Classic Poem

M ARKE : well my heauy dolefull tale,
you loyall louers all,
& heedfully beare in yo u r brest
a gallant Ladyes fall.

long was shee wooed ere shee was woone
to lead a wedded liffe,
but folly rought her ou er throwe
before shee was a wiffe;

to soone, alas! she gaue consent,
& yeeleded to his will,
tho he p ro tested to be true
& faithfull to her still.

shee felt her body altered quite,
her bright hue waxed pale,
her faire red cheekes changed color quite,
her strenght began to fayle.

& soe w i th many a sorrowffull sighe,
this bewtious Ladye Milde
w i th greeued hart p er ceiued her selfe
to be conceiued w i th chyld.

shee kept it from her parents sight
as close as close might bee,
& soe put on her silken gowne
none shold her swelling see.

vnto her louer secretly
her greefe shee did bewray,
& walking w i th him, hand in hand,
these words to him did say:

" behold, " q uo th shee, " a Ladyes distresse
by loue brought to yo u r bowe;
see how I goe w i th chyld w i th thee,
tho none thereof doth knowe!

" my litle babe springs in my wombe
to heare it fathers voyce;
o lett itt not be a bastard called,
sith I make thee my choyce!

" thinke on thy former p ro mises,
thy words & vowes eche one!
remember w i th what bitter teares
to mee thou madest thy Moane!

" convay me to some secrett place,
& marry me w i th speede,
or w i th thy rapyer end my liffe,
lest further shame proceede! "

" alacke, my derest loue! " q uo th hee,
" my greatest Ioy on earthe!
w hi ch way shold I conuay you hence
to scape a sudden death?

" yo u r freinds are all of hye degree,
& I of meane estate;
ffull hard itt is to gett you forthe
out of yo u r ffathers gate. "

" dread not yo u r liffe to saue yo u r fame!
for if you taken bee,
my selfe will step betweene the sword
to take the harme of thee;

" soe may you scape dishonor quite
if soe you shold be slaine,
what cold they say, but tha t true loue
had wrought a Ladyes paine?

" but feare not any further harme;
my selfe will soe devise,
I will safelye ryd w i th thee
vnknowen of Morttall Eyes.

disguised like some pretty page
Ile meete thee in the darke,
& all alone Ile come to thee
hard by my ffathers p ar ke "

" & there, " q uo th hee, " Ile meete my deere —
if god doe lend me liffe —
on this day month w i thout all fayle;
Ile make thee then my wiffe. "

& with a sweet & louing kisse
they p ar ted p re sentlye,
& att their p ar tinge brinish teares
stoode in eche others eye.

att lenght the wished day was come
wherin this louely Mayd
w i th longing eyes & strange attire
for her true louer stayd

if any p er son shee had spyed
came ryding ore the plaine,
shee thought itt was her owne true loue;
but all her hopes was vaine!

then did shee weepe, & soer bewayle
her most vnhappy fate;
then did shee speake these wofull words
when succourles shee sate:

" O ffalse, fforsworne, ffaithelesse man!
disloyall in thy loue!
hast thou fforgott thy p ro mise past,
& wilt thou p er iured prooue?

" & hast thou now fforsaken mee
in this my greate distresse,
to end my dayes in heauinesse
wh i ch well thou might redresse?

" woe worth the time I did beleeue
tha t fflattering toung of thine!
wold god tha t I had neu er seene
the teares of thy false eyen! "

soe tha t w i th many a grieuous groane
homewards shee went amaine.
noe rest came in her waterye eyes,
shee found such priuy payne

in trauell strong shee fell tha t night
w i th many a bitter thraw: —
what woefull paines shee felt tha t night
doth eche good woman knowe! —

shee called vp her waiting mayds
who lay att her bedds feete,
and musing at her great woe
began full fast to weepe.

" weepe nott, " shee sayth, " but shutt the dores
& windowes all about;
let none bewray my wretched state,
but keepe all persons out! "

" O Mistrus! call yo u r mother here;
of women you haue neede;
& to some skilfull midwiffe helpe
the better may you speed. "

" call not my mother for thy liffe,
nor ffeitch noe woman here!
The midwiffes helpe comes all to late;
my death I doe not feare. "

w i th tha t the babe sprang from her wombe,
noe creature being by,
& w i th one sighe w hi ch brake her hart
this gallant dame did dye.

the litle louely infant younge,
the pretty smiling babe,
resigned itt new receiued berath
to him tha t had it made

next morning came her owne true loue
affrighted w i th this newes,
& he for sorrow slew himselfe,
whom eche one did accuse.

the Mother w i th her new borne babe
were laide both in one graue;
their parents, ou er worne w i th woe,
noe Ioy tha t they cold haue.

take [heed] you dayntye damsells all;
of fflattering words beware;
& to the honor of y ou r name
haue you a specyall care.