Classic Poem

Off an ancient story Ile tell you anon,
of a notable prince tha t was called K ing Iohn,
in England was borne, w i th maine & w i th might
hee did much wrong, & mainteined litle right.
this Noble prince was vexed in veretye,
for he was angry w i th the bishopp of canterbury
ffor his house-keeping & his good cheere.
the rode post for him, as you shall heare;
they rode post for him verry hastilye;
the K ing sayd the bishopp kept a better house then hee;
a 100 men euen, as I say,
the Bishopp kept in his house eu er ye day,
& 50 gold chaines, w i thout any doubt,
in veluett coates waited the Bishopp about.
the Bishopp, he came to the court anon
before his prince tha t was called K ing Iohn.
as soone as the Bishopp the K ing did see,
" O, " q uo th the K ing , " Bishopp, thow art welcome to mee!
there is noe man soe welcome to towne
as thou tha t workes treason against my crowne. "
" My leege, " q uo th the Bishopp, " I wold it were knowne;
I spend, yo u r grace, nothing but tha t tha ts my owne;
I trust yo u r grace will doe me noe deare
for spending my owne trew gotten geere. "
" yes, " q uo th the k ing , " Bishopp, thou must needs dye:
eccept thou can answere mee questions 3,
thy head shalbe smitten quite from thy bodye,
& all thy liuing remayne vnto mee.
first, " q uo th the K ing , " tell me in this steade,
w i th this crowne of gold heere vpon my head,
amongst my Nobilitye w i th Ioy & much Mirth,
lett me know w i thin one pennye what I am worth:
secondlye, tell me w i thout any dowbt
how soone I may goe the whole world about:
& thirdly, tell mee or eu er I stinte,
what is the thing, Bishopp, tha t I doe thinke.
20 dayes pardon thoust haue trulye,
& come againe & answere mee. "
the Bishopp bade the K ing " god night" att a word.
he rode betwixt Cambridge & oxenford,
but neu er a Doctor there was soe wise
cold shew him these questions or enterprise;
wherew i th the Bishopp was nothing gladd,
but in his hart was heauy & sadd,
& hyed him home to a house in the countrye
To ease some p ar t of his Melanchollye.
his halfe brother dwelt there, was feirce & fell,
noe better but a shepard to the Bishoppe him-sell;
the shepard came to the Bishopp anon,
saying, " my Lord, you are welcome home!
what ayles you, " q uo th the shepard, " tha t you are soe sadd,
& had wonte to haue beene soe Merry & gladd? "
" Nothing, " q uo th the Bishopp, " I ayle att this time,
will not thee availe to know, Brother mine. "
" Brother, " q uo th the Shepeard, " you haue heard itt,
tha t a ffoole may teach a wisemane witt;
say me therfore what-soeu er you will,
& if I doe you noe good, Ile doe you noe ill. "
Q uo th the Bishop: " I haue beene att thy court anon,
before my prince is called K ing Iohn,
& there he hath charged mee
against his crowne w i th traitorye;
if I cannott answer his Misterye,
3 questions hee hath p ro pounded to mee,
he will haue my Land soe faire & free,
& alsoe the head from my bodye.
the first question was, " to tell him in tha t stead
w i th the crowne of gold vpon his head,
amongst his Nobilitye w i th Ioy & much mirth,
to lett him know w i thin one penye what hee is worth;"
& secondlye " to tell him w i th-out any doubt
how soone he may goe the whole world about;"
& thirdlye, " to tell him, or ere I stint,
what is the thinge tha t he does thinke." "
" Brother, " qu o th the shepard, " you are a man of Learninge;
what neede you stand in doubt of soe small a thinge?
lend me, " q uo th the shepard, " yo u r Ministers apparrell,
Ile ryde to the court & answere yo u r quarrell;
lend me yo u r serving men, say me not nay;
w i th all yo u r best horsses tha t ryd on the way,
Ile to the court, this matter to stay;
Ile speake w i th K ing Iohn & heare what heele say. "
the Bishopp w i th speed p re pared then
to sett forth the shepard with horsse & man;
the shepard was liuely w i th-out any doubt;
I wott a royall companye came to the court.
the shepard hee came to the court anon
before [his] prince tha t was called K ing Iohn.
as soone as the k ing the shepard did see,
" O, " q uo th the king, " Bishopp, thou art welcome to me! "
the shepard was soe like the Bishopp his brother,
the K ing cold not know the one from the other.
Q uo th the K ing , " Bishopp, thou art welcome to me
if thou can answer me my questions 3! "
said the shepeard, " if it please yo u r grace,
show mee what the first quest[i]on was. "
" first, " q uo th the k ing , " tell mee in this stead
w i th the crowne of gold vpon my head,
amongst my nobilitye w i th Ioy & much mirth,
w i thin one pennye what I am worth. "
Q uo th the shepard, " to make yo u r grace noe offence,
I thinke you are worth 29 pence;
for our Lo rd Iesus, tha t bought vs all,
for 30 pence was sold into thrall
amongst the cursed Iewes, as I to you doe showe;
but I know christ was one penye better then you. "
then the K ing laught, & swore by St. Andrew
he was not thought to bee of such a small value.
" Secondlye, tell mee w i th-out any doubt
how soone I may goe the world round about. "
saies the shepard, " it is noe time w i th yo u r grace to scorne;
but rise betime w i th the sun in the Morne,
& follow his course till his vprising,
& then you may know w i th-out any Leasing —
& this yo u r grace shall proue the same —
you are come to the same place from whence you came;
24 houres, w i th-out any doubt,
yo u r grace may the world goe round about;
the world round about, euon as I doe say,
if w i th the sun you can goe the next way. "
" & thirdlye tell me or eu er I stint,
what is the thing, Bishoppe, tha t I doe thinke. "
" tha t shall I doe, " q uo th the shepeard; " for veretye
you thinke I am the Bishopp of Canterburye. "
" why? art not thou? the truth tell to me;
for I doe thinke soe, " q uo th the k ing , " by St. Marye. "
" not soe, " q uo th the shepeard; " the truth shalbe knowne,
I am his poore shepeard; my brother is att home. "
" why, " q uo th the K ing , " if itt soe bee,
Ile make thee Bishopp here to mee. "
" Noe, S i r, " q uo th the shepard, " I pray you be still,
for Ile not bee Bishop but against my will;
for I am not fitt for any such deede,
for I can neither write nor reede. "
" why then, " q uo th the k ing , " Ile giue thee cleere
a patten of 300 pound a yeere;
tha t I will giue thee franke & free;
take thee tha t, shepard, for coming to me.
free p ar don Ile giue, " the k ing s grace said,
" to saue the Bishopp, his land & his head;
w i th him nor thee Ile be nothing wrath;
here is the p ar don for him & thee both. "
then the shepard he had noe more to say,
but tooke the p ar don & rode his way.
when he came to the Bishopps place,
the Bishopp asket anon how all things was:
" Brother, " q uo th the shepard, " I haue well sped,
for I haue saued both yo u r Land & yo u r head;
the K ing w i th you is nothing wrath,
for heere is the p ar don for you & mee both. "
then the Bishopes hart was of a Merry cheere,
" brother, thy paines Ile quitt them cleare,
for I will giue thee a patent to thee & to thine
of 50 li : a yeere land good & fine. "
" I will to thee noe longer croche nor creepe,
nor Ile serue thee noe more to keepe thy sheepe. "
whereeu er wist you shepard before,
tha t had in his head witt such store
to pleasure a Bishopp in such a like case,
to answer 3 questions to the K ing s grace?
whereeu er wist you shepard gett cleare
350 li : pound a yeere?
I neu er hard of his fellow before,
nor I neu er shall. now I need to say noe more
I neu er knew shepeard tha t gott such a liuinge
But David the shepeard tha t was a K ing .