%ISOlat1; %ISOlat2; %ISOnum; %ISOpub; ]> The Merchants Daughter of Bristow University of California - Santa Barbara The Early Modern Center Director Patricia Fumerton 1660-1660 Early Modern Center, University of California Santa Barbara Santa Barbara, CA 03/05/2012 31671

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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

BEhold the Touchstone of true Love, / Maudlin the Merchants daughter of Bristow Town Information in this section of the Source Description refers to the original ballad manuscript. 1: 211 The Merchants Daughter of Bristow The Merchants Daughter of Bristow The Merchant's Daughter of Bristol 1660-1660

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 Early Modern Center Ballad Project Keyword Taxonomy advice affliction/ health alcohol Americas 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 groups royalty rural life servitude sex/ sexuality supernatural/ magic travel trickery/ deceit urban life vice violence virtue vulgar humor youth/ age Library of Congress Subject Heading Taxonomy 3/5/2012 Santa Barbara, California, United States of America love punishment religious groups travel Ballads, English 17th century Broadsides, England 17th century 3/5/2012 6:11:34 PM XBallad Campbell, Katharine Created XML Version of Ballad 3/5/2012 6:11:34 PM Transcription Supervisor Murphy, Jessica Transcription of ballad manuscript 3/5/2012 6:11:34 PM Double-Key Comparison and Merging Naler, Erin Transcription of ballad manuscript 3/5/2012 6:11:34 PM Transcriptionist Two Reese, Ryan Transcription of ballad manuscript 3/5/2012 6:11:34 PM Transcriptionist One Jiminez-Justiniano, Jose Transcription of ballad manuscript 7/20/2011 Checker Charlotte Becker Edited Ballad Catalogue Record 7/20/2011 Checker Charlotte Becker Edited Ballad Catalogue Record 3/7/2011 Checker Victoria Hernandez Edited Ballad Catalogue Record 1/10/2011 Bibliographer Charlotte Becker Initial Ballad Catalogue Record Created 1/10/2011 Checker Charlotte Becker Edited Ballad Catalogue Record
<seg n="1" rend="left"><hi rend="italic">The Merchants Daughter of Bristow.</hi></seg> <seg n="2" rend="left"><hi rend="italic"><hi rend="bold">The Tune is, the Maidens joy</hi>.</hi></seg>
BEhold the Touchstone of true Love, Maudlin the Merchants daughter of Bristow Town, Whose firm affection nothing could move, [This] favor bears the lovely [bro]w[n.]] A gallant youth was dwelling by, Which many years had born this maiden great good will She loved him so faithfully, But all her friends withstood it still, The young man now perceiving well, He could not get nor win the favour of her friends, The force of sorrows to expell. To view strange Countreys he intends, And now to take his last farewell, Of his true love his fair and constant Maudlin, With Musick sweet that did excell, He plaid under her window then. Farewell quoth he my own true Love, Farewell my dear and chiefest Treasure of my heart, Through fortunes spight that false did prove, I am inforcd from thee to part, Into the Land of Italy, There will I wail and weary out my life in wo, Seing my true Love is kept from me I hold my life a mortal foe. Fair Bristow Town therefore adiew, For Padua shall be my habitation now, Although my Love doth rest in thee. To whom alone my heart I vow, With trikling tear thus did he sing. With sighs and sobs discending from his heart full sore He said when he his hands did wring, Farewell sweet Love for evermore. Fair Maudlin from a window high, Beholding her true Love with Musick where he stood. But not a word she durst reply. Fearing her Parents angry mood. In tears she spent that woful night, Wishing her self though naked with her faithfull Friend She blams her friends and fortunes spight. That wrought her love such luckless end. And in her heart she made a vow, Clean to forsake her country and her kindred all, And for to follow her true love, To abide all chance that might befall. The night is gone and the day is come. And in the morning very early did she rise, She gets her down into a lower Room, Where sundry Sea-men she espyes, A gallant Master among them all. The Master of a great and goodly ship was he, Who there was waiting in the Hall, To speak with her father if it might be, She kindly takes him by the hand, Good sir said she and would you speak with any here. Quoth he, fair Maid, therefore I do stand, Then gentle sir I pray draw neer. Into a pleasant parlor by, With hand in hand she brings the Sea-men all alone Sighing to him most piteously She thus to him did make her moan, She falls upon her tender knee Good sir said she now pitty you a womans wo And prove a faithfull friend to me. That I to you my grief may show, Sith you repose your trust he said, In me who am unknown & eke a stranger here, Be ye assurd most proper maid, Most faithfull still I will appear, I have a brother then, quoth she, Whom as my life I love and favour tenderly. In Padua alas is he, Full sick God wot and like to dye. Full fain I would my brother see, But that my Father will not yield to let me go, Therefore good sir be good to me, And unto me this favour show; Some ship boyes garment bring to mr, That I disguisd may go unknown, And unto sea Ile go with thee. If this much favour might be shown, Fair maid quoth he take here my hand, I will fulfill each thing that you desire, And set you safe In that same Land. And in that place that you require. She gave to him a tender kiss, And saith to him your servant Master will I be, And prove your faithfall friend for this, Sweet master then forget not me,
This done as they had both agreed, Soon after that before the break of day, He brings her garments then with speed, [Therein her] self she did arr[a]y, And ere her Father did arise, She meets her Master as he walked in the hall, She did attend on him likewise, Untill her Father did him c[a]ll, But ere the Merchant made an end, Of all his weighty matters he had then to say. His wife came weeping in with speed, Saying our Daughters gone away, The Merchant then amazd in mind, Yonder vile wretch away inticd my child quoth she, But I well wot I shall him find At Padua in Italy With that bespake their master brave Worshipfull merchant thither goes this pretty youth And any thing that you would crave He will perform and write the truth, Sweet youth quoth he if it beso Bear me a letter to the English Merchant there And gold on thee I will bestow My daughters welfare I do fear. Her mother took her by the hand Fair youth quoth she if ere thou dost my daughter see Let me therefore soon understand And there is twenty crowns for thee, Thus through the daughters strange disguise The mother knew not when she spake unto her child And after her master streight she hyes. Taking her leave with countenance mild, Thus to the Sea fair Maudlin is gone, with her gentle master Godsend them a merry wind Where we a while must let them alone Till you the second part do find. WElcome sweet Maudlin from the Seas, Where bitter storms and tempests do arise The pleasant banks of Italy You may behold with mortal eyes. Thanks gentle master then said she, A faithful friend in sorrow thou hast been, If fortune once do smile on me My gentle heart shall soon be seen. Blest be the land that feeds my love Blest be the place whereas his person doth abide Not real will I stick to prove Whereby my true love may be trid, Now will I walk with joyfull heart To view the town whereas my darling doth remain And seek him out in every part, Untill his sight I do obtain. And I quoth he will not forsake. Sweet Maudlin in her sorrows up and down In wealth or wo thy part Ile take, And bring thee safe to Padua town And after many weary steps In Padua they safe arrivd at the last For very joy her heart it leaps She thinks not on her sorrows past Condemnd to die he was alas Except he would from his Religion turn, But rather than he would to masse In fiery flames he vowd to burn. Now doth sweet Maudlin weep and wail, Her joy is turnd to weeping sorrow grief & care, For nothing could her plaints prevail, For death alone must be his share, She walks under the prison walls Where her true love did lie & languish in distresse, When wofully for food he calls When hunger did his heart oppresse. He sighs and sobs and makes great moan, Farewell sweet love for evermore. And all my friends that have me known, In Bristow town with wealth and store, But most of all farewell quoth he My own sweet Maudlin whom I left behind For never more thou shalt me see, Wo to thy Father most unkind, How well were I if thou were here with thy fair hands to close these my wretched foes My torments easie would appear My soul with joy should scale the Skies. When Maudlin heard her Lovers moan. her eyes with tears, her heart with sorrow filled was
To speak with him no means was k[nown] Such grievous doom on him did p[asse.] Then she put off her lads attire Her maidens weed upon her bac[k she seemly set] To the J[u]dges h[ouse she did inquire.] And there she did a [service get] She did her duty th[ere so well] And eke so prudently [she did herself behave] With her in love he[r master fell,] His servants favour [he doth crave,] Maudlin quoth he m[y hearts delight,] [T]o whom my heart [in affection is tied,] Breed not my death [through thy despight,] A faithful friend tho[u shalt me find] O grant me thy lov[e fair maid quoth he] And at my hands [desire what thou canst devise] And I will [gr]ant [it unto thee] Whereby t[hy c]re[dit may arise.] I have a b[rother sir said she] For his re[ligion is now condemnd to dye,] In loathso[me prison he is cast] Opprest [with grief and misery] Grant me [my brothers life she said] And now t[o you my love and liking wil I give] That may [not be quoth he fair maid] Except he turn he cannot live An English Fryer there is she said Of learning great and assing pure [of life] Let him to my brother be sent And he wil finish soon their strife. Her master granted her request The Mariner in Friars weed she [did array] And to her love that lay distrest She did a letter soon convey When he had read these gentle lin[es] His heart was ravished with pres[ent joy] Where now she is full well he kn[ew] The Fryar likewise was not coy. But did declare to him at large The enterprize his love for him h[ad taken in hand] The young man did the Fryar cha[rge] Her love should straight depart th[e land] here is no place for her he said, But wofull death and danger of h[er life,] Professing truth I was betraid And fearfull flames must end the [strife.] For ere I will my faith deny And swear myself to follow dam[ned anti-christ] Ile yeeld my body for to die, To live in heaven with the High[est] O sir the gentle Frier said A woful match quoth he is a mu[?] Where Christ is left to wina wif[e] When she had usd all means she [might] To save his life and yet all would [not be,] Then of the judge she claimd her [right] To die the death as well as he, When no preswasion could preva[il] Nor change her mind in any th[ing that she had said] She was with him condemnd [to dye] and for them both one fire was m[ade.] Yea arm in arm most joyfully These lovers twain unto the fire [did go] The Mariner most faithfully Was likewise partner of this wo[.] But when the judges understoo[d] The faithfull friendship did in the[m remain] They savd their lives and after[wards] To England sent them back aga[in] Now was their sorrow turnd to[joy] And faithful lovers have their h[erts desire] Their pains so well they did im[ploy] God granted that they did desire. And when they did to England [come] And in merry Bristow arrivd at [the last] Great joy there was to all and so[me] That heard the dangers they had [past] Her father he was dead God wo[t] And eke her mother was joyfull [at her sight] Their wishes she denied not. But wedded them to hearts delig[t.] Her gentle master she desired. To be her father and at church [to give her then] It was fulfilled as she requird, Unto the joyes of all good men.
FINIS.