 | The Night Raven |  |
The Tragedy of Smug the Smith.
A Smith for fellony was apprehended,And being condem'd for hauing so offended,
The townes-men, with a generall consent
Vnto the Iudge, with a petition went,
Affirming that no smith did neare them dwell,
And for his Art they could not spare him well,
For he was good at edge-toole, locke and key,
And for a Farrier, most rare man (quoth they.)
The discreet Iudge, vnto the clownes reply'd,
How shall the Law be iustly satisfied?
A theefe that steales must dye therefore, that's flat.
Oh sir said they, we haue a tricke for that:
Two Weauers dwelling in our towne there are,
And one of them we very well can spare,
Let him be hang'd we very humbly craue,
Nay hang them both so we the Smith may haue,
The Iudge he smyled at their simple iest,
And said the Smith would serue the hang-man best.
| The Night Raven | |