The BRIDE's BURIAL.
An Excelent Old-Ballad, --- Tune of "The Lady's Fall.
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COME mourn, come mourn with me,
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You Loyal lovers all,
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Lament my loss in weeping woe,
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Whom griping grief doth thrall,
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Like to the drooping Vine.
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Cut by the Gardner's Knife;
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Even so my Heart with sorrow slain,
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Doth bleed for my sweet Life,
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By death that griefly Ghost,
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My turtle Dove is slain,
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And I am left, unhappy Man!
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To spend my Days in vain,
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Her beauty, late so bright,
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Like Roses in their prime,
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Is wasted like the Summer's Snow,
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By force of Phoebus's shine.
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Her fair & colour'd Cheeks,
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Now pale & wan her Eyes,
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Which late did shine like Chrystal Stars,
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Alas! their Light it dies,
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Her pretty lilly hands,
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With Finger's long & small,
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In colour like the earthly Clay;
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Yea, cold &stiff withal.
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When as the morning star,
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Her golden Gates had spread,
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And the bright glittering Sun arose,
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Forth from fair Thetis' bed,
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Then did my lover 'wake,
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Most like a Lilly Flower,
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And as the lovelly Queen of MAY,
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So shone she in her Bower.
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Attir'd was she then,
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Like Flora in her pride;
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As fair as any of Diana's Nymphs,
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So look'd my lovely Bride.
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And as fair Helener's face,
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Gave Grecian dames the lurch,
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So did my Dear exceed in sight,
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All Virgins in the Church.
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When we had knit the knot,
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Of holy Wedlock's band,
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Like Alabaster join'd to Jet,
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So stood we hand in hand,
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When lo! chilling cold,
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Struck every Vital part,
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And griping grief, like pangs of death,
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Seiz'd on my true Love's heart.
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Down in a swoon She fell,
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As cold as any Stone;
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Like Venus' picture lacking Life,
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So was my Love brought home,
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At length the Rosey Red,
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Throughout her comely Face,
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As Phoebus beams with watery clouds.
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Are cover'd for a space.
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When with a grievous groan,
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And Voice both horse & dry,
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Farewell said she, my loving friend,
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For I this Day must Die,
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The messenger of God,
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With golden trump, I see,
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With many other Angels more,
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Who sound & call for me.
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Instead of musick sweet,
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Go toll my Passing-Bell,
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And with sweet Flowers strew my Grave:
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Which in my Chamber smell,
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Strip off my bright array,
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My cork Shoes from my Feet;
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And gentle Mother be so kind,
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To bring my winding-sheet.
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My Wedding dinner dress,
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Bestow upon the Poor,
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And on the hungry, needy, maim'd,
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Which beggeth at the door,
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Instead of virgins young,
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My Bride-maids for to be,
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Go cause some curious carpenter,
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To make a Chust for me.
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My bride laces of silk,
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Bestow'd on maidens meek,
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May fitly serve when I am dead,
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To tie my Hands &Feet,
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And thou my lover true,
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My husband & my Friend,
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Let me intreat you here to stay,
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Until my Life doth end.
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Now leave to talk of love,
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And humble on your knee,
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Direct your Prayers unto God,
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But moan no more for me,
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In love, as we have liv'd,
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In love too let us part:
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And as a token of my Love,
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I do kiss thee with my heart.
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Oh! stanch those briney tears
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Your weeping is in vain,
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I am not lost, for we in Heaven,
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One day shall meet again,
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With that shu turn'd aside,
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As one dispos'd to sleep,
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And as a Lamb departed life,
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While friends did sorely weep.
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Her true love seeing this,
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Did fetch a grievous groan,
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As tho' his heart was burst in twain,
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And thus he made his moan,
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O dismal & unhappy Day!
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A Day of grief & care,
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Which hath bereft the Sun so high,
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Whose beams refresh the Air.
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Now woe unto the World,
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And all that therein dwell,
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Oh! that I were with thee in Heaven,
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For now I live in hell,
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And now this lover lives,
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A discontent'd Life;
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Whose Bride was brought unto the grave
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A Maiden & a Wife.
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A Garland fresh & fair,
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Of lillies there was made,
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In sign of her Virginity,
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And on her Coffin laid,
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Six Maidens all in white,
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Did bear her to the ground;
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The Bells did Ring in solom sort,
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And made a doleful sound.
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In Earth they laid her then,
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For hungry worms a prey,
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So shall the fairest face alive,
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At length be brought to Clay.
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