THE RHYMED CHRONICLE OF JOHN HARESTAFFE. 



And afterwards this Farme to Henry came 

 His onelie sonne who held it duringe liffe 

 But after his decease there fell great stryffe 

 About it, through y e practise of his wyffe. 

 This Henry Vernon was of great esteeme 

 A man both wyse and learned (as may seeme) 

 Who in his Cuntrie also bare great sway, 

 And kept a worthie house, as old men say, 

 Who often talke of him ev'n to this day. 



It chanced (manie yeares before his death) 

 He went and served in the Warres at Leath* 

 In Scotland, where he was a Captaine then, 

 Ore some three hundred of his cuntrimen 

 But he had thought it meete before he went, 

 For to ordaine his Will and Testament : 

 AVherin to John his sonne he did bequeath 

 The Farme of Haselbach after his death, 

 When eyghteen yeares of age he did attaine 

 Meane tyme ith mothers handes it should remayne 

 And after y' as seemeth true and plaine, 

 He never alter'd it, but left it soe : 

 But what's so foule y' mallice will not doe ? 

 He sicke or dead his wyffe found out y e Will, 

 (And to her elder sonne intendinge ill) 

 She secreatlye y e name of John did race, 

 And put y e name of Henry in y e place : 

 That this is true I know not who will sweare, 

 Yet stronge presumptions make y e case too cleare. 

 For it was knowne not long before he dyed, 

 His Will did in y e former state abyde, 

 Which was by oath of Witnesse testifyed : 

 Besydes it was too manyfestlye knowne, 

 She used meanes to gett herself alone 



* This refers to the war of the Scottish Reformation in 1559, when Leith 

 was for some time besieged. 





