University of Virginia Library

In the Cittie of Exceter by West a way
The tyme not passed hence many a day,
There dwelled a Yoman discrete and wise,
At the Signe of the Flowerdelyse.
Which had to name Iohn Haukyn,
Discended he was of an honest line:
A Man but of a meane stature,
Full well compact in euery feature.
Broad he was from pine to pine,
And red in the face when he dranke wine:
Blacke was his Haire, and hooked his nose,
And now and then, had the cough and the pose.
A sycknesse rayned vpon him aye,
Which troubled him sore night and daye:
Beside the Cough, a bloudy flyx,
And euer among a deadly yex.
Which brought him to his finall day
But ere that tyme, I wyll you say
He dyd espouse within that Countrie
In processe of yeares Wiues three:
Each after other in mirth and game,
Women of great substaunce and fame.
And namely the last wedded wyfe,
With whom he liued withouten stryfe:
The space of full fyfteene yeare,
By than: he was layd on a Beare.
A Daughter he had within band of maryage,
By his last Wife, a worthy caryage:
Which named was Edyth at the Fontstone,
Of .ij. women and a man, of blood and bone.
And when that her Father was layd in graue,
From fyre and water her to saue.
Her Mother aye dyd her busy cure,
As Mothers done by course of nature:
And vertuously as I haue hard say,
She brought vp her daughter night and day.
Charging her vpon her blessyng,
That she ne should medle with any thing:
That sowned vnto good huswyfry,
But aye study to forge and lye:
And countenaunce it right well therto,
In euery place where she dyd go.

This Childe obeyng her Mother deare,
Answered to her as you shall heare:

Mother she sayde, I am your Daughter,
I wyll endeuour my selfe there after:
While that I liue, I shall resigne
All such as pertayne to verteous dicyplyne.
My study shalbe: how I may conclude
In things the people to delude:
Thus is the Mother and Daughter agreed,

Now go sayd the Mother, God thee speed:
Thomas Ellys loueth thee well perfay,
And woeth thee fast day by day:
His desyre is to haue thee to wyfe,
And to liue together all your lyfe.
Wed him hardely spare not a dele,
And take another, when he hath not his hele:
Daughter, make mery whiles thou may,
For this world wyll not last alway.

She promised her Mother to doo full well,
Euery thing after her counsell.