The Low-countrieses Soldier turned Burgomaster  
 

PART. I.  

HERE you may see the turns of fate,  
From woe to joy, from poor to great,  
A mark of fortune's special love,  
Who did a Soldier's grief remove.   

One in former days 'tis told,  
Had truged through weather hot and cold;  
Till he was poor and pennyless,  
You would have laughed to see his dress.   

His shoes with trudging up and down  
No sole they had, a hat no crown,  
His coat no sleeves, his shirt the same,  
But by his side a sword of fame.   

Without a scabbard good or bad,  
Nor was there any to be had;  
His coat and breeches would not come.  
In depth to cover half h●s bum.   

Now being weary of his trade,  
One day he to his captain s●id,  
Pray now give me a full discharge.  
That! my fortune may enlarge.   

I am persuaded I shall be a  
A burgomaster, sir, said he,  
To Venice, if you'll let me go,  
His captain smiling answered. No.   

With you he said, I will not pa●t,  
Then thought the soldier, I'll desert  
My colours, let what will befall;  
And soon he went for good and all.   

Now as he marched with all his might,  
A coachm●n and his worthy knight,  
Upon the road he chanced to find,  
And asked to borrow full five pound.   

At this the knight laughed out amain,  
And said, when will you pay it again,  
He answered, sir, you shall be paid,  
When I am Burgomaster made.   

Of Venice, which will be my lot,  
The noble knight away he got,  
And laughed to see him in that trim,  
But still the coachman lent it him.   

This being done, away he went  
To Venice, where some time he spent,  
To view the Palace rich and gay,  
And then to a burgoes took his way.   

Who kept a house to entertain  
All kind of guest. He called amain  
For wine and oteer liquors free,  
Tho' in a wretched garb was he.    

PART II.  

THIS soldier was a gallant blade,  
And while in pleasure than he stayed,  
Behold a squire living near,  
Courted the Burgo's daughter dear.   

Now as he kept her company,  
One day the soldier sitting by,  
Feigning asleep he overheard  
This private talk as it appeared.   

Part of the private talk was this.  
My dear sweet love, the charming bliss,  
Let me enjoy this self same night,  
The damsel told him that he might.   

If he would to the chamber creep,  
When all the house was fast asleep,  
About the hour of twelve o'clock,  
She would the door for him unlock.   

The solder heard the whole design,  
Thought he, the pleasure shall mine,  
And thereupon he went before,  
To the young lad'ies chamber door.   

He knocked, and soon we let him in,  
A pleasant Game did then begin,  
And e'er en hours time was past,  
Her love ihe ' squire came at last.   

He knocked who's there the lady cried,  
The soldier lying by her side,  
Said he, It is the ragged fellow sure,  
A seemed as if he slept secure,   

He heard us and is come to have,  
That pleasure which our love did crave,  
But it's in vain, I will arise,  
And dash the pisspot in his eyes.   

Accordingly in woeful case,  
He dashed it in the squire's face;  
Away he goes, but nothing said,  
Supposing it had been the maid.   

She laugh●● at the pleasant jest,  
And gave him then amongst the rest,  
A diamond ring, with kisses sweet,  
But did not understand the cheat.   

Then he arose and went his way,  
Behold on the succeeding day,  
Upon his right hand there she espied.  
Pray where had you the same she cried.   

He answered then, and thus he said,  
Pray be not in the least dismayed;  
For you was loving, kind and free  
Last night, and gave the same to me.   

O bless me! did I lie with you?  
Since it is so, I pray be true;  
And do not let the same be told,  
So thou shalt never want for gold.   

He vowed he would conceal the same,  
Soon after this the ' squire came.  
Saying, why was you so unkind,  
The pisspot made me almost blind.   

The youthful damsel, answered thus,  
'Tis good enough if it were worse;  
Because you thought to ruin me,  
My honour and my chastity.    

PART III.  

IN part the third we must return,  
Unto a mighty great concern,  
Consisting of some thousand pounds,  
Which the poor soldier's fortune crown,   

Behold her wealthy father he,  
Did send four mighty ships to sea,  
Laden with glorious merchandise,  
Rich silks and other wares likewise.   

They had been gone full seven years,  
No tale or tidings they could hear.  
So that at length he gave them over,  
And never thought to see them more.   

At length there was a letter brought,  
The ships were safe with riches fraughted,  
Near to the borders of the land,  
Which news came to his daughter's hand.   

Then having viewed and road the same,  
She to the ragged soldier came,  
Crying, my dear, be true to me,  
You shall a Burgomaster be,   

My father thinks his ships are lost,  
Which now are on the Venice coast;  
And e'er he does the tidings hear,  
Go buy his ●ight in them my dear.   

And when thou hast the bargain bought,  
Of four large ships richly fraught,  
Be what it will, of me you shall  
Have money, for to pay for all.   

Then on her father he did wait,  
And struck a bargain with him strait;  
For the four ships four hundred pound,  
Whether the same be lost or found.   

No sooner was the bargain made,  
And that small sum of money paid,  
But he heard the ships were come,  
Their Burden was a mighty sum.   

Then did the Burgomaster fret,  
'Cause he with such a loss had met;  
But since it could no better be,  
He with the soldier did agree.   

To take his daughter for a bride,  
With all my heart he then replied;  
Then out of hand they married were,  
The soldier and the lady fair.   

No sooner they were man and wife,  
But soon her father left this life,  
And when he in his grave was laid,  
The son was Burgomaster made,   

He that had travelled many miles,  
Was now by fortune's special smiles.  
Made mighty, powerful and great,  
And knew no end of his estate.    

PART IU.  

NOW mind the latter part I pray,  
I make no question but you'll say,  
Still as you read the story out,  
The things were strangely brought about.   

While he was Burgomaster we hear,  
His former captain did repair  
Unto his house, by chance to dine.  
With other brave commanders fine,   

The Burgomaster seeing that,  
He straight put on his no crown hat,  
With all his ragged, worn out ,  
And so into the room he goes.   

The captain then begun to swear,  
Lieutenant, pray see who is there,  
My ragged Burgomaster, who  
In private from his colours drew.   

Straight from the presence of his guest,  
He stepped away, himself he dressed  
In sumptious robes he dressed amain,  
And then returned to them again,   

The captain said, right worthy sir,  
Here is, a foolish ragged cur,  
Endued with neither wit nor sense,  
I'll hang him e'er I go from hence,   

He from his colours did desert,  
The Burgo said, be not so tart,  
In presence of these gentlemen,  
Writ his discharge here's guineas ten,   

He wrote the same, and took the gold,  
The Burgomaster said, behold,  
I am the man, and now at last,  
What once I said, is come to pass.   

The captain than began to fume,  
And told the gallants in the room,  
If he had known as much before,  
It should have cost him ten times more.   

And then within a month or less.  
The knight whom o●ce he did address,  
To lend him five pounds on the road,  
Came here to take up his abode.   

The Burgomaster as before,  
Put on his robes both rent and tore,  
So that the knight might know him straight,  
As he did on his worship wait.   

He to his coachman turned him round,  
And said there's one owes you five pounds,  
When do you think the same, to get,  
He is not Burgomaster yet.   

The coachman said, as I do live,  
I freely do the same forgive,  
Because I to my sorrow see,  
He still remains in poverty.   

For some short time he went away,  
And dressed himself in rich array;  
In feathers fine and rich perfume,  
And so returned into the room.   

Having discoursed with them awhile,  
He told the coachman with a smile,  
As he helped him in time of need,  
He would return it now indeed.   

He gave him then, live thousand Pound,  
Likewise a match for him he found,  
A sweet young Lady fair and clear,  
Daughter to a renowned pe●r   

The knight was vexed to t●e ●eart,  
That he must with his servant p●rt,  
But let him grieve it must be so,  
Whether his lordship will or know.   

Thus he who once was mean and poor,  
At length enjoys a happy st●re,  
Which fortune unto him did send,  
And he proved grateful to his friend.