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EBBA 31671

University of Glasgow Library - Euing
Ballad XSLT Template
The Merchants Daughter of Bristow.
The Tune is, the Maidens joy.

BEhold the Touchstone of true Love,
Maudlin the Merchants daughter of Bristow Town,
Whose firm affection nothing could move,
[This] favor bears the lovely [bro]w[n.]]
A gallant youth was dwelling by,
Which many years had born this maiden great good will
She loved him so faithfully,
But all her friends withstood it still,
The young man now perceiving well,
He could not get nor win the favour of her friends,
The force of sorrows to expell.
To view strange Countreys he intends,
And now to take his last farewell,
Of his true love his fair and constant Maudlin,
With Musick sweet that did excell,
He plaid under her window then.
Farewell quoth he my own true Love,
Farewell my dear and chiefest Treasure of my heart,
Through fortunes spight that false did prove,
I am inforcd from thee to part,
Into the Land of Italy,
There will I wail and weary out my life in wo,
Seing my true Love is kept from me
I hold my life a mortal foe.
Fair Bristow Town therefore adiew,
For Padua shall be my habitation now,
Although my Love doth rest in thee.
To whom alone my heart I vow,
With trikling tear thus did he sing.
With sighs and sobs discending from his heart full sore
He said when he his hands did wring,
Farewell sweet Love for evermore.
Fair Maudlin from a window high,
Beholding her true Love with Musick where he stood.
But not a word she durst reply.
Fearing her Parents angry mood.
In tears she spent that woful night,
Wishing her self though naked with her faithfull Friend
She blams her friends and fortunes spight.
That wrought her love such luckless end.
And in her heart she made a vow,
Clean to forsake her country and her kindred all,
And for to follow her true love,
To abide all chance that might befall.
The night is gone and the day is come.
And in the morning very early did she rise,
She gets her down into a lower Room,
Where sundry Sea-men she espyes,
A gallant Master among them all.
The Master of a great and goodly ship was he,
Who there was waiting in the Hall,
To speak with her father if it might be,
She kindly takes him by the hand,
Good sir said she and would you speak with any here.
Quoth he, fair Maid, therefore I do stand,
Then gentle sir I pray draw neer.
Into a pleasant parlor by,
With hand in hand she brings the Sea-men all alone
Sighing to him most piteously
She thus to him did make her moan,
She falls upon her tender knee
Good sir said she now pitty you a womans wo
And prove a faithfull friend to me.
That I to you my grief may show,
Sith you repose your trust he said,
In me who am unknown & eke a stranger here,
Be ye assurd most proper maid,
Most faithfull still I will appear,
I have a brother then, quoth she,
Whom as my life I love and favour tenderly.
In Padua alas is he,
Full sick God wot and like to dye.
Full fain I would my brother see,
But that my Father will not yield to let me go,
Therefore good sir be good to me,
And unto me this favour show;
Some ship boyes garment bring to mr,
That I disguisd may go unknown,
And unto sea Ile go with thee.
If this much favour might be shown,
Fair maid quoth he take here my hand,
I will fulfill each thing that you desire,
And set you safe In that same Land.
And in that place that you require.
She gave to him a tender kiss,
And saith to him your servant Master will I be,
And prove your faithfall friend for this,
Sweet master then forget not me,

This done as they had both agreed,
Soon after that before the break of day,
He brings her garments then with speed,
[Therein her] self she did arr[a]y,
And ere her Father did arise,
She meets her Master as he walked in the hall,
She did attend on him likewise,
Untill her Father did him c[a]ll,
But ere the Merchant made an end,
Of all his weighty matters he had then to say.
His wife came weeping in with speed,
Saying our Daughters gone away,
The Merchant then amazd in mind,
Yonder vile wretch away inticd my child quoth she,
But I well wot I shall him find
At Padua in Italy
With that bespake their master brave
Worshipfull merchant thither goes this pretty youth
And any thing that you would crave
He will perform and write the truth,
Sweet youth quoth he if it beso
Bear me a letter to the English Merchant there
And gold on thee I will bestow
My daughters welfare I do fear.
Her mother took her by the hand
Fair youth quoth she if ere thou dost my daughter see
Let me therefore soon understand
And there is twenty crowns for thee,
Thus through the daughters strange disguise
The mother knew not when she spake unto her child
And after her master streight she hyes.
Taking her leave with countenance mild,
Thus to the Sea fair Maudlin is gone,
with her gentle master Godsend them a merry wind
Where we a while must let them alone
Till you the second part do find.

WElcome sweet Maudlin from the Seas,
Where bitter storms and tempests do arise
The pleasant banks of Italy
You may behold with mortal eyes.
Thanks gentle master then said she,
A faithful friend in sorrow thou hast been,
If fortune once do smile on me
My gentle heart shall soon be seen.
Blest be the land that feeds my love
Blest be the place whereas his person doth abide
Not real will I stick to prove
Whereby my true love may be trid,
Now will I walk with joyfull heart
To view the town whereas my darling doth remain
And seek him out in every part,
Untill his sight I do obtain.
And I quoth he will not forsake.
Sweet Maudlin in her sorrows up and down
In wealth or wo thy part Ile take,
And bring thee safe to Padua town
And after many weary steps
In Padua they safe arrivd at the last
For very joy her heart it leaps
She thinks not on her sorrows past
Condemnd to die he was alas
Except he would from his Religion turn,
But rather than he would to masse
In fiery flames he vowd to burn.
Now doth sweet Maudlin weep and wail,
Her joy is turnd to weeping sorrow grief & care,
For nothing could her plaints prevail,
For death alone must be his share,
She walks under the prison walls
Where her true love did lie & languish in distresse,
When wofully for food he calls
When hunger did his heart oppresse.
He sighs and sobs and makes great moan,
Farewell sweet love for evermore.
And all my friends that have me known,
In Bristow town with wealth and store,
But most of all farewell quoth he
My own sweet Maudlin whom I left behind
For never more thou shalt me see,
Wo to thy Father most unkind,
How well were I if thou were here
with thy fair hands to close these my wretched foes
My torments easie would appear
My soul with joy should scale the Skies.
When Maudlin heard her Lovers moan.
her eyes with tears, her heart with sorrow filled was

To speak with him no means was k[nown]
Such grievous doom on him did p[asse.]
Then she put off her lads attire
Her maidens weed upon her bac[k she seemly set]
To the J[u]dges h[ouse she did inquire.]
And there she did a [service get]
She did her duty th[ere so well]
And eke so prudently [she did herself behave]
With her in love he[r master fell,]
His servants favour [he doth crave,]
Maudlin quoth he m[y hearts delight,]
[T]o whom my heart [in affection is tied,]
Breed not my death [through thy despight,]
A faithful friend tho[u shalt me find]
O grant me thy lov[e fair maid quoth he]
And at my hands [desire what thou canst devise]
And I will [gr]ant [it unto thee]
Whereby t[hy c]re[dit may arise.]
I have a b[rother sir said she]
For his re[ligion is now condemnd to dye,]
In loathso[me prison he is cast]
Opprest [with grief and misery]
Grant me [my brothers life she said]
And now t[o you my love and liking wil I give]
That may [not be quoth he fair maid]
Except he turn he cannot live
An English Fryer there is she said
Of learning great and assing pure [of life]
Let him to my brother be sent
And he wil finish soon their strife.
Her master granted her request
The Mariner in Friars weed she [did array]
And to her love that lay distrest
She did a letter soon convey
When he had read these gentle lin[es]
His heart was ravished with pres[ent joy]
Where now she is full well he kn[ew]
The Fryar likewise was not coy.
But did declare to him at large
The enterprize his love for him h[ad taken in hand]
The young man did the Fryar cha[rge]
Her love should straight depart th[e land]
here is no place for her he said,
But wofull death and danger of h[er life,]
Professing truth I was betraid
And fearfull flames must end the [strife.]
For ere I will my faith deny
And swear myself to follow dam[ned anti-christ]
Ile yeeld my body for to die,
To live in heaven with the High[est]
O sir the gentle Frier said
A woful match quoth he is a mu[?]
Where Christ is left to wina wif[e]
When she had usd all means she [might]
To save his life and yet all would [not be,]
Then of the judge she claimd her [right]
To die the death as well as he,
When no preswasion could preva[il]
Nor change her mind in any th[ing that she had said]
She was with him condemnd [to dye]
and for them both one fire was m[ade.]
Yea arm in arm most joyfully
These lovers twain unto the fire [did go]
The Mariner most faithfully
Was likewise partner of this wo[.]
But when the judges understoo[d]
The faithfull friendship did in the[m remain]
They savd their lives and after[wards]
To England sent them back aga[in]
Now was their sorrow turnd to[joy]
And faithful lovers have their h[erts desire]
Their pains so well they did im[ploy]
God granted that they did desire.
And when they did to England [come]
And in merry Bristow arrivd at [the last]
Great joy there was to all and so[me]
That heard the dangers they had [past]
Her father he was dead God wo[t]
And eke her mother was joyfull [at her sight]
Their wishes she denied not.
But wedded them to hearts delig[t.]
Her gentle master she desired.
To be her father and at church [to give her then]
It was fulfilled as she requird,
Unto the joyes of all good men.


FINIS.

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