An excellent Ballad, Intituled, the unfor[t]unate love of a Lancashire Gentleman,
and the hard fortune of a fair young Bride. The tune is, Come follow my Love.
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LOo[k you] faithful Lovers
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[o]n my unhappy state,
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See my tears distlling,
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but powered out too late.
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And buy not foolish fancy
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at too dear a rate,
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Alack for my love I shall dye.
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My father is a Gentleman
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well known of high Degree,
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Tender of my welfare
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evermore was h[e]:
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He sought for reputation
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but ah the worse for me,
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a lack etc.
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There was a proper Maiden,
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of favour sweet and fair,
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To whom in deep aff[e]ction
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I closely did repair,
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In heart I dearly lovd her
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lo thus began my care,
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a lack etc.,
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For Nature had adornd her
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with qualities Divine,
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Prudent in her actions
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and in behaviour fine
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Upon a sweeter Creature
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the Sun did never shine
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alack etc.
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Nothing wanted in her
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but this the grief of all,
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Of birth she was but lowly
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of substance very small
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A ssimle hired servant
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and subject to each call.
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al[a]ck, etc.
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Yet she was my pleasure
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my joy and hearts delight
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More r[i]ch then any treasure,
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more preci[o]us in my sight,
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At leangth to one another
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our promise we did plight,
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alack. etc.,
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And thus unto my Fath[e]r
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the thing I did re[v]eal
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D[e]siring of his favor
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nothing I did conceal,
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But he my dear affection
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regarded never a deal
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alack. etc.
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Qd. he thou graceless fellow
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thou art my onely Heir
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And for thy own preferment
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hast thou no better care,
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To marry with a begg[e]r
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that is both poor and bear.
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alack, etc.
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I charge thee on my blessing
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thou do her sight refrain,
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And that into her commany
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you never come again.
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That you should be so married
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I take it in disdain.
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alack, etc.,
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Is there so many Gentlemen
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of worshipfull Degree
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That have most honest daughters
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of beaute fair and free,
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& can none but a beggers brat
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content and pleasure thee,
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alack, etc.
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By God y made all creatures
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this vow to thee I make
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If thou do not this Begger
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refuse and quite forsake
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From thee thy du inheritance
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I wholly mean to take,
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alack, etc.
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These his bitter speeches
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did sore torment my mind
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Knowing well how greatly
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he was to wrath inclind
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My heart was slain with sorrow
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no comfort I could finde.
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alack etc.
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Then did I write a Letter
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and send it to my Dear
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Wherein my first affection
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a[l]l changed did app[e]ar,
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which from her fair eyes forced
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they pearled water clear
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alack etc.
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For grief unto the Messenger,
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one word she could not speak
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Those doleful heavy tydings
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her gentle heart did break.
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yet sought not by her speeches
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on me her heart to wreak
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alack etc.
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This deed within my conscience
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tormented me full sore
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To th[i]nk upon the promise
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I made her long before.
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And for the true performance
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how I most deeply swore.
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alack etc.
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I could not be in quiet
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till I to here did go
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Who for my sake remained
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in deadly care and woe
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And unto her in secret
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my full intent to show,
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alack etc.
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My sight rejoyced greatly
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her sad perplexed heart
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From both her eys on suddain
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the trickled tears did start.
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And in each others bosome
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we breathed out our smart,
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alack etc.
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Unknown unto my Father
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or any friends besides.
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Our selves we closely married
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she was my onely Bride
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Yet still within her service
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I caused her to abide,
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alack etc.
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But never had two Lovers
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more sorrow care and grief
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No means in our extremity
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we found for our relief
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And now what farther hapned
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here followeth in brief,
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alack etc.,
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NOw you Loyal Lovers
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attend unto the rest,
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See b[y] secret marriage
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how sore I am opprest,
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For why my full misfortune
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herein shall be exprest,
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alack for my love shall I die.
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My father came unto me
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upon a certain day.
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And with a merry countenance
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these words to me did say
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My son quoth he come hither,
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and mark what I shall say
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alack etc.,
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Seeing you are disposed
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to lead a wedded life
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I have unto thy credi[t],
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provided thee a wife,
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where thou maist liv delightful
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without all care and strife
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alack etc.
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Master Senocks Daughter
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most beautifull & wise
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Three hundred pound her portion
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may well thy mind suffice,
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And by her friends & kindred
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thou maist to credit rise
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alack, etc.
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This is my son undoubted
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a match for thee most meet,
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She is a proper Maiden
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most delicate and sweet
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Go wo her then and wed her
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I shal rejoyce to seet,
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alack, etc.
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Her friends and I have talked
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and thereon have agreed,
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Then be not thou abashed
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but speedily proceed.
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Thou shalt be en[t]ert[a]ined
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and have no doubt to speed.
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alack etc.
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O pardon me dear Father,
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with bashfull look he said,
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To en[t]er into marriage,
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I sorely am affraid,
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a single life is lovely
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therein my mind is staid,
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alack etc.
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When he heard my speeches
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his anger did arise
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He drove me from his presence
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my sight he did despise,
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And straight to di[s]inherit me
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all means he did devise.
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alack etc.
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When I myself perceived
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in that ill case to stand,
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Most lewdly I consented
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unto his fond demand
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And married with the other
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and all to save my Land:
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alack etc.
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And at this haplesse marriage
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great cost my friends did keep
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They spared not their Poultry
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their oxen nor their sheep
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Whilst joyfully they danced
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I did in corner weep.
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alack etc.
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My conscience was tormented
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which did my joyes dep[r]ive
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Yet for to hide ym sorrow
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my thoughts did alwaies strive
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Quoth I what shame wil it be
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to have two wives alive,
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alack etc.
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O my sweet Margaret
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I did in sorrow say
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Thou knowst not in thy service
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of this my marriage day,
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Though here my body resteth
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with thee my heart doth stay
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alack etc.
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And in my meditation
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came in my lovly Bride
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With chains and jewels trimd
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and si[l]ken Robes beside,
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Saying w[h]y doth my true love
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so sadly here abide
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alack etc.
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Yea tweenty lovely kisses
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she did on me bestow
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And forth abread awalking
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this lovely M[a]id did go
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Yea arm in arm most friendly
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with him that was her Fo
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alack etc.
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But when that I had brought her
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where no body was near
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I imbrace her most faisly,
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with a most feighned che[e]r
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Unto the heart I stabbed
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this Maiden fair and clear
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alack etc.
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My self in wofull manner
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I wounded with a knife,
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And laid my self down by her
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by this my married wife
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And said that Thieves to rob us
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had wrought this deadly strife
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alack etc.
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Great wailing & great sorrow
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was then upon each side
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In woful sort they buried
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this fair and comely bride
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And my dissimulation,
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in this was quickly tryd,
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alack etc.
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And for this cruel murder
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to death that I am brought
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For this my aged Father
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did end his days in tuought,
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My Mergaret at these tidings,
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her own destrution wrought,
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alack etc.
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Lo here the doleful peril
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blind fancy brought me in
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And mark what care & sorrow
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forcd marriage doth bring
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All men by me be warned
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and Lord forgive my sin.
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alack etc.
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