[...]HE DEAD MANS SONG, Who dwelling was near Basing-hall in London.
To the Tune of, Flying Fam
[...]
SOre sick dear friends long time I was
and veakly la
[...]d in bed,
And for five hours in all mens sight
at leng
[...]h I lay as dead.
The bell rang out, my friends came in,
and I key-cold was found,
Then was my carkasse brought from bed
and laid upon the ground.
My loding wife did weep full sore,
my children loud did cry,
My friends did mourn, yet this they said
all flesh is born to die:
My winding-sheet prepared was,
my grave was also made;
And for five hours by just report;
in this
[...]ame case I laid.
During which time my soul did see,
such strange and fearful sights,
That for to hear the same d
[...]clos'd,
would banish all delights:
Yet sith the Lord restor'd my life;
which from my badie flad;
I will declare the sight I saw,
the time that I was dead.
We thought upon a lovelie green,
where pleasant flowers syrang,
I took my way wo
[...]reas I thought,
the Muses sweetlie sang:
The grass was sweet the trees were fair
and lovelie to behold.
And full of fruits was everie twig,
which shin'd like glist'ring gold.
My chearful heart destred much,
to taste the fruit most fair;
But as I reacht a fair young man,
to me did make repair:
Touch not, said he, its none of thins,
but wend and walk with m
[...];
And see thou mark each several thing,
which I shall shew to thee.
I wondred great lie at his words,
yet went with him away,
Till on a goodlie pleasant bank,
with him he vade me stay:
With branches then of Lillies white,
mine eyes there wiped be,
When this was done be bade me look,
what I far off could see.
I looked up and lo at last,
I did a City see,
So fair a thing did never man,
behold with mortal eye:
Of diamonds, peales, and precious stones
it seems the walls were made;
The houses all with beaten gold,
were til'd and overlaid.
More brighter then the morning Sun,
the light thereof did show,
And everie Creature in the same,
like crowned Kings did go:
The fields about the City fair,
were all with Roles set;
Gillie flowers and Carnations fair,
watch canker could not
[...]r
[...]t.
And from the fields there did proceed
a sweet and pleasant smell,
That everi
[...] l
[...]ving Creature felt,
the scene did so
[...]xcel:
B
[...]sides such sweet and pleasant mirth,
did from the City sound,
That I therewith was ravished,
my joy di
[...] so abound.
Wi
[...]h musick, mirth and melodie,
P
[...]inc
[...]s did there imbrace,
That in my heart I long'd to be.
within that bl
[...]ssed place:
The more I gaz
[...]d, the more I might,
the st
[...]h
[...] pleas'd me so well:
For wha
[...] I saw in everte thing,
my tongue can no way tell.
Then of the man I did demand,
what place the same might be,
Whereas so man
[...]e Kings did dwel,
in joy and melodie:
Quoth be crat blessed place is heaven,
where yet thou canst not rest;
And those that do like Princes walk,
are men whem God hath blest.
Then did he turn me round about,
and on the other side,
He have me view and mark as much,
what things were to be spy'd:
With that I saw a Coal-black Den,
all tan'd with soot and smook,
Where stoking brimstone burning was,
which made me like to choak.
An uglie creature there I saw,
whose face with knives were slasht,
And in a cauldron of poysend filth.
his uglie corps was washt:
About his neck were sundrie rifts,
that flam'd on everie side;
I ask
[...], and lo the young man said,
that he was damn'd for pride.
Another sort there did I see,
whole bowels Vipers tore,
And grievously with gaping mouth,
they did both yell and roar:
A spoted person by each one,
stood gn
[...]wing on their hearts;
And this was conscience I was told,
that plagu'd the inward parts.
They were no sooner out of sight,
but straight came in their place,
A sort still corowing burning fire,
which sell against their face:
And Ladies full of melted Gold
were poured down their throats.
An these were set it seem'd to me.
in midst of burning boats.
The formost of the companie
was Iudas I was told,
Who had for st'thie Lueres sake,
his Lord and Master sold
For covetousnesse they were condemn'd
so it was told to me.
And there me thought another rout
of hell hounds I did see.
Their faces they seem'd fat in sight,
yet all their bones were hare;
And dishes full of crawling Toads,
were made their finest fare:
From arms, from lands, from thighs and feet
with red hot pincers then,
The flesh was pluckt even from the bone
of those vile glutonous men.
On Coal-black beds another sort,
in grievous sort did ly;
And underneath them burning brands,
their flesh did buth and fry:
With brimstone fierce their pillows
[...]ke
whereon their deads were laid,
And fiends with glowing whips of fire,
their treacherous flesh off fla
[...]d.
Then did I see another come,
stab
[...]d in with dagers
[...]hick,
And flithy fiends with fiery darts,
their hearts did wound and prick:
And mighty bowls of corrupt blood,
was brought for them to drink:
And these men were for murder plagu'd
from whence they could not shrink.
I saw when they were gone away,
the swearer and the lyat,
And they were hung up by the tongues
over a flame of fire:
From eyes, from ears, from navel & nose
and from their lower parts,
The blood me thought did rushing run,
and clogged like mens hearts.
I asked why that punishment,
was now answes rors laid,
Because quoth be, wounds heart and blood
were still the cath they made:
And there withal from ugly hell,
such grievous crits I heard,
As though some greater grief and care,
had next them afterward.
So that my soul was sore afraid,
such t
[...]cour on me tell,
Away then went the young man quite,
and have me not farewel:
Wherefore unto my body straight,
my spirit return'd again:
And lively blood did afterwards
stretch forth in every v
[...]in.
My closed eyes I opened,
and rais'd up from my swoend,
I wondred much to see my self.
laid so upon the ground:
Which when my neighbours did behold,
great fear upon them fell,
To whom soon after I did tell.
the news from heaven and hell
FINIS.