tone lies Whittington,
Sir Richard rightly named;
Who three times Lord Mayor served in London,
In which he ne'er was blamed.

He rose from indigence to wealth
By industry and that;
For lo! he scorned to gain by stealth
What he got by a cat.

Let none who reads this verse despair
Of providences ways;
Who trust in him he'll make his care,
And prosper all their days.

Then sing a requiem to departed merit,
And rest in peace till death demands his spirit."--

_Life of Sir R. Whittington_, by the author of _Memoirs of George
Barnwell_, 1811, p. 106.

* * * * *

LIST OF VERSIONS, EDITIONS, &c.

1604-5, Feb. 8. Play licensed, see _ante_, p. vii.

1605, July 16. Ballad licensed, see _ante_, p. vii.

1612. Johnson's Ballad published in _Crowne Garland of Goulden
Roses_, see _ante_, p. ix.

1641? Roxburghe Ballad ("London's Glory"), see _ante_, p. xiv.

1670? Famous and Remarkable History by T. H., reprinted in this
volume (see p. 1).

1678. Another edition with the same title as the above (see p. 1),
but with the following imprint:

"London: Printed by A. P. and T. H. for T. Vere and J. Wright, and
are to be sold at their shops at the Angel without Newgate and at
the Crown on Ludgate Hill. 1678."

There are a few alterations in spelling, &c. but otherwise it is
the same as the earlier edition.

1730. The History of Sir Richard Whittington, thrice Lord Mayor of
London. Durham: Printed and sold by I. Lane.

This is the earliest version of the common chap-book tale in the
British Museum. It is divided into chapters, and the headings of
these chapters are given at p. xxx. of the present preface. All the
other chap-books that I have seen are more or less versions of this
story, but one of the most complete is that printed in this
Introduction (p. xxxii.) The book was printed in most of the chief
towns, as Newcastle, Edinburgh, &c. but one of the most interesting
editions is that printed at York and illustrated by Bewick:--

The History of Whittington and his Cat; how from a poor country boy
destitute of parents or relatives he attained great riches and was
promoted to the high and honorable dignity of Lord Mayor of London.
York: Print