A good warning for all Maidens, By the Example of Gods judgment shew'd upon one Jermans wife of Clifton in the County of Nottingham, who lying in child bed was born away and never heard of after.
The Tune is, The Ladies fall.
YOu vaintie dames so finelie fram'd
of beauties cheefest mold,
And you that trip it up and down
like Lambs in Cupids fold.
Here is a lesson to be learn'd,
a lesson in my mind,
For such as wil prove false in love,
and bear a faithlesse mind.
Not far from
Nottingham of late,
in
Clifton as I hear,
There dwelt a fair and comely Dame
of beautie without Péer.
Her chéeks wer like the crimson Rose,
yet as you may perceive,
The fairest face the falsest heart,
and soonest will deceive.
This gallant Damsell was belov'd
of manie in that place,
And manie sought in marriage bed,
her bodie to imbrace.
At last a proper handsome youth,
young
Bateman call'd by name,
In hope to make a married wife
unto this Maiden came.
Such love and liking soon he foun,
that he from all the rest,
Had stollen away this maidens heart,
and she did love him best.
Then plighted promise secretly,
did passe between them two,
That nothing could but death it self
these True lovers knot undo.
He broke a piece of Gold in twain:
one halfe to her he gave,
The other as a pledge quoth he
dear heart my self will have,
If I do break my vow quoth she,
while I remain alive,
May never thing I take in hand
be séen at all to thrive.
This passed on for two months space,
and then thi
[...] Maid began
To settle
lobe[?] liking and too
upn another man.
One
Jermans who a widdower was,
her husband needs must be,
Because he was of greater wealth
and better in degrée.
Her vows and Promise late she made
to
Bateman she deni'd,
And in despight of him and his,
she utter
[...]ie defi'd.
Well then quoth he if it be so
that thou wilt me forsake,
And like a false and forsworn wretch
another husband take.
Thou shall not live one quiet daie,
for surelie I will have
Thée either now alive or dead,
when I am laid in grave.
Thy faithlesse mind thou shalt repent,
therefore be well assur'd,
When for my sske thou hearest report,
what torments I indur'd,
BVt mark how
Baeeman di'd for love,
he finisht up his life,
The very day she married was,
and made old
Jermans wife.
For with a strangling cord God wot,
great moan was made therefore,
He hang'd himself in desperate sort
before the brides own door.
Whereat such sorrow pierc'd her heart,
and troubled sore her mind,
That she could never after that
one daie of comfort find;
For wheresoever she did go,
her fancy did surmize,
Young
Batemans pale and gastly ghost
appear'd before her eies.
When she in bed a nights did lie
betwéen her husbands arms,
In hope thereby to sleep and rest
in safety without harms.
Great cries & grie
[...]ous groans she heard,
a voice that sometimes said,
O thou art she that I must have,
and will not be deny'd.
Tut she then being big with child,
was for the infants sake
Preserved the Spirits power,
no vengeance could it take.
The babe unborn did safely keep,
as God appointed so;
His mothers body from the fiend,
hat sought her overthrow.
But being of her burthen eas'd,
and safely brought to bed,
Her cares and griefes began anew,
and further sorrow bread:
And of her friends she did intreat,
desiring them to stay,
Out of my bed quoth she this night,
I shall be born away.
Here comes the Sirit of my love,
with pale and gastly face,
Who till he bears me hence away,
will not depart this place,
Alive or dead I am his right,
and he will surely have,
In spight of me and all the world,
what I by promise gave.
O watch with me this night I pray,
and sée you do not sleep,
No longer then you be awake,
my body can you keep
All promised to do their best,
yet nothing could suffice.
At middle of the night to keep
sad slumber from their eyes.
So being all ful fast asleep,
to them unknown which way,
The child bed bed that wofull night
from thence was born away,
But to what place no creature knew,
nor to this day can tell;
As strange a thing as ever yet
in any age befel.
You maids that do desire to love
and would good husbands chuse,
To him that you have vow'd to love,
by no means do refuse;
For God that hears all secret oaths,
will dreadfull vengeance take;
And such that of a wilfull vow
do slender reckoning make.
Printed for F Coles, T. Vere, and W Gilbetson.