PRIDU's FALL; or, A Warning to all English Women, by the Ex-
ample of a strange Monster born by a Merchant's proud Wife at Vienna in Germany
To the Tune of All you that love good Fellows.
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England's fair dainty Dames,
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See here the fall of Pride,
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Leave Wantoness in Time,
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That God may be your Guide,
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I was a Dutchland Frow,
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Shining in Beauty bright,
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And a brave Merchants Wife,
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In whom he took Delight.
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All things I had at Will,
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My Heart could wish or crave,
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My Diet, dainty fair,
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My Garments rich and brave.
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No Wife in Germany,
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Where I in Pleasure dwell,
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For Golden bravery,
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My Person could excell.
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My Coaches richly wrought,
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And deck'd with Pearl and Gold,
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Carried me up and down,
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Whereto my Fancy would.
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The Earth I deem'd too base,
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My Feet to tread upon;
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My blooming Crimson Cheeks,
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Felt neither Wind nor Sun,
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My Beauty made me think,
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Myself an Angel bright,
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Framed of heavenly Mould,
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And not an earthly Wight,
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For my Soul's Happiness,
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God's Holy Bible Book;
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I had my Looking-glass
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Where I most pleasure took,
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There was no Fashion found,
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That might advance my Pride;
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But in my Looking-Glass
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My Fancy soon espy'd,
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Every vain foolish Toy,
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Changing my wanton Mind,
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And they best pleased me
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That could new Fashions find.
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Yet all these earthly Joys,
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Yielded me small content,
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In that Dame Nature had,
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Ne'er a Child to me sent.
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That makes my Heart to bleed,
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For which Offence to God,
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He therefore grievously
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Scourged me with a Rod.
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And in my tender Womb,
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Of so pure Flesh and Blood,
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Created he, strange to see,
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A most deformed Brood.
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That Woman's wanton Pride,
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May take Example by,
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How they in Fashion fond,
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Offend the Lord on high.
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When the Babe came to light,
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And I brought to my Bed;
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No cost was spar'd that Night
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To serve me in my Need.
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My Nurse both youth and fair,
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Fit for a Royal Queen,
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Gave all Attendance here,
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As it was daily seen,
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Never had Merchant's Wife,
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Of Ladies such a Train.
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That came in gentle Sort,
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At the Hour of my Pain.
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But when my swelling Womb,
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Yielded up Nature's due,
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Such a strange Monster then,
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Never Man hardly knew:
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For it affrighted so,
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All the whole Company,
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That ev'ryone said in Heart,
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Vengeance now draweth nigh.
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It had two Faces strange,
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And two heads painted fair,
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On the Brows curled Locks,
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Such as our Wantons wear.
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In one Hand right the Shape
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Of a fair Looking-glass,
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In which I took delight,
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How my vain Beauty was,
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Right the Shape of a Rod,
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Scourging me for my Sin;
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The other seem'd to have
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Perfectly seen therein.
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These Women's Wantonness,
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And their vain foolish Minds,
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Ne'er contented are,
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With what things God assigns.
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Look to it London Dames,
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God keepeth Plagues in Store;
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And now the Second Part
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Of this Song sheweth more.
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PART II.
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GRief and Care kills my Heart,
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Where God offended is,
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As the poor Merchant's Wife,
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Did worldly Comfort miss.
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Strange were the Miseries,
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That she so long endur'd,
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No ease by Woman help,
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Could be as then procur'd.
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Hereupon speaks the Child,
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With a Voice fearfully,
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Mother your wanton Pride
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Brings this your Misery.
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Let your Life soon amend,
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Or else the mighty God,
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Will scourge your Wantonness,
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With a much Sharper Rod.
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About his Neck a Ruff,
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It had now gallantly,
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Starched with white and blue
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Seeming unto their Eye,
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With Laces long and broad,
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As now are Women's Bands;
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Thus you have Women's Pride,
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First in Gods Anger stands,
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The Breasts were planted o'er,
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As still the Merchant's be,
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Now as lewd Women wear,
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To hide Adultery.
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Every Part, every Limb,
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Had not true Nature's Frame,
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But to shew to the World,
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This my great Sin and Shame.
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From the Head to the Foot,
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Monster-like was it born,
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Every Part had the Shape
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Of Fashions daily worn.
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On the Feet pinked Shoes,
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In steps had Roses red,
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Which in Silk now is us'd,
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So vainly are we led.
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Thus both my Flesh and Blood,
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Nourish'd now near my Heart.
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Put me in Mind of Sin,
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And bids me now convert.
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Oh! let all Women then,
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Take Heed of wanton Pride,
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Angels have fallen from Heaven,
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And for that Sin have dy'd.
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No sooner brought to Light
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Was this Fruit of my Youth,
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But to the Counsel-house
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It was brought for a Truth;
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Where to the Magistrates
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In a most fearful Sort,
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Began aloud to speak,
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And these words did report:
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I am a Messenger,
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And now sent from on High,
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To bid you all repent,
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Christ's coming draweth nigh.
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Repent you all with Speed,
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This is a Message sure,
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The World seems at an End,
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And cannot long endure.
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Pride is the Prince of Sin,
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Which is your chief Delight:
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Mankind repent with Speed,
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Before tht Lord doth smite,
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This is my last Advice,
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Repentance soon provide
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Now these were his last Words,
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And so the Monster dy'd.
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Great was the Fear of those
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That these same Speeches heard,
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God grant all Christians may
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Have their Mind well prepared,
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With a true Repentance,
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God's Mercy to implore,
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That never Womankind
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May bring such Fruit forth more.
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And ye fair English Dames,
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That in Pride do excell,
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This woful Misery,
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In your Heart print full well:
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Let not Pride be your Guide,
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For Pride will have a Fall;
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Maid and Wife, let my Life
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Be a Warning to you all.
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