O Lord", quoth he, " to be a page:
This service is none heritage.

" Mine uncle told me tother day
That I must take great pain;
And I must cast all sloth away
If I seek aught to gain.
" For sure " , quoth he, " a painful page
Will make service an heritage. "

" Yea sure, a great commodity,
If once Madam he do displease:
A cuff on the ear, two or three
He shall have, smally for his ease.
I would for me he were a page
For to possess his heritage.

" I rub and brush almost all day,
I make clean many a coat;
I seek all honest means I may
How to come by a groat.
I think I am a painful page,
Yet I can make no heritage.

" Why, I to get have much ado
A kirtle now and than,
For making clean of many a shoe
For Alice or Mistress Anne.
My lady's maids will wipe the page
Always of such an heritage.

" The wenches they get coifs and cauls,
French hoods and partlets eke;
And I get naught but checks and brawls,
A thousand in a week.
These are rewards meet for a page,
Surely a goodly heritage.

" My lady's maids too must I please,
But chiefly Mistress Anne:
For else, by the Mass, she will disease
Me vilely, now and than.
" Faith " , she will say, " you whoreson page,
I'll purchase you an heritage. "

" And if she say so, by the rood,
'Tis Cock I warrant it.
But God he knows, I were as good
To be withouten it.
For all the gains I get, poor page,
Is but a slender heritage.

" I have so many folks to please,
And creep and kneel unto,
That I shall never live at ease
Whatever so I do:
I'll therefore be no more a page,
But seek some other heritage.

" But was there ever such a patch
To speak so loud as I?
Knowing what hold the maids will catch
At every fault they spy;
And all for spite at me, poor page,
To purchase me an heritage.

" And if that they may hear of this,
I were as good as hanged:
" My lady shall know it, by Gis " —
And I shall sure be banged.
I shall be used like a page,
I shall not lose mine heritage.

" Well, yet I hope the time to see
When I may run as fast
For wands for them, as they for me,
Ere many days be past:
For when I am no longer page,
I'll give them up mine heritage.

" Well, I a while must stand content,
Till better hap do fall,
With such poor state as God hath sent,
And give Him thanks for all:
Who will, I hope, send me, poor page,
Than this, some better heritage."

With this, with hands and eyes
Lift up to heaven on high,
He sighed twice or thrice,
And wept too, piteously.
Which when I saw, I wished the page,
In faith, some better heritage.

And weeping thus: " Good God", quoth he,
" Have mercy on my soul,
That ready I may be for thee
When that the bell doth knoll —
To make me free of this bondage
And partner of Thine heritage.

" Lord, grant me grace so Thee to serve,
That at the latter day,
Although I can no good deserve,
Yet Thou to me mayest say:
" Be thou now free, that wert a page,
And here in heaven have heritage " ."