The Dead Mans SONG,
WHOSE
Dwelling was near BASING-HALL, in the City of London.
To an Excellent Tune, called, Flying Fame, etc. Licensed according to Order.
|
SOre Sick (Dear Friends) long time I was,
|
and Weakly lay'd in Bed,
|
And for Five Hours, in all Mens sight,
|
at length I lay as dead:
|
The Bell rung out, my Friends came in,
|
and I Key cold was found;
|
Then was my Carkass brought from bed,
|
and lay'd upon the Ground:
|
My loving Wife did weep full sore,
|
my Children loud did cry,
|
My Friends did mourn; yet this they said
|
All Flesh is Born to Die.
|
My Winding-sheet prepared was,
|
my Grave was also made,
|
And for five Hours, in all mens sight,
|
in this same case I lay'd.
|
In which time, my soul did see
|
such strange and fearful sights,
|
That for to hear the same disclos'd,
|
would banish all Delights:
|
Yet sith the Lord restor'd my life,
|
which from my body fled,
|
I will declare the Sights I saw
|
the time that I was dead.
|
Methoughts, upon a lovely Green,
|
where pleasant Flowers sprung,
|
I took my way, whereas I thought
|
the Muses sweetly Sung,
|
The Grass was sweet, the Trees was fair,
|
and lovely to behold,
|
And full of fruit was every twig,
|
which shin'd like glistering Gold.
|
My chearful heart desired much
|
to taste the fruit so fair,
|
But as I reacht, a fair Young-Man
|
to me did nigh repair:
|
Touch not, (said he) its none of thine,
|
but wend and walk with me,
|
And see thou mark each several thing
|
which I shall show to thee.
|
I wondred greatly at his words,
|
yet went with him away,
|
Till on a gallant goodly bank
|
with him he bid me stay:
|
With branches then of lillies white,
|
mine eyes there wiped he,
|
When this was done, he bid me look
|
what I far off could see.
|
I looked up and loe at last
|
I did a City see,
|
So fair a thing did never man
|
behold with mortal eye:
|
Of Diamonds, Pearls, and precious stone
|
it seems the walls were made,
|
The Houses all with beaten Gold
|
were tiled and over-layed.
|
Far brighter than the morning Sun,
|
the light thereof did show,
|
And every Creature in the same
|
like Crowned Kings did go.
|
The Fields about the City fair
|
were all with Roses set,
|
Gilly-flowers and Cornations fair,
|
whom Canker could not fret.
|
And from the fields there did proceed
|
a sweet and pleasant smell,
|
That every living Creature felt,
|
the scent did so excel:
|
Besides such sweet and pleasant mirth
|
did from the City sound,
|
That I therewith was ravished,
|
my joy did so abound.
|
With musick, [mir]th, and melody,
|
Princes [did there] imbrace.
|
But in my [heart I long'd] to be
|
within [that blessed] place:
|
The more I [gaz'd], the more I might,
|
the sight pleas'd me so well,
|
For what I saw in everything
|
my Tongue no way can tell.
|
Then of the man I did demand,
|
what Place the same might be,
|
Whereas so many Kings did dwell,
|
in joy and melody:
|
Quoth he, That Blessed Place is Heaven
|
where yet thou canst not rest.
|
And those that do like Princes go
|
are those whom God hath blest.
|
Then did he turn me round about,
|
and on the other side,
|
He had me view and mark as much,
|
what things were to be spy'd:
|
With that I saw a Cole-black Den,
|
all tann'd with soot and smoak,
|
Where sinking brimstone burning was,
|
which made me like to choak.
|
An ugly Creature there I saw,
|
whose face with knives was slasht,
|
And in a Cauldren of Poison filth,
|
his ugly Corps were washt;
|
About his neck were sundry Ruffs
|
that flam'd on every side;
|
I askt, and so the young man said,
|
that he was damned for Pride.
|
Another sort there did I see,
|
whose bowels vipers tore,
|
And grievously with gaping mouth,
|
they did both yell and rore.
|
A spotted Person by each one
|
stood gnawing on their hearts,
|
And this was Conscience I was told,
|
which plagued their inward parts;
|
They were no sooner out of sight,
|
but straight came in their place
|
A sort still throwing burning fire,
|
which fell against their face,
|
And Ladles full of melted Gold,
|
were poured down their throats;
|
And these were set (it seemed to me)
|
in midst of burning boats:
|
The foremost of the Company
|
was Judas I was told,
|
Who had for filthy lucres sake
|
his Lord and Master sold;
|
For Covetousness he was condemned,
|
so it was told to me.
|
And there methought another rout
|
of Hell-hounds I did see.
|
Their faces seemed fat in sight,
|
yet all their bones were bare.
|
And dishes full of crawling toads,
|
were made their chiefest fare:
|
From arms, from hands, from thighs & feet
|
with Red-hot pincers then,
|
The flesh was pluckt even from the bones
|
of these vile gluttenous men.
|
On Cole-black beds another sort
|
in grievous sort did lye.
|
and underneath them burning brands;
|
their flesh did burn and fry:
|
With brimstone fierce their pillows eke
|
whereon their beads were laid,
|
And Fiends with glowing whips of fire
|
their lecherous flesh off flaid.
|
Then did I see another come
|
stabbed with Daggers thick,
|
and filthy Fiends with fiery Darts
|
their hearts did wound and prick,
|
And mighty holes of corrupt blood
|
was brought for them to drink;
|
And these men were for murther plagued
|
from which they could not shrink
|
I saw when they were gone away
|
the Swearer and the Lyar,
|
And they were hung up by the tongu[e,]
|
over a flaming fire.
|
From ears, from eyes, navel and nose,
|
and from the lower parts,
|
The blood methought did gushing run,
|
and clogged like mens hearts.
|
I asked why that punishment
|
was now on Swearers laid?
|
Because (quoth he) wounds, heart & bl[ood]
|
were all the Oaths they made.
|
And therewithal from ugly Hell
|
such Grievous Cries I heard
|
As though some greater Gr[ie]f and Care
|
had vext them afterw[a]rd.
|
So that my soul was sore afraid,
|
such terror on me fell,
|
Away then went this young man quite,
|
and bad me not farewel-
|
Wherefore unto my body then
|
my spirit returned again
|
And lively blood did afterwards
|
stretch forth in every vein.
|
My closed eyes I opened
|
and raised from my swound,
|
I wondred much to see myself
|
so laid upon the Ground:
|
Which when my Neighbours did [behold,]
|
great fear upon them fe[l]l,
|
To whom soon after I did tell
|
the news from Heaven and Hel[l.]
|
|
|
|
|
|