%ISOlat1; %ISOlat2; %ISOnum; %ISOpub; ]> A most excellent Ballad, of an old man and his wife, who in their great want and misery sought to / Children for succour, by whom they were disdained, and scornefully sent away succourlesse, and Gods / vengeance shewed vpon them for the same. University of California - Santa Barbara The Early Modern Center Director Patricia Fumerton 1620 Early Modern Center, University of California Santa Barbara Santa Barbara, CA 02/29/2008 20028

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Patricia Fumerton Early Modern Center - English Department University of California Santa Barbara, CA 93105 United States of America EMail: pfumer@english.ucsb.edu

1.43 S2116 1 Priscilla Priscilla IT was an old man which with his poore / ( wife / in great distresse did fall: Alack and alas for woe, [with variations] Printer's name from STC Pepys 1.43 STC 1329.5 E. A[llde c.1620]; Rollins (2) 1267 (Dec. 14, 1624, IV, 131); Rollins (2) 2007 (Mch.1, 1675, ii, 497). Woodblock 1: above columns 1, 2, 3: Nine figures stand in various positions. At the extreme left of the cut stands an old bald man with a long beard, his left arm outstretched holding his hat. His right hand holds a cane that he leans upon for support. He faces towards his left, and is dressed in a fur trimmed coat, with dangling sleeves. To his left stands an old woman, her hands clasped before her. She also faces slightly left, and wears a simple hat with a brim, and simple dress with a slightly ruffled collar, and an apron. Part of one shoe is visible beneath the edge of her dress. To her left, facing away from her, stands a cloaked figure, his scowling face shadowed by his hatbrim. His simple collar is visible above the edge of his cloak, and he holds the arm of the curly-haired boy to his left. The boy is dressed in a doublet and breeches, and he appears surprised. His right arm is in the grasp of the cloaked figure, but his head is turned towards the man to his left, whom he reaches towards with his left arm. The man he reaches towards stands in the center of the picture, and faces towards his right. His right arm is raised, and his finger points at the old couple, while his left hand sits on his hip. He is dressed elaborately, with a large ruff, two layers of buttoned jackets, and short tapered breeches. He sports a neatly trimmed short beard and wears a cloak. To the right of the woodcut, close behind him stands another youth, dressed in a doublet and slops (short, puffed breeches). He wears a hat and faces away from the central figure, who, he looks at over his shoulder. His right arm is held behind his back, while his left reaches for the woman in front of him (to the right of the woodcut). The woman to the right is elaborately dressed, with an extremely full ruff and large-brimmed hat. Her dress has a low-cut bodice and full hips, and she holds a cloth (handkerchief?) in front of her in her right hand. She smiles at the scene before her. The four central male figures wear hose, and all of the shoes visible are low. To the extreme right of the woodcut stand two women in slightly less elaborate dresses with full ruffs, facing each other. The rightmost figure faces away from the viewer. Their faces are indistinct. This woodcut appears to fit the ballad very closely, and may have been created for it. : 69 x 189 Pepys Library The Pepys ballads : facsimile volume Editor W.G. Day D.S. Brewer Cambridge [England] 1987 Information in this section of the Source Description refers to the original ballad manuscript. 1: 43 A most excellent Ballad, of an old man and his wife, who in their great want and misery sought to / Children for succour, by whom they were disdained, and scornefully sent away succourlesse, and Gods / vengeance shewed vpon them for the same. part::start ptitle::start A most excellent Ballad, of an old man and his wife, who in their great want and misery sought to Children for succour, by whom they were disdained, and scornefully sent away succourlesse, and Gods vengeance shewed upon them for the same. A Most Excellent Ballad, of an Old Man and His Wife, Who in Their Great Want and Misery Sought to Children for Succor, by Whom They Were Disdained, and Scornfully Sent Away Succorless, and God's Vengeance Showed Upon Them for the Same. 1/2 sheet folio, 273 x 194 cropped top and left edges, cropped and torn right edge, damaged surface, uneven inking 1620 Printed at London for E.[A.] E.A [E. Allde] Weinstein: STC

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 Taxonomy used by Pepys to Organize Ballads in Albums A Small Promiscuous Supplement Devotion & Morality Drinking & Good Fellowship History - True & Fabulous Humour, Frollicks &c Love Pleasant Love Pleasant and Unfortunate Love Unfortunate Marriage Sea State & Times Tragedy Various Subjects Early Modern Center Ballad Project Keyword Taxonomy advice affliction/health alcohol animals/nature appearance Bible/biblical figures buildings/architecture catastrophe children class clothing/fashion country/nation crime death economics/trade entertainment family/procreation folklore gender historical figures & events holidays/seasons infidelity law London love maritime marriage military/war monstrosity mythology/Classical world news nobility/court politics/government punishment religious concepts religious figures religious types & sects royalty rural life servitude sex/sexuality supernatural/magic The New World travel trickery/deceit urban life vice violence virtue vulgarities/crass humor Library of Congress Subject Heading Taxonomy 2/29/2008 Santa Barbara, California, United States of America Devotion & Morality children economics/trade family/procreation punishment 2/29/08 Checker Jessica C. Murphy rechecked transcription, loaded transcription into XBallad, entered ESTC ID from bl.uk, updated metadata 7/3/2007 Checker Gordon Batchelor 4/28/2005 Transcriber Stefanie Durich 7/9/2004 Bibliographer Liberty Stanavage Bibliographic SQL Database Record Created
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I T was an old man which with his poore wife in great distresse did fall : They were so feeble with age God wot, they could not worke at all. A gallant Sonne they had, which lived wealthily: To him they went with full intent, to ease their misery. Alacke and alas for woe, etc. A hundred miles when they had gone, with many a weary step: At length they saw their Sons faire house, which made their hearts to leape. They sate them on the greene, their shooes and hose to trim: To put cleane bands about their neckes, against they should enter in. Alack, etc. Unto the doore with trembling joynts, when those old couple came: The woman with a shaking head, the old man blind and lame : Full mannerly they knockt, fearing for to offend: At last their Son doth frowningly come unto them in the end. Alack, etc. Good folks, quoth he, what would you have here, me thinkes you are too bold? Why get you not home to your Country now you are lame and old? With that they both replyed, with sorrow, care, and griefe: Here are we come to thee our Sonne, for succour and reliefe. Alack, etc. This is thy Father (gentle Sonne) and I thy loving Mother: That brought thee up so tenderly, and lov'd thee above all other: I bare thee in this wombe, these brests did nourish thee: And as it chanst, I often danst thee on my tender knee.
And humbly now we thee intreat, my deare and loving Sonne: That thou wilt doe for us in our age, as we for thee have done. Nay nay, not so, he said, your sute is all in vaine: Tis best for you, I tell you true, to get you home again. Alack, etc. The world is not now as when I was born all things are growne, more deare: My charge of Children likewise is great, as plainely doth appeare. The best that I can doe, will hardly them maintaine: Therefore I say, be packing away, and get you home againe. Alacke, etc. The old man with his hat in his hand, full many a legge did make: The woman wept and wrung her hands, and prayed him for Christ his sake Not so to send them backe, distressed and undone: But let us lie in some Barne hereby, quoth she, my loving Sonne. Alack, etc. By no meanes would he thereto consent, but sent them soone away: Quoth he, You know the perill of Law, if long time here you stay: The stockes and the whipping poast will fall unto your sha[r]e: Then take you heed, and with all speed, to your Country doe repaire. Alack, etc. Away then went this wofull old man, full sad in heart and minde: With weeping teares his wife did lament their Sonne was so unkinde. Thou wicked Childe, quoth they, for this thy cruell deed, The Lord send thee as little pitty when thou dost stand in need. Alack and alas for woe, etc.
His children hearing their Father set his Parents thus at nought: In short time after to have his Land, his death by subtlety wrought: What cause have we, quoth they, more kindnesse to expresse, Then he unto his Parents did in their great wretchednesse? Alacke and alas for woe, etc. They murthered him in pittifull sort, they waid not his intreats, The more he pray'd compassionatly, the greater were their threats, Speake not to us, quoth they, for thou the death shalt die: And with that word, with dagger & swo[rd] they mangled him monstrously. Alack and alas for woe, etc. When they had got his silver and gold, according to their mind: They buried him in a stinking ditch, where no man should him find. But now behold and see, Gods vengance on them all: To gaine their gold, their Cousin came, and slew them great and small. Alacke and alas for woe. He came among them with a great clu[b] in dead time of the night, Yea two of the Sons he braind therewi[th] and taking of his flight, The murtherer taken was, and suffered for the same: Deserved for their cruelty, this vengance upon them cam[e] Alack and alas therefore, Alack and alas therefore.
F I N I S Printed at London by E.[A.]