PRIDUs FALL; or, A Warning to all English Women, by the Ex-
ample of a strange Monster born by a Merchants proud Wife at Vienna in Germany
To the Tune of All you that love good Fellows.
|
Englands fair dainty Dames,
|
See here the fall of Pride,
|
Leave Wantoness in Time,
|
That God may be your Guide,
|
I was a Dutchland Frow,
|
Shining in Beauty bright,
|
And a brave Merchants Wife,
|
In whom he took Delight.
|
All things I had at Will,
|
My Heart could wish or crave,
|
My Diet, dainty fair,
|
My Garments rich and brave.
|
No Wife in Germany,
|
Where I in Pleasure dwell,
|
For Golden bravery,
|
My Person could excell.
|
My Coaches richly wrought,
|
And deckd with Pearl and Gold,
|
Carried me up and down,
|
Whereto my Fancy would.
|
The Earth I deemd too base,
|
My Feet to tread upon;
|
My blooming Crimson Cheeks,
|
Felt neither Wind nor Sun,
|
My Beauty made me think,
|
Myself an Angel bright,
|
Framed of heavenly Mould,
|
And not an earthly Wight,
|
For my Souls Happiness,
|
Gods Holy Bible Book;
|
I had my Looking-glass
|
Where I most pleasure took,
|
There was no Fashion found,
|
That might advance my Pride;
|
But in my Looking-Glass
|
My Fancy soon espyd,
|
Every vain foolish Toy,
|
Changing my wanton Mind,
|
And they best pleased me
|
That could new Fashions find.
|
Yet all these earthly Joys,
|
Yielded me small content,
|
In that Dame Nature had,
|
Neer a Child to me sent.
|
That makes my Heart to bleed,
|
For which Offence to God,
|
He therefore grievously
|
Scourged me with a Rod.
|
And in my tender Womb,
|
Of so pure Flesh and Blood,
|
Created he, strange to see,
|
A most deformed Brood.
|
That Womans wanton Pride,
|
May take Example by,
|
How they in Fashion fond,
|
Offend the Lord on high.
|
When the Babe came to light,
|
And I brought to my Bed;
|
No cost was spard that Night
|
To serve me in my Need.
|
My Nurse both youth and fair,
|
Fit for a Royal Queen,
|
Gave all Attendance here,
|
As it was daily seen,
|
Never had Merchants Wife,
|
Of Ladies such a Train.
|
That came in gentle Sort,
|
At the Hour of my Pain.
|
But when my swelling Womb,
|
Yielded up Natures due,
|
Such a strange Monster then,
|
Never Man hardly knew:
|
For it affrighted so,
|
All the whole Company,
|
That evry one said in Heart,
|
Vengeance now draweth nigh.
|
It had two Faces strange,
|
And two heads painted fair,
|
On the Brows curled Locks,
|
Such as our Wantons wear.
|
In one Hand right the Shape
|
Of a fair Looking-glass,
|
In which I took delight,
|
How my vain Beauty was,
|
Right the Shape of a Rod,
|
Scourging me for my Sin;
|
The other seemd to have
|
Perfectly seen therein.
|
These Womens Wantonness,
|
And their vain foolish Minds,
|
Neer contented are,
|
With what things God assigns.
|
Look to it London Dames,
|
God keepeth Plagues in Store;
|
And now the Second Part
|
Of this Song sheweth more.
|
|
|
|
|
PART II.
|
GRief and Care kills my Heart,
|
Where God offended is,
|
As the poor Merchants Wife,
|
Did worldly Comfort miss.
|
Strange were the Miseries,
|
That she so long endurd,
|
No ease by Woman help,
|
Could be as then procurd.
|
Hereupon speaks the Child,
|
With a Voice fearfully,
|
Mother your wanton Pride
|
Brings this your Misery.
|
Let your Life soon amend,
|
Or else the mighty God,
|
Will scourge your Wantonness,
|
With a much Sharper Rod.
|
About his Neck a Ruff,
|
It had now gallantly,
|
Starched with white and blue
|
Seeming unto their Eye,
|
With Laces long and broad,
|
As now are Womens Bands;
|
Thus you have Womens Pride,
|
First in Gods Anger stands,
|
The Breasts were planted oer,
|
As still the Merchants be,
|
Now as lewd Women wear,
|
To hide Adultery.
|
Every Part, every Limb,
|
Had not true Natures Frame,
|
But to shew to the World,
|
This my great Sin and Shame.
|
From the Head to the Foot,
|
Monster-like was it born,
|
Every Part had the Shape
|
Of Fashions daily worn.
|
On the Feet pinked Shoes,
|
In steps had Roses red,
|
Which in Silk now is usd,
|
So vainly are we led.
|
Thus both my Flesh and Blood,
|
Nourishd now near my Heart,
|
Put me in Mind of Sin,
|
And bids me now convert.
|
Oh! let all Women then,
|
Take Heed of wanton Pride,
|
Angels have fallen from Heaven,
|
And for that Sin have dyd.
|
No sooner brought to Light
|
Was this Fruit of my Youth,
|
But to the Counsel-house
|
It was brought for a Truth;
|
Where to the Magistrates
|
In a most fearful Sort,
|
Began aloud to speak,
|
And these words did report:
|
I am a Messenger,
|
And now sent from on High,
|
To bid you all repent,
|
Christs coming draweth nigh.
|
Repent you all with Speed,
|
This is a Message sure,
|
The World seems at an End,
|
And cannot long endure.
|
Pride is the Prince of Sin,
|
Which is your chief Delight:
|
Mankind repent with Speed,
|
Before tht Lord doth smite,
|
This is my last Advice,
|
Repentance soon provide
|
Now these were his last Words,
|
And so the Monster dyd.
|
Great was the Fear of those
|
That these same Speeches heard,
|
God grant all Christians may
|
Have their Mind well prepared,
|
With a true Repentance,
|
Gods Mercy to implore,
|
That never Womankind
|
May bring such Fruit forth more.
|
And ye fair English Dames,
|
That in Pride do excell,
|
This woful Misery,
|
In your Heart print full well:
|
Let not Pride be your Guide,
|
For Pride will have a Fall;
|
Maid and Wife, let my Life
|
Be a Warning to you all.
|
|
|
|
|