An Excellent Ballad, intitul'd, The Unfortunate Love
of a Lancashire Gentleman, and the hard Fortune of a fair
young Bride. To the Tune of, Come follow my Love, etc.
|
LOok you faithful lovers,
|
on my unhappy state
|
See my tears distilling,
|
but poured out too late;
|
And buy no foolish fancy
|
at too dear a rate;
|
Alack for my Love I shall dye.
|
My Father is a Gentleman,
|
well known of high degree,
|
And tender of my welfare
|
evermore was he;
|
He sought for reputation,
|
but all the worse for me:
|
Alack, etc.
|
There was a proper Maiden
|
of favour sweet and fair,
|
To whom in deep affection
|
I closely did repair;
|
In heart I dearly loved her,
|
lo thus began my care:
|
Alack, etc.
|
For Nature had adorn'd her
|
with qualities divine,
|
Prudent in her actions,
|
and in behaviour fine;
|
Upon a sweeter Creature,
|
the sun did never shine;
|
Alack, etc.
|
Nothing wanting in her,
|
but this the grief of all,
|
Of birth she was but lowly
|
of substance very small,
|
A simple hired servant,
|
and subject to each call:
|
Alack, etc.
|
Yet she was my pleasure,
|
my joy and heart's delight,
|
More rich then any treasure,
|
more precious in my sight;
|
At length to one another
|
our promise we did plight;
|
Alack, etc.
|
And thus unto my Father
|
the thing I did reveal,
|
Desiring of his favour,
|
nothing I did conceal,
|
But he my dear affection
|
regarded ne'er a deal;
|
Alack, etc.
|
Quoth he, Thou graceless fellow,
|
thou art my only heir;
|
And for thy own preferment
|
hast thou no better care?
|
To marry with a Beggar
|
that is both poor and bare:
|
Alack, etc.
|
I charge thee on my blessing,
|
thou do her sight refrain,
|
And that into her company
|
you never come again;
|
That you should be so married,
|
I take it in disdain;
|
Alack, etc.
|
Is there so many Gentlemen
|
of worshipful degree,
|
That have most honest Daughters
|
of beauty fair and free;
|
And can none but a beggar's brat
|
content and pleasure thee?
|
Alack, etc.
|
By God that made all creatures,
|
this vow to thee I make,
|
I[f] thou do not this beggar
|
refuse and quite for sake,
|
From thee thy due Inheritance
|
I wholly mean to take:
|
Alack, etc.
|
These his bitter speeches
|
did sore torment my mind,
|
Knowing well how greatly
|
he was to mirth inclin'd,
|
My heart was slain with sorrow,
|
no comfort I could find:
|
Alack, etc.
|
Then did I write a letter,
|
and sent it to my dear,
|
Wherein my first affection
|
we change my dear,
|
Which from her fair eyes forced
|
the pearled-water clear:
|
Alack, etc.
|
For grief unto the messenger
|
one word she could not speak,
|
Those doleful heavy tydings
|
her gentle heart did break;
|
Yet sought not by her speeches
|
on me her heart to wreak:
|
Alack, etc.
|
This deed within my conscience
|
tormented me full sore,
|
To think upon the promise
|
I made her long before;
|
And for the true performance
|
how I most deeply swore:
|
Alack, etc.
|
I could not be in quiet
|
till I to her did go;
|
Who for my sake remained
|
in sorrow, grief and woe;
|
And unto her in secret,
|
my full intent to show:
|
Alack, etc.
|
My sight rejoyced greatly
|
her sad perplexed heart,
|
From both her eyes on sudden
|
the trickling tears did start,
|
And in each others bosom
|
we breathed forth our smart;
|
Alack, etc.
|
Unknown unto my Father,
|
or any friend beside,
|
Ourselves we closely marry'd,
|
she was my only bride;
|
Yet still within her service
|
I caus'd her to abide:
|
Alack, etc.
|
But never had two Lovers
|
more sorrow, ca[r]e and grief,
|
No means in our extremity
|
we found for our relief:
|
And now what further hapned
|
here followeth in brief:
|
Alack, etc.
|
Now you loyal lovers,
|
attend unto the rest,
|
See by secret Marriage
|
how sore I am opprest,
|
For why my foul misfortune
|
herein shall be exprest;
|
Alack, etc.
|
My Father came unto me
|
upon a certain day,
|
And with a merry countenance
|
these words to me did say:
|
My Son, quoth he come hither,
|
and make what I shall say:
|
Alack, etc.
|
Seeing you are disposed
|
to lead a wedded life,
|
I have unto your credit
|
provided you a Wife;
|
Where thou maist live delightful,
|
without all care and strife;
|
Alack, etc.
|
Master Senocks Daughter,
|
most beautiful and wise,
|
Three hundred pounds her porti-on,
|
may well thy mind suffice,
|
And by her friends and kindred,
|
thou maist to credit rise:
|
Alack, etc.
|
This is, my Son, undoubted,
|
a match for thee most meet,
|
She is a proper Maiden,
|
most delicate and sweet,
|
Go woe her then, and wed her,
|
I shall rejoyce to see it;
|
Alack, etc.
|
Her friends and I have talked,
|
and thereon have agreed,
|
Then be not thou abashed,
|
but speedily proceed;
|
Thou shalt be entertained,
|
and have no doubt to speed:
|
Alack, etc.
|
O pardon me, dear Father,
|
with bashful looks I said,
|
To enter into marriage,
|
I sorely am afraid,
|
A single life is lovely,
|
therein my mind is staid:
|
Alack, etc.
|
When he had heard my speeches,
|
his anger did arise,
|
He drove me from his presence,
|
my sight he did despise;
|
And straight to disinherit me,
|
all means he did devise:
|
Alack, etc.
|
When I myself perceived
|
in that ill case to stand,
|
Most lewdly I consented
|
unto his fond demand;
|
And married with the other,
|
and all to save my Land:
|
Alack, etc.
|
And at this hapless marriage
|
great cost my friends did keep,
|
They spared not their poultry,
|
their oxen nor their sheep;
|
Whilst joyfully they danced,
|
I did in corners weep:
|
Alack, etc.
|
My conscience was tormented,
|
which did my joys deprive;
|
I for to hide my sorrow,
|
in thoughts did always strive,
|
Quoth I, What shame will it be
|
to have two Wives alive;
|
Alack, etc.
|
O my sweet Margaret,
|
I did in sorrow say,
|
Thou knowst not in thy service,
|
of this my marriage-day,
|
Tho' here my body resteth,
|
with thee my heart doth stay:
|
Alack, etc.
|
And in my meditations
|
came in my lovely Bride,
|
With chains and jewels trimed
|
and silken robes beside,
|
Saying, why doth my true love
|
so sadly here abide?
|
Alack, etc.
|
Yea, twenty lovely kisses
|
she did on me bestow,
|
And forth abroad a walking,
|
this lovely Maid did go;
|
Yea, arm in arm most friendly,
|
with him that was her foe,
|
Alack, etc.
|
But when that I had brought her
|
where nobody was near,
|
I embraced her most falsly,
|
with a most feigned chear,
|
Unto the heart I stabbed
|
this maiden fair and clear:
|
Alack, etc.
|
Myself in woful manner
|
I wounded with a knife,
|
And laid myself down by her,
|
by this my married wife;
|
And said that thieves to rob us
|
had wrought this deadly strife:
|
Alack, etc.
|
Great wailing & great sorrow
|
was then upon each side,
|
In woful sort they buried
|
this fair and comely bride:
|
And my dissimulation,
|
herein was quickly try'd:
|
Alack, etc.
|
And for this cruel murther,
|
to death that I am brought;
|
For this my aged Father
|
did end his days in nought;
|
My Margaret at these tydings,
|
her own destruction wrought:
|
Alack, etc.
|
Lo here the doleful peril,
|
blind fancy brought me in,
|
And mark what care & sorrow
|
forc'd marriage doth bring;
|
All men by me be warned,
|
and Lord forgive my sin;
|
Alack for my Love I shall dye.
|
|
|
|
|
|