The west-country miser: or, An unconscionable farmer's miserable end: who having hoarded up his corn in hopes it would rise to a higher price, was disappointed so that he fell into despair, and died at last by the fright of an apparition. Tune of, Love's sweet passion: or, Fond boy, &c.

The West-Country MISER : OR , AN Unconscionable Farmer 's Miserable End :

Who having Hoarded up his Corn in hopes it would rise to a higher Price , was Disappointed so that he fell into Despair , and Died at last by the fright of an Apparition .

Tune of , Love 's a sweet passion : or , Fond Boy , &c.

Let a●l loving people be pleas'd to atte●d , To a woful relation sent up by a friend , Of a co●pl● of farmers who happen'd of late , To disco●r●e as the met at the parish church gate : Now the one was a miser who hoarded hi● sto●e , And he other was loving and good to the poo● . The m●ser he seem'd to be troubl'd in mind , For his heart was to cruel oppression enc●i●'d , Though he came from a sermon , yet nevertheless , In a passion th●se words he began to express : Now the price is abated of all sorts of grain , But I 'll never sell mine till they raise it again . O neighbour ! How can you thus murmu●ing stand , When the Lord by a gracious and plentiful hand , Has been pleas'd to rep●enish our barns again , The●fore ●ure we have no● any ●ause to complain : I re●oyc●●…n a p●enty , for last year I know That t●e poor they with hungery bellies did go . The miser reply'd with a fury so hot , Frien● , a fi● for the poor , faith , I value them not , A good ●r●ce I am willing to make of my corn . But I ●e●r was so bauk'd since the day I was born ; About two hundred pound I shall loose now I fear , By the wheat which I might have sold off the last ye●r . The other said , Neighbour , you have your d●sert , You can blame none alive but your covetuous heart , For you reckon to sell it for twice as much more , And for that very reason you keep up your store ; Since you had such a cruel and covetous mind , I declare of a truth you were serv'd in your kind . The miser cry'd , When I lye down in my bed , I have nothing but troubles and cares in my head ; O , this plentiful summer my purpose did cross , I am almost distracted to think of my loss : But I 'll keep it as long as my ba●ns will hold , E'er at such a low ma●ket my corn shall be sold . O cruel oppressor , the other reply'd , The sw●et blessings of God then it seems you will hide , Which he sends for to nourish the race of mankind , In your barns fo● profit it must be confin'd ; Sure the name of a christian you do not deserve , Who desires to see your poor brethren starve . If God had no greater compassion then you , Neighbour , what would this land of poor sufferers do ? In the tilling our ground we might labour and strive , Ay , a●d yet not have bread for to keep us alive ; O ●ut blessed be God in the heaven 's above , He has sent us down showers of his infinite love . They parted and home the old miser repair'd , As he enter'd the yard he was wofully scar'd , There the Devil with si●ver and gold did appear , For to bye al● his corn that was left the last year : And no sooner the miser had set him a price , But this strange apparition was gone in a trice . He run in and told them what he had beheld , Being frighted they were with astonishment fill'd ; All the ni●ht i● his bed he ravi●g did lye , L●t ●e sell off my co●n , I 'll not keep it not I : To the gri●f of his fri●nds thus h● languishing lay , And he dy'd about five of the clock the next day . Now let not our thoughts after vanities range , For this was a sad sudden and sorrowful change , On the wealth of the world he had set his whole heart , Yet from that he was forced with sorrow to part : Now let his fatal end be a warning to all , Who in dealing makes not any conscience at all .