MAUDLIN,
The Merchants Daughter of Bristol. There is one Passage in this Song much carpd at, and
that is the Time Maudlins Lover lay under Condemnation, but you may remark that People lie
many Years in the Inquisition Prisons. But there is another Objection I cannot so readily answer
which is the Mercy shewn by the Judges, since we have not another Instance extant.
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BEhold the Touch-stone of true Love.
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Maudlin, the Merchants Daughter of Bri-stol Town.
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Whose firm Affections nought could move,
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Her Favour bears the lovely Brown.
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A gallant Youth was dwelling by,
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Who long had borne this Maid Good-will.
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She loved him most faithfully,
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But all her Friends withstood it still.
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The young Man now perceiving well,
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He could not get the Favour of her Friends.
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His Force of Sorrow to expell.
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And to view strange Countries he intends,
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And no[w] to take his last Farewell,
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Of his true Love, and constant Maudlin.
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With Musick sweet that did excell.
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He playd under her Window then.
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Farewell, quoth he, my own true Love,
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Farewell the chiefest Delight of my Heart.
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Thro Fortunes spight that false did prove.
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I am forced from thee to part.
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Into the Land of fair Italy
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here will I weary out my Life in Woe.
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Seeing my true Love is kept from me,
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I hold my Love a Mortal Foe.
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Fair Bristol Town therefore adieu.
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For Padua shall be my Habitation now.
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Altho my Love doth rest in thee,
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Unto whom alone my Heart I vow.
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With trickling tears thus he did sing,
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Sighs and Sobs coming from his heart full sore.
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He said when he his hands did wring,
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Farewell sweet Love for evermore.
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Fair Maudlin from a Window high
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Saw her true Love where he lamenting stood,
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But not a Word did she reply.
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Fearing her Parents angry Mood.
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In tears she spent that woful Night
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Wishing herself tho naked with her Friend.
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She blames her Friends and Fortunes spight.
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That wrought her Love such luckless End.
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And in her Heart she made a Vow
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To forsake her Country and Kindred all.
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And for to follow her own true Love,
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To abide all Chance that might befall.
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The Night is gone, and the Day is come.
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And in the Morning early did she arise.
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She gets down in the lower Room,
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Where sundry Seamen she espies.
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A gallant Master among them all,
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The Master of a goodly Ship was he,
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Who were then waiting in the Hall,
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To speak with her Father if it might be.
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She kindly takes him by the Hand.
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Good Sir, would you speak with any here?
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Quoth he, fair Maid, for that I stand.
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Then gentle Sir I pray draw near.
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Into a pleasant Parlour by,
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Hand-in-hand she brings the Seaman along.
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Sighing to him most piteously,
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She thus to him did make her Moan.
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She falls upon her bended Knee,
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Good Sir, said she, pity a Womans Moan.
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And prove a faithful Friend to me,
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That I to you my Grief may show.
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Sir you repose your trust, he said.
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In me unknown and eke a Stranger here.
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Be you assured, most proper Maid,
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Most faithful still I will appear.
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I have a Brother then quoth she,
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Whom as my Life I love most tenderly
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In Padua alas! is he,
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full sick God-wot and like to die.
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Full fain I would my Brother see,
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But my Father will not let me go,
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Therefore good Sir be kind to me.
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And unto me this Favour show,
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Some Ship-Boys Garments bring to me,
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That I disguisd may go unknown.
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And unto Sea Ill go with thee.
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If thus much Favour might be shown.
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Fair Maid, quoth he, take here my Hand.
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I will fulfill each thing that you desire.
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And see you safe in that same Land.
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And in the Place that you require.
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She gave to him a tender Kiss,
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And said your Servant I will be:
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And prove your faithful Friend for this,
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Sweet Master then forget not me.
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This done, as they had both agreed,
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Soon after that by Break of Day.
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He brings her Garments then with speed,
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Therein herself she did array.
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And eer her Father did arise.
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She meets her Master walking in the Hall.
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She did attend on him likewise,
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Until her Father did him call.
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But here the Merchant made an End
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Of these his weighty Matters all.
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His Wife came weeping in with speed,
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Crying our Daughters gone away.
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The Father then amazd in Mind,
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Yonder vile Rogue enticd my Child away,
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But I well wot I shall him find,
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In Italy, in Padua
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With that bespoke the Master brave.
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Worshipful Merchant thither goes this Youth
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And any thing that you will crave,
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He will perform, and write the truth.
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Sweet Youth, quoth he, if it be so,
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Bear me a Letter to the English there.
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And Gold on thee I will bestow,
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My Daughters Welfare I do fear.
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Her Mother took her by the hand,
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Fair Youth if thou dost my Daughter see.
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Let me soon thereof understand,
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And there is twenty Crowns for thee.
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Thus thro the Daughters strange Disguise.
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Her Mother knew not when she spoke to her.
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So after the Master strait she hies,
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Taking her Leave with Countenance mild.
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Thus to the Sea sweet Maudlin is gone,
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With her Master God send a fair Wind.
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Where we awhile must leave them alone,
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Till you the second Part do find.
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WElcome sweet Maudlin, from the Seas,
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Where bitter storms and tempests rise.
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The pleasant Banks of Italy.
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You may behold with Mortal Eye.
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Thanks gentle Master then said she,
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A faithful Friend in Sorrow thou hast been.
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If Fortune once doth smile on me,
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My Gratitude shall soon be seen.
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Blessd be the Land that feeds my Love,
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Blessd be the Place where he doth abide.
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No Trial I will stick to prove,
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Whereby my true Love may be tryd.
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Now I will walk with a joyful Heart,
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To view the Town whereat he doth remain.
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And seek him out in e[v]ery Part,
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Until his Sight I do obtain.
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And I quoth he will not forsake
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Sweet Maudlin in her troubles up and down,
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In Wealth or Woe thy Part Ill take,
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And bring thee safe to Padua Town.
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And after many weary Steps,
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In Padua they arrivd at last.
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For very Joy her Heart did leap,
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Forgetting all the Sorrows past.
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Condemnd he was to die, alas!
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Except he would his Religion turn.
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But rather than he would go to Mass,
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In fiery Flames he vowd to burn.
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Now doth sweet Maudlin weep and wail.
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Her Joy is turnd to Grief and Care.
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For nothing could her Plaints relieve,
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Since Death alone must be her Share.
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She walks under the Prison-walls,
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Where her Love languishd in Distress.
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Then wofully for Bread he calls,
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When hunger did his heart oppress
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He sighs and sobs and makes great Moan,
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Farewell Sweetheart for evermore.
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And all my Friends that have me known,
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In Bristol Town with wealth and store.
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But most of all, farewell said he,
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My own sweet Maudlin whom I left behind,
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For never more thou wilt me see,
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Woe to thy Father most unkind,
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How well should I be if you was here,
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With thy fair Hands to close my Eyes,
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My torments easy would appear
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My Soul with Joy would scale the Skies.
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When Maudlin heard her Lovers Moan,
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Her Eyes with tears soon filled was
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To speak with him no Means were found,
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Such grievous Doom on him did pass.
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Then she put off her Lads Attire,
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Her Maidens Weeds upon her seemly sat.
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At the Judges House she did enquire.
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And there she did a Service get.
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She did her Duty there so well,
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And so well she did behave.
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With her in Love her Master fell,
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His Servants Favour he doth crave.
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Maudlin, quoth he, my Hearts Delight,
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To whom my Heart is so inclind.
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Breed not my Death thro thy Despight,
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A faithful Friend thou shalt me find
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Grant me thy Love, fair Maid, quoth he,
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And then desire what thou canst desire.
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And I will grant it unto thee,
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Whereby thy Credit may arise.
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I have a Brother Sir said she,
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For his Religion is condemnd to die,
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In loathsome Prison he is cast.
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Oppressd with Grief and Misery.
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Grant me my Brothers Life she said,
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And unto you I will my Liking give.
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That may not be, fair Maid he said,
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Except he turn he surely cannot live.
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An English Fryar there is she said,
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Of Learning great, and passing pure of Life.
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Let him to my Brother be sent,
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And he will finish soon the Strife,
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Her Master granted her Request,
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The Mariner in Friars Weeds she did array,
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And to her Love that lay distrest,
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She soon a Letter did convey.
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When he had read these gentle Lines,
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His Heart was ravished with pleasant Joys,
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Where now she is full well he knew
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The Friar likewise was not coy.
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But did declare to him at large,
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The Enterprize his Love had taken in Hand.
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The Young-man did the Fryar charge,
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His Love should strait depart that Land.
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Here is no Place for her he said,
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But wiful Death and Danger of her Life.
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Professing Truth, I was betrayd.
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And frightful Flames must end the Strife.
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For e[]er I will my Faith deny,
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And swear to follow damned Antichrist.
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Ill yield my Body for to die.
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To live in Heaven with the Highest.
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O Sir, the gentle Friar said,
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Consent thereto, and quickly end the Strife,
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A woful Match quoth he is made,
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Where Christ is left to gain a Wife.
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When she had usd all Means she might,
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To save his Life, but all would not be,
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Then of the Judge she claimd her Right,
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To die the same Death as well as he.
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When no Persuasion would prevail.
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Nor change her Mind in what she said.
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She was with him condemnd to die,
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And for them both one Fire was made.
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Yea Arm in Arm most joyfully,
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These Lovers twain unto the Fire did go.
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The Mariner most faithfully
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Was likewise Partner of their Woe.
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But when the Judges understood,
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The faithfull Friendship did in them remain,
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They sav[]d their Lives, and afterwards
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To England sent them back again:
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Now was their Sorrow turnd to Joy,
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And faithful Lovers had their Hearts Desire.
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Their Pains they did employ so well,
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God granted what they did require.
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And when they did to England come.
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And in fair Bristol they arrivd at last.
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Great Joy there was to One and All,
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That heard the Dangers they had past.
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Her Father was dead, God-wot,
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Her Mother she was joyful at the Sight,
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Their Wishes then she denied not,
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But wedded them to their Heart[]s Delight,
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Her gentle Master she then desired
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To be her Father and at Church give her then.
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It was fulfilled as she required
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Unto the Joy of all good honest Men.
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