%ISOlat1; %ISOlat2; %ISOnum; %ISOpub; ]> THE / PLYMOUTH Tragedy: / OR, / Fair SUSAN's Overthrow. University of California - Santa Barbara The Early Modern Center Director Patricia Fumerton 1728-1728 Early Modern Center, University of California Santa Barbara Santa Barbara, CA 05/04/2011 31081

The University of California makes a claim of copyright only to original contributions made by Early Modern Center participants and other members of the university community. The University of California makes no claim of copyright to the original text. Permission is granted to download, transmit or otherwise reproduce, distribute or display the contributions to this work claimed by The University of California for non-profit educational purposes, provided that this header is included in its entirety. For inquiries about commercial uses, please contact:

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

T42508 BEautiful virgins of birth and breeding, / Now to my ditty pray lend an ear. Roxburghe Ballads Editor None None None None Information in this section of the Source Description refers to the original ballad manuscript. 3: 374 3: 375 THE / PLYMOUTH Tragedy: / OR, / Fair SUSAN's Overthrow. THE PLYMOUTH Tragedy: OR, Fair SUSAN’s Overthrow. THE PLYMOUTH Tragedy: OR, Fair Susan's Overthrow. 1728-1728

This document follows the guidelines specified for TEI.

XML Generated Automatically at 5/4/2011 11:23:30 AM Using EMC

XBallad Parsing Engine developed by Carl Stahmer.

TEI Template developed by Gerald Egan and Modified by Carl Stahmer

All apostrophes are encoded as '.

Any dashs occurring in line breaks have been removed;

All dashs are encoded as ‐ and all em dashes as —.

 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 5/4/2011 Santa Barbara, California, United States of America death family love maritime supernatural/ magic trickery/ deceit Ballads, English 17th century Broadsides, England 17th century 5/4/2011 11:23:30 AM XBallad Mellon, Gillian Created XML Version of Ballad 5/4/2011 11:23:30 AM Transcription Supervisor McAbee, Kristina, Nebeker, Eric Transcription of ballad manuscript 5/4/2011 11:23:30 AM Double-Key Comparison and Merging Becker, Charlotte Transcription of ballad manuscript 5/4/2011 11:23:30 AM Transcriptionist Two Meyer, Shannon Transcription of ballad manuscript 5/4/2011 11:23:30 AM Transcriptionist One Zusky, Catherine Transcription of ballad manuscript 12/1/2010 Checker Grafals Michael Edited Ballad Catalogue Record 12/1/2010 Checker Grafals Michael Edited Ballad Catalogue Record 1/18/2009 Bibliographer Meghan Fadel Initial Ballad Catalogue Record Created
<seg n="1" rend="left"><hi rend="italic">THE</hi></seg> <seg n="2" rend="left"><hi rend="italic">PLYMOUTH Tragedy:</hi></seg> <seg n="3" rend="left"><hi rend="italic">OR,</hi></seg> <seg n="4" rend="left"><hi rend="italic"><hi rend="bold">Fair SUSANs Overthrow.</hi></hi></seg>
BEautiful virgins of birth and breeding, Now to my ditty pray lend an ear, Let all cruel parents by this take warning. In love do not cross your children dear. In Plymouth-town livd a beautiful maiden, And lovely Susan indeed was her name; A young ship-carpenter came for to court her, Her beautiful charms did his heart so enflame. He said, charming Susan, now grant my desire, Strong is the passion I have for my dear; If you deny me my life will expire, Sweet angel beauty, be not so severe. Susan replyd to the beautiful young man, Do not despair, I will grant you my love; Altho I have got many more suitors, And none but sweet William my heart can approve.
But William replyd, Three years on the ocean, Now I am bound sweet lovely dear. It shall be spent for my jewels portion, Rich costly jewels Ill bring to my dear. A peice of gold between them was broken, But cruel fortune to them was severe. After that day this couple were parted, William did never see his charming dear. A wealthy merchant beholding her beauty, Went to her parents without more delay; They saih, Child, it is but your duty, Your honoured parents for to obey. This noble merchant has store of riches, Hell deck you in gold and fine costly pear Your beoutiful charms, dear child, are sitting To be embraced by lord, duke, or earl.
Honoured parents, do not be so cruel; No other man I can ever adore; I made a vow to my dear to be constant, We have loved each other these two years or more. Tis not cursed gold that shall make me disloyal, Perjurd love Heaven sure will require. Then do not strive to be my undoing, For William I love shall be my delight, Then, said her father, Ill quickly part you Never each other more you shall see. And if you will not marry the merchant, You shall be banishd for ever from me. Then, cruel father, answerd the damsel, If thats your will I am bound to obey. May the crime be yours for ever, The merchant shall have little comfort of me. Then was the merchant admitted the favour To go and visit his beautiful dear. Her parents they did strive to persuade her To marry the merchant, tho never near. Still she replyd, Ill ever be constant, To my dear Billy, whos over the main. No wealth nor riches shall make me disloyel, The world for sweet William I can disdain. Her parents finding she was so constant, Hired a sailor a letter to bring; Who said, at the East-Indies your love did expire, Then dying he gave me this letter to bring. Opening the letter and finding her lover Had expired, she thus did say: Oh! that I had dyd in the room of my jewel, How to another Im forced away, Her parents then entreated her to marry, At length to the merchant she did consent: Poor harmless maid! she never thinking The cruel mischief on which they were bent Costly rich robes and fine jewels. Then were prepared for the bride, With a noble train to attend them. To Plymouth-church they went to be tyd. A splendid dinner was also provided, The bells did ring, and the trumpets did play, Her covetous parents rejoicd and were happy, Because this was a fatal and sad wedding-day. This very week sweet William arrived All in the Downs with a very good cheer. And to let Susan know these happy tidings Strait wrote a letter, and sent to his dear. As at the window the bride was gazing, She saw the post-man ring at the door, Calling aloud to the beautiful Susan, Saying, That he had a letter for her. Strait to the door she flew in passion, Eagerly taking the letter in hand, Found in the Downs sweet William was riding, With vast store of riches he had brought to land. She said, Oh! now I am ruind for ever. Her costly robes she in pieces did tear, Go, unkind parents, for you have been cruel, Thus to part me from my only dear,
What will he say? now I shall be upbraided, Where is my girl, the pledge of my vows. It was cursed gold of my dear did deprive me, Blasted and gone is my virgin rose. The bridegroom gently strove to persuade her, Saying, Fair Susan, now you are wed, You must incline now unto your husband, And yield up your charms in the bridal bed. No, no, she cries, my dear husband, It is not my charms can enjoy. Tho I am wedded I will die a maiden, Death sent a dart now this life to destroy. Thus in distraction this maiden lies weeping, Bound in her bed she no comfort can have. Crying out, Death, now come ease me, On! let my bride-bed be a silent grave: Let my bride-men wear the white lillies, Instead of costly favours so gay: And let the maidens wear the green willow, To shew, William, Ive been constant to thee, Strew all the groves with the whitest flowers, To show how innocent I wrongd my dear, Get violets and thyme to make my love poesies, Let the funeral wine be the water so clear. Ill go to William thats loyal hearted, My troubled ghost shall mourn for my dear, Then with a sigh and groan she departed, Parents, take warning by whats written hear: When darksome night bright Sol encompassd. And twinkling stars spread the sparkling skies, William, who then in his cabbin lay sleeping, Was askd by a voice that strangely did cry, William, arise, see beautiful Susan, Whose charms were once as bright at the sun, Now in deaths frozen arms is enclosed, William, make haste, to your lover come. William, soon from his pillow arising, Cried, Oh! what is the sound I do hear Soon as he spied the ghost of his Susan; His looks more pale then the lead did appear. Close in his arms he goes to enfold her, But soon the shadow did disappear. Willam then raved like one in distraction, Crying, Has death robbed me of my dear When at fair Plymouth-town he arrived, Straitway the tidings to him was told, He said, Unkind and most cruel parents, Thus to wrong a child for the lucre of gold. Many rich offers for her I refused, None could I ever love but my dear. Soon after thee, dear Susan, thy love wil[l] expire. Oh! cruel fortune, to lovers severe. That very night to her grave he retired, Digging the mould from her breathless clay. Upon her coffin he then expired, And by her parents was found next day. Now these two lovers are both enclosed Together in one sad dismal tomb: Ye covetous parents by this take warning, Blast not children in the midst of their bloom
Printed and Sold at the Printing-Office in Bow-Church-Yard, London.