A New BALLAD of King John and the Abbot of Canterbury.  
●o the Tune of, The King and the Lord Abbot.  

With Allowance,  
Ro. L' Estr●ng●.   
 woodcut of king  woodcut of gentleman  

isle tell you a Story; a Story anon,  
Of a noble Prince& his Name was King John.  
〈…〉 he was a Prince, and a Prince of great might,  
He held up great Wrongs, he put down grea●●ight,  
Derry down, down hey derry down.   

Ile tell you a Story, a Story so merry,  
Concerning the Abbot of Canterbury,  
And of his House-keeping and high Renown.  
Which made him resort to fair London Town●.  
〈…〉 down,   

〈…〉 Father Abbot? 'tis  told unto me,  
〈…〉 a far better House then,  
〈…〉 keeping and High Renown,  
〈…〉 Treason against my ●rown   

I hope my Liege that you owe me nogrudge,  
For spending of my true gotten goods:  
If thou dost not answer me questions three,  
Thy head shall be taken from thy Body:  
Derry down,   

When I am set on my stead so high  
With my Crown of Gold upon my head,  
Amongst all my Nobility with joy and much mi●th  
Thou must tell me to one penny what I am worth  
Derry down,   

And the nevr Question you must not slout,  
How long I shall be riding the World about  
And the third Question thou must not shrink;  
But tell to me truly what I do think:  
Derry down   


O These are hard Questions for my 〈◇〉 owe wit,  
For I cannot answer your Grace as yet,  
But if you will give me but three days space  
I'll do my endeavour to answer your grace;  
Derry down, down hey derry down.   

O three days space I will the give,  
For that is the longest day thou hast to live,  
And if thou dost not answer these questions right  
Thy head shall be taken from thy body qu●●e:  
Derry down,   

And as the Shepherd was going to his sold,  
H● spied the old Abbot come riding alone,  
How now Master Abbot? you're Welcome home:  
What News have you brought from good K. John.  
Derry down.   

Sad news, sa●●●●ws, I have th●e to give,  
For I have but three days space for to live  
If I do not ●n●w●● him questions three,  
My head will be taken from my body  
Derry down   

When he is sa● on his stead so high:  
With his Cr●●● of Gold upon his head,  
Among shall his Nobility with joy and much ●●●th  
I must tell him to one penny what he is worth▪  
Derry down.   

And the next question I must not slout,  
How long he shall be riding the World abo●●,  
And the third question thou must not shrink,  
But tell to him truly what he does think;  
Derry down,   

O Master did you never hear it yet,  
That a Fool may learn a Wiseman wh●  
Lend and but your Horse& your apparel.  
Ile 〈◇〉 to fair London and answer the Quarrel▪  
Derry down,   

Now I am set on my 〈…〉 high,  
With my Crown of G●ll● u●on my 〈…〉  
Amongst all my Nobility with 〈…〉  
Now tell me ●o one penny what I 〈…〉  
Derry down,   

For thirty peace our 〈…〉  
Amongst the false jews 〈…〉  
And nine and twenty's the worth of tha●,  
〈◇〉 I think thou ●●t one penny 〈…〉  
Derry down.   

And the next question 〈…〉  
How long I shall be riding ●he 〈…〉  
You must rise with the Sun, and ride with the s●redge  
until the next morning he rises age 〈…〉  
And then I am sure you will make no 〈…〉  
But in twenty four hours you'l ride 〈…〉  
Derry down,   

And the third question you 〈…〉  
But tell to me truly what I do think:  
All that I can do, and 'twill make you merr●  
For you think i'm the Abbot of Cant●rbury,  
But i'm his poor Shepherd 〈◇〉 pouring see  
A●●●am come to beg pardon for he and for 〈…〉  
Derry down,   

The King he turned him above and 〈…〉  
Saying, thou shalt be the Abbot the 〈…〉  
O●to my Grace, there is no such 〈…〉,  
For I can neither writ 〈◇〉 red▪  
Derry down,   

Then four pounds a week will I give 〈…〉  
For this merry 〈◇〉 felt thou hast  told un●●●  
And tell the old Abbot when thou co●est 〈…〉,  
Thou hast brought him a pardon from good 〈…〉  
Derry down, down hey, derry down.    
FINIS   

Printed for P. Breck●by at the Golden 〈…〉