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 reft;
See by fecret Marriage
How fore I am opprefs'd,
For why my fad Misfortune
Herein fhall be exprefs'd;
Alack, &c.

My Father came unto me
Upon a certain Day,

And with a merry Countenance,
And Looks that feem'd all gay:
My Son, quoth he, come hither,
And mark what I fhall fay;
Alack, &c.

Seeing you are disposed

To lead a wedded Life, I have unto your Credit Provided you a Wife,

Where thou may'ft live delightful Without all Care and Strife ; Alack, &c.

Mafter Senock's Daughter,

Most Beautiful and Wife,

Three hundred Pounds her Portion, May well thy Mind fuffice,

And by her Friends and Kindred, Thou mayft to Credit rife;

Alack, &c.

When he had heard my Speeches,
His Anger did arise,
He drove me from his Prefence,
My Sight he did despise,

And ftrait to difinherit me
All Means he did devise;
Alack, &c.

When I, my self perceived,
In that ill Cafe to stand,
Moft lewdly I confented
Unto his fond Demand,
And married with the other,
And all to fave my Land;
Alack, &c.

And

And at this hapless Marriage
Great Coft my Friends did keep,
They spared not their Poultry,
Their Oxen, nor their Sheep;
Whilft joyfully they danced,
I did in Corners weep:
Alack, &c.

My Confcience fore tormented,
Did me of Joys deprive ;
I for to hide my Sorrow

In Thoughts did always ftrive,
Quoth I, What Shame will it be
To have two Wives alive;
Alack, &c.

O my fweet Margaret,

I did in Sorrow fay,

Thou know'ft not in thy Service,

Of this my Marriage-Day,

Tho' here my Body resteth,

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 befide, Saying, Why doth my true Love So fadly here abide;

Alack, &c.

Yea, twenty lovely Kiffes

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,
Alack, &c.

But

But when that I had brought her,
Where no Body was near,
I embraced her moft falfely,
With a most feigned Chear,
Unto the Heart I ftabbed
This Maiden fair and clear;
Alack, &c.

My felf in woeful manner
I wounded with a Knife,
And laid my felf down by her,
By this my married Wife ;

And faid, that Thieves to rob us,
Had wrought this deadly Strife;
Alack, &c.

Great wailing and great Sorrow,
Was then upon each fide,

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.

M 2

XXXIV. A

.

XXXIV. A Lamentable Ballad of the Lady's FALL.

MA

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

Ark well my heavy doleful Tale,
You loyal Lovers all,

And heedfully bear in your Breast,
A gallant Lady's Fall:

Long was she woo'd e'er fhe was won,
To taste a wedded Life,

But Folly wrought her Overthrow,
Before she was a Wife.

Too foon, alas, she gave confent
To yield unto his Will,
Though he protested to be true,

And faithful to her ftill:

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 forrowful 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 fo put on her filken Gown,
None might her Swelling fee.

Unto