Faithful FRIENDSHIP:
OR,
ALPHONSO and GANSELO.
To the Tune of, Flying Fame.

Note, As the Use of these Old Songs is very great, in respect that many Children never would have learned to Read, had they not took a Delight in poring over Fair Rofanond, RobinHod, &c, which has infinitely raised them into a Curiosity and Desire of Reading other the like Stories, till they have improved themselves more in a short time than perhaps they would have done some Years at 2000. In order fit to make them more useful, I promise to affix an Introduction, in which I shall point out what is full and what is Fitt in each Song; which will (as may be readily supposed) give rise not only Children, but Perfons of more Years, an Inglisht into the Reality, Intent and Delight, as well as many times the Author and Time when such Song was made, which has not bitherto been explained.

Whether the following Song is owing to the Invention of the Poet, or whether it is grounded upon Hiftory, I cannot say; if on the latter, I must confess my Ignorance of great, that I never was able to trace it out. I remember indeed an old Novel written on the fame Subject, but that Novel I take to be borrowed from the Ballad, not the Ballad from the Novel, our Song being much the more ancient, though by comparing their Stiles, to which are unacquainted with the Purity of the Language, generally used by these old Song Enditors would be apt to conclude the contrary.

IN flatly Rome sometime did dwell
A Man of noble Fame,
Who had a Son of feemly Shape,
Alphonsò was his Name:
When he was grown and come to Age,
His Father thought it beft,
To fend his Son to Athens fair,
Where Wifdom's School did reft.

And when he was to Athens come,
Good Lectures for to learn,
A Place to board him with Delight,
His Friends did well differ:
A noble Knight of Athens Town,
Of him did take the Charge,
Who had a Son Ganfelo call'd,
Aft of his Pitch and Age;

In Stature and in Perfon both,
In Favour, Speech and Face,
In Quality and Conditions,
They greed in every Place:
So like they were in all Refpects,
The one unto the other, (Names,
They were not known, but by their
Of Father or of Mother.

And as in Favour they were found
Alike in all Refpects.
Ev'n fo they did moft dearly love,
As proved by good Effects:
Ganfelo lov'd a Lady fair,
Which did in Athens dwell,
Who was in Beauty Peerlefs found,
So far he did excel.

Upon a Time it chanc'd so,
As Fancy did him move,
That he would yift, for Delight,
His Lady and his Love;
And to his true and faithful Friend
He did declare the fame,
Asking of him, if he would fee
That fair and comely Dame.

Alphonsò did thereto,
And with Ganfelo went
To fee the Lady which he lov'd,
Which bred his Difcontent:
But when he caſt his cryſal Eyes
Upon her Angel Hue,
The Beauty of that Lady bright,
Did ſtraight his Heart subdue.

His gentle Heart fo wounded was,
With that fair Lady's Face,
That afterwards he daily liv'd
In ſad and woſul care;
And of his Grief he knew no how
Therefore to make an End,
For that he knew the Lady's Love
Was yielded to his Friend.

Thus being fore perplex'd in Mind,
Upon his Bed he lay
Like one whom Death and deep Delpair,
Had almost worn away.
His Friend Ganfelo did fee
His Grief and great Diftrefes,
At length requeſled for to know
His Caufe of Heavineſs.

With much ado, at length he told
The Truth unto his Friend;
Who did relieve his inward Woe,
With Comfort to the End:
Take Courage then, dear Friend, quoth he,
Though he through Love be mine;
My Right I will reſign to thee,
The Lady shall be thine.

You know our Favours are alike,
Our Speech alio likewise;
This Day in mine Apparel
You ſiall yourſelf digniſe,
And unto Church then ſhall you go
Directly in my ſlade;
Lo, though my Friends ſuppofe 'tis I,
You ſhall the Lady wed.

Alphonsò was ſo well appaide,
And as they had decreed,
He went that Day and wedded plain
The Lady there indeed:

But when the Nuptial-Feast was done,
And Phaebus quite was fled,
The Lady for Ganfelo took
Alphonsò to her Bed.

That Night they ſpent in plesant Sport,
And when the Day was come,
A Poſt for fair Alphonsò came,
To fetch him home to Rome.
Then was the Matter plainly prov'd,
Alphonsò wedded was,
And not Ganfelo, to that Dame:
Which brought great Woe, alas,

Alphonsò being gone to Rome,
With this his Lady, gay,
Ganfelo's Friends and Kindred all,
In ſuch a Rage did flay,

That they depriv'd him of his Wealth,
His Land and rich Attire,
And banifh'd him their Country quite,
In Rage and wrathful Ire.

With ſid and peneſive Thoughts, alas!
Ganfelo wandred then;
Who was conſtrain'd, thro' want, to beg
Relief of many Men.

In this Diftrefes oft would he ſay,
To Rome I mean to go,
To feek Alphonsò, my dear Friend,
Who will relieve my Woe.

To Rome when poor Ganfelo came,
And found Alphonsò's Place,
Which was ſo famous, huge and fair,
Himſelf in that poor Cafe,
He was aſham'd to thew himſelf,
In that his poor Array,
Saying, Alphonsò knows me well,
If he would come this way.

Therefore he ſlaid within the Street;
Alphonsò then came by,

But heeded not Ganfelo poor,
His Friend that flood fo nigh:
Which griev'd Ganfelo to the Heart,
Quoth he, And is it to?

Doth proud Alphonsò now diſdain
His Friend indeed to know?

In deſperate fort away he went,
Into a Barn hard by,
And preſently he drew his Knife,
Thinking thereby to die:
And betterly in Sorrow there,
He did lament and weep,

And being over-weigh'd with Grief,
He there fell faſt aſleep.

While foundly there he ſweetly ſlept,
Came in a murthering Thief,
And Ihaſs asked his ſenit� by
His Man to full of Grief.
The Knife fo bright he took up ſtraut,
And went away amain,
And thraſt ir in a murthered Man,
Which he before had ſlain,

And afterwards he went with ſpeed,
And put his bloody Knife
Into his Hand to ſleeping lay,
To fave himſelf from ſtrife:
Which done in highte he ran,
And when that Search was made,
Ganfelo with his bloody Knife,
Was for the Murtherer flain.

And brought before the Magiſtrate,
Who did confes moſt plain,
That he indeed with that fame Knife,
The murther'd Man had flain.

Alphonsò fitting there a Jugeſe,
And knowing Ganfelo's Faſes,

To fave his Friend, did ſay himſelf
Was guilty in that cafe.

None, quoth Alphonsò, kill'd the Man,
My Lord, but only I;

And therefore let this poor Man free,
And let me juſtly die:

Thus while for Death theſe faithful Friends
In ſtriving did proceed,

The Man before the Senate came,
Who did the Faſt indeed.

Who being moved with Remorſe,
Their friendly Hearts to ſee,
Did ſay before the Jugeſes plain,
None did the Faſt but he.

Thus when the Truth was plainly told,
Of all fides Joy was ſeen;

Alphonsò did embrace his Friend,
Which had ſo woſeul been.

In rich Array he cloath'd him
As fitted his Degree,
And help'd him to his Lands again,
And former Dignity.

The Murtherer for telling Truth,
Had Pardon at that Time,
Who afterwards lamented much
His foul and grievous Crime.