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020 - The History of Whittington · Blue Fairy Book

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  Speaker 1: The History of Whittington of The Blue Fairy Book. This
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  Speaker 1: is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the
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  Speaker 1: public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit
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  Speaker 1: LibriVox dot org. The Blue Fairy Book by Andrew Lange,
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  Speaker 1: The History of Whittington. Dick Whittington was a very little
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  Speaker 1: boy when his father and mother died, so little, indeed,
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  Speaker 1: that he never knew them, nor the place where he
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  Speaker 1: was born. He strolled about the country as ragged as
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  Speaker 1: a cult till he met with a wagoner who was
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  Speaker 1: going to London, and who gave him leave to walk
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  Speaker 1: all the way by the side of his wagon without
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  Speaker 1: paying anything for his passage. This pleased little Whittington very much,
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  Speaker 1: as he wanted to see London sadly, for he had
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  Speaker 1: heard that the streets were paved with gold, and he
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  Speaker 1: was willing to get a bushel of it. But how
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  Speaker 1: great was his disappointment, poor boy, when he saw the
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  Speaker 1: streets covered with dirt instead of gold, and found himself
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  Speaker 1: in a strange place, without a friend, without food, and
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  Speaker 1: without money. Though the wagoner was so charitable as to
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  Speaker 1: let him walk up by the side of the wagon
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  Speaker 1: for nothing, he took care not to know him when
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  Speaker 1: he came to town, and the poor boy was in
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  Speaker 1: a little time so cold and hungry that he wished
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  Speaker 1: himself in a good kitchen and by a warm fire
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  Speaker 1: in the country. In his distress, he asked charity of
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  Speaker 1: several people, and one of them bid him go work
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  Speaker 1: for an idle rogue. That I will, said Whittington, with
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  Speaker 1: all my heart. I will work for you if you
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  Speaker 1: will let me. The man who thought this, savored of
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  Speaker 1: wit and impertinence, though the poor lad intended only to
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  Speaker 1: show his readiness to work, gave him a blow with
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  Speaker 1: a stick, which broke his head so that the blood
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  Speaker 1: ran down. In this situation, and fainting for want of food,
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  Speaker 1: he laid himself down at the door of one mister Fitzwarren,
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  Speaker 1: a merchant, where the cook saw him, and, being an
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  Speaker 1: ill natured hussy, ordered him to go about his business
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  Speaker 1: or she would scald him. At this time, mister Fitzwarren
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  Speaker 1: came from the exchange and began also to scold at
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  Speaker 1: the poor boy, bidding him to go to work. Whittington
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  Speaker 1: answered that he should be glad to work if anybody
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  Speaker 1: would employ him, and that he should be able if
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  Speaker 1: he could get some victuals to eat, for he had
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  Speaker 1: had nothing for three days, and he was a poor
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  Speaker 1: country boy and knew nobody and nobody would employ him.
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  Speaker 1: He then endeavored to get up, but he was so
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  Speaker 1: very weak that he fell down again, which excited so
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  Speaker 1: much compassion in the merchant that he ordered the servants
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  Speaker 1: to take him in and give him some meat and drink,
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  Speaker 1: and let him help the cook to do any dirty
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  Speaker 1: work that she had to set him about. People are
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  Speaker 1: too apt to reproach those who beg with being idle,
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  Speaker 1: but give themselves no concern to put them in the
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  Speaker 1: way of getting business to do, or considering whether they
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  Speaker 1: are able to do it, which is not charity. But
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  Speaker 1: we returned to Whittington, who could have lived happily in
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  Speaker 1: this worthy family had he not been bumped about by
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  Speaker 1: the cross cook, who must be always roasting and basting,
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  Speaker 1: or when the spit was idle, employed her hands upon
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  Speaker 1: poor Whittington. At last Miss Alice, his master's daughter, was
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  Speaker 1: informed of it, and then she took compassion on the
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  Speaker 1: poor boy and made the servants treat him kindly. Besides
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  Speaker 1: the crossness of the cook, Whittington had another difficulty to
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  Speaker 1: get over. Before he could be happy, he had, by
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  Speaker 1: order of his master a flock bed placed for him
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  Speaker 1: in a garret, where there was a number of rats
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  Speaker 1: and mice that often ran over the poor boy's nose
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  Speaker 1: and disturbed him in his sleep. After some time, however,
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  Speaker 1: a gentleman who came to his master's house gave Whittington
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  Speaker 1: a penny for brushing his shoe oose. This he put
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  Speaker 1: into his pocket, being determined to lay it out to
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  Speaker 1: the best advantage, and the next day, seeing a woman
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  Speaker 1: in the street with a cat under her arm, he
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  Speaker 1: ran up to know the price of it. The woman,
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  Speaker 1: as the cat was a good mouser, asked a deal
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  Speaker 1: of money for it, but on Winnington's telling her he
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  Speaker 1: had but a penny in the world and that he
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  Speaker 1: wanted a cat, sadly she let him have it. This
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  Speaker 1: cat Whittington concealed in the garret for fear she should
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  Speaker 1: be beat about by his mortal enemy, the cook, and
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  Speaker 1: here she soon killed or frightened away the rats and mice,
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  Speaker 1: so that the poor boy could now sleep as sound
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  Speaker 1: as a top. Soon after this, the merchant, who had
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  Speaker 1: a ship ready to sail, called for his servants, as
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  Speaker 1: his custom was in order that each of them might
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  Speaker 1: venture something to try their luck, and whatever they sent
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  Speaker 1: was to pay neither freight nor custom, for he thought
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  Speaker 1: justly that God Almighty would bless him the more for
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  Speaker 1: his readiness to let the poor partake of his fortune.
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  Speaker 1: All the servants appeared, but poor Whittington, who having neither
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  Speaker 1: money nor goods, could not think of sending anything to
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  Speaker 1: try his luck. But his good friend miss Alice, thinking
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  Speaker 1: his poverty kept him away, ordered him to be called.
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  Speaker 1: She then offered to lay down something for him, but
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  Speaker 1: the merchant told his daughter that would not do it
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  Speaker 1: must be something of his own, upon which poor Whittington
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  Speaker 1: said he had nothing but a cat, which he bought
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  Speaker 1: for a penny that was given him. Fetch thy cat, boy,
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  Speaker 1: said the merchant, and send her. Whittington brought poor Puss
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  Speaker 1: and delivered her to the captain with tears in his eyes,
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  Speaker 1: for he said he should now be disturbed by the
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  Speaker 1: rats and mice as much as ever. All the company
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  Speaker 1: laughed at the adventure, but miss Alice, who pitied the
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  Speaker 1: poor boy and gave him something to buy another cat.
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  Speaker 1: While Puss was bidding the billows at sea poor Whittington
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  Speaker 1: was severely beaten at home by his tyrannical mistress, the cook,
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  Speaker 1: who used him so cruelly, and he made such game
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  Speaker 1: of him for sending his cat to see that. At
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  Speaker 1: last the poor boy determined to run away from his place, and,
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  Speaker 1: having packed up the few things he had, he set
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  Speaker 1: out very early in the morning on all Hollow's Day.
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  Speaker 1: He traveled as far as Holloway, and there sat down
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  Speaker 1: on a stone to consider what course he should take.
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  Speaker 1: But while he was thus ruminating, bow bells, of which
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  Speaker 1: there were only six, began to ring. He thought their
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  Speaker 1: sounds addressed him in this manner. Turn again Whittington thrice,
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  Speaker 1: Lord Mayor of London. Lord Mayor of London, said he
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  Speaker 1: to himself, what would not one endure to be Lord
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  Speaker 1: Mayor of London and ride in such a fine coach? Well,
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  Speaker 1: I'll go back again and bear all the pummeling and
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  Speaker 1: ill usage of Cecily, rather than miss the opportunity of
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  Speaker 1: being Lord Mayor. So home he went, and happily got
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  Speaker 1: into the house and about his business before missus Cecily
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  Speaker 1: made her appear. Arrants we must now follow miss Puss
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  Speaker 1: to the coast of Africa. How perilous our voyage is
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  Speaker 1: at sea, how uncertain the winds and the waves, and
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  Speaker 1: how many accidents attend a naval life. The ship that
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  Speaker 1: had the cat on board was long beaten at sea,
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  Speaker 1: and at last by contrary winds, driven on a part
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  Speaker 1: of the coast of Barbary, which was inhabited by moors,
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  Speaker 1: and unknown to the English. These people received our countrymen
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  Speaker 1: with civility, and therefore the captain, in order to trade
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  Speaker 1: with them, showed them the patterns of the goods he
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  Speaker 1: had on board, and sent some of them to the
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  Speaker 1: King of the country, who was so well pleased that
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  Speaker 1: he sent for the captain and the Factor to come
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  Speaker 1: to his palace, which was about a mile from the sea.
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  Speaker 1: Here they were placed, according to the custom of the country,
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  Speaker 1: on rich carpets flowered with gold and silver, and the
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  Speaker 1: King and Queen being seated at the upper end of
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  Speaker 1: the room. Dinner was brought in, which consisted of many dishes.
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  Speaker 1: But no sooner were the dishes put down, but an
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  Speaker 1: amazing number of rats and mice came from all quarters
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  Speaker 1: and devoured all the meat in an instant. The Factor,
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  Speaker 1: in surprise, turned round to the nobles and asked if
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  Speaker 1: these vermin were not offensive, Oh, yes, said they very offensive,
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  Speaker 1: And the King would give half his treasure to be
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  Speaker 1: freed of them, for they not only destroy his dinner,
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  Speaker 1: as you see, but they assault him in his chamber
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  Speaker 1: and even in beds, so that he is obliged to
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  Speaker 1: be watched while he is sleeping for fear of them.
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  Speaker 1: The Factor jumped for joy. He remembered poor Whittington and
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  Speaker 1: his cat, and told the King he had a creature
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  Speaker 1: on board the ship that would dispatch all these vermin immediately.
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  Speaker 1: The King's heart heaves so high at the joy which
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  Speaker 1: this news gave him that his turban dropped off his head.
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  Speaker 1: Bring this creature to me, he said, Vermin all dreadful
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  Speaker 1: in a court, and if she will perform what you say,
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  Speaker 1: I will load your ship with gold and jewels in
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  Speaker 1: exchange for her. The Factor, who knew his business, took
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  Speaker 1: this opportunity to set forth the merits of miss Puss.
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  Speaker 1: He told his Majesty that it would be inconvenient to
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  Speaker 1: part with her, as when she was gone, the rats
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  Speaker 1: and mice might destroy the goods in the ship. But
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  Speaker 1: to oblige his Majesty, he would fetch her, run, run,
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  Speaker 1: said the Queen, I am impatient to see the dear creature.
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  Speaker 1: Away flew the Factor while another dinner was providing, and
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  Speaker 1: returned with the cat just as the rats and mice
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  Speaker 1: were devouring that also. He immediately put down Miss Puss,
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  Speaker 1: who killed a great number of them. The King rejoiced
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  Speaker 1: greatly to see his old enemies destroyed by so small
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  Speaker 1: a creature, and the Queen was highly pleased and desired
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  Speaker 1: the cat might be brought in year that she might
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  Speaker 1: look at her, upon which the Factor called Pussy, Pussy, pussy,
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  Speaker 1: and she came to him. He then presented her to
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  Speaker 1: the Queen, who started back and was afraid to touch
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  Speaker 1: a creature who had made such havoc among the rats
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  Speaker 1: and mice. However, when the Factor stroked the cat and
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  Speaker 1: called pussy Pussy, the Queen also touched her and cried putty, putty,
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  Speaker 1: for she had not learned English. He then put her
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  Speaker 1: down on the Queen's lap, where she purring, played with
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  Speaker 1: her Majesty's hand, and then sang herself to sleep. The King,
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  Speaker 1: having seen the exploits of Miss Puss, and being informed
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  Speaker 1: that her kittens would stock the whole country, bargained with
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  Speaker 1: the Captain in Factor for the whole ship's cargo, and
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  Speaker 1: then gave them ten times as much for the cat
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  Speaker 1: as all the rest amounted to, on which, taking leave
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  Speaker 1: of their majesties and other great personages at court, they
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  Speaker 1: sailed with a fair wind for England, whither we must
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  Speaker 1: now attend them. The morn had scarce dawned when mister
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  Speaker 1: Fitzwarren arose to count over the cash and settle the
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  Speaker 1: business for that day. He had just entered the counting
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  Speaker 1: house and seated himself at the desk when somebody came,
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  Speaker 1: tap tap at the door. Who's there, said mister Fitzwarren.
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  Speaker 1: A friend, answered the other. What friend can come at
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  Speaker 1: this unseasonable time? A real friend is never unseasonable, answered
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  Speaker 1: the other. I come to bring you good news of
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  Speaker 1: your ship Unicorn. The merchant bustled up in such hurry
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  Speaker 1: that he forgot his gout, instantly opened the door, and
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  Speaker 1: who should be seen waiting but the Captain and Factor,
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  Speaker 1: with a cabinet of jewels and a bill of landing,
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  Speaker 1: for which the merchant lifted up his eyes and thanked
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  Speaker 1: Heaven for sending him such a prosperous voyage. Then they
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  Speaker 1: told him the Adventures of the Cat, and showed him
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  Speaker 1: the cabinet of jewels which they had brought for mister Whittington,
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  Speaker 1: upon which he cried out with great earnestness, But not
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  Speaker 1: in the most poetical manner. Go send him in and
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  Speaker 1: tell him of his fame, and call him mister Whittington
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  Speaker 1: by name. It is not our business to animadvert upon
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  Speaker 1: these lines. We are not critics, but historians. It is
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  Speaker 1: sufficient for us that they are the words of mister Fitzwarren.
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  Speaker 1: And though it is beside our purpose, and perhaps not
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  Speaker 1: in our power, to prove him a good poet, we
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  Speaker 1: shall soon convince the reader that he was a good man,
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  Speaker 1: which was a much better character. For when some who
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  Speaker 1: were present told him that this treasure was too much
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  Speaker 1: for such a poor boy as Whittington, he said, God
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  Speaker 1: forbid that I should deprive him of a penny. It
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  Speaker 1: is his own, and he shall have it to a farthing.
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  Speaker 1: He then ordered mister Whittington in, who was at this
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  Speaker 1: time cleaning the kitchen, and would have excused himself from
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  Speaker 1: going into the counting house, saying the room was sweat
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  Speaker 1: and his shoes were dirty and full of hob nails.
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  Speaker 1: The merchant, however, made him come in and ordered a
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  Speaker 1: chair to be set for him, upon which, thinking they
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  Speaker 1: intended to make sport for him, as had been too
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  Speaker 1: often the case in the kitchen, he besought his master
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  Speaker 1: not to mock a poor simple fellow who intended them
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  Speaker 1: no harm, but let him go about his business. The merchant,
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  Speaker 1: taking him by the hand, said, indeed, mister Whittington, I
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  Speaker 1: am in earnest with you, and send for you to
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  Speaker 1: congratulate you on your great success. Your cat has procured
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  Speaker 1: you more money than I am worth in the world,
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  Speaker 1: and may you long enjoy it and be happy. At length,
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  Speaker 1: being shown the treasure and convinced by them that all
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  Speaker 1: of it belonged to him, he fell upon his knees
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  Speaker 1: and thanked the Almighty for his providential care of such
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  Speaker 1: a poor and miserable creature. He then laid all the
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  Speaker 1: treasure at his master's feet, who refused him to take
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  Speaker 1: any part of it, but told him he heartily rejoiced
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  Speaker 1: at his prosperity, and hoped the wealth he had acquired
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  Speaker 1: would be a comfort to him and would make him happy.
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  Speaker 1: He then applied to his mistress and to his good friend,
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  Speaker 1: Miss Alice, who refused to take any part of the money,
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  Speaker 1: but told him she heartily rejoiced at his good success
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  Speaker 1: and wished him all imaginable felicity. He then gratified the
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  Speaker 1: captain factor and the ship's crew for the care they
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  Speaker 1: had taken of his cargo. He likewise distributed presents to
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  Speaker 1: all the servants in the house, not forgetting even his
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  Speaker 1: old enemy, the cook, though she little deserved it. After this,
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  Speaker 1: mister Fritzwarren advised mister Whittington to send for the necessary
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  Speaker 1: people and dress himself like a gentleman, and made him
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  Speaker 1: the offer of his house to live in till he
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  Speaker 1: could provide himself with a better Now, it came to pass,
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  Speaker 1: when mister Whittington's face was washed, his hair curled, and
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  Speaker 1: he dressed in a rich suit of clothes, that he
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  Speaker 1: turned out a genteel young fellow. And as wealth contributes
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  Speaker 1: much to give a man confidence, he in a little
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  Speaker 1: time dropped that cheapish behavior which was principally occasioned by
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  Speaker 1: a depression of spirits, and soon grew a sprightly and
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  Speaker 1: good companion. Insomuch that Miss Alice, who had formerly pitied him,
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  Speaker 1: now fell in love with him. When her father perceived
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  Speaker 1: they had this good liking for each other. He proposed
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  Speaker 1: a match between them, to which both parties cheerfully consented,
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  Speaker 1: and the Lord Mayor, court of aldermen, sheriffs, the company
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  Speaker 1: of Stationers, the Royal Academy of Arts, and a number
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  Speaker 1: of eminent merchants attended the ceremony and were elegantly treated
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  Speaker 1: at an entertainment made for that purpose. History further relates
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  Speaker 1: that they lived very happy, had several children, and died
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  Speaker 1: at a good age. Mister Whittington served as Sheriff of
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  Speaker 1: London and was three times Lord Mayor. In the last
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  Speaker 1: year of his mayoralty, he entertained King Henry the Fifth
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  Speaker 1: and his queen after his conquest of France, upon which
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  Speaker 1: occasion the King, in consideration of Whittington's merit, said, never
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  Speaker 1: had prince such a subject, which, being told to Whittington
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  Speaker 1: at the table, he replied, never had subjects such as
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  Speaker 1: a king. His Majesty, out of respect to his good character,
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  Speaker 1: conferred the honor of knighthood on him soon after. Sir Richard,
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  Speaker 1: many years before his death, constantly fed a great number
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  Speaker 1: of poor citizens, built a church and a college to it,
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  Speaker 1: with a yearly allowance for poor scholars, and near it
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  Speaker 1: erected a hospital. He also built Newgate for criminals, and
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  Speaker 1: gave liberally to Saint Bartholomew's Hospital and other public charities.
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  Speaker 1: End of the History of Whittington, recording by Scott Robbins,