A most execellent and virtuous Ballad of the Patient Grissel.  
To the tune of The Bride's good morrow.  

 three separate biblical or apocryphal scenes with bibliographical labels 
3 ELIA. 18  
3. AHA 20  
4 ELIA. 2   
A Noble marquis,  
As he did ride a hunting  
hard by a Forest side,  
A fair and comely Maiden,  
As she did sit a spinning,  
his gentle eye espied:  
Most fair and lovely,  
And of comely grace was she,  
although in simple attire;  
She sung full sweetly,  
With pleasant voice melodiously,  
which set the Lords heart on fire;  
The more he looked, the more he might,  
Beauty bred his heart's delight,  
And to this Damsel  
than he went.  
God speed (quoth he) thou famous flower,  
Fair Mistress of this homely Bower,  
Where love and virtue  
dwells with sweet content.  
With comely gesture,  
And modest mild behaviour  
she bade him welcome then,  
She entertained him  
In faithful friendly manner,  
and all his Gentlemen.  
The Noble marquis  
In's heart felt such a flame,  
which set his senses at strife,  
Quoth he, fair Maiden,  
Show me soon what is thy name,  
I mean to make thee my wife.  
Grissel is my name quoth she,  
Fare unfit for your degree,  
silly Maiden,  
and of Parents poor.  
Nay, Grissel, thou art rich, he said,  
A virtuous, fair, and comely Maid,  
Grant me thy love,  
and I will ask no more.  
At length she consented,  
And being both contented,  
they married were with speed:  
Her Country Russet  
Was changed to Silk and Velvet,  
as to her state agreed:  
And when that she  
Was trimly tired in the same,  
her beauty shined bright,  
Fare staining every  
Other fair and Princely Dame  
that did appear in her sight.  
Many envied her therefore,  
Because she was of Parents poor,  
And twixt her Lord and she  
great strife did raise:  
Some said this, and some said that,  
And some did call her Beggar's brat,  
And to her Lord  
they would her oft dispraise.  
O Noble marquis,  
Quoth they, why dost thou wrong us,  
thus basely for to wed,  
That might have gotten  
An honourable Lady  
into your Princely bed?  
Who will not now  
Your Noble Issue still deride,  
which shall hereafter be borne,  
That are of blood so base,  
Borne by the Mother's side,  
the which will bring them in scorn.  
Put her therefore quite away,  
And take to you a Lady gay,  
Whereby your Lineage  
may renowned be.  
Thus every day they seemed to prate,  
That maliced Grissels good estate,  
Who all this while  
took it most patiently.  
When that the marquis  
Did see that they were bend thus  
against his faithful Wife,  
Whom he most dear,  
Tenderly, and entirely,  
beloved as his life,  
Minding in secret  
For to prove her patiented heart  
thereby her foes to disgrace,  
Thinking to show her  
A hard discourteous part,  
that men might pity her case:  
Great with child this Lady was,  
And at last it came to pass,  
Two goodly children  
at one birth she had,  
A Son and Daughter God had sent,  
Which did their Father well content,  
And which did make  
their Mother's heart full glad,  
Great royal Feasting  
Was at these children's Christening,  
and Princely triumph made,  
Six weeks together,  
All Nobles that came thither  
were entertained and stayed,  
And when all these pleasant  
Sport quite were done,  
the marquis a Messenger sent  
For his young Daughter,  
And his pretty smiling Son,  
declaring his full intent,  
How that the Babes must murdered be,  
For so the marquis did decree:  
Come, let me have  
the Children, than he said.  
With that fair Griselda wept full sore,  
She wrung her hands & said no more,  
My gracious Lord  
must have his will obeyed.   

The second part  
To the same tune.  
 depiction of a biblical or apocryphal scene  
SHe took the Babies,  
Even from the nursing Ladies,  
between her tender arms,  
She often wishes  
With many sorrowful kisses,  
that she might ease their harms:  
Farewell, farewell  
A thousand times my children dear,  
never shall I see you again;  
'Tis long of me  
Your sad and woeful mother here,  
for whose sake both must be slain;  
Had I been borne of Royal race,  
You might have been in happy case,  
But you must dye  
for my unworthiness.  
Come messenger of death (quoth she)  
Take my dearest Babes to thee,  
And to their Father  
my complaints express.  
He took the Children,  
And to his Noble Master  
he brought them both with speed,  
Who in secret sent them  
Unto a Noble Lady  
to be brought up indeed.  
Then to fair Grissel  
With a heavy heart he goes  
where she sat mildly all alone,  
A pleasant gesture,  
And a lovely look she shows,  
as if no grief she had known.  
(Qd. he) my children now are slain,  
What thinks fair Grissel of the same,  
Sweet Grissel now  
declare thy mind to me.  
Sith you, my Lord are pleased with it,  
Poor Grissel thinks the action fit,  
Both I and mine  
at your command will be.  
My Nobles murmur,  
Fair Grissel at thy honour,  
and I no joy can have  
Till thou be banished  
Both from my Court and presence,  
as they unjustly crave,  
Thou must be stripped  
Out of thy stately garments all,  
and as thou cam'st to me  
In homely grey  
In stead of Bisse and purest Pall,  
now all thy clothing must be.  
My Lady thou must be no more,  
Nor I thy Lord, which grieves me sore,  
The poorest life  
must now content thy mind.  
A groat to thee I must not give,  
Thee to maintain while I do live,  
Against my Grissel  
such great foes I find.  
When gentle Grissel  
Did hear these woeful tidings,  
the tears stood in her eyes,  
Nothing she answered,  
No words of discontentment  
did from her lips arise;  
Her Velvet Gown  
Most patiently she slipped off,  
her Kirtle of Silk with the same,  
Her Russet Gown  
Was brought again with many a scoff  
to bear them herself she did frame,  
When she was dressed in this array,  
And was ready to part away,  
God send long life  
unto my Lord (quoth she)  
Let no offence be found in this,  
To give my Lord a parting kiss,  
With watery eyes,  
farewell my dear, he said.  
From Princely Palace,  
Unto her Father's Cottage,  
poor Grissel now is gone:  
Full sixteen Winters  
She lived there contented,  
no wrong she thought upon:  
And at that time through  
All the Land the speeches went,  
the marquis should married be,  
Unto a Noble Lady great,  
Of high descent,  
and to the same all parties did agr●●  
The marquis sent for Grissel fair  
The Bride's bedchamber to prepare  
That nothing therein  
might be found awry;  
The Bride was with her Brother com●  
Which was great joy to all and som●  
But Grissel took  
all this most patiently.  
And in the morning,  
When as they should be wedded,  
her patience then was tried;  
Grissel was charged,  
Herself in friendly manner,  
for to attire the Bride,  
Most willingly  
She gave consent to do the same,  
the Bride in her bravery was dres●  
And presently  
The Noble marquis thither came  
with all his Lords at his request,  
O Grissel, I would ask of thee,  
If to this match thou wilt agree,  
Me thinks thy looks  
are waxed wondrous coy.  
With that they all began to smile,  
And Grissel she replied the while,  
God send Lord marquis  
many years of joy.  
The marquis was moved  
To see his best beloved  
thus patiented in distress,  
He stepped unto her,  
And by the hand he took her,  
these words he did express,  
Thou art my Bride,  
And all the Brides I mean to have,  
these two thine own children be,  
The youthful Lady  
On her knees did blessing crave,  
her brother as well as she.  
And you th●t envied her estate,  
Whom I have made my loving 〈◊〉  
Now blush for shame,  
and honour virtuous life.  
The Chronicles of lasting fame  
Shall evermore extol the name  
Of Patient Grissel  
my most constant Wife.   
FINIS.   

London Printed for john Wright.