A most notable and worthy example of an ungracious Son, who in the pride of his heart denied his own Father: and how God for his offence turned his meat into loathsome Toads. To the tune of Lord Darley.  

IN searching famous Chronicles,  
it was my chance to reed.  
A worthy story strange and true,  
whereto I took good heed:  
Betwixt a Farmer and his Son,  
this rare example stands:  
Which well may move the hardest hearts  
to weep and wring their hands.   

This Farmer in the Country dwelled,  
whose substance did excel:  
He sent therefore his eldest Son  
in Paris for to dwell:  
Where he became a Merchant man,  
and traffic great he used,  
So that he was exceeding rich,  
till he himself abused.   

For having now the world at will,  
his mind was wholly bend,  
To gaming, wine, and wantonness,  
till all his goods were spent:  
Yea such excessive riotousness,  
by him was spewed forth,  
That he was threi times more in debt  
then all his wealth was worth.   

At length his credit clean was cracked  
and he in prison cast:  
And every man against him then,  
did set his action fast.  
There lay he lock in Irons strong,  
for ever and for ay,  
Unable while his life did last,  
his grievous debts to pay.   

And lying in this careful case,  
his eyes with tears besprent,  
The lewdness for his former life,  
too late he did repent.  
And being void of all relief,  
of help and comfort quite,  
Unto his Father at the last,  
he thus began to write.   

Bow down a while your heedful ears  
my loving Father dear,  
And grant I pray in gracious sort,  
my piteous plaints to hear.  
Forgive the soul offences all  
of thy unthrifty Son:  
which through the lewdness of his life,  
hath now himself undone.   

O my good Father take remorse,  
on this my extreme need:  
And succour his distressed state,  
whose heart for woe doth bleed,  
In doleful dungeon here I lie,  
my feet in fetters fast:  
Whom my most cruel creditors,  
in Prison so have cast.   

Let pity therefore pierce your breast,  
and mercy move your mind,  
And to release my misery,  
some shift sweet Father find.  
My chiefest cheer is bread full brown  
the boards my softest bed:  
And flinty stones for pillows serves  
to rest my troubled head.   

My garments all are worn to rags,  
my body statues with cold:  
And crawling vermin eats my flesh,  
most grievous to behold.  
Dear Father come therefore with speed  
and rid me out of thrall,  
And let me not in prison die,  
sith for your help I call.   

The good old man no sooner had,  
perused this written scroll:  
But trickling tears along his cheeks  
from watery eyes did roll:  
Alas my Son, my Son quoth he  
in whom I joyed most:  
Thou shalt not long in prison be,  
what ever it doth cost.   

Two hundred heads of well fed beasts  
he changed then for gold:  
Four hundred quarters eke of corn,  
for silver there he sold.  
But all the same could not suffice,  
that heinous debt to pay:  
Till he at length constrained was,  
to sell his land away.   

Then was his Son released quite,  
his debt discharged clean,  
And left likewise as well to live,  
as he before had been.  
Then went his loving Father home,  
who for to help his Son,  
Had sold his living quite away,  
and eke himself undone.   

So that he lived poor and bare,  
and in such extreme need,  
That many times he wanted food,  
his hungry corpses to feed:  
His Son mean time in silks did swim  
whose substance now was such:  
That sure within the City walls,  
few men were found so rich.   

But as his goods did still increase,  
and riches in did slide,  
So more and more his hardened heart,  
did swell in hateful pride:  
But it befell upon a time,  
when ten years woe was past,  
Unto his Son he did repair,  
for some relief at last.   

And being come unto his house,  
in very poor array,  
It chanced so that with his Son,  
great states should dine that day.  
The poor old man with Hat in hand,  
did then the Porter pray,  
To show his Son that at the gate,  
his Father there did stay.   

Whereat this proud disdainful wretch  
with taunting speeches said,  
That long ago his Father's bones,  
within the grave was laid:  
What Rascal then is that quoth he,  
that staineth so my state?  
I charge thee Porter presently  
to drive him from my gate.   

Which answer when the old man heard  
he was in mind dismayed:  
He wept, he wailed, he wrong his hands  
and thus at length he said.  
O cursed wretch, and most unkind,  
thou worker of my woe:  
Thou monster to humanity,  
and eke thy Father's foe.   

Have I been careful of thy case,  
maintaining still thy state:  
And dost thou now so doggedly,  
enforce me from thy gate?  
And have I wronged thy brethren all  
from thrall, to set thee free?  
And brought myself to beggars state  
and all to succour thee.   

Woe worth the time when first of all  
thy body I espied:  
Which hast in hardness of thy heart,  
the Father's face denied.  
But now behold how God that time,  
did show a wonder great,  
Even when his son with all his friends  
were settled down to meat.   

For when the fairest Pie was cut,  
a strange and dreadful case,  
Most ugly Toads came crawling out  
and leapt in his face.  
Then did the wretch his fault confess  
and for his Father sent,  
And then his great ingratitude,  
full sore he did repent.   

All virtuous Children learn by this,  
obedient hearts to show:  
And honour still your Parents dear,  
for God commandeth so,  
And think how God did turn his meat  
to poisoned Toads indeed:  
Which did his Father's face deny,  
because he stood in need.   
FINIS.