A Godly Warning for all Maidens, by the example of Gods Judgement shewed on one Jermans’ Wife of Clifton, in the County of Nottingham, who lying in Child-bed, was born away, and never heard of after. To the Tune of, The Ladis Fall.

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YOu dainty Dames so finely fram’d,
of beauties chiefest 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 will prove false in love,
and bear a faithless mind.

Not far from Nottingham of late,
in Clifton as I hear,
There dwelt a fair and comely Dame,
for beauty without peer:
Her cheeks were like the crimson Rose,
yet as you may perceive,
The fairest face the falsest heart,
and soonest will deceive.

This gallant dame she was belov’d,
of many in that place,
And many sought in marriage bed,
her body to imbrace:
A[t] last a proper handsom youth,
young Bateman cal’d by name,
In hope to make a married wife,
unto this maiden came.

Such love and liking there was found,
that he from all the rest,
Had stoln away the Maidens heart,
and she did love him best;
Then plighted promise secretly
did pass between them two,
That nothing could but death it self,
this true loves knot undo.

He brake a piece of Gold in twain,
one half 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 seen at all to thrive.

This passed on for two months space,
and then this Maid began,
To settle love and liking too
upon another man:
One Jerman who a Widower was,
her Husband needs must be,
Because he was of greater wealth,
and better in degree.

Her vows and Promise lately made,
to Bateman she deny’d;
And in despight of him and his
she utterly defi’d:
Well then, quoth he, if it be so
that you will me forsake,
And like a false and forsworn wretch
another Husband take.

Thou shalt not Live one quiet hour
for surely I will have
Thee either now alive or dead,
when I am laid in grave;
Thy faithless mind thou shalt repent,
therefore be well assur’d,
When for thy sake thou hear’st report,
what torments I endur’d.

But mark how Bateman dy’d for love,
and finisht up his life,
That 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’t her heart,
and troubled sore her mind,
That she could never after that,
one day of comfort find;
And wheresoever she did go,
her fancy did surmise,
Young Batemans pale and ghastly Ghost
appear’d before her eyes.

When she in bed at night did lye
betwixt her Husbands arms,
In hope thereby to sleep and rest
in safety without harms:
Great cries & grievous groans she heard,
a voice that sometimes said,
O thou art she that I must have;
and will not be denay’d.

But she then being big with child,
was for the Infants sake,
Preserved from the spirits power,
no vengeance could it take.
The Babe unborn did safely keep,
as God appointed so,
His Mothers body from the Fiend
that sought her overthrow.

But being of her burden eas’d,
and safely brought to Bed,
Her care and grief began a new,
and further sororw bred.
And of her Freinds she did intreat,
desiring them to stay,
Out of the bed, quoth she this night,
I shall be born away.

Here comes the spirit of my love,
with pale and gastly face,
Who till he bear 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 see 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,
In middle of the night to keep,
sad slumber from their eyes.

So being all full fast asleep,
to them unknown which way,
The Child-bed woman that woful night
from thence was born away:
wnd to what place no creature knew,
nor to this day can tell,
As strange a thing as ever yet,
in any age befel.

You Maidens that desire to love,
and would good Husbands chuse,
To him that you do vow to love
by no means do refuse.
For God that hears all secret Oaths,
will dreadful vengeance take,
On such that of a wilful vow
do slender reckoning make.

Printed for W. Thackery, and T. Passinger.

1603 .
Copyright University of California, Santa Barbara 2005

Early Modern Center English Ballad Archive, 1500 - 1800

A Godly Warning for all Maidens, by the example of Gods Judgement shewed on one Jermans’ Wife of Clifton, in the County of Nottingham, who lying in Child-bed, was born away, and never heard of after. To the Tune of, The Ladis Fall.