THE FACTOR’S GARLAND.
BEHOLD here’s a ditty, the truth and no jest,
Concerning a young gentleman in the east,
Who by his great gaming, came to poverty,
And afterwards went many a voyage to sea.
Being well educate, and one of great wit,
Three merchants in London they all thought it fit,
To make him their Captain and Factor also,
And for them to Turkey a voyage he did go.
And walking along the streets there he found,
A poor man’s dead carcase lying on the ground;
He asked the reason, why he there did ly?
Then one of the natives did make this reply,
That man was a christian, sir, while he drew breath,
The duty’s unpaid, he lies above the earth,
Why, what are the duties? the Factor he cry’d,
It is fifty pounds sir, the Turk he reply’d.
That is a great sum, quoth the Factor indeed,
To see him ly there, makes my heart for to bleed;
So then by the Factor the money was paid,
And then under earth the dead carcase was laid.
When having gone further, by chance he did spy,
A beautiful creature just going to die,
A young waiting maid who strangled must be,
For nothing bnt striking a Turkish Lady.
To think of her dying with dread he was fill’d,
Then rivers of tears like waters distill'd,
Like streams of a fountain, from her eyes ran down,
Her red ⟨rosy⟩ cheeks, & from thence to the ground.
Hearing what her crime was, he, to end the strife,
Said what must I give for this poor creature’s life?
The answer returned, was an hundred pound;
The which for her pardon he ⟨freely⟩ paid down.
He said, fairest creature, thy weeping refrain,
