The King & Northern-man, Showing how a poor Northumberland-Man (Tenant to the King) being wronged by a Lawyer (his Neighbour) went to the King himself to make known his grievance.  
To the Tune of, Slut.  
 depiction of a king  
 depiction of a Northumberland man  
TO drive away the weary day,  
a book I chanced to take in hand,  
And therein I read assuredly,  
a story as you shall understand:  
Perusing many a History over,  
amongst the Leaves I chanced to view:  
The books name and Title is this,  
The second Lesson, too good to be true.  
There read I of a Northumberland-man,  
that was born & brought up in the King's land,  
He paid twenty shillings Rend a year,  
to the King, as I do understand:  
By him there dwelled a Lawyer false,  
that with his Farm was not content,  
But over the poor man still hanged his nose,  
because he did gather the King's Rent.  
He told him he his Lease had forfeit,  
and that he must there no longer abide:  
The K. by such Lownes hath much wrong done  
and for you the world is broad and wide,  
The poor man prayed him for to cease,  
and content himself if he would he willing,  
And pick no vantage in my Lease,  
and I shall give thee forty shilling:  
I''s neither forty Shilling, nor forty pound,  
i se warrant thee, so can agree thee and me,  
Unless thou yield me thy farm so round,  
and stand unto my courtesy.  
The Poor man said he might not do so,  
his wife and his Barns will make ill wark,  
If thou with my Farm wilt let me go,  
thou seem'st a good fellow i se give thee 5 mark.  
The Lawyer would not be so content,  
but further i'th' matter he means to smell:  
The neighbours bade the poor man provide his tent,  
and make a submission to the King himsel.  
He got a humble staff on his back,  
a jerkin I wots that was of grey:  
With a good blue Bonnet he thought it no lack  
to the King he is ganging as fast as he may:  
He had not gone a mile out o'th' town,  
but one of his Neighbours he did espy:  
How far is't toth' King, for thither i'm boun,  
as fast as ever I can hie.  
I am sorry for you neighbour he said,  
for your simplicity I make moan,  
Ice warrant you, you may ask for the King,  
when nine or ten days journey you have gone.  
Had I witted the King had word so far,  
i se never a sought him a mile out o'th' town,  
He's either had sought me, or we'd near a come near,  
at home I had rather ha' spent a Crown,  
But when he came to the City of London,  
of every man he for the King did call:  
They told him, that him he need not to fear,  
for the King he lies now at the White-Hall.  
And with spying of Farlies in the City,  
because he had never been there before,  
He lee so long a bed the next day,  
the Court was removed to Windsor that morn.  
You ha' lay too long, than said his Host,  
you ha' lay too long by a great while?  
The King is now to Windsor gone,  
he's further gone by twenty mile.  
I think I was cursed, then said the poor man,  
If I had been wise I might ha' consider,  
Belike the King of me has gotten some weet,  
he had ne'er gone away, had not I come hither  
He fled not for you, than said his Host,  
but hie you to Windsor as fast as you may:  
Besure it will requite your cost,  
for look what is past the King will pay?  
But when he came to Windsor Castle,  
with his humble staff on his back,  
Although the Gates wide open stood,  
he laid on them till he made 'em crack,  
Why stay, may friend, art mad qd the Porter,  
what makes thee keep this stir to day?  
Why, I am a Tenant of the Kings,  
who have a Message to him to say:  
The King hath men enough, said the Porter,  
your Message well that they can say:  
Why, there's ne'er a Knave the King doth keep,  
shall ken my secret mind to day.  
I were told  I came from home,  
 I got hither it would be dear bought,  
Let me in, i se give thee a single Penny,  
I see thou wilt ha' small, e'te thou do it for nought.  
Gramercy, said the Porter then,  
thy reward is so great I cannot say nay:  
Yonder's a Noble Man within the Court,  
i'll first hear what he doth say.  
When the Porter came to the Noble man,  
he said he would show him pretty sport,  
There's fine a Clown come to the gate,  
as came not these seven years to the Court.  
He calls all Knaves the King doth keep,  
he raps at the Gates, and makes great din;  
he's passing liberal of reward,  
he'd give a good single Penny to be let in.  
Let him in, than said the Noble man,  
come in Fellow, the Porter 'gan say;  
If thou come within thyself, he said,  
thy staff-behind the Gate must stay.  
And this Cuckold's Cur must lig behind,  
what a Deel what a Cur hast got with thee?  
The King will take him up for his own sell,  
Ise warrant when as he doth him see.  
Beshrew thy Limbs, than said the poor man,  
then mayst thou count me a fool or worse,  
I wots not what Bankrupt lies by the King,  
for want of Money he may pick my purse.  
Let him in with his Staff and Dog said the Lord  
he gave a nod with's head, & a beck with's knee  
If you be Sir King, then said the poor man,  
as I can very well think ye be:  
For as I was told  I came from home,  
your goodliest man that e'er I saw before,  
With so many jingles jangles about one neck,  
as is about yours, I never saw none.  
I am not the King, said the Noble man,  
fellow, though I have a proud Coat:  
If you be not the King, help me to the speech of him  
you seem a good fellow, i se give you a Groat.  
Gramercy said the Noble man,  
thy reward is so great, I cannot say nay;  
Ise go now the King's pleasure, if I can,  
till I come again besure you stay.  
Here's sike a staying, then said the poor man,  
〈◊〉 the kings better than any in our country  
I might a gane to the farthest Duke i'th' house,  
neither Lad nor Lown to trouble me.  
When the Noble man came to the King,  
he said he could them his Grace good sport,  
Here's such a Clown come is the gate,  
as came not this seven years to the Court.  
He calls all knaves your Highness keeps,  
and more than that, he terms them worse,  
He'll not come in without his Staff and Dog  
for fear some Bankrupt will pick his purse.  
Let him in with his staff; then said our King,  
that of his sport ●e may see some:  
we'll see how he'll handle every thing,  
as soon as our match of Bowls is done.  
The Noble man led him through many a room,  
and through many a Galleray gay,  
What a deel doth the King with so many houses  
that he gets them not filled with Corn & Hay?  
At last they spied the King in a Garden,  
yet from his game he did not start,  
The day was so hot, he cast off his Doublet,  
he had nothing from the waist but his shirt.  
Lo yonder's the King, said the Nobleman,  
behold follow, lo where he goes:  
Believe't he's some unthrift, says the poor man,  
that has lost his money, and pawned his .  
But when he came before the King,  
the Nobleman did his courtesy:  
The poor man followed after him,  
And gave a nod with's head, and a beck with's knee.  
And if you be Sir King then said the poor man,  
as I can hardly think ye be:  
Here is a good fellow that brought me hither,  
is liker to be the king than ye.  
I am the king his Grace now said,  
fellow let me thy case understand:  
If you be Sir king i'm a Tenant of yours,  
that was born & up brought in your own land  
There dwells a Lawyer hard by me.  
and a fault in my Lease he saith he hath found,  
And all was for selling five poor Ashes,  
to build an house upon your own ground.  
Hast thou a Lease here, said our king?  
or canst thou she to me the Deed?  
He gave it into the kings own hand,  
and said, Sir, here 'tis if that you can read.  
Let's see thy Lease, than said the king:  
then from his Black Box he pulled it out,  
He gave it into the kings own hand,  
with four or five knots t'yd fast in a clout.  
Wouldst never unlose these knots, said the king,  
he gave it to one that behind him did stay.  
It is a proud Horse than said the poor man,  
will not carries own Provender along the high way  
Pay me forty shillings as i se pay you,  
I will not think much to unloose a knot;  
I would I were so occupied every day,  
i'd unloose a score on 'em for a groat.  
When the king had gotten these Letters read,  
and found the truth wak very so,  
I warrent thee, thou hast not forfeit thy Lease,  
if thou hadst field five Ashes more.  
I, every one can warrant me,  
but all your warrants are not worth a flee,  
For he that troubles me and will not let me go,  
neither cares for warrant of you nor me.  
Thou'st have an Injunction, said our kin●.  
from troubling of thee he will cease  
He'll either show thee good cause why,  
or else he'll let thee live in peace.  
what's that Injunction, said the poor man?  
good Sir to me I pray you say,  
Why, it is a Letter i'll cause to be written,  
but art thou so simple as thou show'st to day?  
Why if't be a Letter i'm never the better,  
keep it to thyself and trouble not me,  
I could ha' had a letter written cheaper at home,  
and ne'er a come out of my own country.  
Thou'st have an Attachment, said our King,  
charge all that thou seest take thy part,  
Till he pay there an hundred pound,  
sure thou never let him start:  
If any seem against thee to stand,  
besure thou come hither strait way,  
I marry, is that all i se get for my labour,  
than I may come trotting every day,  
Thou art hard of belief, than said our King,  
to please him with Letters he was willing,  
I see you have taken great pains in writing,  
with all my heart i se ' give a Shilling  
I'll ●ave none of thy shilling said our King,  
man with thy money God give there win,  
He threw it into the King's bosom,  
the money lay cold next to his skin.  
Bethrew thy heart, than said our King,  
thou art an Earl something too bold:  
Dost thou not see I am hot with Bowling,  
and the money next to my skin lies cold.  
I never witted that before said the poor man,  
before sike time as I came hither.  
If the lawyers in our Country thought 'twas cold,  
they would not heap up so much together,  
The King called up his Treasurer,  
and bade him fetch him twenty Pound;  
If ever thy Errand lie here away,  
i'll bear thy Charges up and down.  
When the poor man saw the Gold down tendered  
for to receive it he was willing:  
If I had thought the King had had so much gold,  
beshrev●de my heart i'd ha' kept my shilling,  
The poor man got home the next Sunday  
The Lawer soon did him espy;  
O Sir, you have been a stranger long,  
I think from me you have kept you by.  
It was for you indeed, said the poor man,  
the matter to the King, as I have tell:  
I did as my neighbour put into my head,  
and made a submission to him my cell.  
What a deel didst thou with the K. qd the lawyer  
could not neighbours and friends agree thee & me,  
The deel a neighbour or friend that I had,  
that would ha' been such a days man as he:  
He has gi'en me a Letter, but I know not what they call't  
but if the king's mords be true to me  
When you have read and perused it over,  
I hope you'll leave and let me be.  
He has gi'en me another, but I know not what too  
but I charge you all to hold him fast,  
Till he pay me an hundred Pound,  
I will go tie him fast ttill a Post.  
Marry God forbidden, the Lawyer said,  
than the Tachment was red before them there,  
Thou must needs something credit me,  
till I go home and fetch some me●●.  
Credit, nay that's it the king forbade,  
he bade it I got thee I should thee stay,  
The Lawyer paid him an hundred pound  
in ready money  he went away.  
Would every Lawyer were served thus,  
from troubiing poor men they would cease;  
They'd either show him good cause why,  
or else they'd let him live in peace.  
And thus I end my merry song,  
which shows the plain men's simpleness,  
And the kings ' great mercy in Righting wrongs  
and the Lawyers fraud and wickedness.   

Printed by and for Alex. Milbourn, at the Stationers-Arms in Green-Arbor Court, in the Little Old-Baily.