Redemption
The Tenant's Redemption
A tenant petitions a rich Lord for a new lease, seeks him in heaven, finds him among thieves and murderers, and receives his request as the Lord dies.
Having been a tenant of a rich Lord for a long time and not doing well, I decided to be bold and ask Him to give me a new lease at a low rent and cancel the old one.1 In heaven, at his manor, I sought him. They told me there that he had recently gone about some land which he had dearly bought long ago on earth, to take possession.2 I went straight back, and knowing his high birth, looked for him accordingly in the grand places people go—in cities, theaters, gardens, parks, and courts. At last I heard a rough noise and laughter of thieves and murderers. There I caught sight of him, who at once said, "Your request is granted," and died.3
Read the original English
HAving been tenant long to a rich Lord, Not thriving, I resolved to be bold, And make a suit unto him, to afford A new small-rented lease, and cancell th' old.
In heaven at his manour I him sought: They told me there, that he was lately gone About some land, which he had deerly bought Long since on earth, to take possession.
I straight return'd, and knowing his great birth, Sought him accordingly in great resorts; In cities, theatres, gardens, parks, and courts: At length I heard a ragged noise and mirth Of theeves and murderers: there I him espied, Who straight, Your suit is granted, said, & died.
Notes
- 1 ↩“Afford” here means grant/furnish (not “be able to pay for”); “suit” is a formal petition.
- 2 ↩Source 'deerly' is modernized as 'dearly' (at great cost), keeping the double sense of price and preciousness that carries the poem's redemptive allegory.
- 3 ↩"Suit" is the tenant's formal petition (for easier terms); rendered as "request" for modern clarity while preserving the legal-devotional force of the grant at the moment of death.
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