ancient poems-第20章

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She　stayed　two　hours　with　her　dear；　In　hopes　for　to　declare　her　mind；　But　Hannah　Wrightson　（8）　stood　so　near；　No　time　to　do　it　she　could　find：　So　that　being　almost　dead　with　grief；　Away　she　went　without　relief。

Tears　from　her　eyes　did　flow　amain；　And　she　full　oft　would　sighing　say；　'My　constant　love；　alas！　is　slain；　And　to　pale　death；　become　a　prey：　Oh；　Hannah；　Hannah　thou　art　base；　Thy　pride　will　turn　to　foul　disgrace！'

She　spent　her　time　in　godly　prayers；　And　quiet　rest　did　from　her　fly；　She　to　her　friends　full　oft　declares；　She　could　not　live　if　he　did　die：　Thus　she　continued　till　the　bell；　Began　to　sound　his　fatal　knell。

And　when　she　heard　the　dismal　sound；　Her　godly　book　she　cast　away；　With　bitter　cries　would　pierce　the　ground。　Her　fainting　heart　'gan　to　decay：　She　to　her　pensive　mother　said；　'I　cannot　live　now　he　is　dead。'

Then　after　three　short　minutes'　space；　As　she　in　sorrow　groaning　lay；　A　gentleman　（9）　did　her　embrace；　And　mildly　unto　her　did　say；　'Dear　melting　soul　be　not　so　sad；　But　let　your　passion　be　allayed。'

Her　answer　was；　'My　heart　is　burst；　My　span　of　life　is　near　an　end；　My　love　from　me　by　death　is　forced；　My　grief　no　soul　can　comprehend。'　Then　her　poor　heart　it　waxed　faint；　When　she　had　ended　her　complaint。

For　three　hours'　space；　as　in　a　trance；　This　broken…hearted　creature　lay；　Her　mother　wailing　her　mischance；　To　pacify　her　did　essay：　But　all　in　vain；　for　strength　being　past；　She　seemingly　did　breathe　her　last。

Her　mother；　thinking　she　was　dead；　Began　to　shriek　and　cry　amain；　And　heavy　lamentations　made；　Which　called　her　spirit　back　again；　To　be　an　object　of　hard　fate；　And　give　to　grief　a　longer　date。

Distorted　with　convulsions；　she；　In　dreadful　manner　gasping　lay；　Of　twelve　long　hours　no　moment　free；　Her　bitter　groans　did　her　dismay：　Then　her　poor　heart　being　sadly　broke；　Submitted　to　the　fatal　stroke。

When　things　were　to　this　issue　brought；　Both　in　one　grave　were　to　he　laid：　But　flinty…hearted　Hannah　thought；　By　stubborn　means　for　to　persuade；　Their　friends　and　neighbours　from　the　same；　For　which　she　surely　was　to　blame。

And　being　asked　the　reason　why；　Such　base　objections　she　did　make；　She　answered　thus　scornfully；　In　words　not　fit　for　Billingsgate：　'She　might　have　taken　fairer　on　…　Or　else　be　hanged：'　Oh　heart　of　stone！

What　hell…born　fury　had　possessed；　Thy　vile　inhuman　spirit　thus？　What　swelling　rage　was　in　thy　breast；　That　could　occasion　this　disgust；　And　make　thee　show　such　spleen　and　rage；　Which　life　can't　cure　nor　death　assuage？

Sure　some　of　Satan's　minor　imps；　Ordained　were　to　be　thy　guide；　To　act　the　part　of　sordid　pimps；　And　fill　thy　heart　with　haughty　pride；　But　take　this　caveat　once　for　all；　Such　devilish　pride　must　have　a　fall。

But　when　to　church　the　corpse　was　brought；　And　both　of　them　met　at　the　gate；　What　mournful　tears　by　friends　were　shed；　When　that　alas　it　was　too　late；　…　When　they　in　silent　grave　were　laid；　Instead　of　pleasing　marriage…bed。

You　parents　all　both　far　and　near；　By　this　sad　story　warning　take；　Nor　to　your　children　be　severe；　When　they　their　choice　in　love　do　make；　Let　not　the　love　of　cursed　gold；　True　lovers　from　their　love　withhold。



Ballad：　THE　CRAFTY　LOVER；　OR；　THE　LAWYER　OUTWITTED。

Tune　of　I　LOVE　THEE　MORE　AND　MORE。



＇THIS　excellent　old　ballad　is　transcribed　from　a　copy　printed　in　　Aldermary　church…yard。　　It　still　continues　to　be　published　in　the　　old　broadside　form。＇


Of　a　rich　counsellor　I　write；　Who　had　one　only　daughter；　Who　was　of　youthful　beauty　bright；　Now　mark　what　follows　after。　（10）　Her　uncle　left　her；　I　declare；　A　sumptuous　large　possession；　Her　father　he　was　to　take　care　Of　her　at　his　discretion。

She　had　ten　thousand　pounds　a…year；　And　gold　and　silver　ready；　And　courted　was　by　many　a　peer；　Yet　none　could　gain　this　lady。　At　length　a　squire's　youngest　son　In　private　came　a…wooing；　And　when　he　had　her　favour　won；　He　feared　his　utter　ruin。

The　youthful　lady　straightway　cried；　'I　must　confess　I　love　thee；　Though　lords　and　knights　I　have　denied；　Yet　none　I　prize　above　thee：　Thou　art　a　jewel　in　my　eye；　But　here；'　said　she；　'the　care　is；　…　I　fear　you　will　be　doomed　to　die　For　stealing　of　an　heiress。'

The　young　man　he　replied　to　her　Like　a　true　politician；　'Thy　father　is　a　counsellor；　I'll　tell　him　my　condition。　Ten　guineas　they　shall　be　his　fee；　He'll　think　it　is　some　stranger；　Thus　for　the　gold　he'll　counsel　me；　And　keep　me　safe　from　danger。'

Unto　her　father　he　did　go；　The　very　next　day　after；　But　did　not　let　the　lawyer　know　The　lady　was　his　daughter。　Now　when　the　lawyer　saw　the　gold　That　he　should　be　she　gainer；　A　pleasant　trick　to　him　he　told　With　safety　to　obtain　her。

'Let　her　provide　a　horse；'　he　cried；　'And　take　you　up　behind　her；　Then　with　you　to　some　parson　ride　Before　her　parents　find　her：　That　she　steals　you；　you　may　complain；　And　so　avoid　their　fury。　Now　this　is　law　I　will　maintain　Before　or　judge　or　jury。

'Now　take　my　writing　and　my　seal；　Which　I　cannot　deny　thee；　And　if　you　any　trouble　feel；　In　court　I　will　stand　by　thee。'　'I　give　you　thanks；'　the　young　man　cried；　'By　you　I　am　befriended；　And　to　your　house　I'll　bring　my　bride　After　the　work　is　ended。'

Next　morning；　ere　the　day　did　break；　This　news　to　her　he　carried；　She　did　her　father's　counsel　take　And　they　were　fairly　married；　And　now　they　felt　but　ill　at　case；　And；　doubts　and　fears　expressing；　They　home　returned；　and　on　their　knees　They　asked　their　father's　blessing；

But　when　he　had　beheld　them　both；　He　seemed　like　one　distracted；　And　vowed　to　be　revenged　on　oath　For　what　they　now　had　acted。　With　that　bespoke　his　new…made　son　…　'There　can　be　no　deceiving；　That　this　is　law　which　we　have　done　Here　is　your　hand　and　sealing！'

The　counsellor　did　then　reply；　Was　ever　man　so　fitted；　'My　hand　and　seal　I　can't　deny；　By　you　I　am　outwitted。　'Ten　thousand　pounds　a…year　in　store　'She　was　left　by　my　brother；　And　when　I　die　there　will　be　more；　For　child　I　have　no　other。

'She　might　have　had　a　lord　or　knight；　From　royal　loins　descended；　But；　since　thou　art　her　heart's　delight；　I　will　not　be　offended；　'If　I　the　gordian　knot　should　part；　'Twere　cruel　out　of　measure；　Enjoy　thy　love；　with　all　my　heart；　In　plenty；　peace；　and　pleasure。'



Ballad：　THE　DEATH　OF　QUEEN　JANE。　　（TRADITIONAL。）



＇WE　have　seen　an　old　printed　copy　of　this　ballad；　which　was　written　　probably　about　the　date　of　the　event　it　records；　1537。　　Our　version　　was　taken　down　from　the　singing　of　a　young　gipsy　girl；　to　whom　it　　had　descended　orally　through　two　generations。　　She　could　not　　recollect　the　whole　of　it。　　In　Miss　Strickland's　LIVES　OF　THE　　QUEENS　OF　ENGLAND；　we　find　the　following　passage：　'An　English　　ballad　is　extant；　which；　dwelling　on　the　elaborate　mourning　of　　Queen　Jane's　ladies；　informs　the　world；　in　a　line　of　pure　bathos；

In　black　were　her　ladies；　and　black　were　their　faces。'

Miss　Strickland　does　not　appear　to　have　seen　the　ballad　to　which　　she　refers；　and　as　we　are　not　aware　of　the　existence　of　any　other　　ballad　on　the　subject；　we　presume　that　her　line　of　'pure　bathos'　is　　merely　a　corruption　of　one　of　the　ensuing　verses。＇


QUEEN　JANE　was　in　travail　For　six　weeks　or　more；　Till　the　women　grew　tired；　And　fain　would　give　o'er。　'O　women！　　O　women！　Good　wives　if　ye　be；　Go；　send　for　King　Henrie；　And　bring　him　to　me。'

King　Henrie　was　sent　for；　He　came　with　all　speed；　In　a　gownd　of　green　velvet　From　heel　to　the　head。　'King　Henrie！　　King　Henrie！　If　kind　Henrie　you　be；　Send　for　a　surgeon；　And　bring　him　to　me。'

The　surgeon　was　sent　for；　He　came　with　all　speed；　In　a　gownd　of　black　velvet　From　heel　to　the　head。　He　gave　her　rich　caudle；　But　the　death…sleep　slept　she。　Then　her　right　side　was　opened；　And　the　babe　was　set　free。

The　babe　it　was　christened；　And　put　out　and　nursed；　While　the　royal　Queen　Jane　She　lay　cold　in　the　dust。

*　*　*　*　*

So　black　was　the　mourning；　And　white　were　the　wands；　Yellow；　yellow　the　torches；　They　bore　in　their　hands。

The　bells　they　were　muffled；　And　mournful　did　play；　While　the　royal　Queen　Jane　She　lay　cold　in　the　clay。

Six　knights　and　six　lords　Bore　her　corpse　through　the　grounds；　Six　dukes　followed　after；　In　black　mourning　gownds。

The　flower　of　Old　England　Was　laid　in　cold　clay；　Whilst　the　royal