The Westminister Lovers.  

Love passion in so violent,  
Beyond all opposition,  
It makes poor Lovers of Lament,  
That sad distressed condition.   
To the Tune of Rufield Farewell.  
 

Fair Isabel mind me well  
for now I do declare,  
That all the world you do excel,  
methinks you are so fair:  
Then prithee grant to me my suit,  
in thee I do delight.  
If you deny, without dispute,  
Death seizes me outright.   

Ah Thomas these are tricks of youth  
that I cannot approve,  
To tell you now the very truth,  
I fear you do not love:  
A passion only you pretend,  
to rob me of my Bills,  
If Love no further do extend,  
Oh what a shame is this.   

My dearest do not doubtful be,  
that I should be unkind,  
I swear to be most true to thee,  
and thou shalt surely find:  
That if you walk the flawery plain,  
this long seven years and more,  
You ne'er will find a kinder Swain,  
your virtues to adore.   

Well Thomas, since you do protest,  
your Love is so entire,  
And that you do not speak in jest,  
you set my heart on fire:  
Methinks I feel such tickling pain  
I never knew before,  
And if you love me not again,  
sure i shall die therefore.   
 

Talk not of death my nearest Love,  
I love thee as my life,  
And if thou wilt but constant prove,  
than thou shalt be my wife:  
Betwixt my arms I'll thee embrace,  
and teach thee such a trick,  
Will make thy joys increase a pace,  
and blisses tumble thick.   

What kind of blisses do you mean,  
methinks my heart doth burn,  
And if you should now change the scene  
should forever mourn:  
I feel such panting in my breast,  
till now I ne'er did know,  
With pains of Love I am oppressed,  
sad pains I undergo.   

Well Isabel, nor believe,  
my love is so entire,  
For me thou shalt no longer grieve,  
I'll cool thy burning fire:  
Thou shalt he free from care and fent,  
and like a Princess Reign,  
Yea, that shalt be my only dear,  
the glory of the plain.   

Her colour then did come and go,  
Her lips looked won and pale,  
Loves passion the did plainly show,  
Which did so much prevail:  
She with an amorous sigh did part,  
Which Thomas minded well,  
O love quoth he, this breaks my heart  
Who love, my love farewell.   

When Isabel said him faint,  
down to the ground she fell,  
And thus she made a short complaint,  
did Thomas say farewell?  
'Tis time for me now to depart,  
and to Elysium fl●e,  
Thus Isabel broke her heart,  
for love did Thomas die.   

You lovers all, both great and small,  
be ruled by my advice,  
Into such passions do not fall,  
Which proves fools Paradise:  
With moderation set your love,  
your lovers to obtain,  
And if your lovers constant prove,  
'twill quit you of all pain.   

But cruel Fortune that will change,  
did both their lives destroy,  
She smiled at strit, at last grew strange  
and did their lives among:  
Both in a grave these two were laid,  
that made the world admire,  
Alice, or dead, the people said,  
the Shepherd would lie by her.   

Their Parents mourned night & day,  
for their exceeding loss,  
I with that other lovers may  
take warning by the trass:  
And not in seeming rage to go,  
or from their lover's part,  
This loving Shepherd he did so,  
which broke his lover's heart.    

〈…〉