The Broken CONTRACT,
Or, The Betrayd Virgins Complaint.
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PART. I.
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YOU maidens all I pray give ear,
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Unto my sad downfall which I declare,
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Of parentage I am,
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Nigh to a gentleman.
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As some now witness can the date of year,
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At fourteen years of age with grief I tell,
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Many a young man lovd me very well,
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I being childish and young,
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I believd a flattering-tongue,
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And fixd my mind upon a brisk young man.
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He said if Id not yield with him to dwell,
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He would go hang himself what eer befel,
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He wrung and tore his hair,
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And solemnly did swear,
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His sword should end his care, before me then.
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But hearing what he said grieved me so,
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I took him for my friend and not my foe,
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Young man said I forbear,
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And p[r]ay let go your hair,
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Ill ease you of your care and be your bride.
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O how he jumpd for joy before me then,
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My love, my only dear happys the man,
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He kindly me embracd,
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And hung about my waist.
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And then my love I placd on this young man.
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For two months space or more he courted me,
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And swore without my love he was not free;
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He let me take no rest,
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I must sleep on his breast,
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And then my love I placd most desperately.
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The appointed day we set for to be wed,
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But first of all he stole my maidenhead,
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My parents did not know,
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I lovd this young man so,
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Which provd my overthrow and ruin quite.
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When I with child did prove and h[i]m had told,
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He called me twenty whores brazen and bold,
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I know you not said he,
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So pray be gone from me,
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Which provd my misery, my love grew cold.
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I was ashamd to stay where I was known,
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So straitway I did go from my own home,
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Then wanderd up and down,
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From sea port town to town,
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Till I in travail fell down on the highway.
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Then taken up I was by women kind,
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Whose friendship to show nature did bind,
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Deliverd then I were,
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Of two fine babies there,
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Which caused me much care, be warnd by me,
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PART. II.
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WAS ever damsel so unfortunate,
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As I have been? so I my grief is great,
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No comfort can I find,
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To ease my troubled mind,
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Since he is so unkind that ruind me.
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My friends and parents dear, I left,
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To wander up and down sadly bereft,
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Of joy and comfort too,
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False man farewell, adieu!
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In troubles now I rue my unhappy state.
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My infants now being born as I have told,
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I then endur[]d the scorns of young and old,
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For they did deride me,
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In my sad misery,
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No comfort could I see to ease my care.
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Then with my loving son and daughter dear,
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I went unto my love when I came there,
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With dismal heaviness,
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These words I did express,
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I pray my wrongs redress and pity me.
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I laid before him then my grief and care,
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And likewise told him when with sad despair,
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I wander to and fro
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In my sad pain and woe,
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And knew not where to go and ease my care.
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I told him I had no place of abode,
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But travelld to and fro in the high road.
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I did in travail fall.
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My sorrow was not small,
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Having no friend at all to succour me.
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These infants at my breast by you I have,
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And were they but rich drest would be as brave,
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As eer the sun shone on,
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Then hear my piteous moan,
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And for their sakes alone, love pity me.
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When I had ended this sad mournful tale,
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With a most bitter curse he then did rail,
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Striking me such a blow,
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As laid me sprawling low,
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With grief my eyes did flow, with briny tears.
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My little infants cryd when I was down,
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Here was my patience movd for in the town,
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That night I must not stay
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But was compelld away,
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I knew not what to say, but wept amain.
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In the town where he livd I was not known,
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Therefore their rage I felt, for he alone,
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Hird near a hundred more,
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Who did abuse me sore,
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Never was a soul before used like me,
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They drove me out of town no friend I saw,
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My former bed of down was changd to straw,
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The infants at my side.
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With bitter bruises cryd,
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And the next day they dyd tho to my grief.
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Sweet tender virgins young take heed I pray,
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Let not deluding tongue steal you away,
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Lest you my grief behold,
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Which have been manifold,
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Hot love is soonest cold. be ruld by me.
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The mournful Answer to the Betrayd Virgin.
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AS he was on his bed the self the same night,
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Strange things run in his head did him afright
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He dreamd his love he see,
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In sad extremity,
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So the next morning he bitterly cryd.
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I am the wretched man who broke my vows,
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No living mortal can pity me now,
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Bathd in tears I lie,
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Accusd of perjury,
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Oh! whither must I fly to ease my grief.
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No youthful lady fair, or beauty bright,
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Could with my love compare tho I did slight,
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Her lamentation so,
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Causing her overthrow,
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In bitter grief and woe, when in distress.
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My very conscience, friends flies in my face,
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How shall I make amends for my disgrace,
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Which I did bring her to,
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When from her friends she flew,
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My troubles to renew both day and night.
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Why did I strike her down with blows severe,
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Why did I raise the town to fright my dear,
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When she her moan did make,
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For her dear infants sake.
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With grief my heart will break for what Ive done,
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Ill seek the nation round night and day,
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And if she can be found without delay,
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I will her pardon crave,
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Which if I may not have,
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Ill seek a silent grave, and lay me down.
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Oer hills and dales he past, thro groves he went,
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And at last he found his hearts content,
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Near to a river side,
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Where silver streams do guide,
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His love there he espyd bleeding to death.
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Close by her side he found these verses writ,
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My self did give the wound that I might quit,
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My life of care and grief,
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Since there was no relief,
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Worse than a cruel thief my love has been.
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Like one distracted then his locks he tore,
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And often kissd her lips when bathd in gore,
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Crying out as she lay,
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This is the dismal day.
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Alas what shall I say, I am the cause.
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What shall I think of this that I have done,
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Then her lips did kiss both pale and wan,
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By sorrows compassd round,
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Lying upon the ground,
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He bathd her bleeding wound with flowing tears.
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He many sighs did fetch crying amain,
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None but a cruel wretch as I have been,
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Could eer have servd thee so,
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For to my grief I know,
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I wrought thy overthrow and ruind thee.
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Has death no fatal dart that he can give,
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To pierce my cruel heart why should I live,
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Why should I here remain,
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Since my true love is slain,
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Oh! ease me of my pain, and let me die.
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Ill go the nearest way to find my dear,
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I will no longer stay to languish here,
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This said his sword he drew,
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And run his body through,
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And bid this world adieu as down he went.
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You perjurd lovers all take notice pray,
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See you a conscience make, and dont betray,
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Any poor harmless love,
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Least you their ruin prove,
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For theres a God above will find you out.
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