The DEAD MAN's SONG.
Whose Dwelling was near BASING-HALL, in the City of LONDON.
To the Tune of, Flying Fame.
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SOre sick, dear Friends, long time I was,
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and weakly laid in Bed,
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And for five hours in all Mens sight,
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at length I lay as dead:
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The Bell rung out, my Friends came in,
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and I Key-cold was found,
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Then was my Cacass brought from Bed,
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and laid upon the Ground.
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My loving Wife did weep full sore,
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my Children loud did cry,
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My Friends did mourn, yet this they said,
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All Flesh is born to dye.
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My Winding-Sheet prepared was,
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my Grave was also made,
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And for five hours in all Mens sight,
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in this samt Case I laid.
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In which time my Soul did see
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such strange and fearful Sights,
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That for to hear the same disclos'd,
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would banish all Delights:
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Yet since the Lord restor'd my Life,
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which from my Body fled,
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I will declare the Sights I saw
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the Time that I was dead.
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Methoughts upon a lovely Green,
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where pleasant Flowers sprung,
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I took my Way, whereas I thought
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the Muses sweetly sung:
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The Grass was sweet, the Trees were fair,
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and lovely to behold,
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And full of Fruit was every Twig,
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which shin'd like glistering Gold.
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My chearful Heart desired much
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to taste the Fruit so fair;
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But as I reach'd, a tall young Man
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to me did nigh repair:
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Touch not (said he) none of thine,
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but wonder and walk with me,
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And see thou mark each several thing
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which I shall shew to thee.
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I wonder'd greatly at his Words,
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yet went with him away,
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on a gallant goodly Bank
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with him he bid me stay:
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With Branches then of Lillies white,
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mine Eyes there wiped he;
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When this was done, he bid me look
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what I far off could see.
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I looked up, and lo! at last
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I did a City see;
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So fair a Thing did never Man
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behold with mortal Eye.
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Of Diamonds, Pearls. and precious Stones,
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It seems the Walls were made;
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The Houses all with beaten Gold
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were til'd and overlaid.
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Far brighter than the Morning Sun
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the Light thereof did show,
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And every Creature in the same
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like crowned Kings did go.
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The Fields about the City fair,
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were all with Roses set,
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Gilliflowers and Carnations fair,
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whom Canker could not fret.
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And from the Fields there did proceed
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a sweet and pleasant Smell,
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That ever living Creature felt,
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the Scent did so excel:
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Besides such sweet and pleasant Mirth
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did from the City sound,
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That I therewith was ravished,
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my Joy did so abound.
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With Musick, Mirth and Melody,
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Princes did there embrace:
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But in my Heart I long'd to be
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within that Blessed Place.
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The more I gaz'd the more I might,
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the Sight pleas'd me so well;
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For what I saw in everything,
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my Tongue no way can tell.
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Then of the Man I did demand
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what Place the same might be,
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Whereas so many Kings did dwell
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in Joy and Melody?
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Quoth he, That blessed Place is HEAVEN,
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where yet thou can'st not rest,
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And those that do like Princes go,
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are those whom God hath blest.
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Then did he turn me round about,
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and on the other side,
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He bid me view and mark as much,
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what Things were to be spy'd:
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With that I saw a Cole-black Den,
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all tann'd with Soot and Smoak,
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Where stinking Brimstone burning was,
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which made me like to choak.
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An ugly Creature there I saw,
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whose Face with Knives was slash'd,
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And in a cauldron of poison Filth
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his ugly Corps was wash'd:
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About his Neck were sundry Ruffs
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that flam'd on every side:
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I ask'd, and then the Young-man said
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that he was damn'd for Pride.
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Another Sort there did I see,
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whose Bowels Vipers tore;
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And grievously with gaping Mouths
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they did both Yell and Roar.
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A spotted Person by each one,
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stood gnawing on their Hearts,
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And this was Conscience, I was told,
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which plagu'd the[i]r inward Parts.
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They were no sooner out of sight,
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but strait came in their Place
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A Sort still throwing burning Fire,
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which fell against their Face:
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And Ladles full of melted Gold
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were poured down their Throats;
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And these were set, it seem'd to me,
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ith midst of burning Boats.
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The foremost of the Company
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was JUDAS I was told,
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Who had for filthy Lucre sake
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his Lord and Master sold:
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For Covetousness he was condemn'd,
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so it was told to me;
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And there methoughts another Rout
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of Hell-hounds I did see.
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Their Faces seemed fat in Sight,
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yet all their Bones were bare,
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And Dishes full of crawling Toads
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were made their finest Fare:
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From Arms, from Hands, from Thighs and feet
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with red-hot Pinchers then
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The Flesh was pluck'd even from the Bone
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of these vile gluttonous Men.
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On cole-black Beds another sort
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in grievous sort did lye,
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And underneath them burning Brands,
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their Flesh to scorch and fry:
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With Brimstone fierce their pillows eke
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whereon their Heads were laid,
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And Fiends with glowing Whips of fire
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their letcherous Flesh off flay'd.
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Then did I see another come,
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stabb'd in with Daggers thick,
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And filthy Fiends with fiery Darts
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their Hearts did wound and prick.
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And mighty Bowls of corrupt Blood
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was brought for them to drink;
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And these Men were for Murder plagu'd,
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from which they could not shrink.
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I saw, when they were gone away,
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the Swearer and the Lyar,
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And they were hung up by the Tongues
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over a flaming Fire.
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From Eyes, from Ears, from navel and nose,
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and from the Lower Parts,
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The Blood methought did gushing run,
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and clogged like Men's Hearts.
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I asked why that Punishment
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was now on Swearers laid?
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Because (quoth he) wounds heart and blood,
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were all the Oaths they made.
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And therewithal from ugly Hell,
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such grievous Cries I heard,
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As though some greater Grief and Care
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had vex'd them afterward.
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So that my Soul was sore afraid,
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such Terror on me fell:
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Away then went this Young-man quite,
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and bid me not farewell:
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Wherefore unto my Body strait
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my Spirit return'd again,
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And lively Blood did afterwards
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stretch forth in every Vein.
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My closed Eyes I opened,
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and raised from my Swoon.
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I wonder'd much to see myself
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so laid upon the Ground:
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Which when my Neighbours did behold,
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great Fear upon them fell:
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To whom soon after I did tell
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the News from Heaven and Hell.
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