The Dead man's Song,  
Whose dwelling was near unto Bassings Hall in London. to the tune of, Flying Fame.  

 
SOre sick dear friends, long time I was  
and weakly laid in bed;  
And for five hours in all men's sight,  
at length I lay as dead:  
The bell rung out, my friends came in,  
and I key cold was found,  
Then was my carcase brought from bed,  
and cast upon the ground:  
My loving wife did weep full sore,  
and children loud did cry,  
My friends did mourn, yet thus they said  
all flesh is borne to die:  
My winding sheet prepared was,  
my grave was also made,  
And five long hours by just report,  
in this same case I laid:  
During which time my soul did see  
such strange and fearful sights,  
That for to hear the same disclosed,  
would banish all delights.  
Yet sith the Lord restored my life,  
which from my body fled,  
I will declare what sights I saw,  
that time that I was dead.  
Me thought along a gallant green,  
where pleasant flowers sprung,  
I took my way, whereas I thought,  
the Muses sweetly sung,  
The grass was sweet the trees full fair,  
and lovely to behold,  
And full of fruit was every twig,  
which shined like glistering gold,  
My cheerful heart desired much  
to taste the fruit so fair:  
But as I reached a fair young man,  
to me did fast repair.  
Touch not (qd. he) that's none of thine,  
but wend and walk with me,  
And see thou mark each several thing  
which I shall show to thee:  
I wondered greatly at his words,  
yet went with him away:  
Till on a goodly pleasant bank,  
with him he had me stay.  
With branches then of lilies white,  
mine eyes there wiped he.  
When this was done he bade me look,  
what I far off could see.  
I looked up and lo at last,  
I did a City see,  
So fair a thing did never man  
behold with mortal eye;  
Of Diamonds, pearls, and precious stones  
it seemed the walls were made:  
The houses all with beaten gold,  
were tiled and overlaid.  
More brighter than the morning Sun,  
the light thereof did show,  
And every creature in the same,  
like crowned Kings did go.  
The fields about this City fair,  
were all with Roses set:  
Gillyflowers, and Carnation fair,  
which canker could not fret:  
And from these fields there did proceed  
the sweetest and pleasantest smell,  
That ever living creature felt,  
the scent did so excel:  
Besides such sweet triumphant mirth,  
did from the City sound,  
That I there with was ravished,  
my joy did so abound.  
With music, mirth, and melody,  
Princes did there embrace,  
And in my heart I longed to be,  
within that joyful place.  
The more I gazed, the more I might,  
the sight pleased me so well.  
For what I saw in every thing,  
my tongue can no way tell:  
Then of the man I did demand,  
what place the same might be,  
Whereas so many Kings do dwell  
in joy and melody?  
Quoth he, that blessed place is heaven,  
where yet thou must not rest,  
And those that do like Princes walk,  
are men whom God hath blessed.  
Then did he turn me round about,  
and on the other side,  
He bade me view and mark as much,  
what things are to be spied.  
With that I saw a coal-black den,  
all tanned with soot and smoke  
Where stinking Brimstone burning was  
which made me like to choke,  
An ugly creature there I saw,  
whose face with knives was slash●…,  
And in a caldron of poisoned filth.  
his ugly corpse were washed.  
About his neck were fiery ruffs,  
that flamed on every side,  
I asked, and lo the Young man said,  
that he was damned for pride,  
Another sort than did I see,  
whose bowels Vipers tore,  
And grievously with gaping mouth,  
they did both yell and roar.   

The second part, to the same Tune.  
 
A Spotted person by each one,  
stood gnawing on their hearts,  
And this was conscience I was told,  
that plagued their envious parts.  
These were no sooner out of sight,  
but straight came in their place,  
A sort still throwing burning fire,  
which fell against their face.  
And ladles full of melted gold,  
were poured down their throats,  
And these were set (it seemed to me)  
in midst of burning boats:  
The foremost of this company,  
was Judas I was told,  
Who had for filthy lucre's sake,  
his Lord and Master sold,  
For covetousness these were condemned,  
so it was told to me,  
And then methought another rout,  
of hellhounds I did see:  
Their faces they seemed sat in sight,  
yet all their bones were bare.  
And dishes full of crawling toads,  
was made their finest fare:  
From arms, from hands, from thighs and feet,  
with red hot pincers then,  
The flesh was plucked even from the bone,  
of those vile gluttonous men:  
On coal-black beds another sort,  
in grievous sort did lie,  
And nnderneath them burning brands,  
their flesh did burn and fry.  
With brimstone fierce their pillows eke,  
whereon their heads were laid,  
And fiends with whips of glowing fire,  
their lecherous skins off flaid.  
Then did I see another come,  
Stabbed in with daggers thick,  
And filthy fiends with fiery darts,  
their hearts did wound and prick,  
And mighty bowls of corrupt blood,  
was brought for them to drink,  
And these men were for murder plagued,  
from which they could not shrink.  
I saw when these were gone away,  
the Swearer and the liar,  
And these were hung up by the tongues,  
right over a flaming fire.  
From eyes, from ears, from navel & nose  
and from the lower parts,  
The blood me thought did gushing run,  
and clodded like men's hearts.  
I asked why that punishment,  
was upon swearers laid:  
Because, quoth one, wounds, blood & heart,  
was still the oath they made.  
And there withal from ugly Hell,  
such shrieks and cries I heard,  
As though some greater grief and plague  
had vexed them afterward.  
So that my soul was sore afraid,  
such terror on me fell:  
A way than went the young man quite,  
and bade me not farewell.  
Wherefore unto my body straight,  
my spirit returned again,  
And lively blood did after wards  
stretch forth in every vein.  
My closed eyes I opened,  
and raised from my swound,  
I wondered much to see myself  
laid so upon the ground:  
Which when my neighbours did behold,  
great fear upon them fell,  
To whom soon after I did tell,  
the news from heaven and hell.    

Printed at London for F. Coules.