An Excellent Ballad of Patient Grissel.
To the Tune of, The Brides Good-Morrow.
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A Noble Marquess
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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 a 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 plea[s]ant voyce melodiously,
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which set the Lords heart on fire:
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The more he lovd 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 [w]ith speed,
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Godspeed quoth he thou famous flo[w]er,
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Fair Mistris of this homely Bower,
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Where Love and Vertue,
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d[w]els [w]ith sweet content,
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With comely gesture
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And modest mild behaviour,
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she bod him welcome then,
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She entertained him,
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[I]n faithful friendly manner,
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an[d] all [h]is Gentlemen:
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The Noble Marquess,
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In[]s he[a]rt felt such a flame,
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w[h]ich s[e]t his sences at strife,
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Quoth he fair Maiden,
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Show 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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A silly Maiden,
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and of Parents poor:
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Nay Grisel thou art rich he said,
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A vertuous, 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 to 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 tired in the same,
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her beauty shined most bright,
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Far staining every
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Other fair and Princely Dame,
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that did appear in her ss[ig]ht.
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Many envying 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 s[t]rife did raise:
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Some said this, and same said that,
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And some did call her beggers brat
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And to her Lord
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they would her oft despise.
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O noble Marquess
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Quoth they why dost thou wrong us
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thus basely for 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 shall hereafter be born,
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That are of blood so base,
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Born by the mothers side,
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the which will bring them in scorn.
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Put her therefore quite away,
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And take to you a Lady gay,
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Wherein your Lineage
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may renowned be
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Thus every da[y] they seemed to prate,
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That maliced Grissels good estate.
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Who all this while
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took it most patiently.
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When [t]hat the Marquess
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Did see that the[y] were bent thus,
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against his faithful wife,
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Whom he most dearl[y],
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Tenderly and intirely,
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he loved as his life,
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Minding in secret
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for to prove her patient heart.
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Thereby her foes 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 pitty her case,
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Great with child this Lady was,
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And at 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 a Daughter God had sent:
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Which did their Mother well content,
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And which [d]id make
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their Fathers heart full glad.
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Great Royal [F]easting
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Was at these childrens Christening,
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and Princely tryumph made.
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Six weeks together
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All Nobles that came thither,
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were entertaind and staid,
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And when that all this pleasant
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Sporting quite was done,
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the Marquess a Messenger sent,
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For his young Daughter
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And his pretty smiling Son,
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d[e]claring his full intent.
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How [t]hat the babes must murdered be
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For so the Marquess did decree.
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Come let me have
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t[h]e Chi[l]dren then he said,
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With that fair Grissel wept full sore,
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She wrung her hands & said no more,
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My Gra[c]ious Lord
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must have his will obeyd.
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The second part to the same Tune.
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SHe took the Babies,
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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 mihht ease their harms.
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Farwel, farwel,
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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 most 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 dye,
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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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And to his Noble master,
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he bore them then 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 in deed.
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Then to fair Grissel
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With a heavy heart he goes.
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where she sate mildly all alone,
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A pleasant gesture,
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And a lovely look she shaws,
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as if no grief she had 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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S[w]eet Grissel now,
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declare thy mind to me,
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Sith you my Lord are pleas[e]d 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 murmer,
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Fair Grissel at thy honour
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and I no joy can have,
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Till thou be banisht
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Both from my court and presence
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as they uniustly 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 gray,
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Instead of biss and purest pall,
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now all thy clothing must be
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My Lady thou must be no more,
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Nor I thy Lord which grieves me sore
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The poorest life
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must now content thy mind,
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A groat to thee I must not give,
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Thee to maintain whilst 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 tydings,
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the tears stood in her eys,
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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 kirtle of silk with the same,
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Her Russet Gown
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was brought again with many a 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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And ready was to part away,
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God send long life
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unto my Lord quoth she.
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Let no offence be found in this,
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To give me Lord a parting kiss
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With watry Eys
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farewel my Dear said she.
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From Princely Pallace,
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Unto her fathers Cotta[g]e,
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poor Grissel now is gone,
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Full sixteen winters,
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She lived there contented
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no wrong she thought upon,
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And at that time through
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All the Land the speeches went
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the Marquess should married be.
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Unto a Noble Lady great
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And of high Descent
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and to the same all Parties did a[g]ree,
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The Marquess sent for Grissel fair
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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 tryed,
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Grissel was charged,
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Herself in friendly manner
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for to attend the bride,
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Most willing
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She gave consent to do the same
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the bride in bravery was drest,
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And presently
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The Noble Marquess 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 waxed wondorous coy,
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With that they all began to smile,
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And Grissel she replyd the white
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God send Lord Marquess
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many years of joy.
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The Marquess 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 the 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 blessing crave,
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her brother as well as she,
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And you that envyed 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 vertu[o]us life,
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The Chronicles of lasting Fame.
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Shall ever more extoll the name,
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Of patient Grissel
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my most constant wife:
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