THE
Noble LORDs Cruelty;
OR,
A Pattern of True LOVE.
A Pattern of true Love to you I will recite,
Between a beautiful Lady and a courteous Knight.
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DEar Love regard my Grief,
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Do not my Suit disdain,
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O yield me some Relief,
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That am with Sorrow slain:
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These seven long Years and more,
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Have I still loved thee:
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Do thou my Joys restore,
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Fair Lady pity me.
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Pity my grievous Pain,
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Long sufferd for thy Sake,
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Do not my Suit disdain,
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That no Time Rest can take:
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These seven long Years and more,
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Have I still loved thee;
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Do thou my Joys restore,
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Fair Lady pity me.
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How should I pity thee,
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This Lady then replyd,
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Thou art no Match for me,
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Thy Suit must be denyd:
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I am of noble Blood,
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You but of mean Degree,
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It stands not for my Good
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Fondly to match with thee.
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This Answer had he most,
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Which cut his Heart so deep,
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That on his Bed full oft,
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Would he lie down and weep,
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With Tears he did lament
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His froward Destiny;
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With Sighs yet would he say,
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Fair Lady pity me.
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While I live I must love,
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So Fancy urged me,
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My Mind cannot remove,
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Such is my Constancy:
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My Mind is only bent,
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Tho I of low Degree,
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Sweet Lady give Consent
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To love and pity me.
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The Lady hearing now
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The Moan that he did make,
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Did of his Suit allow,
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And thus to him she spake,
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Sir Knight, mourn thou no more,
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My Faith I plight to thee,
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May this thy Joys restore,
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Thou hast thy Wish of me.
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But first sweet Love, quoth she,
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What shift then wilt thou make
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With speed to marry me,
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And thy Delight to take;
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It were a Bargain bad,
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To get a wanton Wife,
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And lose with Sorrow great,
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Thy sweet distressed Life.
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If that my Father knew
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The Love I bear to thee,
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We both the same should rue,
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Therefore be ruld by me:
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When my Fathers in Bed,
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And all his Waiting-men,
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Through Window will I get,
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See that you meet me then.
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Content Lady, he said,
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Hes but a Cowardly Knight,
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Whom ought shall make afraid,
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To win a Lady bright.
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Thus then they went away,
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But by the Master Cook,
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Coming thro the Window wide,
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Was this fair Lady took.
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O gentle Cook, quoth she,
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Do not my Deed bewray,
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Some Favour to me shew,
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And let me pass away:
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Love that doth conquer Kings
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Forcd me to do this Deed,
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Whilst others sit and sing
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Make not my Heart to bleed.
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Not so, then said the Cook,
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Fair Lady pardon me,
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Who can this Trespass brook,
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Committed thus by thee;
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My Lord, your Father, shall
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The Matter understand,
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For false I will not be,
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Neither for House nor Land.
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Then from the Ladys Face,
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Fell down the Tears amain;
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She was in woful Case,
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And thus she made her Moan:
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Alas! my own dear Love,
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Little knowst thou my Grief,
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Great Sorrows must we prove,
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Hope yielding no Relief.
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Her Father in a Spleen,
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Lockd up his Daughter bright,
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And set forth armed Men
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To take the worthy Knight;
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Who then was judged to be
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Quite banishd from the Land
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Never his Love to see,
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So strict was the Command.
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And at the Sessions next,
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After the Knight was gone,
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To his Daughter full of Wo,
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They brought a hanged Man,
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Whose Head was smitten off,
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The Maidens Truth to prove,
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Quoth her Father, wanton Dame,
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Now take thee here thy Love.
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Her Tears fell down amain,
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When the Sight she did see,
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And sorely did complain
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Of her Fathers Cruelty;
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His Body she did wash,
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With Tears that she did shed,
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An hundred Times she kist
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His Body being dead.
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Alas my Love, she said,
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Dear hast thou paid for me,
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Oh! that in Heavens Bliss,
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My Soul were with thee;
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But whilst that I do live,
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A Vow I here do make,
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Seven long Years to live unwed
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For my true Lovers Sake.
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Her Father hearing this,
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Was grieved inwardly,
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He pardond her amiss,
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And praisd her Constancy,
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And to this courteous Knight,
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Her Father did her wed:
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God grant the like Success,
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Where perfect Love is bred.
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