A pleasant history of a gentleman in Thracia which had foure sonnes, and three of them none of his own; shewing how miraculously the true heire came to enioy his inheritance. To the tune of, Chevy Chace.

A pleasant history of a gentleman in Thracia which had foure sonnes, and three of them none of his own; shewing how miraculously the true heire came to enioy his inheritance. To the tune of, Chevy Chace.

Table of contents

A pleasant History of a Gentleman in Thracia, which had foure Sonnes, and three of them none of his own; shewing how miraculously the true heire came to enioy his Inheritance.

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[Page]

A pleasant History of a Gentleman in Thracia, which had foure Sonnes, and three of them none of his own; shewing how miraculously the true heire came to enioy his Inheritance.

To the tune of, Chevy Chace.

[figure]

IN searching ancient Chronicles,

it was my chance to finde

A story worth the writing out,

in my conceit and mind;

It is an admonition good,

that Children ought to haue,

With reuerence for to thinke vpon

their Parents laid in graue.

In Thracia liu'd a Gentleman,

of Noble Progeny,

Who rul'd his houshold with great fame

and true integrity;

This Gentleman did take to wife,

a neat and gallant Dame,

Whose outward shew and beauty bright

did many hearts inflame.

The luster that came from her lookes,

her carriage and her grace,

Like beautious Cynthia did outshine

each Lady in that place;

And being puffed vp in pride,

with ease and iollity,

Her Husband could not her content,

she other men must try.

Lasciuiously long time she liu'd,

yet bore it cunningly,

For she had those that watcht so well,

that he could nought espy;

With bribes and gifts she so bewitcht

the hearts of some were néere,

That they conceal'd her wickednesse,

and kept it from her deare.

Thus spending of her time away

in extreme wantonnesse,

Her priuate friends when she did please,

vnto her had accesse;

But the all séeing Eye of heauen,

such sinnes will not conceale,

And by some meanes at last will he

the truth of all reueale.

Vpon a time sore sicke she fell,

yea to the very death,

And her Physician told her plaine,

she must resigne her brèath;

Diuines did likewise visit her,

and holy counsell gaue,

And bade her call vpon the Lord,

that He her soule might saue.

Amongst the rest, she did desire

they would her husband bring,

I haue a secret to reueale,

(she said) My heart doth s [...]ing;

Then he came posting presently,

vnto her where she lay,

And wéeping, then he did desire,

what she to him would say?

She did intreat that all might voyd

the roome, and he would stay:

Your pardon, husband, I beséech,

(vnto him she did say;)

For I haue wrong'd your marriage bed,

and plaid the wanton wife,

To you the truth I will reueale,

ere I depart this life,

[Page]

FOure hopefull sonnes you think you haue,

to me it best is knowne,

And thrée of them are none of yours,

of foure but one's your owne;

And by your selfe on me begot,

which hath so wanton béen,

These dying teares forgiuenesse beg,

let mercy then be seene.

This stroke her husband in a dumpe,

his heart was almost dead,

But rouzing of his spirits vp,

these words to her he said;

I doe forgiue thée with my heart,

so thou the truth wilt tell,

Which of the foure is my owne sonne,

and all things shall be well.

O pardon me, my husband deare,

vnto him she did say,

They are my children euery one,

and so she went away.

Away he goes with heauy heart,

his griefes he did conceale,

And like a wise and prudent man,

to none did it reueale.

Not knowing which to be his owne,

each of his loue did share,

And to be train'd in vertues paths,

of them he had a care;

In learning great and gentle grace,

they were brought vp and taught,

Such deare affection in the hearts

of Parents God hath wrought.

They now were grown to mens estates,

and liu'd most gallantly;

Each had his horse, his hawke, his hound

and did their manhood try;

The ancient man did ioy thereat,

but yet he did not know,

Which was his sonne amongst the foure

that bred in him much woe.

At length his glasse of life was run,

the Fates doe so decrée.

For poore and rich they all must dye,

and death will take no fée;

Vnto some Iudges he did send,

and Counsell that were graue,

Who presently to him did come,

to know what he would haue.

They comming then to his beds side,

vnto them he did say,

I know you all to be my friends,

most faithfull euery way;

And now before I leaue the world,

I beg this at your hands,

To haue a care which of my sonnes

shall haue my goods and lands.

And to them all he did relate

what things his wife had done;

There is but one amongst the foure

that is my natiue sonne;

And to your iudgement I commit,

when I am laid in graue,

Which is my sonne, and which is fit

my lands and goods to haue.

He dying, they in Councell sa [...]e

what best were to be done,

For 'twas a taske of great import,

to iudge which was his sonne:

The brothers likewise were at strife,

which should the liuing haue;

When as the ancient man was dead,

and buried in his graue.

The Iudges must decide the cause,

and thus they did decrée,

The dead mans body vp to take,

and tye it to a Trée;

A Bow each brother he must haue,

and eke an arrow take,

To shoot at their dead fathers corps,

as if he were a stake.

And he whose Arrow néerest hit

his heart as he did stand,

They'd iudge him for to be right heire,

and fit to haue the land:

On this they all did streight agrée,

and to the field they went,

Each had a man his shaft to beare,

and Bow already bent.

Now (quoth the Iudges) try your skill

vpon your Father there,

That we may quickly know who shall

vnto the Land be heire;

The eldest tooke his Bow in hand,

and shaft where as he stood,

Which pierc'd so déep the dead mans brest

that it did run with blood.

The second brother then must shoot,

who straight did take his aime,

And with his Arrow made a wound,

that blood came from the same:

The third likewise must try his skill,

the matter to decide,

Whose shaft did make a wound most déep

into the dead mans side.

Vnto the fourth and youngest then,

a Bow and shaft was brought;

Who said, Dée thinke that are my heart

could harbour such a thought,

To shoot at my deare Fathers heart,

although that he be dead,

For all the Kingdomes in the world

that farre and wide are spred?

And turning of him round about,

the teares ran downe amaine,

He flung his Bow vpon the ground,

and broke his shaft in twaine:

The Iudges séeing his remorse,

they then concluded all,

He was the right, the other thrée,

they were vnnaturall.

And so he straight possest the Lands,

being made the heire of all,

And heauen by nature in this kind,

vnto his heart did call;

His brothers they did enuy him,

but yet he néed not care,

And of his wealth in portions large,

vnto them he did share.

FINIS.

§

§

Printed at London for H. G.

Information about this book

Title statement

A pleasant history of a gentleman in Thracia which had foure sonnes, and three of them none of his own; shewing how miraculously the true heire came to enioy his inheritance. To the tune of, Chevy Chace.

Edition statement

1633

Publication

Publisher

Text Creation Partnership,

Place of publication

Ann Arbor, MI ; Oxford (UK) :

Date

2008-09 (EEBO-TCP Phase 1).

ID [DLPS]

A13750

ID [STC]

STC 24047

ID [STC]

ESTC S101989

ID [EEBO-CITATION]

99837792

ID [PROQUEST]

99837792

ID [VID]

2135

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Early English books online.

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(EEBO-TCP ; phase 1, no. A13750)

Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 2135)

Images scanned from microfilm: (Early English books, 1475-1640 ; 1039:16)

Source

— A pleasant history of a gentleman in Thracia which had foure sonnes, and three of them none of his own; shewing how miraculously the true heire came to enioy his inheritance. To the tune of, Chevy Chace., M. P. (Martin Parker), d. 1656?, attributed author..

Extent

1 sheet ([1] p.) : ill

for H. G[osson],. Printed at London :: [1633]. (Sometimes attributed to Martin Parker.) (Printer's name and publication date from STC.) (Verse - "In searching ancient chronicles,".) (In two parts.) (Reproductions of the originals in the British Library.)

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