Why wilt thou thus torment and wear me out?

Why worry a poor devil in this way?

Canst thou not say, “Where nothing is—there’s nought.”

The Poet laments the good old times previous to the existence of Duns, Bailiffs, Writs, and I.O.U.’s.

Oh! blissful days, what time Queen Bertha spun![[7]]

Most fortunate and highly favoured season!

That age hight anciently the golden one,

No doubt because so happy was the reason:

No I.O.U.’s were then, nor writs, to dun,

Nor frequent law-suits, such as now, with fees on;