%ISOlat1; %ISOlat2; %ISOnum; %ISOpub; ]> The sorrowfull complaint of Susan Higges, a lusty Countrey Wench, dwelling in Risborrow in Buc- / kinghamshire, who for twenty yeeres, most gallantly maintained her selfe by Robberies on the / high-way side, and such like practices. And lastly, how she was executed at Brickhill, at the Assises, / for a murther by her committed vpon Messeldon Heath. University of California - Santa Barbara The Early Modern Center Director Patricia Fumerton 1630 Early Modern Center, University of California Santa Barbara Santa Barbara, CA 07/30/2008 20002

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Patricia Fumerton Early Modern Center - English Department University of California Santa Barbara, CA 93105 United States of America EMail: pfumer@english.ucsb.edu

1.113 S126167 1 Lusty Gallant Lusty Gallant Lusty Gallant TO mourne for my offences, / and former passed sinnes, A Caption is contained in the frame around the woodcut: + O WORMES MEATE: / O FROATH. O VANITIE / WHY ART THOU / SO INSOLENT. Pepys 1.113 STC 13440b.5 for H. G[osson, c.1630?] Woodblock 1: over column 1: On the right of the woodcut, a wealthy man sits on a rearing stallion. He is dressed lavishly in a doublet, slops, hose, tall boots, and a tall hat with several plumes. With his right hand he holds the reins of his horse; he has his left hand on his hip. A scabbard hangs from his left hip. His horse is also dressed in ornate trappings, richly caparisoned, with several plumes. Beneath the horse lies a pile of indeterminate objects (worldly possessions? bones?). To the left of the woodcut stands a poor man. He is dressed in a torn and ragged tunic, with his left shoulder bare. He wears no shoes and holds his right arm across his body, with his left arm extended. In the foreground of the picture a skeleton lies stretched on the ground. A Caption is contained in the frame around the picture: + O WORMES MEATE: / O FROATH. O VANITIE / WHY ART THOU / SO INSOLENT. : 57 x 54 Pepys Library The Pepys ballads : facsimile volume Editor W.G. Day D.S. Brewer Cambridge [England] 1987 Information in this section of the Source Description refers to the original ballad manuscript. 1: 113 The sorrowfull complaint of Susan Higges, a lusty Countrey Wench, dwelling in Risborrow in Buc- / kinghamshire, who for twenty yeeres, most gallantly maintained her selfe by Robberies on the / high-way side, and such like practices. And lastly, how she was executed at Brickhill, at the Assises, / for a murther by her committed vpon Messeldon Heath. The sorrowful complaint of Susan Higges, a lusty Countrey Wench, dwelling in Risborrow in Buc- kinghamshire, who for twenty yeeres, most gallantly maintained her selfe by Robberies on the high-way side, and such like practises. And lastly, how she was executed at Brickhill, at the Assises, for a murther by her committed upon Messeldon Heath. The Sorrowful Complaint of Susan Higges, a Lusty Country Wench, Dwelling in Risborrow in Buckinghamshire, Who for Twenty Years, Most Gallantly Maintained Her Self by Robberies on the Highway Side, and Such Like Practices. And Lastly, How She Was Executed at Brickhill, at the Assizes, for a Murder by Her Committed Upon Messeldon Heath. 1/2 sheet folio, 260 x 173 cropped top and bottom edges, creased, uneven inking cast fleurons 1630 Printed at London for H. G. H.G. [Henry Gosson] Weinstein: STC Weinstein lists I:113 under H. G. [Henry Gosson]. Henry Gosson active ca. 1625. ESTC lists H. G[osson].

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 Taxonomy used by Pepys to Organize Ballads in Albums A Small Promiscuous Supplement Devotion & Morality Drinking & Good Fellowship History - True & Fabulous Humour, Frollicks &c Love Pleasant Love Pleasant and Unfortunate Love Unfortunate Marriage Sea State & Times Tragedy Various Subjects Early Modern Center Ballad Project Keyword Taxonomy advice affliction/health alcohol animals/nature appearance Bible/biblical figures buildings/architecture catastrophe children class clothing/fashion country/nation crime death economics/trade entertainment family/procreation folklore gender historical figures & events holidays/seasons infidelity law London love maritime marriage military/war monstrosity mythology/Classical world news nobility/court politics/government punishment religious concepts religious figures religious types & sects royalty rural life servitude sex/sexuality supernatural/magic The New World travel trickery/deceit urban life vice violence virtue vulgarities/crass humor Library of Congress Subject Heading Taxonomy 7/30/2008 Santa Barbara, California, United States of America Tragedy crime death gender punishment Ballads, English 17th century Broadsides, England 17th century 07/30/08 Checker Rachel Mann Metadata updated, xml created Unknown Checker Unknown Ballad checked 12/29/04 Transcriber Emily Crick Original Transcription 7/13/2004 Bibliographer Liberty Stanavage Bibliographic SQL Database Record Created
<seg n="1" rend="left"><hi rend="italic">The sorrowful complaint of <hi rend="bold">Susan Higges</hi>, a lusty Countrey Wench, dwelling in <hi rend="bold">Risborrow</hi> in <hi rend="bold">Buc-</hi></hi></seg> <seg n="2" rend="left"><hi rend="bold"><hi rend="italic">kinghamshire</hi>, who for twenty yeeres, most gallantly maintained her selfe by Robberies on the </hi></seg> <seg n="3" rend="left"><hi rend="italic">high-way side, and such like practises. And lastly, how she was executed at <hi rend="bold">Brickhill</hi>, at the Assises, </hi></seg> <seg n="4" rend="left"><hi rend="italic">for a murther by her committed upon <hi rend="bold">Messeldon</hi> Heath. </hi></seg> <seg n="5" rend="left"><hi rend="italic">To the tune of Lusty Gallant.</hi></seg>
TO mourne for my offences, and former passed sinnes, This sad and dolefull story, my heavy heart begins: Most wickedly I spent my time. devoide of godly grace: A lewder Woman never liv'd, I thinke in any place. Nare Buckingham I dwelled, and Susan Higges by name, Well thought of by good Gentlemen and Farmers of good fame: Where thus.for xx. yeares at least, I liv'd in gallant sort: Which made the Country marvell much, to here of my report. My state was not maintained, (as you shall understand) By good and honest dealings, nor labour of my hand: But by deceipt and couzening shifts the end whereof, we see Hath ever beene repaide with shame and ever like to be. My servants were young Countrey girles brought up unto my mind, By nature faire and beautifull, and of a gentle kinde: Who with their sweet intising eyes, did many Youngsters move To come by night unto my house in hope of further love. But still at their close meetings, (as I the plot had late) I slept in still at unawares, while they the wantons plaid.
And would in question bring their names, except they did agree To give me money for this wrong, done to my house and me. This was but petty couzenage, to things that I have done: My weapon by the high-way side, hath me much money wonne: In mens attyre I oft have rode, upon a Gelding stout, And done great robberies valiantly, the Countries round about. I had my Scarfes and Vizards, my face for to disguise: Sometime a beard upon my chin, to blinde the peoples eyes. My Turkie blade, and Pistols good, my courage to maintaine: Thus took I many a Farmers purse well cram'd with golden gaine. Great store of London Marchants I boldly have bid Stand, And showed my selfe most bravely, a Woman of my hand, You rulsling Roysters, every one in my defence say then, Wee women still for gallant minds, may well compare with men. But if so bee it chanced, the Countries were beset, With hue and cryes and warrants into my house I get: And I so being with my Maides, would cloake the matter so, That no man could by any meanes, the right offender know. Yet God that still most justly, doth punish every vice, Did bring unto confusion my fortunes in a trice: For by a murther all my sinnes were strangly brought to light: And such desert I had by law, as justice claim'd by right. Upon the Heath of Misseldon, I met a woman there, And robd her, as from market, home-wards she did repaire:
Which woman cald me by my name and said, that she me knew: For which, even with her lifes deare bloud, my hands I did imbrew. But after I had wounded, this women unto death, And that her bleeding body, was almost reft of breath: She gave a grone: and therewithall did spit upon my face, Three drops of blood, that never could be wiped from that place: For after I returned unto my house againe, The more that I it washde, it more appeared plaine: Each houre I thought that beasts, [&] birds this murther would reveale, Or that the ayre, so vile a deede, no longer would conceale. So heavy at my conscience, this wofull murther lay, That I was soone inforced, the same for to beware, And to my servants made it known, as God appointed me: For blood can never secret rest, nor long unpunisht be. My servants to the Justices, declar'd what I had said: For which I was attached, and to the Jayle convaied, And at the Sises was condemnd, and had my just desert: Even such a death let all them have, that beare so false a heart. Be warned by this story, you ru[s]sling Rosters all: The higher that you climbe in sinne the greater is your fall: For now the world so wicked is, in Maiden and in Wife That few, or none, can finde the way to lead an honest life.
FINIS.
Printed at London for H.G.