The Woful Complaint and Lamentable Death
of a FORSAKEN LOVER. To a pleasant New Tune.
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DOwn by a Forest as I did pass,
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To see abroad what sports there was,
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Walking by a pleasant Spring,
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The birds in sundry notes did sing.
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Long time I wandered here and there,
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To see what sports in Forest were,
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At length I heard one make great moan,
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Saying, from me all joys are gone.
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I gave good heed unto the seme,
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Musing from whence this Eccho came,
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And by no means I could devise,
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From whence this sorrowful sound did rise.
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But in that place I did remain,
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Until I heard it once again:
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Where prtsently I heard one say,
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O death come take my life away.
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I looked down on my right hand,
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A sort of pleasant trees did stand,
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And under them I did behold
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A pleasant place, with shadows cold.
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A sumptuous Seat was in the same;
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Musing from whence this Eccho came:
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Then in this place I did perceive
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A Gentleman most fine and brave.
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And from that place he did come down,
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Casting from him his morning Gown,
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Walking up and down that place,
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Methought a proper man he was.
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Then to himself he did lament,
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Wishing to God his days were spent;
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His torments did encrease so sore,
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His heart was able to bear no more.
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I stept into a hollow tree,
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Because I would his passion see;
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With folded arms looking to th' Skies,
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The tears alas stood in his eyes.
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And careless of his life he seem'd,
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Pity he was no more esteem'd,
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Then down he lay upon the ground,
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No ease of sorrow could be found.
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Thus he lamented in woful case,
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Seven long years within few days;
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Saying, while I live, I must remain,
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And find no help to ease my pain.
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For she that should my griefs remove,
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She doth disdain to be my love;
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And hath done so, since she did hear
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That l to her good will did bear.
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Ye gods above come ease my pain,
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Sith heavy grief doth it constrain,
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For while my Corps remains on earth,
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She'll shew the causes of my death.
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And every tree that here doth stand,
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Shall be engraven with my hand,
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That they long time may witness bear,
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Love was the cause that l dy'd here.
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Nature to her did so much right,
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And in as many vertues dight,
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Scorning to take the help of Art
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As ever did embrace a heart.
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Being so good so truly try'd,
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O some for less were Deify'd;
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Full of pity, as she may be,
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And yet perhaps not so to me.
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When first I saw her pleasant face,
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Methought a pleasant sight it was;
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Her beauty took my wits away,
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I knew not how one word to say.
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A Gentleman took her to dance,
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She gallantly herself did prance;
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And kept her steps all in due time,
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Which made me wish she had been mine.
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But when I thought she'd been my own,
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Then was she furthest from me flown;
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She gave no ear unto my cry,
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Which makes me here in sorrow die.
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FOr she then in another mind,
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Which to my pain I often find,
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Of all hopes I am beguil'd,
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Which makes me walk the woods so wild.
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To silent trees I made my moan,
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The birds and beasts did hear me groan;
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Yet she that could my sorrows remove
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Disloyal wretch to me did prove.
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My love to her was constant pure,
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And to my end shall so endure;
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And Jove to her I hope will send
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A grieved mind before her end.
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I have forsaken friends and Kin,
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My daies to end this wood within,
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My pleasures past l now forsake,
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And of the world my leave l take.
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Bear witness Heaven of my grief
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To ease my heart send some Relief;
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Fair Maids unto your loves be true,
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If the first be good change not for a new.
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O Young men all be warn'd by me,
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Gaze not too much on womens beauty;
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Lest that you be so fettered fast,
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You cannot be Releast at last.
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Some womens wiles are too much known,
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In love once changing stick to none;
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They swear they love you with their heart,
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when tongue and mind are both apart.
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My love to her I did reveal,
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And nothing from her did conceal;
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Though at first she seemed coy,
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She said I was her only joy,
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And none but I her love should have,
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What need I any more to crave?
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But Hoggard like she me abus'd,
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Another taken and I refus'd.
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When he'd bewail'd his sorrows long,
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He took his Lute that by him hung;
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And on the same he sweetly play'd,
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While thereupon these words he said:
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O Death when will that hour come,
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That I have waited for so long?
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For while I live and languish still,
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Finding no help to ease my ill.
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Then quite he flung his Lute away,
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And took his Sword that by him lay.
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Says oft hast thou been thy masters friend
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And now thou must his torment end.
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He gave true Sentence in that place,
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To end his life in woful case;
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The Hilt he struck into the ground,
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And gave himself a deadly wound.
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Then unto him I ran amain,
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But O alas it was in vain:
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For long before to him I came,
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His death he had upon the same.
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I found his Grave was ready made,
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Wherein I thought he should be laid:
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And in that place I laid him down,
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And over spread his morning Gown.
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Over his Grave his Sword I laid,
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whereby his death he had receiv'd,
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Upon his lute a Peal I rung,
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And by the place his lute I hung,
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Then I beheld on every tree
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Her name that was his only joy:
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Which long before his face did stand,
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because she got the upper hand.
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This Maiden that did all this wrong,
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to live a maid thought it o'er long?
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but married was to such a one,
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As daily made her sigh and groan.
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Her coyness to her former love,
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Disloyal now doth truly prove;
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take heed fair maidens for you see,
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Wrongs always will revenged be.
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