%ISOlat1; %ISOlat2; %ISOnum; %ISOpub; ]> THE / Pretended Country Squire, / WITH / An Account of his Last WILL and TESTAMENT: / Together with a whole Dicar of Legacies bequeathed to his New-found Friends; who at length, / to their unspeakable Sorrow, are left in the Lurch. University of California - Santa Barbara The Early Modern Center English Broadside Ballad Archive (EBBA) Director Patricia Fumerton Associate Director Carl G Stahmer 1692-1692 Early Modern Center, University of California Santa Barbara Santa Barbara, CA 10/11/2018 36177

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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

R182048 1 Merry and Glad How Can I Be Merry or Glad Merry and Glad COme listen, while I here unfold / as strange a Prank as e're was known, Information in this section of the Source Description refers to the original ballad manuscript. : THE / Pretended Country Squire, / WITH / An Account of his Last WILL and TESTAMENT: / Together with a whole Dicar of Legacies bequeathed to his New-found Friends; who at length, / to their unspeakable Sorrow, are left in the Lurch. THE Pretended Country Squire, WITH An Account of his Last WILL and TESTAMENT: Together with a whole Dicar of Legacies bequeathed to his Newfound Friends; who at length, to their unspeakable Sorrow, are left in the Lurch. 1692-1692 P. Brooksby, J. Deacon, J. Blare, and J. Back

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 Early Modern Center Ballad Project Keyword Taxonomy advice affliction / health alcohol Americas animals / nature Bible / biblical figures buildings / architecture catastrophe children class clothing / appearance country / nation crime death economics / commerce entertainments family Featured folklore gender holidays / seasons infidelity labor / craft law London love maritime marriage military / war monstrosity mythology / Classical news nobility / court politics / government procreation punishment race / ethnicity religious concepts religious figures religious groups royalty rural life servitude sex / sexuality supernatural / magic travel trickery / deceit urban life vice violence virtue vulgar humor youth / age Library of Congress Subject Heading Taxonomy 10/11/2018 Santa Barbara, California, United States of America affliction / health class death economics / commerce trickery / deceit Ballads, English 17th century Broadsides, England 17th century 10/11/2018 10:06:43 AM XBallad Raychawdhuri, Anita Created XML Version of Ballad 10/11/2018 10:06:43 AM Transcription Supervisor McCants, Kristen Transcription of ballad manuscript 10/11/2018 10:06:43 AM Double-Key Comparison and Merging Ward, Jayne Transcription of ballad manuscript 10/11/2018 10:06:43 AM Transcriptionist Two White, Jessica Transcription of ballad manuscript 10/11/2018 10:06:43 AM Transcriptionist One Serrano, Douglas Transcription of ballad manuscript 8/15/2018 Checker Minh Hua Edited Ballad Catalogue Record 12/1/2016 Bibliographer Kristen McCants Initial Ballad Catalogue Record Created 12/1/2016 Checker Kristen McCants Edited Ballad Catalogue Record
<seg n="1" rend="left"><hi rend="italic">THE</hi></seg> <seg n="2" rend="left"><hi rend="italic">Pretended Country Squire,</hi></seg> <seg n="3" rend="left"><hi rend="italic">WITH</hi></seg> <seg n="4" rend="left"><hi rend="italic">An Account of his Last WILL and TESTAMEN</hi></seg> <lb/> <seg n="5" rend="left"><hi rend="italic">Together with a whole Dicar of Legacies bequeathed to his New-found Friends; who at length,</hi></seg> <seg n="6" rend="left"><hi rend="italic">to their unspeakable Sorrow, are left in the Lurch.</hi></seg> <lb/> <seg n="7" rend="left"><hi rend="italic">To the Tune of, <hi rend="bold">Merry and Glad.</hi></hi></seg> <lb/> <seg n="8" rend="left"><hi rend="italic"><hi rend="bold">Licensed according to Order.</hi></hi></seg>
1. COme listen, while I here unfold as strange a Prank as e're was known, Of one being Fifty-five years Old, who near Temple-Bar wander'd all alone. 2. The Grave appearance of his Face, and Cloath'd in a dejected Weed, Straight caused a Baker near that place, to ask him of what he stood in need. 3. I lack a Lodging Sir, he cry'd, as being but a Stranger here: The Baker immediately reply'd, thou art welcome to me, kind Friend, ne'r fear. 4. This kindness he could not deny, he never stood disputing long, 'Twas good to embrace a Friend, for why, his Pockets was but two Shillings strong. 5. Now while he was residing there, in hopes to live at a Splendid rate, He did to the Baker then declare, that he was a Man of a vast Estate. 6. Quoth he, I stand engag'd this day, for full five hundred pounds, or more, The which I have sworn I'll never pay, although I have thousands lies by in store. 7. 'Tis for this cause I do abscond, and come to London in this sort: The Baker of such a Guest grew fond, believing his feign'd and false Report. 8. At length this Spark fell Sick and weak, and they no Costs or Charges spare, For learned Physicians with speed they seek, the better to shew their indulgent Care. 9. At their own Cost, they purchas'd free, what ever Art or Skill could name, Supposing their languishing Guest to be a Country Squire of worth and Fame. 10. The Baker in Sobs did sigh full sore, grieving for him with melting eyes, And being Collector of the Poor, he brought a kind Brother to weep likewise
11. With Sobs they did his Chamber fill, nothing but bitter sighs he hears, At which he resolv'd to make his Will, to gratifie them for all their Tears. 12. He thus begins with Christian care, and gives them all to understand, A Cousen he means to make his Heir now of his head Manour, House and Land. 13. The honest Baker next he Will'd, to have a branch of his Estate, In token of Love which he beheld, in Christian-like friendship from him of late. 14. The Bakers Wife, Son, Daughter dear, he many hundred pounds did leave, A Generous Soul he did appear, each reckond they had not much cause to grieve 15. He left them Horses, House and Land, his tender love did so abound, So much as the Nurse, we understand, he left the sum of a hundred pound. 16. The Master would not let his Boy come near the Squire while Sick he lay, Lest he should a Legacy then enjoy, to set up a Bake-house another day. 17. His Gifts, we see, were not a few, no Man was e're more kind than he; Nay, he left them Rings and Mourning too, so Liberal was he in each degree. 18. For a Rich Coffin straight they go, his Splendid Glory they'll not blast; Twelve pounds on the same they did bestow, but here comes the Devil of all at last. 19. This Sham-pretended Squires Love, was found e're he was laid in Grave. Since he an Impostor thus did prove, now never a Penny they'r like to have. 20. His new Friends in a Rage did say, they never knew so vile a Creat; Therefore his Rich Coffin they took away, and hardly afford him a Winding-Sheet.
Printed for P. Brooksby, J. Deacon, J. Blare, and J. Back. 1692,