An Excellent BALLAD, of
The Noble Marquis and Patient GRISSEL.
To the Tune of, The Brides Good Morrow.
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A Noble Marquis
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As he rode a Hunting,
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Hard by a Forest Side,
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A fair and comely Maid
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As she sat a Spining,
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His gentle Eye espyd:
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Most fair anly lovely,
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And of comely in Grace was she,
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Although simple Attire;
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She sung full sweetly,
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With pleasant Voice melodiously,
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Which set the Lords Heart on Fire:
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The more he lookd, 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 with Speed,
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Good speed, (quoth he,) thou famious Flower,
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For Mistress of this homely Bower,
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Where Love and Virtue
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Dwells with sweet Content.
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With comely Gesture
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And modest mild Behaviour,
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She bids him welcome then;
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She entertainde him
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In faithful friendly Manner,
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And all his Gentlemen:
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The noble Marquis
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In his Heart felt such a Flame,
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Which set his Senses all at Strife.
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Quoth he, fair Maiden,
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Shew 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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Silly Maiden
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And of Parents poor.
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Nay, Grissel thou art rich, he said,
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A virtuous, 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 changd 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 thus trimly tired in the same,
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Her Beauty shone most bright,
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Far staining every other
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Fair and princely Dame,
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That did appear in Sight:
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Many envied 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 Strife did rise:
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Some said this, and some said that,
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And some did call her Beggars Brat,
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And to her Lord
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They would her oft dispraise.
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O Noble Marquis,
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Quoth they, why didst thou wrong us,
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Thus basely for to wed,
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Who might have gotten
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And honorable 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 hearafter be born,
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That art of Blood so base,
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Born by the Mothers Side,
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The which will bring them to 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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Whereby your Lineage
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May renowned be be.
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Thus every Day they seemd to prate
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That malicd Grissels good Estate;
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Who all this while
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Took it most patiently.
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When that the Marquis
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Did see they were bent thus,
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Against his lawful Wife;
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Whom he most dearly,
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Tenderly and intirely
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Lovd as his Life;
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Minding in Secret,
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For to try her patient Heart
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Thereby her Foes for to isgrace,
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Thinking to shew her
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A hard discourteous Part,
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That Man might pity her Case:
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Great wtth Child the Lady was,
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And at the 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 Daughter, GOD had sent
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Which did their Mother well content,
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And which did make
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Their Fathers Heart full glad.
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Great Royal Feasting
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Was at these Childrens Christening,
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And princely Triumph 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 the pleasant
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Sporting quite was done,
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The Marquis a Messenger sent
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For his young Daughter
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And his pretty Smiling Son;
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Declaring, his full Intent,
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How that the Babes must murderd be,
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For so the Marquis did decree:
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Come let me have
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The Children then, he said;
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With that fair Grissel wept full sore,
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She wrung her Hands and said no more,
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My gracious Lord
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Must have his Will obeyd.
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She took the Babes
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Even from the Nursing-ladies,
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Between her tender Arms;
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She often wished,
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With many sorrowful Kisses,
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That they might ease their Harms:
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Farewel, Farewel,
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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 woeful Mother here,
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For whose sake both must 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 die
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For my Unworthiness;
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Come Messengers of Death, quoth she,
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Take my dearest Babes to thee,
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[?] to their Father
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My Compliments 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 thence 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 indeed:
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Then to fair Grissel
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With a heavy Heart he goes,
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Where she sat mildly all alone;
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A pleasant Gesture,
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And a lovely Looks she shews,
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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 fare Grissel of the some?
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Sweet Grissel now
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Declare thy Mind to me.
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Since you my Lord are pleased 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 murmur,
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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 banishd
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Both from my Court and Presence,
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As they unjustly crave:
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Thou must be stripd
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Of thy brave Garments all,
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As thou camst to me
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In homely Grey,
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Instead of Bliss and purest Pall,
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Now all thy Cloathing must be.
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My Lady you must be no more,
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Nor I thy Lord whieh 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 dare not give,
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Thee to mantain while 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 Tydiegs,
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The Tears stood in her Eyes,
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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 stripd off,
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Her Kertle 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 herself she did frame:
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When she was drest in this Array,
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And ready for to pass 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 my Lord a parting Kiss,
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With watery Eyes
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Farewel, my Dear, said she.
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From a a princely Palace,
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Unto her Fathers Cottage
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Poor Grissel she is gone
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Full fifteen Winters
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She lived there contented,
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No wrong she thought upon,
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And at this Time through
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All the Land the Speeches went,
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The Marquis should married be,
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Unto a noble Lady
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Of high Descent,
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And to the same all Parties did agree
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The Marquis 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 away,
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The Bride was with her Brother came,
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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 tryd,
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Grissel was chrged
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Herself in friendly Manner
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For to attire the Bride:
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Most willingly
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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 Marquis 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 wonderous coy.
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With that they began to smile.
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And Grissel she replyd the while,
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GOD send Lord Marquis
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Many Years of Joy.
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The Marquis 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 expresse:
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Thou art my 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 envy 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 virtuous Life;
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The Chronicles of lasting Fame,
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Shall ever more extol the Name
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Of patient GRISSEL,
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My most constant Wife.
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