An excellent Ballad of the Mercers Son of Midhurst,
And the Clothiers Daughter of Guilford.
To the Tune of, Dainty come thou to me.
|
THere was a Wealthy Man,
|
in Sussex he did dwell,
|
A Mercer by his Trade,
|
as many yet can tell:
|
He had a Youthful Son,
|
whom fancy did so move,
|
He cryed night and day,
|
Alack I dye for love.
|
Alack I dye for love,
|
beauty disdaineth me,
|
The Clothiers Daughter dear,
|
works my extremity,
|
She hath my heart in hold,
|
that did most cruel prove,
|
Thus cryed he night and day,
|
alack, etc.
|
Alack I dye for love
|
fortune so sore doth frown,
|
The Jewel of my heart,
|
dwelleth in Guilford town,
|
Their lives the Lamp of life,
|
for whom this pain I prove,
|
Fair Phillis pitty me,
|
alack, etc.
|
Alack I dye for love,
|
and can no comfort find.
|
The Clothiers Daughter dear,
|
beareth too high a mind:
|
Sweet beauties Paragon,
|
fair Venus silver Dove,
|
Fair Phillis pitty me,
|
alack, etc.
|
Alack, I dye for love,
|
while thou dost laugh and smile,
|
Let not thy pleasure be,
|
true love for to beguile,
|
My life lies in your hand,
|
then as it doth behove,
|
Slay not the Mercers Son,
|
alack, etc.
|
If that my beauty bright,
|
doth grive thy heart (quod she
|
Then let the Mercers Son,
|
turn still his face from me:
|
I do no man disdain,
|
nor can I cruel prove,
|
My heart must still say nay,
|
where my heart cannot love,
|
Where my heart cannot love,
|
lovers all must I shun,
|
The Clothiers Daughter thus
|
answered the Mercers Son,
|
I bear no lofty mind,
|
yet pitty cannot move,
|
My mind to fancy him,
|
where, etc.
|
Where my heart cannot love,
|
I must his love deny,
|
Although I laugh and smile,
|
yet falshood I defie,
|
Thou art too fond a man,
|
life danger thus a prove,
|
Ile not wed, good friend John,
|
where, etc.
|
What good can there befall,
|
to that new married wife,
|
Where goods & wealth is small
|
want causeth deadly strife,
|
But where is wealth at will,
|
experience oft doth prove,
|
Though love at first is small,
|
yet goods, etc.
|
Yet goods encreaseth love,
|
and I will never never wed,
|
But where the Key of Gold,
|
opens the door to bed,
|
For she may merry be,
|
what chance soever hap,
|
Where bags of money comes
|
tumbling within her lap,
|
Tumbling within her lap,
|
whilst she her Gold doth tell,
|
With such a husband Sir,
|
I do delight to dwell,
|
Were he young were he old,
|
deformd or fair in show.
|
My pleasure still should be,
|
where, etc.
|
Where pleasure still doth flow,
|
is that your mind (quoth he)
|
My Father will bestow:
|
as much as comes to thee:
|
Hadst thou five hundred pound,
|
five hundred more beside,
|
My father will bestow,
|
if thou, etc.
|
If though wilt be my bride,
|
thus much I understand;
|
My Father will give me,
|
his house and eke his Land,
|
So while that he doth live,
|
with us he may remain.
|
What says my heart delight,
|
ir this, etc.
|
This is a bargain plain,
|
(quoth she) I am content,
|
So he perform this thing,
|
I give thee my consent,
|
And I will merry be,
|
my mind shall not remove,
|
Thou shalt be my sweet-heart,
|
ile be thy own true love.
|
Ile be thy own true love,
|
then make no more delay,
|
I greatly long to see,
|
our marriage happy day,
|
To Midhurst in all haste,
|
goeth the Mercers Son,
|
He told his Father dear,
|
his true love he had won.
|
The old Man hearing this,
|
conveyed out of hand,
|
Assurance to his Son,
|
of all his house and Land,
|
When he had done this deed,
|
he wept most bitterly,
|
Saying my dearest Son,
|
thou must be good to me,
|
Well worth two hundred pound
|
this morning was I known,
|
But the Cloaths of my back,
|
now nothing is my own.
|
And all this I have done,
|
dear Son to pleasure thee,
|
Think on thy Fathers love,
|
and deal then well with me.
|
Dear Father quoth the Son,
|
If I do not do so
|
God pour upon my head,
|
hot vengeance grief and woe,
|
The young-man wedded was,
|
to his fair lovely bride,
|
But wondrous grief and care,
|
thereof there did betide,
|
As after you shall hear,
|
in the Old mans complaint;
|
A tale of greater grief,
|
cannot your hearts attaint,
|
A warning by this thing,
|
all men may understand,
|
Lest they do come to live,
|
under their Childrens hand.
|
|
FINIS
|
|
|
|