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 .