The Tragical Ballad:
OR, THE
Nobleman's CRULTY to his SON.
In Four Parts, viz
Shewing how a young Esquire fell fn Love with his Mother's Waiting Gentle-
woman.
2. How they were privately Married, and she proving with Child, was turned out of
Doors by his Parents.
3. The Cruelty of his Parents, when they knew that he was Married to her.
4. How they contrived to send him to Cadiz, where he had his Head shot off by
a Cannon Ball; and how his Ghost appeared to his Parents.
PART I. Tune of, The Loyal Forrester.
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BOth Parents and Lovers I pray now attend,
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Unto the Relation which I have here penn'd,
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Its o[f] a young Esquire whieh i do now write,
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Who courted his Father's maid both day and night.
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T[h]o' she was a Servant of a mean Degren,
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Anh he a young Esquire as great as could be,
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Hed met this poor Maiden one Day in his Hall,
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To this Sort of Compliments straight he did fall.
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Then fairest of creatures, and joy of my heart,
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it's a pleasure to meet, but a sorrow to part,
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Th[e]n grant me thy Favour thy joys to restore,
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For never[r] was Lover so wounded before.
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For tho' i have suffered much sorrow and pain,
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And therefore my dearest dear do not disdain,
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And send a soft glance from thy beautiful Eyes,
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To Comfort thy Lover that languishing lies.
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The Damsel she stood like one struck dumb,
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While Blushes like flashes of Lightning did come,
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At length she broke Silence, young 'Squire forbear,
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i am your poor Servant, do not me ensnare.
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There's many young Ladies of honour and fame,
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That's fit for your Grandeur, and equal your Name
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But i am a poor Damsel of a mean degree
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Content in my Station your Servant to be.
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There's none in the World i admire but thee,
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Then why will my dearest be cruel to me?
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And cause me in sorrow to sigh and complain,
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Oh! wound me no more with your cruel disdain,
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What Weapons compar'd with the Arrows of Love
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They pass thro' our hearts, and do oftentimes prove
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Destruction of Cupid has power to seize,
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If he wounds us in our Sleep, and we die by degrees,
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in Fetters of Love here i lie at thy Feet,
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Receive my Petition vouchsafe to compleat
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My Happiness in the sweet Raptures of Joy,
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No longer be cruel, no longer be coy.
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But why art thou silent sweet Susan the fair,
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Oh! must i lie still between hopes and despair?
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And why in a lingering State must i bleed,
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O spare me my Life, or dispatch me with speed.
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With melting words she began to comply,
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With fear in her heart, and with tears from her Eyes
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Saying noble 'Squire for to be your Bride,
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eiy Consent then whatever betide
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When my noble Knight which is your Father dear
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And my worthy Lady your Mother shall hear;
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We both shall be ruin'd, n'er fear it, said he,
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My deare shall be marry'd in private to me.
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The Second Part. To the same Tune.
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NExt morning in private then marry'd they were
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No triumph was seen, but industrious Care,
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He kiss'd her, and said, i'll be true to my Dear,
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And no Friend i have of this Blessing shall hear;
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My dear, i would have you be private a while,
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Discover me not tho' you should be with Child,
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Say nothing of Marriage, say nothing of me,
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For fear that my parents prove cruel to thee,
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Take Courage, and suffer thy Shame for a while
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My Father and Mother I may reconcile,
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And in short time may come to agree,
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If thou my dear Joy will be ruled by me:
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With Kisses and tender Embeaces likewise,
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She promis'd she would with salt Tears in he Eys
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They parted that none, none of their friends 'tis said
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Knew that this young 'Squire had married his maid
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But now eomes the grief and sad sorrow at last,
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When five or six months were over and past,
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So large in the waste she began for to show,
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Her Coats and her Apron to short they did grow
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Her Lady cry'd what is the matter with you,
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Methinks you look very big Mistress Sue,
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Come tell us with whom you the wanton has play'g
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For you are with Child, yet still nothing she said;
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What Spark Mrs. susan has led you astray,
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Pray tell me, or else I will turn you away,
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Yet she would say nothing but seem'd discontent.
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With Tears in her Eyes, from her service she went
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To one of her Tenants away she did go,
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And there she remain'd in sad sorrow and woe,
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Till travelling Pains came on her so fast,
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That Midwife and Women were sent for at last.
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Now while this poor Creature was racking in
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The Midwife and Women with scorn and disdain,
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Pray tell us the Father the Midwife did cry,
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Or else you in Sorrow and pain here shall lie,
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An honest true Husband I have I declare,
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Whose honoured Name for a time I'll forbear
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To mention altho' that my Life I should pay,
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For my dear Husband i'll never betray.
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Because of the most noble and Honour fame,
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Then flew tae 'Squire, the 'Sguire by name,
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Who unber the Winaow had harkned a while,
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said he to the Midwife bring forth my sweet child,
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How dare you deny ton deliver my Wife.
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Whome i love as dear as my Life,
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The Midwife ond Women said Madam sst down,
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And soon they brought forth the young 'Squire r Son
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The third part to the same Tune.
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NOW as to what follows here in the third part,
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I'm sure it would pierch any true lovers heart
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I think sn all England the like ne'er was known,
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And theirfor i pray now gIve heed every one.
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It was told to his parents the very next Day,
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That Mrs Susan whome they turned away,
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For being with child was their Sons dear Wife,
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Who vows that he ioves her as dear as his life.
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I cannot believe it his Fater then cried,
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No[r] i, says his Mother, she's none as his bride,
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Now while they were talking the Squire eame in,
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Where soon his sad sorow and hrief did begin,
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We wish you much Joy Son hss parents did cry,
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Pray was their no Ladies was fit for your Bride,
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But Mrs, Susan of parents so poor,
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If she be your wife Son we'll own you no more,
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The 'Squire he straitway fell on his Knees,
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Dear Father and Mother, pray do as you pleese,
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Altho, the same it should cost me my Life.
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Dear parents sweet Sweet Susan is my lawfull Wife,
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And should bh if she were more poorer then Jobe,
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And i a great prince or lord of the Globe,
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My Jewel sweet Susan i swear should be mine,
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Well well srys his mother, it is my design,
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To Banish you both tho it cost me my Lsfe.
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You shall have small Comfort of her for a wife,
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His mother in a passion away she dsd run,
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Declaring she'd murder both her and her Son.
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What mean you what mean you dear madam said he
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It's not Christian part the so cruel to be,
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The worst all women what would you have done
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To murder poor Innoccents to plague your Son
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The Lady his mother with embitious Heart,
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Said nothing unto but eome wards depart
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Naw short time after she found out uway
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The Live of of the 'Sguire her Son to betay.
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The very next morning they sent for their Son
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I have swore said his Father and it must be done,
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Come strive for to please your old mother and me,
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Tomorrow dear Sbn you are bound for the Sea.
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AIonge glth brave Ormond and Rook you must go
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To fight the proud French and Spaniards also
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And in the mean time I will strIve my dear chll
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To make both you and your mother reconcile'd
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I'll likewise be kind to your wife and your Son
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Well then noble Father your will shall be done
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He came to Sweet Susan with heard full of woe-
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ay the ny dear jewel from you i must go
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My Fathar eomands me to sail toe next wind,
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I hope in short time to us both he'll be kind,
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Now wile he was telling his sorowfull tail
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The wind it grew fair and the fleet must set sail
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The fourth part to the same Tune.
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THey sailed the morn for the coast of spain,
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But O the poor Suire return'd not again
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A despered cano ball did seperate
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His head from his body at cadiz of late.
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Thou wortst of Women see what you heve done,
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Then to his Sons wife went strait we do hear
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And setled upon her two a Year
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Unknown to my Lacy dear daughter said he
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This is to maintain both my Granson and the
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By reason your husbant my dear Son is dead
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O then I am ruined I nm ruin'd she seid
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Was ever poor Damsel afflicted like me,
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The sweetest of mankind lies now in the sea
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She kiss'd her dear infant a thousand
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Since thy Fathers dead none for the I'll
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Do not my dear Daughter be disatisfied
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For you and your infant i mean to provld
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'Twrs my unkind lady caus'd all your d[i]scontent
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Then up to fair london town away she was sent
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thought his parents parent ordere it so
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if possible he should be slain by his Foe
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For in short time after as i shhall declare,
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The Gost of this Esquire did straightway appear
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And came to his Father and Mother one Night
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The Chamber appear'd like day al[l] over bright,
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The appe-ition appeared in blood,
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A head in his hand by their Bed-side he stood,
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With three bitter groans he was heard for ty cry
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'Twas you cruel Mother wrought my destiny
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And then with a Groan or two vanish'd away,
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But still he appeared to them Day affter Day,
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With them in their coach at noon day he would ride
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And walk in their garden likewise by their side,
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And may a drank with his Mother he play'd,
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It his no great matter, his father then said,
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Through you cruel pride i have lost my dear Son.
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Where now i will leave har in sorrow an woe,
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V[?]oow how the Spirit perplexed her so,
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And sh caused them both to lament day and Ntght,
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Then strait for the Clergy this Father then wrste,
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When the learned Men from Oxfard did come,
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If you can but lsy the young 'Squire my son,
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He haunts us where ever we go night and day,
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Two hundred pounds unto you I will pay.
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Most yart of thay night he did with them con
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At last belug conguered he begged of them.
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They would not lay him into the ued sea,
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No no say the Clergy well grant it to the.
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sir knight says the Clergy where shall he be laid,
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In my Fishpond under that island he said,
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Now on this same islind ere since have been seen
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A small Tree that both winter and sumer is green,
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His father says now i have ruined my son,
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his mother cries night and day where shall i run
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his wife she laments for her own squire
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Therefore len this Trgical story. Snd here
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