A Lamentable Ballad of the Tragical end of a Gallant Lord and a Vertuous Lady, with the untimely end of their
two Children, wickedly performed by a Heathenish Blackamoor their servant: the like never heard of.
The Tune is, The Ladys Fall.
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IN Rome a Noble man did wed,
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a Virgin of great fame.
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A fairer creature never did
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dame nature ever frame;
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By whom he had two Children fair,
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whose beauty did excel:
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They were their parents only joy,
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they loved them both so well.
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The Lord he loved to hunt the buck,
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the tyger and the boar:
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And still for swiftness always took
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with him a Blackamoor:
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Which Blackamoor within the wood,
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his Lord he did offend,
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For which he did him then correct,
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in hopes he would amend.
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The day it grew unto an end,
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then homewards he did haste,
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Where with his Lady he did rest,
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until the night was past:
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Then in the morning he did rise,
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and did his servants call;
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A hunting he provides to go,
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straight they were ready all.
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To Cause the toil the Lady did
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intreat him not to go;
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Alas good Lady, then quoth he,
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why art thou grieved so?
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Content thyself I will return
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with speed to thee again:
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Good Father (quoth the little Babes)
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with us here still remain.
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Farewel dear children, I will go
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a fine thing for to buy:
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But they therewith nothing content,
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aloud began to cry:
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The Mother takes them by the hand,
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saying, come go with me
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Unto the highest Tower, where
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your Father you shall see.
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The Blackamoor perceiving now
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(who then did stay behind)
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His Lord to be a Hunting gone,
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began to call to mind:
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My Master he did me correct,
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my fault not being great:
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Now of his wife i'le be reveng'd,
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she shall not me intreat.
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The place was moted round about,
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the bridge he up did draw;
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The gates he bolted very fast,
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of none he stood in awe:
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He up into the Tower went,
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the Lady being there:
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Who when she saw his countenance grim
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she straight began to fear.
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But now my trembling heart it quakes
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to think what I must write;
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My senses all begin to fail,
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my soul it doth affright:
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Yet I must make an end of this
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which here I have begun,
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Which will make sad the hardest heart,
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before that I have done.
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This wretch unto the Lady went,
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and her with speed did will,
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His lust forthwith to satisfie,
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his mind for to fulfill:
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The Lady she amazed was,
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to hear the Villain speak,
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Alas (quoth she) what shall I do?
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with grief my heart will break.
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With that he took her in his arms,
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she straight for help did cry:
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Content yourself Lady (she said)
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your Husband is not nigh.
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The bridge is drawn, the gates are shut,
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therefore come lie with me,
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Or else I do protest and vow
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thy Butcher I will be.
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The Chrystal tears ran down her face,
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her children cryed amain,
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And sought to help their Mother dear,
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but all it was in vain:
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For that outragious filthy Rogue,
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her hands behind her bound,
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And then perforce with all his might,
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he threw her on the ground.
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With that she shriekt, her children cry'd
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and such a noise did make,
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That towns-folks, hearing her lament
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did seek their parts to take:
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But all in vain no way was found
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to help the Ladies need:
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Who cried to them most piteously,
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oh help, oh help with speed.
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Some run into the Forrest wide,
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her Lord home for to call,
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And they that stood still did lament
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this gallant Ladies fall.
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With speed her love came posting home
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he could not enter in,
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His Ladies cries did pierce his heart,
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to call he did begin.
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O hold thy hand thou savage Moor,
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to hurt her do forbear,
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Or else be sure if I do live,
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wild Horses shall thee tare:
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With that the Rogue ran to the wall,
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he having had his will,
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And brought one child under his arm
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his dearest blood to spill.
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The Child seeing his Father there,
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to him for help did call:
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O Father help my Mother dear,
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we shall be killed all:
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Then fell the Lord upon his knee,
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and did the Moor intreat,
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To save the life of his poor child.
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whose fear as then was great.
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But this vile wretch the little Child
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by both the heels did take,
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And dasht his brains against the wall,
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whilst Parents hearts did ake:
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That being done straightway he ran
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the other child to fetch,
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And pluckt it from the Mothers breast
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most like a cruel wretch.
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Within one hand a knife he brought,
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the Child within the other;
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And holding it over the wall,
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saying, thus dye shall thy mother:
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With that he cut the throat of it,
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then to the Father he did call:
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To look how he the head had cut,
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and down the head did fall.
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This done he threw it down the wall,
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into the Mote so deep,
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which made the Father wring his hands
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and grievously to weep.
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Then to the lady went this Rogue,
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who was near dead with fear:
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Yet this vile wretch most cruelly
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did drag her by the hair.
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And drew her to the very wall,
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which when the Lord did see,
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Then presently he cryed out,
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and fell upon his knee:
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Quoth he, If thou wilt save her life,
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whom I do love so dear:
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I will forgive thee all is past,
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though they concern me near.
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O save her life I thee beseech,
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O save her I thee pray,
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And I will grant thee what thou wilt
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demand of me this day:
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Well, quoth the Moor, I do regard
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the moan that thou dost make:
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If thou wilt grant me what I ask,
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i'll save her for thy sake.
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O save her life and then demand
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of me what thing thou wilt:
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Cut off thy Nose, and not one drop
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of her blood shall be spilt:
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With that the Lord presently took
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a knife within his hand;
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And then his Nose he quite cut off,
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in place where he did stand.
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Now I have bought the Ladys life,
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then to the Moor did call:
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Then take her, quod this wicked rogue,
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and down he let her fall:
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Which when her gallant Lord did see,
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his senses all did fail:
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Yet many sought to save his life
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yet nothing could prevail.
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When as the Moor did see him dead,
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then did he laugh amain
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At them who for their gallant Lord
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and Lady did complain:
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Quoth he, I know you'll torture me,
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if that you can me get,
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But all your threats I do not fear,
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nor yet regard one whit.
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Wild Horses shall my body tear,
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I know it to be true,
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But I'll prevent you of that pain,
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and down himself he threw:
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too good a death for such a wretch,
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a Villain void of fear,
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And thus doth end as sad a tale,
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as ever man did hear.
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