POEMS OF CHARACTER,
AND MISCELLANEOUS.
t~ §DDlt faun.
A ooon man was there of religiolUI,
And wu a poor parson of a town;
But rich he was of holy thought and work ;
He wu alao a learned m&n • A clerk.
That Obmt'a gospel would lruly preach,
Hie pariahionere devoutly would he tel\ch.
Beni~ be waa, and •ondroua diligent,
And w adnreity full patient;
A8 proveu. ot\J to &ill who laek'd a friend.
Loth for hie tithes to ban or to contend,
At every need mnch rather •aa he fow1d
Unto hie poor parishionere around
Of biB own eubst&nce and hla duea to give;
Content on little, for hi.maelf, to liYe.
Wide was hia pariah; the bou.eea far uunder;
Yet never waited he for r&in or thunder, ·
Whenever aiekneae or mischance might eall,
The moat remote to visit, great or llril&ll,
And, atafl' in hand, on foot, the atorm to braYt~.
This noble enaample to hie flock be gave,
That fi.ret he wrought, and after that lie taught
The wol'd of life he from the goepel caught;
And well thia ft~re added he thereto,
That if gold rust what should iron do 1
.And if th e priest be foul on whom we truat,
Wbat wonder if the nnletter'd b.ym&n luwt t
And shame it were in him the tlpck should keep,
To eee a aullied shepherd, and clenn sheep.