They sayd, 'Fye upon thee; we may thee curse! 'Theire' leases continue, and we fare the worse.' "And then I was forced a begging to goe To husbandmens houses, who greeved right sore, 100 And sware that their landlords had plagued them so, That they were not able to keepe open doore, Nor nothing had left to give to the poore. Therefore to this wood I doe me repayre With hepps and hawes; that is my best fare. 105 "Yet within this same desert some comfort I have The which the riche glutton will answer one day." 110 115 Why then," I said to him, "me-thinks it were best To goe to the Clergie; for dailye they preach Eche man to love you above all the rest Of Mercye and Pittie, and Almes-' deeds' they teach." "O," said he, "noe matter of a pin what they preach, For their wives and their children soe hange them upon, 7 That whosoever gives almes they will give none." Then laid he him down, and turned him away, 120 66 First," said he, "banish Pride, then all England were blest; For then those wold love us that now sell their land, 125 And then goodhouse-keeping wold revive' out of hand." II. Plain Truth and Blind Ignorance. This excellent old ballad is preserved in the little ancient Miscellany entitled, The Garland of Goodwill. Ignorance is here made to speak in the broad Somersetshire dialect. The scene we may suppose to be Glastonbury Abbey. 1 Che did full often zee." TRUTH. "Then I must tell thee, father, A sorte of greater hypocrites Deceiving of the simple With false and feigned lies: But such an order truly Christ never did devise." 20 i. e. faithen: as in the midland counties they say housen, closen, for houses, closes. A. VOL. II. C |