Reliques of Ancient English Poetry; Consisting of Old Heroic Ballads, Songs, and Other Pieces of Our Earlier Poets; Together with Some Few of Later Da

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1823 edition. Excerpt: ...70 And, gentle mother, be not coye To bring my winding-sheet. My wedding dinner drest, Bestowe upon the poor, And on the hungry, needy, maimde, 75 Now craving at the door. Instead of virgins yong, My bride-bed for to see, Go cause some cunning carpenter, To make a chest for mee. 80 My bride laces of silk Bestowd, for maidens meet, May fitly serve, when I am dead, To tye my hands and feet. And thou, my lover true, 85 My husband and my friend, Let me intreat thee here to stave-Until my life doth end. Now leave to talk of love, And humblye on your knee, 90 Direct your prayers unto God: But mourn no more for moo. In love as we have livde, In love let us depart; And I, in token of my love, 95 Do kiss thee with my heart. 0 staunch those bootless teares, Thy weeping tis in vaine; 1 am not lost, for wee in heaven Shall one daye meet againe. 100 With that shee turn'd aside, As one dispos'd to sleep, And like a lamb departed life: Whose friends did sorely weep. Her true love seeing this, 105 Did fetch a grievous groane, As tho' his heart would burst in twaine, And thus he made his moane. 0 darke and dismal daye, A daye of grief and care, 110 That hath bereft the sun so bright, Whose beams refresht the air. Now woe unto the world, And all that therein dwell, 0 that I were with thee in heaven, 115 For here I live in hell. And now this lover lives A discontented life, Whose bride was brought unto the grave A maiden and a wife. 120 A garland fresh and faire Of lillies there was made, In sign of her virginitye, And on her coffin laid. Six maidens all in white, 125 Did beare her to the ground: The bells did ring in solemn sort, And made a dolefull sound. In earth they laid her then, 130 For hungry wonnes a preye; So shall the fairest face alive At length...