A most sweet Song of an English Merchant born Chichester.
To an Excellent new Tune.
A Rich Marchant-man
that was both grave and wise
Did kill a man at Embden Town,
through quarrels that did rise,
Through quarrels that did rise,
the German being dead;
And for that fact t [...]e Merchant-man,
was judg'd to lose his head.
A sweet thing love,
it rules both heart and mind,
There is no comfort in this world,
to women that are kind.
A Scaffold builded was,
within the Market place,
And all the people far and néer
did thither flock apace:
Did thither flock apace,
this doleful sight to sée,
Who all in Velvet black as jet,
unto the place came he:
A sweet, &c.
Bare-headed was he brought,
his hands were bound before,
A Cambrick Ruff about his neck,
as white as milk he wore,
His Stockings were of silk,
as fine as fine might be,
Of person and of countenance,
a proper man was he;
A sweet thing, &c.
When he was mounted up,
upon the Scaffold high,
All women said great pitty it was,
so swéet a men should dye:
The Merchants of the Town,
from death to set him frée,
Did proffer there a thousand pound,
but yet all would not be:
A sweet thing, &c.
The Prisoner hereupon
began to speak his mind:
(Quoth he) I have deserved death
in conscience I do find:
Yet sore against my will,
this man I kill'd (quoth he)
As Christ doth know, which of my soul,
must only Saviour be.
A sweet thing, &c.
With heart I do repent,
this most unhappy déed,
And for his wife and Children small,
my very heart doth bléed:
The déed is done and past,
my hope of life is vain,
And yet the loss of this my life,
to them is little gain.
A sweet thing, &c.
Vnto the Widdow poor,
and to the babes therefore,
I give a hundred pound a piece,
their comforts to restore:
Desiring at their hands,
no one request but this,
They will speaks well of Englishmen
though I have done anisse:
A sweet thing, &c.
This was no sooner done,
but that to stint the strife,
Four goodly Maids did [...]roffer him,
for love to save his li [...]e:
This is our law (quoth they)
we may your death remove,
So you in lieu of our good will,
will grant to us your love:
A sweet thing, &c.
Brave English-man (quoth one)
'tis I will beg thy life;
Nay, quoth the second it is I,
so I may be thy wife:
'Tis I the third did say;
nay, quoth the fourth, 'tis I,
So each one after other said,
still waiting his reply;
A sweet thing is love, &c.
The Second Part,
To the same Tune.
FAir Maidens every one,
I must confesse and say,
That each of you well worthy is,
to be a Lady gay:
And I unworthy far,
the worst of you to have,
though you have preffered willingly,
my loathed life to save:
A sweet thing is love,
it rules both heart and mind,
There is no comfort in his world,
to women that are kind.
Then take a thousand thanks,
of me a dying men,
But speak no more of love nor life,
for why my life is gone:
To Christ my soul I give,
my body unto death:
For none of you my heart can have,
sith I must loose my breath:
A sweet thing, &c.
Fair Maids lament no more,
your Country Law is such,
It takes but hold upon my life,
my goods it cannot touch:
Within one Chest I have,
in gold a thousand pound,
I give it equal to you all,
for love that I have found.
A sweet thing, &c.
And now dear friends farewel,
swéet England now adieu,
And Chichester where I was born,
where first this breath I drew:
And now thou man of death,
unto thy Weapon stand;
Oh nay, another Damsel said;
swéet Heads-man hold thy hand.
A sweet thing, &c.
Now hear a Maidens plaint,
brave English-man (quoth she)
And grant me love for love again,
that craves but love of thée:
I wooe and sue for love,
that have been woo'd e'r this:
Then grant me love, & there withal,
she proffered him a kiss,
A sweet thing, &c.
I'le dye within thy arms,
if thou wilt dye (quoth she)
Yet live or dye swéet English-man,
I'le live and dye with thee:
But can it be (quoth he)
that thou dost love me so:
'Tis not by long acquaintance sir,
whereby true love doth grow:
A sweet thing, &c.
Then beg my life (quoth he)
and I will be thy own:
If I should séek the world for love,
more love cannot be shown:
The people at that word,
did give a joyful cry,
And said great pitty it had béen,
so swéet a man should dye;
A sweet thing, &c.
I go my love she said:
I run, I flye for thée,
And gentle heads-man spare a while
my Lovers head for me:
Vnto the Duke she went,
who did her grief remove,
And with an hundred Maidens more
she went to fetch her love:
A sweet thing, &c.
With musick sounding swéet,
the foremost of that train,
The gallant Maiden like a Bride,
did fetch him back again;
Yea, hand in hand they went
unto the Church that day,
And they were Married presently,
in sumptuons rich array:
A sweet thing, &c.
To England came he then,
with this his lady Bride,
A fairer women never lay
by any Merchants side:
Where I must leave them now
in pleasure and delight,
But of their names & dwelling place
I must not here recite.
A sweet thing is love,
it rules both heart and mind, &c.
FINIS.
London, Printed for F. Coles, T. Vere, and J. Wright.