The lamentation of Master Pages wife of Plimmouth who being enforced by her parents to wed him against her will, did most wickedly consent to his murther, for the love of George Strangwidge; for which fact she suffered death at Barstable in Devonshire. VVritten with her owne hand a little before her death. To the tune of Fortune my foe.

The Lamentation of Master Pages wife of Plimmouth , who being enforced by her Parents to wed him against her will , did most wickedly consent to his murther , for the love of George Strangwidge ; for which fact she suffered death at Barstable in Devonshire . Written with her owne hand a little before her death . To the tune of Fortune my Foe .

VNhappy she whom fortune hath forlorne , Despis'd of grace , that proffered grace did scorn : My lawlesse loue that lucklesse wrought my woe , My discontent content did ouerthrow . My loathed life too late I doe lament , My hatefull déed with heart I doe repent : A wife I was that wilfull went awry , And for that fault am here prepar'd to die . In blooming yeares my fathers gréedy mind , Against my will a match for me did find : Great wealth there was , yea gold and mony store , But yet my heart had chosen long before . My eye mislik't my Fathers liking quite : My heart did loath my Parents fond delight : My grieued mind and fancie told to me , That with his age my youth could not agrée . On knées I crau'd they would not me constraine , With teares I cride their purpose to refraine : With sighs and sobs I did them often moue , I might not wed whereas I could not loue . But all in vaine my spéeches still I spent , My Fathers will my wishes did preuent : Though wealthy Page possest ny outward part , George Strangwidge still was lodged in my heart . I wedded was , but wrapped in all woe . Great discontents within my heart did grow , I loath'd to liue , yet liu'd in deadly strife , Because perforce I was made Pages wife . My chosen eyes could not his sight abide , My tender youth did scorne his aged side , Scant could I taste the meat whereon he fed , My legs did loath to lodge within his bed . Cause knew I none I should despise him so , That such disdaine within my mind did grow Saue onely this that fancie did me meue , And told me still George Strangwidge was my loue . But here began my downfall and decay , In mind I mus'd to make him straight away , I that became his discontonted wife , Contented was he should be rid of life . Me thinkes that heauen cries vengeance for my fact , Me thinkes the world condemnes my monstrous act , Me thinkes within , my conscience tells me true , That for that déed Hell fier is my due . My pensiue life doth sorrow for my sinne , For this offence my soule doth bléed within , Yet mercy Lord for mercy doe I cry , Saue thou my soule , and let my body dye . Well could I wish that Page enjoy'd his life , So that he had some other to his wife , But neuer would I wish of low or hie , A longer life , and sée swéet Strangwidge die . Ah woe is me that had no better grace , To stay till he had run out Natures race : My déed I rue , but more I doe lament , That to the same my Strangwidge gaue consent . You Parents fond that gréedy-minded be , And séeke to graft vpon a golden tree : Consider well , and rightfull Iudges be , And giue your doome twixt Parents loue and me . I was their child and bound for to obey , Yet not to wed where I no Ioue could lay : I married was to muck and endlesse strife , But faith before had made me Strangwidge wife . Ah wretched world which cancred rust doth blinde , And cursed men that beare a greedy minde : And haplesse I whom Parents did force so , To end my dayes in sorrow , shame and woe . You Devonshire Dames , and courteous Cornwall Knights , That here are come to visit wofull wights : Regard my griefe , and marke my wofull end , And to your children be a better friend . And thou my deare which for my fault must dye , Be not afraid the fore of death to try , Like as we liu'd and lou'd together true , So both at once let 's bid the world adue . Ulalia thy friend doth take her last farewell , Whose soule with thine in heauen shall euer dwell , Swéet Sauiour Christ doe thou my soule receiue , The world I doe with all my heart forgiue . And Parents now , whose mournfull minds doe show Your hearts disease and inward heauy woe : Mourne you no more , for hope my heart doth tell , Ere day be done , that I shall be full well . And Plimmouth proud , I bid thee eke farewell , Take heed you wiues , let not your hands rebell : And farewell life wherein such sorrow showes , And welcome graue which must my corps inclose . And now sweet Lord forgiue me my misdeeds , Repentance cries for soule that inward bleeds : My soule and body I commend to thee , That with thy blood from death redeem'd it free . Lord blesse our King with long and happy life , And send true loue betwixt each Man and Wife : And giue all Parents wisedouie to foresee , The match is marr'd where minds doe not agree .

The Lamentation of George Strangwidge , who for consenting to the death of Master Page of Plimmouth , suffered death at Barstable . THe man that sighes and sorrowes for his sinne , The corps which care and woe hath wrapped in , In dolefull sort records his Swan-like Song , That waits for death , and loathes to liue so long . O Glandfield , cause of my committed crime , Shared in wealth , as Birds in bush of lime : What cause hadst thou to beare such wicked spight Against my good , and eke my Loues delight ? I would to God thy wisedome had beene more , Or that I had not entred in thy doore : Or that thou hadst a kinder Father beene , Unto thy Child , whose yeares are yet but greene : The match vnméete which thou for muck didst make , When aged Page thy Daughter home did take : Well maist thou rue with teares that cannot dry , Which was the cause that foure of vs must dye . Ulalia faire , more bright than Summers Sunne , Whose beauty had my heart for euer won , My soule more sobs to thinke of thy disgrace , Than to behold mine owne vntimely race . The déed late done in heart I doe lament , But that I lou'd , I cannot yet repent : Thy séemely sight was euer swéet to me , Would God my death would thy excuser be . It was for me ( alas ) thou didst the same , On me of right they ought to lay the blame : My worthlesse loue hath brought my life in scorne , Now woe is me that euer I was borne . Farewell my loue , whose loyall heart was séene , Would God thou hadst not halfe so constant béene : Farewell my Loue the pride of Plimmouth Towne , Farewell the Flower whose beauty is cut downe . For twenty yeares great was the cost I know , Thy vnkind Father did on thée bestow : Yet afterward so sore did fortune lowre , He lost his joy and Child within an houre . My wrong and woe to God I doe commit , His was the fault , by matching them vnfit : And yet my guilt I cannot so excuse , I gaue consent his life for to abuse . Wretch that I am that I consent did giue , Had I denied , Ulalia still should liue : Blind fancy said , her suite doe not denie , Line thou in blisse , or else in sorrow die . O Lord forgiue this cruell déed of mine , Upon my soule let beames of mercy shine : In Justice Lord doe thou no vengeance take , Forgiue vs both for Jesus Christ his sake . FINIS .

The Sorrowfull complaint of Mistris Page , for causing her husband to be murdered , for the love of George Strangwidge , who were executed together . IF euer woe did touch a womans heart , Or griefe did gall for sinne the inward part : My conscience then and heauy heart within , Can witnesse well my sorrow for my sinne . When yéeres were young my Father forc't me wed , Against my will , where fancy was not led , I was content his pleasure to obey , Although my heart was linkt another way . Great were the guifts they proffered to my sight , With wealth they thought to win me to delight : But gold nor guift my heart could not remoue , For I was linkt whereas I could not loue . Me thought his sight was loathsome to my eye , My heart did grudge against him inwardly : This discontent did cause my deadly strife , And with his wealth I liu'd a loathsome life . My constant loue was on young Strangwidge set , And woe to them that did our welfare let : His loue to me so déepe a roote did take , I could haue gone a begging for his sake . Wronged he was euen through my Parents plaine , Wronged he was through fond desire of gaine , If faith and troth a perfect Iudge might be , I had béene wife vnto no man but he . Eternall God forgiue my faithlesse déed , And grant all Maidens to take better héed , If I had constant béene vnto my friend , I had not matcht to make so bad an end . But wanting grace , I sought my owne decay , And was the cause to cast my friend away : And he in whom my earthly joyes did lie , Through my amisse , a shamefull death must die . Farewell swéet George , my louing faithfull friend , Néedes must I laud and loue thée to the end , And albeit that Page possest thy due , In sight of God thou wast my Husband true . My watry eyes vnto the heauens I bend , Crauing of Christ his mercy to extend : My bloody déed , O Lord , doe me forgiue , And let my soule within thy Kingdome liue . Farewell false World , and friends that fickle be , All wiues farewell , example take by me : Let not the Deuill to murder you entice : Seeke to escape each soule and filthy vice . And now , O Christ , to thée I yéeld my breath , Strengthen my faith in bitter pangs of death . Forgiue my faults and follies I thée pray , And with thy blood wash thou my sinnes away , FINIS .