%ISOlat1; %ISOlat2; %ISOnum; %ISOpub; ]> The Constancy of True Loue, / OR. / An Excellent Relation of the Vntimely Death of / Two Faithfull Louers. University of California - Santa Barbara The Early Modern Center Director Patricia Fumerton 1624-1624 Early Modern Center, University of California Santa Barbara Santa Barbara, CA 04/18/2011 30041

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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

S117522 2 Down by a Forrest UNKNOWN Down by a Forest the same tune UNKNOWN The Same Tune IN that faire fragrant month of May, / When earth her curtaines doth display, VVHen bright Aurora peeped out, / And Phaebus newly look'd about, Roxburghe Ballads Editor None None None None Information in this section of the Source Description refers to the original ballad manuscript. 1: 56 1: 57 The Constancy of True Loue, / OR. / An Excellent Relation of the Vntimely Death of / Two Faithfull Louers. The Constancy of True Love, OR,. An Excellent Relation of the Untimely Death of Two Faithfull Lovers. The Constancy of True Love, OR,. An Excellent Relation of the Untimely Death of Two Faithful Lovers. 1624-1624 Francis Coules

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 Early Modern Center Ballad Project Keyword Taxonomy advice affliction/ health alcohol animals/ nature Bible/ biblical figures buildings/ architecture catastrophe children class clothing/ appearance country/ nation crime death economics/ commerce entertainments family folklore gender holidays/ seasons infidelity labor/ craft law London love maritime marriage military/ war monstrosity mythology/ Classical news nobility/ court politics/ government procreation punishment race/ ethnicity 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 youth/ age Library of Congress Subject Heading Taxonomy 4/18/2011 Santa Barbara, California, United States of America death love mythology/ Classical Ballads, English 17th century Broadsides, England 17th century 4/18/2011 11:24:12 AM XBallad Meyer, Shannon Created XML Version of Ballad 4/18/2011 11:24:12 AM Transcription Supervisor McAbee, Kristina, Nebeker, Eric Transcription of ballad manuscript 4/18/2011 11:24:12 AM Double-Key Comparison and Merging Zusky, Catherine Transcription of ballad manuscript 4/18/2011 11:24:12 AM Transcriptionist Two Meyer, Shannon Transcription of ballad manuscript 4/18/2011 11:24:12 AM Transcriptionist One Fadel, Meghan Transcription of ballad manuscript 8/9/2010 Checker Shannon Meyer Edited Ballad Catalogue Record 7/3/2008 Bibliographer Giles Bergel Initial Ballad Catalogue Record Created 4/13/2011 Transcriber Fadel, Meghan Created Ballad XML 4/13/2011 Transcriber Meyer, Shannon Created Ballad XML 4/13/2011 Double-Key Transcription Merger Zusky, Catherine Created Ballad XML 4/13/2011 Transcription Supervisor McAbee, Kristina, Nebeker, Eric Created Ballad XML 4/13/2011 XBallad Doss, MacKenzie Created Ballad XML 10/29/2008 Checker Shannon Meyer Edited Ballad Catalogue Record 1/12/2011 Checker Bethany Wong Edited Ballad Catalogue Record 1/12/2011 Checker Bethany Wong Edited Ballad Catalogue Record
<seg n="1" rend="left"><hi rend="italic">The Constancy of True Love,</hi></seg> <seg n="2" rend="left"><hi rend="italic"><hi rend="bold">OR</hi>,<hi rend="bold">.</hi></hi></seg> <seg n="3" rend="left"><hi rend="italic">An Excellent Relation of the Untimely Death of</hi></seg> <seg n="4" rend="left"><hi rend="italic">Two Faithfull Lovers.</hi></seg> <lb/> <seg n="5" rend="left"><hi rend="italic">To the tune of <hi rend="bold">Downe by a Forrest</hi></hi></seg>
IN that faire fragrant month of May, When earth her curtaines doth display, I did by chance my corps repose Upon a banke, which Woods did close, With greene and leavy bowres about; A place to shunne the teadious rout Of Tibs and Toms, for this intent, This flowrie seat I did frequent. Nature had strove to shew her feate In the composure of this seat; For in a Valley plaine was found, This place by hills incircled round. Both lofty Beech and Cedars tall Did shelter this rich Silvan hall. Heere Satires and the Naiades, Here Silvans and the Driades, Here rurall gods and tripping Nymphs, Did bath their corps in the pure lymphs, And christal streams which made a noise In compassing this place of joyes. No fairer place nor Fountaine found Dian with golden tresses crownd, And Lad[y-]guarded in this seate, the wihstling wind coold summers heat Here the nine Muses usde to dance, Here the kind graces usde to prance; Here Phaebe his warbling harpe did tune, The lifesome monthes of May & June. Here Philomel tund melody, Hither the chirping birds did fly, Here Thrush & blackbird from their throats straind divers sundry pleasant notes. Here the Nymph Eccho in hollow ground Did the last syllable resound; What harbour could the world spare more trim, more neat, more sweet more rare?
Here as I sate musing alone, Me thought I heard one grieve and groane, Ah me poore wretch, this creature said, Whereat my senses grew afraid. I started looking here and there, To viewe the subject of this feare: A Lady object to mine eyes, I found the effect of all these cryes; I hasted to enquire the cause Which did her weeping eyes amaze: Behold, quoth shee, my Love (alas) Whose crimson blood here dyes the grasse. The sweetest creature here lyeth dead, That famous Europe ever bred; I have my wronged Lover slaine, His death shall be the death of twaine. I praid her then for to relate, The cause of his untimely fate; She then scarse fetching of her breath, Beginnes the Story of his death. Blinde Cupid (quoth she) with his dart, In tender yeares did wound his heart, Made subject to the love of me, An actor of this tragedie. His heart and mind together tried, His love and mine together tied, Our parents sought to crosse our will, But we continued constant still. Though time the disadvantage gave, And we no place for love could have, Yet still we sought to recompence, Love with true love without offence. We dwelt in neighbouring houses nie, And getting conference thereby; We did appoint under this tree To meet but disapointed bee.
<seg n="1" rend="left"><hi rend="italic">The second part, To the same tune.</hi></seg>
WHen bright Aurora peeped out, And Phaebus newly lookd about, I first (according to my vow) made haste unto this plighted bough: Heere as I stayed for my Love, Whose comming over-late did prove, A Lyon with with inhumane pawes, Came to that well to coole his jawes. His mouth was all with blood besmeard, This instrument of Death I feard, I fled to hide my selfe for feare, And left behind my mantle there. The Lyon having sl[a]kd his thirst, Ran where I left my garment first, But when hee saw no place for prey, He fould with blood my Liverie: And having musied thus the same, Thither he went whence first he came: But I knew not that hee was gone, And therefore stayd I hid alone. In the meane time (Oh griefe) came hee, Who promisd had to meet with mee, And under this our plighted bough, He sought performance of our vow. Hee found not mee, but found my Coat, All bloudied by the Lyons throat, Which when he saw with bloud belayd, My absence made him sore afraid: What should he thinke, but that some beast, Upon my carkasse made his Feast: He thought that the grim Lyons whelpe, Devoured mee being voyd of helpe. While hee these events thus did brooke, The instrument of death he tooke, A naked sword, which by his side, Ready for Combats hee had tyed: I have, quoth hee, wrought my Loves death, The end of her shall end my breath, And thereupon thrust to the hilt His sword, and thus his blood he spilt.
That the first Passenger might know, The dismall events of this woe, He wrote and pinnd a note thereof, Upon his Hatt to shew the proofe: Which I being voyd of feare at last, And thinking all the danger past, Returning from that hideous bed, Whereto I from the Lyon fled, I found this Copie of his death, And his dead carkasse voyd of breath: No sobs, no sighes, no griefes, no groanes, No trickling teares, no mournfull moanes, No ejaculations, no cries, No dolefull Dittie, or Elegies, Shall serve for to bewaile his end, Which for my love his life did spend. In life his love did mee pursue, But by his death hee provd it true: If he then for my sake did die, As much for him wh[y] should not I? Since death hath us denied our right, Then friendly death shall us unite, And I will follow him in haste, Who thought he followed me being past. These words assoone as shee had spoke, Shee gave her selfe a deadly stroke: She drew the sword out of his breast, And in her owne the same shee thrust. And as in life their hearts were one, So are their lives together gone, In spight of parents, time or place, Fond love will runne his wished race. Thus have you heard a Tragedy Acted by lovers constancy, God send such lovers better speed, Where fervency true Love doth breed.
FINIS. Imprinted at London for Francis Coules and are to be sould at his shop in the Old-Bayley.