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Patience to Wives, by fhewing them the Bleffings that attend this great uncommon Virtue; and I have inferted it, thinking, that among my Readers, I might have fome Husbands, who would be glad of carrying fuch an excellent Song to their Wives.

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Noble Marquis,

As he did ride a Hunting,
Hard by a Foreft fide,

A fair and comely Maiden,
As fhe did fit a spinning,
His gentle Eye efpy'd;
Moft fair and lovely,

And of a comely Grace was fhe,
Although in fimple Attire ;

She fung full fweetly,

With pleasant Voice melodiously,

Which fet the Lord's Heart on fire.

The more he look'd, the more he might,

Beauty was his Heart's Delight:

And to this Damfel

Strait the Noble went,

God fpeed, quoth he, thou famous Flower,
Fair Mistress of this homely Bower,

Where Love and Virtue

Dwells with fweet Content.

With comely Gesture.

And modest mild Behaviour,

She bids him welcome then; She entertained him

In faithful friendly manner,

And all his Gentlemen:

The Noble Marquifs

In his Heart felt such a Flame,

Which fet his Senfes all at Strife,

Quoth

Quoth he, Fair Maiden,

Shew me foon what is thy Name,
I mean to make thee my Wife.
Griffel is my Name, quoth fhe,
Far unfit for your Degree;
A filly Maiden

And of Parents poor.

Nay, Griffel, thou art rich, he faid,
A virtuous, fair and comely Maid:
Grant me thy Love,

And I will ask no more.

At length fhe confented,

And being both contented,

They married were with speed;

Her Country Ruffet

Was chang'd to Silk and Velvet,
As to her State agreed:

And when that she

Was trimly 'tired in the fame,

Her Beauty fhin'd most bright,

Far ftaining every other

Fair and Princely Dame,

That did appear in fight:

Many envied here therefore,

Because she was of Parents poor,
And 'twixt her Lord and the

Great Strife did raise :

Some faid this, and fome faid that,

And fome did call her Beggar's Brat,

And to her Lord

They would her oft difpraise.

O noble Marquis,

Quoth they, why didft thou wrong us,

Thus bafely for to wed,

Who might have gotten

An honourable Lady

Into your Princely Bed?

Who

Who will not now

Your noble Iffue foon deride,

Which shall hereafter be born, That are of Blood fo base

Born by the Mothers fide,

The which will bring them in Scorn? Put her therefore quite away,

And take to you a Lady gay,

Whereby your Lineage

May renowned be.

Thus every Day they seem'd to prate,
That malic'd Griffel's good Estate,

Who all this while

Took it most patiently.

When that the Marquis

Did fee they were bent thus,

Against his lawful Wife,

Whom he most dearly,
Tenderly and entirely

Beloved as his Life;

Meaning in fecret

For to try her patient Heart,
Thereby her Foes for to difgrace,
Thinking to fhew her

A hard discourteous Part,

That Men might pity her Cafe ;
Great with Child the Lady was,

And at last it came to pass,
Two goodly Children

At one Birth she had;

A Son and Daughter God had fent,
Which did their Mother well content,
And which did make

Their Father's Heart full glad.

Great

Great Royal Feafting

Was at these Children's Christening,

And Princely Triumph made; Six Weeks together

All Nobles that came thither,

Were entertain'd and staid; And when that all the pleasant Sporting quite was done,

The Marquifs a Messenger sent For his young Daughter,

And his pretty smiling Son :

Declaring his full Intent

How that the Babes must murthered be,
For fo the Marquis did decree :
Come let me have

The Children then he faid;

With that fair Griffel wept full fore,
She wrung her Hands, and faid no more,
But my Gracious Lord

Must have his Will obey'd.

She took the Babes

Even from the Nurfing Ladies

Between her tender Arms:

She often wishes,

With many forrowful Kiffes,

That she might ease their Harms:
Farewell, farewell,

A thousand times my Children dear;
Never shall I fee you again;

'Tis long of me

Your fad and woeful Mother here,
For whofe fake both must be slain,
Had I been born of Royal Race,
You might have liv'd in happy Cafe,
But you must dye

For my Unworthiness;

Come

Come Meflenger of Death, quoth she,
Take my dearest Babes to thee,
And to their Father

My Complaints express.

He took the Children

And to his Noble Mafter

He bore them thence with speed,

Who in secret sent them

Unto a noble Lady,

To be brought up indeed:

Then to fair Griffel

With a heavy Heart he goes,

Where the fat mildly all alone: A pleasant Gesture,

And a lovely Look she shows,

As if no Grief she had known : Quoth he, My Children now are flain, What thinks fair Griffel of the fame? Sweet Griffel now

Declare thy Mind to me.

Sith you, my Lord, are pleas'd with it, Poor Griffel thinks this Action fit; Both I and mine

At your Command will be.

My Nobles murmur,

Fair Griffel, at thy Honour,

And I no Joy can have,

"Till thou be banish'd

Both from my Court and Presence,

As they unjustly crave:

Thou must be stripp'd

Of thy brave Garments all,

And as thou cam'st to me,

In homely Grey,

Inftead of Silk and pureft Pall,
Now all thy Cloathing must be.

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