An Excellent BALLAD
OF THE
Noble Marquis and Patient Grissel.
To the Tune of The Brides Good-morrow.
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A Noble Marquis,
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As he did ride a hunting,
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Hard by a Forrest-side
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A fair and comely Maiden:
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As she did sit a spinning,
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his gentle Eye espied
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Most fair and lovely,
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And of comely Grace was she.
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although in simple attire,
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She sung full sweetly
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With pleasant voice and melodiously
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which set the Lords heart on Fire.
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The more he lookt the more he might.
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Beauty bred his Hearts Delight.
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And to this Damsel
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then he went with speed,
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God speed, quoth he, thou famous Flower,
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Fair Mistress of this homely Bower
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where Love and Virtue
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dwell with sweet Content.
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With comely Gesture
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And modest mild behaviour
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She bids him welcom[e then;]
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She entertained hi[m]
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In faithful frie[ndly Manner,]
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and [all his Gentlemen:]
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Th[e noble Marquis]
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[In his Heart felt such a Flame,
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Which set his Senses all at Strife.
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Quoth he, fair Maiden,
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Shew me soon what is thy Name,
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I mean to make thee my Wife.
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Grissel is my Name, quoth she,
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Far unfit for your Degree;
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Silly Maiden
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And of Parents poor.
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Nay, Grissel thou art rich, he said,
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A virtuous, fair, and comely Maid:]
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Grant me thy Love,
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and I will ask no more,
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At length she consented,
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And being both contented,
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they married were with speed.
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Her Country Russet
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Was changed into Silk and Velvet,
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as to her state agreed,
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And when that she
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Was trimly attired in the same,
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her Beauty shined most bright,
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Far out-shining every other
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Fair and Princely Dame
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that did appear in sight.
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Many envied her therefore,
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Because she was of Parents Poor,
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and twixt her Lord and she
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Great strife did raise.
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Some said this, and some said that,
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and some did call her Beggars Brat,
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And to her Lord
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They would her oft dispraise.
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O Noble Marqis,
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Quoth they, why do you wrong us,
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thus basely her to wed?
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Who might have gotten
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An honourable Lady
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into your Princely Bed;
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Who will not now
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Your Noble Issue soon deride,
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which hereafter shall be born,
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[That art] of blood so base,
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[Born by the] Mothers side,
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[th]e which shall bring them in scorn,
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[Put] her therefore quite away,
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[An]d take to you a Lady gay
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[Wh]ereby your Linage
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[Ma]y renowned be.
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[Thus] every day they seemd to prate,
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[That] malicd Grissels good Estate,
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[Who all] this while
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[Took i]t most patiently.
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[When] that the Marquis
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[Did see] that they were thus
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[Again]st his faithful wife,
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[Whom] he most dearly,
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[Tenderl]y and intirely
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[Lovd] as his Life,
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[Minding in Sec]ret
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For to try her patient Heart,
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thereby his Foes for to disgrace,
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Thinking to shew her
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A hard discourteous Part,
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that men might pity her Case;
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Great with Child this Lady was,
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And at the last it came to pass,
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Two goodly Children
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at one Birth she had,
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A Son and Daughter God had sent,
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which did their Mother well content,
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And which did make
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their Fathers Heart full glad;
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Great Royal Feasting
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Was at the Childrens Christning,
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and Princely Triumph made
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Six weeks together.
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All Nobles that came thither
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were entertained and staid.
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And when that all the pleasant
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Sporting quite was done,
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The Marquis a messenger sent
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For his young Daughter
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And his pretty smiling Son,
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declaring his full Intent,
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How that the Babes must murdered be,
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For so the Marquis did decree.
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Come let me have
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Your Children [then] he said.
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With that Fair Grissel wept full sore,
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She wrung her hands and said no more
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My gracious Lord
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must have his Will obeyed.
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She took the babes,
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Even from the Nursing-Ladies,
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between her tender arms,
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She often wishes
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with many sorrowful kisses,
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that she might ease their harms,
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Farewel, Farewel
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A thousand times my children dear,
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never shall I see you again
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Tis long of me
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Your sad and woful Mother here
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for whose sake both must be slain.
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Had I been born of Royal Race,
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You might have livd in happy case,
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But you must die
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for my unworthiness.
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Come messenger of Death, quoth she,
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Take my dearest babes to thee,
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and to their Father
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my complaints express,
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He took the Children
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To his noble master,
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he bore them thence with speed.
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Who in secret sent them
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Unto a noble Lady,
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to be brought up indeed.
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Then to Fair Grissel
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With a heavy heart he goes,
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Where she sat mildly all alone,
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A pleasant Gesture
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and lovely look she shows
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as if no Grief shed known.
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Quoth he, My Children now are slain,
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What thinks Fair Grissel of the same?
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Sweet Grissel now
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declare thy mind to me,
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Sith you, my Lord, are pleasd with it,
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Poor Grissel thinks the action fit
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Both I and mine
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at your Command will be.
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My Nobles murmur
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Fair Grissel and at thy Honour,
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and I no Joy can have
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Tell thou be banished
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Both from my Court and Presence,
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as they unjustly crave,
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Thou must be stript
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Out of thy stately Garments all,
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and as thou camst to me.
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In homely Grey,
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Instead of Silks and purest Pall,
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now all thy Cloathing must be,
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My Lady thou must be no more,
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Nor I thy Lord, which grieveth me,
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The poorest Li[f]e
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must now content thy mind,
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A Groat to th[e]e I dare not give,
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Thee to maintain while I do live,
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against my Grissel
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such great Foes I find:
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When gentle Grissel
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Did hear these woful Tidings,
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the Tears stood in her Eyes,
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Nothing she answered.
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No words of Discontentment
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did from her Lips arise.
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Her Velvet Gown
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Most patiently she stripped off,
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her Girdle of Silk with the same;
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Her Russet Gown
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was brought again with many a bitter Scoff,
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to bear them her self she did frame,
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when she was drest in this array,
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God send long life
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unto thy Lord, quoth she,
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Let no Offence be found in this,
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To give my Lord a Parting-Kiss,
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with watery Eyes,
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Farewel my Dear, said she,
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From princely Palace
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Unto her Fathers Cottage,
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poor Grissel she is gone,
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Full fifteen Winters
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She lived there contented,
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no wrong she thought upon,
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And at this time through
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All the land the speeches went,
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the Marquis should married be
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Unto a Noble Lady
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Of high Descent,
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and to the same all parties did agree.
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The Marquis sent for Grissel
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The Brides Bed-chamber to prepare,
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That nothing therein
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might be found awry.
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The Bride was with her Brother come,
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Which was great joy to all and some;
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But Grissel took all this
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most patiently,
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And in the Morning,
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When as they should be wedded,
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Her patience there was tryd,
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Grissel was charged
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Her self in friendly manner
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for to attire the Bride,
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Most willingly
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She gave consent to do the same,
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The Bride in Brayery was drest
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And presently
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The Noble Marquis thither came,
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With all his Lords at his request,
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O Grissel, I will ask of thee,
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If to this match thou wilt agree,
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Methinks thy Looks
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are waxen wonderous coy,
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With that they all began to smile,
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And Grissel she replied the while,
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God send Lord Marquis
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many years of Joy.
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The Marquis was moved
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To see his best beloved,
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thus patient in Distress,
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He stept unto her,
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And by the Hand he took her,
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these words he did express,
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Thou art my Bride,
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And all the Brides I mean to have,
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these two thine own Children be,
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The youthful Lady
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On her Knees did pardon crave,
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Her own Brother as well as she,
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And you that envy her Estate,
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Whom I have made my chosen Mate,
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Now blush for shame.
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and honour virtuous Life,
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The Chronicles of lasting Fame,
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Shall evermore extol the Name,
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Of Patient Grissel,
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my most constant Wife.
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