Glen Collection of printed music > Printed text > Charms of melody, or, Siren medley

laS. BALLADS ancient and modern, LEGENDARIES, &c.
■ Too foon alas ! ftie gave confent
And yielded to his will,
Thouf;h he protefted to be true,
And faithful to her ftill.
She felt her body alter'd quite.
Her bright hue waxed pale.
Her lovtly cheets chang'd colour whitCp
Her ftrength began to fail.
: So thatyith liiany a -forrowful- figh,
This beauteous lady mild,
With grieved heart, perceivM herfelf
:To. have conceived with-child.
She kept it from her parent's fight
As ciofe as clofe could be.
And fo put on tier fillcen gown
None niight Jier fwelling lee.
' Unto her lover fecretiy
Her grief (he did bewray.
And walking with him hand in hand,
Thefe -words to him did iay :
« Behold," quoth fhe, " a maid's diftreCi,
" By love brought to thy bow,
"! Behold I go with-child by thee,
" But none thereof doth know.
"" The little bafbe fprings in my womb
" To hear its father's voice,
" let it not -be a baftard call'd, .
" Since I made thee my choice :
" Come, come, my love, perform thy vo\?^'
" And wed me-out of hand; J-
« O leave me not in this extreme,
" In grief always to ftand.
" Think on thy former promifes,
" Thy oaths and vows each ofie ;
*' Remember wiih what bitter tears
" To me thou mad'll thy moan.
" Convey me to fome fecret place^
" And marry we with fpeed ;
.-«• Or with thy rapier end my life,
" Ere turther Ihame proceed."
*■ Alack ! my Beareft love," quoth he,
"My greateft joy on earth,
• " Which way can I convey thee hence,
" Without a fudden death ?
• " Thy friends are ^11 of high degree,
" And I of mean eftate ;
" Full hard it is to get thee forth
" Out of thy father's_gate."
" Dread not thy life to jTave thy fame,
" For if thou taken be,
-" Myfelf will ftep between iTie iwor4s,
" And take the harm on me :
"' So fliall I'fcape di&onor quite;
" And if Iftiould be flain,
•" What could they fay, but that true loye
" Had wrought a lady's bane.
"''Ai\d fear not any other harm ;
" Myfelf will fo advife,
"uThat; I will ride away with thee
" Unknown to mortal eyes ;
-«• Difguifed like fome pretty page,
" I'll meet thee in the dark,
'•^' And all alone I'll come to thee,
" Hard by thy father's park."
■ " And there,'" quoth he, " I'll meet my dear,
" If God fo lend me life,
■" On this day month. without all fail
" I will make thee my w ife."
Then with a fweet and loving kifs,
Thty parted prefently,
, And at their parting, brinifti tears
. Stood in each oihc-s eye.
.7/0.)
At length the wifiied day was come.
On which this beauteous maid,
With longing eyes, and ftrange attire.
For her true lover ftay'd :
When any perfon fhe efpy'd
Come riding o'er the plain,
Shehop'd it was her own true lover
But all her hopes were vain. ■
Then did fhe w=eep iiid fore be,w.ail
Her moft unhappy fate ;
Then did fhe fpeak thefe woefull words,
As fuccourlefslhe fate :
" O falfe, forfworn, and faithlefs man,
" Difloyal in thy love,
"Haft thou forgot thy promife paft,
" And wilt :ihoii;perjur'd prove? i
".And haft thou now forfaken me
'■■ In this my great diftrefs,
" To end ray d.-'ys in open ftiame,
" Which thou might'ft well redrefs?
" Woe worth the time I e'er believ'd
"That flattering tongue of thine;
" Would. God that P had never feen
" The tears of thy falfe een."
And thus with many forrowful fighs.
Homewards {be went again ;
No reft came to her watery eyes,
She felt, fuch privy pain.
In travail ftrong fhe fell that nighf,
With many a bitter throw ;
What woeful pangs fhe then did fe^i.
Doth each good woman know.
She called up her waiting maid,
■ " That lay at her bed's feet,
W ho, mufingat her miftrefs' woe,
Began full faft to vveep,
" Weep not;" faid fhe, " but fhut the dooi£,
" And windows round abou',
" Let none bewray my wretched ftate,
• " But keep all perfons out."
" O miftrefs call thy mother dear,
•" Cf women you have need,
" And of fome fkiltul widwife's help,
" That better you may fpeed."
" Call not my mother, for thy life.
" Nor fetch no women here,
" 1 he midwife's, help comes all too late,
" My death I donot fear."
With that the babe fprang from her womb.
No creature being.nigh.
And with one figh, which broke her heart,
This gallant dame did die.
The lovely little infant young,
T hejnocher being dead,
Refign'd its new received breath
To him, that had it made.
Next morning.came her ovn true love.
Affrighted at the news,
And he for forrow flew himfelf.
Whom each one did accule. >
The mother with her new-born babe.
Were both laid in one- grave, ■ ■
.Their parents overcame with woe.
No joy henceforth could have.
Take heed,;ye dainty damfels all.
Of flattering words beware,
And of the honour of your name
Have an efpecial care.
"Too true, alas! this ftory Is,
As many one can tell.
By others harms learn to be wife.
And ycu fliall do full well.