%ISOlat1; %ISOlat2; %ISOnum; %ISOpub; ]> The Unfortunate Lovers; / Or, John True and Susan Mead. University of California - Santa Barbara The Early Modern Center Director Patricia Fumerton ?-? Early Modern Center, University of California Santa Barbara Santa Barbara, CA 04/28/2011 31047

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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

T50413 ATtend, ye lovers, and give an ear / Unto this mournful song, Roxburghe Ballads Editor None None None None Information in this section of the Source Description refers to the original ballad manuscript. 3: 318 3: 319 The Unfortunate Lovers; / Or, John True and Susan Mead. The Unfortunate Lovers; Or, John True and Susan Mead. The Unfortunate Lovers; Or, John True and Susan Mead. ?-?

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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 4/28/2011 Santa Barbara, California, United States of America death love Ballads, English 17th century Broadsides, England 17th century 4/28/2011 4:02:45 PM XBallad Mellon, Gillian Created XML Version of Ballad 4/28/2011 4:02:45 PM Transcription Supervisor McAbee, Kristina, Nebeker, Eric Transcription of ballad manuscript 4/28/2011 4:02:45 PM Double-Key Comparison and Merging Becker, Charlotte Transcription of ballad manuscript 4/28/2011 4:02:45 PM Transcriptionist Two Meyer, Shannon Transcription of ballad manuscript 4/28/2011 4:02:45 PM Transcriptionist One Zusky, Catherine Transcription of ballad manuscript 11/29/2010 Checker Grafals Michael Edited Ballad Catalogue Record 11/29/2010 Checker Grafals Michael Edited Ballad Catalogue Record 11/29/2010 Checker Grafals Michael Edited Ballad Catalogue Record 1/17/2009 Bibliographer Meghan Fadel Initial Ballad Catalogue Record Created 1/17/2009 Checker Meghan Fadel Edited Ballad Catalogue Record
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ATtend, ye lovers, and give an ear Unto this mournful song, Of two that lived faithfully, But did each other wrong. At Coventry, in Warwickshire, This young man he did dwell, His name, John True, a Shoemaker, And livd very well. At Borley-Moor this maiden dwelt, Three miles from Coventry; Yet for the love he bore to her, He would her often see. And coming to her on a time, He told to her his mind: Susan, quoth he, I love thee dear, Be not to me unkind. If thou canst love and fancy me, In heart and eke in mind, I will prove loving unto thee, Be not to me unkind. Thy chearful looks rejoice my heart, And merry make my mind. Sweet Susan, then love me again, Be not to me unkind. Good John, I thank you for your love And wish you at home to tarry: I am too young for to be wed, And have no will to marry. Where thou livest are maidens store, Most beautiful and free. Henceforth set not vain love on me, For I cannot love thee. This answer struck him to the heart, As cold as any stone: So homewards strait he did return, With many a bitter groan.
Wishing that he had neer been born Or in his cradle dyd. Unhappy man, to love so true, And yet to be denyd. Quoth he, Ill go to her again, And hear what she doth say. It may be she may be more kind, Tho first she said me nay. So going to the town again, He sent for her straitway, Desiring her to speak to him, But still she said him nay. Then did he sigh, lament, and grieve, And knew not what to say; So did he take his pen in band, And wrote these words straitway, My hearts delight and only joy, Kill me not with disdain; Vouchsafe that I may speak to thee, To rid me of my pain. Resolve me, sweetest, I thee pray, Why is thy hatred such? I know no cause, except it be For loving thee too much. As is my name, true is my love, Sweet Susan, unto thee: True is my name, true is my love, And evermore shall be. My love is honest, just and good, Kill me not with disdain; Rather do me the courtesy, To love for love again. When she had [r]ead and understood His mind and his intent, She then began to like and love, And grant his hearts content.
John, I am thine, if thou art mine, For ever and for aye. It was to try thy constancy, That I did say thee nay. But heres my hand, hear and love, Ill neer thee more deny, My love is constant, firm, and true, And shall be till I die. Then they embracd each others love And joind in heart and voice, That she of him, and he of her, Had made so sweet a choice. But fortune that doth often frown, Where she before did smile, The mans delight, the maidens joy Full soon she did beguile. When she was settled in her love, Then he would change her mind. And for to try her constancy, Would be to her unkind. And thus resolved in his mind, Hed go to her no more: But went and wood another maid, Which grievd her heart full sore. Quoth he, she proved unto me, Hard hearted and unkind: But now her true love I have won Ill bear the self-same mind. When she perceivd his love to her Not as it was wont to be, She did lament, sigh, weep, and grieve And these words said she: False-hearted wretch, adieu, quoth she Disloyal and unkind. And if I die for love of thee, Thou shalt not know my mind. Woe to the time I did believe That flattering tongue of thine; Would to God I neer had seen The tears of those false eyes. Hard hap I had to set my love On one that mocketh me, Sure all the country did not yield A man so false as he. Thus was she brought to mean estate All comfort from her fled. She did desire to speak with him, Before that she was dead. Her friends did seek to cheer her up, And to make glad her mind: But she was killd for loving him, Who was to her unkind. False-hearted man, may never maid Love thee as I have done.
But may my death rememberd be To time that is to come: But may all maids a warning take, By this my mournful death. And now, O Lord! receive my soul, To thee I give my breath: Thus died the pattern of true love, Thus died a virtuous maid. Thus died a good and harmless lass, As ever love betrayd; Six maids in white, as custom is, Did bear her to her grave: Her parents grieve, lament and mourn No child at all they have. When as her lover understood For love that she was dead; He ragd, and ready was to tear The hair from off his head. But when he came unto the place Where his true lover lay, He straitway run unto the gave, And there these words did say; Susan, quoth he, Ill kiss thy grave, Upon my bended knee; Whereby Ill show to all the world, How much I did love thee. And as he lay upon the ground, He heard the voice to say, John True, if ever thou lovst me, Make haste and come away. Then started he up from the grave, And stood like one struck dumb; And when he had regaind his speech He said, I come, I come. And thus like one out of his wits, He ragd in furious sort; That all the neighbours round about Were grievd at the report; And thus in sorrow and grief of heart He lay a whole fortnight; And when he had confessd his fault, He yielded up his spirit. According to his hearts desire, And as he did request, They dug his grave and laid him down By her whom he lovd best. You young men all that have true love Be true unto your friend, And if you love, be sure you love, Be true unto the end: And thus I end my story true, So full of grief and woe; May never any such again To wrong any other so.