The Broken CONTRACT;
OR, THE
Ruin'd Virgin's Complaint.
Enter'd in the Stamp Office, according to Act of Parliament.
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YOU pretty Maidens all, I pray give Ear,
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Unto my Downfall, which I declare,
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Of Parentage I am,
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Near to a Gentleman,
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As some now Witness can the Date of Year.
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At Fourteen Years of Age, with Grief I tell,
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Many a young Man fair loved me well;
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I being childish young,
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Believ'd a flatt'ring Tongue,
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And fix'd my Mind upon a brisk young Man.
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He said, If I'd not yield with him to dwell,
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He would go hang himself, whate'er befell;
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He wrung and tore his Hair,
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And wickedly did swear,
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His Sword should end the Care before me then.
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I hearing what he said, grieved me so,
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I took him for my Friend, not for my Foe;
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Young Man, said I, forbear,
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I pray let go your Hair,
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I'll ease you of your Care, and be your Bride.
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O how he jump'd for Joy before me then,
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My Love and only Joy, happy's the Man;
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He kindly me embrac'd,
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And hung about my Waste,
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And then my Love I plac'd on this young Man.
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For two Months space and more he courted me,
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Day by Day, Night by Night, he set by me,
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He let me take no Rest,
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I must sleep on his Breast;
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And then my Love I plac'd on this young Man.
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The appointed Day was set we were to wed,
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But first of all he stole my Maidenhead;
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My Parents did not know,
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I lov'd this young Man so,
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Which prov'd my Overthrow and Ruin quite.
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When I with Child did prove, and him had told,
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He call'd me twenty Whores brazen and bold;
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I know you not, says he,
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Therefore be gone from me:
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This prov'd my Misery his Love was cold.
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I was asham'd to stay where I was known,
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For straitway I went from my own Home.
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I wander'd up and down,
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From Sea-Port Town to Town,
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'Till in Travail I fell down in the Highway.
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Then taken up I were by Womenkind,
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Whose Friendship for to show, Nature did bind,
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Deliver'd then I were,
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Of Two fine Babies fair,
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Which caused me much Care; be warn'd by me
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PART II.
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WAS ever Damsel so unfortunate,
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As i have been? for lo my Grief is great,
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No Comfort can i find,
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To ease a careful Mind,
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Since he is so unkind, who wronged me.
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My Friends and Parents dear, alass i left,
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To wander far and near, sadly bereft
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Of Joy and Comfort too:
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False Friend, farewel, Adieu,
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In Sorrow here I rue my wretched State.
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My Infants being born, as i have told,
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I then endur'd the Scorn of Young and Old;
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For they derided me,
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In that sad Misery;
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No Comfort could I see to Ease my Care.
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With my sweet smiling Son and Daughter dear,
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To my false Love I run, when I drew near,
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With Heart of Heaviness,
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These Words I did express,
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My Wrongs i pray redress, and pity me.
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i laid before him then my Grief and Care,
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And likewise told him when in sad Despair,
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i wander'd to and fro,
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in Sorrow, Grief, and Woe,
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And knew not where to go to hide my shame.
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i told him i had no Place of Abode,
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But travel'd to and fro, 'til in the Road,
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i did in Travail fall,
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My Sorrow was not small,
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Having no Friend at all to Succour me.
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These infants at my Breast by you i have,
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And were they richly dress'd, they'd be as brave,
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As ever Sun shin'd on,
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Then hear my piteous Moan,
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And for their sakes alone, Love, pity me.
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When i had ended this mournful Tale,
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With a most hearty Curse he 'gan to rail,
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Striking me such a Blow,
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Which laid me sprawling low:
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With Grief my Eyes did flow, my Heart was full.
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My little infants cry'd, while i was down,
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Here was my Patience try'd, for in the Town,
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That Night i might not stay;
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But be compell'd away:
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i knew not what to say, but wept full sore.
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in the Town where he dwelt i was not known,
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Therefore their Rage i felt, for he alone,
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Hired near Forty more,
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Which did abuse me sore,
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Never was Soul before abus'd like me.
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They drove me out of Town, few Friends i saw,
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My former Bed of Down that Night was Straw,
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My infants by my side,
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With bitter Bruises cry'd,
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And the next Day they dy'd, tho to my Grief.
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Sweet Virgins fair and young, take heed i pray,
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Let no deluding Tongue lead you astray,
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Lest you my Grief behold,
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Which have been manifold,
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Hot Love is soonest cold, i know 'tis true.
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PART III.
The Gentleman's Tragedy, Or, A mournful
Answer to the Ruin'd Virgin.
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AS he lay on his Bed that very Night,
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Strange thoughts run in his Head, did him affright,
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He dream'd his Love he see
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in sad Extremity;
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So that next Morning he bitterly cry'd;
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i am that wretched Man who broke my Vow,
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No living Mortal can pity me now;
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Bathed in Tears I lie,
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Accus'd with Perjury;
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Oh! Whither shall I fly to ease my Grief?
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No youthful Lady fair, for Beauty bright,
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Could with my Love compare, tho I did slight
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Her Lamentation so,
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Causing her Eyes to flow,
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In bitter Grief and Woe when in Distress.
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My very Conscience, Friends, flies in my Face,
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How shall I make amends for the Disgrace,
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Which I did bring her to,
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When from her Friends she flew?
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My Sorrow does renew now Night and Day.
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Why did I strike her down with Blows severe?
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Why did I raise the Town to wrong my Dear?
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When she her Moan did make,
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For her young Infants sake,
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With Grief my Heart will break for what I've done.
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I'll search the Nation round both Night and Day,
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And if she can be found, without delay,
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I will her Pardon crave;
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Which, if I may not have,
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I'll seek a silent Grave, and lay me down.
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O'er Hills and Dales he went, thro' Groves he past,
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To seek his Heart's Content, and came at last
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Near to a River side,
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Where silver Streams did glide,
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His Lover there he spy'd bleeding to Death.
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Close by her side he found these Verses writ,
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Myself did give the Wound that I might quit
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My Life of Care and Grief,
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Since there was no Relief,
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Worse than a cruel Thief my Love has been.
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Like one Distracted then his Locks he tore,
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And often kiss'd her when bathed in Gore;
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Crying out, as she lay,
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This is a dismal Day,
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Alas! What shall I say, I am the Cause.
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What shall I think of this which I have done?
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Then he her Lips did kiss so pale and wan;
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In Sorrows compass'd round,
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Kneeling upon the Ground,
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He bath'd her bleeding Wound with flowing Tears.
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He many sighs did fetch, crying again,
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None by a cruel Wretch, as I have been,
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E'er could have serv'd thee so;
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For, to my Grief, I know,
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I wrought thy Overthrow, and ruin'd thee.
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Has Death no fatal Dart, which he will give,
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To pierce my cruel Heart, Why should I live?
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Why should I here remain.
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Since my dear Love is slain:
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Oh! ease me of my Pain, and let me die.
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I'll go the nearest Way now to my Dear,
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I will no longer stay to languish here,
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This said, his Sword he drew,
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And ran it thro and thro,
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And bid the World Adieu, as down he fell.
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You loyal Lovers all, take Notice, i pray,
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See you a Conscience make, and don't betray
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Any poor harmless Love,
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Lest you their Ruin prove,
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For there's a God above, will find you out.
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