An Excellent Ballad of Patient Griselda.  
To the Tune of, The Bride's Good-Morrow.  
 
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 a co●el● grace was she,  
although in simple attire,  
She sung full sweetle  
With pleasant voice melodiously,  
which set the Lords heart on fire:  
The more he lovd the more he might,  
Beauty bred his heart's delight  
And to this Damsel  
than he ●ent ●ith speed,  
God speed quoth he thou famous flo●er,  
Fair Mit● is of this homely Bower,  
Were Love and Virtue,  
d●●…s i●… sweet content,  
With ●omel● gesture  
And models mild behaviour,  
she bod him welcome then,  
She entertained him,  
●…aith●u● friendly manner,  
and all ●is Gentlemen:  
The Noble Marquis,  
In ● heart felt such a flame,  
●●ch set his senses at strife,  
Quoth he fair Maiden,  
Show me soon what is thy name,  
I mean to make thee my Wife,  
Griselda is my name quoth she,  
Far unfit for your degree,  
A silly Maiden,  
and of Parents poor:  
Nay Grisel 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 most bright,  
Far staining every  
Other fair and Princely Dame,  
that did appear in her ss●ht.  
Many envying her therefore,  
because she was of Parents poor,  
And twixt her Lord and she  
great ● rife did raise:  
●ome said this, and same said that,  
And some did call her b●ggers br●t  
And to her Lord  
they would her oft d●spise.  
O noble Marquis  
Quoth they why dost thou wrong us  
thus basely for to wed:  
Who might have gotten,  
An Honourable Lady,  
into your Princely bed,  
Who will not now,  
Your noble issue soon deride,  
which shall hereafter be born,  
That are of blood so base,  
Born by the mother's side,  
the which will bring them in scorn.  
Put her therefore quite away,  
And take to you a Lady gay,  
Wherein your Lineage  
may renowned be  
Thus every da● they seemed to prate,  
That maliced Gristles good estate.  
Who all this while  
took it most patiently.  
When ●hat the Marquis  
Did see that the were bend thus,  
against his frithful wife,  
Whom he most dear●●,  
Tenderly and entirely,  
he loved 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 a Daughter God had sent:  
Which did their Mother well content,  
And which ●id make  
their Father's heart full glad.  
Great Royal ●ea●…ing  
Was at these children's Christening,  
and Princely triumph made.  
Six weeks together  
All Nobles that came thither,  
were entertained and stayed,  
And when that all this pleasant  
Sporting quite was done,  
the Marquis a Messenger sent,  
For his young Daughter  
And his pretty smiling Son,  
declaring his full intent.  
How ha● 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  
and have his will obeyed.  

The second part  
to the same Tune.  
 
SHe took the Babies,  
Even from the nursing Ladies,  
Between her tender arms,  
She often wishes,  
With many sorrowful kisses,  
that she mih●t case 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 most be slain,  
Had I been born of Royal race,  
You might have lived in happy case,  
But you must die,  
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 bore them then with speed,  
Who in secret sent them,  
Unto a Noble Lady,  
to be brought up in deed.  
Then to fair Griselda  
With a heavy heart he goes.  
where she sa●e mildly all alone,  
A pleasant gesture,  
And a lovely look she shows,  
as if no grief she had known.  
Quoth he my children now are slain,  
What thinks ●air Griselda of the same,  
S●…éet Griselda now,  
declare thy mind to me,  
Sith you my Lord are pleased with it,  
Poor Griselda thinks the action fit,  
Both I and mine  
at your command will be.  
My Nobles murmur,  
Fair Griselda at thy honour  
and I no joy can have,  
Till thou be banished  
Both from my court and presence  
as they uniusily crave,  
Thou must be script  
Out of thy stately garments all,  
and as thou cam'st to me.  
In homely grey,  
Instead of biss and purest pall,  
now all thy clothing must be  
My Lady thou must be no more,  
Nor I thy Lord which grieves mesore  
The poorest life  
must now content thy mind,  
A groat to thee I must not give,  
Thee to maintain whilst I do live,  
Against my Griselda  
such great foes I find.  
When gentle Griselda  
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 stripped off,  
her kirtle of silk with the same,  
Her Russet Gown  
was brought again with many ascoff,  
to bear them herself she did frame;  
When she was dressed in this array,  
And ready was to part away,  
God send long life  
unto my Lord quoth she.  
Let no offence be found in this,  
To give me Lord a parting kiss  
With watery Eyes  
farewel my Dear said she.  
From Princely Pallacs,  
Unto her father's Cottage,  
poor Griselda now is gone,  
Full ●…xtéen 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  
And of high Desceut  
and to the same all Parties did agree,  
The Marquis sent for Griselda fair  
The bride's bedchamber to prepare,  
That nothing therein  
might be found awry.  
The bride was with her brother come,  
Which was great joy to all and some,  
But Griselda took all this  
most patiently,  
And in the morning  
When as they should be wedded,  
her patience there was tried,  
Griselda was charmed,  
Her sel● in friendly manner  
for to attend the bride,  
Most willing  
She gave consent to do the same  
the bride in bravery was breast,  
And presently  
The Noble Marquis thither came  
with all his Lords at his request.  
O Griselda I will ask of thee,  
If to this match thou wilt agree,  
Methinks thy looks,  
are waxed wondrous coy,  
With that they all began to smile,  
And Griselda she replied the white  
God send Lord Marques  
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 the 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 that envied her estate,  
Whom I have made my chosen Mate,  
Now blush for shame,  
and honour virtuous life,  
The Chronicles of lasting Fame,  
Shall ever more extol the name,  
Of patiented Griselda  
my most constant wife:  
FINIS.    

London Printed for F. Coles, T. Vere, and W. Gibertson.