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<DATE>2009-01-02</DATE>
<RESPSTMT>
<NAME>Mona Logarbo</NAME>
<RESP>MURP</RESP>
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<ITEM>Proofed and reviewed as part of batch B081156.pdcc.</ITEM>
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<EEBO>
<IDG S="marc" R="UM" ID="B03602">
<STC T="W">G935</STC>
<BIBNO T="oclc">47012459</BIBNO>
<VID>174426</VID>
</IDG>
<TEXT LANG="eng">
<BODY>
<DIV1 TYPE="ballad">
<PB REF="1"><!-- PDF PAGE 3 -->
<HEAD>The Godly Maid of <HI>Leice&s;ter.</HI></HEAD>
<ARGUMENT>
<P>Being a true Relation of <HI>Elizabeth Stretton,</HI> who lying upon her Death-bed, was wonderfully deli|vered from the Temptations of Satan, worthy the noting of all that would live and die in the fear of God.</P>
</ARGUMENT>
<OPENER>The Tune is, <HI>In Summer time.</HI></OPENER>
<P><FIGURE>
</FIGURE></P>
<DIV2 N="1" TYPE="part">
<LG>
<L>AMong&s;t the Wonders God hath &s;hown,</L>
<L>within this I&s;land and el&s;ewhere,</L>
<L>A wonder &s;trange I will make known,</L>
<L>as ever any man did hear!</L>
<L>A vertuous Maid in <HI>Leice&s;ter</HI> dwelt,</L>
<L>who came of hone&s;t Parentage,</L>
<L>Temptations and afflictions felt,</L>
<L>although &s;he was of tender age.</L>
</LG>
<LG>
<L><HI>Elizabeth Stretton</HI> was her name,</L>
<L>of conver&s;ation Godly given,</L>
<L>Gods holy Word was all her aim,</L>
<L>who&s;e &s;oul no doubt is now in Heaven;</L>
<L>Sore &s;ick &s;he was and &s;ick to death,</L>
<L>and in a trance for half an hour.</L>
<L>That people thought her vital breath,</L>
<L>extingui&s;h'd was by deaths &s;trong power.</L>
</LG>
<LG>
<L>He that rai&s;'d <HI>Lazarus</HI> from the dead,</L>
<L>did rai&s;e this Maid to life again,</L>
<L>When as they thought her life was fled,</L>
<L>and that by death &s;he had b&eacute;en &s;lain,</L>
<L>At la&s;t with &s;miling countenance,</L>
<L>upon the company did look,</L>
<L>And &s;aid &s;he had been in a Trance,</L>
<L>but Chri&s;t her &s;oul had not for&s;ook.</L>
</LG>
<LG>
<L>I have b&eacute;en in a Combat great,</L>
<L>even with the black Prince of the Air,</L>
<L>By craft, and by his &s;trong deceit,</L>
<L>did &s;&eacute;ek to bring me to de&s;pair,</L>
<L>But Chri&s;t doth ne'r for&s;ake his Flock,</L>
<L>who evermore on him depend,</L>
<L>He was my Fortre&s;s and my Rock,</L>
<L>and brought my troubles to an end.</L>
</LG>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Satan.</SPEAKER>
<L>O &s;illy &s;oul the Divel &s;aid,</L>
<L>in Chri&s;t why do&s;t thou put thy tru&s;t,</L>
<L>In Hell with me thou mu&s;t be laid,</L>
<L>and thy frail body turn to du&s;t.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Maid.</SPEAKER>
<L>I know my Corps to du&s;t mu&s;t fall,</L>
<L>but my &s;w&eacute;et Chri&s;t red&eacute;em'd my &s;oul,</L>
<L>I am his Child on him I call,</L>
<L>although my &s;ins are very foul.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Satan</SPEAKER>
<L>No &s;inful Soul in Heaven may dwell,</L>
<L>alas poor wretch thou art deceiv'd.</L>
<L>Thy &s;ins will weigh th&eacute;e down to Hell,</L>
<L>when death of life hath thee bereft.</L>
</SP>
<SP>
<SPEAKER>Maid.</SPEAKER>
<L>Gods mercy is above my &s;in,</L>
<L>who did protect me from my birth,</L>
<L>My Father knows where I have been,</L>
<L>among&s;t vile &s;inners here on Earth,</L>
</SP>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 TYPE="part">
<HEAD>The &s;econd part</HEAD>
<OPENER>to the &s;ame Tune&punc;</OPENER>
<SP>
<LG>
<L>WHo&s;e bad example me did cau&s;e,</L>
<L>to walk be&s;ide the path of Grace</L>
<L>I have broke all his &s;acred Laws,</L>
<L>yet he my Soul doth &s;till imbrace,</L>
<L>When he perceiv<GAP DESC="illegible" REASON="missing" EXTENT="1 letter">d my Faith &s;o &s;trong,</L>
<L>Satan began to hide his head,</L>
<L>I did by him receive no wrong,</L>
<L>&s;o pre&s;ently he vani&s;hed.</L>
</LG>
<LG>
<L>He was no &s;ooner vani&s;hed</L>
<L>but my &s;w&eacute;et Saviour appear'd to me,</L>
<L>When as you thought I had been dead,</L>
<L>my Soul her Saviour then did &s;ee.</L>
<L>Poor wretch &s;aid he, Lo I will be,</L>
<L>thy Father, Husband, and Delight,</L>
<L>Thy &s;inful Soul from Hell to free,</L>
<L>and overcome the Divels might,</L>
</LG>
<LG>
<L>I hid my Face, a little &s;pace,</L>
<L>to try how patient thou would&s;t be,</L>
<L>I give thee F<GAP DESC="illegible" EXTENT="2 letters">th and means of Grace</L>
<L>and that &s;ufficient was for thee,</L>
<L>To overc<GAP DESC="illegible" EXTENT="1 letter">m<GAP DESC="illegible" EXTENT="1 letter"> the Divels power.</L>
<L>the ga<GAP DESC="illegible" EXTENT="3 letters"> of Hell could not prevail,</L>
<L>I he<GAP DESC="illegible" EXTENT="1 letter">pt thee in a Ble&s;&s;ed hour,</L>
<L>and thy poor Soul I will not fail.</L>
</LG>
<LG>
<L>To te<GAP DESC="illegible" EXTENT="1 letter">l thy friends where thou ha&s;t bin,</L>
<L>and how my Children I protect,</L>
<L><GAP DESC="illegible" EXTENT="1 letter">ow I have pardoned thy &s;in,</L>
<L>and all the &s;ins of my Elect.</L>
<L>With Oyl he did anoint my Soul,</L>
<L>my Head, and all my Body o're,</L>
<L>He did forgive my &s;ins mo&s;t foul,</L>
<L>I prai&s;e his holy Name therefore,</L>
</LG>
<LG>
<L>Now I my Saviours love have again,</L>
<L>I nothing in this World do crave,</L>
<L>But that I once were free from pain,</L>
<L>and fairly laid within my Grave.</L>
<L>All you that &s;tand about my Bed,</L>
<L>&s;ee that the Lord above you fear,</L>
<L>And think on this when I am dead,</L>
<L>that you your cour&s;e &s;o well may &s;teer.</L>
</LG>
<LG>
<L>For I have fought a happy Fight,</L>
<L>and overcome, by Gods good Grace,</L>
<L>The Divel in his power and might,</L>
<L>and <GAP DESC="illegible" EXTENT="1 word"> with Comfort now my Race.</L>
<L>From henceforth is laid up for me,</L>
<L>a Crown of Immortality,</L>
<L>Where I &s;hall very &s;hortly be,</L>
<L>with Heavenly Saints that never die.</L>
</LG>
<LG>
<L>Vnto Gods Ordinance let's go,</L>
<L>in the Week-days with due re&s;pect,</L>
<L>Think not the time ill &s;pent, all you</L>
<L>that Count your &s;elves as Gods Elect</L>
<L>As well as on the Sabbath-day,</L>
<L>as I have done, as you do know,</L>
<L>For I to you may truly &s;ay,</L>
<L>I find the comfort of it now.</L>
</LG>
<LG>
<L>Let none Gods Ordinance contemn,</L>
<L>the means of their Salvation,</L>
<L>Let not the Divel prevail with them,</L>
<L>to bring them to Damnation.</L>
<L>I prai&s;e my God in all my grief,</L>
<L>I never lo&s;t my hold of Grace,</L>
<L>When other folks were bent to &s;trife,</L>
<L>I held the Church the chiefe&s;t place.</L>
</LG>
<LG>
<L>And therefore mind me what I &s;ay,</L>
<L>before your Gla&s;s be run,</L>
<L>Though other people go a&s;tray,</L>
<L>go forwards as you have begun,</L>
<L>And meddle not with them that are</L>
<L>contentious any kind of way,</L>
<L>But ever let it be your care,</L>
<L>Gods holy Ordinance to obey.</L>
</LG>
<LG>
<L>For tho&s;e that will not &s;erve him here</L>
<L>in Heaven with him &s;hall never dwell</L>
<L>Therefore my Friends now have a care</L>
<L>that you may &s;cape the pains of Hell,</L>
<L>So farewell Friends, farewell to all,</L>
<L>I'm going to a better place.</L>
<L>Let not the Divel bring you to thrall,</L>
<L>nor fondly lo&s;e your hold of Grace.</L>
</LG>
<LG>
<L>Lord Ie&s;us now receive my Soul,</L>
<L>I do bequeath the &s;ame to thee,</L>
<L>O Lord forgive my &s;ins mo&s;t foul,</L>
<L>and &s;o to Heaven pa&s;&s;ed &s;he;</L>
<L>And &s;o departed &s;he in peace,</L>
<L>to Heaven with Angels to remain,</L>
<L>The Lord above gave her relea&s;e,</L>
<L>from her Afflictions, Grief and Pain.</L>
</LG>
<LG>
<L>Let People mind her dying words,</L>
<L>if in Heaven they would live,</L>
<L>Her Life and Death &s;o much affords,</L>
<L>and Heavenly comfort now doth give.</L>
<L>O Lord, give us all Grace, that we</L>
<L>may live to him and die to &s;in,</L>
<L>Our Life and Death &s;hall happy be,</L>
<L>though in a wicked world we've b&eacute;en.</L>
</LG>
</SP>
</DIV2>
</DIV1>
</BODY>
<BACK>
<DIV1 TYPE="colophon">
<P>London, Printed by <HI>E. C.</HI> for F. <HI>Coles.</HI> T. <HI>Vere.</HI> and <HI>J. Wright.</HI></P>
</DIV1>
</BACK>
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