The Gloucestershire Tragedy:
Or, The True Lovers DOWNFALL.
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NEar Guildford Town I hear, of late in Gloucestershire,
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There liv'd a Lady fair of Beauty bright.
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Her Father vastly great in Money and Estate,
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Which most unfortunate, ruin'd her quite.
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Four thousand pounds a Year her Father had I hear.
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And had no other Heir but this Lady;
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And he married her out-right unto a rich old Knight,
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But she the same did slight disdainfully.
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Father, she often cry'd, if that I should be ty'd
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To be an old Man's Bride, how would this prove?
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If I in Marriage Bands must obey your Commands,
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Let me Sir have a Man that I can love.
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Her Father angry grew, saying, Child, if you
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My Command will not do, to Pleasure me,
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Assured be of this, that if you wed amiss,
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Unto my Mind, I'll disinherit you.
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For some Time this pass'd on, when a young Gentleman
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Who lived near at Hand, a wooing came;
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One thousand Pound a Year his Father had we hear,
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And he is only Heir unto the same.
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When to her Father came, his Business he made known,
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For whose dear sake alone he him addrest.
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Sir, if you give he cry'd, your Daughter for my Bride,
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Sure no Man e'er beside can be more blest.
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Her Father cunningly did make him this Reply,
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Your Suit I'll not deny, get her in Mind.
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But when they fix'd their Love, by all the Powers above,
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To whom he false did prove, as you shall find.
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But when some Months alas! in Courtship they had pass,
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Their Hearts were linked fast in lasting Love,
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Cupid had shown his Art, and sent a flaming Dart,
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To pierce each others Heart, which none could move.
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But see the wretched fate of her base Father's hate,
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He strove to separate them you shall hear,
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And would not yield he said, tho' he had promised,
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This Gentleman should wed his Daughter fair,
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Pray Sir, he often said, why must I be denied,
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Of this sweet charming Bride, I so much love?
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If that unkind you are to part this charming fair,
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We're ruin'd I declare, then kinder prove
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Her Father then did say, think you young Man I pray,
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That I will throw away my Daughter so?
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Her Fortune is too great for one of your Estate,
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Therefore stand not to prate, my Mind you know.
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Then in great Discontent he to his Dearest went,
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And sadly did lament, this hie hard Fate,
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And said, sweet Charmer bright, I'm ruin'd, ruin'd quite,
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Your Father me doth slight at a sad Rate.
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He'll not consent he cries, for you to be my Bride,
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Oh! what shall me betide; I am undone?
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Now I have fixt my Love, he most unkind doth prove,
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Pity ye Pewers above a poor young Man.
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Then did he sadly weep, grieving and sighing deep,
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And at his Lady's Feet fell in a Sound:
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This griev'd her to the Heart, of Love she felt the smart,
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As in the ensuing Part will soon be found.
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When thus this Lady fair beheld her Lover dear,
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She us'd her utmost Care him to revive.
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And often, often cry'd, if I am thus denied,
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I'll have no one beside, as I'm alive.
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Then did the Tears apace run down her charming Face.
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And did him oft embrace upon the Floor.
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Wretched Father, said she, is this your Love to me,
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I shall now ruin'd be for evermore.
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As from his Swoon he came with a deep sigh and groan,
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He cry'd, undone, undone, my Dear am I,
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My Love is just and true, and if I have not you,
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I'll bid this World adieu eternally.
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These Words she did express, my Love is nothing less,
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I freely must confess, it must be true:
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But if my Father he, will not to it agree,
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I cannot married be, dear Sir, to you.
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I will most constant prove, no other can I Love,
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Witness ye Gods above, to what is said,
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Rise, cease for to lament, and strive to be content,
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For without his consent I dare not wed.
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When she these Words did speak, his Heart it broke,
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Saying, Love for thy sake ruin'd am I,
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I'll ask no more than this, give me one parting Kiss,
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Now farewell earthly Bliss eternally.
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Then from her he did go, with a Heart full of Woe,
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To work his overthrow resolutely.
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Some Poison strong he took which quickly did him work,
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So he this World forsook most wretchedly.
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When this News to her came she grieved for the same,
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And said he was to blame himself to kill.
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She to her Father ran, and said O cruel Man,
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See, see, what you have done thro' your Ill-will.
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Like one distracted she lamented bitterly,
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And said, dear Love for thee would I had dy'd.
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Declare it now I shall, I'm ruin'd by his Fall,
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I love him best of all the World beside.
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Thus constant she did cry, my Love why did you die?
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And leave wretchedly behind you here?
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O come dear Ghost to me, and let me once more see,
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That handsome Face said she, I loved so dear.
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As she one Night did lie weeping most bitterly,
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She heard a Voice to cry, my Dear, my Dear;
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For your sweet sake I dy'd, that should ha' been my Bride,
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Behold at your Bed-side I'm here, I'm here.
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At which the Curtain she put up immediately,
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And the pale Ghost did see at her Bed-side.
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He clothed was in white, holding a Torch so bright,
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And when she saw the Sight she shriek'd and cry'd.
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The Ghost he then thus did speak, I died for your sake,
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'Twas Love my Heart did break most certainly.
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The Morning Cock I fear won't let me long stay here,
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Therefore come now prepare and go with me.
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The Ghost a dead Man's Scul did hold with Poison full,
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Saying come drink your fill of this black Cup:
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'Twill Love sick Passions cure, I've drank the same before,
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And so have hundreds more, then take it up.
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She took it, saying Love, by all the Power above
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This shall my Witness prove, I love you well.
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Now I will go she said and in your Grave be laid,
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In sweet Elisian Shades our Souls must dwell.
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She instantly arose, surrounded all in Woes,
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And with the Ghost she goes down to the Gate.
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Whereas the Coach did stand with many a serving-Man,
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With Torches in their Hand, that there did wait.
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Being put into a Coach with her beloved Ghost,
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Most sweetly did post unto the Grave;
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To which he strait did hie, saying Love here I lie,
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Then quickly, quickly die, 'tis that I'd have.
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Vanishing all away, they left her there to stay
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Till the approaching Day, among the Tombs
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She sadly did lament, her cries to Heaven sent,
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And said, Ghost be content, I come, I come,
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The Poison wreck'd her Heart, working in every Part,
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And caus'd a dreadful Smart. the Wound she gave,
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In woful Misery she did expecting lie
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Each Minute for to die upon his Grave.
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As in this State she lay untill the silent Day,
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A Young-man pass'd that Way, and did her know,
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Fair Lady to me tell, what Chance has you befell;
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I fear you are not well, that you lie so.
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Then she declar'd what past, from first unto the last,
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And said, Young-man make Hast, and run with Speed,
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Unto my Father dear, who has been so severe,
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And bid him quick come here, e're I am dead.
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Her Father came and found her lying on the Ground,
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And ready was to swoon at this sad Sight.
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She said, dear Father I for Love here must die,
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'Tis your Severity has kill'd me quite.
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Death wrecks in every Place, and stares me in the Face,
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Dear Grave I'll thee imbrace so lovingly.
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Dear Love come open wide the Arms of thy dear Bride,
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I come, I come, she cry'd, and so she dy'd.
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Her Father grieved sore, hugging her o'er and o'er,
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Ye Heavens I implore to let me die,
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Then with a Dagger sharp, he cut him to the Heart,
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His Life did then depart immediately.
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O cruel Death severe, what a sad Sight was there?
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Father and Daughter dear thus for to die,
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Their sad and dismal Fall lamented was by all,
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And did for Pity call from every Eye.
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Then home they were convey'd with speed as it is said,
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And both in State were laid in a large Hall.
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Which thousands came to see, hearing this Tragedy,
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That might a warning be to Lovers all.
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By all both Rich and Poor, they were lamented o'er,
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About a Week or more, in mournful State,
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Many a Lover dear, and many a Lady fair,
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In Mourning did apper, for their sad Fate.
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A Hearse and Six with speed provided were indeed,
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Many in Mourning Weeds did there attend.
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Her Grave was made hard by, where her true Love did lie,
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And so of this Tragedy I make an End
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