%ISOlat1; %ISOlat2; %ISOnum; %ISOpub; ]> An Excellent Ballad of Patient Grissel. University of California - Santa Barbara The Early Modern Center Director Patricia Fumerton 1658-1658 Early Modern Center, University of California Santa Barbara Santa Barbara, CA 03/14/2012 31768

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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

R176850 1 The Brides Good-morrow Bride's Good-Morrow, The The Brides Good-morrow A Noble Marquess / As he did ride a hunting SHe took the Babies, / Even from the nursing Ladies, Information in this section of the Source Description refers to the original ballad manuscript. 1: 85 An Excellent Ballad of Patient Grissel. An Excellent Ballad of Patient Grissel. An Excellent Ballad of Patient Grissel. 1658-1658 F. Coles, T. Vere, and W. Gibertson

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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 3/14/2012 Santa Barbara, California, United States of America class clothing/ appearance family love marriage nobility/ court rural life trickery/ deceit virtue Ballads, English 17th century Broadsides, England 17th century 3/14/2012 11:57:21 AM XBallad Sander, Morgan Created XML Version of Ballad 3/14/2012 11:57:21 AM Transcription Supervisor Murphy, Jessica Transcription of ballad manuscript 3/14/2012 11:57:21 AM Double-Key Comparison and Merging Jiminez-Justiniano, Jose Transcription of ballad manuscript 3/14/2012 11:57:21 AM Transcriptionist Two Naler, Erin Transcription of ballad manuscript 3/14/2012 11:57:21 AM Transcriptionist One Reese, Ryan Transcription of ballad manuscript 5/9/2011 Checker Bethany Wong Edited Ballad Catalogue Record 5/9/2011 Checker Bethany Wong Edited Ballad Catalogue Record 2/29/2012 Transcriber Reese, Ryan Created Ballad XML 2/29/2012 Transcriber Naler, Erin Created Ballad XML 2/29/2012 Double-Key Transcription Merger Jiminez-Justiniano, Jose Created Ballad XML 2/29/2012 Transcription Supervisor Abrams, Annie Created Ballad XML 2/29/2012 XBallad Sander, Morgan Created Ballad XML 1/26/2011 Bibliographer Shannon Meyer Initial Ballad Catalogue Record Created
<seg n="1" rend="left"><hi rend="italic">An Excellent Ballad of Patient Grissel.</hi></seg> <seg n="2" rend="indent"><hi rend="italic"><hi rend="bold">T</hi>o the Tune of, <hi rend="bold">The Brides Good-Morrow.</hi></hi></seg>
A Noble Marquess As he did ride a hunting hard by a forrest side, A fair and comely Maiden As she did sit a spinning his gentle eye espied, Most fair and lovely And of a comely grace was she, although in simple attire, She sung full sweetly With plea[s]ant voyce melodiously, which set the Lords heart on fire: The more he lovd the more he might, Beauty bred his hearts delight And to this Damsel then he went [w]ith speed, Godspeed quoth he thou famous flo[w]er, Fair Mistris of this homely Bower, Where Love and Vertue, d[w]els [w]ith sweet content, With comely gesture And modest mild behaviour, she bod him welcome then, She entertained him, [I]n faithful friendly manner, an[d] all [h]is Gentlemen: The Noble Marquess, In[]s he[a]rt felt such a flame, w[h]ich s[e]t his sences at strife, Quoth he fair Maiden,
Show me soon what is thy name, I mean to make thee my Wife, Grissel is my name quoth she, Far unfit for your degree, A silly Maiden, and of Parents poor: Nay Grisel thou art rich he said, A vertuous, fair, and comely Maid, Grant me thy Love, and I will ask no more: At length she consented, And being both contented, they Married were with speed: Her Country Russet Was changed to silk and velvet, as to her state agreed; And when that she Was trimly tired in the same, her beauty shined most bright, Far staining every Other fair and Princely Dame, that did appear in her ss[ig]ht. Many envying her therefore, Because she was of Parents poor, And twixt her Lord and she great s[t]rife did raise: Some said this, and same said that, And some did call her beggers brat And to her Lord they would her oft despise.
O noble Marquess Quoth they why dost thou wrong us thus basely for to wed: Who might have gotten, An Honourable Lady, into your Princely bed, Who will not now, Your noble issue soon deride, which shall hereafter be born, That are of blood so base, Born by the mothers side, the which will bring them in scorn. Put her therefore quite away, And take to you a Lady gay, Wherein your Lineage may renowned be Thus every da[y] they seemed to prate, That maliced Grissels good estate. Who all this while took it most patiently. When [t]hat the Marquess Did see that the[y] were bent thus, against his faithful wife, Whom he most dearl[y], Tenderly and intirely, he loved as his life, Minding in secret for to prove her patient heart. Thereby her foes to disgrace; Thinking to shew her a hard discourteous part. That men might pitty her case, Great with child this Lady was, And at last it came to pass, Two goodly children, at one birth she had, A Son and a Daughter God had sent: Which did their Mother well content, And which [d]id make their Fathers heart full glad. Great Royal [F]easting Was at these childrens Christening, and Princely tryumph made. Six weeks together All Nobles that came thither, were entertaind and staid, And when that all this pleasant Sporting quite was done, the Marquess a Messenger sent, For his young Daughter And his pretty smiling Son, d[e]claring his full intent. How [t]hat the babes must murdered be For so the Marquess did decree. Come let me have t[h]e Chi[l]dren then he said, With that fair Grissel wept full sore, She wrung her hands & said no more, My Gra[c]ious Lord must have his will obeyd.
<seg n="1" rend="left"><hi rend="italic">The second part to the same Tune.</hi></seg>
SHe took the Babies, Even from the nursing Ladies, Between her tender arms, She often wishes, With many sorrowful kisses, that she mihht ease their harms. Farwel, farwel, A thousand times my Children dear, never shall I see you again, Tis long of me Your sad and woful Mother here, for whose sake both most be slain, Had I been born of Royal race, You might have livd in happy case, But you must dye, for my unworthiness, Come Messenger of Death quoth she, Take my dearest babes to thee, And to their Father my complaints express, He took the children, And to his Noble master, he bore them then with speed, Who in secret sent them, Unto a Noble Lady, to be brought up in deed. Then to fair Grissel With a heavy heart he goes. where she sate mildly all alone, A pleasant gesture, And a lovely look she shaws, as if no grief she had known. Quoth he my children now are slain, What thinks fair Grissel of the same, S[w]eet Grissel now, declare thy mind to me, Sith you my Lord are pleas[e]d with it, Poor Grissel thinks the action fit, Both I and mine at your command will be.
My Nobles murmer, Fair Grissel at thy honour and I no joy can have, Till thou be banisht Both from my court and presence as they uniustly crave, Thou must be stript Out of thy stately garments all, and as thou camst to me. In homely gray, Instead of biss and purest pall, now all thy clothing must be My Lady thou must be no more, Nor I thy Lord which grieves me sore The poorest life must now content thy mind, A groat to thee I must not give, Thee to maintain whilst I do live, Against my Grissel such great foes I find. When gentle Grissel Did hear these woful tydings, the tears stood in her eys, Nothing she answered, No words of discontentment, did from her lips arise, Her Velvet Gown Most patiently she stripped off, her kirtle of silk with the same, Her Russet Gown was brought again with many a scoff, to bear them her self she did frame; When she was drest in this array, And ready was to part away, God send long life unto my Lord quoth she. Let no offence be found in this, To give me Lord a parting kiss With watry Eys farewel my Dear said she.
From Princely Pallace, Unto her fathers Cotta[g]e, poor Grissel now is gone, Full sixteen winters, She lived there contented no wrong she thought upon, And at that time through All the Land the speeches went the Marquess should married be. Unto a Noble Lady great And of high Descent and to the same all Parties did a[g]ree, The Marquess sent for Grissel fair The brides bed-chamber to prepare, That nothing therein might be found awry. The bride was with her brother come, Which was great joy to all and some, But Grissel took all this most patiently, And in the morning When as they should be wedded, her patience there was tryed, Grissel was charged, Herself in friendly manner for to attend the bride, Most willing She gave consent to do the same the bride in bravery was drest, And presently The Noble Marquess thither came with all his Lords at his request. O Grissel I will ask of thee, If to this match thou wilt agree, Methinks thy looks, are waxed wondorous coy, With that they all began to smile, And Grissel she replyd the white God send Lord Marquess many years of joy. The Marquess was moved, To see his best beloved thus patient in distress. He stept unto her And by the hand he took her these words he did express. Thou art the bride And all the brides I mean to have, these two thine own children be. The youthful Lady, On her knees did blessing crave, her brother as well as she, And you that envyed her estate, Whom I have made my chosen Mate. Now blush for shame, and honour vertu[o]us life, The Chronicles of lasting Fame. Shall ever more extoll the name, Of patient Grissel my most constant wife:
FINIS. London Printed for F. Coles, T. Vere, and W. Gi[l]bertson.