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A most Excellent Ballad of an Old man and his Wife: Who in their great want and misery sought to their Children for succour, by whom they were disdained, and scornfully sent them away succourless, and Gods vengeance shewed on them for the same.
The tune is, Priscilla,
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I•• was an old man with his poor wife
in great distresse did fall,
They were so féeble with age ••ol ••ol
they could not work at all:
A gallant So•• they had,
which lived wealthily,
To him they went with a full intent
to ease their misery
Alack and alas for woe.
A hundred miles when they had gone,
with many a weary step,
At length they saw their Sons fair house
which made their hearts to leap:
They fate them on the Gréen
their Nose and Shoos to trim,
They put their hands about their necks,
against they should enter in.
Alack &c.
Vnto the Doore with trembling Ioynts
When these Old couple came,
The Woman with a shaking hand,
the Old man blind and lame.
〈…〉〈…〉ly they knockt,
s〈…〉〈…〉 offend,
At 〈…〉〈…〉 frowningly came,
u〈…〉〈…〉 in the end,
Alack &c.
Good folks qd. he what would you have?
methinks you are too bold,
Why get you not home to your own coun∣try
now you are lame and old?
With that they both reply'd,
with sorrow, care and grief,
Here are wée come to thée our Son
for succour and reliefe.
Alack &c.
This is thy Father gentle Son,
and I thy loving Mother,
That brought the up so tenderly,
and lov'd thée above all other:
I bore thée in this womb,
these breasts did nourish thée,
And as it chanc'd, I often danc'd
thée on my tender knée,
Alack &c.
And humbly now wée thée intreat
our dear and loving Son,
That you will doe for us in our age,
as wée for you have done:
Now nay not so he said,
your suit is all in vain,
'Tis best for you I tell you true
to get you home again,
Alack &c.
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THe worlds not now as when I was born
al things are grown more dear,
My charge of Children likewise is great,
as plainly doth appear:
The best that I can doe
will hardly them maintain,
Therefore I say be packing away,
and get thée home again.
Alack and alas for woe.
The Old m••n with his hat in hand,
full many a Leg did make,
The Woman wept and wrong her hands,
and prayd for Christ his sake:
Not so to send them back,
distressed and undone,
But let us lye in some Barn here by,
quoth she my loving Son.
Alack &c.
By no means he would thereto consent,
but sent them soon away,
Quoth he you know the parill of the Law,
if long time here you stay:
The Stocks and the Whipping-Post
shall fall unto your share,
Then take you héed, and with all spéed
to your Country repair.
Alack. &c.
Away then went this wofull Old Man,
full sad in heart and mind,
With wéeping tears his Wife did lament,
their Son was so unkind:
Thou wicked wretch quoth they,
for this thy cruell déed,
The Lord send the as little pitty
when thou dost stand in néed.
Alack. &c.
His Children hearing their Father set
his Parents thus at naught,
In short time after to have his Land
his death by subtile wrought:
What cause have wée quoth they
more kindness to express,
Then he unto his Parents did,
in their great wretchednesse.
Alack &c.
They murdered him in piteous sort,
they weig'd not his intreats,
The more he pray'd compassionately,
the greater were his threats:
Speak not to us, quoth they,
for thou the death shall dye,
And with that word with a Dagger & sword
they mangled him monstrously.
Alack, &c.
When they had got his Silver and Gold,
according to their mind,
They buried him in a stinking Ditch,
where no man should him find:
But now hebold and see
Gods vengeance on them all,
To gain their Gold their Cousin came
and flew them great and small.
Alack, &c.
He came among them with great Club••
in dead time of the night,
Yea two of the Sons he brained there with,
and taking of his flight,
The Murderer takes was,
and suffered for the sa••,
Deserved for that cruelty,
this vengeance upon them came,
Alack and alas therefore,
Alack and alas therefore.
FINIS.