This Richard Whittington was so obscurely born that he could scarcely
give account of his parents or kindred, and being almost starved in the
country, necessity compelled him up to London, hoping to find more
charity in the town than in the country: to beg he was ashamed, to steal
he did abhor: two days he spent in gaping upon the shops and gazing upon
the buildings feeding his eyes but starving his stomach. At length meer
faintness compell'd him to rest himself upon a bench before a merchant's
gate, where he not long sat but the owner of the house having occasion
of business into the town finding him a poor simple fellow, and thinking
that he had no more within him than appeared without, demanded of him
why he loytered there, and being able to work for his living did not
apply himself unto some lawful calling, threatning him at the first with
the stocks and the whipping-post; but the poor man, after the making of
some plain leggs and courtesie, desired him to pardon him, and told him
that he was a dejected man, who desired any imployment, and that no
pains how mean or course (_sic_) soever could seem tedious or
burthensome unto him, so he might but find some good master, by whose
charity he might relieve his present necessity: for his great ambition
was but to keep his body from nakedness and his stomach from hunger,
and told him withal how long it was since he had tasted meat or drink.
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