BEhold the Touch-stone of true loue , Maudlin the Marchants daughter of Bristow towne , Whose firme affection nothing could moue : This favour beares the louelie browne . A gallant youth was dwelling by , Which many yeeres had borne this Lady great good will , Shee loved him so faithfully , But all her friends withstood it still . The young man now p●rceiving well , He could not get nor win the favour of her friends , The force of sorrow to expell , To view strange Countreys hee intends , And now to take his last farewell , Of his true loue , his faire and constant Maudlin , With musicke sweete that did excell , Hee plaies vnder her window then . ( Farewell quoth he , mine owne true loue , Farewell my deere and chiefest treasure of my heart , Through fortunes spight that false did proue , I am inforc'd from thee to part : Into the land of Italy : There will I wa●●e and weary out my dayes in wo , Seeing my true Loue so kept from mee , I hold my life a mortall fo. Faire Bristow towne therefore adieu , For Padua shall bee my habitation now , Although my loue doth lodge in thee , To whom alone my heart I vow . With trickling teares this hee did sing , With sighs and sobs descending from his heart full sore , Hee said when he his handes did wring , Farewell swe●t loue for euermore . Faire Maudlin from a window nigh , Beholding her true Loue with Musicks where hee stood , But not a word shee durst reply . Fearing her Parents angry mood . In teares shee spent this dolefull night , Wishing ( though nake● ) with her faithfull friend , She blames her friends and fortunes spight , That wrought their loues such lucklesse end . And in her heart shee made a vow , Cleane to fors●ke her Countrey and her kinsfolkes all , And for to follow her true Loue , To hide all chance that might befall . The night is gone and the day is come , And in the morning very early she● did rise : She gets her ●●wne in a lower roome , Where sundrie Sea-men shee espies . A gallant Master amongst them all . ( The Master of a faire and goodlie ship was he , ) W●o there stood waiting in the Hall . To speake with her Father if it might be . She kindly takes him by the hand . Good sir ( said shee ) and would you speake with any heere , Quoth he , faire Maid therefore I stand , Then gentle sir I pray you draw neere , Into a pleasant Parlour by , With hand in hand shee brings the Sea-man all alone , Si●hing to him most piteously She thus to him did make her moane . Shee falls vpon her tender knes , Good sir ( she said ) now pittie you a womans woe . And proue a faithfull friend to me , That I my griefe to you may shew , Sith you repose your trust , he said , To me that am vnknowne , and eke a stranger heere , Be you assur'd most pro●er maid , Most faithfull still I will appeare . I haue a Brother then quoth shee , Whom as my life I loue , and fauour tenderlie , In Padua ( alas ) is he , Full sicke God wot , and like to die . And faine I would my Brother see , But that my Father will not yeeld to let me goe : Wherefore good sir be good to me , And vnto me this favour shew . Some ship-boyes garment bring to mee , That I disguis'd may got away from hence vnknow●● And vnto Sea I le goe with thee , If thus much favour may be showne . Faire Maid ( quoth he ) take heere my hand , I will fulfill each thing that you desire , And set you safe in that same Land , And in that place that you require . She gaue him then a tender kisse , And saith , your servant gallant Master will I be , And proue your faithfull friend for this , Sweete Master then forget not me . This done as they had both decreed , Soone after ( early ) before the breake of day , He brings her garments then with speed , Wherein shee doth her selfe array , And ere her Father did arise , Shee meets her Master as He walkes in the Hall , Shee did attend on him likewise , Euen till her Father did him call . But ere th● Merchant made an end , Of all the matters to the master hee could say , His wife came weeping in with speed , Saying , our Daughter is gone away . The Merchant thus amaz'd in mind , Yonder vile wretch intic'd away my child , quoth he , But well I wot I shall him find , At Padua in Italy . With that bespake the Master braue , Worshipfull Master thither goes this pretty youth , And any thing that you would haue , He will performe it , and write the truth , Sweet youth ( quoth hee ) if it be so , Beare me a letter to the English Marchants there , And gold on thee I will bestow , My Daughters welfare I doe feare , Her M●ther takes her by the hand , Faire youth ( qd. she ) if there thou dost my daughter see , Let me thereof soone vnderstand , And the the●e is twenty Crownes for thee . Thus through the Daughters strange disguise , The Mother knew not when shee spake vnto her Child , And after her Master straight shee hies , Taking her leaue with countenance milde . Thus to the Sea faire Maudlin is gone , With her gentle Master , God send them a merry wind , Where wee a while must let them alone , Till you the second part doe find ,

The second part , TO the same tune . WElcome sweete Maudlin from the Sea , Where bitter stormes and tempest doe arise , The plesant bankes of Italy , Wee may behold with mortal eyes , Thankes gentle Master then quoth shee , A faithfull friend in sorrow hast thou beene , If fortune once both smile on mee , My thankfull heart shall wellbee seene . Blest be the Land that seedes my Love , Blest be the place whereas his person doth abide , No triall will I sticke to prove , Whereby my true Love may be tride . Nowe will I walke with ioyfull heart , To viewe the Town whereas my darlinge doth remaine And seeke him out in euerie part , Vntill I doe his sight attaine . And I quoth he will not forsake , Sweete Maudlin in her sorrow vp and downe , In wealth and woe thy part I le take And bringe thee safe to Padua towne . And after many wearie steps , In Padua they safely arriue at last , For very ioy her heart if leapes , She thinkes not of her sorrowes past , Condemned to dye hee was alas , Except hee would from his Religion turne , But rather then hee would to Masse , In fiery fla●es hee vow'd to burne , Now doth Maudlin weepe and waile , Her ioy is chang'd to weeping , sorrow greife , and care , But nothing could her plaints preuaile , For death alone must be his share Shee walked vnder the prison walls , Where her true loue doth lie and languish in distresse , Most wofully for foode he calls , When hunger did his heart oppresse . He sighs and sobs , and makes great moane , Farewell hee said sweete England now for euermore , And all my friends that haue me knowne , In Bristow towne with wealth and store . But most of all farewell quoth hee , My owne true Loue , sweet Maudlin , whom I left behind , For neuer more I shall see thee , Woe to thy Father , most vnkind , How well were I if thou wert here , With thy faire hands to close vp these wretched eyes , My torments easie would appeare , My soule with ioy shall scale the skies , When Maudlin heard her Louers mo●ne , Her eyes with teares , her heart with sorrow filled , To speake with him no meanes is knowne , Such grieuous doome on him did passe , Then shee cast off her lads attire , A Maidens weed vpon her back shee seemely set , To the Iudges house shee did enquire . And there shee did a seruice get . She did her duly there so well . And eke so prudently she did her selfe behave , With h●r in loue her Master fell , His seruants fauour hee doth craue . Maudlin quoth hee , my hearts delight , To whom my heart in aff●ction is tied , Breed not my death through thy despight , A faithfull friend I will be tryed . Grant me thy loue , faire maid quoth hee , And at my hands require what thou canst 〈◊〉 , And I will grant it vnto thee , Whereby thy credit may arise , I have a Brother , sir , she said , For his Religion is now condemned to Die , In loathsome prison hee is layd , Opprest with griefe and misery . Grant me my Brothers life , shee said , And to you my loue and liking will I give , That may not be quoth hee faire maid , Except he turne , he cannot liue . An English Frier there is shee said , Of Learning great , and passing pure of Life , Let him to my brother be sent , And he will finish soone the strife . Her Master hearing this request , The Marriner in Friers weed she did array , And to her Loue that lay distrest , Shee did a letter straight conuey . When hee had read these gentle lines , His heart was rauished with sudden ioy , Where now shee was full well hee knew , The Frier likewise was not coy , But did declare to him at large , The enterprise his Loue for him had taken in hand : The young man did the Frier charge , His Love should straight depart the Land : Here is no place for her hee said , But woefull death , and danger of her harmelesse lif●● Professing Truth , I was betraid , And fearefull flames must end my strife : For ere I will my Faith deny , And sweare my selfe to follow damned Antichrist , I le yeeld my body for to die , To live in heaven with the Highest , O sir , the gentle Frier said , For your sweet Loue , recant and saue your wished ● A wofull match quoth hoe is made , Where Christ is lost to win a Wise. When shee had wrought all meanes that might , To saue her friend and that shee saw it would not b●● Then of the Iudge shee claimed her right , To die the death as well as hee . When no perswasion could prevaile , Nor change her mind in any thing that shee had said She was with him condemned to die , And for them both one fire was made , And arme in arme most ioyfully , These ●ouers twaine vnto the fire they die goe , The Marriner most faithfully , Was likewise partner of their woe . But whom the Iudges vnderstood , The faithfull friendship did in them remaine , They saued their liues , and afterward , To England sent them home againe , Now was their sorrow turned to ioy , And faithfull Louers had now their hearts desire , Their paines so well they did imploy , God granted that they did require . And when they were to England come , And in mercy Bristow arriued at the last , Great ioy there was to all and some , That heard the dangers they had past , Her Gentle Master shee desired , To be her Father , and at the Church to giue her then , It was fulfilled , as shee required , Vnto the joy of all good men .