36 ESTttONlAtt POETRt. 



The lord may take as many people as he pleafes, 'and 

 what people from the farm, to be domeftics in his 

 houfe — and this explains the laft line. 



I muft not leave it unnoticed, that the tributes paid 

 to the lord are called righteoumerYes. This makes the 

 meaning of the feventh line clear* 



This is the caufe that the country is ruined, 

 And the ftraw of the thatch is eaten away, 

 The gentry are come Co live in the land.— 

 Chimnies between the village 

 And the proprietor upon the white floor ! 

 The fheep brings forth a lamb with a white forehead, 

 This is paid to the lord for a righteoufnefs fheep : 

 The fow farrows pigs, 

 They go to the fpit of the lord : 

 The hen lays eggs, 

 They go into the lord's frying-pan t 

 The cow drops a male calf, 

 That goes into the lord's herd as a bull : 

 The mare foals a horfe foal, 

 That muft be for my lord's nag t 

 The boors wife has fons, 

 ' They muft go to look after my lord's poultry. 



Can one deflre a more juft and lively difplay of 

 the wretched fttuation of thefe poor people in regard 

 to their lords, than this ballad, the refult of their 

 feelings and their woeful experience ? 



VIII. To whomever has been prefent w r ith a woman in 

 labour, has been witneis to her agonies, has heard her 



groans 



