Constance of Cleveland a very excellent sonnet of the most faire Lady Constance of Cleveland, and her disloyall knight : to the tune of Crimson velvet.

Constance of Cleueland .

A very excellent Sonnet of the most faire Lady Constance of Cleueland and her disloyall Knight .

To the tune of Crimson Veluet .

IT was a youthfull Knight , lou'd a gallant Lady , Faire she was and bright , and of vertues rare : Her sel●e she did behaue so courteously as may be , Wedded were they braue , ioy without compare . Here began the griefe , Paine without reliefe , her husband soone her loue forsooke , To women lewd of mind Being bad inclin'd , he onely lent a pleasant looke : The Lady she sate wéeping , While that he was keeping company with others moe : Her words my Loue , belieue not , Come to me and grieue not , Wantons will thee ouerthrow . His faire Ladies words nothing he regarded , Wantonnesse affords such delightfull sport : While they dance and sing , with great mirth prepared , She her hands did wring in most grieuous 〈◊〉 ▪ Oh what hap had I Thus to waile and cry , vnrespected euery day ▪ liuing in disdaine ▪ While that others gaine all the right I should enioy ▪ I am left forsaken , Others they are taken , ah my Loue ▪ why dost thou so ? Her flatteries beléeue not , &c. The Knight with his faire Piece , at length his Lady spied , Who did him daily fleece of his wealth and store : Secretly she stood , while she her fashions tried , With a patient mood , while deepe the Strumpet swore : O sir Knight , quoth she , So dearely I loue thee , my life doth rest at thy dispose , By day and eke by night , For thy sweet delight , thou shalt me in thy armes disclose . I am thine owne for euer , Still will I perseuer true to thée where ere I goe . Her flatteries beleeue not , &c. The vertuous Lady mild enters then among them , Being big with child , as euer she might be . With distilling teares she looked then vpon them ▪ filled full of feares ▪ thus replied she : Ah my Loue and Deare , Wherefore stay you here , refusing me your louing wife , For an Harlots sake , Which each one will take , whose vile déeds prouoke much strife ▪ Many can accuse her , O my Loue refuse her , with thy Lady home returne : Her flatteries beleeue not , Come to me and grieue not , &c. All in fury then the angry Knight vpstarted Uery furious , when he heard his Ladies spéech : With many bitter termes his wife he ouerthwarted , Using hard extremes , while she did him beséech . From her necke so white ▪ He tooke away in spight her curious chaine of finest gold , Her Iewels and her Rings , And all such costly things , as he about her did behold . The Harlot in her presence , He did gently reuerence ▪ and to her he gaue them all ▪ He sent away his Lady , Full of woe as may be , who in a sound with griefe did fal ▪

The second part , To the same tune .

AL his Ladies wrong the Harlot ●léer'd and laughed , 〈…〉 ements are so strong , they ouer-come the wife : 〈◊〉 knight nothing regarded , to sée the Lady scoffed , ●his was her reward , 〈◊〉 her enterprise . 〈◊〉 Harlot all this space 〈◊〉 him oft imbrace , she flatters him , and thus doth say , ●or thée I le die and liue , ●or thée my faith I le giue , no woe shall work my Loues decay . 〈◊〉 shalt be my treasure , 〈◊〉 shalt be my pleasure , thou shalt be my hearts delight : 〈…〉 ll be thy darling , 〈…〉 be thy worldling , 〈…〉 ●espight of Fortunes spight . 〈◊〉 he did remaine 〈◊〉 wastfull great expences , 〈…〉 itbred his paine , and consum'd him quite : 〈…〉 his Lands were spent , 〈…〉 ubled in his senses , 〈◊〉 he did repent 〈◊〉 his lewd delight : 〈◊〉〈…〉 liefe he hies , 〈…〉〈…〉 liefe he flies , 〈…〉 them on whom he spent hi● gold , ●ll doe him deny , ●ll doe him defie , 〈◊〉 will not once his face behold . 〈◊〉 thus distressed , 〈◊〉 thus oppressed , 〈◊〉 the fields that night he lay , ●ith the Harlot knowing , 〈…〉 gh her malice 〈…〉ing ▪ 〈…〉ght to take his 〈◊〉 away .

A young and proper Lad , they had slaine in secret , For the gold he had : whom they did conuey , By a Ruffian lewd , to that place directly , Where that youthfull Knight fast a sléeping lay : The bloody dagger than , Wherewith they kill'd the man , hard by the Knight he likewise laid , Sprinkling him with blood , As he thought it good , and then no longer there he staid . The Knight being so abused , Was forthwith accused for this murther which was done , And he was condemned , That had not offended , shamefull death he might not shun . When the Lady bright vnderstood the matter , That her wedded Knight was condemn'd to die , To the King she went with all the spéed that might be , Where she did lament her hard destiny : Noble King , quoth she , Pitty take on me , and pardon my poore husbands life , Else I am vndone , With my little son , let mercy mitigate this griefe . Lady faire , content thée , Soone thou wouldst repent thée , If he should be saued so : Sore he hath abus'd thee , Sore he hath misus'd thee , therefore Lady let him goe ▪

O my Liege , quoth she , grant your gracious fauor , Deare he is to me , though he did me wrong : The King repli'd againe , with a sterne behauiour , A Subiect hée hath slaine , die he ▪ shall ere long , Except thou canst find Any one so kind , that will die and set him frée . Noble King , she said , Glad am I apaid , the same person will I bée , I will suffer duely , I will suffer truely , for my Loue and husbands sake . The King therefore amazed , Though he her duty praised , he bade that thence he should her take . It was the Kings command , on the morrow after , She should out of hand , to the Scaffold goe : Her husband pointed was , to beare the sword before her , He must eke alas , giue the deadly blow : He refus'd the déed , Shée bade him procéed , with a thousand kisses swéet . In this wofull case , They did both imbrace which mou'd the Ruffian in that place Straight for to discouer This concealed murther , whereby the Lady saued was The Harlot then was hanged , As shée well deserued , this 〈…〉 ertue bring to passe .

FINIS .