The Dead Mans Song.
[W]hose Dwelling was near Basing-Hall in LONDON.
To the tune of, Flying Fame.
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[SOre sick dear friends lo]ng time I was
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[and weakly laid in bed,
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And for five hours in all me]ns sight
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[at length I lay as dead:
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The Bell rung out my frien]ds came in,
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[and I key cold was found,
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Then was my carkass brou]ght from bed,
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[and laid upon the Ground.
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My loving Wife did weep ful]l sore,
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[my Children loud did cry,
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My friends did mourn, yet th]is 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 houres by just re]port,
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[in this same case I laid:
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During which time my soul] did see
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[such strange and fearful s]ights,
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[That for to hear the same di]sclosed,
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[would banish all delights:
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Yet sith 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 sa]w
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[the time that I was dead.
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Methought upon a lovely g]reen,
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[where pleasant flowers sp]rung,
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[I took my way, whereas I th]ought,
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[the Muses sweetly sung;
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The grass was sweet, the tree]s was 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 gol]d.
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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 reacht a fair young-man,
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to me did make repair.]
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Touch not said he, 'tis none of thine,
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but wend 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 wondred greatly at his words,
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yet went with him away,
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Till on a goodly pleasant bank
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with him he bid my 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 bad me look
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what I far off could see.
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I looked up and low 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, & 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 tyl'd and overlaid.
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More brighter then the morning Sun
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the light thereof did shew,
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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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Gilly flowers and Carnations fair,
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which 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 every 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 imbrace,
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But in my heart I longed 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 pleased me so well,
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For what I saw in everything
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my tongue can no way tell.
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Then of the man I did demand
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what place that 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 canst not rest,
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And those that do like Princes walk
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are men 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 bad 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 tan'd with soot and smoke,
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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 were slasht,
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And in a Cauldron of poyson filth
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his ugly Corps were washt.
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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 askt and loe 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 mouth
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they did both yell and rore.
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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 their inward parts.
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They were no sooner out of sight,
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but streight 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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in 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 Lucres sake
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his Lord and Master sold;
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For covetousnesse he was condemn'd
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so it was told to me,
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And there methought 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 pincers then,
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The flesh was pluckt even from the bone
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of these vile gluttenous 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 did burn 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 Lecherous flesh off flaid.
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Then did I see another come,
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stab'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 boles 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 tongue,
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over a flaming fire.
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From eyes, from ears, from navel, & nose
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and from their lower parts,
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The blood methought did gushing run,
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and clogged like mens hearts.
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I asked why that punishment
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was now on Swearers laid,
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Because, quod 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 crys I heard,
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As though some greater Grief and care
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had vext 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 bad me not farewel:
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Wherefore unto my body streight,
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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 swound,
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I wondred much to see myself,
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so laid upon the Ground:
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Which when my Neighbors 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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