TRAVELLER

God send me better luck in this voyage, Then I have had this six or seven years, For if I have no better fortune in this passage, I may go learn to botch with a pair of sheeres, I am glad to see you master Mariner, I would little have thought to have found you here. I thank God I have my health reasonably, But we are so nipped in our customs these days, That it pincheth a great sort unreasonably, And causeth many one to find other delays. By the mass it is not as you do think, For Officers so diligently do wait: That neither for love nor money they will wink, Narrowly they look, and always lay bait. You speak of such as are merchants indeed, Which in all places have their Factors, If this country help not, another does speed, Doubtless such men are rich, and notable actors. But as for such as I am, young men Travellers, Which are compelled to travel for their gain, We are in worse case then any other Artificers, But that I say, able to prove I can: There was not so many bankrupts this 100 year, In times passed, the sea hath enriched many a man, But what causes of late it does appear. Many Pedlars in my time have I known, But one honest man of them I never knew, They fell many times more than is their own, And utter old baggage for that should be new. What any man hath done, what does he know, I will gage with him and hundredth pound: That any thing done secretly he shall not show, Neither he nor any that lives on the ground. Is this the Pedlar that you spoke off? I judge him to be lunatic and out of his mind. What care I for a thousand varlets, By God I advise him not me to abuse. There be too many such runagates at these days, All the whole world with such idle persons does flow. It is pity that he is no better examined, He goes about the country under this pretence: To work some mischief he is determined, We shall hear more I dare lay forty pence. Who would any sentence regard, Spoken of such a runagate as this is, But if such licentious things may be herd, We shall say that all is amiss: But as for the worshipful state of merchandise, Is known to the public wealth to be necessary: Therefore he that speak against that exercise, To the Commonwealth is and utter adversary. Surely thou wilt never die in thy bed, For Sursumcorda belong to such idle Pedlars: Ere it be long I will cause you to be sped, And also with you, such slanderous meddlers. Thou speakest to us of Jupiter and Juno, But let us know what thou meanest thereby: Thou shalt declare thy sayings before thou go, Or else thy words again recant and deny. Yea and with a few lies bound and free, He deceiveth, and are glad money to give: Let him say what he will, I do not care, I suppose here is none, that does his saying greatly way. Lo here are bugs to make children afraid I think the frantic Pedlar be But what great things of him will be said If any things according to his prattling does hit. Speak of your self friend and of no man else, You know no men conscience but your own, We are men of flesh and blood, and no Angels, What every man is, to God it is known. Look that thou study for the true interpretation, Of your found and fantastical prophecy, I will cause you to be had in examination, And that within these few days, I promise you verily. Then open thy pack, let me see what thou hast here, If thou hast any beware for me, some money thou shall For merchant Travels I have such gear, As no man in the world is able to make, I have a stone in my pack whereon is a name, Which stone if you please, here next your heart, Shall defend you from peril and shame, And keep you from pain, when you hence depart, But I have a thing perchance you love better, Although it be not so comely to behold. A thing wherewith you may make a water. Wherewith all things that you touch shall be turned to gold. If thou hast such gear as thou speakest off Let me know the price, and for it I will pay, And thou wilt meet me anon at the sign of the Do, Thou and I will reason more of the matter. I will sing, seeing he desires me so instantly, But to sing by heart, to agree I stand in doubt. I have business, I must needs go hence, Farewell Pedlar, thou knowest my mind.