Ancient Poems [37]
Said, 'When 'tis found how I came off, My neighbours will me game and scoff.'
So to prevent their noise and clatter The vintner he, to mend the matter, In two days after, it doth appear, Did cut his throat from ear to ear.
Thus he untimely left the world, That to this young man proved a churl. Now he who followed drunkenness, Lives sober, and doth lands possess.
Instead of wasting of his store, As formerly, resolves no more To act the same, but does indeed Relieve all those that are in need.
Let all young men now, for my sake, Take care how they such havoc make; For drunkenness, you plain may see, Had like his ruin for to be.
Ballad: THE BOWES TRAGEDY.
Being a true relation of the Lives and Characters of ROGER WRIGHTSON and MARTHA RAILTON, of the Town of Bowes, in the County of York, who died for love of each other, in March, 1714/5
Tune of QUEEN DIDO.
[THE BOWES TRAGEDY is the original of Mallet's EDITION AND EMMA. In these verses are preserved the village record of the incident which suggested that poem. When Mallet published his ballad he subjoined an attestation of the facts, which may be found in Evans' OLD BALLADS, vol. ii. p. 237. Edit. 1784. Mallet alludes to the statement in the parish registry of Bowes, that 'they both died of love, and were buried in the same grave,' &c. The following is an exact copy of the entry, as transcribed by Mr. Denham, 17th April, 1847. The words which we have printed in brackets are found interlined in another and a later hand by some person who had inspected the register:-
'RoDger Wrightson, Jun., and Martha Railton, both of Bowes, Buried in one grave: He Died in a Fever, and upon tolling his passing Bell, she cry'd out My heart is broke, and in a Few hours expir'd, purely [OR SUPPOSED] thro' Love, March 15, 1714/5, aged about 20 years each.'
Mr. Denham says:-
'THE BOWES TRAGEDY was, I understand, written immediately after the death of the lovers, by the then master of Bowes Grammar School. His name I never heard. My father, who died a few years ago (aged nearly 80), knew a younger sister of Martha Railton's, who used to sing it to strangers passing through Bowes. She was a poor woman, advanced in years, and it brought her in many a piece of money.']
LET Carthage Queen be now no more The subject of our mournful song; Nor such old tales which, heretofore, Did so amuse the teeming throng; Since the sad story which I'll tell, All other tragedies excel.
Remote in Yorkshire, near to Bowes, Of late did Roger Wrightson dwell; He courted Martha Railton, whose Repute for virtue did excel; Yet Roger's friends would not agree, That he to her should married be.
Their love continued one whole year, Full sore against their parents' will; And when he found them so severe, His loyal heart began to chill: And last Shrove Tuesday, took his bed, With grief and woe encompassed.
Thus he continued twelve days' space, In anguish and in grief of mind; And no sweet peace in any case, This ardent lover's heart could find; But languished in a train of grief, Which pierced his heart beyond relief.
Now anxious Martha sore distressed, A private message did him send, Lamenting that she could not rest, Till she had seen her loving friend: His answer was, 'Nay, nay, my dear, Our folks will angry be I fear.'
Full fraught with grief, she took no rest, But spent her time in pain and fear, Till a few days before his death She sent an orange to her dear; But's cruel mother in disdain, Did send the orange back again.
Three days before her lover died, Poor Martha with a bleeding heart, To see her dying lover hied, In hopes to ease him of his smart; Where she's conducted to the bed, In which this faithful young man laid.
Where she with doleful cries beheld, Her fainting lover in despair; At which her heart with sorrow filled, Small was the comfort she had there; Though's mother showed her great respect, His sister did her much reject.
She stayed two hours with her dear, In hopes for to declare her mind; But Hannah Wrightson
So to prevent their noise and clatter The vintner he, to mend the matter, In two days after, it doth appear, Did cut his throat from ear to ear.
Thus he untimely left the world, That to this young man proved a churl. Now he who followed drunkenness, Lives sober, and doth lands possess.
Instead of wasting of his store, As formerly, resolves no more To act the same, but does indeed Relieve all those that are in need.
Let all young men now, for my sake, Take care how they such havoc make; For drunkenness, you plain may see, Had like his ruin for to be.
Ballad: THE BOWES TRAGEDY.
Being a true relation of the Lives and Characters of ROGER WRIGHTSON and MARTHA RAILTON, of the Town of Bowes, in the County of York, who died for love of each other, in March, 1714/5
Tune of QUEEN DIDO.
[THE BOWES TRAGEDY is the original of Mallet's EDITION AND EMMA. In these verses are preserved the village record of the incident which suggested that poem. When Mallet published his ballad he subjoined an attestation of the facts, which may be found in Evans' OLD BALLADS, vol. ii. p. 237. Edit. 1784. Mallet alludes to the statement in the parish registry of Bowes, that 'they both died of love, and were buried in the same grave,' &c. The following is an exact copy of the entry, as transcribed by Mr. Denham, 17th April, 1847. The words which we have printed in brackets are found interlined in another and a later hand by some person who had inspected the register:-
'RoDger Wrightson, Jun., and Martha Railton, both of Bowes, Buried in one grave: He Died in a Fever, and upon tolling his passing Bell, she cry'd out My heart is broke, and in a Few hours expir'd, purely [OR SUPPOSED] thro' Love, March 15, 1714/5, aged about 20 years each.'
Mr. Denham says:-
'THE BOWES TRAGEDY was, I understand, written immediately after the death of the lovers, by the then master of Bowes Grammar School. His name I never heard. My father, who died a few years ago (aged nearly 80), knew a younger sister of Martha Railton's, who used to sing it to strangers passing through Bowes. She was a poor woman, advanced in years, and it brought her in many a piece of money.']
LET Carthage Queen be now no more The subject of our mournful song; Nor such old tales which, heretofore, Did so amuse the teeming throng; Since the sad story which I'll tell, All other tragedies excel.
Remote in Yorkshire, near to Bowes, Of late did Roger Wrightson dwell; He courted Martha Railton, whose Repute for virtue did excel; Yet Roger's friends would not agree, That he to her should married be.
Their love continued one whole year, Full sore against their parents' will; And when he found them so severe, His loyal heart began to chill: And last Shrove Tuesday, took his bed, With grief and woe encompassed.
Thus he continued twelve days' space, In anguish and in grief of mind; And no sweet peace in any case, This ardent lover's heart could find; But languished in a train of grief, Which pierced his heart beyond relief.
Now anxious Martha sore distressed, A private message did him send, Lamenting that she could not rest, Till she had seen her loving friend: His answer was, 'Nay, nay, my dear, Our folks will angry be I fear.'
Full fraught with grief, she took no rest, But spent her time in pain and fear, Till a few days before his death She sent an orange to her dear; But's cruel mother in disdain, Did send the orange back again.
Three days before her lover died, Poor Martha with a bleeding heart, To see her dying lover hied, In hopes to ease him of his smart; Where she's conducted to the bed, In which this faithful young man laid.
Where she with doleful cries beheld, Her fainting lover in despair; At which her heart with sorrow filled, Small was the comfort she had there; Though's mother showed her great respect, His sister did her much reject.
She stayed two hours with her dear, In hopes for to declare her mind; But Hannah Wrightson