SORDIDO

Oh rare, good, good, good, good, good, I thank my Christ, I thank my Christ for it. Would, would, would, I will not sow my grounds this year, Let me see, what harvest shall we have? June, July? The xx.xxi.xxii. days, rain and wind, Oh good, good; the xxiij. and xxiv. rain and some wind, good; the xxv. rain, good still; xxvj.xxvij.xxviij, wind and some rain; would it had been rain and some wind: well it's good (when it can be no better) xxix. inclining to rain: in clining to rain that's not so good now. xxx. and xxxi. wind and no rain: no rain? 'Slid stay; this is worse and worse: what says he of S. Swithins? turn back, look, S. Swithins: no rain? Oh here, S. Swithins, the xv. day, variable weather, for the most partly rain, good; for the most partly rain: Why it should rain forty days after now, more or less, it was a rule held afore I was able to hold a plough, and yet here are two days, no rain; would? it makes me muse. Weel see how the next month begins, if that be better. August: August, first, second, third, and fourth days, rainy, and blustering; this is well now: fifth, sixth, seventh, eight, and ninth, rain, with some thunder; I marry, this is excellent; the other was false printed sure: the tenth and eleventh, great store of rain; Oh good, good, good, good, good; the twelfth, thirteenth, and fourteenth days, rain; good still: fifteenth and sixteenth, rain; good still: seventeenth and eighteenth, rain, good still; nineteenth and twentieth, Good still, good still, good still, good still, good still; one and twentieth, some rain; some rain? well, we must be patient, and attend the heavens pleasure, would it were more though: the one and twentieth, two and twentieth, three and twentieth, great tempest of rain, thunder, and lightning. Oh good again, passed expectation good: I thank my blessed angel; never, never, Laid I penny better out than this, To purchase this deer book: not deer for price, And yet of me as dearly prized as life, Since in it is contained the very life, Blood, strength, and sinews of my happiness: Blessed be the hour wherein I bought this book, His studies happy that composed the book, And the man fortunate that sold the book: Sleep with this charm, and be as true to me As I am joyed and confident in thee. Who brought this same sir would? I, and the prints of them stick in my flesh Deeper than in their letters: They have sent me Pills wrapped in paper here, that should I take them, Would poison all the sweetness of my Book, And turn my Honey into Hemlock juice: But I am wiser than to serve their precepts, Or follow their prescriptions: Here's a devise, To charge me bring my Grain unto the markets: I, much, when I have neither Bairn nor Garner, Nor Earth to hide it in, I'll bring it; but till then, Each corn I send shall be as big as Pauls. Oh, but (say some) the poor are Like to starve. Why let them starve, what's that to me? are Bees Bound to keep life in Drones and idle Moths? no: Why such are these (that term themselves the poor Only because they would be pitied) But are indeed a sort of lazy Beggars, Licentious Rogues and sturdy Vagabonds, Bred (by the sloth of a fat plenteous year) Like snakes in heat of summer out of dung, And this is all that these cheap times are good for: Whereas a wholesome and penurious Dearth Purges the soil of such vile excrements, And kills the Vipers up. Why so? I, their exclaims Move me as much, as thy breath moves a Mountain; Poor worms, they hiss at me, while I at home Can be contented to appl worser my self, To fit and clap my hands, and laugh and leap, Knocking my head against my roof, with joy To see how plump my bags are, and my barns. Sirrah, go, High you home, and bid your fellows Get all their flails ready again I come. I'll instantly set all my hinds to thrashing Of a whole Reek of corn, which I will hide Under the ground; and with the straw thereof I'll stuff the outsides of my other Mows: That done, I'll have them empty all my Garners, And in the friendly Earth bury my store, That when the Searchers come they may suppose All's spent, and that my Fortune's were belied. And to lend more opinion to my want, And stop that many-mouthed vulgar Dog, (Which else would still be baying at my door) Each market day, I will be seen to buy Partly of the purest Wheat, as for my household: Where when it comes, it shall increase my heaps, 'Twill yield me Triple gain at this deer time, Promised in this deer Book: I have cast all, Till then I will not fell and care, I'll hang first. Oh I shall make my prizes as I list, My House and I can feed on Peas and Barley, What though a world of Wretches starve the while? "He that will thrive, must think no courses vile. Yonder's your godfather; do your duty to him son. I hope he will grow great one day, sir. Brother, I hunger not for such acquaintance: Do you take heed, least:— Well, if ten pound will fetch them, you shall have it, but I'll partly with no more. Do so: and when you have them, study hard. I wonder it reins not! the Almanac says we should have store of rain to day. Do you know her sir? Nay Gods-precious, if the weather and the Season be so respectless, that Beggars shall live as well as their betters; and that my hunger and thirst for Riches, shall not make them hunger and thirst with Poverty; that my sleeps shall be bro ken, and their hearts not broken; that my coffers shall be full, and yet care; theirs empty, and yet merry: 'Tis time that a Cross should bear flesh and blood, since flesh and blood can not bear this cross. Tut, these star-monger knaves, who would trust them? one says, dark and rainy, when it's as clear as Crystal; anon there says, tempestuous blasts, and storms, and 'twas as calm as a Milk bowl; here be sweet rascals for a man to credit his whole Fortune's with: You skie-staring Cocks combes you: you fat brains, out upon you; you are good for nothing but to sweat nightcaps and make rug-gownes deer: you learned men, and have not a Legion of Devils, a vostr service: a vostre sir vice? By heaven I think I shall die a better scholar than they, but soft, how now sirrah. From my Son sir? what would my Son sir? some good news no doubt. The letter. Sweet and deer father, (desiring you first to send me your blessing, which is more worth to me than Gold or Silver) I desire you likewise to be advertised, that this Shrouctide (contrary to custom) we use always to have Revels; which is indeed Dancing, and makes and excellent show in truth; especially if we Gentlemen be well attired, which our Seniors note, and think the better of our father's, the better we are maintained, and that they shall know if they come up, and have any thing to do in the Law: therefore good Father, these are (for your own sake as well as mine) to re-desire you, that you let me not want that which is fit for the setting up of our name in the honourable volume of Gentility, that I may say to our Calumnators with Tully, EGO SVM ORTUS DOMUS MEAE, TV OCCASUSTUAE. And thus (not doubting of your fatherly Benevolence) humbly ask you blessing, and pray God to bless you. Yours, if his own. How's this; Yours, if his own? is he not my Son, except he be his own Son. Belike this is some new kind of subscription the Gallants use. Well, wherefore dost thou stay knave? Away: go. Sweet and deer father, (desiring you first to send me your blessing, which is more worth to me than Gold or Silver) I desire you likewise to be advertised, that this Shrouctide (contrary to custom) we use always to have Revels; which is indeed Dancing, and makes and excellent show in truth; especially if we Gentlemen be well attired, which our Seniors note, and think the better of our father's, the better we are maintained, and that they shall know if they come up, and have any thing to do in the Law: therefore good Father, these are (for your own sake as well as mine) to re-desire you, that you let me not want that which is fit for the setting up of our name in the honourable volume of Gentility, that I may say to our Calumnators with Tully, EGO SVM ORTUS DOMUS MEAE, TV OCCASUSTUAE. And thus (not doubting of your fatherly Benevolence) humbly ask you blessing, and pray God to bless you. O. How? cut the halter? Aye me, I am undone, I am un done. You threadbare horse-bread eating rascals, if you would needs have been meddling, could you not have untied it, but you must cut it? and in the amid too? Aye me. What curses breath these men? how have my deeds Made my looks differ from another men, That they should thus detest, and loath my life? Out on my wretched Humour, it is that Makes me thus monstrous in true humane eyes. Pardon me (gentle friends) I'll make fair mends For my foul errors passed and twentyfold Restore to all men, what with wrong I robbed them: My Barns and Garners shall stand open still To all the poor that come, and my best grain Be made alms-bread to feed half-famished mouths. Though hitherto amongst you I have lived Like and unsavoury Muck hill to my self, Yet now my gathered heaps being spread abroad, Shall turn to better, and more fruitful uses. Bles e then this man, curse him no more for saving My life and soul together. Oh how deeply The bitter curses or the poor do pierce! I am by wonder changed; come in with me And witness my repentance: now I prove, "No life is blessed, that is not graced with Love. Excellent, excel ̄ to, excel ̄ to, as I would wish, as I would wish.