A most notable example of an vngracious son, who in the pride of his heart denyed his owne father and how God for his offence, turned his meat into loathsome toades. To the tune of Lord Darley.

A moſt notable example of an vngracious Son, who in the pride of his heart denyed his owne Father, and how God for hi • offence, turned his meat into loathſome Toades. To the Tune of Lord Darley.

IN ſearching famous Chronicles, it was my chance to reade A worthy Story ſtrange and true, whereto I tooke good heed: Betwixt a Farmer and his Son, this rare example ſtands, Which wel may moue the hardeſt hearts to weepe and wring their hands. The Farmer in the Countrey liu'd, whoſe ſubſtance did excell; He ſent therefore his eldeſt Sonne, in Paris for to dwell, Where he became a Marchant man, and Trafficke great he vſed, So that he was exceeding rich, till he himſelfe abuſed. For having now the World at will, his mind was wholly bent To gaming, wine, and wantonneſſe, till all his goods were ſpent. Yea, ſuch exceſſiue Riotouſneſſe by him was ſhewed forth, That he was three times more in debt then all his wealth was worth. At length his credit cleane was crackt, and he in Priſon caſt, And every man againſt him then did ſet his action faſt. There lay he lockt in Irons ſtrong, for euer and for aye, Vnable while his life did laſt, his grieuous debt to pay. And liuing in this wofull caſe, his eyes with teares he ſpent: The lewdneſſe of his former life, too late he did repent: And being void of all reliefe, of helpe and comfort quite; Vnto his father at the laſt, he thus began to write. Bow downe a while your déedfull eares, my loving Father deare: And grant I pray in gracious ſort, my piteous plaint to heare. Forgive the foule offences all of your unthrifty Son; Which through the lewdneſſe of his life, hath now himſelfe undone. O my good Father, take remorſe on this my extreme need, And ſuccour his diſtreſſed ſtate, whoſe heart for woe doth bléed. In direfull dungeon here I lye, my feet in ſetters faſt: Whom my moſt cruell Creditors in Priſon ſo have caſt. Let pity therefore pierce your brest, and mercie moue your mind: And to releaſe my miſerie, ſome ſhift, ſweet Father find. My chiefeſt cheere is bread full browne, the boords my ſofteſt bed: And flinty ſtones my pillowes ſerve to reſt my troubled head.

The ſecond Part, to the ſame Tune.

MY garments all are worne to rags, my body ſtarues with cold: An • crawling Vermine eats my fleſh, moſt grieuous to behold. Deare Father come, therfore with ſpeed, and red me out of thrall, And let me not in Priſon dye, ſith for your helpe I call. The good old man no ſooner had perus'd this written ſcrowle, • hat trickling teares along his cheekes moſt plenteouſly did rowle. Alas, my Sonne, my Sonne, quoth he, in whom I ioyed moſt, Thou ſhalt not long in Priſon be, whateuer it me coſt. Two hundred heads of welfead Beaſts, he changed into gold: Foure hundred quarters of good Corne, for ſiluer eke he ſold. • ut all the ſame could not ſuffice, this hainous fact to pay, Till at the laſt conſtrain'd he was to ſell his Land away. Then was his Sonne releaſed quite, his debt diſcharged cleane, 〈◊〉 he likewiſe as well to liue, • s he before had beene. •• en went his loving Father home, who for to helpe his Sonne 〈◊〉 ſold his Liuing quite away, 〈◊〉 eke himſelfe vndone. 〈◊〉 that he liued poore and bare 〈◊〉 in ſuch extreame need, • ut many times he wanted food, • is hungry Corps to feed. His Son mean time in wealth did ſwim whoſe ſubſtance now was ſuch. That ſure within the Citie then, few men were found ſo rich. But as his goods did ſtill increaſe, and riches in did ſlide: So more and more his hardened heart did ſwell in hatefull pride: But it fell out vpon a time, when ten yeares woe was paſt, Vnto his Sunne he did repaire for ſome reliefe at laſt. And being come vnto his houſe in very poore array: It chanced ſo that with his Sonne. great States ſhould dine that day. The poore old man with hat in hand did then the Porter pray, To ſhew his Sonne that at the gate his Father there did ſtay. Whereat this proud diſdainefull wretch, with taunting ſpeeches ſaid, That long agoe his Fathers bones within the Graue were laid: What raſcall then is that quoth he, that ſtaineth ſo my ſtate? I charge thee Porter preſently to driue him from my gate. Which anſwer, when the old man heard he was in minde diſmaied: He wept, he waild, he wrong his hands, and thus at length he ſaid: O curſed wretch, and moſt unkind, and worker of my woe, Thou monſter of humanitie, and eke thy Fathers Foe: Haue I beene carefull of thy caſe, maintaining ſtill thy ſtate, And doſt thou now ſo doggedly, inforce me from thy gate: And haue I wrongd thy brethren 〈◊〉 from thrall to ſet thee free: And brought my ſelfe to beggers ſta •• and all to ſuccour thee? Woe worth the time when firſt of a •… thy body I eſpy'd, Which hath in hardneſſe of thy hear • thy Fathers face deny'd. But now behold how God that time; did ſhew a wonder great; Euen where his Son with all his frie ••• were ſetled downe to meat. For when the fayreſt Pye was cut, a ſtrange and dreadfull caſe, Moſt vgly Toades came crawling ou • and leaped at his face. Then did this wretch his fault conf •••• and for his father ſent. And for his great ingratitude, full ſore he did repent. All vertuous Children learne by thi • obedient hearts to ſhow. And honour ſtill your Parents deare, for God commanded ſo: And thinke how he did turne his m •••• to poyſoned Toads indeed, Which did his Fathers face deny, becauſe he ſtood in need.