6
let her be moſt in thy eſteem.
Father, the merchant then replied,
you moſt this ſingle penny take;
When I have paſt the ocean wide,
a proof of this I mean to make.
And loving friend, for ought I know,
I may this ſingle penny prize,
As being the beſt I did beſtow,
in all my wealthy merchandize.
Taking his leave, away they came,
both he and his brave hearts of gold.
To whom he ſaid, I'll prove the ſame,
when I my native land behold.
PART III.
WITH full ſpread ſail to ſea they went,
Neptune the golden cargo bore,
Through foaming waves to their content,
at laſt they reach'd the Britiſh ſhore.
The merchant put on poor array;
the very worſt of ragged clothes,
And then without the leaſt delay,
he to his wanton harlot goes.
When ſhe beheld him in diſtreſs,
ſhe cried, what is the matter now?
He ſaid I'm poor and penny-leſs,
with that he made a courteous bow.
Crying no man was e'er ſo croſs'd
as I have been my ſweet heart's delight,
My ſhip and all I had is loſt,
without thy help I'm ruin'd quite.
My loſs is great, yet that's not all,
one of my ſervants I have ſlain,
As we did both at variance fall;
ſome ſhelter let me here obtain.
I dare not now go to my wife,
whom I have wrong'd for many a year,
Into thy hands I'll put my life,
take pity on my melting tear.
