University of Virginia Library

Fab. CI. The Two Citizens and Ungrateful Son.

A Citizen setled his whole Estate,
In Marriage, upon his only Son,
And for a season friendly with him livd:
At length, his Sons Wife proves with-Child, and thus
Spoke to her Husband, I am Breeding, my Dear,
And can't endure to see your Father spaul,
And smoke stinking Tobacco, in my Hall:
As you love me, and this your Child, unborn,
Laying her Hand upon her pregnant Womb,
Let it be so no more. Away he goes,
And tells his Father this Complaint of's Wife,
And prays him for the future, to look out
Some other place, wherein to Spit and Smoke.
This to the Old Man was a Thunder-clap,
But he was forc'd to yield to those hard Terms,
For they must needs go whom the Devil drives.
Next day, when he had din'd, he took his Staff,
Walkt out, to give a Visit to a Friend,
A wealthy Citizen, who had left off Trade,
And on's Estate i'th' Country livd retird,
Leading a chearful hospitable life,
He comes, and with great kindness is receivd.
After a Glass or two, the Courteous Host,
Said, Sir, in your dejected Countenance,
The troubles of your Mind plainly appear;
What Evil has befaln you? tell your Friend.
He told this Story, and tho' 'tis very bad,
I fear, said he, the worst is still behind;
For when my Daughter's pleasd to give the word,
Her Husband's so obedient, and so fond,
I shall be turnd out, and constraind to beg.
I thought, his Friend replyd, that you had known
The World too well, to strip your self of all,
And trust to the good Nature of a Son,
But what is past cannot be now undone;
I think I have a Project in my head,
Will settle you for your life, and you restore
To greater Freedom, than you had before.
If you do this, the injurd Man replied,
You'll be to me, a Father, and a God.
Know then, replyd his Friend, I too was once
A wealthy Citizen, I too, had a Son,
To whom I gave a plentiful Estate,
To set him forth i'th' World, but not my All,
Something I kept, against a rainy day,
Besides a Rent Charge, upon which I live;
I have two thousand Guineas in a Chest,
With these I'll trust you, these at several times,
You, and I, to your Lodgings will convey.
What they contrivd, they soon put in effect,
Then by advice, th' Old Man a Sickness feignd,
Doctors, and 'Pothecaries, came in shoals.,
With Clyster-pipes, and Gally-pots, and Glasses;
To whom, when's Son profferd to pay their dues,
Hold Child, said he, I have some Money left,
Here, take this Key, it opens such a Trunk,
Bring thence what is sufficient: with joy
He goes, unlocks the Trunk, and finds the Gold,
But without breaking Bulk, returns the Key,
And was so generous, to defray the Charge
Of's Father's Sickness, out of his own Purse.
The Old Man recovers, quits his Bed, comes down,
Dines, and then proffers to go out, and Smoke
Under a Shed, i'th' Yard, as he was wont.
Which, when his Daughter saw, Sir, what d'you mean,
Stay in this Room, she said, Spit where you please,
Use the House freely, take it for your own;
You have been lately Sick, you're weak, and old,
I would not for the World you should take Cold.
And ever after, to the day of's Death,
He was by's Daughter Honourd, and Caressd.
The two old Friends their Visits interchangd,
Till all the Gold returnd from whence it came.
And brought at several times so many Stones,
As filld the empty Trunk up to the top,
Loaded with Years, at length the Father dies,
The Son performs the Funeral Obsequies,
Then taking by the hand his joyful Wife,
He leads her to adore the Golden Fleece,
But finding nothing there, but Stones, and Brick,
He stood amazd, and said, with a deep groan,
My Ungratitude has turnd this Gold to Stone.