A LAMENTABLE BALLAD,
Of the Tragical End of a Gallant Lord and his Beautiful Lady, with the untimely Death of
their Children, wickedly performed by a Heathen Blackamore, their Servant: The
like seldom heard before.
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IN Rome a Nobleman 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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And were their Parents only Joy,
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they lov'd them both so well.
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This Lord he lov'd to hunt the Buck,
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the Tygar and the Bore,
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And still for Swiftness always took
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with him a Blackamore.
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Which Blackamore within the Woods,
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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 drew unto an End,
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then homeward do they 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 doth his Servants call,
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A Hunting to provide to go;
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streight they were ready all.
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'Cause of his Toil, his Lady did
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intreated 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 you to buy;
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But they therewith no whit content,
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aloud began to cry.
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Their Mother took them by the Hand,
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saying, Come go with me
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Unto my highest Tower, where
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your Father you shall see.
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The Blackamore perceiving now,
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who then did stay behind,
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His Lord a Hunting to be 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'll be reveng'd,
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she shall not me intreat.
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The Place was moated round about,
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the Bridge he did up draw,
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The Gates he bolted very strong,
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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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Which when she saw his Countenance grim
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she streight 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 began to faint,
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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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The Wretch unto his Lady went,
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and her with speed did will
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His Lust for with to satisfy
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his Mind for to fulfil.
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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 will 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 streight for help did cry:
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Content yourself, Lady, quoth he,
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your Husband is not nigh.
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The Bridge is drawn & Gates are shut,
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therefore come ly with me.
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Or els I do protest and vow,
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thy Butcher I will be
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The cristals tears ran down her Cheeks
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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 alas in vain!
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For that egregious filthy Rogue,
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her Hands behind her bound,
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And then perforce with all his strength
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he threw her on the Ground.
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With that she skreak'd, her Children cry'd
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and such a Noise did make
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The Townsmen hearing their Lament
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did seek their Part to take,
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But all in vain, no Way they found
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to aid the Lady's Need,
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Who cry'd to them most piteously,
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Oh help, oh help with Speed!
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Some ran into the Forrest wide,
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his Lord home for to call;
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And they that stood did still lament
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the gallant Lady's Fall.
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With speed his Lord came posting home
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but could not enter in;
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His Lady's cryes did pierce his Heart
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to call he did begin.
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Oh hold thy hand, thou Savage more!
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to hurt her do forbear,
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Or els be sure if I do live,
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Wild Horses shall thee tear.
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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 seing his Father there,
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to him for Help did call;
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Oh 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 More 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 the vile Wretch, the little Child
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by both the Heels did take,
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And dash'd the Brains against the wall
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while Parents Heart did quake.
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That being dead he streightway ran
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the other Child to fe[t]ch,
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And pluck't from the Mother's 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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said, Thus dy shall thy Mother,
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With that he cuts the Throat of it,
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then to his Father did he call;
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To look how he the Head did cut,
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then down the Brain did fall.
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This done, he threw it over the Wall,
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into the Moat so deep,
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Which made his 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 the 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 her 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 that's 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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Ah, save her! I thee pray;
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And I will give thee what thou wilt
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demand of me this Day:
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We'll quoth the More I do regard
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the Moan that thou dost make
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If thou will grant what I request,
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I'll save her for thy Sake:
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Oh save her Life! and now demand
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of me what Thing thou wilt,
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Cut of thy Nose, and not one Drop,
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of her Blood shall be spilt:
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With that his Noble Lord did take
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a Knife unto his Hand,
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And then his Nose did quite cut off
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in Place where he did stand
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Now I have bought my Lady's Life
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he to the More did call;
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Then take her quoth the wicked Rogue,
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and down he lets her fall.
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Which when this 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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but they could not prevail,
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When as the More did see him dead,
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then did he laugh amain:
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At them who for this 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 could me get;
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But all your Threats I do not fear,
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nor yet regard on Whit:
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Wild Horses should 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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then 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 so sad a Tale
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as ever Man did hear.
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