honour thy fame and heaven thy felicity. These (Reader) be good
documents for thee to follow, and I am now to present thee with a
worthy president to imitate; observe his beginning, forget not the
middle passage of his life, and thou wilt no question crown his head. He
that made all things of nothing can of a little make much, and multiply
a mite into a magazine, as will easily appear by the succeeding history.

This Richard Whittington was so obscurely born that he could scarcely
give account of his parents or kindred, and being almost starved in the
country, necessity compelled him up to London, hoping to find more
charity in the town than in the country: to beg he was ashamed, to steal
he did abhor: two days he spent in gaping upon the shops and gazing upon
the buildings feeding his eyes but starving his stomach. At length meer
faintness compell'd him to rest himself upon a bench before a merchant's
gate, where he not long sat but the owner of the house having occasion
of business into the town finding him a poor simple fellow, and thinking
that he had no more within him than appeared without, demanded of him
why he loytered there, and being able to work for his living did not
apply himself unto some lawful calling, threatning him at the first with
the stocks and the whipping-post; but the poor man, after the making of
some plain leggs and courtesie, desired him to pardon him, and told him
that he was a dejected man, who desired any imployment, and that no
pains how mean or course (_sic_) soever could seem tedious or
burthensome unto him, so he might but find some good master, by whose
charity he might relieve his present necessity: for his great ambition
was but to keep his body from nakedness and his stomach from hunger,
and told him withal how long it was since he had tasted meat or drink.

The worthy merchant seeing him of a personable body, and an ingenious
aspect howsoever both were clouded under a rustick habit, began somewhat
to commiserate his estate, and knocking for a servant had him take in
that fellow and give him such victuals as the house for the present
afforded, and at his return he would have further conference with him.
The servant did as he was commanded and took him in.

The merchant went then to the Exchange, which was then in Lumber Street,
about his affairs; in which intrim (_sic_) poor Whittington was hied
into the kitchin to warm himself, for faintness by reason of hunger and
cold (for it w