A Lamentable BALLAD of the Tragical End
OF A
Gallant LORD and Vertuous LADY,
Together with
The Untimely Death of their two CHILDREN; wickedly performed by a
Heathenish and Bloud-thirsty Blackamore, their Servant; the like of which Cruelty and
Murther was never before heard of. To the Tune of, The Lady's Fall, etc.
Licens'd and Enter'd according to Order.
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IN Rome a Nobleman did wed
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a Virgin of great Fame,
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A fairer Creature never did
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Dame Nature ever frame;
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By whom he had two Children fair,
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whose beauty did excel;
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They were their Parents only Joy,
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they loved them both so well.
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The Lord he lov'd to hunt the Buck,
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the Tyger and the Boar:
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And still for Swiftness always took
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with him a Blackamore;
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Which Blackamore within the Wood
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his Lord he did offend;
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For which he did him then correct,
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in hope he would amend.
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The Day it grew unto an end,
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then homewards he did haste,
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Where with his Lady he did rest,
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until the night was past:
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Then in the Morning he did rise,
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and did his Servants call,
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Ahunting he provides to go,
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straight they were ready all.
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To cause the Toyl the Lady did
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intreat him not to go:
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Alas, good Lady, then quoth he,
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why art thou grieved so?
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Content thyself, I will return
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with speed to thee again.
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Good Father, quoth the little Babes,
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with us here still remain.
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Earewel, dear Children, I will go
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a fine thing for to buy.
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But they therewith nothing content,
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aloud began to cry:
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The Mother takes them by the hand,
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saying, Come, go with me
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Unto the highest Tower, where
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your Father you shall see.
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The Blackamore perceiving now,
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who then did stay behind,
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His Lord to be ahunting gone,
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began to call to mind,
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My Master he did me correct,
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my Fault not being great;
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Now of his Wife i'll be reveng'd,
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she shall not me intreat.
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The place was moted round about,
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the Bridge he up did draw;
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The Gates he bolted very fast,
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of none he stood in awe:
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He up into the Tower went,
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the Lady being there,
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Who when she saw his Countenance grim,
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she straight began to fear.
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But now my trembling Heart it quakes
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to think what I must write,
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My Sences all begin to fail,
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my Soul it doth affright:
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Yet must I make an end of this,
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which here I have begun,
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Which will make sad the hardest Heart,
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before that I have done:
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This Wretch unto the Lady went,
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and her with speed did will,
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His Lust forthwith to satisfie,
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his Mind for to fulfil:
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The Lady she amazed was,
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to hear the Villian speak;
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Alas, quoth he, what shall I do?
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with Grief my heart will break.
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With that he took her in his Arms,
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she straight for Help did cry:
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Content yourself, Lady, he said,
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your Husband is not nigh:
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The Bridge is drawn, the Gates are shut,
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therefore come lye with me,
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Or else I do protest and vow,
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thy Butcher I will be.
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The crystal Tears ran down her Face,
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her Children cry'd amain,
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And sought to help their Mother dear,
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but all it was in vain;
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For that egregious filthy Rogue,
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her Hands behind her bound,
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And then perforce with all his might,
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he threw her on the ground;
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With that she shriekt, her Children cry'd,
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and such a Nose did make,
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That Towns-folks hearing her Laments,
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did seek their parts to take:
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But all in vain, no way was found
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to help the Lady's need,
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Who cried to them most piteously,
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O help, O help with speed.
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Some run into the Forrest wide,
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her Lord home for to call;
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And they that stood still did lament
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this gallant Lady's Fall.
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With speed her Lord came posting home,
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he could not enter in,
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His Lady's Cries did pierce his Heart,
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to call he did begin:
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O hold thy hand, thou savage Moor,
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to hurt her do forbear,
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Or else be sure if I do live,
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wild Horses shall thee tear.
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With that the Rogue ran to the Wall,
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he having had his Will,
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And brought one Child under his Arm,
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his dearest Blood to spill.
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The Child seeing his Father there,
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to him for help did call:
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O Father, help my Mother dear,
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we shall be killed all.
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Then fell the Lord upon his Knee,
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and did the Moor intreat,
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To save the Life of his poor Child,
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whose Fear was then so great.
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But this vile Wretch the little Child
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by both thee heels did take,
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And dasht his brains against the wall,
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whilst Parents Hearts did ake:
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That being done, straightway he ran
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the other Child to fetch,
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And pluckt it from the Mother's breast,
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most like a cruel Wretch.
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Within one hand a knife he brought,
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the Child within the other;
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And holding it over the wall,
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saying, Thus dye shall thy Mother;
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With that he cut the throat of it,
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then to the Father he did call,
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To look how he the head did cut,
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and down the head did fall.
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This done, he threw it down the wall
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into the Mote so deep;
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Which made the Father wring his hands,
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and grievously to weep:
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Then to the Lady went this Rogue,
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who was near dead with fear,
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Yet this vile Wretch most cruelly
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did drag her up by th' hair;
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And drew her to the very wall;
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which when her Lord did see,
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Then presently he cryed out,
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and fell upon his knee,
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Quoth he, If thou wilt save her Life,
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whom I did love so dear;
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I will forgive thee all is past,
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though they concern me near.
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O save her Life, I thee beseech;
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O save her, I thee pray,
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And I will grant thee what thou wilt
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demand of me this day.
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Well, quoth the Moor, I do regard
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the Moan that thou dost make:
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If thou wilt grant me what I ask,
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i'll save her for thy sake.
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O save her Life, and then demand
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of me what thing thou wilt:
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Cut of thy Nose, and not one drop
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of her Blood shall be spilt.
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With that the Lord presently took
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a knife within his Hand,
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And then his Nose he quite cut off,
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in place where he did stand.
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Now I have bought my Lady's Life,
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then to the Moor did call:
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Then take her, quod this wicked Rogue,
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and down he let her fall.
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Which when her gallant Lord did see,
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his Sences all did fall;
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Yet many sought to save his Life,
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yet nothing could prevail.
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Whenas the Moor did see him dead,
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then did he laugh amain,
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At them who for their gallant Lord
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and Lady did complain:
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Quoth he, I know you'll torture me,
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if that you can me get,
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But all your threats I do not fear,
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nor yet regard one whit.
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Wild Horses shall my Body tear,
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I know it to be true,
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But i'll prevent you of that pain,
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and down himself he threw:
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Too good a Death for such a Wretch,
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a Villain void of fear;
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And thus doth end as sad a Tale,
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as ever Man did hear.
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