A COLLECTION OF OLD BALL A D S. I. RICHARD PLANTAGENET; a legendary Tale. By Mr. Hull. The duty of a patient fubmiffion to the deftinations of Providence in all viciffitudes and afflictions of life, are strongly inculcated in the following tale. The author has added a few notes to prove the actual existence of such a perfon as Richard Plantagenet, and the chief event of his life to have been inconteftably certain. HE work is done, the ftructure is complete "THO "Long may this produce of my humble toil "Un-injur'd ftand, and echo long repeat, "Round the dear walls, benevolence and Moyle!"* So * Sir Thomas Moyle, poffeffor of Eaftwell-Place, in the county of Kent, in the year 1546, gave Richard Plantagenet (who for many VOL: IV. B years So Richard fpake, as he furvey'd The dwelling he had rais'd; And, in the fullness of his heart, His gen'rous patron prais'd. Him Moyle o'erheard, whose wand'ring step "My mind, I fee, mifgave me not, "To drudgery, and fervile toil, "Thou couldst not be decreed "By birth and blood, but thereto wrought "Is it not fo? That crimson glow, "That flushes o'er thy cheek, "And down-caft eye, true answer give, "And thy tongue need not fpeak. years had been his chief bricklayer) a piece of ground, and permiffion to build himself a house thereon. The poem opens just when Richard is fuppofed to have finished this task. Eaftwell-Place hath fince been in the poffeffion of the earls of Winchelsea. " Oft "Oft have I mark'd thee, when un'een "Thou thought'ft thyfelf by all, "What time the workman from his tafk "The ev'ning bell did call; "Haft thou not fhunn'd thy untaught mates, "And to fome secret nook, "With drooping gait, and mufing eye, "Thy lonely ftep betook ? "There hath not thy attention dwelt "Upon the letter'd page, "Loft, as it feem'd to all befide, "Like fome fequefter'd fage? "And wouldst thou not, with eager haste, "The precious volume hide, "If fudden fome intruder's eye "Thy mufings hath defcried ? "Oft have I deem'd thou couldst explore "But forrow, greedy, grudging, coy, "Efteems of mighty price "Its treasur'd cares, and to the world "The fcantieft fhare denies ; "All as the mifer's heaped hoards, "To him alone confin'd, "They serve, at once, to foothe and pain "The wretched owner's mind. "Me had capricious fortune doom'd "Thine equal in degree, "Long, long ere now, I had defir'd "To know thine history; "But who their worldly honours wear "Should bear commandment's hue. "Yet now thy tongue hath spoke aloud "Thy grateful piety, "No longer be thy story kept "In painful fecrecy.. ፡፡ "Give me to know thy dawn of life "Unfold, with fimple truth, "Not to thy master, but thy friend, "The promife of thy youth. "Now late in life, 'tis time I ween, "And drudge and toil no more. "Here "Here fhalt thou find a quiet rest, "For all thy days to come, "And every comfort, that may ferve "T'endear thy humble home. "Haft thou a wish, a hope to frame, "Is there within thine aged breast "All I entreat, in lieu, is this, So gen'rous Moyle intent befpake The long-enduring man*, Who rais'd, at length, his drooping head, And, fighing, thus began, The time of Richard's fervice at Eatwell-Place was near fixty years. B 3 Richard |