A wonder in Kent: Of the admirable stomacke of one Nicholas Wood, dwelling at Harrisom in the County of Kent.
The like of him was neuer heard,
As in this Ditty is declar'd.
To the tune of, The maunding Souldier.
I pray giue eare a while to me,
I tell you of a Champion bold,
That fights not for the fame of gold,
but for good belly cheare,
as well it doth appeare,
the like wherof you nere did heare.
none may with him compare,
as I will here declare,
the like liues not I dare to sweare.
In Kent this fellow now doth liue,
At Harrisom as report doth giue,
His Name is called Nicholas Wood,
As I for truth haue vnderstood,
well knowne by men of fame,
his worth and nome,
that well can iustifie the same,
some Gentlemen and Knights,
to [...]sfie delights,
haue sent for Wood to see his sleights.
[...]e is not like these puling ones,
[...] an houre picking bones,
A Shéepe or Calfe thats worth a Marke,
On them héele brauely fall to worke,
or if a Hogge it be,
all's [...]ne quoth he,
in one houres space you [...] shall sée,
his stomacke is so strong,
nothing will doe him wrong,
the Deuill [...] sure his guts among.
What talke I of a Shéepe or Calfe,
A [...]as these exploits are not halfe,
A Hogs a thing that much will eate,
Fish, Flesh, Fowles, Frogges, or such like meat,
yet Wood is of such power,
that he within an houre
a good fat Hogge he did deuoure,
his like was neuer none
as plainely may be shone,
not one like him was euer known.
After that he had eat this Hogge,
I doe not meane to lye nor cogge,
Thrée pecks of D [...]msons he did eat,
For to digest his Swinish meat,
Another time beside,
he being tride:
seuen dozen of Rabbets he [...],
likewise he tooke in hand,
to eat a Flea [...]h of Browne
as soone as from the Bore twas drawne,
At Sir William Sidleyes house he eat,
As men of credit doe repeat,
As much as thorowly would suffice,
Full thirty men, Oh gurmudize,
but then vnto the fire,
he did retire,
and for some grease be did desire,
thinking his belly he
would breake immediately
vnlesse he had speedy remedy,
A quarter of a good fat [...],
And thrée score Egges he ouerc [...]me,
And right [...]ene parts of blacke pudding,
And a raw Ducke all but Bill and Wing,
and after he had din'd,
as I doe find,
he longed for Cherries yt brauely shined
then thréescore pound they brought,
which he could [...] to nought,
a thing vnpossible me thought,
His mighty paunch doth harbour all,
Sheepe, Hoggs or Calues, [...] stall,
A Pa [...]kett is likewise for Deare,
And C [...]nneyes gray, or siluer haire
a [...] tis besides
whereas he hides
all kind of fruits that him besides
Cheese, Buttermilke and Whey,
he bringeth in that way,
thus he brings all quite to decay,
The second part. To the same tune.
The Deuonshire white-pot he made [...]ame
The bag-pudding of Glocester
The blackepudding of Wostershire,
the Shrop-shire pan-pudding,
and such gutting,
and Somersetshire white-pudding,
or any other Shire,
their puddings héele not feare
none may wt Nicholas Wood compare:
The Clothiers that in Kent doe dwell,
In Sussex of this man did tel,
To some o'th' chiefest yeomen there,
Who greatly mused when they did heare,
and ofred presently
that they would lay,
a hundred pound of good money,
that he could not deuoure,
a wh [...]le calfe in an houre,
they thought it was not in his power,
[...] wager thus betwixt them laid,
The Sussex men grew sore afraid,
[...]od of their match they did repent,
Desiring that they might recant,
the kentish men did say,
that they should pay,
ten pounds or stand the match and day,
then so they did agrée,
and spent it merrily,
but Wood mist of their company.
A Gentleman by chance did come,
Where friends of his was in the roome
And they were all at diner set.
But he with them eate not a bit,
when the reckoning was paid,
the tapster said
that twelue pence more most be defraid,
by him that l [...]st come in,
which had not at diner ben
Whereat the Gentleman in spleene.
Did pay the same and said no more,
But after plagued them therefore,
An other time he did come there,
And brought Wood with him to a faire
then to the Inne he went,
whereas he spent,
a shilling once by ill consent
and telling Wood his mind,
being thus [...],
to call much meat & leaue Wood behind
Come hostes quickly let be brought
As much good meat as may be thought
To satisfie a dozen men,
The hastes quickly sent it in
come sit downe Wood quoth he,
and Ile goe sée,
for some more of our company,
but ere hee came agen,
the tayster he came in
thinking the deuill there had ben.
The tapster did his Mistris call,
And said the man had eat by all,
Then into th' roome she came with spéed,
And found the same was true indeed,
then she began to sweare
and pull and teare
with Wood for money for his fare
and he said he was willing,
to pay her downe a shilling
he [...]tted her for former dealing.
Two Citizens from London went,
To see this Wood was their intent,
And being come to Harrisom,
They sent for him into the roome,
for all the victuals they
did call and pay,
that was within the house that day,
and wished goodman Wood,
to fall [...] his food
I marry quoth he that is good.
These Citizens found him to be,
So [...]range the like they eu'r did see,
Desiring him that he would go [...],
To London, he resolued so,
then at the last he said,
he was a fraid
the same to'th King should be beraid;
and so he hang'd might be,
therefore this thought had he,
tis best staying in Kent for me.
His porrige boule is full two perks,
He is not of the weakest sexe,
Good Ale graines some times he doth eate,
For want of other sort of meat,
I doe not tell no lye,
those that will forther try,
a booke of him likewise may buy,
where much more is declared,
as I haue read and heard
none like to him may be compared.
R. C.
FINIS.
Printed at London for H. G.