But never had two Lovers

More Sorrow, Care and Grief, No Means in our Extremity

We found for our Relief: And now what further happened Here followeth in brief;

Alack, &c.

Now you loyal Lovers,

Attend unto the rest ; See by secret Marriage

How sore I am oppress'd, For why my fad Misfortune Herein shall be express'd;

Alack, &c.

My Father came unto me

Upon a certain Day,
And with a merry Countenance,

And Looks that seem'd all gay : My Son, quoth he, come hither, And mark what I shall say; .

Alack, &c.

Seeing you are disposed

To lead a wedded Life, I have unto your Credit

Provided you a Wife,
Where thou may'st live delightful
Without all Care and Strife;

Alack, &c.
Master Senock's Daughter,

Most Beautiful and Wise,
Three hundred Pounds her Portion,

May well thy Mind suffice, And by her Friends and Kindred, Thou mayst to Credit rise;

Alack, &c.

This is, my Son, undoubted,

A Mate for thee most meet,
She is a proper Maiden

Most delicate and sweet,
Go woe her then and wed her,
I shall rejoyce to see 't;

Alack, &c.

Her Friends and I have talked,

And thereon have agreed,
Then be not thou abashed,

But speedily proceed,
Thou shalt be entertained,
And have no doubt to speed;

Alack, &c.

O pardon me, dear Father,

With bashful Looks, I said,
To enter into Marriage

I sorely am afraid,
A single Life is lovely,
Therein my Mind is staid :

Alack, &c.

When he had heard my Speeches,

His Anger did arise,
He drove me from his Presence,

My Sight he did despise,
And strait to disinherit me
All Means he did devise;

Alack, &c.
When I, my self perceived,

In that ill Case to stand,
Moft lewdly I consented

Unto his fond Demand, And married with the other, And all to save my Land ; Alack, &c.

M

16

And

And at this hapless Marriage

Great Cost my Friends did keep,
They spared not their Poultry,

Their Oxen, nor their Sheep;
Whilst joyfully they danced,
I did in Corners weep :

Alack, &c.

My Conscience fore tormented,

Did me of Joys deprive; I for to hide my Sorrow

In Thoughts did always strive, Quoth I, What Shame will it be To have two Wives alive;

Alack, &c.

O my sweet Margaret,

I did in Sorrow say,
Thou know'st not in thy Service,

Of this my Marriage-Day,
Tho' here my Body reíteth,
With thee my Heart doth stay ;

Alack, &c.
And in my Meditations

Came in my lovely Bride,
With Chains and Jewels trimmed,

And filken Robes beside,
Saying, Why doth my true Love
So sadly here abide ;

Alack, &c.
Yea, twenty lovely Kisses

She did on me bestow
And forth Abroad a walking,

This lovely Maid did go,
Yea, Arm and Arm most friendly,

With him that was her Foe,

Alpack, &c.

But

But when that I had brought her,

Where no Body was near,
I embraced her most falsely,

With a most feigned Chear,
Unto the Heart I stabbed
This Maiden fair and clear ;

Alack, &c.

My self in woeful manner

I wounded with a Knife,
And laid my self down by her,

By this my married Wife;
And said, that Thieves to rob us,
Had wrought this deadly Strife;

Alack, &c.
Great wailing and great Sorrow,

Was then upon each side,
In woeful fort they buried

This fair and comely Bride,
And my Diffimulation
Herein was quickly try'd ;

Alack, &c.

And for this cruel Murther,

To Death now I am brought; For this my aged Father

Did end his Days in nought; My Margaret at these Tidings Her own Destruction wrought ;

Alack, &c.

Lo, here the doleful Peril,

Blind Fancy brought me in,
And mark what Care and Sorrow

Forc'd Marriages do bring,
All Men by me take Warning,
And God forgive my Sin;
Alack, for my Love I shall dye.

XXXIV. A

M 2

XXXIV. A Lamentable Ballad of the

Lady's FALL.

To the Tune of, In Pefcod Time, &c.

M ,

Ark well my heavy doleful Tale,

You loyal
And heedfully bear in your Breast,

A gallant Lady's Fall :
Long was she woo'd e'er she was won,

To taste a wedded Life,
But Folly wrought her Overthrow,

Before she was a Wife.

Too soon, alas, she gave consent

To yield unto his Will,
Though he protested to be true,

And faithful to her still :
She felt her Body alter'd quite,

Her bright Hue waxed pale,
Her fair red Cheeks turn'd Colour white,

Her Strength began to fail.

So that with many a sorrowful Sigh,

This beauteous Maiden mild,
With grievous Heart perceiv'd herself

To have conceiv'd with Child :
She kept it from her Father's Sight,

As close as close might be, And so put on her filken Gown,

None might her Swelling see.

Unto