A most Notaple 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 Darby.  
 

In searching famous Chronicles,  
it was my chance to read  
A worthy story strange and true,  
whereto I took god heed,  
Betwixt a Father and a Son  
this rare example stands,  
which well may move the hardest hearts  
to weep and wring their hands.   

This Farmer in the Country lived,  
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 bent,  
To Gaming wine and wantonness,  
till all his goods was spent,  
Yea such evecssive riotousness,  
by him was showed forth,  
That he was three times more in debt  
Than all his health was worth.   

At length his credit clean was cracked  
and be in prison cast,  
And every man against him then,  
did set his act on fast,  
There be lay locked in Irons strong,  
for ever and for aye,  
Unable while his life did last,  
his grievous debt to pay.   

And living in this woeful case,  
his Eyes with tears he spent;  
The lewdness of his former life  
too late he did repent,  
And being hold of all relief,  
of help and comfort quite,  
Unto his Father at the last  
he thus began to write.   

Bow down a while your bóedful ears  
my loving Father dear,  
And grant I pray in gracious sort  
my piteous plaint to hear,  
Forgive the foul offences all,  
of your unworthy 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 disteessed state  
whose heart for woe doth bleed,  
In direful Dungeon here I lie  
my feet in setters fast.  
Whom my most cruel creditors  
in Prison have me cast.   

Let pity therefore pierce your breast,  
and mercy move your mind  
And to release my mesery.  
some shift dear Father find,  
My chiefest cheer is bread full brown  
● the boards my fastest bed  
And flin●ly stones my pillows serve,  
to rest my troubled head.   
 

My garments all are worn to rags  
my body star●es with cold.  
And crawling Vermin eat my flesh  
must grievous to behold,  
Dear Father come therefore with speed  
and ●id me out of thrall.  
And let me not in prison die,  
sith by your help I call.   

The good did man no sooner had  
Parused this written scroll,  
But trickling tears along his cheeks,  
most plenteously did roll,  
Alas my son, my son quoth he,  
in whom I joyed most,  
Thou shalt not long in prison be  
what ever it me cost.   

Two hundred heads of well fed beasts  
he changed into gold,  
Four hundred quarters of good corn,  
for silver eke he sold,  
But all the same could not suffice  
this heinous fa●t to pay,  
Till at the last constrained was  
to sell his land away.   

Then was his son released quite  
his debts discharged clean,  
And he like 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 corpse to feed,  
His son mean time in wealth did swim  
whose substance now was such  
That sure within the City than  
few were founded 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 fell out 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 state 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.   

Where at 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 the 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 hand,  
and thus at length he said,  
O cursed wretch, and most unkind,  
and worker of my woe  
Thou monster of humanity,  
and eke thy fathers Fo.   

Have I been careful of thy case,  
maintaining still thy state,  
And dost thou now most dogged  
enforce me from thy gate.  
And have I wronged thy brethren  
from shrall to set thee free,  
And brought myself to beggars sta 〈…〉  
and all to succour thee,   

Woe worth the time when first of all 〈…〉  
thy body I esp●'d:  
Which hath in hardness of thy he 〈…〉  
thy father's face denied,  
But now behold bow God that ti 〈…〉  
did show a wonder great,  
Even when his son and all his fri 〈…〉  
were settled down to meat.   

For when the fairest pie was cut  
a strange and dreadful case,  
Most ugly Toads came crawling 〈…〉  
and leaped in his face,  
Then did this wretch his fault con 〈…〉  
and for his Father sent.  
And for his great ingratitude  
full 'fore be did repent.   

All virtuous children learn by this  
obedient hearts to show,  
And honour still your Parents dea 〈…〉  
for God commanded so  
And think how he did turn his meam 〈…〉  
to poisonous Loads indeed,  
Which did his father's face deny  
because he stood in need.   
FINIS.   

Printed for F Coles, T. Vere and W. Gilbertson.