A Godly WARNING to all MAIDENS,
By the Example of God's Judgment shewed on Jermans Wife of Clifton,
in the County of Nottingham, who, lying in Child-bed was born away, and never
heard of after.
To the Tune of, The Lady's Fall.
Licens'd and Enter'd
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YOu dainty Dames so finely fram'd
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of Beauty's chiefest mould,
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And you that trip it up and down,
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like lambs in Cupids fold,
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Here is a lesson to be learn'd,
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a lesson in my mind,
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For such as will prove false in love,
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and bear a faithless mind:
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Not far from Nottingham of late,
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in Clifton, as I hear,
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There dwelt a fair and comely Dame,
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for beauty without Peer;
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Her cheeks were like the crimson-rose,
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yet as you may perceive,
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The fairest face the falsest heart,
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and soonest will deceive.
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This gallant Dame she was belov'd
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of many in that place,
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And many sought in marriage-bed
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her body to imbrace:
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At last a proper handsome Youth,
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young Bateman call'd by name,
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In hopes to make a married Wife,
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unto this Maiden came.
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Such love and liking there was found,
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that he from all the rest,
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Had stol'n away the Maiden's heart,
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and she did love him best;
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Then plighted promise secretly
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did pass between them two,
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That nothing could but Death itself,
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this true love's knot undo,
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He brake a piece of gold in twain,
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one half to her he gave,
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The other as a pledge, quoth he,
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dear Heart, myself will have.
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If I do break my vow, quoth she,
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while I remain alive,
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May never thing I take in hand
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be seen at all to thrive.
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This passed on for two months space,
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and then this Maid began
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To settle love and liking too
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upon another Man:
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One Jerman who a Widower was,
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her Husband needs must be,
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Because he was of greater wealth,
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and better in degree.
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Her vows and promise lately made,
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to Bateman she deny'd;
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And in despight of him and his
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she utterly defy'd:
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Well then, quoth he, if it be so,
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that you will me forsake,
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And like a false and forsworn Wretch,
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another Husband take:
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Thou shalt not live one quiet hour,
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for surely I will have
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Thee either now alive or dead,
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when I am laid in grave;
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Thy faithless mind thou shalt repent,
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therefore be well assur'd,
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When for thy sake thou hear'st report,
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what torments I endur'd.
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But mark how Bateman dy'd for love,
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and finisht up his life,
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That very day she marry'd was,
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and made old Jermans Wife;
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For with a strangling-cord, God wot,
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great moan was made therefore,
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He hang'd himself in desperate sort,
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before the Bride's own door.
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Whereat such sorrow pierc'd her heart,
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and troubled sore her mind,
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That she could never after that,
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one day of comfort find;
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And wheresoever she did go,
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her fancy did surmise,
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Young Batemans pale and ghastly Gost
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appear'd before her eyes.
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When she in bed at night did lye,
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betwixt her Husband's arms,
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In hope thereby to sleep and rest
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in safety without harms;
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Great cries, & grievous groans she heard,
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a voice that sometimes said,
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O thou art she that I must have,
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and will not be deny'd.
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But she being big with Child,
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was for the Infant's sake,
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Preserved from the Spirit's power,
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no vengeance could it take:
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The Babe unborn did safely keep,
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as God appointed so,
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His Mother's body from the Fiend,
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that sought her overthrow.
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But being of her Burden eas'd,
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and safely brought to bed,
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Her care and grief began anew,
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and farther sorrow bred:
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And of her Friends she did intreat,
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desiring them to stay,
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Out of the bed, quoth she, this night,
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I shall be born away.
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Here comes the Spirit of my Love,
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with pale and gastly face,
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Who till he bear me hence away,
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will not depart this place;
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Alive or dead I am his by right,
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and he will surely have,
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In spight of me, and all the World,
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what I by promise gave.
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O watch with me this night, I pray,
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and see you do not sleep,
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No longer than you be awake,
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my body can you keep.
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All promised to do their best,
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yet nothing could suffice,
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In middle of the night to keep
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sad slumber from their eyes.
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So being all full fast asleep,
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to them unknown which way,
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The Child-bed-woman that woful night
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from thence was born away;
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And to what place no Creature knew,
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nor to this day can tell;
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As strange a thing as ever yet
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in any Age befel.
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You Maidens that desire to love,
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and would good Husbands chuse,
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To him that you do vow to love,
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by no means do refuse.
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For God that hears all secret oaths,
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will dreadful vengeance take,
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On such that of a wilful vow
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do slender reckoning make.
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