The early poems of John Clare :: :: University of Virginia Library

On a heath stood a farm house as lone as coud be
Let em look where they woud nothing else coud they see
But here an odd furze bush & there an odd tree
Green corn field & fallow land brown
More lonsomly too in a hollow it lay
The hermit like tennants no neighbours had they
To pop in & chat a few hours of the day
Twas two mile or more from a town

The farmer was wealthy as many coud tell
He managd wi care & he ploughd his land well

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& card not for living in such a lone cell
If he coud get crops to his will
Of servants for labour he kept a good clan
Stiff chaps five or six & a sturdy head man
A house keeping maid & a under wench nan
Who had in a dairy good skill

Who lives at a lodge but gen dangers prepard
So wealthy & lonly he kept a good guard
& four mettle bull dogs turnd loose in his yard
& guns ready chargd for alarms
Twas nothing unlikley for rogues coming here
So noted for hurded up wealth as he were
Tho towns round about him for miles far & neer
Had heard of his dogs & his arms

Tho nothing to scare em as yet hadnt been
Of any one tempting down right to get in
But folks lunging round it at night time was seen
Which left em suspisions of fear
& maids often sed when the rest were gone church
That shagger-down fellows theyve seen on the lurch
That tryd at the front door & then at the porch
& begd in excuse bread or beer

—O dear what sensations from solitude rise
What trifles she loves that a town woud despise

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Een the squeakings of mice now the maidens woud prize
& thus when alone theyd sit down
& listen the chirp of the sparrows to hear
& think em then songs of the linnet more dear
& all those fine singers in solitude drear
As they put em in mind of a town

One day as it rather gets dusk at the hour
When the winters days done all it can about four
The thresher gave in & had cleand up his floor
& took out the straw to the stock
When three lusty fellows peept into his barn
& the right road for somwhere requested to learn
Tho drest like three clowns twas a blackis[h] conscern
& the thresher was struck like a rock

They gun force discourse bout the master & men
What servants & dogs hed in keeping & then
Theyd squint i the yard & gin talking agen
Poor michael he quakd like a leaf
He answerd their questions wi hah & wi no
But hinted on dogs & the guns for a show
For he had the deepness about him to know
That such like woud frighten a thief

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They then lungd away wi out bidding good night
Such tokens confirmd that his notions was right
Pleasd enough too were he to get out of their sight
& instantly shut up his barn
& went to the servants & told 'em his doubt
Who cast their opinions & then gave it out
That men at that hour for no good came about
Twas surely a hidden conscern

Be't een as it woud they got ready for work
To guard agen danger if peace shoud be broke
They hunted up cutting knife cudgel & fork
& drove all the dogs in the house
Thus armd they were fixt let it be as it might
& doors they lockd up hard the windows shuts tight
Each waited ast were upon thorns all the night
& listnd as still as a mouse

Besure now & then mutterd hints went about
& fis'es were shook to note somthing without
Some fancyd a whistle some heard a shill shout
& some heard their steps in the yard
Poor hog serving hodge frit to dead as it where
A'most dreaded the supper job going to draw beer
& dursnt go down i' the cellar for fear
[OMITTED]

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The wind whistld hollow the weather was foul
Round the jambs of the cottage the tempest did howl
The dog rather restless gun grumble & growl
& wagged their tails at the door
The candle curld winding sheets dismal to view
& tokening danger the fire burned blue
& plump to the maidens the coffin sparks flew
Which made em neer sink on the floor

Footsteps pass the window! the bull dogs all bark
Theres one shouts for cudgel & one for a fork
& he take the gun who can best hit the mark
& thus they are fixt for alarm
Som'at sorrowfull calls & the door gis a tap
Twas a voice like a womans—agen a small rap
Poor hodge he woud have it twas nought but a trap
Tho the voice sed it meant em no harm

‘Who ever ye be’ said the master ‘begone’
Some bawld for the gun to let know they had one
& some tapt the bull dogs to harden em on
& bragd of their savagness too

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The door haunter woudnt wi little be scar'd
But still to come in begged terrible hard
It told em theyd little need keeping a guard
Twas small harm a woman coud do

‘The storm gatherd deep & my road got unseen
‘Lost on the dark heath for an hour have I been
‘My limbs are most stiffnd it freezes so keen
‘Id be thankful to lye in yer barn’
The master was tender it melted his breast
Who coudnt but pity a woman distrest
He instant called counsil to give her some rest
Lord knows twas a shocking conscern

But hodge still presisted she meant em no good
The maidens both backd him ‘keep safe while they coud’
& vowd were they them let her wowl as she woud
She neer shoud set foot i the lodge
‘Most votes the day carried’ wi caution & guard
A tall woman enterd the house the boy stard
The stranger een smiled to see him so scard
& hard ran the jest upon hodge

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Still he eyed her all over from top to the toe
& jogd wi his elbow the maids to let know
That her voice were to[o] gruff—women never talkd so
Let the others consiet as they might
Quere fancys he coudnt get out of his head
As in crossing the house she seemd heavy to tread
'Sides her foot looked large—well he might go to bed
But hed neer shut his eyes for the night

They questiond the stranger she answerd em well
Where bin & where going far as questions compell
But whod any sense in his head coud soon tell
She were little to talking inclind
She woudnt go bed & good reasons were shown
Her fatherless childern all sleeping alone
She 'tended to start soon as first cock had crown
For she coudnt be easy in mind

The head man knew well bout the place whence she came
& knew too as well there was none of her name
Had hodge or the maidens bin up to the same
Theyd blobbd out the matter of course

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He answerd her nothing but kept up his eye
& found hidden mistery lapt up in the lye
& wisperd his master the hint by & bye
Who resolvd to scheme matters no worse

Bed time cometh on man & master sit up
The womans but vainly intreeted to sup
Poor hodge spite o fear begun drowsy & droop
& she beggd theyd all go to their beds
For her part she wisht cause no trouble at all
The things that she begd of their kindness was small
& if she got worser she easy coud call
—Excuse freshend doubts in their heads

So now left on garrison master & will
The woman they thought got uneasier still
But she said twas the thoughts of her babes made her ill
As the youngest of four suckt her breast
What leave sucking infants!—the clock tung eleven
She wisht that the capons first signal was given
The master & man wisht em sens was in heaven
New lies added dangers exprest

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She dozd now & then on her chair she woud lye
& they found like the cat she coud doze wi one eye
Nigh as fourpence a groat is the watches coud spy
The plot were a roguish conscern
& they wisperd of fire arms in each others ear
But wisperd as loud as the stranger shoud hear
& talkd of their guns as a store house it where
As she all her perrils might learn

Then to see what she woud do they made a mock sleep
Dogs close to their master did watchfully keep
The woman play[d] chances & off did she creep
As soft as she coud to the door
The way that she went'd made any one dread
She seemd as she wisht to have lightnd her tread
As one strimes & steps where sick folks lye a bed
Her feet scarcly prest on the floor

Doubts now were all cleard—out of doors she had got
A shrill whistle blew—& the master he shot
& will like an arrow brusht up to the spot
& agen turnd the key on their guest

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‘All keep out as is out’ in triumph sed will
A groan murmurd help a weak call faint & chill
Foot steps trampld gently—agen all were still
Save the dogs who woud not be at rest

The rout soon disturbd all the lodge of its rest
The wenches for saftey rund nearly undrest
& hodge sorely frightend wi what he had guest
Bawld out to know what were amiss
& soon as he heard twas his prophesied trick
& the theif were lockt out—then he took up his stick
& bragd wi the best hadnt skulls a bin thick
They might a seen easy in this

The master calld silence to listen if aught
Still tokend near danger but they coud hear nought
Save hodge who heard groans now & then as he thought
& his stick was prepard in his fist
Some proposd take the gun & go see if they coud
Execution if twas done or not be as twoud
But as now matters stood—hodge he votes for some good
& they from his caution desist

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First cock shouted morning aloud from his shed
& minded em all what the stranger had sed
& they deemd it rare luck as they didnt go bed
To leave the guisd rogue to her sen
The maids offerd prayers for thus being preservd
The master reflected how theyd a been servd
& hodge in a moment most dryly observd
Theyd none a seen daylight agen

& oft they calld silence now & then the dogs growl
But nothing was heard save the woop of an owl
& winds in the chimney—the weather was foul
That mournfully wisperd alarm
Hodge coudnt help hearing a whistle & groan
But night & its terrors thank god they were flown
The morning thro cracks of the window shuts shown
& light woud soon free em of harm

The scales now was turnd & in triumph hodge sed
What scores of opinions he had in his head
Which fearing theyd laugh at him worse then they had
He kept em all in to his sen

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He knew very well that her bosom was flat
Coud mark on her chin hairs as black as his hat
Saw her pull down her bonnet to hide it & that
& scarce coud help hinting agen

The woman too slung herself back in her chair
& hodge sed he vain gogged will to look there
Blue stockings she wore as to that he woud sware
Which he neer saw on woman before
& once in her rocking she tosst up her feet
He thought he saw breeches but kept it discreet
& thought as none else saw—his fears might consiet
So he woudnt pretend to no more

Hodge sed he thought much what he dare not express
Twas a good for nought rogue in disguisd womans dress
His wit pleasd the master who coudnt say less
Then a worthy reward he shoud have

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& all bragd of courage what each woud have done
How that woud a servd em how this wi his gun
Woud a rallied down two at a level like fun
As all out of danger are brave

When darkness grew thin & the twilighty red
Like beauty thro veils began dimly to spread
They took up their weapons the stoutest hearts led
& venturd to see what they coud
The door soon as opend the dogs rushed out
& tracked the causway & snufted about
& soon was the masters shot provd wi out doubt
The dogs lap'd a puddle of blood

Good god they was sorry & felt for her pain
The groans which they heard this did quickly explain
& they called the dogs up to track her again
To be sure shed lye dead further on
They searched the yard under cribs did they peep
& rooted the straw where it seemd in a heap
As to dye out of sight any where she woud creep
But the wounded encroacher was gone

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Holes & corners they hunted for hours round & round
But nothing of rogues dead or living was found
Tho sure enough some one had got a deep wound
& the living helpd off wi the lame
The morn past opinions but nothing was heard
All day the[y] expected but nothing appeard
Hodge went to the village conjectures he heard
But nothing for truth never came

This friend & that wi opinions ran oer
Wi tidings of this that & tother hurt sore
They knew they was hurt but they knew nothing more
Suspicion might think as she woud
The farmer such stories did little regard
But trebld the strength of his guns & his yard
& thought to be stronger gen dangers prepard
Were the only best means for his good

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& he thankd all his men for the courage theyd shewn
& he gen em that day from their labour a boon
& in reason what ale they likd drink morn & noon
Keeping guard for the nighttime in view
As to hodge for his service—the master declard
He merited honour as well as reward
& he placd him from thence the head boy in his yard
& a bran spanking whip gave him too

& still he continued to live at the lodge
& if by a woman rogue playd such a dodge
He vowd to remember the caution of hodge
& think em to trapping inclind
& when a chap lay awaken in bed
& heard the first crow of the cock from his shed
He thought what the woman drest robber had sed
& brought it all fresh in his mind