Beleevet hee's some unthrift, sayes the poore man, "But when he came before the King, The poore man followed after him, "If And gave a nod with his head and a becke with his knee. you be Sir King, then said the poore man, As I can hardly thinke you be, Here is a gude fellow that brought me hither, "I am the King, his Grace now sayd, Fellow, let me thy cause understand. If you be Sir King, Ime a tenant of yours, That was borne and upbrought within your owne lande. "There dwels a Lawyer hard by me, And a fault in my lease he sayes he hath found: And all was for felling five poore ashes, To build a house upon my owne ground. "Hast thou a lease here? said the King, Or canst thou shew to me the deed? He put it into the King's owne hand, And said, Sir, 't is here, if that you can read. "Why, what if I cannot? said our King, That which I cannot, another may. I have a boy of mine owne not seven yeares old, "Lets see thy lease, then said our King. Then from his blacke boxe he puld it out. He gave it into the King's owne hand, With four or five knots ty'd fast in a clout. "When the King had gotten these letters to read, I warrant thee, thou hast not forfeit thy lease, "Thoust have an injunction, said our King; "Thoust have an attachment, said our King; Charge all thou seest to take thy part. Till he pay thee an hundred pound, Be sure thou never let him start. "A, waise me! the poore man saide then ; You ken no whit what you now do say, A won undoe me a thousand times, Ere he such a mickle of money will pay. "Thou art hard a beleefe, then said our King: "Ile have none of thy shilling, said our King; "Beshrew thy heart, then said our King; "The King called up his Treasurer, Ile beare thy charges up and downe. "When the poore man saw the gold tendred, If I had thought the King had so mickle gold, "The poore man got home next Sunday; The Lawyer soone did him "It was for you indeed, said the poore man, I did as neighbours put it in my head, And made a submission to the King mysel. "What a deel didst thou with the King? said the Lawyer; Could not neighbours and friends agree thee and me? The deel a neighbour or friend that I had, That would a bin sike a daies man as he. "He has gin me a letter, but I know not what they cal't; I hope you will leave and let me be. "He has gin me another, but I know not what 't is ; "Then they did reade this letter plaine, The Lawyer must pay him a hundred pound. "Then unto a post they tide him fast, And all men did rate him in cruell sort; "Ile pay it, Ile pay it, the Lawyer said, The attachment, I say, it is good and faire; Till I goe home and fetch some meare. "Credit! nay thats it the King forbad: He bad, if I got thee, I should thee stay, "Would every Lawyer were served thus! "And thus I end my merry tale, Which shews the plain man's simplenesse, Mr. Moore has not inserted any songs in his volumes, as most collectors of ballads have done. We cannot forbear adding a little piece not so well known as it deserves to be, called "And when I sleep, then percheth he And makes his pillow on my Knee, I strike the harp, he tunes the string, He gives me many a lovely thing, Here is a little piece by Anastasius Grün, a German poet of the Swabian school, not without merit. We know not the name of the translator. 66 THE LAST POET. “When will be poets weary, "When will your horn of plenty "As long as the sun's chariot Rolls in the heavenly blue, Are gladdened with the view: "Long as the sky's loud thunder And, touched with dread and wonder, "And while, through melting tempest, The rainbow spans the air, And gladden'd human bosoms Can hail the token fair: "And long as night the ether "As long as shines the moon And the forest waves its branches "As long as blooms the spring "And while the cypress dark, O'er the grave its head can shake And while an eye can weep, And while a heart can break : "So long on earth shall live An endless melody. |