Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, "LONDON LICKPENNY [OR, LYCKPENNY]", by ANONYMOUS


Poetry Explorer

Classic and Contemporary Poetry

"LONDON LICKPENNY [OR, LYCKPENNY]", by                    
First Line: In london there I was bent
Last Line: "and they that be other, god theyr state restore, / for he that lacketh money, with them he shall no
Subject(s): Law & Lawyers


In London there I was bent,
I saw myself where truth should be attaint,
Fast to Westminster ward I went
To a man of law, to make my complaint.
I said "For Mary's love, that holy saint,
Have pity on the poor, that would proceed;
I would give silver, but my purse is faint;
For lack of money I may not speed.'
As I thrast throughout the throng
Among them all, my hood was gone.
Nathless I let not long
To Kings Bench till I come;
Before a judge I kneeled anon;
I prayed him for God's sake he would take heed.
Full ruefully to him I gan make my moan,
For lack of money I may not speed.
Beneath him sat clerks, a great rout;
Fast they writen by one assent.
There stood up one and cried round about
"Richard, Robert, and John of Kent.'
I wist not wele what he meant,
For he cried so thick there indeed.
There were strong thieves shamed and shent,
But they that lacked money might not speed.
Unto the Common Pleas I yode thoo
Where sat one with a silken hood.
I did him reverence as me ought to do.
I told him my case as well as I could
And said "All my goods by norward and by sorward
I am defrauded with great falsehed.'
He would not give me a mum of his mouth.
For lack of money I may not speed.
Then I went me unto the Rollis
Before the clerks of the Chauncerie.
There were many qui tollis,
But I heard no man speak of me.
Before them I kneeled upon my knee,
Showed them mine evidence and they began to read;
They said truer things might there never be;
But for lack of money I may not speed.
In Westminter Hall I found one
Went in a long gown of ray.
I crouched, I kneeled before him anon.
For Mary's love, of help I gan him pray.
As he had be wroth, he voided away
Backward, his hand he gan me bid.
"I wot not what thou meanest', gan he say.
"Lay down silver, or here thou may not speed.'
In all Westminter Hall I could find never a one
That for me would do, though I should die.
Without the doors, where Flemings grete woon,
Upon me fast they gan to cry,
And said "Master, what will ye copen or buy,
Fine felt hats, spectacles for to read
Of this gay gear'; a great cause why
For lack of money I might not speed.
Then to Westminster Gate I went
When the sun was at high prime.
Cooks to me, they took good intent,
Called me near, for to dine,
And proffered me good bread, ale, and wine;
A fair cloth they began to spread,
Ribs of beef both fat and fine.
But for lack of money I might not speed.
Into London I gan me to hie.
Of all the land it beareth the prize.
"Hot peascods', one gan cry.
"Strawberry ripe, and cherry in the ryse.'
One bad me come near and buy some spice;
Pepper and saffron they gan me bede,
Clove, grains, and flour of rice.
For lack of money I might not speed.
Then into Cheap I gan me drawn
Where I saw stand much people.
One bad me come near, and buy fine cloth of lawn,
Paris thread, cotton, and umple.
I said thereupon I could not skyle,
I am not wont thereto indeed.
One bad me buy an heure, my head to hele.
For lack of money I might not speed.
Then went I forth by London Stone
Throughout all Canywike Street.
Drapers to me they called anon;
Great cheap of clothe, they gan me hete.
Then come there one, and cried "Hot sheep's feet!'
"Rishes fair and green!' another gan to greet.
Both melwell and mackerel I gan meet,
But for lack of money I might not speed.
Then I hied me into East Cheap,
One cried ribs of beef and many a pie,
Pewter pots they clattered in a heap;
There was harp, pipe, and sawtry:
"Yea, by cock!' "Nay, by cock!' some began to cry;
Some sangen of Jenken and Julian, to get themselves mede;
Full fain I would had of that minstrelsie,
But for lack of money I could not speed.
Into Cornhill anon I yode,
Where is much stolne gear among;
I saw where hange mine own hood
That I had lost in Westminster among the throng.
Then I beheld it with looks full long,
I kenned it as well as I did my creed;
To buy mine own hood again me thought it wrong,
But for lack of money I might not speed.
Then came the taverner and took me by the sleeve
And said "Sir, a pint of wine would you assay?'
"Sir', quod I, "it may not grieve,
For a penny may do no more than it may.'
I drank a pint, and therefore gan pay.
Sore a-hungered away I yede,
For well London Lackpenny for once and aye.
For lack of money I may not speed.
Then I hied me to Billingsgate.
One cried "Wag, wag you hence!'
I prayed a barge man for God's sake
That they would spare me mine expense.
He said "Rise up, man, and get thee hence!
What winist thou I will do on thee my almes deed,
Here scapeth no man beneath two pence.'
For lack of money I might not speed.
Then I conveyed me into Kent,
For of the Law would I meddle no more
Because no man to me would take intent;
I dight me to the plough, even as I did before.
Jesus save London, that in Bethlehem was bore,
And every true man of law God graunt him soul's mede;
And they that be other, God their state restore;
For he that lacketh money, with them he shall not speed.





Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!


Other Poems of Interest...
Home: PoetryExplorer.net