A wonder in Kent: Of the admirable stomach of one Nicholas Wood, dwelling at Harrisom in the County of Kent.  
The like of him was never heard,  
As in this Ditty is declared.  
To the tune of, The maunding Soldier.  

ALL you that valiant fellows be,  
I pray give ear a while to me,  
I tell you of a Champion bold,  
That fights not for the fame of gold,  
but for good belly cheer,  
as well it doth appear,  
the like whereof you ne'er did hear.  
none may with him compare,  
as I will here declare,  
the like lives not I dare to swear.   

In Kent this fellow now doth live,  
At Harrisom as report doth give,  
His Name is called Nicholas Wood,  
As I for truth have understood,  
well known by men of fame,  
his worth and name,  
that well can justify the same,  
some Gentlemen and Knights,  
to satisfy delights,  
have sent for Wood to see his sleights.   

●e is not like these puling one's,  
〈…〉 an hour picking bones,  
A Sheep or Calf that's worth a Mark,  
On them he'll bravely fall to work,  
or if a Hog it be,  
all's ●ne quoth he,  
in one hours' space you 〈◊〉 shall see,  
his stomach is so strong,  
nothing will do him wrong,  
the Devil 〈◊〉 sure his guts among.   

What talk I of a Sheep or Calf,  
A●as these exploits are not half,  
A Hogs a thing that much will eat,  
Fish, Flesh, Fowls, Frogs, or such like meat,  
yet Wood is of such power,  
that he within an hour  
a good fat Hog he did devour,  
his like was never none  
as plainly may be shone,  
not one like him was ever known.   

After that he had eat this Hog,  
I do not mean to lie nor cog,  
Three pecks of Damsons he did eat,  
For to digest his Swinish meat,  
Another time beside,  
he being tried:  
seven dozen of Rabbits he 〈◊〉,  
likewise he took in hand,  
to eat a Flea●h of Brown  
as soon as from the Boar 'twas drawn,   

At Sir William Sidleyes house he eat,  
As men of credit do repeat,  
As much as thoroughly would suffice,  
Full thirty men, Oh gurmudize,  
but then unto the fire,  
he did retire,  
and for some grease be did desire,  
thinking his belly he  
would break immediately  
unless he had speedy remedy,   

A quarter of a good fat 〈◊〉,  
And three score Eggs he ouerc●me,  
And right●ene parts of black pudding,  
And a raw Duck all but Bill and Wing,  
and after he had dined,  
as I do find,  
he longed for Cherries 't bravely shined  
then threescore pound they brought,  
which he could 〈◊〉 to nought,  
a thing impossible me thought,   

His mighty paunch doth harbour all,  
Sheep, Hogs or Calves, 〈…〉 stall,  
A Pa●kett is likewise for Dear,  
And C●nneyes grey, or silver hair  
a 〈…〉 'tis beside  
whereas he hides  
all kind of fruits that him besides  
Cheese, Buttermilk and Whey,  
he bringeth in that way,  
thus he brings all quite to decay,    

The second part. To the same tune.  

THe Norfolk Dumpling he over came,  
The Devonshire whitepot he made ●ame  
The bag-pudding of Gloucester  
The blackepudding of Worcestershire,  
the Shrop-shire pan-pudding,  
and such gutting,  
and Somersetshire white-pudding,  
or any other Shire,  
their puddings he'll not fear  
none may with Nicholas Wood compare:   

The Clothiers that in Kent do dwell,  
In Sussex of this man did tell,  
To some o'th' chiefest yeomen there,  
Who greatly mused when they did hear,  
and ofred presently  
that they would lay,  
a hundred pound of good money,  
that he could not devour,  
a wh●le calf in an hour,  
they thought it was not in his power,   

〈◊〉 wager thus betwixt them laid,  
The Sussex men grew sore afraid,  
●od of their match they did repent,  
Desiring that they might recant,  
the kentish men did say,  
that they should pay,  
ten pounds or stand the match and day,  
than so they did agree,  
and spent it merrily,  
but Wood missed of their company.   

A Gentleman by chance did come,  
Where friends of his was in the room  
And they were all at dinner set.  
But he with them eat not a bit,  
when the reckoning was paid,  
the tapster said  
that twelve pence more most be defrayed,  
by him that l●st come in,  
which had not at dinner been  
Whereat the Gentleman in spleen.   

Did pay the same and said no more,  
But after plagued them therefore,  
An other time he did come there,  
And brought Wood with him to a fair  
then to the Inn he went,  
whereas he spent,  
a shilling once by ill consent  
and telling Wood his mind,  
being thus 〈◊〉,  
to call much meat & leave Wood behind   

Come hosts quickly let be brought  
As much good meat as may be thought  
To satisfy a dozen men,  
The hastes quickly sent it in  
come sit down Wood quoth he,  
and I'll go see,  
for some more of our company,  
but ere he came again,  
the tayster he came in  
thinking the devil there had been.   

The tapster did his Mistress call,  
And said the man had eat by all,  
Then into th' room she came with speed,  
And found the same was true indeed,  
than she began to swear  
and pull and tear  
with Wood for money for his fare  
and he said he was willing,  
to pay her down a shilling  
he ●●tted her for former dealing.   

Two Citizens from London went,  
To see this Wood was their intent,  
And being come to Harrisom,  
They sent for him into the room,  
for all the victuals they  
did call and pay,  
that was within the house that day,  
and wished goodman Wood,  
to fall 〈◊〉 his food  
I marry quoth he that is good.   

These Citizens found him to be,  
So ●●range the like they e'er did see,  
Desiring him that he would go●,  
To London, he resolved so,  
then at the last he said,  
he was a afraid  
the same toth' King should be bewrayed;  
and so he hanged might be,  
therefore this thought had he,  
'tis best staying in Kent for me.   

His porridge bowl is full two perks,  
He is not of the weakest sex,  
Good Ale grains some times he doth eat,  
For want of other sort of meat,  
I do not tell no lie,  
those that will further try,  
a book of him likewise may buy,  
where much more is declared,  
as I have read and heard  
none like to him may be compared.   
R. C.  
FINIS.   

Printed at London for H. G.