[...]he Deadmans Song, whose dwelling was neere vnto Basing Hall in London.
To the tune of Flying Fame.
[...]cke, deare friends, long time I was,
[...]nd weakely laid in bed:
[...]ue houres in all mens sight
[...]gth I lay as dead:
[...]t rung out, my friends came in,
[...]nd I key-cold was found:
[...]en was my carkasse brought from bed,
[...]nd cast vpon the ground.
[...] louing wife did wape full sore,
[...]d children loud did cry:
[...]iends did mourne, yet thus they said,
[...] flesh is borne to die:
[...] winding shéet prepared was,
[...]y graue was also made:
[...] long houres by iust report,
this same case I laid.
[...]ng which time, any soule did sée
[...]h stra
[...]e and fearefull sights,
[...] for to heare the same disclos
[...]d,
[...]uld banish all delighte.
[...]th the Lord restor'd my life,
[...]ich from my body fled:
[...]ll declare what sights I saw,
[...]e time that I was dead.
[...] thought along a gallant gréene,
where pleasant Flowers sprung,
tooke my way whereas me thought,
the Muses sweetly sung.
The grasse was swéet, the trées full faire,
and louely to behold,
[...]nd full of fruits was euery twig,
which shinde like glistering gold.
[...]y chearefull heart desired much
to taste the fruit so faire:
[...]ut as I reacht, a faire young-man
to me did fast repaire.
[...]ouch not (qd. he) that's none of thine,
but wend and walke with me:
[...]nd marke full wel each seuerall thing,
which I shall shew to thee.
[...] wondred greatly at his words,
[...]et went with him away:
[...]ill on a goodly pleasant bancke,
with him he hade me stay.
[...]ith branches then of Lillies white,
[...] mine eyes there wiped he:
[...]hen this was done, he made me look,
what I farre off could sée.
[...]ooked vp and loe, at last,
I did a Citty sée:
[...] faire a thing did neuer man
behold with mortall eye:
[...]f Diamonds, Pearles and Precious stones
it séemed the walls were made:
[...]he houses all with beaten gold,
[...] tilde and ouer-laid.
[...]e brighter then the morning Sun,
[...]e light thereof did shew:
[...] euery creature in the same
[...] crowned Kings did goe.
[...]l
[...]s about the Citty faire,
all with Roses set:
Gilliflowers and Carnations faire,
which canker could not fret:
And from these fields there did procéed
the swée
[...]st and pleasant it smell,
That euer liuing creature felt,
the sent did so excell:
Besides such sweet triumphant mirth
did from the Citty sound,
That I therewith was rauished,
my ioy did so abound.
With musicke, mirth, and melody,
Princes did there imbrace:
And in my heart I long to be
within that ioyfull place.
The more I gaz'd, the more I might,
the sight pleas'd me so well:
For what I saw in euery thing,
my tongue can no way tell:
Then of the man I did demand,
what place the same might be:
Whereas so many Kings doe dwell,
in ioy and melody?
Quoth he, that blessed place is heauen,
where yet thou must not rest,
And those that do like Princes walke,
are men whom God hath blest.
Then did I turne me round about,
and on the other side,
He bade me view and marke as much,
what things are to be spide.
With that I saw a coale blacke den,
all tand with soot and smoake
Where stinking brimstone burning was,
which made me like to choake.
An v
[...]ly creature there I saw,
whose face with kniues was flasht,
And in a Caldron of poyson'd filth,
his vgly corps was washt
About his necke were fiery ruffes,
that flam'd on euery side.
I askt, and loe, the young-man said,
that he was damn'd for pride.
Another sort then did I see,
whose bowel
[...] Vipers tore:
And grieuously with gaping mouth,
they did both yell and roare.
A spotted person by each one
stood gnawing on their hearts:
And this was conscience I was told,
that plagu'd their enuious parts.
These were no sooner out of sight,
but straight came in their place,
A sort still throwing burning fire,
which fell against their face.
And ladies full of melted gold,
were powred downe their throats:
And these were set (as séem'd to me)
in midst of burning boats:
The formost of the company,
was
Iudas I was told,
Who had for filthy lucre sake,
his Lord and Master sold.
For couetousnes those were condemn'd
so it was told to me,
And then, me thought another
[...]ont
of Hell-hounds I did sée:
Their faces they seem'd fat in sight,
yet all their bones were bare,
And dishes full of crawling toads,
was made their finest fare.
From armes, from hands, from thighes & féet,
with red hot pincers then,
The flesh was pluckt euen frō the bone
of these vile gluttonous men.
On coale blacke beds, another sort,
in grieuous sort did lie,
And vnderneath them burning brands;
their flesh did burne and fry.
With brimstone fierce their Pillows,
whereon their heads were laid,
And fiends with whips of glowing fire eke,
their lecherous skins off flaid.
Then did I see another come,
stebb'd in with daggers thicke:
And filthy fien
[...]s with fiery darts,
their hearts did wound and pricke:
And mighty bowls of corrupt blood,
were brought them for to drinke,
& these men were for murther plagu'd,
from which they could not shrinke.
I saw when these were gone away,
the Swearer and the Lyer,
& these were hung vp by the tongues,
right ouer a flaming fire.
From eyes, from eares, from nauill, & nose;
and from the lower parts,
The blood, me thought, did gushing run
and clodded like mens hearts,
I asked why that punishment,
was vpon Swearers laid:
Because qd. one, wounds, blood & hearte
was still the oath they made.
And therewithall from vgly Hell,
such shriekes and cryes I heard,
As though some greater griefe and plague
had vext them afterward.
So that my soule was sore afraid,
such terrour on me fell:
Away then went the yong-man quite,
and bade me not farewell.
Wherefore vnto my body straight,
my fpirit return'd againe,
And liuely blood did afterward
stretch forth in euery veine.
My closed eyes I opened,
and raised from my sound:
And wondred much to sée my selfe
laid so vpon the ground.
Which when my neighbors did behold,
great feare vpon them fell.
To whom soone after I did show,
the newes from Heauen and Hell.
FINIS.
Printed at London for E. Wright.