Robert Southey

Old Christoval's Advice, and the Reason Why He Gave It

1. 
“If thy debtor be poor,” old Christoval said, 
      "Exact not too hardly thy due; 
For he who preserves a poor man from want 
      May preserve him from wickedness too. 
 
2. 
“If thy neighbour should sin,” old Christoval said, 
      “Oh never unmerciful be; 
But remember it is through the mercy of God 
     That thou art not as sinful as he. 
 
3. 
“At sixty-and-seven the hope of Heaven 
      Is my comfort through God’s good grace; 
My summons, in truth, had I perish’d in youth, 
     Must have been to a different place.” 
 
4. 
“You shall have the farm, young Christoval,” 
      My master Henrique said; 
“But a surety provide, in whom I can confide, 
      That duly the rent shall be paid.” 
 
5. 
I was poor, and I had not a friend upon earth, 
      And I knew not what to say; 
We stood in the porch of St. Andrew’s Church 
      And it was St. Isidro’s day. 
 
6. 
“Take St. Isidro for my pledge,” 
      I ventured to make reply, 
“The Saint in Heaven may be my friend, 
      But friendless on earth am I.” 
 
7. 
We enter’d the Church, and went to his shrine, 
      And I fell on my bended knee, 
“I am friendless, holy Isidro, 
      And therefore I call upon thee! 
 
8. 
“I call upon thee my surety to be, 
      My purpose is honest and true; 
And if ever I break my plighted word, 
      O Saint, mayst thou make me rue!” 
 
9. 
I was idle, and quarter-day came on, 
      And I had not the rent in store, 
I fear’d St. Isidro’s anger, 
      But I dreaded my landlord more. 
 
10. 
So on a dark night I took my flight 
      And stole like a thief away; 
It happen’d that by St. Andrew’s Church 
      The road I had chosen lay. 
 
11. 
As I past the Church door, I thought how I swore 
      Upon St. Isidro’s day; 
That the Saint was so near increased my fear, 
      And faster I hasten’d away. 
 
12. 
So all night long I hurried on, 
      Pacing full many a mile, 
And knew not his avenging hand 
      Was on me all the while. 
 
13. 
Weary I was, yet safe, I thought; 
      But when it was day-light 
I had I found been running round 
      And round the Church all night. 
 
14. 
I shook like a palsy, and fell on my knees, 
      And for pardon devoutly I pray’d; 
When my master came up, “What, Christoval, 
      You are here betimes!” he said. 
 
15. 
“I have been idle, good Master,” said I, 
      “Good Master, and I have done wrong; 
And I have been running round the Church 
      In penance all night long.” 
 
16. 
“If thou hast been idle,” Henrique replied, 
      "Henceforth thy fault amend! 
I will not oppress thee, Christoval, 
      And the Saint may thy labour befriend.” 
 
17. 
Homeward I went a penitent, 
      And from that day I idled no more; 
St. Isidro bless’d my industry, 
      As he punish’d my sloth before. 
 
18. 
“When my debtor was poor,” old Christoval said, 
     "I have never exacted my due; 
But remembering my master was good to me, 
      I copied his goodness too. 
 
19. 
“When my neighbour hath sinn’d,” old Christoval said, 
      “I judged not too hardly his sin, 
But thought of the night by St. Andrew’s Church, 
      And consider’d what I might have been.”