%ISOlat1; %ISOlat2; %ISOnum; %ISOpub; ]> A most sweet Song of an English Merchant-man, born in Chichester. University of California - Santa Barbara The Early Modern Center English Broadside Ballad Archive (EBBA) Director Patricia Fumerton Associate Director Carl G Stahmer ?-? Early Modern Center, University of California Santa Barbara Santa Barbara, CA 06/19/2014 33722

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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

R180753 1 To an excellent new Tune, &c. Rich Merchant Man, The To an excellent new Tune, &c. A Rich merchant=man there was, / that was both grave and wise, A sweet thing is love, / it rules both heart and mind, / There is no comfort in the world / to women that are kind. Information in this section of the Source Description refers to the original ballad manuscript. 1: 1029 A most sweet Song of an English Merchant-man, born in Chichester. A most sweet Song of an English Merchant man, born in Chichester. ?-? A.M. W.O. T. Thackeray

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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 Featured 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 6/19/2014 Santa Barbara, California, United States of America clothing/ appearance country/ nation crime death love maritime marriage punishment travel Ballads, English 17th century Broadsides, England 17th century 6/19/2014 11:14:35 AM XBallad McCants, Kristen Created XML Version of Ballad 6/19/2014 11:14:35 AM Transcription Supervisor Meyer, Shannon Transcription of ballad manuscript 6/19/2014 11:14:35 AM Double-Key Comparison and Merging Doran, Thomas Transcription of ballad manuscript 6/19/2014 11:14:35 AM Transcriptionist Two Gutierrez-Jones, Natalia Transcription of ballad manuscript 6/19/2014 11:14:35 AM Transcriptionist One Aulakh, Pavneet Transcription of ballad manuscript 9/18/2013 Checker Christopher Foley Edited Ballad Catalogue Record 5/28/2014 Transcriber Aulakh, Pavneet Created Ballad XML 5/28/2014 Transcriber Gutierrez-Jones, Natalia Created Ballad XML 5/28/2014 Double-Key Transcription Merger Doran, Thomas Created Ballad XML 5/28/2014 Transcription Supervisor Meyer, Shannon Created Ballad XML 5/28/2014 XBallad McCants, Kristen Created Ballad XML 2/28/2013 Checker William Hildalgo Edited Ballad Catalogue Record 11/15/2012 Bibliographer Shannon Meyer Initial Ballad Catalogue Record Created
<seg n="1" rend="left"><hi rend="italic">A most sweet Song of an <hi rend="bold">English</hi> Merchant-man, born in <hi rend="bold">Chichester.</hi></hi></seg> <lb/> <seg n="2" rend="left"><hi rend="italic"><hi rend="bold">To an excellent new Tune,</hi> etc.</hi></seg>
A Rich merchant-man there was, that was both grave and wise, Did kill a man at Embden Town, through quarrels that did rise, Through quarrels that did rise; the German being dead, And for that fact the marchant-man was judg'd to lose his head: A sweet thing is love, it rules both heart and mind, There is no comfort in the world to women that are kind. A scaffold builded was, within the market-place, And all the people far and near, did thither flock apace: Did thither flock apace, this doleful sight to see, Who all in velvet black as jet, unto the place came he: A sweet, etc. Beare headed as he was; his hands was bound before, A cambrick ruff about his neck, as white as milk he wore: His stockings where of silk, as fine as fine might be, Of person and of countenance, a proper man was he: A sweet, etc.
When he was mounted up upon the scaffold high, All women said, Great pitty it was so sweet a Nan should dye: The merchants of the town, from death to set him free, Did porffer there a thousand pound, but yet all would not be: A sweet thing is love, it rules both heart and mind, There is no comfort in this world, to women that are kind. The prisoner hereupon, began to speak his mind, Quoth he, I have deserved death, in conscience I do find: Yet sore against my will, this man I kill'd, quoth he, As Christ doth know, which of my soul must only Saviour be: A sweet, etc. With heart I do repent this most unhappy deed, And for his wife and children small, my very heart doth bleed: The deed is done and past, my hope of life is vain, And yet the loss of this my life, to them is little gain: A sweet, etc.
Unto the widow poor, and to the babes therefore, I give a hundred pound a peice, their comfort to restore: Desiring at their hands, no one request but this, They will speak well of Englishmen, though I have done amiss: A sweet thing is love, it rules both heart and mind, There is no comfort in this world, like women that are kind. This was no sooner done, but that to stint the strife, Four godly maids did proffer him, for love to save his life: This is our law, quath they, we may your death remove, So you in lieu of our good will, will grant to us your love: A sweet, etc. Brave English-man, quoth they, I will save thy life; Nay, quoth the second, it is I, so I may be thy Wife; 'Tis I, the third did say; Nay, quoth the fourth, 'tis I, So each one after the other said, still waiting his reply: A sweet, etc.
Fair maidens every one, I must confess and say, That each of you well worthy is to be a lady gay: And I unworthy far, the worst of you to have, Though you have proffer'd willingly my loathed life to save: A sweet thing is love, it rules both heart and mind, There is no comfort in this world, to women that are kind. Then take a thousand thanks, of me a dying man, But speak no more of love or life, for why my life is gone: To Christ my soul I give, my body unto death, For none of you my heart can have, sith I must leave my breath: A sweet, etc. Fair maids lament no more, your country law is such, It takes but hold upon my life, my goods it cannot touch: Within one chest I have in gold a thousand pound, I give it equal to you all, for love that I have found; A sweet, etc. And now dear freinds farewel. sweet England now adieu, And Chicester where I was born, where first this breath I drew: And now thou man of death, unto thy weapon stand. O nay, another damsel said, sweet Headsman hold thy hand: A sweet, etc. Now hear a maiden's plaint, brave English-man, quoth she, And grant me love for love again, that craves but love of thee: I wooe and sue for love, that had been woo'd e're this, Then grant me love, and therewithal she proffer'd him a kiss: A sweet thing is love, it rules both heart and mind, There is no comfort in this world to women that are kind.
I'll dye within thy armes, if thou wilt dye, quoth she, Yet live or dye, sweet English-man i'll live and dye with thee. But can it be (quoth he) that thou do love me so! 'Tis not by long acquaintance, sir whereby true love doth grow: A sweet thing is love, it rules both heart and mind, There is no comfort in this world to women that are kind. Then beg my life, quoth he, and I will be thy own, If I should seek the world for love more love cannot be shown: The people at that word, did give a joyful cry, And said, Great pitty it was so sweet a man should dye: A sweet, etc. I go my love, she said, I run, I flye for thee, And gentle headsman spare a while my lover's head for me: Unto the Duke she went, who did her grief remove, And with a hundred maidens more she went to fetch her love: A sweet, etc. With musick sounding sweet, the foremost of the train, The gallant maiden like a bride, did fetch hem back again; Yea, hand in hand away they went unto the church that day, And they where marry'd presently in sumptuous rich array; A sweet, etc. To England came he then, with his fair lady bride, a fairer creature never lay by any merchant's side; Where we must leave them now, in pleasure and delight, But of their names and dwelling I must not here recite. A sweet thing is love, it rules both heart and mind, There is no comfort in the world to women that are kind.
London: Printed for A.M.W.O. and T. Thackeray, at the Angel in Duck-[Lane]