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EDITED BY
JOHN W. HALES, M.A.
FE1,M)W AND LATE AP.SIRTANT-TUTOn OF CHRIST'S COLLEGE, CAMBRTDGE
AND
FREDERICK J. FURNIVALL, M.A.
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1808.
PREFACE
TO
THE THIRD VOLUME.
Op this third volume the Historical Ballads are the principal
feature. Though the Robin Hood set are continued by Adam
Belly and Young e Cloudeslee, the Arthur set by The Carle of
Carlile, the Romances and Romance-poems by Sir Degree and
Sir Caivline, yet the Historical Ballads far outweigh these in
number and importance. Starting at King Edgar, they take
us down through William the Conquerour, The Droivning of
Henery the I his Children, Edward the Third, the Seege of
Roiuie (1418-19), Proud ivhere the Spencers, the Murthering
of Edward the Fourth his Sonnes, The Rose of Englande, Sir
John Butler, Bosworth Feilde, Ladye Bessiye, 'Sir Andreiu
Bartton (1511), the Wininge of Cales (1596), The Spanish
Ladies Love, to A Prophecye of James I.'s time, 1620 a.d.,
written some twenty years before the MS. was copied.
More Songs also appear in this volume than in either of the
previous ones, and include the beautiful Nut-Broion Mayde
(though in a poor text), Baloive (in which Mr. Chappell and
Dr. Rimbault have helped us), and a spirited hawking song, A
Cauilere. But the piece of chief merit is undoubtedly the fine
alliterative poem in two fitts, now for the first time printed. Death
& Liffe. The best authority on English alliterative poetry, the
VI PREFACli TO TJIE THIlil) VOLUME-
Rev. Walter W. Skeat, has been good enough botli to ' introduct '
and comment on the poem for us, and also to write us an Essay
on Alliterative Metre, which we commend to the study of our
readers.
Of the other Introductions, Mr. Hales has written all, except
those to Sir John Butler (which is by Dr. Robson), ^neas &
Dido (by Mr. W. Chappell), and the following by Mr. Furnivall :
In olcle Times paste, Thomas of Potte, The Pore Man & the
Kinge, Now the Spri7ige is come, Carle off Carlile, A Cauilere,
Sir Andreiv Bartton, Kinge Humber, Seege off Roune. For
the slightness of several of the Introductions we hope that our
readers will accept the excuse of other pressing engagements,
which have kept back the volume since Nov. 11, 1867, when
the text was all finished, and the MS. returned to its owners.
We again return thanks to Messrs. Skeat, Dyc6 and Chappell,
to Mr. G. E. Adams (Rouge Dragon), Doctors Robson and
Rimbault, and to Mr. Alfred Tennyson fur a letter on the origin
of the legend of Godiva.
February 29, 1868.
Vll
CONTENTS
THE THIRD VOLUME.
CLOUGH, AND WILLIAM OF
CLOUDESLEE
AN ESSAY ON ALLITERATIVE POETRY, BY THE REV, W. W. SKEAT
NCftES
SIR CAWLINE .
SIR DEGREE
DEATH AND LIFFB
ADAM BELL, CLIME OF THE
YOCXGE CLOUDESLEE .
IN OLD TIMES PASTE
DARKESOME CELL
MARKE MORE FOOLE .
THOMAS OF POTTB
WILLLVM THE CONQUEROLTi
THE DROWNING OF HENERY THE I HIS CHILDREN
MURTHERING OF EDWARD THE FOURTH HIS SONNES
THE FALL OF PRINCES
THE NUTT- BROWNE MAYD .
THE ROSE OF ENGLAND E ,
THE PORE MAN AND THE KINGE
SIR JOHN BUTLER
WILL STEWART AND JOHN .
NOW THE SPRINGE IS COME
BOSWORTH FEILDE
PAGE
xi
xH
1
16
49
76
102
119
123
127
135
151
156
162
168
174
187
195
205
215
230
233
VIU
CONTENTS OF THE THlRD VO;,UME.
^NEAS AND DIDO
THE SQUIER
O NOBLE FESTUS
CARLE OFF CARLILE
HERO AND LEANDER
CRESSUS .
SONGS OF SHEPARDES
THE LAUINIAN SHORE
COME MT DAINTY DOXETS
TO OXFFORDB . .
LADTE BESSITE .
ARE WOJIEN FAIRE ? .
A CAUILERE
A PROp[h]eCYE
MAUDLINE
COME, PRETTY WANTON
hee is a FOOLE
LULLA, LULLA !
A LOUER OFF LATE .
GREAT OR PROUDE .
THE SPANISH LADIES LOVE
SIR ANDREW BARTTON
PATIENT GRISSELL
SCROOPE AND BROWNE
KINGE HUMBER
IN THE DAYES OF OLDE
AMINTAS .
WININGE OF CALES .
EDWARD THE THIRD
AS YEE CAME FROM THE HOLYE
LEOFFRICUS (OR GODIVA)
PROUDE WHERE THE SPENCERS
KINGE EDGAR .
CHRISTOPHER WHITE .
QUEENE DIDO .
ALFFONSO AND GANSELO
LAND
CONTENTS OF THE THIRD VOLUME.
IX
BALOWE .
GENTLE HEARD SMAN
I AM
CORIDON .
SEEGE OFF ROUNE
SUCH A LOVER AM I
APPENDIX .
GLOSSARY TO THE THREE VOLUMES
INDEX TO THE THREE VOLUMES
PAGE
515
524
529
530
532
542
544
547
573
XI
AN ESSAY ON ALLITERATIVE POETRY.
By THE Rev. W. W. SKEAT
{Editor of " Piers Plowman")
Nothing has more tended to obscure the rules and laws of
English prosody, than the absurd and mischievously false
terminology that has been made use of in discussing it. Whilst
it is pretty clear that it is based on quite a different system
from the Latin and Greek metres — on an accentual, that is, not
on a tem,poral system — we have attempted to explain its peculi-
arities by terms borrowed from the Latin and Greek, such as
trochees, dactyls, &c., and we make perpetual use of the Avords
lo7ig and short. The truth is, the whole terminology of English
prosody, if it is not to be misleading and fruitful in all kinds of
errors, has yet to be invented. Instead of short and long, I
think the terms soft and loud might be employed with great
advantage. Dr. Guest ^ shows clearly enough that " an increase
of loudness is the only thing essential to our English accent,"
in opposition to the theory of Mitford, that it consists rather in
sharpness of tone, though the two are often found together.
Whichever view, however, is the more correct, this at least is
certain, that, whereas the words long and short are almost sure
to mislead, the words loud and soft will by no means do so in
an equal degree ; and I shall therefore henceforth employ these
terms only. I define a loud syllable as that whereon an accent
falls, a soft syllable as an unaccented one. In German, the
terms heaving and sinking {hebung und senhung) have some-
' Guest, Hid. Eng. Ehijthmf, vol. i. p. 77.
Xii AN ESSAY ON ALLITERATIVE POETRY.
times been employed to denote this raising and sinJcing of the
voice
It were much to be wished that we had some genuine English
terms to supply the place of the trochee, the iambus, the dactyl,
and the anapcest. A trochee means a long syllable succeeded
by a short one ; but an English trochee is something quite
different, viz., a loud syllable followed by a soft one, and it may
even happen that the loud syllable is as rapid as the other, as
for instance in the words Egypt or impact, which have so
puzzled some writers, that they have, in despair, named them
spondees ! Were it allowable to give new names, they should
be given on the principle of representing the things meant by
help of the accents on the very names themselves. Thus a loud
syllable followed by a soft one might be called (not a trochee,
but) a Tonic; a soft one, succeeded by a loud one, might be
called a Return ; a loud one, followed by two soft ones, might be
named (not a dactyl, but) a Dominant ; and, finally, instead
of anapaest, we might use some such term as Arabesque or
Solitaire, until a better one can be thought of ; for single words
thus accented are rare in English, the nearest approach to them
being exhibited by such words as refugee, cavalier, and serenade :
and none of these even are free from a slight accent on the
first syllable. I feel convinced that until some such new terms
are invented, writers upon English metre will continue to say
one thing, and to mean another. I shall therefore introduce
hereafter the terms above defined, merely to save all miscon-
ception and a good deal of tedious explanation.
The Anglo-Saxon and Early English alliterative poems are,
for the most part, closely related in their structure to the
Icelandic measure called Fornyr^alag. Their versification,
however, is often less regular, and in the poems of the four-
' Dr. Lathiim, in liis English Gram- way, viz., by employing algebraical
mar, gets out of tiic difficulty another .symbol.s.
AN ESSAY ON ALLITERATIVE POETRY. XUl
teenth and fifteenth centuries especially we meet with several
infringements even of the most important and cardinal rules of it.
In what follows, therefore, I hope I may be understood as
speaking with reference to the Anglo-Saxon and Early English
poems only, and with reference rather to Early English than to
Anglo-Saxon ; for many i-emarks that are perfectly true and
important as regards these contravene the rules of Icelandic
prosody, and relate to licences that, regarded from that point of
view, would seem almost intolerable.
The principal rules of alliteration, such as we actually find
them to be from a careful survey of Early English literature,
may be very briefly stated.
Supposing the poem to be divided into short lines, ^ as e.g.
in Thorpe's editions of Caedmon and Beowulf, the following
canons will be found to hold, at least in those lines which are
of the strictest type :
1. The complete verse, or alliterative couplet, consists of
two lines, each containing two loud syllables, coupled together
by the use of alliteration.
2. The initial letters which are common to two or more of
these loud syllables are called the rime-letters. Each couplet
should, if possible, have three of these, of which tivo belong to
the first line, and are called the sub-letters ; and one, which is
called the chief-letter, to the second line.
3. The chief-letter should begin the first of the two loud
syllables in the second line. If the couplet contain only two
rime-letters, it is because one of the sub-letters is dropped.
4. If the chief-letter be a consonant, the sub-letters should
be the scmie consonant, or a consonant having the same sound.
If a vowel, it is sufficient that the sub-letters be vowels. They
need not be the same, and in practice are generally different.
' In " Deiith and LifFc " and "ScoLish answer lo tlie short lincji of licuvvuU".
ffeilde," the accdons of each long line^
Xiv AN ESSAY ON ALLITERATIVE POETRY.
We sometimes meet with a combination of consonants, such
as sp, st, and the like, taking the place of a rime-letter. In this
case the other rime-letters often, but not always, present the same
combination, though the recurrence of the first letter only of
the combination is sometimes deemed sufficient.
These rules may be exemplified by the following examples,
in which the feet consist either of a loud syllable standing alone
(which I shall call a Tone), of a loud syllable and 07ie soft
syllable (which I shall call a Tonic as above explained), or of a
loud syllable followed by two soft syllables, i.e. of a Dominant ;
from which it appears that the one thing essential to a foot is
its loud syllable.
(1) swi<5e gesS§lige ; very happy ;
synna ne cu}>on ; sins they knew not.
{C<edmon, ed. Thorpe, p. 2. 1. 12.)
(2) ^am & Aeah-setl home and a high seat
Aeofena rices. of heaven's kingdom.
(Ccsdmon, p. 3, 1. 9.)
(3) e<5el-sta}5olas the native settlements
eft gesette, might again establish.
{Cadmon, p. 6, 1. 25.)
In example (1), the rules are all fulfilled : the initial letters
of swi^e and scdige are the sub-letters ; that of synna is the
chief -letter. In example (2), the first foot of the first line has
but two syllables. In example (3), the vowel e is the rime-
letter, and there is but one sub-letter. These rules alone will
not, however, carry us very far on our way. One most impor-
tant modification of the verse may be thus explained.
Lines do not always begin with a loud syllable, but often one
or two, and sometimes (in Early English especially) even three
soft syllables precede it. These syllables are necessary to the
sense, but not to the scansion of the line. (This complement,
which I shall call the catch, answers to the Icelandic mdlfyllincj.
The use of it is a very necessary license, and lines in which it
occurs are more common than those without it. No special
AN ESSAY ON ALLITERATIVE POETRY. XV
stress should, in reading or reciting, be laid upon the syllables
of which the catch consists. The following are examples of its
use :
dbm& & (ZugeSe of sway and dignity
&) <?reame benam. and joy deprived them.
{Cmdmon, p. 4, 1. 19.)
geond-)/blen/yTe filled throughout with fire
&)/^r-cyle, and cold intense.
{CcBdmon, p. 3, L 29.)
ge-)^r6med ^rymme provoked bitterly,
^rap on wra8e. he gripped in wrath.
{CcBdmon, p. 4, I. 29.)
Here (fe, geond, &, ge, are the catches. The third example
shows us the combination gr used as a rime-letter. I add a few
examples from Early English.
In) cuntinaunce of clothinge,
g't<einteliche degyset ;
To) ^reyere and to ^^naunce
^litten heom monye ;
Bote in a) Mayes wiorwnyngo
on) ilialuerne hiilles,
Me bi-)/61 a/erly,
A) /^yrie me thouhte ;
I) sZumberde in A s^epyng,
hit) sownede so murie.
{Piers Plowman, ed. Skeat, A. prol. 1. 24, 25, 5, 6, 10.)
I have said, in rule 2, that rime-letters are the initial letters
of certain loud syllables. In a large number of instances, the
rime-letters arff made to begin ivords also, such words being
chosen as commence with loud syllables, as in —
wereda wuldor-eining
wordum h^rigen ; {Cadmon, 1. 3.)
Worchinge and wondringe
as the) world asketh ; (Piers PL A. prol. 19.)
This is undoubtedly the best arrangement, biit it cannot always
be followed ; when it is not, care should l)e taken that the
XVI AN ESSAY ON ALLITERATIVE POETRY.
initial syllable of the word is as soft and rapid as possible, as in
gesmlige and bifalle in the lines
swi8e gesselige
synna ne cul^on ; (Ceedm. ed. Thorpe, p. 2. 1. 12.)
Mony) ferlyes han bifalle
in a) i&we 36res. (P. PL A. 2}rol. 62.)
Indeed, these can hardly be considered as exceptions ; for ge-
and bi- are mere prefixes, and it is with the syllables succeeding
them that the words themselves truly begin.
The more this rule is departed from, the more risk is there
of the true rhythm of the line being unperceived.
Occasional instances may be found where rime-letters begin
soft syllables, of which I shall adduce instances ; this, however,
is decidedly bad, the fundamental principle of alliterative verse
being this, that alliteration and heavy stress should always go
together.
The second line of the couplet is nearly always the moi^e
regular. Sometimes, but rarely, it contains three loud syllables.
In the first line, however, the occurrence of three loud syllables
is by no means uncommon. Examples :
Ayhtlic Aeofen-timber ; the joyous heavenly-frame ;
Aolmas d8§lde — the waters parted (he).
{CcBdmon, p. 9, 1. 23.)
/8egre/?-e6>o->eawas, fair kindly thews,
/red ealluni leof — the Lord dear to all.
(^C<sdmon, p. 5, 1. 29.)
Now is) MehdiQ J>o Mayden i-nomen, •
and no) mb of hem alle. {Piers Plownmn, A. iii. 1.)
Another variation, not uncommon in Old English, is that each
line of the couplet is alliterated by itself^ independently of the
other line. Examples :
For) James )>& <7entel
bond hit in his book
what J>is) iV/ountoin be-»i6nel>
and Jjis) fZ6rke faille.
{Piers Plowman, A. i. 159, 1 ; see also iii. 93, vii. 57, 69.)
AN ESSAY ON ALLITERATIVE POETRY. Xvii
The following licences are also taken :
(a) The chief-letter falls on the second loud syllable of the
line ; as in
Vn-)^-uynde to heore Anin
and to) ille cristene; (P. PL A. i. 166.)
(b) Sometimes there are two rime-letters in the second line,
and one in the first, which is the converse of the usual arrangre-
ment.
An example is furnished by the line —
tyle he had syluer
for his) skwes and his .s^lynge. (P. PI. A. ii. 112.)
(c) The chief-letter is sometimes omitted, which is certainly
a great blemish, and such lines of course occur but rarely.
Examples are :
I wol) worschupe J>er-?<)i}>
treiithe in my lyue. (P. PI. A. vii. 94.)
And) 6eere heor bvks on \>i bkc
to Caleys to sulle. (P. PL A. iii. 189.)
(c?) Rime-letters sometimes begin soft syllables, even when
the soft syllable occurs in the initial catch. An obvious instance
is afforded by the line —
In (T^a-)m6rgan with glie
thare) ^^adchipe was evere. {Morte Arthure, 1. 59.)
(e) By a very bold licence, the chief-letter even occurs in the
initial catch of the second line. This, according to all the rules
of Icelandic prosody, involves an absurd contradiction ; but
there are not only some, but rather niiineroiis instances of this
in Old English, and I add several examples in order that the
point may become more obvious. I could add many more.
And) rnde)> as Ich er scide
t'n) profitaLlo werkes. (P. PI. A. i. 120.)
I^er to) wonen with wrong
whil) god is in hcuene. {P. PL A. ii. 74.)
VOL. ill. a
XVIU AN ESSAY ON ALLITERATIVE POETRY.
yit I) ^rt^ye \>e, quod j:)^rs,
par) charite, 3if l^on conne. (P. P/. A. vii. 240.)
God) 3uiet> /(im his bl^ssyng
J>at Ais) Ij'flodo so swynkej?. (P. P/. A. vii. 239.)
where it should be noted that his is not without a slight em-
phasis on it, notwithstanding its position. In William and the
Werwolf this licence is rather common, and I may instance
lines 2836, 3000, 3113, 3133, 3137, 3467, 3614, 3984 as oc-
curring to me after a very slight search. One instance may
suffice ; the rest are quite as decisive :
&) /airest of alle _/ason
/or) eny riclie holde. {Werwolf, 2836.)
(/) Occasionally no alliteration is apparent at all. I fail to
discover any in the line,
whi fiat) veniaiince fel
od) Saul and liis children. (P. PI. A. iii. 245.)
yet this line is undoubtedly genuine, as appears by a collation
of MSS. See also Weriuolf, 1. 5035.
In fact, a continual and oft-repeated perusal of thousands of
alliterative verses has convinced me that our old poets con-
sidered such licences quite allowable, provided that the sivlng
of the line was well kept up by the regular recurrence of loud
syllables. A line wholly without alliteration was quite admis-
sible as a variation^ and is not to be rejected as spurious. If
however two or three irregular lines occur close together, they
may then be regarded as probably not genuine. When, for
instance, we meet with
/erne his /awe [ at is so /elo,
&) sifjjjo techc it fiirhcr, (P. PL ii. 31,)
and, only three lines below, come upon
when) hch was me fro
I) lokod and ljy/<61de,
it is not surprising to find that these lines rest on the authority
AN ESSAY ON ALLITERATIVE TOETRY. XIX
of one jNIS. only, and are in all probability an interpolation. In
the same way I was first enabled to suspect the spuriousness of
1. 817-821 in Pierce the Ploughmans Crede, which lines are, in
fact, omitted in both the existiDg MSS. But occasional licences,
even when most bold, are scarcely to be regretted. They give
freedom to the poet, and relief to the reader, who in old times
was often a listener.
It appears further, from rules 2 and 3, that the second line
should contain but one rime-letter. The point aimed at was no
doubt this, viz., that in order to give the greater force and stress
to the syllable containing the chief-letter, it is desirable that
the second loud syllable in the second line of the couplet should
NOT begin with a rime-letter. Hence couplets with four rime-
letters are by no means good. Yet there are several instances
in Piers Plowman, as
In a) somer sesun
whon) softo was the sonnc. (P. Fl. A, jjroZ. 1.)
That I) was in a wildernesse
t<'uste I neuer where. (P. PL A. prol. 12.)
There is, however, no such objection to four rime-letters, if the
first three can be got into the first line of the couplet. The
following lines are very effective: —
With) fZeop d\e\\ and rferk
and) t/r(^dful of siht. (P. PI. A. j)rol. 16.)
Fair^/loiires/or to/^cch6
that he l)i)-/6re him s^ye. {Will, and Werwolf, 1. 20.)
iS/i^athylle &-6ttlande by slcyWe
he) s/.y.stys \recid skyftys] as hym lykys. (Morte Arthitre, 1 32.)
As regards the number of rime-letters in a couplet, three has
generally been considered as the standard, regular, and most
pleasing and effective number; but it is not always easy to be
attained to, and hence couplets with only tiuo are common
enough. I think it would be well worth inquiry as to whether
or not the frequent occurrence of only two rime-letters in an
a 2
XX AN ESSAY ON ALLITERATIVE rOETPxY.
Anglo-Saxon couplet is a iniark of antiquity. I imagine it will
be found to be so/ for it would appear that their system of
verse was but a rough one at first, and was elaborated in course
of time. It is tolerably certain, on the other hand, that the
frequent introduction of a fourth rime-letter in Early English
poems is a mark of lateness of date, as is curiously shown by
the alterations made in the Lincoln's Inn MS. of Piers Ploiv-
man, where the lines
Wende I) wydene in this M'orld
wondres to here —
Vndur a) brod banke
bi a) Bourne syde —
I sauh a) Tour on a Toft
trijely I-maket —
have been improved (?) by altering the words herey syde, and
I-maket, into ivayte, hrymrae, and ytynihred respectively.'^
With regard to the comjpleTYient or catch, Rask says : ^ —
*' The chief-letter does not necessarily stand first in the second
line, but is often preceded by one or more short words, yet not
by such as require the tone or emphasis in reading. These
short precursory words which, though independent of the struc-
ture of the verse, are necessary to the completion of the sense,
constitute what may be called the com'plement, whicli, in
arranging verses that are transcribed continuously, we must
be careful not to confound with the verse itself, lest the allitera-
tion, the structure of the verse, and even the sense, be thereby
destroyed." This statement Dr. Guest tries to hold up to
ridicule in strong terms,^ but I take it to be perfectly sound
and correct as regards the main point at which Rask is aiming,
though requiring some limitation, for tliough the catch may
consist of " one or more words," it is rarely of more than two
' Such, I find, is also Dr. Guest's ^miisk'fiAnfflo-Sa.vonGramvmrjtrkins-
opinion ; Guest's Hist. Enff. Rhi/thms, lated by Thorpe, 1830, p. 136.
vol. i.p. 141. •' Guest, Hist. Eng, Bhythms, vol. ii.
' See Piers Plowman, Text A, ed. p. 6.
Pkoiif, )). xxii.
AN ESSAY ON ALLITEKATIVE POETKY. xxi
syllables. The catch, as Dr. Guest points out, is not absolutel}'-
toneless ; yet it is clear that the accented syllables which occur
in it have a comparatively lighter tone, a slighter stress, than
those in the body of the verse ; they do not attain, in fact, to
the same strength of accent as those syllables possess which
have accent and metrical ictus both, and to which special force
is lent by the use of rime-letters. Even in modern English
verse, all accents are far from being equal, much depending on
the position of words, so that we may even to some extent alter
the accent on a word by merely shifting its place. Thus if we
alter
Larger c6nstellations burning, mellow moons and happy skies,
into —
Constellations burning larger, mellow moons and happy skids,
we give a very different effect to the words larger and constel-
lations ; whilst in both cases the accent on mellow is coni-
paratively slight. Whilst allowing to the catch, when of two
or three syllables, a slight accent, we neglect it, in scansion, as
compared with the heavier ones that follow.
In further illustration of the statement, that special stress is
given to syllables by the use of rime-letters, I may draw atten-
tion to the fact that this is true in poetry that is by no
means professedly alliterative. It was not by chance that
Shakespeare wrote —
Full fathom five thy father lies ;—
Though thou the waters warp ;
and the like ; or that Gray wrote —
Ruin seize thee, ruthless king ; —
Weave the warp and weave the woof,
The winding sheet of Edward's race ;
or that Pope chose the words —
Puffs, powders, patches, bibles, billets-doux ;
xxii AN ess; AY ON ALLITERATIVE POETRY.
where the absurd contrast between "bibles" and "billets-doux"
is much heightened by the fact that they begin with the same
letter. It may be said that alliteration draws attention rather
to the words themselves than to their initial syllables, but in
English it comes to much the same thing, owing to our habit
of throwing back the accent, and in English poetry, accent and
alliteration go together ; or if not, the alliteration fails to strike
the ear, and has but little effect. Hardly any alliterative
effect is produced by the repetition of the iv in EclwarcVs in the
above line from Gray. This is why the licence of beginning a
soft syllable with a rime-letter is over-bold and almost ruinous.
See Hyde Clarke's Englislo Grammar, pp. 137-145.^
All Anglo-Saxon poetry is alliterative, and very nearly all of
it alliterative only, without any addition of rime whatever.
This is by no means the case in Icelandic ; their poets delighted
in adding various complexities, such o^s, full-rinies, half-rimes,
line-rimes, and assonances. Space would fail me to discuss
these here, nor is it necessary perhaps to do more than point
out the very few examples of rime which are to* be found in
Anglo-Saxon.
There are some instances of full-rime in Csedmon, but they
occur in words close together, and in the same short line, as in
the lines '^ gleam and dream,''^ '' toide and side,'' &c. ; they
are found also in other poems, as ^'frodne and godne " in the
" Traveller's Song," " Icenne and soinne " in " Alfred's Metres,
&c. : see Gruest, vol. i. p. 126, &c. There are also half -rimes,
as in '^ sar and sorge," "his boda. beodnn,'" &c. The most
curious example is in the Riming Poem in the Exeter MS.,
' Compare — Ncin ! iSeufzen mir und Stohncii und
TV((>\hs rd T wra t6v t6 vdvv to. t o^^ar' scheuer Sklavenschritt.
el (Sophocles, (Ed. Col. 37].) (Uhlaiid, Bcs Scingers Fluch.)
Neu patriiP validas in yiscera vcrtito jBut minds of mortall men are mucliell
-vires. (Virgil, /En. vi. 833.) mard
II pietoso pastor pianse al suo pianlo. And mov'd amisse Mith massy mucks
(Tasso, G. L. vii. 16.) unmoot regard.
. . . . nie Saite noch Gesang, (Spencor, F. Q. iii. 10, 31.)
AN ESSAY ON ALLITERATIVE POETRY. XXlll
wbich is written iu rime througliout, the alliteration being
mostly preserved at the same time, as in
wic ofer wongum,
wennan gongum ;
lisse mid Ion gum,
leoma getougum.
{Codex Exoniensis, ed. Thorpe, p. 353.)
See also the most extraordinary lines in the same poem (p.
354), beginning
flah raih flitojj,
flan mon hwiteS,
where there is indeed abundant proof that the Anglo-Saxons
were acquainted with rime in its modern sense.
Other examples occur in the "Phoenix" (p. 198 of the same
vol.) in the oft-quoted lines
ne) forstes fnSest
ne) fyres bluest,
ne) htegles kryre
ne) hrinies dryre.
Of another curious example I shall speak presently.
The following notation may perhaps prove useful for marking
the scansion of Anglo-Saxon and Early English alliterative
poems. If we denote a Tone by T, a Tonic by t, a Dominant
by d, and a catch by a line ( — ), it is easy to represent the
scansion of Caedmon, to the extent of any number of lines, by
putting a comma at the end of a line, and the mark | at the
end of a couplet. The poem begins thus :
Us is) riht mice! Tor lis it is very right
\>«:t we) rodera w&ird That we the heaven's Warden,
wereda wuldor-cining The Glory-King of hosts,
wordum herigen, With (our) words should pi-aise,
modum liihen ; With (our) minds should love ;
he is) miegna sped, He is of powers the Speed,
heafod ealra The Head of all
heah-gesceafta.' High-created (ones).
' The accents merely mark stress ; I system of accents whic]i regulates Iho
am obliged hei-e to ignore the usual length of the vowels.
xxiv AN Et^SAY ON ALLITERATIVE POETRY.
The scansion is as follows :
— T t, — d T I d t t, t d I t d, — t T ] 1 1, 1 1 I ,
I have no space here to discuss Csedmon's " longer rhythms."
I cannot see that they present any difficulty. The lines have
more feet in them, and that is all. Commonly, these lines have
fou7' feet, whereas the more usual length is just half this, or of
two feet.
With some slight modifications, the same method is applicable
to the scansion of all other existing English poems that are
written in alliterative verse. It will be found upon comparison
that the one striking and chief point of difference between
Anglo-Saxon poems, as Cajdmon's, and Early English poems, as
Piers PlowTiian, is this, that whereas Csedmon's poem abounds
in tonics, and has the tonic foot as its base and foundation (the
dominant being merely a variation of it), Piers Plowman is the
exact contrary, and its base is the dominant foot, for which the
tonic is occasionally employed. Beyond this there is very little
difference, excepting that in the later poems there is, as might
be expected,- a freer and more frequent use of initial catches.
There has been much discussion as to whether alliterative
poems should be printed in couplets of short lines, or in long
lines comprising two sections. It is more a matter of con-
venience of typography than anything else ; but if there be a
choice, it is better to print the later (Old English) poems in
long lines, as they are invariably so ivritten in MSS., and it
may be allowable to print the earlier (Anglo-Saxon) poems in
short lines, because, though written as prose in the MSS.,
metrical dots occur very frequently (though seldom regularly),
which are often not separated from each other by more than
the length of a half-line.' Even these, however, are sometimes
' Such, at least, has been the usual from the usual method of printing
practice with respect to Anglo-Saxon Icelandic poems. Eut it should Le
poems, the idea probaLly being taken noted that wlien such a poem as Vwrs
AN ESSAY ON ALLITERATIVE TOETRY. XXV
printed in long lines, and I believe this to be the least con-
fusing ; for nearly all those who have adopted short lines have
forgotten to set hack the second line of the couplet (as should
always be done), and then the eye of the reader cannot detect
how the lines jpair off.
In printing the later poems in long lines, the two parts of the
couplet (which is now but one line) become sections, as before
explained, and the pause which was formerly made at the end
of the first [short] line becomes the middle pause, marked in
the Scotish Feilde by a colon, and in Death and Liffe by an
inverted full-stop. This pause was always made, there can be
no doubt, in reciting such poems aloud, and in some marniscripts
is carefully marked throughout by a dot, though others omit it.
It is very essential to the harmony of the verse, and is worth
retaining, as it greatly assists the reader. It should be noted,
also, that the second section of the verse is almost always the
most carefully and smoothly written, and very rarely contains
more than two feet, on which account it is often shorter than
the first section. The greatest stress of all generally falls on
the first loud syllable of this section (i.e. on the one com-
mencing with the chief-letter) which is just what it should do.
This stress is heightened in many instances by the introduction
of a very short catch at the beginning of the second section,
consisting of one soft and rapid syllable.
That this is the usual rule appears from the following
analyses of the catches beginning the second sections in the 109
lines of the Prologue to Piers Ploivman :
Second sections without catches, 28.
With a one-syllable catch, 67.
With a catch of two syllables, 12.
Plowman is written as frose (as in MS. has not boon an nttcr and an unneccssaiy
Digby 102), tliore is tin; same marking mistake, adopted rather beeaiise it liap-
off" into half-lines, and it may be ques- pened to bneonvenient th;ni bi'eause any
tioned whether the printing in ludj'-luws good reason could be given for it.
XXvi AN ESSAY ON ALLITERATIVE POETUY.
With a catch of three syllaLles, 2 ; though there may be
doubt ab(Hit these ; I refer to the lines,
That) Poul pr^cheth of hem '
I dar not) priouen hecre (1. 38) ;
and —
That heore) Parisch hath ben pore
seththe the) Pestilence tyme (1. 81).
In 1. 104, the catch seems to contain the chief-letter. The
line is —
Cookes and heore knaues
cryen) hote pies, hote.
It should be observed further that the catch in the second
section is very frequently modified by the way in which the
first section terininaies. If this ends in a Tone, a catch of one
or two syllables is required for smoothness, to make up, as it
were, a Tonic or a Dominant ; if it ends in a Tonic, the catch
should have but one syllable ; if it ends in a Dominant, the
catch should be dispensed with.^
The earliest alliterative poem after the Conquest is, perhaps,
Layamon's Brut. In this poem, of which there are two copies
that often do not agree as to the readings, rimes are continually
found mixed up with the alliteration, without any preparation or
warning to the reader, and the scansion of it has consequently
caused some perplexity. To be sure of the right scansion, I
think that most heed should be paid to such passages as stand
the same in both MSS., and I fancy that instances may be
' he7n is here emphatic ; see the the words myrtle and turtle are succeeded
context. by a catch of ot/e syUablc ; but clime by
^ Modern poets learn this rule by the one of two syllables. Lot the reader
ear. Thus, in Lord Byron's lines — change Are into Are as, and Where the
Know ye the land where the cypress and into The, and see how he likes it then ;
myrtle the former of these changes is by no
Are) emblems of deeds that are done means pleasing. See this worked out in
in their clime ; Edgar A. Poe's essay on The Rationale
Where the) rage of the vulture, the love of Verse, which, though very mad to-
of the turtle, wards the conclusion, contains some
Now) melt into softness, now madden good hints.
to crime,
AN ESSAY ON ALLITERATIVE TOETRY. XXVll
detected iu v^^iiich the rime was superadded as an after-thouglit,
either by the scribe or by the poet himself. The following lines
occur at p. 165 of vol. i. of Sir F. Maddeu's edition, in the
second column :
He was) -wis and war
he) welde tlics riehe
al) hit hino loiiede
that) liuede on loudc,
which lines are clearly alliterative. But in the first column,
i.e. in the other MS. copy, the first couplet is altered to —
he wes wis he wes faeir
he w61de that riehe hcer ;
Avhere the word hcvr (here) is clearly inserted to make a rime,
though neither the sense nor the rhythm require it. The
variations between the two copies render it dangerous to theorize
on the rhythm, though we may feel tolerably confident about
the readings as far as the sense and the language are concerned.
But it seems worth remark that there is an Anglo-Saxon poem
of 20 couplets to be found in the Saxon Chronicle — the one to
which I said I should have to refer again — which presents the
same kind of mixture of alliteration and rime as is found in
Layamon. It is on the death of ^Elfred, the son of .^thelred,
and is entered in the Chronicle under the date 1036.^ One
couplet is clearly rime — •
Slime hi man hende
Slime hi man blende ;
whilst another is a fair alliterative specimen,
thi't hi blission
blithe mid Criste.
Most of the lines are still less regular, but this poem ex-
hibits, I believe, the nearest approach to Layamon's rhythm
that is to be found in Anglo-Saxon, and it is on this account
that it seems worth while to mention it.
' Grcin, A)/i/cl.i(icksi<iche Bihliolhck, vol. i. p. ;i')7. S^c A.-S. Chron., od. Tiiorpo,
p. 294.
XXVIU AN ESSAY OM ALLITERATIVE I'OETJtY.
I nov; give a list of all the poems I have as jet met with
that have been written as alliterative, yet without rime, since
the Conquest. It is a very short one, but many of the poems
are of great length, most of them are of importance, and they
all possess considerable energy and vigour.
The oft-quoted statement of Chaucer, in the prologue to the
" Persones Tale," that alliterative metre was not familiar to a
southern man, deserves notice. The best examples of the
metre are to be found in poems written in the northern and
luestern dialects. The example which seems to contain most
southern forms is the " Ploughmans Crede," which must, how-
ever, have been written after Chaucer's remark was made.
1. Layamon's Brut, about a.d. 1200. The author was a
native of Ernley on Severn. There are two texts (MSS. Cotton ;
Calig. A. ix., and Otho, C. xiii.). Both of these were edited by
SirF. Madden for the Society of Antiquaries, in 1847, in 3 vols.
8vo. (Here, however, a considerable admixture of rime is
occasionally found. It should be compared with the "Bestiary "
from MS. Arundel 292, printed in Beliquiw A7itiquce, vol. i.
p. 208.)
2. Seinte Marherete, about a. d. 1200. See MSS. Reg. 17.
A. xxvii., and Bodl. 34. This poem, as edited by Mr. Cockayne,
was reissued by the E. E. T. S. (Early English Text Society) in
1866. The metre is tolerably regular.
3. William of Paleme, translated from the French by one
William, at the request of Humphrey de Bohun, Earl of Here-
ford, then residing at Gloucester, about A.d. 1360. The IMS. is
in King's College, Cambridge, No. 13. It was printed by Sir
F. Madden for the Roxburghe Club, 1832, 4to ; and I am now
preparing a reprint of this edition for the E. E. T. S.
4. Alexander (A) ; a fragment originally written at about
the same date, preserved in the Bodleian Library (MS. Grreaves,
60), now being edited by myself for the E. E. T. S. in William
of Paleme. (Sir F. Madden conjectures it to have been written
AN ESSAY ON ALLITERATIVE rOETRV. XXIX
by the author of No. 3. A comparison of the language of the
poems, lately made by myself, confirms this supposition.)
5. The Vision of Willimn concerning Piers the Plonmian,
together with Vita de Dowel, Dohet, and Dohest, by William
Langland, said to be a native of Cleobury Mortimer in Shrop-
shire. Of this there are three texts at least. A. About A. d,
1362; MS. Vernon in the Bodleian, printed by Skeat for the
E. E. T.S. (1867, 8vo), and collated with MS. Harl. 875 and
several others. B. About 1366-67 ; first printed by Crowley
in 1550, 4to. An excellent MS. in Trin. Coll. Camb., marked
B. 15. 17, was printed by T. Wright (1842, 2 vols. 12 mo).
There are several other MSS., such as Laud 581, &c. Bb. A
text slightly altered from B, and found in MS. Bodley 814,
MS. Additional 10574, and MS. Cotton Calig. A. xi. Never
printed. C. A little later than B. MS. Phillips 8231, printed
by Whitaker (1813, 4to) ; and in several other MSS. ; as, e. g.
MS. Vesp. B. xvi.
6. Pierce the Ploughmans Crede, about a. d. 1394; first
printed by R. Wolfe (1553, 4to), and reprinted from his edition
b}^ Crowley, Whitaker, and T. Wright. MSS. still exist ; one
in Trin. Coll. Camb. R. 3. 15, and another in MS. Bibl. Eeg.
18. B. xvii. These are more correct than R. Wolfe's printed
copy, and the former has been lately printed by myself for the
E. E. T. S. (1867, 8vo). The author is evidently the same as
the author of the Plowman's Tale, which is inserted in some
editions of Chaucer.
7. The Deposition of Richard 11. (a. D. 1399). A fragment
only is known, existing in jMS. Camb. Univ. Lib. LI. 4. 14 ;
printed by T. Wright for the Camden Society (1838, 4to), and
reprinted in Political Poems by the same editor. This is the
only other poem that can be attributed to William Langland,
and I think it quite probable that he wrote it. Mr. Wright,
however, thinks differently, and the question requires much
careful iiivestii>-ation.
XXX AN ESSAY ON ALLITERATIVE TOETRY.
8. Two poems, one on Cleanness, and a second on Patience,
(MS. Cotton, Nero, A. x.), printed by E. Morris for the E.E.T.S.
(1864, 8vo). The dialect is West-Midland, and Mr. Morris
supposes it to be Lancashire. The MS. can scarcely be older
than A. D. 1400.
9. The Destruction of Jerusalem, called by Warton {History
of English Poetry, vol. ii. p. 105 ; 1840) The Warres of the
J ewes. MS. Cotton, Calig. A. ii. ; MS. Camb. Univ. Lib. Mm.
5. 14 ; and elsewhere. To be edited for the Early English Text
Society.
10. Morte Arthure; about a.d. 1440. MS. in the Thornton
volume at Lincoln, printed by Halliwell (1848, 8vo), and re-
printed by Eev. G. Gr. Perry for the E. E. T. S. (1865, 8vo). The
scribe was archdeacon of Bedford in the church of Lincoln,
though a native of Yorkshire.
11. Alexander (B and C). There are two fragments, one
(C) preserved in MS. Ashmole 44 and MS. Dublin D. 4. 12, the
other (B) in MS. Bodley 2464. Both were printed by Steven-
son for the Eoxburghe Club (1849, 4to). The fragment C has
traces of a northern dialect, and is about a.b. 1450. But the
other is much older (probably before 1400), and its language
approaches that of fragment A {No. 4), though I hardly think
they belong to the same poem.
12. The Destruction of Troy, translated from Guido de
Colonna ; an edition is now being prepared for the E. E. T. S.,
to be published in 1868. The dialect is certainly of a Northern
tendency. The MS. is in the Hunterian museum at Glasgow,
numbered S. 4. 14. I have observed a line in it (1. 1248)
which almost entirely coincides with 1. 4212 in the Morte
Arthure, and other indications show some connection between
the two. Either they are by the same author, or one is imi-
tated from the other. The Morte Arthure seems superior to
the Troy poem, which makes the former supposition doubtful ;
but this point will no doubt be settled when the edition of the
AN ESSAY ON ALLITERATIVE POETRY. XXXI
latter poem which is now being prepared for theE. E, T. S.
shall have been printed.
13. A poem of 146 lines, beginning —
Crist crowned king, that on Cros didest ;
of which 27 lines are quoted by Bishop Vercy (Rel. v. ii. p, 312;
from 5th ed.) a small 4to. MS. in private hands. It is a pity
he did not quote the remaining 119 lines at the same time. He
conjectures it to be of the reign of Henry V.
14. Chevelere Assigns, or the Knight of the Swan ; temp.
Henry VI.; ed. Utterson (Eoxburghe Club), 1820. A short
poem of 370 lines, contained in MS. Cotton Calig. A. ii., the
same, be it observed, as contains a copy of No. 9. The editor
draws attention to its having a few rimed endings, but the
author clearly did not regard them as essential. The following
list comprises all of them: ivhere, there (12, 13); lene, tiveyne
(28, 29); were, there (31, 32); sivyde, leyde (158, 159); faste,
caste (166, 167) ; sivanes, cheynes (198, 199, and again at 350,
351); were, onysfare (237, 238); 'myskarrye,ma7'ye (260, 261).
There are also several assonances, svich as ivenclen, lenger (302,
303). The following is a specimen to show the effect of the
superadded rime :
And it) wexedde in my houde
&) wellede so faste,
That I) toke the other fyue,
&) fro the fyer cast^.
It is a faulty specimen of verse, upon the whole ; the alliter-
ation is not always well kept up, and many of the lines halt, as
does the fourth line of these here quoted ; unless, indeed, we
alter the whole system of accents, putting three Tonics in every
line, not counting the catches.
15. A fragment of a poem, not in very regular rhythm, about
Thomas Becket, beginning —
Thomas takes the jucUo, & Jhesn thankes.
It is printed in the Appendix to Lancelot da Lac, ed. Steven-
sou (Maitland Club), 1839.
XXXll AN ESSAY ON ALLITERATIVE TOETKY.
In the same Appendix is another short poem in this rhythm,
not very regular. It begins with the line —
When Rome is remoryde into Inglande.
Of another poem we find the first line in the preface :
Quhen the koke in the northe halows his nest.
All three poems are from MS. Univ. Lib. Camb. Kk. 1. 5. the
same MS. that contains Lancelot of the Laik in Loivland Scotch.
16. The Tua Mavyit Women and the Wedo ; by William
Dunbar, about A. d. 1500; see Dunbar's works, ed. D. Laing,
vol. i. p. 61. Conybeare quotes from this in his Illustrations
of Anglo-Saxon Poetry, p. Ixxii. ; and shows how the author
sometimes kept up the same rime-letter throughout two couplets,
as in the following:
Silver SHouris down SHook
as the) SHcen crista!,
and) birdis SHouted in the SHaw
with their) SHrill notis ;
the) Golden GLittering GLeam
so) GLiiddened their heartis,
they) made a GLorious GLee
among the) GReen boughis.
17. Deatli and Life; printed in the present work, probably
by the author of No. 18.
18. Scotish Feilde; printed in the present work, vol. i.
p. 199, written about A. d. 1513, by one of the family of the
Leghs of Baguleigh in Cheshire.
19. Ancient Scottish Prophecies, reprinted by the Bannatyne
Club, 1833 ; some of them having been printed by Waldegrave,
1603. The alliteration is often imperfect, thougli some are
perfectly according to rule, and may be cited as among the
latest English specimens of this kind of verse.
Vpon) London Law
a)-16ne as 1 lay : —
Striueling that strait place
a) strength of that laiide : —
i «>
AN ESSAY ON ALLITEIJATIYE rOETKY. XXXIU
Then a) chiftaino vnchosen
shal) choose for himselfe,
And) ride through the Realme
and) Roy shal be called. (See pp. 26, 31, 35.)
20. I may add that the "Eeply of Friar Daw Topias " and
"Jack Upland" (see Wriglit's Political Poems, vol. ii. pp. 16-
114) are more or less alliterative, and without rime.
21. There is yet at least one more poem, of which a fragment
exists in the Vernon MS. fol. 403, and which must be older
than A. D. 1400. I hardly know what it is (though it makes
mention of the baptism of Vespasian) ; but I have already called
attention to it in ni}^ " Piers Plowman," text A., p. xvii.
note.
22. See also two scraps printed in Jleliqwice Antiqucc, vol. i.
pp. 84, 240.
It was, in my opinion, a mere mistake, a superfluous exertion
of human ingenuity, when rimes were regularly superadded
to the alliteration, and the lines arranged in regular stanzas.
Yet some of these gallant efforts possess great merit; I
have no space for more than the names of some of the more
important.'
1. Songs on King Edivavd's wars, by Laurence Minot,
about A. D. 1352, in a northern dialect. They are not all
founded on a basis of Dominants, and therefore not all of the
type now under consideration.
2. Sir Gawayne and the Grene Knir^t, about a.d. 1530,
ed. Sir F. Madden, 1839; re-ed. Morris (Early English Text
Society), 1864.
3. Golagros and Gaivayne ; and
4. Atuntyrs of Arthure ; in the same vol. as Sir. F. ISIadden's
Gaivayne.
' Here, again, I am speaking of of writing such poems in Englisli is
English poetry, in which the addition very great, wlionce many of the speei-
of rime to alliteration makes the poet's mens arc rather short. A like ohjeetion
work a danco in fetters. The dijjicuUi/ does not apply to Icelandic poetry.
VOL. HI. b
XXxiv AN ESSAY ON ALLITERATIVE POETRY.
5. *' Susanna and the Elders, or the Pistill of Susan ; " see
Select Remains of Scottish Poetry, by D. Laing, 1822.
6. Tail of Raul Coilzear ; see the same work.
7. " Saint John the Evangelist," printed in Religious Pieces,
ed. Perry (Early English Text Society), 1867.
8. The Buke of the Hoirlat, by Sir R. de Holande, about a.d.
1455. Printed by Pinkerton, 1792; and for the Bannatyne
Club, 1823.
9. The prologue to book viii. of Grawain Douglas's trans-
lation of the JEneid.
10. See also three poems in the Reliq. Antiq. at p. 291 of
vol. i., and pp. 7 and 19 of vol. ii. ; and a fourth in Gruest's
Eng. Rhythms, vol. ii. p. 298.
In the above poems the longer lines are of the standard
length, and have the true swing. Poems (such as those of
William Audelay) in which alliteration abounds, but which are
not of the true type, are very numerous.
These are all that I have noticed, though I dare say these
lists are not altogether complete.
It may be interesting to observe that the alliterative rhythm
is suitable for all Teutonic and Scandinavian languages. Ex-
amples from some old German dialects will be found in
Conybeare's Illustrations, at p. Ii. It is also the rhythm of the
Heliand, an Old-Saxon poem of about a.d. 840. The best
examples, both ancient and modern, are to be found in Ice-
landic, in which language they are all-abundant at the present
day.
I have before remarked that, in Anglo-Saxon, the prevalent
foot is a Tonic, but in Old English the prevalent one is a
Dominant. Something of this change may be observed in
canto xxi. of Tegner's Frithiofs Saga, written in Swedish in
1825 ; and doubtless any one writing in this metre in modern
English would have to do the same, or would find it convenient
to do so at the very least. Our older poems remind one of the
AN ESSAY ON ALLITERATIVE POETHY. XXXV
ringing of hammer-blows on an anvil, or the regular tramp of an
army on the march ; our later ones have often the rapidity and
impetuosity of a charge of cavalry, and a sound as of the
galloping of horses. One special characteristic belongs equally
to both, that it was evidently considered a beauty (and rightly
so) to make every line, if possible, end with a Tonic, and not
with a Tone or a Do'niinant. By forgetting to pronounce his
final e's, a modern reader is very apt to lose something of this
effect; 3'et an analysis of the 109 lines in the prologue to the
earliest version of Piers Plowman gives the following results :
Lines ending in a Tone, 7.
Lines ending in a Dominant, \.
Lines about which there may be doubt, 2L
Lines certainly ending in a Tonic, 80.
That is, 73 per cent, at the very lowest computation, which
is quite enough to give a very decided character to the verse.
This is the place to mention also an empirical rule, which is
the result of my own observation. In verses beginning with
such a common formula as " He saide," or *' And saide," and
the like, these words someti)nes form no part of the verse what-
ever, not even belonging to the initial catch. We may well
suppose that they were uttered in a lower tone by the reciter,
who immediately after raised his voice to the loud pitch which
he had to maintain in recitation, and proceeded to give the
words of the speech which such a phrase introduced.
The same rule holds good for the words " quoth he,"
"quoth I," &c., even in the middle of a line. This accounts
for the greater length of lines wherein such johrases occur. I
may instance the following :
"And seide—
Hedde I) loiie of tlie kyng,
luite wolde I recclie." {Piers Flowman, A. iv. 51.)
b 2
XXXvi AN ESSAY ON ALLITERATIVE rOETKY.
" Woltou) wedde this wommon — qxiod the kyng —
Sif) I' wol assente ? " {Piers PL A. iii. 113.)
I) was not wont to worche— quod a wastoiir —
sit) wol I not biginne. (Piers PL A. vii. 153.)
& sayd —
0) loiielye liffe,
cease thou such wordes: {Death ^- Liffe, 258.)
The usefulness of the rule consists in this : that the examples
of it are rather numerous, especially in Piers Floivman.
Alliterative verse is well deserving of careful study and at-
tention. Although not altogether confined to "Gothic poetry"
— for it has been "employed by the Finlanders, and by several
Oriental nations" — it is a special characteristic of it.' It is the
prevailing measure in Icelandic and Anglo-Saxon, and appears
in the Old Saxon of the Heliand, as well as in the song
of " Hildibrant and Hadubrant," and in the " Wessobrunn
Prayer." ^ It has been employed by poets during some
fifteen hundred years, and is employed still. Considering it as
an English rhythm, we may fairly say that, at any rate when
unfettered by rime, it is of a bold and vigorous character, and
is marked also, in the later poems, by considerable rapidity.
This characteristic, viz. of vigour, has been very generally con-
ceded to it, but it has not often been credited with other
merits which it possesses in quite an equal degree, when em-
ployed by a skilful writer. It has much versatility, and is as
suitable for descriptions of scenery and for pathetic utterances
as it is for vivid pictures of battle-scenes or even for theological
disquisitions. See Mr. Perry's preface to Morte Arthure, p. xi.
Owing to a loss of many very convenient words of Anglo-Saxon
origin, it would be found much more difficult to compose in it at
the present day than formerly, besides the additional diflficulty
arising from a want of familiarity with it ; for though the ear of a
' Marsh, Lectures on English, 1st so- ^ lioswovWn Anglo-Saxon Bictiovary,
ries, p. 550. pp. cxxiv, cxxvi.
AN ESSAY ON ALLITEUATIVE TOETKY. XXXVli
modern Englishman can perceive alliteration, it is not trained to
perceive it at once, as readily as it does rimed endings. But the
metre is in itself a good one, and might still be employed by us
with effect if skilfully adapted to suitable subject-matter. The
same not overwise energy that has been bestowed upon the
attempt to naturalize hexameters, would have revived this metre
long ago, and the gain would have been greater. The verses
quoted above from Dunbar, though they are more loosely and
irregularly written than they should be, are quite sufficient to
show that something may be made of it, though I have nowhere
seen any example of it in modern English except in a few lines
of my own, some of which are quoted in the preface to Text A.
of Piers Ploivman.
There is yet one more point too important to be disregarded.
It has often been remarked that the metre of Milton has so
influenced English writers that many a passage in modern
English prose presents a succession of nearly perfect blank
verses. There are several such in Dickens's Old Curiosity
Shop. Now this suggests that alliterative verse may have
influenced Old English prose in like manner. This is a point
which has hardly ever been considered ; but it might throw
much light on the rhythm of such prose writings. The suc-
cession of dominants would introduce a remarkable rapidit}',
very different from the measured cadence, which is due to on
imitation of ^Milton. There is an undoubted instance of the
kind in one of Dan Jon Gaytrigg's sermons, in Religious
Pieces in Prose and Verse (ed. Perry, Early English Text
Society). There the cadence is so evident that the scribe has
in many places vjritten it as verse, and I can safely repeat what
I have once before said, that it affords an example of " the
regidar alliterative verse, jjerfect as regards accent, imperfect
as regards alliteration ; in fact, the very kind of metre into
which the old Piers Ploivman metre would natiually degc-
XXXviii AN ESSAY ON ALLITERATIVE rOETKY.
nerate." ^ It contains several 'perfect lines, alliteration and all,
such as,
Welthe or wandreth, whethire so betyde.
Mr. Perry has remarked that he does not see his way to
bringing the whole of the sermon into this form. But I am
clear that I see mine, and I coidd easily show that, with a little
close attention, very nearly the whole piece can be marked off
into well-defined lines from one end to the other, though it
occupies over thirteen pages. What makes me sure that this is
no mere fancy, is that a similar attempt to mark off other prose
pieces in the same volume failed signally. I could not find a
single true line in a whole page of it, whilst in a page of the
Sermon I found forty. Be this as it may, the hint is, I am
sure, well worth attention.
A good example of this rhythmical prose, founded on
alliterative verse at its base, appears even in Anglo-Saxon
times. The prologue to the A.-S. version of " St. Basil's Advice
to a Spiritual Son," was marked as verse by Hickes ; but its
latest editor, Mr. Norman, remarks that "although not in verse,
it (like some of the Homilies, as for instance that of St. Cuth-
bert, &c.) may be said to be a sort of alliterative prose." I
should add that the prologue is not the only part of it to which
the remark applies. I propose for it the name of Semi-
alliterative Rhythmical Prose, for it is marked rather by the
want of alliteration than by its presence, the rhythm and length
of the lines being at the same time well preserved. Or it may
be termed, with almost equal fitness, Imperfect Alliterative
Verse, as it is open to any one to call it bad verse instead o^ good
prose. I think that good prose is the fairer title of the two.
For the help of the student who wishes to see more of this
subject, or to form judgments about it for himself, I subjoin
the following references :
■ Religions Pieces, ed. Perry, p. vi. of Preface.
AN ESSAY ON ALLITEKATIVE TOETRY. XXXIX
Guest, History of Encjlish Rhythms, vol. i. p. 142, &c.
Eask, Anglo-Saxon Grammar, tr. by Thorpe, 1830, p. 135.
Conybeare, Illustrations of Anglo-Saxon Poetry, p. xxxvi., &c.
Marsh, Lectures on English, 1st series, p. 546.
Craik, Hist. Eng. Literature, i. 243.
Whitaker, Preface to Piers Ploivman.
Professor Morley, English Writers, i. 264.
Vercj, Reliques, ii. 298, 5th ed.'
Vernon, Anglo-Saxon Guide, p. 135.
Warton's History of English Poetry, vol. ii.
Hyde Clarke's English Grammar, p. 137.
I may also refer him to further remarks of my own, at the
end of Mr. Perry's edition of Morte Arthure, and in my edition
of Piers Ploivman, Text A. preface p. xxx. ; also to my essay
on the versification of Chaucer, at the end of the preface to the
Aldine edition, as edited by Mr. Richard Morris (Bell and Daldy,
1865). On the more general subject of English metre, see Guest's
English Rhythms ; a Treatise on Versification, by R. W. Evans ;
and the excellent essay by W. Mitford, called An Inquiry into
the Principles of Harmony in Language, and of the Me-
chanism of Verse, 2nd ed. 1804.
' The readei' must be warned against in the alliterative metre." This is
three extraordinary misstatements in indeed a curious craze, for the allitera-
this essay, following close upon one tive metre is founded on Dominants,
another near the end of it. These are the Alexandrine on Returns. Percy
(1) that Kobert of Gloucester wrote in gives some examples, and the metre
anapPDstic verse, whereas he wrote in which he selects for murdering is the
the long Alexandrine verso, containing Fnnch one, as the reader may easily
(when perfect) six i?e<i<r7j.s; (2) that tlie judge for himself, when he finds that
French alone have retained this old the line
Gothic metro [the twelve-syllabled lb sQcccs f Qt toOjours | fin 6nfant d5 raSdace
Alexandrine] for their serious poems, _ , , , , • -^ • i j i.
whereas we may be sure that Michael i8 marked by him as it is marked here.
Drayton, the author of the rolyoJhion, and is supposed to consist of four
meant his poem seriously; and (3) Anap^.:sts ! Yet one more blunder to
that the cadence of Tkrs Plowman be laid at the door of the " Anapjt sts !
" so exactly resembles the French Would that we were well rid of thorn,
Alexandrine, that I believe no peculiar- and that the " longs " and " shorts" were
ities of their versification can be pro- buried besido them !
duccd which cannot be exactly matclied
xli
NOTES.
p. xxviii., AUit. Essay, Chaucer's lines are:
But trusteth wel, I am a suthem man,
I can not geste, rim, ra?n, mi, by letter.
V. iii. p. 202, 1. 42-3, ed. Morris,
p. 16, 1. 1, 2. Sir Degree. The Affleck MS. of this Romance is not complete.
It wants both beginning and ending, and a few other lines. Some of its
deficiencies were supplied by Mr. Laing from the Cambridge University MS.,
which contains the first 002 lines of the romance. The Atfleck MS. starts
with
Knijt
Ferli fele wolde fonde
And sechen aventouris, bi nijte and dai.
How jhe mi3te here strengthe asai ;
So did a Kny3t Sire Degarree,
Ich wille 30U telle wat man was he.
and ends with —
" Certes, Sire, (he saide,) nai ;
Ac jif hit your wille were,
To mi Moder we wende i-fere,
For sehe is in gret mourning."
" Blethelich, (quath he,) bi Ileuene King."
From line 1070 to line 1115 — the end — is printed by Mr. Laing in the
Abbotsford Club Sir Degarre (as he gives notice) from a black-letter
edition (Copland's),
The Romance has been printed five times in editions known to us, not
fo2(r only as stated in p. 16, 1. 6, for tli(^ edition printed by John Kynge,
mentioned on p. 18 below, is noticed by Mr. Laing in these words: 'Among
Selden's books in that [the Bodleian] Library, there is a copy of the
edition printed at London by John King, in the year 1560, 4to, 16 loaves
(Dibdin's Typographical Antiqvitirs, vol. iv. p. 338)." Further, Mr. Laing
mentions that " the late learned Archdeacon Todd, in his ' Illustrations of
Gower and Chaucer,' ' has described a fragment on two leaves containing
160 linos of this Romance, as forming part of a Manuscript supposed to be
of the Fourteenth Century, now the property of the Earl of Ellesmere ; but
the volume, at present, is unfortunately not accessible."
Mr. Laing also states that the Wynkyn de Worde 4to is in 18 leaves,
and is described in Dibdin's Typ. Ant. ii. 376 ; that the mutilated Douce
transcript, apparently made from W. de Worde's edition, is dated 1564 ;
' Page 1G7, Lonil, 1810, 8vo and 4to.
xlii NOTES.
and that Uttorson reprinted Copland's edition (probably about 1545)
■which is in the Garrick collection in the British Museum. — F.
p. 56, 1. 11, " noe truse can be taken," i.e. no truce, no peace can be made : —
" Could not ta/ce truce with the unruly spleen
Of Tybalt deaf to peace."
Shakespeare's Borneo ^- Juliet, iii. 1.
" With my vex'd spirits I cannot take a truce."
Shakespeare's King John, iii. 1, — Dyce.
The linking of treasure with truse makes me hold still that the two are like
in kind, and that my note is right. — F.
p. 135, Tho)nas of Potte. Ritsoa printed another version in his Ancient Songs,
1790, p. 24:8, from a large white letter sheet, published May 29, 1657;
among the King's pamphlets in the Museum. Its title is "The Two
Constant Lovers in Scotland ; or, a Pattern of True Love: expressed in this
ensuing Dialogiie, between an Earls daughter in Scotland, and a poor
Serving-man ; she refusing to marry the Lord Fenix, which her Father
would force her to take ; but clave to her first love Tomey o' the Pots.
To a pleasant new tune." A slightly different version of the present
Ballad was printed in 1677, for F. Coles, T. Vere, J. Wright, and J. Clarke,
and reprinted by Ritson in his Pieces of Ancient Popular Poetry, 1791,
with collations. Utterson had an undated edition printed by A. P. for
F. Coles, T. Vere, and J. Wright. From this, collated with the 1677 ed.,
Mr. Hazlitt printed the Ballad in his Early Popular Poetry, ii. 251, with
the heading, " The Lovers Quarrel or Cupids Triumph. Being the Pleasant
History of fair Rosamond of Scotland. This may be sung to the tune of
Floras Farewel." Ritson printed a diiferent version of the tale in his
Ancient Songs, 1790. See other bililiographical details in Halliwell's
Notices of Popular English Histories, No. 15, p. 17, 18, and Hazlitt's Early
Popular Poetry, ii. 251-2. Compare the opinions of the deceased wife of
The Knight of I a- Tour Landry, ab. 1370 (p. 178-9, E. E. Text Soc. 1868)
against her daughters marrying men of a lower degree than themselves:
"I wylle not that they haue or take ony plesaunce of them that ben of lower
estate or degrez than they be of ; that is to wete, that no woman vnwedded
shalle not sotte her loue vpon no man of lower or lesse degree than she is of. .
These whiche louen suche folke, done ageynste theyre worship and honoure. .
I, theyr modyr, charge and deffende them that they take no playsaunce, ne
that in no wyse sette theyr loue to none of lower degree then they be come
of. . . Also they whiche putto and sette theyr loue on thre maner of folke,
that is to wete, wedded men, prestes, and monkes, and as to seruauntes
and folk of noughte, these maner of wymmen whiche take to theyr pera-
mours and loue suche folke, I hold them of none extyme ne valewe, but
that they be more gretter harlottes than they that ben dayly at the bordell.
For many wymmen of the world done that synne of lechery but only for
nede and pouerte, or els by cause thoy haue ben dcceyued of hit by false
counceylle of bawdes. But alle gentylle women whiche haue ynough to lyue
on, the whiche make theyre peramours or loners suche maner of folke as
before is sayd, it is by the grete ease wherin they be, and by the brennynge
lecherye of tlieyr bodyes. For they knowc wel that, after the lawe of theyr
maryago, they may not haue for theyr lordes, no to bo theyr husbondes, men
of tlie chireho ne otlier of no valewe. This loue is not for to recouere ony
worsliip, but alle dishonour and shame." — F.
p. 161. Tiiorno (Twysden's A' Scriptores, c. 1786) is the earliest authority for
the story told in this ballad. He brings his chronicle down to the end
of the fourteenth century, but professes to base it on Sprot, who liad
written down to 1232, and whose work seems to have perished, thougli
there is a spurious chronicle called Sprot t's.
NOTE.'^. xliii
I. Thorne points to Kent as the only county where the old Englisli
custom still prevailed. He probaVily alludes to the law of gavelkind or
socage tenure, by which all the children shared equally. This was stipulated
for by the citizens of London {Liher Albus, ed. Kiley, ii. pp. 246, 247, 504),
and undoubtedly prevailed iu other parts of England besides Kent, but
gradually died out before the growing use of primogeniture. Elton says
{Tenures of Kent, p. 50) that the body of Kentish usages as we now possess
them was formally allowed in the 21st year of Edward I., also "The
Kentish usage was not a mere pai'tition as it has come to be in our time, but
it was curiously mingled with a custom of borough English."
As early as Glanville's time (lib. vii. cup. 3, v. 6) socage lands only went
to the daughters, failing sons. But this, I think, was an innovation. See
Coote on A Neglected Fact in English History, p. 57, and the authorities he
cites.
II. Fitz-Stephen says {Vita S. Thoma, p. 230), that by the custom of
Kent, a man condemned for contempt of court pays a customary fine of 40a'.
instead of 100s. asiu London. This he ascribes to the burdens arising from
its exposed position.
III. There is a legal distich, which I, as a Kentish man, remember, but
cannot give a reference for, " The traitor to the bough, and his son to the
plough," implying that in cases of felony the lands of the felon did not
escheat to the crown.
IV. On the other hand, the claims of the county of Kent to be exempt
from making presentments of Englishry was disallowed in 6 Edward II.
and 7 Edward III. Yearbooks of Edward L, 30 and 31, ed. Horwood, p. xl.
— C. H. Pearson.
p. 151, 1. 4 ; p. 153, 1. 35 ; p. 155, 1. 83, 94. The Consuetudines Cantia or
Customs of Kent, are given in the Record Commission Statutes, i. 223-5.
1. that all the Bodies of Kentishmen be free, as well as the other free Bodies
of England.
2. they do not choose the King's Escheator.
3. they may give and sell lands without license asked of their Lords.
4. they may plead by Writ of the King, or Pleint, for the obtaining of their right,
as well of their Lords as of other Men.
5. they ought not to come to the common Summonee of the Eire, but only by
the Borsholder and four Men of the Borough.
6. if attainted of Felony, they lose their goods only, and their heirs shall take
their lands ; whereupon it is said in Kentish ' the Fatlier to the Boughe, and the
Sonne to the Plough.'
7. a Felon's Wife is dowable out of his lands, and the King shall not have the
lands for a year, or wast them.
8. a man's lands are shared between all his sons, the messuage going to the
youngest.
9. a dead man's goods shall be parted in 3 parts, 1 to pay his debts, 1 for his
children equally, the third for the widow.
10. an infant heir is taken charge of, not by the lord, but by his next of blood
to whom the inheritance cannot descend.
11. the heir is married, not by the lord, but by his own fi-ionds.
12. the heir comes of age at 15 years.
13. the widow has i her husband's land for dower while she is chaste, and
the widower ^ his wife's.
&c. &c.— F.
p. 174. The Nicttbroivtie Maid. " 1558-9. John Kynge ys fyned for that he did
xliv KOTES.
prynt the nutbrowne mayde w'out lycense, ij^ vj''." Collier's Registers, i. IG.
See the note there,
p. 177, 1. 1, notes, for i tskcille read it shalle.
p. 301, Cressus. See the " curious ballad " on " Troylus & Cressyd," from MS. Ash-
mole, 48, fol. 120, in The Marriage of Wit ^- Wisdom, (Sliaksp. Soe.) p. 102.
p, 374. Maudline. This ballad should have been divided into 4-line verses. It is
printed also in Early Ballads, ed. R. Bell, 1856, p. 217.— F.
p. 402, 1. 17. See Henry's answer, August 12, 5th year of his reign, in Harl.
MS. 787, leaf 58.— F.
p. 466, last line, p. 470, 1. 10. See the "Articles of Enquiry for the Monastery
of Walsingham," in Harl. MS. 791, leaf 27.— F.
p. 473. There are several charters or grants by Godiva and Leofricus in Kemble's
Codex DiploinaticHS. — F.
y. 4:99, Qucene Dido. 1564-5. A ballett intituled the Wanderynge prynce. [No doubt
the ballad printed by Percy (Eeliques, iii. 244), under the title of " Queen
Dido," aud ■which Ritson, in closer adherence to the old printed copies,
calls, "The Wandering Prince of Troy." See Ancient Songs, ii. 141, edit.
1 829.] Collier's Extracts.— F.
p. 541, The Egerton MS. gives the name of the writer (and not the copier,
seemingly), of the Sege of Bone, thus :
Thys processe made Johfln page,
AUe in rafFe,' and not in ryme,
Hy cause of space he hadde no tyme ;
But whenne thys werre ys at A nende,
And he haue lyfFe and space, he wylle hit a-mende,
They that haue hyrde thys redynge,
To hys blysse he tham brynge
That for vs dyde vppon a tree
Say Amen for Charyte, Amen !
Explicit \'^ sege of Eone. — F.
' 7?o;/f= refuse, a confused heap, a jumble. Here it means in lines jumbled together : see
Raffle in Wedgwood. Ryme would mean regular verses with properly rimed endings.— Skeat.
oXHc
" This old romantic tale," says Percy, in his Introduction to the
Sir Cauline of the Reliques, " was preserved in the Editor's folio
MS., but in so very defective and mutilated a condition (not
from any chasm in the MS., but from great omission in the
transcript, probabl}'' copied from the faulty recitation of some
illiterate minstrel), and the whole appeared so far short of the
perfection it seemed to deserve, that the Editor was tempted to
add several stanzas in the first part, and still m©re in the second,
to connect and complete the story in the manner which appeared
to him most interesting and affecting."
The First Part of the Bishop's version concludes witli the
triumphant return of Sir Cauline from his encounter with the
Eldridge Knight, and the acceptance of his love by the King's
daughter. It comprises the first 129 lines of the MS. copy ; it
consists of 189 lines. The Second Part has only one feature in
common with the latter stanzas of tlie MS. copy, viz., the fight
with the Griant. All its other incidents — the stolen interviews
of the lovers, their interruption by the King, Sir Cauline's
' A straiigo romantic old song — very which will account for its being so cor-
dcfcctivo & obscure. N.B. This soenies rupted. — P,
to liavo been originally a Scotch Song :
VOL. ni. B
2 SIR CAWLINE.
banishment, his reappearance in disguise, his death, her death —
are the Bishop's own production. Altogether, the MS. copy
contains 201 lines ; that in the Reliques 392. These additional
stanzas show, indeed, an extensive acquaintance with old balladry,
and a considerable talent of imitation. Percy could write such
mimicries with a fatal facility, "stans pede in uno." Of his
capacity in this respect there is no better instance than his
Sir Cauline. For our part we prefer the Folio copy, with all its
roughness and imperfections, to the Bishop's revision, with all
its cleverness. Ever so few gold-grains are more precious than
heaps of tinsel. If one touch of nature makes the whole world
kin, one touch of affectation mars and dissolves that universal
kinsmanship. Percy's version abounds in affectations. The
general sense of unreality that pervades his interpolations and
additions reaches its climax in the concluding passage of his
Second Part, where Sir Cauline, wounded to his death in his
fight with the Soldan, is recognised by his lady.
It is my life, my lord, slie sayes,
And sliriekte and swound awaye.
Sir Cauline juste lifte up his eyes
When he heard his ladye crye,
0 ladye, I am tliine crwne tmie love,
For thee I wisht to dye.
Then giving her one partinge looke.
He closed his eyes in death e.
Ere Christabclle, that ladye milde,
Begane to drawo licr breathe.
But when she found her comelye kuighte
Indeed was dead and gone,
Shee Liyde her pale cold cheeke to his,
And thus she made her moane.
0 staye, my deare and onlye lord,
For mee thy faithfullo feere ;
'Tis meet that I shold foUowe thee.
Who hast bought my love soe dcarc.
SIR CAWLINE. 3
Then faj'iitinge in a deacUye swoiine,
And with a deepe-fette sighe,
That bursto her gentle hearto in twayne,
Fayre Christabello did dye.
As Mr. Fiirnivall in his original Proposal for the publication of
the Folio said, " ^Yith a true instinct Professor Child remarked
in his Ballads (ed. 1861, vol. iii. p. 172), "It is difficult to
believe that this charming romance had so tragic and so senti-
mental a conclusion."
However, the Bishop understood and served his generation.
The story of the fight with the Eldridge Knight is told in the
Scotch ballad of King Malcolm and Sir Colvin, given by
Buchan in his Ballads of the North of Scotland (copied by
Professor Child). But there can be little doubt that this is one
of that collector's many fabrications.
IeSUS : lord mickle of might,'
thai dyed fFor vs on the roode
to maintaine vs in all our right,
4 tliai loues ^ true English blood.
ffor by 3 a X.nifjU I say my song, rn sing you
■was bold & ffuU hardye ; * *°°^ °
Sir Robert Briuse wold fforth to ffio-ht
o
8 in-to Ireland ouer the sea ;
& in thai land dwells a kins: ,. . ,
o an InsU
w/wch ouer all does beare the bell, knigiit,
& With him there dwelled a curteous 'K.nighi,
12 men call him S/r Cawlino. sirCawiinc,
' For the first four stanzas Percy has The kingo had a ladye to his daughter,
in the Ediqucs these; two : In fashyon she hath no pecro;''
The First Pakt. ■'^"'^ princely wightes that ladye wooed
In Irehmd, ferr over the sea, '-^o ^e t^'eyi' wedded feerc.— F.
There dwellcth a bonnye kinge ; - lovo. — P.
And with him ayongandconilyckniglite, ' of. — P.
Men call him syr Cauline.
SIR CAWLINE.
■« ho loved a
king's lovely
daughter,
16
And lie hath a Ladye to his daughter,
of ffashyon shee hath noe peere ;
K.nigJits & lordes they woed her both,
trusted to haue beene her peere. ^
[page 309]
but durst not
disclose his
love,
Sir Cawline loues her best of one,^
but nothing durst hee say
to discreeue ^ his councell to noe man,
20 but deerlye loued this mayd.'*
and had at
last to take
to his bed.
till itt beffell vpon a day,^
great dill ^ to him was dight ;
the raaydens loue remoued his mind,
24 to care bed went the Knio-ht ;
and declares
he should
die.
28
& one while he spread his armes him ffroe,
"^ & cryed soe pittyouslye
" ffor the maydens loue that I haue most minde,
this day may comfort mee,
or else ere noone ^ I shalbe dead ! ^ "
thus can Si'r Cawline say.
Just before
dinner,
the King
asks for him,
when our parish masse that itt ^'^ was done,
& our '1 king was boAvne to dine,
he sayes, " where is Sir Cawline
that was wont to serue me w^th ale & wine ? '^ "
' perhaps fcrc. — P. pcere is equal,
mate, match. — F.
* AH, or any. — P. lovcth her best of
all.— ZeeL
^ discreevc, diseribe, discover. Chauc.
forte, diskevere. — P. Ho discreeve. —
]M.
* he lovdo this may. — Rd.
'^ on a dayo it so beffell. — Ucl.
" grief. A.-S. cUol, deceit, trouble ?— F.
' For the next five lines Ed. has throe :
One while he sprcd them nyo :
And aye ! biit I winne that ladyes love,
For dole now I niun dye.
^ Only half the second n in the MS.
— F.
^ This was the usual resource of love-
sick knights. Compare Sir Gencridcs,
p. 237, and Will Sfewari below.— F.
'" And whan our parish-masso. — Eel.
" Out.— Eel.
'- That is wont to serve the wyne. — Eel.
SIR CAWLINE. O
but then answered a ciirteous 'Knight ana is toW
36 ffast wringinge his hands,' vei-y m.
" Sir Cawlines sicke, & like to be dead
without and a good leedginge.^ "
" ffeitch yee ^ downe my daughter deere, The King
40 shee is a Leeche fFull ffine "* ; daughter to
I, and take you doe ^ & the bakcn bread, Cawiiue.
and eene ^ on ^ the mne soe red,^
& looke no day[n]tinesse ifor him to deare,
44 for fFull loth I wold him teeue.^ "
this Ladye is gone to his chamber,'" she goes to
her maydens ffollowing Nye,
" 0 well," shee sayth, "how doth my Lord ? " asks how
lie is,
48 " 0 sicke ! " aofaine saith hee."
" I, but rise vp wightlye, man, for shame ! andteiishim
not to lie
neuer lye soe cowardlye here '^ ! there like a
•^ "^ coward.
itt '^ is told in my ffathers hall,
52 ffor my loue you will dye.'"* "
" itt is ffor joiiv Loue, ffayre Ladyo,'^ Ho says he's
in love wit
that all this dill I drye. her ;
ffor if you wold comfort me with a Kisse,'*' if she'll kiss
' fast his hands wringing. — P. the aiixih'ary verb. — F.
^ lecchinge; to Leche is to Ileal, cure. " ? MS. ednc. — F.
lije. — P. Leedgingc is from the Fr. ' And serve him with. — lid.
alleger, to asswagc, mitigate, aUay, sohice. * the red wine. — P.
Cotgrave. Tliis stanza is in Eel. : " Lothe I were him to tine. — IM.
Then aiinswerde liimacoiu-teousknighto, '"Fair Christabello to his cliaundKn-
And fast his handcs gan -WTiuge : goes. Ed.
Syr Cauline is sicke, and like to dye " thou fayr laAyh.—Ed.
Without a good Iccchinge.— F. '^ ^I'^i'e defend [as in i?e/.].— P. ? hero
s Fetche mo.— Eel. soe cowardlye lye.— F.
* Cp. Loospaine in Eqer <$- Grime, "* ^'■^^ it.— Ed.
vol. i. p. 362-3, p. 393.— F. ';* You dye for loue of mee.— 7?^^
* Goc take him doughe. — Ed. An ^'^ Fayre ladyo, it is for your love. —
odd uusrcading of Percy's. The & is ^'^''''•
redundant (as it go often is), and doc is '" Compare Sir Ociicridcs ngiuu, p. 238.
SIR CAWLINE.
him he'll get
up.
But he can't
be her peer
unless he'll
watch all
night by
Eldridge
Hill,
and fight the
Eldridge
King.
This, Sir
Cawline
undertakes,
56 then were I brouglit ffrom bale to blisse;
noe ^ longer here ^ wold I Ije."
3 "alas ! soe well yon know, Siv knight,
I cannott bee jo^ir joeere."
60 " ffor some deeds of armes flFaine wold I doe
to be yo?ir Bacheeleere.'* "
" vpon Eldrige hill there growes^ a thorne
vpon the mores brodinge ^ ;
64 & wold you,'' Sir Knight, wake there all night
to day of the other ^ Morninge ^ ?
" ffor the Eldrige TLing that is ^^ mickle of Might
will examine you beforne ;
68 & there was neuer man that bare his liffe away
since the day that I was borne. ^^ "
"but I will ffor yo?«r sake, ffaire Ladye,
walke on the bents [soe] '^ browne,'^
72 & He either bring you a ready e token
or He neuer come to you againe.*-* "
Again, when Sir Generides is expecting
death :
The flesh wasted fro the booii.
He was so feble he might not goon,
In him was noon hope of life : (p. 30-i\
his love, Clarionas, comes to kiss him,
and at once
So glad he was of hir comyng,
Of his euel he felt no-thing ;
He kist and clipt w/th al his. might,
And kept hir in his armes al that night,
(p. 308.)— F.
' ? IMS. now.— h\ - No lenger.— i^t^.
^ For the next stanza Ihl. has :
Sjr knighte, my father is a kinge,
I am his onlyc heire ;
Alas ! and well you knowe, syr knighte,
I never can he youre fere.
0 ladyo, thon art a kinges daughtex',
And I am not thy peere.
But let mo doe some doedes of armes
To be your bachelecre.
Some deedes of armes if thou wilt doe,
My bacheleere to bee,
(But ever and aye my heart wold rue,
Giif hann shold happe to thee,)
■• knight. — P. s groweth. — Bd.
^ hrode, to prick. G.D. — P. ? breadth,
cp. 1. 76.— F. ' dare ye.— Bel.
8 Untill the fayre.— ^c;.
" id est, till Day of the next 'Korning.
—P.
"> knighte, so.—Brl.
" And never man bare life awaye.
But he did him scath and scorns.
—Bel. '2 Cp. 1. 81.— F.
'•' That knighte he is a foul paynim,
And large of limb and bone;
And but if heaven may be thy speede
Thy life it is but gone.
Nowe on the Eldridge hillcs He
walke,
For thy sake, fairc ladle. — Bel.
" never more you see. — Bel.
SIR CAWLINE.
but this Ladye is gone to her Chamber,'
her Maydens fFollowing bright ;
76 & Sir CawUns gone to the mores soe broad,^
fFor to wake there all night.
vnto midnight they ^ Moone did rise,
he walked vp and do^vne,
80 & a Kghtsome bugle then * heard he blow
ouer the bents soe browne.
sales hee, " and if cryance ^ come vntill ^ my hart,
I am fFaiT fFrom any good towne ^ ; "
and goes to
the moor.
At midnight
a bugle
blows ;
84 & he spyed ene a litle him by,^
a ffuryous King ^ & a 'o flfell,
& a '^ ladye bright his brydle led,
that seemlye itt was to see ^^ ;
88 & soe fast hee called vpon '^ Sir Cawline,
" Oh man, I redd thee flflye !
ffor if cryance come vntill i^ thy hart,
I am a-feard least ^^ thou mun dye."
92 he sayes, " [no] cryance comes to '° my hart,
nor ifaith I ffeare not thee '^ ;
ffor because '8 thou minged '^ not christ before,
Thee lesse me dreadeth thee." [page 370]
he sees a
furious king,
■who warns
him that
if he's craven
he'll die.
' The ladyo is gone to her owno
chaumbere. — Jit I.
2 Syr Ciiuline lope from care-Led
scone,
And to the Eldridge hills is gone. —
Bel. Two bad lines for one good one.
— F.
* that the.— lid.
* Then a lightsome buglo. — Bel.
* MS. cryamcc. Fear, Old Fr. cruntc,
crainte. — i'. .^
8 Quoth hee, If cryance come till. —
Bel.
' My life it is but gone.— AW. 1st ed. ;
printed right in the 2nd, with a note:
" This lino is restored from the folio MS.''
— F.
•* And soone he spydo on the mores
so broad. — Bel.
" knight : vide infra. — P.
'" wight and. — Bel.
" A.— Bel.
'■' Clad in a fayre kyrtell. — Bel.
" on.- Bel.
'* For but if cryance come till. — Bel.
'^ I weene but. — Bel.
'" He sayth, ' No ' cryance comes till.
—Bel.
'- in faith, I M7II not Gee.— Bel.
'" For, cause. — Bel.
'" id est, nicntionedst. — P.
SIR CAWLINE.
Cawline
charges the
King.
Their spears
break ;
they fight
with swonls
96
100
but S/i* Cawline he sliooke a .speare,
the K.ing was bold, and abode \
& the timber these 2 Children bore ^
soe soone in sunder slode,^
if or they tooke & ^ 2 good swords,
& they Layden on good Loade.^
Cawline cnts
off the
King's right
hand.
but the Elridge ^ing '^ was mickle of might,
& stiffly to the ground did stand ; ^
104 but S(fr Cawline w^'th an aukeward ^ stroke
he brought him ffrom his hand,^
I, & fflying ouer his head soe hye,'*'
fFell downe of ' ^ thai Lay laud :
His Queen
begs him to
spare
lier Lord,
108 '^ & his lady stood a litle thereby,
ffast ringing her hands :
"for they maydens loue that you haue most meed,
smyte you my Lord no more,
' The Eldridge knighte, he pricked his
steed ;
Syr Cauline bold abode :
Then either shooke his tnistye
speare. — Rel.
^ bare. — Rcl. ^ yode. — Bel.
* " & " is often redundant : compare
line 120.— Dyce.
* Then tooke they out theyr two good
swordes,
And layden on full faste,
Till helme and hawbcrke, mail and
sheelde,
They all were well-nye brast. — Rcl.
6 The Eldridge knight.— i?e^.
' And stiiFe in stower did staude. —
Rel.
8 a backward. — Rel.
8 smote oif his right hand. — Rel.
'" That soono he with paine and lacke
of bloud.— 7i'e^.
" on.- Rel.
'■^ For the next two stanzas Rcl. has six :
Then up syr Cauline lift his brando
All over his head so hye :
And here I swearo by the holy roode,
Nowe, caytiffe, thou shalt dye.
Then up and came that ladye brighte,
Fasto wringing of her hande :
For the maydens love, that most you
love,
Withold that deadlye brande.
For the maydens love, that most you
love.
Now smyte no more I praye ;
And aye whatever thoii wilt, my lord,
He shall thy bests obaye.
Now sweare to mee, thou Eldridge
knighte.
And here on this lay-land,
That thou wilt believe on Christ his laye,
And therto plight thy hand :
And that thou never on Eldridge come
To sporte, gamon, or playe :
And that thou here give up thy armes
Until tliy dying daye.
♦■
The l^ndridge knighte gave up his armes
With many a sorrowftille sighe ;
And sware to obey syr Caulines best,
Till the tyme that he sliold dye.
SIR CAWLINE.
112 " & lieest ncucr come vpon Eldi-ige [hill]
him to sport, gamon, or play,
& to m.eete noe man of m.iddle ^ earth,
& that Hues ^ on christs his lay.^ "
116 but he then v]?, and tliai Eldiyge 'King ^
sett him in his sadle againe,^
& thai Eldryge King ^ & his Ladye
to theii" castle are they goneJ
120 * & hee tooke then y^ & that Eldryge sword
as hard as any ffljTit,
and he'll
never fight
Christian
again.
The King
and Queen
ride off.
Cawline
takes up
his sword.
' ? MS. mildle; or middle, with tho
left stroke of the first d dotted for i. Ou
" middle earth " see note ■•, p. 92, vol. i.
— F.
^ leoves, i.e. believes. — P.
* lay, i.e. law. — P.
'' And he then up and the Eldridge
knighte. — Eel.
^ anone. — Ed.
" And the Eldridge knighte. — Eel.
' gane. — Dyce.
* Henceforth Percy has it all his own
way, except in tliree stanzas. For the
next six stanzas he has these thirty-six :
Then he tooke np the hloiidy hand,
That was so large of bono,
And on it he founde five ringes of gold
Of knightes that had be slone.
Then he tooke up tho Eldi-idge swordo,
As hard as any flint ;
And ho tooke oft' those ringes five,
As bright as fyro and brent.
Home then pricked sjt Cauline
As light as leafe on tree :
I-w^'s he neither stint ne blanne.
Till he his ladye see.
Then downo he knelt upon his knee
Before that lady gay :
0 ladye, I have bin on the Eldridge hills ;
These tokens I bring away.
Now welcome, welcome, syr Cauline,
Tlirice welcome unto mee,
For now I perceive thou art a true
knighte,
Of valour bolde and free.
0 ladye, I am thy ovra true knighte,
Thy hests for to obaye :
And mought I hope to winne thy love ! —
Ne more his tonge colde saye.
The ladye bhished scarlette redde.
And fette a gentill sighe :
Alas ! syr knight how may this bee.
For my degree's soe highe ?
Eut sith thou hast hight, thoit comely
youth.
To be my batchilere.
He promise if thee I may not wedde
I will have none other fere.
Then shee held forthe her lilly-white
hand
Towards that knighte so free :
He gave to it one gentill kisse.
His heart was brought from bale to
blisse.
The teares sterte from his ee.
But keep my cotmsayl, syr Cauline,
Ne let no man it knowo ;
For and ever my father sholde it ken,
I wot he woldc us sloe.
From that daye forthe tliat ladye faji-o
Lovdo syr Cauline tho kniglite :
From that daye forthe he only joyde
Whan shee was in his sight.
Yea and oftentimes they metto
Witliin a fayre arboure.
Whore they in love and sweet daliaunco
Past manye a pleasaunt houre.
10
SIR CAWLINE.
rings and
hand,
and gives
them to
his love.
& soe he did those ringes 5,
harder then ffyer, and brent.
124 ffirst he presented to the K.ings daughter
they hand, & then they sword.
Part the Second.
EvERYE white will have its blacke,
And everye sweete its sowre :
This foimde the ladye Christabelle
In an untimely howre.
Foi- so it befelle as s}t Cauline
Was with that ladye faire,
The kinge her father walked forthe
To take the evenyng aire :
And into the arboure as he went
To rest his wearye feet,
He found his daughter and sjt: Catiline
There sette in daliaunce sweet.
The kinge hee sterted forthe, I-wys,
And an angrye man was hee :
Nowe, traytoure, thou shalt hange or drawe,
And rewe shall thy latlie.
Then forthe syr Cauline he was ledde,
And throwne in dungeon deepe :
And the ladye into a towre so hye,
There left to wayle and weepe.
The queene she was syr Caulines friend,
And to the kinge sayd shee :
I praye you save sp- Caidines life,
And let him banisht bee.
Now, dame, that traitor shal be sent
Across the salt sea fome :
But here I will make thee a band,
If ever he come within this land,
A foule deathe is his doome.
All woe-begone was that gentil knight
To parte from his lady^ ;
And many a time he sighed sore,
And cast a wistfuUe eye :
Fairo Christabelle, from thee to parte,
Farre lever had I dye.
Faire Christabelle, that ladye bright.
Was had forthe of the towre ;
But ever shee droopeth in her minde.
As nipt by an ungentle winde
Doth some faire lillyc flowi'e.
And ever shee doth lament and weepe
To tint her lover soe :
Syr Cauline, tliou little think'st on mee.
But I will still be true.
Manye a kinge, and manye a duke,
And lords of high degree.
Did sue to that fap's ladye of love ;
But never shee wolde them nee.
When manye a day was past and gone,
Ne comforte she colde finde.
The kynge proclaimed a tourneament,
The * cheere his daughters mind :
And there came lords, and there came
knights.
Fro manye a farre country^.
To break a spere for theyr ladyes love
Before that faire ladye.
And many a ladye there was sette
In purple and in palle :
But faire Christabelle soe woe-begone
Was the fayrest of them all.
Then manye a knighte was mickle of
might
Before his ladye gaye ;
But a stranger wight, whom no man
knewe.
He wan the prize eche daye.
His acton it was all of blacke,
His hewberke, and his sheelde,
Ne noe man wist whence he did come,
Ne noe man knewe where he did gone,
Whan they came out the feelde.
And now three days wore prestlye past
In feates of chivalrye,
When lo upon the foiu'th morninge
A sorrowfulle sight they see.
A hugye giaunt stiffe and starke,
All foule of limbe and lere ;
Two goggling pyen like fire farden,
A mouthe from care to eare.
Before him came a dwarffc full lowe.
That waited on his knee,
* To. '.'nd c-dition.— F.
SIR CAWLINE.
11
" but a serrett ^ btiifett you liaue him giuen,
the 'King & the crowne ! " shee sayd.
128 "I, but 34 2 stripes
comen beside the rood." ^
& a Gyant that was both stiffe [&] strong,
he lope now them amonge,
132 & vpon his squier "* 5 heads he bare,
vnmackley ^ made was hee.
& he di-anke then on the K^'h^s wine,
& hee put the cup in his sleeue ;
136 & all the trembled & were wan
ffor feare he shold them greeffe.^
"He tell thee mine Arrand, King," he sayes,
" mine errand what I doe heere ;
1 40 ffor I will bren thy temples hye,
or He liaue thy daughter deere ;
in, or else vpon, yond more soe brood
thou shalt ffind mee a ppeare.^ "
144 the King he turned him round about,
(Lord, in his heart he ^ was woe !),
But he lias
more tx) do.
A five-
headed giant
leaps in,
di-inks the
King's wiue,
and demands
his
daughter.
The King's
in a great
fright,
says, " is there noe Kniqht of the ^ round table and asks
■J ' *' who II
this matter will vndergoe ? s?'^* for
° him,
And at his backo five heads he hare,
All wan and pale of blee.
Sir, quoth the dwarffe, and louted lowe,
Behold that hend Soldain !
Behold these heads I beare with me !
They are kings which he hath slain.
The Eldridgc knight is liis own cousinc,
Wliom a knight of thine hath shent :
And hee is come to avenge his wrong.
And to theo, all thy knightcs among.
Defiance here hath sent.
But yctte he will appease his wrath
Thy daughters love to wiiine :
And but thou yeeldehim that fayrc mayd.
Thy halls and towers must brenne.
Thy head, syr king, must goe with nice ;
Or else thy daughter deere ;
Or else within these lists soe broad
Thou must finde him a peere.
' ? closed fist. Serre, to join closely.
Halliwell. Fr. serrcr, to close . . force or
presse neere together ; to loeke, shut or
put up. Cotgrave. If a king's daughter
might talk slang, " a shutting-up blow "
would just do here. — F.
'^ Read " foxir and thirty." — F.
' Some verj' great omission here. — P.
* swire, neck. Percy turns the
"squier" into a dwarf, with five dead
kings' heads at his back. But the Bishop
knew what swire meant. — F.
•'' unmaclcU}! , uneven, unequal, mis-
shapen. Makly is even, equal. G. D.
— P. * greeve. — P.
' MS. appeare. — F. a peere. — P.
* And in his heart. — Jid.
" Is there never a knighte of my.^Nd.
12
SIR CAWLINE.
and have his
lands
and
daughter.
148 ' " I, & liee shall haue my broad Lands,
& keepe them, well his Hue ;
I, and soe hee shall my daughter deere,
to be his weded wifFe."
' Percy composes again :
Is there never a knighte amongst yee all
Will fight for my ckmghter and mee ?
Whoever will figlit yon grimme soldan,
Eight fair his meede shall bee.
For hee shall have my broad lay-lands,
And of my crowne be heyre ;
And he shall winne faire Christabelle
To be his wedded fere.
But every knighte of his round table
Did stand both still and pale ;
For whenever they lookt on the grim
soldan,
It made their hearts to quail.
All -woe-begone was that fayro lady^.
When she sawe no helpe was nye :
She cast her thought on her owno true-
love,
And the teares gusht from her eye.
Up then sterte the stranger knighte,
Sayd, Ladye, be not affrayd :
He fight, for thee with this grimmo
soldan,
Thoughe he be unmaeklyo made.
And if thou wilt lend me the Eldridge
sworde,
That lyeth within thy bowre,
I truste in Christe for to slay this ficnde
Thoughe ho bo stitf in stowre.
Goe fetch him downo the Eldridge
sworde,
The kinge he eryde, with speede :
Nowe heaven assist thee, courteous
knighte ;
My daughter is thy meede.
The gyaunt he stepped into the lists.
And sayd, Awaye, awaye :
I swcare, as I am tlie hend soldan.
Thou lettest me hero all daye.
Then forthe the stranger knight he came
In his blacke armoure di<rlit :
The ladye sighed a gentle sighe,
" That this were my true knighte ! "
And nowe the gyaunt and knighte be
mett
Within the lists soe broad ;
And now -with, swordes soe sharpe of
Steele,
They gan to lay on load.
The soldan strucke the knighte a stroke,
That made him reele asyde ;
Then woe-begone was that fayre lady^.
And thrice she deeply sighde.
The soldan strucke a second stroke,
That made the blonde to flowe :
All pale and wan was that ladye fayre.
And thrice she wept for woe.
The soldan strucke a third fell stroke,
Which brought the knighte on his
knee :
Sad sorrow pierced that ladyes heart.
And she shriekt loud shreikings three.
The knighte he leapt upon his feete.
All recklesse of the pain :
Quoth hee. But heaven be now my speede.
Or else I shall be slaine.
He grasped his sworde with mayne and
mighte.
And spying a sccrette part.
He drave it into the soldan's syde,
And pierced him to the heart.
Then all the people gave a shoute,
AVhan they sawe the soldan falle :
The ladye wept, and thanked Christ,
Tliat had rcskewed lier from thrall.
And nowe the kinge witli all his b;irons
Kosc nppe from offe his seate.
And downo he stepped into the listes
That curtcous knighte to greete.
But lie for payno and lacke of bloude
Was fallen into a swoundo.
sill CAWLINE.
152 & tlien stood vp Sir Cawline
his civile ei'rancl. ffor to say :
" ifaitli/ I wold to god, Str," sayd Sir Cawline,
" that Sol dan I will assay.
156 " goe, ffeitcli me downe my Eldrige sword,
fFor I woone itt att [a] fFray."
" bat away, away ! " sayd the heiid Soldan,
"thou tarrycst race here all day ! "
ICO but the hand Soldan & S/r Cawline
the ffought a sum?ners day :
now has hee slaine that hend Soldan,
& brought his 5 heads away.
13
Sir Cawline
agrees to
fisht tlic
Giant.
He does so,
and slays
him.
1 G4 & the 'King has betaken Inm liis broade lands
& all his venison. 2
" but take you too & yo?(r Lands [soe] broad,
& brooke ^ them well jotir liffe,
IGS ffor you pj'omised mee jouv daughter deere
to be my weded wiffe."
The King
gives
Cawline
all his lands,
but Cawline
asks for his
daughter,
And there all walteringe in his gore,
Laye lifelesso on the grounde.
Come downe, come downe, my daughter
doarc,
Thou art a leechc of skille ;
Farro lever had I lose halfe my landes,
Than this good knightc sholde spille.
Downo then steiipeth that fayre ladye.
To helpo him if she niaye ;
Eiit when slie did his LeaA'ere raise.
It is my life, my lord, she sayes.
And shriekte and swound awaye.
Sir Cauline jiisto lifte up his eyes
When he hfard his ladye crye,
0 ladye, I am thine owne true love.
For thee I wisht to dye.
Then giving her one partingo lookc,
Ho closed his eyes in deathe,
Ere Christahelle, that ladye milde,
Begane to drawe her breathe.
But when she found her comelj'e knightc
Indeed was dead and gone,
Shee layde her pale cold cheeke to his.
And thus she made her moane,
O staye, my dearo and onlye lord.
For nice thy faithfulle feere;
'Tis meet that I shold followe thee,
Who hast bought my love soe dearo.
Then fayntinge in a doadlye swoime.
And with a deepo-fetto sighe,
That burste her gentle hearte in twayne,
Fayre Christabelle did dye.
J 111 failli.~P.
^ all for his warryson,
-P.
* broke, i.e. enjoy. — P.
i.e. reward.
14
SIR CAWLINE.
and the
King
promises her
to him
at once.
172
" now by my ffaith," then sayes onr K.ing,
" fFor that wee will not striffe ;
ffor thou shalt haue my daughter dere
to be thy weded wiiFe."
[page 371]
Cawline
goes into a
garden to
pray,
where a
steward
the other morninge Bit Cawline rose
by the dawning of the day,
176 & vntill a garden did he goe
his Mattins fFor to say ;
& thai fcespyed a ffalse steward —
a shames death that he might dye !-
lets a lion
out on him
weaponless.
180 & he lett a lyon out of a bande,
Sir Cawline ifor to teare ;
& he had noe wepon him vpon,
nor noe wepon did weare.
He thrusts
his cloak into
the lion's
mouth
till its heart
bursts.
184 but hee tooke then his Mantle of greene,
into the Lyons mouth itt thrust ;
he held the Lyon soe sore to the wall
till the Lyons hart did burst. ^
A watchman 188
cries, " Sir
Cawline's
slain."
Ilis love
swoons,
192
& the watchmen cryed vpon the walls
& sayd, " Sir Cawlines slaine !
and with a beast is not ffull litle,
a Lyon of Mickle mayne."
then the K.ing8 daughter shee ffell downo,
" for pcerlesse is my payne ! "
but Sir
Cawline
says " I am
here,"
" 0 peace, my Lady ! " sayes S/r Cawline,
" I haue bought thy lou^c ffull decre.
196 0 peace, my Lady ! " sayes S/r Cawline,
" peace, Lady, ffor I am heere ! "
brast.— P.
SIR CAWLINE.
15
tlien lie did many this K/»^s daughter
■With gold & sillier bright,
200 & 15 sonnes this Ladye beere
to Sir Cawline the Knight.'
ffins.
marries her
and they
have 15 sons.
' N.B. I ventured to make gi-eat addi-
tions to this Fragment ; of w/nVli I have
given notice to the Reader, in my P.' Vol.
of Reliques &e. — P. The" notice " con-
sists of Percy's " it was necessary to
supply several stanzas in the first part,
& still more in the second, to connect &
complete the story " ; invi»rted commas
to a Init and JS^o ; his * ^^ * at the end ;
and two notes that he has altered — slode,
1. 99, to yode, and aukeward, 1. 104, to
backward. — F.
Between the first and second parts,
Percy put in his second edition the
following note :
*^* In this concliision of the First
Paet, and at the beginning of the Second,
the reader will observe a resemblance to
the story of Sigismunda and Guiscaed,
as told by Boccace and Dryden : See
the latter's Description of the Lovers
meeting in the Cave, and those beautiful
lines, which contain a reflection so like
this of our poet, " eveeye white, &e. viz.
" But as extremes are short of ill and
good,
And tides at highest mark regorge
their flood ;
So Fate, that could no more improve
their joy,
Took a malicious pleasure to destroy.
Tancred, who fondly loved, &c."
16
[In five Parts.— P.]
There are extant two complete MS. copies of this romance — one
in the Auchinleck MS., one here at last printed from the Folio.
Besides these, there are imperfect MS. copies, one in the Public
Library of Cambridge (Ff. ii. 38), containing some 602 lines,
one in the Douce Collection (MS. Selden, c. 39), containing
some 352 lines in all. The romance has been four times printed
— by Wynkyn de Worde, by Copland, in Mr. Utterson's Early
Popular Poetry, and more recently for the Abbotsford Club.
Of all these copies, the earliest and the most perfect is that
treasured in the Auchinleck MS., printed for the Abbotsford
Club. Next in merit, so far as it goes, is the Cambridge copy.
This opens as follows :
{From Camb. Univ. MS. Ff. ii. 38,fol. 257 b.)
Lysteny}', lordynges gente & fre,
y wyll yow tell of sir degare.
kny3t«s J>at were some tyme iu landc,
Far i>ey wolde t'em-selfe fande
To seke auenturs nyght & day,
How )?at j^ey my3t J>er strenkyth assay.
So dud a knyght sir degare,
I schall yow telle what man was he.
In bretayne J^e lasse ^er was a kynge.
Of grete power in all thynge ;
Styffeste in a.rmour rndur schylde,
And moost doghtyest to fy3t in fylde ;
For ther was none verament
That my3t in warre nor in ttM'namont,
Nodur in lustyng for no thynge,
Hym owte of hys saduU brynge,
Nor owt of hys sterop bryngo hys foto ;
[fol. 258] So strongo lie was of boonc & blodc.
There was an unicjue copy of Wynkyn de Worde's edition sold
at Heber's sale. Probably the edition issued by Copland circ.
SIR DEGREE. 17
1545, of which a copy is preserved in the British Museum,
(lififered but slightly from that of the earlier printer. From one
of these printed editions the Douce fragments would seem to
have been transcribed ; from one of these the following version,
viciously executed, as indeed are generally the Percy folio ver-
sions. The correspondence of the three copies will be sufficiently
illustrated by comparing the following two extracts together, and
with verses 381-92 of the Folio version :
{From CoplanxVs Edition.)
Syr Degore stode in a studye than
And thought he was a doiightie man
And I am in my yongo bloud
And I haue horse and armure good
And as I trowe a full good steedo
I wyll assaye if I may spede
And I may beare the kinge downe
I maye be a man of great i-enowne
And if that he me fel can
There knoweth no body -what I am
Death or lyfe what so betide
I wyll once against hym ryde
Thus in the eitie hys ynne he takes
And resteth him and mcrye makes.
(}From Bailee's MS. 2G1, fol. 8.)
Syr Degore stode in study than
And thought he was a doughtye man
And I am in my younge bloode
And I hauo horse and armure good
And as I trowe a full good steede
I wyll assaye yf that I may spede
' Douoc's MS. note in MS. 261 : celebrated MS., which was written aboiit
" This MS. was purchased by some the time of Charles II. ; and there may
bookseller at the sale of the Fairfax be other volumes of the like nature as
library at Leeds Castle, in 1831. the present existing in obscure libra-
" The MS. from which the metrical ries, and even made up by the present
romance of Robert the Devil was printed transcriber.
by J. Herbert in 1798 was certainly " Qy. what became of the MS. of 7?ofer^
written by the person who wrote the the Devil, which was successively in the
present MS., and illuminated with the possession of Mr. Rawlinson, Horace
same kind of rude di-a wings. Ho was Walpole, Mr. Edwards of Pall Mall,
prolialily a collector of metrical romances Mr. Egcrton, Mr. Allen, Mr. Caulfield,
like tlio (ranscribcr of Eisliop Percy's and ' Mastorro Samuelle Irelande '? "
18 SIR DEGREE.
And yf I maj-e beare the Kinge downo
I maye be a man of greate renowne
And yf that he me fall canne
There Icnoweth no bodye what I am
Death or lyfe wliat me betyde
I wyll ones agaynste hym ryde
Thus in the cyttye hys ynne he takes
And rested hym and myrry makes
(So vpon a daye the Kinge he mette
He kneled downe and fayre hym grette
He sayde Syr Kinge of muche myght
My lorde liathe sent me to youe right
To warne youe liowe yt shalbe
My lorde will come and iuste with the
)
The Auchinleck MS. narrates this same " study " in this
wise :
{From Abbotsford Club Copy.)
Sire Degarre thous thenche gan,
" Ich am a staleworht man ;
And of min owen Ich haue a stede,
Sward, & spere, & riche wede ;
And 3if Ich felle the Kyng adoun,
Euere Ich haue wonnen renoun.
And thei that he me harte sore,
No man wot wer Ich was bore ;
Whether deth other lif me bitide
A3en the King Ich wille ride."
In the cite his in he taketli,
And resteth him & meri maketh.
No doubt many other copies, of various degrees of inferiority,
were once in circulation. In the Eegisters of the Stationers'
Company (see Mr. Collier's Extracts) occurs this entry :
Recevyd of Jolm Kynge for his lycense for pryntirge of these
copyes Lucas Yrialis, nyce wanton, impatiens poverte, the proud
wyves pater noster, the Squyre of Low deggre, Syr deggre ; graunted
the X of June 1560. Vf.
A sketch of the romance from Copland's edition is given by
Ellis in his Early English Metrical Romances, with all the
ponderous facetiousness that characterises that work.
SIR DEGREE. 19
The romance is certainly older than the middle of the four-
teenth century, for that is the date at which the Auchiuleck jMS.
was written. Warton (who gives a most inaccurate analysis of
A, which is transcribed by the editor of the Abbotsford Club
edition) conjectures that it may belong to the same century as
the Squire of Loiv Degree and Sir Gay — that is, according to
him, the thirteenth.
For the name, says the Auchinleck MS. :
DegSre nowt elles ne is
But thing that not never whar is
0 the thing that negth forlorn al so
For thi the schild he nenimede thous the.
The romance is, in our opinion, of more than ordinary merit.
It possesses the singular charm of brevity and conciseness; does
not impair or destroy its power by the endless dififuseness and
prolixity which are the besetting disfigurements of that branch
of literature to which it belongs. How often in romances does
what bids fair to be a mighty river spread out vaguely into a
marsh ! what should grow into a state!}'- tree, end in a weak wild
wanton luxuriance ! This so common fault at least is avoided
in this romance of Sir Degore. But there are other than nega-
tive merits. There is, indeed, no considerable novelty about
the incidents introduced; a jealous father, a clandestine child-
delivery, a fight between son and father (here between son and
grandfather too), an unconsummated marriage between son and
mother — these are persons and situations that were never wearied
of by that simple audience for whose ears romances were designed.
The romance-writer's business was rather to re-dispose these
than to cancel and supersede them. This work of rearrange-
ment is well performed in the present case. The old figures are
skilfully re-dressed and introduced ; fresh lights are thrown upon
their faces, fresh vigour is infused through their limbs.
c2
20
SIR DEGREE,
[The First Part.]
[How Sir Degree's Father ravished a Princess, and begat him ; and how ho was
brought up by a Hermit.]
I'll tell you a
talc of Sir
Degree.
An English
king,
feared in
fight.
has <a
beautiful
daughter.
She is wooed
by well-bom
suitors.
12
16
20
24
LORDINGS, & you will hold you still,
a gentle tale I will you tell,
all of knights of this countrye
the w7i/ch haue trauelled beyond the sea,
as did a knight called S^r Degree,
one of the best was fFound him before. '
that 2 time in England dwelled a K.ing,
a stout man in manners and all thinge,
both in Armour and on the sheeld ^
he was much doubted in battell & in ffeild.
there was noe man in verament
tJiai lusted w^th him in turnament
that out of his stirropps might stirr his ffoote,
he was soe strong without doubt,
the K-mg had no more Children but one,
a daughter white as whales bone ■* ;
that mayd hee loued as his liffe ;
her mother was dead, the Queene his wifFo ;
in trauell of Chyld shee dyed, alas !
& when this mayd of age was,
Kings sonnes her wooed then,
Emperoures, Dukes, & other men,
for to haue had her in Marryage
for loue of her great heritage.
' then found was hee : sic leg".'- mctri
gratia, but as Degree is occasionally
written Degore, Pt. 2, 1. 303 [Pt. 3,
]. 483] it may perhaps have been so
here.- — P. The old edition reprinted by
Uttorson calls the hero "Sir Degoro"
throughout. — Skeat (who gives the va-
rious readings here).
'■^ what.— P.
' in Shield.— P.
^ wlien first taken out of tlir fish it is
very white. — P. Strange that Percy
should have supposed, as our earliest
writers did, that the ivory of those days
was made from the bones of the M'hale!
It was, in fact, made from the teeth of
the walrus. The simile in tlie text is
frequently found in much later poets; e.g.
To show his teeth as ivhite as whale' s-
lone.
Shakespeare's Love s Labour' s Lost, y. 2.
-Dyce.
SIR DEGREE.
21
28
32
3G
40
44
48
52
but til en tliey King he made answer,
" that neuer man hee sliold wedd her
with-out hee might with stout lustinge
the King out of his sadle bringe,
to make him loose his stirropps too.
many one assayd, & cold not doe ;
but euery yeere, as right itt wold,
a great ffeast the King did hold
vi3on his Queenes ' mourning day,
the which was buryed in an abbey.
soe vpon a day the King wold ryde
vnto an abbey there besyde,
to a dirges & masses ^ both,
the pore to ffeed, & the naked to cloth.
his owne daughter shee with him rode,
& in the fForrest shee still abode,
& sayd, ' downe shee must light,
better her clothes to amend right.'
a- downe they be light all three
her damsells, & soe did shee.
a ffull long stond ^ they there abode
till all they men away rode.
They gatt vp, & after they wold, [page 372]
but they cold not they right way hold ;
the wood was roughe & thicke I- wis,
& they tooke their way all amisse.
they rode south, they rode west,
vnto the thicke of that fforrest,
& vnto a bane * the came att Last.
then varryed they wonderous ffast,^
but none can
win her
by unhorsing
the King in a
joust.
On the
anniversary
of his wife's
deatli,
the King
rides to an
Abbey near
to hear Mass
and give
alms.
His daughter
and her
maids
dismount in
the forest,
cannot find
their way
out.
Tliey stop at
a glade.
' Three strokes for the u. — F.
« MS. masques; but see 1. 124, 125.
— F.
To do dirigcs and masses bothe. — Utt.
To do dyryges & masses bothe. — Ff.
(Caml)r. MS. Ff. ii. 38.)
' space of time. — P.
* perhaps Lane, see Part 5, line 58.
—P.
* And into a lando they came at the
histo,
Tlien weried thoy wonder fasto. — Utt.
In-to a laundo they are comen
And liaue ryght well vndi<nioinoii.
— Ff.
22
SIR DEGREE.
and all lie on
the grass,
save the
King's
daughter,
who wanders
off.
loses her
way,
and fears
she shall be
torn by wild
beasts.
But then she
sees a hand-
some knight,
who tells her
that
he has Ion"
loved her,
and she
50
60
64
68
80
84
fFoi* the wist amisse tliey had gone,
& downe the Hght euery one.
the wheather was hott affore none ;
the wist not what was best fFor to haue done,
but layd them downe vpon the greene.
some of them fFell on sleepe, as I weene,
& thus they fell on sleepe euerye one
saning the Kmi^s daughter alone,
& shee went fForth to gather fflowers
& to heare the song of the small fFowles.
soe long shee did iforth passe
till that shee wist not where itt was.
then can shee cry wonderous sore,
shee weeped & wrange her hands there, ^
& sayes, " alacke thai I was borne !
her in ^ this fforrest I am fForlorne,
& wilde beasts will me i-ende
or ^ any man may mee ffind ! "
they way to her damsells shee wold haue came,
but shee wist not how to come.*
then shee was ware of a loyfull sight :
a-fore her there stood a ffayre K.^iight
that was wellfauored of ffoote & hand ;
there [was] not such a one in all the Land ;
& by the rich clothing that hee had on,
liee seemed to be a gentleman. -^
soe stout a man then was hee,
he sayes, " Madam, god yee see !
be yee dread arright of nought ;
I haue noe armour wz'th me brought,
but I haue loued you this many a yeerc,
& now that I haue ffound you here
' there.— P.
« MS. herin.— F.
* before. —P.
* The waj'e to her clamoscls .'^lio wolde
haue nomc. — I'tl.
To hur maydciiys sche wolde anone,
Eut sche wyste not whych wey to
goon. — Pf.
gentlemon. — 1'.
SIR DEGREE.
23
88
92
96
100
104
108
112
116
you shall bee my Lein?»an ere I goe,
-svlietlier itt tarnes to wayle or ^voe^ "
but then no more acToe cold sliee,
but wept and cryed, and cold not fflee.
anon lie began lier to behold,
& he did with her whatsoeuer hee wold,
& there hee bereft lier of lier maydenhead.^
& right before her the Knight stoode :
& hee sayes, " Madam gentle & ffree,
now With cliild, Madam, I doe thinke you bee,
& well I wott hiee will be a knaue ^ ;
therfore my good sword he shall haue,
my sword heere vpon my hand,
therew/th tlie Last I did kill a Gyant,
& I brake the poynt of itt in his head,
& liere in the fForrest I haue him Layd.^
take itt vp now, dame, fFor itt is heere ;
thou speakes not w/th mee this many a yeere ;
yett peraduenture they time may come
that I may speake with my owne sonne,
& by this sword I may him ken."
hee kist Ms loue, & went then ;
the knight passed as liee come,
all weeping the Ladye the sword vp numc,-''
& shee went fibrth sore weeping,
& there shee ffound her mayds sleeping.
slice hid the sword as well as shee might,
& called them vp an on- right,
& tooke "^ their horsses eueiye one,
& began to ryde fforth anon.
then they were ware att the Last,
many a K.night came priclciug ffast ;
niHRt now
yield to liim.
He then
ravishes her,
tells her
he has
begotten
a boy on her,
and leaves
his swor J
with her for
the boy
so that he
may here-
after know
him by it.
He then goes
away.
The Princess
takes his
sword,
returns to
her maids,
and they ride
tUl they
meet her
father's
knights.
• weale or wop. — P.
^ maydenhood. — P.
' A boy, a male child. So in Chauc.
—P.
< ? MS. Lqyd or Lqjvd.— F. layd.— P.
And in the foldo I it loued. — Utt.
I brake the poynt in his hedd,
Wherc-of y wot ))at he was dcdd.
— Pf.
^ numc, iionic, took ; Sax. niman, to
take.— P.
« Thoy took.— P.
24
SIR DEGREE.
■»\iio lead
them to tlic
abbey.
After service
all ride
home, and
are merry.
The Princess
glows big,
and weeps
often.
Her maiden
asks her why
she weeps.
She
confesses
that she is
with child ;
and if it's
known,
her fatlier
will be
accused
of incest.
Her maiden
Sdys she'll
manage it all
secretly.
120
124
128
T32
136
140
144
14S
1.'52
fFroni tliey Kjing they were sent
to wItt ^vh^ch way his daughter went.
they brought them into the right way,
& rodden flfayre vnto the Abbey.
there was done service and all thinge,
wi'th many a Masse, with rich offeringe ;
& when these masses were all done,
& come to passe the hye noone,
the K.ing to his pallace did ryde.
And much people by his syde,
& after, euery man was glad & blythe.
tliis Ladye swooned many a sithe,^
& euer her belly waxed more & more ;
shee weepcd & wrang her hands fTull sore.
soe vpon a day shee can sore weepe,
& a mayd of hers tooke good heede ^
& said, " Madam, ffor S? Chary tye,
why weepe yee soe sore ? tell itt mee ! "
" may den, if I shold tell itt before,
if thou shold mee beraye ^ I were but Lore ;
ffor euer I haue beene meeke & mild,
& trulye now I am with chyld ;
& if any man itt vnder-yeede,
men wold tell in euerye steade *
that mine owne ff'ather of mee itt wan,
ffor I neuer loued any other man.
& if my ffather he might know itt,
such sorrow his hart wold gett
tJiat hee wold neuer merry bee,
ffor all his loue is Layde on mee."
" 0 gentle Lady, gi-eeue itt nought ;
stilly itt shall bee fforth brought ;
there shall none know itt certainlyc,
truly, Madam, but you and I."
[page 373]
tiino.— P.
pcrlia[i.s, keep. — V.
^ bnwray. — P.
* place. -P.
SIR DEGREE.
25
156
ICO
164
tlie time was come that shoe was vnboiind,
& deliuered whole and sound.
a ffayre man Chylde thei'e was borne :
glad of itt was tlie Lady fforlorne.
this mayd serued her att her will,
& layd the Child in a cradle,
& wrapped him in clothes anon,
& was ready till haue gone.
then was this Child to with mother hold ' ;
shee gaue itt 20" in gold,
and 10" in siluer alsoe ;
vnder his head shee can itt doe ;
& much itt is that a Child behoues.^
with, itt shee giues a payre of gloues,
& bade the child wed no wiffe in Lande
168 Without those gloues wold on her hand ;
& then the gloues wold serue no where,
sauing the mother that did him beare.
a letter with the Child put shee,
172 With the gloues alsoe perdye :
then was itt in the Letter writt,
whosoeuer itt found, shold itt witt, —
' ffor gods loue, if any good man
This litle Child ffind can,
gett him to be Christened of the preists hand,
& helpe him fibr to line on Land
With this siluer that is heare,
till the time that hee may armoure beare ;
& helpe him w/th his owne good,
ffor hee is come of a gentle blood.'
& when that they had all this downe,'
184 the Mayd shee tooke her way right soone :
176
ISO
The Princess
gives birth
to a boy,
who Is put in
a cradle
•with 307.
under his
head,
a pair
of gloves,
(the boy is to
marry no
girl unless
they'll
fit her,)
and a letter
asking the
finder
to have the
boy
christened,
and bring
him up till
he can fight.
Then the
maiden
caiTies the
' to its— hold, i.e. held.— P.
Yot was tiic childe vntu the mother
hold.-Utt.
3yt hys modur can hym boholde
And toke iiij powndc of golde. — Ff.
^ is of use to. — P.
' perhaps done. — P.
26
SIR DEGREE.
boy and
cradle
to a
hermit's
door.
and leaves
them there.
Next
morning
the hermit
finds the
boy.
thanks
Clirist,
christens the
child
Sir Degree
(t. i. almost
lost),
192
196
200
204
208
212
216
w/tli this Cliild in the cradle, and all thinge,
shee stale away in an eueninge,
& went her way, & wist not where,
through thicke and thinn, & through bryar.^
then shee was readylye ware anon
of an hermitage made in stone,
a holy man that there was wooninge,^
& thither shee went without Leasinge.
& when shee came to the hermitts dore,
shee sett the cradle there before,
& turned againe anon-right,
& came againe the same night.
the hermitt wakened in the morrow,
& eke his knaue ** alsoe.
the Hermitt sayd, " Lore?, I crye thee mercye !
methinke I heare a younge chyld crye."
this holy man his dore vndid,
& ffound the Child in thai stead.
there he lift vp the sheete anon,
& looked on the litle groome ^ ;
then held he vp his right hand,"^
& thanked lesus christ in thai stond,^
& bare the child into the Chappell.
ffor ioy of him hee wronge the bell.
And layd vp the gloues & the treasure, [page 374]
& christened the child wi'th much honor,
& in the worshipp of the holy Triny tye
he called the childs name S/r Degree ;
ffor Degree, to vnderstand I- wis,
a thing thai almost lost itt is ;
as a thing thai was almost lost ao:oe,^
therfore he called his name soe.
' briere. — P. Pronounced brere : s
Levins, col. 209, 1. 15.— F.
2 dwelling. — P.
^ servant-boy. — P.
* puer, famulus. Jun. — P. grome.
Utt. grome. — Ff.
^ hondc. — P.
^ There is a tag at the end like an s.
—F.
^ gone, past. — P. A Begarer would
no doubt be formed from a Low-Latin
devagari, as degasier from devastare. — F.
SIR DEGREE.
27
220
tlie Hermitt he was a holy man of Hffe,
& he had a sister which was a wifFe,
& sent this child to her full raue ^
Av/th nmcli mone by his knaue,
& bade that shee shold take good heede
the litle child to ISTourish & fieede.
this litle Chyld Degree,
224 vnto the Cytye borne was hee.
the goodman & the wiffe in ffere
kept the child as itt their owne were
till the time 10" ^ -winters were come & spent ;
then*to the hermitt they him sent,
the hermitt longed him to see ;
then was [he] a ffayre child & a ffree,
& he taught this child of clarkes Lore
other 10 winters w/thout more ;
& when hee was of 20 yeere,
hee was a man of great power,^
a staleworth ■* man in euerye worke,
& of his time a well good clarke.^
then he tooke [him] his fflorence & his gloues
that he had kept ffrom [him] in his house, ^
& gaue him his owne letter to reade.
hee looked there-in the same steade '^ ;
"hermitt," hee sayd, " ffor St. Charytye,
was this letter made by ^ mee ? "
228
232
236
240
and sends
liiin to his
sister
to be suckled.
She brings
the boy up
till he is 10
years old,
and then
sends him
back to the
hermit.
who teaches
him till he's
20,
then gives
him his
mother's
money,
gloves, and
letter,
' rathe [in pencil] P. C— P. ratlio
(=raue). — Utt. soon. — Ff. and gronio
for knaue in 1. 220. - ten. — P.
' powere. — P. ■* stout. — P.
' And of his tyme,* a well good clerke,
—Utt.
And also of hys tymc, a godo clerko.
— Ff.
That he had token to hys be-hoffe.
— Ff.
Utt. has no him in 1. 237, hut has it in
1. 238.— Skeat.
' He loked therin the same stede.f
—Utt.
And he behelde all that dede. — Ff.
' about, concerning. — Y. Same in
" He toke hym hys f rcsure and hys Utt. as in Percy. Was ]pya lettur wretyn
for me ?— Ff .— Skeat.
* " of hys tinie''=/()r his time,/o;' his day. — Skent.
t "the same stede"=: thereupon ; lit. at the same place, =Fr. sui- le champ. — Skeat.
28
SIR DEGREE.
and tells him
how he
found
him.
Degree
thanks the
hermit,
244
248
"I, S/r," liee sayes, "by him thai mce deeme shall,
thus I you ffound ; " and told him all.
he sett him on his knees ffull blythe,
& thanked the hermitt often sythe ;
& he gaue the hermitt halfe of the golde ;
& the remnant vp did hee ffoulde.
[The Second Part.]
and says he'll
search out
his father,
armed only
with a good
oak sapling.
Degree sets
off through a
forest.
[How Degree kills a Dragon, and prepares to fight a King.]
^hen sayes Degree, " I will not blinne ^
till I haue ffound my ffather or some of my
kinne.^ "
" to seeke thy kinne ^ thou mayst not endure
2'.' parte. <( without horsse or good armour.^ "
then sayd Degree, " by St. lohn,
horsse nor harnesse He haue none,
but a good bitter ^ in my hand,
256 Lmine enemyes therewith to withstand,
A full good sapline of an oke ;
& home "* therewith 1st sett a str[o]ke, —
haue hee neuer soe good armour him on,
260 or be hee neuer soe tall a man,^ —
I shall him ffell to the ground
With this same batt in thai stond."
the Child kissed the hermitt thoe,^
264 & alsoe tooke his leaue to goe.
fforth went Degree, the sooth to say,
throughout a fforrest halfe a day ;
he heard noe man, nor saw none,
268 till itt passed the hye noone ;
' MS. me, for nne. — F.
^ armoure. — P.
" A.-S. bitel, beetle.— F.
* on whom. The o of stroke in this
lino is eaten out by ink.— F.
* mon. — P. " tlien. — P.
SIR DEGREE.
29
272
270
280
28t
288
292
296
300
then heard hee great stroakes ffall
that made great noyse wi'thalh
fFuU soone he thought that thing to sec,
to "witt what the stroakes might bee.
there was an Erie stout & gay
was come thither that same day
to hunt ffor a deere or a doe,
but his hounds were gone him ffroc.
& there was a Dragon ffeirce and grim,
fifull of ffyer & alsoe of venim,
With a wyde throate, & tushes great,
vpon the Erie can he beate ;
& as a Lyon were his ffeete ;
his tayle was long & jBuU vnmeete ;
betweene his head & his tayle
22 ffoote Without ffayle.
his belly was like a whole tunn,
itt shone ffull bright againe the ^ ssunn.
His eyen as bright as any glasse, [page 375]
his scales as hard as anye ^ brasse ;
& therto hee was necked like a horsse,
& bare his head vpp with great fibrce ;
hee was to looke on, as I you tell,
as thoe hee had beene a ffeende of hell ;
many man hee had slient,^
& many a horsse hee had rent ;
& to this Erie hard battell he began,
but hee defended him like a man,
& boldlyo stroke on him With his sword'* ;
but of his stroakes he was not affeard,
flFor his skin was as hard as anye stone,
Avhcre-ffore hee cold him noe harme done.
& when the Ei-le degree see,
he sayd " helpe, ffor Charytyc ! "
and at noon
hears a
noise of
blows.
He finds a
grim dragon
24 feet long,
looking like
a fiend of
hell,
nttacking nu
Eai-1.
The Earl
calls on
Degrof to
help him,
' There is a tag to the c.^V.
* One stroke too f'l w in llie MS.
' int. al. marred, spoiled, &e. — 1'.
* swerde. — P.
30
SIR DEGREE.
and Degree
knocks the
dragon
down.
But it
recovers,
and cuts
Degree
down.
Degree
smashes the
dragon's
brains out.
The Earl
asks Degree
to his palace,
knights him,
and offers
him half his
laud
304
308
312
316
tlien answered Sir Degore,
" gladlye ! " lie sayes, and god before.^
■when tlie dragon of Degree had a sight,
hee left the Erie, & came to him right,
then, the Child thai was soe younge
tooke his staffe thai was soe stronge,
& smote the dragon on. the crowne
thai in the wood hee fFell downe.
the dragon recouered anon-right,
& hitt the Child wi'th such might
w/th his tayle in thai tyde,
thai hee ffell downe vpon his side,
then degree ^ recouered anon-right,
& defended him w/th much might ;
with his stafi'e thai was soe longe
he broke of him fibote and bone
thai itt was wonder if or to see.
320 hee was soe tanghe ^ hee might not dye,
yett hee hitt * him on the crowne soe hye
thai hee made his braines out fLye.^
then the Erie was glad & blythe,
& thanked Degree often sithe,^
& he prayed him hee wold w/th him ryde
vnto the pallace there beside ;
& there he made him a J^nighi,
& made him good cheere thai night ;
rents, trcsure, & halfe of his Land
hee wold liaue seized "^ into his hand,
324
328
' God before (Utt.; Ff. omits it.— Sk.)
?. e. God going Leforo, God giving his
aid. Compare, —
" for, God before,
We'll chide this Dauphin at his father's
door."
Shakespeare's Henry V. i. 2.
" Yet, God before, tell him wo will
como on." ^n>id. iii. 5.
1 quote these passages to show that
this expression, which was very common
in our earliest poetry, continued long in
use. — Dyce.
••^ ? MS. dregree. — F.
' toughe. — P.
•I sniote. — Utt.
. ^ Antl on the hed he hym l):itrid,
That hys hedd all-to-clatride. — Ff.
" times. — P.
' put into possession. Jun. — P.
SIR DEGREE.
31
& alsoe liis daugliter to be his wifle,
332 & all liis lands after his liffe.
& then Sir Degree thanked him hartilye,
and prayed him, " of his curtesye
to lett his -women aifore him come,
336 wiues, mayds, more and some,
& alsoe jonv daughter eke ;
& if my gloues be ffor them meete,
or will vpon of any of their hands,
340 then wold I be ffaine • to take my ^ Lands ;
& if my gloues will not doe soe,
I will take my leaue and goe."
all the women were out brought
344 that thereabout might be sought,
& all assayd the gloues then,
but they were ffitt for no woman.
Sir Degree tooke his gloues thoe,
348 & alsoe tooke his leaue to goe.
the Erie hee was a Jjonl of gentle blood,
hee gaue Sir Degree a steede flfull good,
& therto gaue him good armour ^
352 w/«"ch was ffaire and sure,
& alsoe a page his man to bee,
& a hackney to rj^le on trulye.
then fforth went S/r Degree, the sooth to say,
356 many a mile vpon a sunnHers day.
soe vpon a day much people he mett ;
he houed * still, & ffayre them grett ;
he asked the squier what tydinge,
360 & wence came all those people rydinge.
the squier answered verament,
he sayd, " they came ffrom the pr«.?-lament.
& when they parlaiment was most planere,'^
364 the King lett cry both farr & ncre
and his
daughter.
Degree asks
to see all his
womaukind :
if his gloves
fit any one,
he'll wed
her;
if not, he'll
go away.
The gloves
fit none of
the women,
so Degree
takes leave
of them.
The Earl
gives him
a steed,
armour,
and a page
mounted.
They start.
and meet
a crowd
coming from
the Parlia-
ment
of a King
who has
' glad. — P. ■ your.— r.
' P. lias added an e at the end in the
SIS.— F.
■* halted, stood. -
* full.-F.
32
SIR DEGREE.
promised his
lands and
(laughter
to any
kniglit
who'll joust
with him.
No one has
boon able to
do it,
for the King
has broken
their necks
or backs,
or speared
or killed
them.
Degree
resolves to
try the King,
meets him,
and saysho'U
joust with
him.
The King is
glad.
368
372
376
380
384
388
392
396
400
' If any man durst be soe bold
As with, the Kdng lust wold, [page 37«j
he shold haue his daughter in marryage,
& all his lands & his herytage.'
itt is a land good and ffayre,
& the king thereto hath no heyre.
certaine no man dare grant thereto ;
many a man assayd, & might not doe,
for there is no man that rides to him
but hee beates them with stroakes grim ;
of some hee breakes the necke anon ;
of some he brakes backe and bone ;
some through the bodye hee glyds ;
& some to the death hee smites.
vnto him may a man doe nothinge,
such a grace euer hath our Kinge."
Sir Degree stood in a study then,
& thought hee was a mighty man,
" & I am in my younge blood ;
& I haue horsse & armour goode,
& as I trow I haue a good steede ;
I will assay if I can speede ;
& if I can beare thai 'King downe,
I shalbe a man of great renowne ;
& if hee mee ffell can,
there knowes no body who I am."
thus in the Cityc his inne he takes ;
he rested him, & merry makes,
soe on a day the Kimg hee mett,
he kneeled downe, & faire him grott,
& sayd, " my LorcZ, thou King of much might !
my Lord hath sent mee to thee right
to warne you how itt must bee :
lay LonZ will come & flight w/th yee ;
to lust with thee my Lord hath nomm.' "
the K('»7 sayd, " hee shalbe welcome,
' nomm, i.p. takon ; uiidertakoii ; or lakeii iii'on liiiii. —P.
SIR DEGREE.
33
404
be hee K.nig7it or Barrowne,
Erie, duke, or Churle > in townc :
tlieres no man lie ^ fforsake ;
who all may winn, all let liim take."
soe on the Morrow the day was sett,
the 'King aduised much the bett,
but there was not any liuing man
408 that Sir Degree trusted vpon ;
but to the church that day went hee
to heare a ]\Iasse to the trinity e ;
& to the ffather hee offered a ffloren,
& to the Sonne another ffine ;
the 3^ to the holy ghost hee offered ;
the preist in his masse ffor him hee prayed.
& when the Masses were done,
vnto his inne hee went ffull soone,
where hee did arme him well indeed
in rich armor good att need.
his good steed he began to stryde ;
420 he tooke his speare, & fforth gan ryde.
his man tooke another spere,
and after his Master did itt beare :
thus in the ffeild Sir Degree abode then,
424 & the King came With many men.
412
416
Next
morning
Degree
goes to Mass,
then arms
himself.
mounts,
and rides
into the field,
where the
King meets
him.
' a slave, a vassal. See Chauc. — P.
^ there is
I will.— P.
VOL. III.
34
SIR DEGREE.
The lookers-
have never
seen so fair a
man
as Degree.
The King
breaks his
spear on
Degree
without
moviiig him,
and says
They charge
again,
and the King
nearly
unhorses
Degree,
who gets
angry.
432
436
440
444
448
452
[The Third Part.]
[How Degree throws the King, and marries his own Mother.]
"Many came tliither readylye
ifor to see their lusting trulye ;
& all that euer in the fFeild were,
, they sayd & did sweare
S'l parte. < ,
■ -^ that ' ere that time the neiier see
soe ffayre a man with their eye
as was that younge 'Knight Sir Degree ; '
.but no man wist flfrom wence came ' hee.
They rode together att the last
vpon their good steeds ffull ffast :
to dashe him downe he had meant,
& in his sheild sett such a dint ^
that his good speare all to-brast ;
but Sir Degree was strong, & sate fast,
then sayd the King, " alas, alas !
this is a wonderffull case.
there was nener man that I might hitt
that might euer my stroake sitt !
this is a man ffor the nones ^ !
he is a man of great bones ! "
they rode together then with great randome,''
& he had thaught to haue smitten the child downe,
& he hitt Sir Degree soone anon
Right vpon the brest bone, [page 377]
that his horsse was reared on hye,
& Sir Degree he was ffallen nye,
& yett Sir Degree his course out yode,
& waxed angrye in his moode ;
he sayd, " alacke ! I haue mist yett,
and hee hath mee twyse hitt ;
—P.
cane MS. — F.
perhaps dent, impression, mark.
' made on purpose for this adventure.
-P.
* precipitation, see Jun. — P.
SIR DEGREE.
35
by god I will aduise better,
456 I will not long be his debtor ! "
then they rode together w/th much might,
& in their shields their spercs pight ^ ;
& in their sheelds their spares all to-broke ^
460 vnto their hands with thai stroke,
& then the Khuj began to speake,
" giue me a speare that will not breake,
& he anon shall bo smitten downe
464 If hee were as strong as Sampson.
& if hee bee the devill of hell,
I shall him downe ffell ;
& if his necke will not in too,
468 his backe shall, ere I doe goe."
the K-ing tooke a spere stiffe & strong,
& Sir DegTee another strong & longe,
& stoutlye to the 'King hee smitt.
472 [The 3 ] King ffayled ; Sir Degree him hitt,
he made the Kings horsse tnrne vp his ifeete,
& soe S('r Degree him beate.
then there was much noyse & crye ;
476 the King was sore ashamed welnye,
& well I wott his daughter was sorrye,
ffor then shee wist that shee must marrye
vntill a man of a strange countrye
480 the w/i/ch before shee neuer see,
& to lead her liue with such a one
that shee neuer wist ff'rom whence hee came.*
the King sayd then to Sir Degore,
484 " come hither, my ffayre sonne, me before,
flfor if thou were as a gentle a man
as thou art seeming to looke vpon, ,
& if thou coldest witt & reason doe
488 as thou art doughtye man too.
They charge
again,
and shiver
their spears.
The King
calls for a
fresh one :
he'll break
Degree's
neck or
back.
But Degree
upsets him
and his
horse too.
The King's
daughter is
sorry
that she'll
have to
marry a
stranger.
The King
calls Degree,
' struck, Gl. Chaii«r. — P.
* There is a blotted letter in the MS.
with an r over it.-
^ The.— P.
i> 2
* come.— P.
36
SIR DEGEEE.
gives him
his
daughter,
and makes
him heir of
his lauds.
Degree
marries
the
daughter,
(not trying
his gloves
on her),
and she's his
own
mother !
Bnt neither
knows this.
they are
put to bed
solemnly,
and then
Degree
492
496
500
504
508
512
516
I wold tliinke my Lands well besett
if itt -were 5 times bett > ;
fFor "woi'ds spoken I must ^ needs bold.
afore my Barrons that beene see bold,
I take tbee my daughter by the band,
& I cease ^ tbee into my Land
to be my beyre after mee,
in loy and blisse fibr to bee."
great ordinance tben there "was "wrought,
& to the church dore they "were brought,
^ & there -were "wedd in verament
"mto the holy Sacrament.
& looke "what flfolly hapened there !
thai he shold marry his owne mother,'^
the "w/a'ch had borne him of her syde !
& bee knew nothing that tyde ^ ;
shee kne"w nothing of his kinne,
nor yett shee knew nothing of him,
but both together ordayned to bed,
yet peraduenture they might be sibb.''
this did S/r Degree the bold,
bee weded her to haue & hold.
itt passed on the bye time of noone,
& the day was almost done ;
to bed were brought bee and shee
w/th great myrth and solempnytye.
S/r Degree stood & behold then,
& thought on the hermitt, the holy man,
that bee shold neuer [wed] fFor-tby
neither "wydow nor Ladye
' better, larger. — F.
^ There are six strokes for mu in the
MS.— F.
* seize, give possession. — P.
* The Cambridge MS. Ff. ii. 38 is in-
complete, and ends here with
And were weddyd to-gedur verament
vndur holy sacramentc ;
lo I what fortune and balaunce
Be-fallyth many a man horow chaunce,
And comyjj forfie in-to vncow^e lede,
And takyth a wyfe. — Skeat.
* P. has added e at the end in the MS.
— F.
* Cp. the same incident in Eglanwre,
vol. ii. p. 380, I. 1065.— F.
' kin, relations. — P.
SIR DEGREE.
S7
w/tli-out slice might the gloues doe
520 lightlye on her hands towe.
"alacke ! " then sajes S<'r Degree,
" the time that euer I borne shold bee ! "
& sayd anon wt'th heauy cheere,
524 " rather then all my Kiugdome heere
that is now eeazed into my hands/
That [I were fap-e out of this lande."^] [page 37
the ^iii(j these words hard thoe,
528 & sayes, *' my Sonne, why sayst thou soe ?
is there ought against thy -will
either done or sayd, that doe thee ill,
or any man that hath misdoone ?
tell mee, & itt shall be amended soone."
" no, Lord," sayes degree then,
" but for this marryagt' ^ done has beene.
I will not w/th no woman meddle,
neither wifFe, widdow, nor damsell,
w/thout shee may these gloues doe
Lightly vpon her hands tow."
& when they Lady can that heere,
anon shee changed all her cheere,
for shee knew that the gloues longed to her,
& sayes, " giue me the gloues, fayre Sir."
shee tooke the gloues in that stecde,
& lightly vpon her hands them did.
then shee fell downe & began to cry ;
says, " Jjonl god, I aske thee mercy !
I am the mother that did you beare,
& you are mine owne sonne deere ! "
Sir Degree tooke her vp thoe
ffull lightly in his armes towe.
532
536
540
544
548
thinks of
his gloves,
auJ laments
his careless
ness.
The King
asks what
the matter
Degree says
he can lie
with no
woman
whom his
gloves will
not lit.
His wife
asks for
the gloves,
puts them
and tells
Degree
she is his
mother.
They rejoice
' Here follow a leaf and throe quarters
in a difffrent handwriting. — F.
* MS. cut away. — F.
That nowe is soascd into my handc
That I wore fayre out of this laude I— Utt.
* The tag to the ff, which I read c
here, and in lines 555, 567, 568, may
not bo meant for one ; but murri/ag
would look ugly. — F.
38
SIR DEaREE.
and kiss.
Then she
tells her
father
that Degree
is her son,
and how he
was begotten
on her.
Degree asks
her where
his father
She can't
tell him,
but she
gives him
his father's
pointless
sword.
Degree
declares
that he'll
not sleep
till he finds
is
father.
then eitlier of other were fFull blythe,'
& kissed together many a sithe.
the Kjing of them had much marueile,
& at the noyse without fayle,
& was abashed of their weepinge,
" daughter ! what meanes this thing ? "
" father," shea sayd, " will you itt heere ?
you wend that I a may den were,
no, truly, ffather, I am none !
for itt is 20 winters a-gone.
this is my sonne, god doth know,
& by these gloues see itt, Lowe ! "
shee told him altogether there
how hee was begotten of her.
& then bespake Srr Degree,
" 0 sweet mother ! " sayd hee,
" where is my fathers wooninge,^
or when heard you of him any tydinge ? "
" sonne,^ " shee sayd, " by heauen ^inge
I can tell you of him noe tydinge.
bu^t when thy father from me went,
572 a poyntles sword he me Lent,
& hee charged me to keepe itt then
till that time thow wert a man."
shee feicth ^ the sword anon tho,
& S/r degree itt out drew :
Long & broad itt was, pardye ;
there was not such a one in that country.
" now truly," sayes Degree then,
" hee that weelded itt was a man !
but if god of heauen hee may ^ kccpe,
night nor day I will not sleepe
till that time I may my father see,
in Christendome if that hee bee."
552
556
560
564
568
576
580
584
> lili^ff, lictus, Sax. -P.
2 dwelling.— r.
' ? MS. sound.— F.
* Here again is the cth for fch noticed
before, vol. i. p. 23, 1. 73, &e. &c.— F.
^ hee meo. — P.
SIR DEaKEE.
39
[The Fourtli Part.]
[How Sir Degree sets out in search of his Father, falls in love, and undertakes to
fight a Giant.]
'He made [liim merry that ilk night,] ^ [page 379]
& on the morrow when itt was day light
hee went to the Cliirch to heare a masse,
.,, rf J ^ made him ready for to passe,
the 'King sayd, " my next kinne,^
I will giue thee 'Knights w/th thee to winne.^ "
" Gramercy, Lore?," sayes Degree then,
592 L" but With me shall goe no other man
But my knaue that may take heede
of my armour & of my steede."
hee leapt on his horsse, the sooth "* to say,
596 & forthe he rode on his lourney.
many a mile & many a way
hee rode forth on his palfrey,
& euermor ^ hee rode west
600 vntil hee came to [a] ^ forrest.
there wild beasts came him by,
& Powles song therto merrely.
they rode soe Long that itt grew to night ;
604 they sun went downe, & fayled light,
soone after the found a castell cleere, —
a Lady truly dwelled there, —
a fa}Te Castle of lime & stone,
608 but other towne there was none.
Sir Degree sayd to his knaue that tyde,
" wee will to yonder castle ryde,
& all night abyde will wee,
612 & aske Lodging flTor Charity."
Degree
makes
ready to
start,
and will
take only
his own
man with
him.
They ride
westward.
and one
night
come to a
castle,
where
Degree
resolves
to ask for
lodging.
' p[rintcd] e[opy]. — P. MS. pared piignaro, suporare, lucrari. Buns'' Yoc.
away. — F. — P.
^ The MS. has one stroke too many. ■• Truth. — P.
— F. " ever anon. — P.
•' A.S. winnan, laLorare, contendere, * a. — P.
40
SIR DEGREE.
They ride
in,
and stable
their horses,
but can find
no one
about,
only a fire.
Degree sits
down on the
dais.
3 girls in
knicker-
bockers
come in
from
hunting,
but will not
speak to
him.
Then comes
a dwarf
four feet
high,
f.lG
620
624
628
632
636
640
644
• went.— P.
» Deasf, the upper
where the high table
the bridge itt was undrawen tlioe,
tliey gates tliey stood open alsoe.
into they castle they can speede,
but first they stabled vp their steede,
& the sett vp their hackney.
enonghe they found of corne & hay.
they yode ^ about & began to call
both in the court & in the hall ;
but neither for loue nor awe,
liuinge man they none sawe ;
but in the niiddst of the hall floore
they found a fayre fyer in thai hower.
his man sayes, " leaue Sir,
I haue wonder who hath made this ffyer ? "
" but if hee come againe to night,
1 will him tarry, as I am true hnt'gJit.^'
hee sett him downe vpon the desse,^
& hee made him well att ease,
soone after hee was ware of one
tJiat into the dore gan to come :
3 maydens fiayre & fifree
were trussed vp aboue the knee ;
2 of them bowes did beare,
& other towe charged were
With venison that was soe good,
then Sir Degree vp stoode,
& blessed them anon-wright.
but they spake not to the K.niijht,
But into a chamber they be gone, [page 379, col. 2]
& they shut they dore ffull soonc.^
anon then after that withall
a dwarffe came into the hall :
4 foote was they lenght of him ;
his visage was both great & grim ;
' Only one stroke for the n in the MS.
Part of the Hull : — F.
stood.— P.
SIR DEGREE.
41
648
652
656
660
664
668
672
676
the liayrc that on liis Lead Avas,
looked as yellowe as any glasse ;
wi'tli milke wliite Lace & goodly blee,
ffull stoutly then Looked hee ;
hee ware a sercote ^ of greene,
w/th blanchmere ^ itt was ffringed, I weene ;
hee was well cladd & well dight,
his shoes were crooked as a 'Knight ;
& hee was large of fFoote & hand
as any man w<thin the Land.
Si'r degree looked on him tlioe,
& to him reuerence he did doe ;
hut he to him wold not sjaeake ^ a word,
but made him ready to lay the bord.
he Layd on clothe, & sett on bread,
alsoe wine white and red ;
torches in the hall ^ hee did light,
& all things to supper he did dight.
anon then with great Honor
there came a Lat% forth of her bower,
& wi'th her shee had m.ayds 15
that were some in red, & some in greene.
Sir degree ffollowed anon-right,
but they spake not to the 'K.nujht ;
they yode ^ & washed euery one ;
& then to super wold shee gone,
that fiayre Lady that was soe bright.
att middest of the messe shee sate downc right,
& of euery side her may dens 5,
fiayre & goodlye [as any were] ^ aliuc.'^
yellow-
haired,
green-
coated,
shoe-
crooked.
He too
won't say a
word to
Degree, but
lays the
table
for supper.
Then comes
a lady
with fifteen
maids,
who also
won't speak
to Degree.
The lady
and
her maidens
sit down to
supper.
' Sur-coat. — P.
* ? a kind of fur. — F.
^ nold spcake, sic leg':'' — P.
* The Sloano MS. Hoke of Curtasye
assigns wax candles to tho sitting- and
bed-rooms, Candles of Paris (whatever
Ihey wore) to the hall at siipj)er time.
In chainb«r no ly3t jjcrshalle be brent,
Bot of wax ]pcr-io, yf je take tent.
In halle at soper schalle caldels (so)
breune
of parys, l>cr-in )?«t alle men kenne.
liabces Bokc &c. p. 327, 1. 833-6.
* went. — P.
" & goodlye as any were. p. c. — P.
' On the back of page 379, column 2'.' ,
42
SIR DEGREE.
Degree sits
down too,
and takes
ojit his
knife,
but can
hardly eat
anything for
looking at
tlie beautiful
lady.
After supper
the lady goes
to her bed-
room ,
and Degree
follows her.
She plays
the harp,
680
684
688
692
696
700
' " By god," then sayes Sir Degree,
" I liaue you blessed, & you not mee ;
but you seeme dumbe. by St. lolin
I will make you speake & I can ! "
Sir Degree cold of curtesye ;
lie went & sett liim before the Ladye.
& when hee had taken his seate,
hee tooke his knifFe & cut his meate.^
ffull litle att [supper] eates hee,
soe much hee beholds this Mayden ffree ;
hee thought shee were the fayrest Ladye
that euer before hee did see.
& when that they had supped all,
the dwarfFe brought watter into the hall ;
the yode & washed eueiy one,^
& then to Chamber wold shee gone,
"now trulye," sayes Degree, " & after I will
to looke on this Ladye all my flB.ll."
soe vpon the stayres the way hee nome,"*
& soone into the Chamber hee come.
the Lady that was ffayre and bright,
vpon her bed shee sate downe right,
& harped notes sweete and ffine.
her mayds fl&lled a peece ^ of wine ;
[page 380]
aro wi-itton, in a later hand, tlio follow-
ing lines : —
I promised Silvia to be true,
nay out of zeale I swore it tooe ;
& that She might belcive me more,
gave her in writeing wliat I swore. —
nor vowes nor oathes can lovers bind ;
Soe long as pleased, soe long are kinde. —
it was on a leafo : the wind but blew ;
away both leafe & promise flew.
[a space, and then] I tell fhoe Char-
miorn. — F.
' Here the ordinary handwriting of
the MS. begins again. — F.
'^ Kcmember that forks were a luxury
not then introduced. Assume that Dogroc
had washed his hands, and then he'd
have fulfilled the requirements of Trac-
tus Urbanitatis :
To }pe mete when J^ou art sette,
Fayre & honestly thow ete hyt:
Fyrst loke ]pat py liandes be elene,
And pat py knyf be sharpe & kene,
And cutte ]>y breed & alle J^y mete
Ky3th eucn as pan dostc h?t ete.
Jiabcc's Bokc &c. p. 14, 1. 39-44.
^ Scothelayingof the s!<r??«pe, or towel
for the lord to wash with, described in
Eussell, p. 132 of Bahccs Bokc &c., and
the washing at p. 323.— F.
^ nome, took. — P.
* cup. See " Ffor to serve a Lord " in
Babees Boke, and Ladye Bcssiyc. — F.
SIR DEGREE.
43
704
708
712
716
720
724
728
732
& then Sir Degree sett him downe
ffor to heare the harpe sound ;
& through the notes of the harp shrill
he layd him downe and slept his ffill.
that ffaire Lady thai ilke night
shee bade couer the gentle Knight ;
& rich clothes on him they cast,
& shee went to another bed att Last.
& soe on the morrow when itt was day,
the Lady rose, the sooth to say,
& into the chamber they way can take.
shee sayd, " Sir K-iiight, arise and wake ! "
& then shee sayd all in game,
" you are worthy e fFor to haue blame !
fFor like a beast all night you did sleepe ;
& of my mayds you tooke no keepe."
& then bespake Sir Degi^ee,
" mercy, madam, & fforgiue mee !
the notes that thy harpe itt made,'
or else the good wine that I had.
but tell me now, my Ladye hend,^
ere I out of this charaber wend,^
who is Lord in this Lande,
or who holds this castle in his hand,
& whether you be mayd or wifie,
& in what manner you lead jour liffe,
& why you [have] soe * manye women
alone wz'th-out ^ any men."
" S/r," shee sayd, " I wold you tell
& if you wold amend itt well.
my fl'athcr was a bold Barron,
& holden honl oucr tower & towne,
& hee had neucr child but mee,
& I am heyre heere in this countrye ;
plays Degree
to sleep,
and has him
covered with,
rich clothes.
In the
morning
she wakes
liim
and
reproaches
him for his
rudeness.
Degree begs
her pardon,
and asks
her
whether
she's
married,
and why she
has no men
there.
She says
that she is
her father's
heiress,
' of tliy hiirpo it made, i. e. caused it,
Sc. my sleepiness. — P.
" kend, gentle. Gl. Chan. — P.
' WCHf/, go. — P.
* you [have] so. p. c.
* willioutcn. — P.
44
SIR DEGREE.
and has had
many
suitors,
but a giant
■who wants
her
has killed
'em all.
She swoons,
and on her
recovery,
Degree
declares he'll
help her.
She promises
him her
lands
and herself
to do what
he will with.
Degree is
glad
of the
chance of
winning her.
The giant
approaches,
and the
drawbridge
is drawn up.
rac
r40
r44
'48
752
756
7G0
764
768
& there liatli woetl [me] many a 'Knlglii
& many a Squier well dight ' ;
but there then woones there beside
a stout Gyant, & hee is fifull of pryde,
& hee hath me desired long and yore ^ ;
& him to loue I can neuer more ;
& hee hath slaine my men ech.e one,
all sauing my sorry dwarfFe alone."
as shee stood talking, shee fell to the ground
& swooned there in that stond.
& then her Damsells about her come
& comfoi't her, & her vp nome.^
the Ladye wakened, & looked on Sir Degree.
" O Leaue Dame ! " then sayes hee,
" be not adread while I am here ;
ffor I will helpe thee to my power."* "
" S/r," shee sayes, " all my Lands
I doe itt ceaze into jotiv hands,
& all my goods I will tliee giue,
& alsoe my body while I doe line,'''
& ffor to bee att yowr owne will
earlye, late, lowde, and still,
yea and jour Leman fibr to bee,
to wreake ^ mee vpon my enemye."
then was S/r Degree fifaine '' to ffight
to defend this Ladye in her wriglit,
& ffor to sloe the other Knight
& winne the Ladye that was soe bright.
& as the stood talking in ffeere,^
her damsells came with a heauy chcere,
& bade " draw the bridge hastilye ;
for yonder comes jour enemye ;
w/thout you itt draw soone, anon
hee will destroy e vs euerye one.''
[page 381]
' dcck'd, dressed. — P.
" before, formerly. — P.
' nome, took. — P.
' P. has added an e at tlic end. — F.
Tliis line is partly pared away. — P.
revenge. — P.
glad.— P.
togelher. — P.
SIR DEGREE.
45
[The Fifth Part.]
[How Sir Degree kills the Giant, fights and finds his Father, and marries his Love]
"Sir Degree hee start vp anon Degree
& thouglit to make liim readye soone,
& out of a Avindow hee him see ;
_j ,1 tlien to liis horsse fFull soone did hyc.
soe stout a man as hee was one,
in armor say ' sliee neuer none.
then Sir Degree rode fforth amainc rides forth.
776 LfFor to ryde this Gyant againe :
The smote together hard in soothe The giant
. charges him,
thai S/r Degrees horsse backe brake m 2. and breaks
his horse's
" thou hast,"sayes Sa* Degree, "slaine my goodsteede, back in two.
780 but I hope Isl quitt well thy meede !
to sloe thy steed nought I mil,
but flight With thee all my ffill."
then they ffoughten on ffoote in ffeere
784 with hard strokes vpon helmetts Cleere.
the Gyant hee gaue S*r Degree
huge strokes that were great plentye,
and S/r Degree did him alsoe
788 till his helmett & basenett ^ were burst in 2.
the Gyant hee was agreeued sore
because he had of his blood fforlore,^
& such a stroke he gaue S/r Degree thoe
792 that to the ground he made him goe.
S/r Degree recouered anon-right,
& such a stroke hee gaue that Knight,
& vpon the crowne soe hee itt sett,
796 that througe his helme and basenett
he made his sword to goe through his head,
& then the gyant ffell downe dead.
this Ladye lay in her castle,
800 & shee saw the whole battell.
Then they
fight
on foot.
giving one
another
huge
stroltes.
The giant
but ho
recovers
himself,
and kills
the giant.
The lady is
as glad as
saw. — P.
'' iicad -piece. — P.
^ lost.— P.
46
SIR DEGREE.
the birds of
daylight.
thanks
Degree,
kisses him
100 times,
gives him all
her lands
and goods
and herself.
Degree
says he must
first seek
adventures
for a year ;
then he'll
come to her.
804
He rides
westward
till a knight
in rich
armour
rides up to
him
812
816
820
824
828
832
& slaee was glad to see that sight
as euer tlie bird was of daylight.
then Sir Degree carae into the hall,
& against him came the damsell,
& shee thanked him ffor his good deed,
& into her chamber shee did him lead,
& vnarmed him anon thoe,
& kist a 100 times and moe,
& sayd, " Sir, now all my Lands
I doe ceaze into thy hands,
& all my goods I doe thee gine,
& my bodye the whilest I line,
& ffor to bee att jour owne will
early e, late, lowd, and still."
he sayd, " Madam, godamercye
ffor all the ffavour you hane granted race !
but I must into ffarr countryee,
more aduentures ffor to see
vntill this 12 monthes be agoe,^
& then I will come you toe."
hee betooke her to the heauen ~K.ing.
the Lady wept att their departinge.
hee leaped on his horsse, the soothe to say,
& rode fforth on his lourney ;
& euermore he rode west
till a Lane he ffound in a fforrest,
& there came to him [pricking a] K.night ^
That well was armed, & on his horsse dight [page ss'j]
in armour that wold well endure,
with ffine gold and rich azure,
& 3 bores heads where therin,
the w7w'ch were of gold ffine ; —
itt might well bee his owne, soones ffell,^
ffor once hee woono them in battcll ; —
' gone, past. — P.
'^ MS. cut away.— F. pricking
Kt —P.
' sans failc, without fail. See 1. 841.
-F.
SIR DEaREE.
47
& he sayd, " villaine ! what doest thou here
836 within my fforrest to sloe my deere ? "
Sir Degree answered him w/th words meeke,
& sayes, " of thy deere I take noe keepe,
but I am an aduentnrous 'Knight,
840 & I am goinge to seeke warr & ffight."
his ffather answered & sayd sans ffell,
" if thou be come ffor to seeke battell,
buske ^ thee shortly e in a stonde,
844 ffor thy fFellow thou hast ffounde."
then looke what ffolly happened thai tyde !
the Sonne againe the ffather did ryde,
& neither knew of other right ;
848 & thus they began to ffight.
they smote together soe hard in soothe
that their horsses bacckes brake bothe ;
& then they fFought on ffoote in fere
852 w/th hard strokes vpon helmetts cleere.
& this his ffather amarueyled was
of his sword that was poyntles,
& sayd to him anon-right,
856 " abyde awhile, thou gentle Knight !
where was thou borne, in what Land ? "
" Sir," hee sayd, " in England.
a Kings daughter is my mother ;
860 but I cannott tell who is my ffather.
" what is thy name ? " then saycs hee.
" S("r, my name is Degree."
" 0 Sir Degree, thou ai't right welcome !
864 ffor well I know thou art my sonne.
by that sword I know thee lieere ;
the poynt is in my poteuere.^ "
hee tooke the poynt & sett itt tooe,'
868 & they accorded both tooe."*
and asks
him why he's
come to kill
his doer.
Degree says
he doesn't
want his
deer,
but to fight.
The knight
tells him
to make
ready,
and they
fight
fiercely
till the
knight
sees that
Degree's
sword is
pointless,
and asks him
where he was
born.
"In
England,
But I know
not my
father."
" Welcome,
my son !
I know you
by your
Bword."
He fits the
point on to
it.
prepare. — P.
A pocket or pouch.
See Bof/ if
McmHc, vol. ii. p. 305, 1. 21.— F.
3 ? MS. looe.— F. to.— P. ■' tho.— P.
48
SIR DEGREE.
and father
and son are
reconciled.
They go
together
to England.
Degree's
mother
recognises
his father,
and they are
married.
Degree
marries his
own love ;
and so his
troubles
are over.
soe long tliey liaue spoken together,
both, tlie Sonne and the fFather,
thai they haue both accorded att one,
872 the iFather & the sonne alone,
then went fForth S/r Degree
With his owne fiather trulye.
vntill they might England see,
576 they drew thither as they wold bee ;
& when they to the K.ings palace were come,
they were welcome wtth all and some.
& there they Ladye spyed them oner a wall,
880 & to them shee began to call,
& shee sayd, " my deere sonne, S/r Degree,
thon hast thy ffather bronght w/th thee ! "
" now thankes be to god ! " sayd the Yjlnge,
884 " ffor now I know w/th-out leasinge
who is Degrees ffather indeede."
the Ladye swooned in that steade.
then shee & her sonne were parted in twaine,
888 ffor hee & shee were to nye of kinne ;
& then this 'Kiiighi wedded thai ffayre Ladye
before all the Lords in thai conntrye.
& then went fforth S/r degree,
8!)2 & soe did the 'K:lng & all his meanye ;
vnto the castle the roden in ffere —
w^th a companye right ffayi-e —
where dwelled this ^ Ladye bright
896 w/i/ch before he wan in flBght.
& there Sir Degree marryed thai gay Ladye
before all the nobles in thai conntrye.
& thus came the Knighi out of his care.
900 god grant vs all well to ffare I
flins.
' that.— p.
[" In a Mag Morning " and " The Turhc in Linen," printed in L. & Hum.
Songs, |). 74-79, follow here, and take up p. 383 of the MS.']
49
'■^This poem, which is certainly one of the finest in the Folio
Manuscript, is now printed for the first time, and, as it would
appear at present, from the only copy of it in existence. From
its allegorical nature, it contains no historical allusions to assist
us in discovering its date or its author, and the only way left is
to examine the internal evidence. From this, however, it is plain
that the author wrote the poem in imitation of Langland's
Vision of Piers Ploiuman ; and a comparison of the two throws
considerahle light upon its construction and its language. The
author seems most indebted to the later pftssiis of Piers Plow-
man, and I should infer from the line,
& bade tlieni Ixirre bigglyo • Belzebulj his gates,^ (1. 390)
and from other indications, that the particular text of Piers
Ploivman which he knew best was the latest one. And since
the latter part of this latest text was very likely not written
much before 1380, we may be tolerably certain at the outset
that the date of " Death and Liffe " is, at any rate, later than this.
Again, if we compare " Death and Liffe " with one of the latest
pieces of alliterative verse known, viz., the " Scotish ffeilde " (see
vol. i. p. 199 of the present work), we see a remarkable similarity
' 2 fills. Two of llipse sliort Lines are Langland's J'ision uf wiioni this poem is
properly but one.— P. The Anglo-Saxon imitated. And as the stop helps the
alliterative poems are usually written as reader by marking the pause in each line,
prose with frequent dots, and printed it has been carried on through the lines
commonly in short lines; the I-iirlyEug- which are written long in the MS. and
li.sh ones in long lines. The lims of the without pause-marks. — F.
jiresent poem in the Folio MS. are written -This Introduction is by the Kev.
.•^hort to 1. 87 of the text. They are hero W. W. Skeat.— F.
printed long, with an inverted full stop s See Whitaker's edition of /'«ta- P/ow-
at the break between them, after Mr. man, p. S64. The passage about " barre
Skeat's plan in his Purs Ploiomun, from wo ^e jates" is not in Wright's edition.
VOL. ni. E
50 DEATH AND LIFFE.
in the style, diction, and rhythm of these two poems. I have little
doubt but that the same man was the author of both. There is,
in both, the same free use of the words leeds, frekes, bearnes,
segges, as equivalent to men ; the same choice of peculiar words,
such as lueld (to rule over), to keyre to (to turn towards), to ding
(to strike), even down to the occurrence in both of the unusual
word nay, as equivalent to ne, i.e. nor. Where we find in
" Death and Liffe,"
tlie red rayling roses • the riches of flowers (1. 2-i),
we find the corresponding line in " Scotish ffeilde," viz.
railed full of red roses • and riches enowe (1. 26).
So too, the line in " Death and Liffe,"
a bright biirnisht blade • all hloodg heronen (1. 172),
is explained by
till all his hright armour • was all hloudyc heronen (1. 31 of S. F.).
We may even venture, with confidence, to correct one poem by
help of the other. Thus, in S. F. 1. 337,
mauy squires full swiftly • were snapped to the death,
it is certain, no less from the Lyme MS, than from the alliteration,
that squires and snapped should be sivires and sivapped. And
we find the w^ord siveeres, accordingly^, in D. & L. 1. 54. As
another instance, take D. & L. 1. 407 :
he cast a light on the Land • as heames on the sunn.
Here 07i is obviously an error for of; and it at once occurred to
me that beanies is an error for leames, the older form, and the
only one that agrees with the alliteration. This conjecture is
changed to certainty by observing S. F. 1. 309 :
with Icanies full light • all the land over.
Once more, we find, in D. iV: L. 1. 185,
both enuje & anger • in their yerno weeds.
DEATH AND LIFFE. 01
If we consider yerne to mean cai/er (cf. 1. 250), we get no
particular sense, and destroy the alliteration; but if we take it to
mean iron, we are right both wa3'S. That this is correct, is
rendered probable by a similar expression in S. F. 1. 363, viz.,
" in their Steele weeds," wliich is not dubious at all.
It may be observed, too, that the two poems are very nearly of
the same length, and are both similarly divided into two parts.
I shall show presently that the author of " Death and Liffe " was
familiar with " Piers Plowman," and it is equally certain that the
author of "Scotish ffeilde " w-as so too. Compare S. F. 1. 106,
& profor him a present • all of pure gold,
with the original line as it stands in " Piers Plowman,"
And profrede Pees a present • al of pure golde.
(P. PI. ed. Wright, p. 70 ; or ed. Skeat, p. 47.)
Percy himself seems to have been in two minds about this poem.
In one place he says, that " for aught that appears, [it] may have
been written as early [as], if not before, the time of Langland ; " ^
and in another place he says, of the " Scotish ffeilde," and with
reference to " Death and Liffe," that " from a similitude of style,
[it] seems to have been written by the same Author."^ The
former opinion is out of the question ; the latter is, I think, as
good as proved to be correct. Percy further says : " The subject
of tliis piece is a vision, Avherein the poet sees a contest for
superiority between ' our lady Dame IjIfe,' and the ' ugly fiend
Dame Death ;' Avho, with their several attributes and concomi-
tants, are personified in a fine vein of allegoric painting." ^ It
is, indeed, written with great boldness and vigour, and with no
small skill. Lifk is represented as beautiful, loving, cheering
and blessing all things with her gracious and happy presence,
wliilst, on the other hand, and in perfect contrast. Death is
' Reiique.s, vol. ii. p. 303 (oth ed.) sent work.
- Soo vol. i. p. 199, note, of the pre- ^ Eeliques, vol. ii. p. 301.
K 2
52 DEATH AND LIFFE.
repulsive, terrifying, unsparing, with sorrow and sickness in her
train.
The picture of Lady Life as she comes " ever laughing for love,"
is the happiest piece of description in the Folio. All nature
" sways to her as she moves, and circles her with music : "
. . as shee came by the bankes • the boughes cche one
they lowted to that Laclye • & layd forth their branches ;
blossomes & burgens • breathed full sweete,
fflowers fflourished in tlie frith • where shee flforth stepedd,
<f- the grass that was gray ' greened btliue ;
breme birds on the boughos • busilye did singe,
^' all the wild ill the wood • winlye the ioyid. (1. G9-75.)
The dispute between the Ladies turns upon the real meaning
of the death of Christ. Death boasts of the fall of Adam and of
the thousands she has slain, and how she had pierced the heart
of our Lord himself. But, at the mention of His hallowed name.
Life rises up to reply victoriously, and to reprove unanswerably.
She reminds Death of Christ's resurrection, of His triumph over
all the powers of hell, of the impotence of her boasting, and of
her everlasting defeat and condemnation. The poet has a
glimpse of the glories of the general resurrection, and awakes
renewed in hope and comforted at heart with the indwelling
desire of the blessings of bliss everlasting.
I now proceed, iinally, to show to what extent the poet was
indebted to his older and greater brother-artist, William Langland,
from whom no one need be ashamed to borrow. His obligations
are such as detract very little from his originalit}^ and genius,
but they are instructive to the reader, and therefore it is worth
while to point them out. I refer to Wright's edition of " Piers
Plowman," citing by the page as being most convenient.
A few similarities of expression may be first noticed.
(1) till that itt neighed neere noone (1. 137).
Cf. And it ni'ghed neigh the noon (P. PI. p. 425).
(2) how didost thou lust att lerusalcm ■ w/th lesu my lord (1. 3G8).
Cf. And justen with Jliesus (P. PL p. 374); and again,
And who sliolde juste in .Jerusalem (P. PI. p. 370).
DEATH AND LIFFE. 53
3. It is said of Lady Life,
& yett befifore thou wast borne- shoe bred in thy hart (1. 128).
So, of Lady Anima, who is also Lady Life,
And in the hcrte is liir boom • and hir mooste rcste. (P. PI. p. 162.)
4. The expression "care thou noe more " (1. 131) occurs in a
different poem altogether, viz. in Pierce the Ploughmans Crede
(1. 131, ed. Skeat, 1867); but the expression "to ken kindlye,"
in the former half of the same line, is from P. PI. p. 20.
5. In 1. 119, praysed should he prayed. Cf.
Thanne I conrbed on my knees • and cried hire of grace,
And preide hire pitously, &c. (P. PI. p. 19.)
But I pass on to points of greater interest and importance.
Here is the passage which gives the keynote to the whole poem :
Deeth seith he shal fordo • and adoun brynge
Al that lyveth and loketh • in londe and in watre.
LiF seith that he lieth • and leieth his lif to wedde,
That for al that Deeth kan do • withinne thre daies
To walke and fecche fro the fend • Piers fruyt the Plowman,
And Icgge it ther hym liketh • and Lucifer bynde,
And for-bete and adoun brynge ■ bale deeth for evere.
G mors, ero mors tua, &c. (P. PI. p. 371.)
Again,
Lif and Deeth in this derknesse • hir oon fordooth hir oother.
Shall no wight wite witterly • who shal have the maistrie
Er Sonday aboute sonno risyng. (P. PI. p. 373.)
The idea of beholding all in a vision is common enough, as in
Chaucer's House of Fame and the Romaunt of the Rose ; but
there are jjoints in the present poem which are obviously adopted
from Langland, and from no one else. Thus the poet wanders
through a frith full of flowers (1. 22):
I seigh flourcs in the fryth ■ and hir faire colours. (P. PI. p. 224.)
He wanders by the river-side, and falls asleep (1. 26-36) :
I was wery forwandred • and wente me to rcste
Under a brood bank • by a bournes side ;
And as I lay and lenode • and loked on tlie watros,
I slonilirod into a slepyng • it sweyed so niuryo. (P. PI. p. 1.)
54 DEATH AND LIFFE.
Or, as Langland says on another occasion,
Blisse of tlie briddes • broughte me a-slepe. (P. PI. p. 15o.)
Next, he imagines himself on a great mountain (1. 40) :
On a mountaigne that myddel-ei'the • higlite, as me thoughte. (P. PI. p. 221.)
Line "49 he adopts from Langland, almost without alteration :
Mo Lifel a forly • of fairye, me thoghte. (P. PI. p. 1.)
He sees in his vision an innumerable host of people (1. 50-56) :
A fair feeld ful of folk • fond I ther bitwene
Of alle mancre of men • the meene and the riche. (P. PI. p. 2.)
In particular, he observes a lovely lady (1. 60) :
A lovely lady of leere • in lynnen yclothed,
Cam doun from a castel • and called me faire. (P. PI. p. lo.)
She is in gorgeous attire, like a second lady described by Lang-
land :
And was war of a womman • wortliiliche y-clothed,
Purfiled with pelure • the fyneste iipon erthe,
Ycorouned with a eoroune- the kyng hath noon bettre, &c. (P. PI. p. 28.)
The lady, however, is called Life, and has in her train Sir
Comfort, Sir Hope, Sir Hind, Sir Liffe, Sir Likinge, &c. (1. 100-4.)
This i^ evidently Langland's Lady Anhna, with her attendants
Sir Se-wel, Sir Sey-wel, Sir Here-wel, &c. (P. PL p. 160.) After
this, however, the poet's mind again reverts to Langland's Lady
Holichirche, who says of herself:
I nnderfeng thee first • and the feitli taughte. (P. PI. p. 19.)
Life offers to instruct him, but he is rather afraid of her, just
as Langland is of IlolichircJic. But just then, a noise is heard
"in a nooke of the north ;^^ i.e. in the quarter where Lucifer
dwells ; of. ponmn pedem in aqailone, quoted in P. PL p. 22,
or, as it stands in Whitaker's edition, at p. 18,
Lord, why wolde lie tho • thulke wrechede Litcifer
Lepen on a lofto • in the northe syde ?
The earth trembles at the approach of Death (1. 147):
'J'lic \\:\\ w:iggode and clcef • and ;il I he woi'ld qnaved. (P. PI. p. 373.)
DEATH AND LIFFE. 55
Decatli appears, terrible and resistless, described by Laiigland
with astonishing vigour in the lines :
Deeth cam dryvynge after ■ and al to duste passhed
Kynges and knygbtes • kaysers and popes.'
Lered and lewed • he leet no man stonde
That he hitte evene ■ that overe stired after.
Manye a lovely lady and lemmans of knyghtes
Swowncd and swelted • for sorwe of hise dyntes. (P. PL p. 431.)
There is next a strife between Death and Life, as in the pas-
sages of Langland already quoted, and we find Death boasting
of her jousting with Jesus at Jerusalem. After this point in the
narrative, the reader will no longer have to look hither and
thither for parallel passages, but should read over Passus XVIII.
of " Piers Plowman," and he will find there the same account of
Christ's descent into hell, or as it is more generally termed, "the
harrowing of hell," because our Lord harried or ravaged hell,
despoiling Satan of his prey. At Christ's descent, a wondrous
leme ^ (or fjleam) shines around :
Tho while this light and this leme ■ shal Lucifer ahlende. (P. PI. p. 377.)
whilst a loud voice is heard, commanding Lucifer to unbar the
gates :
A vols loude in that light • to Lucifer crieth,
Prjmccs of this place ■ unpyuneth and unlouketh. (P. PI. p. 385.)
And with that Lreeth belle brak • with Belialles barres. (P. PI. p. 388.)
and Christ enters in triumph, and binds Lucifer in chains (P. PI.
p. 393). He next delivers "Adam and his issue," returning wdth
them to Paradise :
and tho that oure Lorde lovedo • into his light he laughte. (P. PI. p. 388.)
After this triumph the poet beholds a glimpse of the general
resurrection, but the sublimity of the spectacle wakes him :
men rongen to the resurexion • and right -nitli that I wakede. (P. PI. p. 39o.)
I have only to add that the poem known by the title of "The
' Two more forcible lines are seldom * I have before shown tiiat /frtwifs is
to be met with. the true reading in 1. 4(17.
56
DEATH AND LIFFE.
Harrowing of Hell " has been edited by Mr. Collier and by
Mr. Halliwell ; that another version of it is to be found in " The
Parliament of Devils " (see " Hymns to the Virgin and Christ,
&c.," ed. Furnivall, E. E. T. Soc. 1867); and that the common
source of all these appears to be a curious passage in the Apoc-
ryphal Gospel of Nicodemus, for which see Cowper's recently
published translation of these Gospels.
[The First Part.]
vHRIST, christen king • that on the crosse tlioled,'
hadd ^ paines & passyons * to deffend our soules,
gine vs grace on the ground ' the ^ greatlj'c to serve
for that royall red blood • that rann ffrom thy side,
& take * away of thy winne ^ word • as the world asketh,^
that is richer of '^ renowne " rents or others,
for boldnesse of body • nor blythenesse of hart,
and learning 8 coninge of Clearkes • ne cost vpon earth ;
but all wastetli away • & worthes ^ to nought.
when death driueth att the doore ^ ' w^/th his darts
keene,
then noe trnse '° can be taken • noe treasure on earth,
but all Lordshipps be lost • & the liffe both,
if thouhaue pleased the prince ' ^/^atparadice weldeth,^'
there is noe bearne ^^ borne • tliat may thy blisse recon ;
but if thou haue wrongffully wrought • & will not
amend,
thou shalt byterlye bye ^^ " or else the booke ffayletb.
Christ,
give us
grace to
serve thee
for all
strength
must come
to nought
when we
die.
The good go
to bliss,
the wron,
doers to
woe.
12
IG
' qu. tholedst, i.e. suffered. Jun. — P.
^ qu. liaddest. — P.
» thee.— P.
* i.e. & to take &c. in proportion (or
in the .same measitre) as the World asks
other things. — P.
* winne. A.S. wi?zfe, juciindus ; w/;;»,
amicus. Lye. — P.
* Cp. Vis. of P. PL, Proh : wercliyngo
& wandrynge • as the world iiskith. —
Skeat.
■ Qu. or.— P.
* turns or becomes, S. wror^pan, esse,
Fieri. Lye. worth, to wax, to become.
Gloss, to G. D.— P.
» ? MS. doere.— F.
'" trusse, package. — F.
" i.e. governeth. Juiii. — P.
'■^ i.e. child, human creature: man &c.
See Gaw". Doug*, passim. — P.
" lii/itn. Sax., habitare. possidore.— P.
abyo, A.-S. ahicgan. Cp. " Shal abien it
bitlre. • or tlie book lieth." P. PI. ed,
"Wrighf. p. 58.- Sk(>at.
DEATH AND I.IFFE.
57
20
24
28
32
3G
40
therfore begin in god • to great en our workes,
& in his tfaytliffull sonne • tltni tfreelye liim followetli
in hope of the holy ghost " that yeeld shall neuer.
god thai is gracyous • & gouerne vs all,
hringe vs into blisse ■ that brought vs out of ball ' !
thus ffared I through a fiiyth ^ • were fflowers were
manye,
brisrht bowes in the banke " breathed ffull sweete,
the red rayling ^ roses • the riches ■* of fflowers,
land ^ broad on their bankes " w/th their bright Leaues,
& a riuer tJiat was rich • runn ouer the greene
With still starring streanies " thai streamed ffull bright,
over the glittering ground • as I there ^ glode,''
methought itt Lenghtened my liffo ' to looke on the
bankes.
then among the fayre flowers * I settled me to sitt
vnder a huge hawthorne * that hore was of blossomes ;
I bent my backe to the bole ^ ' & blenched ^ to the
streanies.
thus prest I on apace • vnder the greene hawthorne.
ifor breme ^^ of the birds ' & breath of the fflowers,
& what for waching & wakinge ' & wandering about,
in my seate where I sate " I sayed a sleepe,
lying Edgclong on the ground • list i' all my seluen,
deepe drcames and dright ^^ " droue mee to hart,
methought walking thai I was • in a wood stronge,
vpon a gi'cat ]\Iountaine ■ where Mores ^^ were large.
May f!o(l
lii-iiii? us into
bliss !
I walked
through
a wood full
of flowers,
with a
river
mulling
through,
and the
siglit
seemed to
lengthen
my life.
I sat down,
and the
birds' song
sent me to
sleep,
and I
dreamed
that 1
walked on a
mountain
[page 385]
' ba]e, sorrow, misery. — P.
^ frith dim sylvani Nota vit. Ita Jul.
Burns dovencrat. [?M.S.] "Wherever you
fare, by frith or by fell," i.e. quocunq«e
Iter foceris, sive ]ier sylvam, .sivo prr
Campu/«. Gloss, ad G. D. So Douglas
Xn. C. 793, rognata per arva, "rang
(reigii'd) baith be frytli & fald." And in
Prol. to Lib. 13. In frith or feilde.— P.
' Cp. "The rose raijleth hir rode."
Mon-is's Sj^ecimins, glossed "■ rayle, to
deck, ornament; raylcth, 'pais on (as a
garment). A. -8. hrcFc/cl, a garment ;
wiienco night-rrt<7." IJut see railingc,
1. 37G below. — F.
* richest. — P.
' ? leaned, or layd, as in 1. 63.— F.
" It there, qu. — P.
' i.e. glided, gladc, Scot, apud G.
I)nuc/las, est, went, passed, swiftly.
Gloss, ad G. Doug/rts.— P.
" i.e. tlie body or trunk. — P.
" shrunk, started, leantd tow«rds. — P,
Cf. blink.— Skeat.
"• A. S. breminan, fremere : celebrare.
—P.
" ? for lift, left, left alone.— Sk.
"^ great, noble, line, A.-S. drilit. — Sk.
'^ iiuire, Mons, borealibus Anglis. A.S.
mor, Mons. L[ye]. — P. Moors. — Skeat.
58
DEATH AND LIFFK.
whence I
saw
all the world
in its wealth.
And on the
South I saw
a crowd of
knights,
dukes,
earls, and
squires.
44
48
52
56
On the
East I saw
a lovely 60
lady
that I might see on euerye side • 17 miles,
both of woods & wasts * & walled townes,
comelye castles & Cleare • wtth caruen towers,
parkes and Pallaces • & pastures ifull many,
all the world full of welth • vuulye ^ to behold.
I sett me downe softlye • and sayd these words :
" I will not kere out of Kythe ^ • before I knoAV more."
& I wayted ^ me about * wonders to know,
& I ^ ff'ayi'lye beflfell • soe fayre me bethought
I saw on the south syde * a seemelye sight,
of comelye Knights full keene " & knights ^ ffull
noble,
Princes in the presse ' proudlye attyred,
Dukes that were doughtye * & many deere Ei'les,
Sweeres ^ & swaynes ' that swarmed fiull thicke ;
there was neither hill nor holte ^ " nor haunt there
beside,
but itt was planted ffull of peoj^le • the plaine and the
roughe.
there ouer that oste ^ " Estward I looked
into a boolish ^ banke • the brightest of other,
that shimeredi" and shone • as the sheere '' heauen
throughe the light of a Ladye " that longed '^ therin.
shee came cheereing ffull comlye • wi'th companye '^
noble,
vpon cleare clothes ' were all of cleare gold.
' fort^, winli/e,[.e. pleasantly, jiicunde.
Lye. — P. ? viewlye. — F.
^ Kythe, knowledge. — P. region, A.-S.
cyS. — Skeat.
* Old Prench gaiter, to spy about. — ■
Sk.
•* it, query. — P. "Me bifel a ferly •
of fiiirye me thoghte." Vis. of P. PL, Pro-
logue.— Skeat.
^ King.'!, Qu.— P.
* furte sqiiires. — P. Yes, often used
in AUit. Poems, ed. Morris &c. — F.
' holt, a wood, a rough Place, &c.
Lye. hiiUis, Scot., are hills, higher
grounds, or rather Woods & forrests
(so). Gloss, to G. D.— P.
8 hoste.— P.
^ Perhaps " tumid, swelling, rounded."
Thus hole in 1. 32, from Old English
holne, to swell; see Partenay, s.v. bolnid.
Cf. "The flax was hulled," Bible.— Sk.
'" idem (ic glimmered, Chauc. A.S.
scymricm, to shine, glitter. L. — P.
" sheer, pure, clear. Johns.— P.
'^ lodged, longed. Qu. — P. Abode,
dwelt, A. -Sax. lingian : lodged is quite
wrong. See L 136. — Sk.
" Only half the 7) in the MS.— F.
DEATH AND LIKFE.
59
layd brode vpoii the bent ' ■ Av/tli brawders ^ ffull riclio,
04 before iltai ffiiyre^ on the ffeeld • where shee fforth
passed,
shee was brighter of lier blee * ' then was the bright
sonn ,
lier rudd '' redder then the rose " thai on tlie rise ^
hangeth,
meekely smiling w/th her mouth • & merry in her
lookes,
cner laus^hinj; for loue ' as shee hke wold.
& as shee eame by the bankes • the boughes eche one
they lowted^ to thai Ladye • &layd forth their branches,
blossomes & burgens ^ • breathed ffull sweete,
fHowers fflourished in the frith ' where shee fforth
stepedd,
& the grasse thai was gray • greened beliue ;
breme birds on the boughes • bnsilye did singe,
& all the wild in the wood • winlye the ioyed.
Kin^s kneeled on their knees • knowing thai Ladye,
& all the princes in the presse • & the proud dukes,
Barrens & bachelours ^ * all they bowed flfull lowe ;
all p/ofrereth her to please • the pore and the riche.
shoe Avelcometh them ffull winlye ' wi'th words ffull
hend, [page 38G]
l)oth barnes '" & birds • beastcs & fowlcs.
then /Aat lowly Ladye i' "on Land where shoe standeth,
6S
72
76
80
brighter
than the
sun,
redder than
tlie ru'-e,
laughing
f(ir love.
The boughs
liowed to
her,
the blossoms
breathed
sweet,
the grey
gi'ass turned
green,
the -wild
beasts were
glad,
kings
kneeled to
her,
the nobles
bowed,
and all
proffered to
please her.
She wel-
comed them
all.
' Lf-nt, ■vvliPre rushes grow — the field.
Gloss, ad G. Doug" Declivity. In Scotch
it signifies a field. See Gloss. — P. layd
l)rode = siiread out, i.e. her train Liy on
tlie ground. Cf. 1. 2;"). — Sk.
^ i.e. cmbroid cries. ^ — P.
' i.e. Fair thing. Fair Creature, v.
1. 450.— P.
•• complexion ; S. Jihoh, color. — P.
* ruchi, ccjmplcxion. Jun. — P. A.-S.
riidti, ruddiness. — Sk.
" rises, Scot., are Lulrushcs, flags, ulva.
or it may signify shruhs, bushes. Gloss,
ad G. 1). rise, Chaucero est virga, sur-
cuhis, a shoot, sju'ig, &c. : e.g. "As
■white as is the blossom on the Rise."
Mi. G. 2IG: "As white as Lillie or
Rose on the rise." R. R. 1015. Jun.
— P. Gcr. reis, a twig. — Skoat.
' A. S. /'/«;'«??, incurvare &e. Jun. — P.
*• burgcn, burgeon, the same as Imd.
Jun.— P.
" i.e, Knights. Thxis in K/^?g Richnrcl
F''s Song (Qu. printed in Hor. Walpole's
royl Authors. St. G. il backaliers qi son
hgierc sain doubtless means Kinfffits.
See also many other places in this col-
lection.— P. See Gloss, to Land luf. — Sk.
'" i.e. children, human creatures. — P.
" lovely Lady. Vid. Lin. 258.— P.
60
DEATH AND LIFFE.
She was
clad
In green
her dress
cut low to
show her
breasts
and her
beautiful
neck.
A crown
was on her
head, and a
sceptre in
her hand.
Her suite
were.
Comfort,
Hope,
Love,
Courtesy,
and Honour
her steward.
thai was comelye cladd • in kirtle & Mantle
84 of goodlyest greene • that euer groome ^ ware,
for the kind ^ of tlia\, cloth * can noe clarke tell ;
& shee the most gracyons groome • that on the ground
longed ;
of her driiiyes ^ to deeme ' to dull be my Avitts,
88 & the price of her [perrie ^] ' can no P[erson] ^ tell ;
& the colour ^ of her kirtle ' was caruen ffull lowe,
that her blisfull breastes ' bearnes might ^ behold,
w/th a naked necke " that neighed '^ her till,
92 that gaue light on the Land • as beames of the sunn,
all the 'Kings christened * wrth their cleere gold
might not buy thai ilke broche ^ ' that buckeled her
mantle,
& the croA\Tie on her head • was caruen in heauen,
96 w/th a scepter sett in her hand • of selcoth ^° gemmes :
thus louelye to looke vpon • on Land shee abydeth.
merry were the Meanye '^ ' of men that shee had,
bly th bearnes of blee • bright as the sunn :
100 Sir Comfort, thai K.nighi ' when the court dineth.
Sir Hope & S/r Hind ' yee ^^ sturdye beene both.
Sir Liffe & S/r Likinge • & Sir Loue alsoe,
Sir Cunninge '* & Sir Curtesye " that curteous were of
deeds,
104 & Si'r Honor ouer all ■ vnder her seluen.
a stout man & a staleworth ^'^ ■ her steward Lwisse.
' groome, puer, famiilus, also a young
man, see Johnson, from Fairfax : " in-
treat this groom & silly Maid." — here it
is used equivalent to homo, m. & f. — P.
^ Qu. kind : if /odd, perhaps from
kniit.—F.
* JJrurie, chaucero denotat amicitiam,
amorem. Lye. Scot, gifts, presents,
love-tokens. Gloss, ad Gr. D. — P.
* In this lino a word is missing. It
is surely the word pcrrir, precious stones,
never missed in deseriliing ladies: see
P. PL ed. Wriglit, p. 51 1, note to 1. 901 .
— Skeat.
* Person. — P.
® Qu. Collar, or y" Parr round the
neck. See Johnson. — P.
' nnight MS.-F.
* neighed them till. Qu. — P.
" i.e. an ornament, jewel, clasp. Jun.
—P.
'° i.e. rarus. Lye. — P.
" familia, multitudo. Lye. — P.
'^ that or who. Qu. — P.
" One stroke too few in the j\IS. — F.
" i. 0. fort is, stout, lusty, strong. Lye.
—P.
DEATH AND LIFFE.
61
108
112
slice had Ladyes of loue • longed her about :
Dame mirth, & Dame Meekenes • & Dame IMercy the
hynd,i
dalljance & disport • 2 damsells Hull sweete,
w/tli all heawtye [&] blisse • beanies to behold,
there was minstrelsye made " in full many a wise, —
Avho-soe had craft or cuninge " kindlye to sliowe, —
both of 2 birds & beastes • & bearnes in the leaues ;
& ffishes of the fflood • ffaine ^ of her Avere ;
bii-ds made merrye w^'th their mouth • as they in mind
cold,
tho * I was moued w/th that mirth • that maruell mee
thought ;
what woman that was " that all the world lowted,
I thought speedylye to spye • speede if I might,
then I kered ^ to a knight • Sir Comfort the good,^
kneeling low on my knees • curteouslye him praysed.
I willed him of his worshipp ' to witt ^ me the sooth ^
of yonder Laf///c of loue • & of her royall meanye.
liee cherished me clieerlye ' by clieeke & by chin,
& sayd, "certes my sonne • the sooth thou shalt
knowe.
124 tliis is my Lady dame Liff'o " that leadeth vs all,
shee is worthy & wise • the welder of loye,
gi'eatlye gouerneth the ground ' & the greene grasse,
slice hath ffostered & fled thee • sith thou was fiirst
borne,
& yett beffore thou wast borne ' shee bred in thy hart,
thou art welcome, I-wisse • vnto my winn Ladye.
If thou wilt wonders witt • feare not to ffraine,^
116
120
Her ladies
were.
Mirth,
Mercy,
and Disport;
and about
her was
song of men,
of birds
aud beasts.
128
I longed to
know who
this lady
was.
I knelt to
Sir Comfort
and asked
liiin to tell
me.
Hr said,
" She is
Liuiy Life,
wlio has
kept you
from your
birth.
Yoii are
welcome to
her."
' Iliii'', villic'us, A.S. hinc, servus,
(lomcsticiis. Lye. perhaps fiord. — P.
Certiiinly fii/nd, hend, gentle. — >Skeat.
- of, (Iclond. — P. of=Ly, and is re-
quired by the verb made in 1. 110. — Sk.
' faine, hihiris, ghui. Lye. — P.
* i.e. then. — P.
* kere, A.S. C'crran, cijrrun, vertcre.
Lye.— P.
"prayed. Qu.— P. Lines 117-19 arc
written as foui* in tho MS. — V.
' witt, scire, hlc c^t, facer e notuiii. — P.
^Qcken, 1. 131.— F.
" sootli, vcrus, Veritas. Jun. —P.
" frayne, interroqnre. Jun. to ask,
desire. Gloss. G. b.— P.
62
DEATir A^^D LIFFE.
I thoiifrbt
I would be
hers for
ever,
and our
joy lasted
till an hour
after noon.
But by two 140
a born was
heard from
the North,
blowing a
burly blast,
and an
ugly ghost
appeared.
a woman
with a gold
crown,
& I shall kincllje thee ken ' ' cave thou iioe more."
132 then I was fearfull enoughe • & ffaythfFtillye thought
' that I shold long with dame liffe ' & lone her for euer,
there shall no man vpon mold ' mj mind from her take
for all the glitteringe gold • vnder the god of heauen.'
13G thus iu liking this liuinge " the Longed ^ the more
till thai itt neighed neere noone • & one hower after
there was rydinge & revell ' that ronge in the hankes
all the world was full woe * winne to ^ behold,
or itt turned from 12 ' till 2 of the clocke,
much of this melody e * Avas maymed & marde :
In a nooke of the north • there was a noyse hai'd,
as itt had beene a horne • the highest of others,
w/th the biggest here ■* * that euer bearne wist;
& the burly est ^ blast " that euer blowne was,
throughe the rattlingo rout " runge ouer the fieelds.
the ground gogled ^ for greeffe " of that grim dame ;
I went nere out of my witt • for wayling care ;
yctt I bode on the bent • & boldly e looked,
once againe into the north " mine eye then I cast.
I there saw a sight • was sorrowfull to behold.
152 one of the vglyest '^ ghosts • that on the earth gone,
there was no man of this sight • but hce Avas affrayd,
soe grislye & great * & grim to behold.
& a quintfull * queene ^ ' came quakinge before,
156 w/thacarued crowneonher head ■ all of pure gold, [p.387]
& shee the ffoulest ffreake "^ • that formed was euer
144
148
' ken, scire, perspicere, intellig/re. Jim.
licre it signifies (transitively) to shew,
make known, inform. See Witf, vcr. 120.
—P.
- alxnle. MS. Longer. — F.
' viiin, Woe to. Qu. — P. The word
iroe is llie difficulty : may it be A.-S. wo,
woh, in the original sense of bent, m-
clincd? Or rather, it's put for V'n[d']e —
mad. Wiiuie is joy, pleasure .-^Sk.
'' bare, fremere, fremitus, roaring,
raging noise. Lye. — P.
^ btirly, great of stature or size, bulky,
corpulent. Johns. — P.
" joggled, wagged, shook. — Sk.
' most fright-causing. — F.
' quaintful, quaint, neat, exact, nice,
liaving a petty elegance. N.l?. Q) aint
is in Spencer quailed, dipircssed. John-
son.— P.
' Sc. Pride, compare tliis with Line
183.— P.
"* freke, Jtomo, a humrn creiiture.
Lyc.-P.
D CAT II AND LIFFE.
63
both of Lido & hew • & hearc * alsoe.
shee was naked as my nayle * both aboue & beloAve,
160 shee was lapped about • in Linenn breeches.
a more fcarffull face ' no freake might behold ;
for shee was long, & leane " & lodlye ^ to see ;
there was noe man on the mold • soo mightye of
strenght,
164 but a looke of that Lady • & his liffe passed.
his'^ eyes farden'* as the fyer • tJiai in the furnace
burnes ;
they Avere hollow in her head • w/th full hcaiiye
browes;
her cheekes were leane ' w/th lipps full side,^
168 w/th a maruelous mouth * full of long tushes,
& the nebb ^ of her nose * to her navell hanged,
& her lere ^ like th* lead • that latelye was beaten,
shee bare in her right hand * & ® vnrid ^ weapon,
172 a bright burnisht blade " all bloody beronen,'"
& in the left hand " like the legg of a grype, ' '
vfiih the talents that were touchinge ' & teenfull '^
enoughe.
w/th that shee burnisht vp her brand • & bradd'-' out
her geere ;
176 & I for feare of that freake • ffell in a swond.
had not S/r Comfort come ' & my care stinted,
I had beene slaine Av/th that sight • of that sorrowfull
Ladye.
Ilcr face
was fearful
to see.
Death was
in her look.
Her eyes
flamed like
fire.
Her nose
hung clown
to her
navol.
In her right
hand was a
bloody
sword,
in her left
!i vulture's
talons.
I swooned,
but Sir
Comfort
' hair.- P.
'•^ loilly or lofllyp, I.sl. lehhir. Tiirpis
sonlidiis, A I. Ir'ul, iiboniiiiabilis. M*' Lyo
MS.— P. loiitlily, Cf. 1. 303.— Sk.
» Her.— P.
* i.e. fared, passed, wont, were. — P.
* side, longiis, prolixus. Lj'c. — P.
' nebbc, rostrum, AS. vultiis, item
nasus. Jun. — P.
' Lore, Lyre, Caro. Lyo. Itan, coiii-
ploxion. Glcss. ad G. D.— P.
" an.— P.
" unrUI, pei'liaps tiie saino as unriidc
in G. Doug' ; nulc, ludcous, linn-iLlo.
Gloss, ad G. D.— P. The root scorns to
be the A.-S. rife or kre^e, cruel, fierce.
The prefix may be the A.-S. an- or on-.
— Sk.
'" Fcr/i boronon or boruncn, vid. p.
367, St. 48 [of MS.].— P. be-run, run
over with. — Sk.
" i.e. Griffin.— P.
'- toon, esf injuria, ve.ra/io. Jun. Sor-
row, grief. .Jolinson. — P.
'" braid, brade, vet. rxpenjij'acirc, aa-
J'lrrc, cducrc. Lye. — P.
64
DEATH AND LIFFE.
reassured
me.
told me she
was Death,
with Pride,
her suite,
Envv,
Wrath,
Mischief,
Sorrow,
and all who
loathed
their life.
She slept
on the
grass,
and the
trees
trembled,
the leaves
dropt.
the fish
were still.
She hied to
the happy
crowd.
and slew
kings,
princes,
dukes,
180
184
then lie lowted to me low ' & learned me well,
sajd, " be thou not abaslied • but abyde there a while ;
here may thou sitt & see " selcothes ^ ffuU manye.
yonder damsell is death ' that dresseth her to smyte.
loe, pryde passeth before • & the price beareth,
many sorrowffull souldiers ' following her fast after :
both enuye & anger • in their yerne ^ weeds,
morninge & mone " Sir Mis[c]heefe his fierc,^
Sorrow & sicknesse • & sikinge in hart ;
188 all tJiat were lothinge of their lifi'e • were lenf* to her
court,
when shee draweth vp her darts ' & dresseth her to
smite,
there is no groome vnder god • may garr her to stint,
then I blushed* to that bearne ' & balefullye looked:
] 92 he ^ stepped forth barefooted! • on the bents browne,
the greene grasse in her gate • shee grindeth all to
powder,^
trees tremble for ffeare • & tipen ^ to the ground,
leaues lighten downe lowe ' & leauen their might,
fowles faylen to fflee • when ^ the heard wapen,
& the flfishes in the fflood ' ffaylen to swimme '°
ffor dread of dame death • that dolefullye threates.
With that shee hyeth to the hill • & the heard ffindeth :
in the roughest of the rout • shee reachcth forth darts,
there shee fell att the first fflappe ' 1500
of comelyes Queenes w/'th crowne * & Kiiigs full noble,
proud princes in the presse ' prestlye ^^ slice qucllethe ;
of dukes that were doughtye • shee dang out the
brayncs ;
196
200
204
' i.e. rarities, vid. L. 96. — P.
* yerae, prnmptus, ciipidus. L. — P.
■'' fero, socivs, vet. ang. L. — P.
* led. — P. Qu. MS. Ictit, or a t crossed
throiigli for tlie first stroke of an ?i. — F.
Ic7it is sliort for levgrd; tlius vcre lc)it =
abode, dwelt. See lott iu Halliwell.
— Sk.
* vide Lin. 389.— P.
« slie.— P.
' Compare this passage with the beau-
tiful bit about Life, lines 69-75.— F.
* tip, Icvifer tangere. L. — P.
" UHin. Query. — P.
'» MS. swimnc.— F.
" prest, paratus, statini. Lye. — P.
DKATII AMJ I.H'I'E.
()5
merry maydeus oil the mold • sliee miglitilye killetlie ;
there might no weapon them warrant ' nor no walled
towne.
younge children in their craddle ' they dolefullye dyen ;
208 shee spareth fibr no specyaltye ' but spilleth the
gainest ^ ;
the more woe shee worketh • more miglitye shee
seemeth,
when my Lady dame liffe ' looked on her deeds,
& saw how dolefullye ' shee dunge ^ downe her people,
'212 shee cast vp a crye ' to the hye TLiug of heauen ;
& he hearkneth itt hendlye " in his hye throne,
hee called on countenance • & bade his course take,
"ryde thou to the reschew ' of yonder wrought^
Ladye.
216 hee was bowne "* att his bidd • & bradd ^ on his way.
that wight,^ as the wind ' that wappeth '' in the skye,
he ran out of the rainebow ^ " through the ragged
clowds,
& light on the Land • where the Lords [lay] slaine.
220 & vnto dolefull death ■ he dresses him to speake ;
sayth : "thou wrathefull Queene " that euer woe worketh,
cease of th.y sorrow • thy soueraigine comiHandeth,
& let thy burnished blade ' on th.e bent rest,
224 that my Lady dame lifFe " her likinge may haue."
then death glowed & gran • for gryme^ of her talke,"'
merry
r.u;iitls,
arid bubiL's
too.
Life then
cried to
God,
and He sent
Countenance
to lier rescue.
Countenance
rushes down
like the
wind,
and bids
Death
cease her
slaughter,
that Life
might have
her way.
Death
' ffdh), \hc reverse oi mujain, (aiikward,
clumsy) i.e. clever: handy, ready, dex-
trous. Johnson. — P. - dang. — P.
^ wrouf,'ht, Scot, wraik, to vex ; Sax.
wrccan, exulare ; wreccan persequi, iilcisci ;
wrecca, miser, exul. Wnnifjht perhaps is
the same with the Scotch wrachit, i.e.
wretched. — P.
■■ bown, jun-aius. L. — P.
* vid. 176 ver.— P.
" WKjht, swift, nimble. Johnson. — P.
' wappeth, A.S. tvajrpiati, Phictuare,
[wapcan, vafuin, to waver, Eosworth],
perhaps wii.vcih, see S<i.v(.n, written so
in folio lO.j "Saxon Harold," al.so vcr.
248 of this song. — P. See Waft in 'Wedg-
wood. Wajype is iised in Maleore's
Arthvr of the lafping of the vavcs in
the bit about Artliur's death, and Sir
Bcdevere. — Sk.
' The w is made over a i/ in the MS.
— R
* Query furegrhn, i.e. very grim: fore
ill composition sometimes strengthens
the meaning, e.g. fore done, fore siianio,
fore slow. See Johnson on these, grtpiic
is foulness, dirtiness, im]nirity. — P. A.-S.
grim, fury, rage ; gij/iucfan, to rage. — F.
'" h)oked fiercely and grinned for rage
at Countenance's talk. — F.
vol,. III.
66
DEATH A^"D LIFFE.
earthed her
sword.
Counten-
ance,
and then
rebukes
Death:
" Devil's
daughter,
[page 388]
why kill'st
thou man,
and grass,
and trees.
God's handi-
work ?
He blest
them,
bade them
increase and
multiply,
but sliee did as sliee dained ^ • durst sliee noe otlier ;
shee piglit the pojnt of her sword • in the plaine earth,
228 & w/th a looke full layeth ^ • shee looked on the hills,
then my Lady dame Liffe * shee looketh full gay,
kyreth ^ to countenance ' & him comelye thankes,
kissed kindlye that ^niglii ' then carped * shee no
more,
232 but vnto dolefull death • shee dresseth her to speake,
sayth : " thou woefull wretch " weaknesse of care,
bold birth ^ full of bale ' bringer of sorrowe,
dame daughter of the devill ' death is thy name ;
236 but if thy fare be thy '' fairer ■ the feend haue thy soule.
couldest thou any cause ffind ■ thou Kaitiffe wretch.
That neither reason nor wright "^ ' may raigne w/th
thy name ?
why kills thou the body • iliai neuer care rought ^ ?
240 the grasse nor the greene trees " greeued thee neuer,
but come fibrth in their kinds • christyans to helpe,
with all beawtye & blisse ' thai barne ^ might devise,
but of my nieanye thou marreth • marveild I haue
244 how thou dare doe them to death • eche day soe manye,
& the handy worke of him • thai heauen weldeth !
how keepeth thou his comandements ' thou kaytifFe
retch !
wheras banely '"^ hee them blessed • & biddeth them
thriue.
248 waxe fforth in the Avord • & worth '^ vnto manye,
' ordained, bade. — Sk. The context
wants the meaning — " was told to." — F.
'■= laith, loath, A.S. Z«S ; O. E. laid ; in-
visuH, niolcstus, odiosus, fastidium creans,
Jun.— P.
' Kereth, ver. 118, quern vide. — P.
A.S. cyrrun, to turn. — F.
* to carp, \otiiVs.. Scottish. Lin. 361,
Gloss, to Ramsays Evergreen. Here it
seems used forcomplained. Carpit, spoke,
talked, complained. Gloss, to G. Doug'.
—P.
^ P>irlh, bulk. . . burthen. Gloss, ad
G. Doug.— P. « the.— Sk.
' right.— P. * wrought. — Sk.
» MS. harme. The alliteration re-
quires h ; and h is continually miswritten
for h. It should be harne = btarnc (1. 265).
— Sk.
" hanely, perhaps readily, from banc,
p. 363, St". 28. — P. Bane, kind, courteous,
friendly. Northern. This is Kennett's
explanation of the woixl in MS. Lansd.
1033. Hallivrell.— F.
" worth, cssc,fi<:rL A.S. tcodhan. Lye.
-P.
and thou
puttest
ttii'in to
death.
DEATH AND LIFFE. 67
& thou lett them of their leake ^ " w/th thy liddei-"'^
turnes !
but W('th wondering ^ & ^\'it'h woe ' thou waiteth them
full yorne,'*
& as a theefe in a rout • thou throngeth them ^ to death,
252 that neither nature, nor I " ffor none of thy deeds
may bring vp our bearnes • their bale thee betyde !
but if thou ^ blinn ^ of that bine " thou buy must full Stop, or
you'll suffer
deere ; for it i"
they may wary " the Aveeke • that euer thou Avast
flformed. ' '
256 then death dolefully e • drcAv vp her browes, Death
■^ ^ answers :
armed her to ansAver • & vpright sliee standeth,
& sayd : " o, louelye liffe • cease thou such wordes !
thou payneth thee with pratinge • to pray me to cease.
260 itt is reason & right " that I may rent take " it is right
that I
thus to kill of the kind " both ^'viujs & dukes, should kill
soBie,
Loyall Ladds & liuelye • of ilke sort some ;
all shall drye ^ Av/th the dints • that I deale Av^'th my
hands.
264 I AA'old haue kept the com7»andement ■ of the hye 'K.ing
of heauen,
but the bearne itt brake • that thou bred vp ffii'st for the
when Adam & Eue ^^ • of the earth were shapen, broke God's
& Avere put into Paradice • to ])lay wtth theii* selues, in Paradise,
268 & Avere brought into blisse • bidd if the ^' Avoid.
he Avarned'2 them nothing in the world • but a Avretched
branche
' leak, vid. lin. 301.— P. A.-S. lac, thulcdst in 1. 1.— Sk. * MS. then.— F,
play, sport. — F. " i.e. unless thou. — P.
'^ Udder, slow, sluggish, lazy. Gloss. ' blinn, vet. A. ccssare, desincre, dcsis-
ad G. D. ; or perhaps as the Sax. lUer, tcrc. Lye.— P. ? bine. — F.
i.e. malus, sordidus, servilis. — P. A.-S. " wnri/, Chauc. est detestari, execrari,
li/^re, ly^cr, bad, wicked. Bosworth. — vid. Junius. — P.
F. " drie, drien, tolcrare, pati. Sax. drco-
^ Only half of the last ?z is in the MS. ym. Lye. dre, to suffer, endure. Gloss.
— F. adG. U. dye, qu.— P.
* greedy, vid. L. 185.— P. eagerly. '" There is a tag at the end like an r
A.-S. georne. — F. waitdh is used for in the MS.— F.
luaitcst; this agrees Avith tholcd for " bido if they.— P. '^ forbade.— Sk.
68
DEATH AJND LIFFE.
when Eve
plucked the
apple.
Then I,
Death, gript
my sword,
and hit
Adam and
Eve and
their off-
spring.
Leave me,
Life ! I hate
thee and thy
servants,
and have no
pleasure in
their mirth.
My gladdest
game is to
iiew at thy
joys."
272
276
280
284
of tlie fFayutyest ftruit ■ that euer in ffritli grew;
yett his bidding they brake • as the booke recordeth.
when Eue ifell to the ffruite " w/th ffingars white,
& pkicked them of the plant • & poysoned them both,
I was ffaine of thai ffray • my ffawchyon I gryped,
& delt Adam such a dint • thai hee dolue euer after.
Eue & her ofspring • I hitt them, I hope,
for all the musters ^ thai they made • I mett wtth them
once,
therfore, liffe, thou me leaue ' I loue thee but a litle ;
I hate thee & thy houshold • & thy hyndes ^ all !
mee gladdeth not of their glee • nor of their gay lookes ;
att thy dallyance & thy disport • noe dayntye ^ I haue ;
thy ffayre liffe & thy ffairenesse * IFeareth ^ me but litle ;
thy blisse is my bale ' breuelye ^ of others,
there is no game vnder heauen • soe gladlye I wishe
as to haue a slapp wi'th my ffawchyon • att thy fayre
state."
Life rejoins :
"Thy sword
shall never
bite me ;
but when
men
are joyful
with wife
and child,
[The Second Part.]
f Then liffe on the land • Ladylike shee speakes,
sayth : " these words thou hast wasted " wayte ^
I thou no other ;
2 ffitt <( sliall thy bitter brand neuer • on my body byte.
I am grounded in god • & grow for euermore ;
but to these men of the mold • marvell me thinketh
in whatt hole of thy hart ■ thou thy wrath keopeth :
202 whet^e ioy & gentlenesse • are ioyned ^ together
betweene his Avight^ & his wiffe ' & his winne^ children.
' musttn-s. Qu. — P. devices, tricks.
— F.
- servants. — F.
' daintye, &c. I have no scruple, cere-
mony. Soe Johnson, Ad Verb. 3''. sense.
— P. daintye, delight. — F.
■• yt,'rtr = frighten. So in Shakespeare:
' Warwick was a bug, that feared us
all.'— S.
* bremely, Vid. p. 246, St. 19, vi 1. p.
388, lin. 360.— P. ? briefly.— F.
* Qu. wate, Scot. i.e. wott. — P.
' The i lias an accent on it as if for c.
— F. ^ a wight.— P. » pleasant.— F.
DEATH AND LIFKE.
69
300
304
& when ffaitli & fFellowsliipp • are flfastened ffor aye,
loue & charitye • which our lord likethe,
296 then thou waleth ^ them with wracke • & wrath offully
beginneth ;
vncurteouslyo thou cometh • vnknoAvne of them all,
& lacheth ^ away the land • that the Lore? holdeth,
or woryes his AvifFe " or Avalts ^ downe his children,
mikle Avoe thus thou waketh ' where mirth was before,
this is a deed of the dcvill • death, thou vsest ;
but if thou leaue not thy lake '' • & learne thee a better,
thou wilt lach ^ att the last • a lothelich^ name."
" doe away, damsell," q^toth death • " I dread thee
nought !
of my losse ^ that I losse ^ • lay thou noe thought ;
thou prouet mee full prestlye • of many proper thinge ;
I haue not all kinds soe ill • as thou me vpbraydest ;
308 where I wend on my way • the world will depart,
bearnes wold be ouer bold • bales ffor to want,
the 7 sinnes for to serue • & sett them full euer,
& giue no glory vnto god " that sendeth vs all grace.
312 if the dint of my dart • deared^ them neuer,
to lett them Avorke all their will • itt were litle Toy.
shold I for their fayrnesse * their ffoolishnes allowe,
my liffe (giue thou me leaue) • noe Leed ^^ vpon earth
31 G but I shall master his might • mauger his cheekes
as a Conquerour keene • biggest of other,
to deale dolefull dints • & doe as my list ;
for I fayled neuer in fight • but I the ffeild wan
thou
destroyest
their lands
or loved
ones :
a deed of the
devil."
Death
answers :
"I am not so
guilty as
you, Life,
would make
me.
Prevent
men from
sinning,
and subduo
them all.
Never have
I failed
in fight.
' to wale, digere, forte hfc transitive
pro 'to make to wail.' — P. waletli =
afflietest. A.-S. wcelan, to afflict, vex.
— Sk.
"^ lach, latehe. To take, catch, snatch.
A.-S. I(eccan, comprehcndero, rapere.
Urry in Cliaiicl — P.
' A.-S. Vfellan, to roll, tumble. — V.
* lake, hidere. Lye. — P.
* A.-H.lceccan, ffe/a'ccaii, to take, catch,
seize. (See note ^.) — F.
* i.e. loatli.'iome. — P.
' praise, fame. — F.
« lose.— P.
' Dere, Chauc" est Icedcre, nocere. Lvo.
-P.
'" Leed, kid, a Person (Scottish).
Gloss, to Pamsay's Evergreen. Ic'ul, a
man, from Icod, Sax. Homo. Gloss, ad
G. 1). _r.
70
DEATH AND LIFFE.
I killed
Adam,
Methuselah,
Joseph,
Abraham,
Saul,
Jonathan,
David,
Solomon,
Alexander,
Arthur,
Hector,
Lancelot,
Gallaway,
and all the
knights of
the Bound
Table.
I jousted
with Jesus.
320 sitli tlio ffirst fFrcake • thai formed was eiier,
& will not leauo till the last bee • on the beere layd.
but sitt sadlye,' thy lifFe ^ * & ^ soothe thon shalt know.
If euer any man vp on mold • any mirth had,
324 thai leaped away with thee, liffe * & laughed me to
scorne,
but I dang them wt'th my dints • vnto the derife''
earthe.
both Adam & Eue • & Abell, I killed ;
Moyses & Methasula • & the meeke Aronn [page 3S9]
328 losua & loseph • & lacob the smoothe,
Abraham & Isace ' & Esau the roughe ;
Samuell,'^ for all his ffingers ' I slew wi'th my hands,
& lonathan, his gentle sonne ■ in Gilboa hills ;
332 david dyed on the dints ■ tJiat I delt oft,
soe did Salomon his sonne • thai was sage holden,
& Alexander alsoe • to whom all the world lowted ;
in the raiddest of his mirth ■ I made him to bow ;
336 the hye honor thai he had • helped him but litle ;
when I swang him on the swire ^ ' to swelt "^ him
behoued.
Arthur of England • & Hector the keene,
both Lancelott & leonades • w/th other leeds manye,
340 & Gallaway the good lS.n!ghi • & Gawaine the hynde,^
& all the rowte I rent * ffrom the round table :
was none soe hardye nor soe hye ' soe holy nor soe
wicked,
but I burst them w/'th my brand • & brought them
assunder.
344 how shold any wight weene * to winn me on ground ?
haue not I lusted gentlye ' with lesu. of heauen ?
' seriously, composed, still. — P.
- Thou Life.— P.
" the.— P.
* See pag. 116, St. 39,— P, fierce,
cruel. — F.
» Saul. %r.— P.
* swire, swira, swir-han, collum, cervix.
—P.
' Swelt, S. sweltan, obire, languescere.
Swelt, to be choaked, suffocated, die.
Gloss, ad G. D.— P.
" honde, as in 1. 107.— Sk.
DEATH AND LIFFE. 71
he was frayd of my fFacc • in fFresliest of time.
yett I knocked liim on the crosse ' & earned ^ throu^he and piercpd
'' . ° his heart."
his hart."
348 & w/th thai shee cast of her crowne • & kneeled downe At Christ's
, name ail
lowe Icueel.
when shee minned ^ the name • of thai noble prince ;
soe did liffe vpon land • & her leeds all
both of heauen and of earth • & of hell flFeends,
352 all they lowted downe lowe ' their Lore? to honor.
then liffe kneeled on her knees • With her crowne in Life
her hand,
& looketh vp a long while ' towards the hye heaiien -,
shee riseth vpp rudlye ^ * & dresseth her to speake,
356 shoe calleth to her companye ' & biddeth them ^ come then caiis
her company
neere, to her,
both Kin^s and Queenes • & comelye dukes:
" worke wiselye by yo?(r witts • my words to heare
thai I speake ffor jouv speed • & spare itt noe longer." ^
360 then shee turneth to them ' & talketh these words, f"/] ^^P =
' " Death, thy
shee sayth ^ : " dame death, of thy deeds • now is thy ^^onirhave
doome shapen ^^X^.
through thy wittles words ' thai thou hast carped,
w/iich thou makest with thy mouth • & mightylye
avowes.''
364 thou hast blowen thy blast • breemlye ^ abroade ^'^°" \^^^
•' •> boasted
how liast thou wasted this world " sith Avights were ^„*^ders of
first,
euer murthcrcd & marde " thou makes thy avant.^
of one point lett vs proue • or ^^ wee part in sunder :
' carve, sccare, incidirc, sculpcre. Jun. ' The next two pages <ar6 boiTowed
See also Johnson : Sense 6'.'' — P. from I'. PL Passiis xviii. — Sk.
^ minn, viiiiff, to mention. Vid. lun. ® On these introductory words, see Mr.
Lye. — P. The alliteration and sense Skeat's Essay on Allit. Metre. — F.
both show it should be nemned. nem is ' avowest. — P.
miswritten min. — Sk. *■ forte breemlj'e, breme, est atrox,
' rude, is stiff, strong. It. forcible, ferox ; A. -Sax. lireman, fremere. Lye.
vehement, ap;<d G. Douglas.— P. ? for "vid. p. 246, St. 19, 388, 1. 283.— P. MS.
7-ad/i/c, A.Sdx. radlice, quickly, speedily. breenlye or breitlye. — F.
— F'. ♦ thenn MS.— F. » boast.— Sk. '» ere.— Sk,
72
DKATH AM) LIKFR.
of jousting
with Jesus.
But he
conquered
thefi.
Thou didst
beat and
buffet him,
and wound
him on the
cross
368 how diciest thou lust att lerusalem • wi'th lesumy lord,
where thou deemed his deat[h] • in one dajes time ?
there was thou shamed, & shent' • & stripped ffor aye !
when thou saw the Kw;^ come • w/th the crosse on his
shoukler ;
372 on the top of Cahiarye • thou camest him against ;
Hke a traytour vntrew ' treason thou thought ;
thou layd vpon my leege lord " lotheliche hands,
sithen beate him on his body • & bufFetted him rightlye,
376 till the railiuge 2 red blood • ran from his s[i]des,
sith rent him on the rood • with ffull red wounds,
to all the woes tJiai him wasted • I wott not ffew,
tho deemedst to haue ^ beene dead • & dressed for
with a spoar.
But the
glory of his
Godhead
drove thee
into Hell,
where thou
toldest
380 but, death, how didst thou then • w/th all thy dorffe "*
words,
when thou prickedst att his pappe • with, the poynt of
a speare,
& touched the tabernackle • of his trew hart
where my bower was bigged^ • to abyde for eucr?
384 when the glory of his godhead • glented ^ in thy face,
then was thou feard of this fare ' in thy false hart ;
then thou hyed into hell hole ' to hyde thee beliue ;
thy fawchon flew out of thy fist • soe fast thou thee
hyed;
388 thou durst not blushe "^ once backe • for betteiior worsse
but drew thee downe ffull • in that deepe hell,
& bade them barre bigglye ^ " Belzebub his gates.
then the told ^ them tydands • that teened them sore,
' shend, slicwt, oonfundere dedecorare.
Lye.— P.
* railing, rails, apxid G. Doug', is,
springs, gushes forth, runs. Jl'ln. xi. 724,
C'riior i\- ]'itls(e lalnuitur nhathcrc plnmo',
w/i/cli is thus rendered "al the Lhido ha-
boundantly furtli rails" and — the "licht
downis up to the skyis glydis." raylcd
is used by Chaucer in this (Sense. — P.
^ him tn have. — P.
■' Vid. P. 116 [of MS.]— P.
* big, Scotis est coudere, nedificare.
Lye.-P.
^ to glent, to glance. Urry. In Chauc^
" Her evin glent aside." Tr. & Ores. —
P.
' so -wo .say "at first blush." See
Johnson. — P.
* biggly, i.e. mightily. — P.
" tlinii toldest. — P.
DEATH AND LIFFE.
73
392 how thai King came • to kitlien ' his strenght,
& how shee hud beaten thee on thy bent • & thy brand
taken,
w/th euerlasting liffe • that longed ^ him tilh
then the sorrow was fFull sore • att Sathans hart ;
396 hee threw ffeends in the fFyer • many ffell thousands ;
&, death, thou dange itt on • whilest thou dree ^ might ;
for fFalte of thy ffawchyon • thou fougbt with thy hand.
host this neuer of thy red deeds • thou ravished bitche !
400 thou may shrinke for shame • when the sooth heares.
then I leapt to my lord • thai caught me vpp soone,
& all wounded as hee was • w/th weapon in hand
he fastened foote vpon earth • & ffollowed thee ffast
404 till he came to the caue • thai cursed was holden.
he abode before Barathron • thai bearne, while he
liked,
thai was euer merke as midnight * w/th mour[n]inge
& sorrowe ;
he cast a ligbt on the Land • as beames on * the sunn.
403 then cryed thai King • with a cleere steuen,^
"pull open yo»r ports • you princes w/thin !
here shall come in the K.ing • crowned w/th ioy,
w/i/ch is the hyest burne ^ • in battell to smite."
412 there was flfleringe ^ of ffeends ■ throughe the fyer
gaynest,7
hundreds hurled on heapes • in holes about ;
the broad gates, all of brasse • brake all in sunder,
& the King w/th his crosse • came in before.
416 he leapt vnto Lucifer • thai honl himselfe,
then he went to the tower * Avhere chaynes were manye,
how Christ's
everlasting
Life had
beaten thee.
Boast not,
then, beaten
bitch 1
For Christ
followed
thee to Hell,
and bade its
princes open
its gates
and i-eceive
their King.
The gates
burst
asunder.
Christ bound
Lucifer,
' KytliP, to iippoar, Item, to make
appear, to show, ab A.S. cy^an, narrare,
ostendere. cy^e notitia, cy^cre martyr,
testis. Gloss, ad G. Doug. — P.
^ belonged. — .Sk.
* dree, ()u. — P. f/rec = endure, hold
out. A.-Sa.x. drengan. This is from
Goth. (iriuffan = serve as a soldier, fight,
the very sense here, viz. to hold out in
fighting.— Sk.
' of. —P. Should be tones of. hcame
is a stupid alteration for Icme, and de-
stroys the chief-letter.— Sk.
■'■ voice, sound. Lye. — P.
" (^u. barne.— P.
' ? fleinge. gaynest = quickest. — Sk.
74
DEATH AND LIFFE.
& bound liini soe biglye • that liee for bale rored.
death, thou daredst ^ that day • & durst not be seene
420 ffor all the glitering gold ' vnder god himseluen.
Then to the tower hee went ' where chanes are many ;
hee tooke Adam & Eue • out of the old world,
Abraham & Isacc • & all that hee wold,
424 david, & danyell ' & many deare bearnes
that were put into prison ' & pained ffull long,
he betookc me the treasure ■ that neue>' shall haue end,
that neue>- danger of death • shold me deere after.
428 then wee wenten fforth ■ winlye^ together,
& Left the dungeon of devills * & thee, death, in the
middest.
& now thou prickes ffor pride ■ praising thy seluen !
therfore bee not abashed ' my barnes soe deere,
432 of her ffauchyon soe ffeirce • nor of her ffell words,
shee hath noe might, nay no meane * no more you to
greeue,
nor on jour comelye corsses * to clapp once her hands.
I shall looke you ffull liuelye " & latche ffull well,
436 & keere ' yee ffurther of this kithe "^ • aboue the cleare
skyes.
If yee [loue] well'^ the Ladye * that light in** the mayden,
& be christened with creame ' • & in yo«r crecde
beleeue,
haue no doubt ^ of yonder death • my deare children ;
and fear not 440 for yonder [death] is damned • with devills to dwell,
where is wondering, & woe • & wayling ffor sorrow,
death was damned that day • Daring ffull still,
shee hath no might, nay no maine ^ * to meddle with
yonder ost.
[page 390]
rescued
Adam and
Eve,
Abraham,
Daniel, and
many more.
He freed me
from death,
and we went
forth
together,
leaving thee,
Death, in the
dungeon of
devils.
My children,
fear not then
Death's
sword.
I shall lead
you up to
Heaven.
Love Mary,
be chris-
tened,
she cannot
meddle with
everlasting
Life."
' dereclst. — P. This daring, 1. 442, is
Chaucer's dare, said of a hare that lies
and dares. See Morris, Specimens, p. 436,
note to Werwolf, 1. 15. — Skeat.
- A.-S. wynlice, joyously. — F.
3 turn?— Sk.
* A.-S. cy^, a region ; cij^^e, a liome,
native country. — F.
* ye serve well, or love. Qu. — P.
« hight is. Qu.— P.
' chreame, Gr. xpiff^ia, gallico chresme,
oleum sacratum quo in Bapt'."" utobantur.
Lye.-P.
* fear. — Sk.
° maine, S. m(ppi, rohur, vis. Ncscio
an Might respiciat animi. Main, vim
corporis. Lye. — P.
DEATH AND LIFFE. 75
444 against euerlasting liife • thai Ladye soe true."
then my Lady dame liffe " w/tli Lookes soe gay,
that was comelye cladd • ^vith. cliristall ^ and Mantle, Then Lite
raised the
all the dead on the ground • doughtilye ^ shee rayseth dead,
448 fairer by 2 ffold • then they before were.
With that shee hyeth ouer the hills • with hundreds fiull and hied
•^ away witn
manye.3 hundreds.
I wold haue ffollowcd on that faire •* • but no further I i tried to
follow,
might ;
what With wandering ^ & w/th woe * I waked beliue.
452 thus fared I throw a ffrith • in a ffresh time,
where I sayd a sleepe • in a slade greene ; ^u* awoke.
there dreamed I the dreame * vrhich dread all be- Such was
niy QrG3.in«
frighted.
but hee that rent all was ^ on the rood ' riche '' itt him-
seluen,
456 & bring vs to his blisse • with blessings enowe ! May Christ
, ,-, fulfil it,
therto lesu of lerusalem ■ grant vs thy grace, and bring us
t A I to His bliss!
& saue there our howse • holy for euer ! Amen i
ffins.
• kyrtle Query, petticoat. Lat. En- ^ fair thing, Scil*. — P.
eombomata. Jun.— P. A word like * Only one stroke for the second n in
plicor follows in the MS., but is not the MS. — F.
in Junius. — P. * was all rent. Qu. — P. all is de trap.
* doughty, strenuus, impavidus, aiii- — Sk.
mosus. Jun.— P. ' ? rule, control. A.-S. ricsian. Or
» Only half the n in the MS. — F. riche = rithe, rihte, set right.- -Sk.
76
Wiillmn X off Cloutitdlce : '
TiiK version here given of this well-known ballad differs very
slightly from that printed by Copland circ. 1550, reprinted (with
some alterations from the Folio) in the Reliques, and again by
Eitson in his Pieces of Popular Poetry.
The ballad is no doubt far older than the oldest copy extant.
Dunbar (who died circ. 1530) makes mention of one of its three
famous heroes. A fragment of an edition older than that pub-
lished by Copland has been recovered by Mr. Payne Collier.
It's merry to
hunt in the
green forest.
[The First Part.]
[How ' Cloudeslee is tane and damned to death.']
MeRRYE : itt was in the greene fforrest
amonge the leaues greene,
wlieras men hunt East & west
4 w^th bowes & arrowes keene,
And I'll tell
you of S
northern
yeomen,
to raise the deere out of their den ;
such sights has oft beene seene,
as by 3 yeomen of the north countrye,
by them itt is I meane.
Adam Bell,
Olym of the
Cloughe,
and William
Clowdeslee,
the one of them liight Adam Bell,
another Clymm of the Cloughe,
the 3*? was william of Clowdeslee,
12 an archer good enoughe.
' In 3 Parts. N.B. This is in print in Old Black Letter. Some corrections may
lif had from this.- P.
AUAM HELL, ETC.
77
16
they were outlawed for venison,
these yeomen eueryeche one ;
they swore then ' brethren on a day
to English wood for to gone.
now lithe ^ & listen, gentlemen
that of mirth louetli to heare !
2 of them were single men,
20 the 3*^ had a weded ffere.^
outlawed for
taking
veuison.
wilh'am was the weded man ;
^ much more then was his care,
hee sayd to his brethren vpon a day,
24 to Carleile hee wold fare,
William is
married,
and says
he 11 go to
Carlisle
there to speake wt'th faire Allice his wiffc
and his children three.
" by my truth," said Adam Bell,
28 " not by the councell of mee ;
to see his
wife and
children.
warns him
"for if wee ^ goe to Carlile, Brother,
& from this wylde wood wende.
If thai the lustice doe you take,
32 yo«r lifie is att an end."
" If thai I come not to Morrow, brother,
by prime ^ to you againe,
ti'ust you then thai I am tane
36 or else thai I am .slaine."
that he'll
be taken.
hee tooke his leaue of his brethren 2,
& to Cai'lilc hee is gone ;
there he knocked att his owne windowe
40 shortlye and anon.
William
goes to his
home,
knocks for
' them. Eeliques (collated only now
and then). — F.
^ lithe, attend, hearken, listen. Lye.
-P.
^ fere, companion. Iiui. — P.
* One stroke too many in the MS. — F.
* MS. prine.— F.
78
ADAM BELL, CLIME OF THE CLOUGHE,
his wife,
and tells her
to let him in.
44
"where be you, ifayre Allice ? " lie sayd,
" my wiffe, and children three ?
lig-htlye lett in thy owne husband,
William of Clowdeslee."
She saj's
the place
is wiitched.
" alas ! " then sayd fFaire Allice,
and sighed verry sore,
" This place hath beene beset for you
48 this halfe a yeere & more."
" Let me in,
and give me
food."
" now am I heere," said Clowdeslee,
" I wold that in I were ;
now ffeitch vis ^ meate & drinke enoughe,
52 & lett vs make good cheers."
shee ffeitcht him meate & drinke plentye,
like a true weded wiffe ;
& pleased him with thai shee had,
56 whom shee loued as her liffe.
An old
woman
kept 7 yeara
by William's
chaxity
there lay an old wiffe in the place,
a litle before ^ the ffyer,
w/a'ch willi'am. had found of charytye
60 more then seauen yeere.
goes to
the Justice,
and tolls him
Clowdeslee
is at home.
vp shee rose, & forth shee goes, —
Euill mote shee speede therfore ! — •
for shee had sett ^ no ffoote on ground
64 not 7 yeere before.
shee went into the lustice hall
as ffast as shee cold hye :
" this night," shee sayd, " is come to towne
68 William of Clowdeslee."
' ? M.S. for vus, or vs, us. — F.
* besydo. — Bel.
^ Ouc stroke too many in the MS. — F.
AND WILLIAM OF CLOUDEyLEE.
79
72
therof the lustice was full faine,^
soe was the Sherriffe alsoe ;
" thou shalt not trauell hither, dame, for nought ;
" thy meede thou shalt haue ere thou goe."
He is glad.
they gaue to her a right good gowne, —
of Scarlett itt was, as I heard saine,^ —
shee tooke the gift, & home shee went,
re & couched her downe ag^aine.
and gives her
a scarlet
gown.
they raysed the towne of Merry Carlilc
in all they hast they can,
& came thronging to wjlh'ams house
80 as fast as they might gone ;
Then he
raises
the town.
there they besett the good yeaman
about on euerye syde.
wilKcim heard great noyse of the ffolkes
84 that thitherward fast hyed.
and
surrounds
William's
house.
Alice opened a backe windowe,
& looked all about :
shee was ware of the lustice & Sherr[i]ffe both,
& With them ^ a fi'ull great rout.
William's
wife Alice
sees them,
" Allice,^ treason ! " then cryed Allice,
" Euer woe may thou bee !
goe into my chamber, sweet husband," shee sayd,
92 " Sweete William of Clowdeslee."
and sends
William into
her room.
he tooke his sword & his buckelcr,
his bow, & his cliildreu 3 ;
he went into the strongest chamber,
96 where he thought the surest to bee.
' glad.— P.
" Of sciirlatc, and of graiiiu. — JicL
One stroke too many in the MS,-
Alas.— /iW.
80
ADAM LELL, CLIME UF THE CLOUGIIE,
She seizes
a poleaxe.
William
shoots the
Justice on
the breast,
but it is
armoured.
The Justice
calls on him
to yield,
and orders
the house
to be fired, '
His men lire
it.
William lets
his wife and
children out
of a window.
and prays
the Justice
to spare
them.
ffayre AUice, like a louer true,
tooke a Pollaxe in lier hand ;
said, "liee shall dye tliai cometh in
100 this dore, while I may stand."
Cloudeslye bent a right good bow
thai was of a trustye tree ;
he smote the lustice on the brest
104 tliai his arrowe burst in 3.
" gods curse on his heart," sayd william,
" this day thy cote did on !
if itt had beene no better then mine,
108 itt had beene neere the bone."
" yeelde thee, Cloudeslee," said the lustice,
"& the bow & arrowes thee froe."
" gods cursse on his hart," sayd faire Allice,
112 " tliai my husband councell[e]tli soe ! "
"sett ffire on the house," said the sliirriffe,
" sith itt will nt)e better bee ;
& burne wee there william," he sayth,
116 " his waffe & his Children 3."
the ffyi'ed the house in many a place,
the ffyer ffledd on hyo ' :
" alas ! " then said ffayre Allice,
120 " I see here wee shall dye."
wilL'ft.m opened a backe windowe
thai was in his chamber hye ;
& thei^e w/th sheetes he did let downe
124 his wiffe and children 3.
"haue you here my treasure," said Wilh'am,
" my wific & Children 3 ;
for gods loue doe them noe hareme,
128 but wreake you all on mee ! "
And burnt tlie okl woman and her scarlett gowne, 1 hope. — F.
AND WILLIAM OF CLOUDESLEE.
132
WilKam sliott soe wondei'oiis well
Till liis an'owes were all agoe,
& fiire soe fFast about him ffell
tliai liis bow strino: burnt in towe.
[page 392]
He shoots
on,
the sparkles brent & fell vpon
good wilh'am of Clowdeslee ;
but then was hee a wofull man, & sayd
" this is a cowards death to me !
but the fire
gains on
him,
" leever had I," said will/am,
" w/th my sword in the rout to runn,
then here amonge my enemyes wood ^
140 soe cruellye to burne."
and he
resolves
to cut his
way
through his
foes.
he tooke his sword & his buckeler then,
& amongst them all hee ran :
where the jjeople thickest were,
144 he smote downe many a man ;
there might no man abide his stroakes,
soe ffcircleye on them hee rann.
then the threw windowes & dores att him,
148 & then the tooke thai yeoman.
He rushes
out,
and kills
many,
but is taken,
there they bound him hand & ffoote,
& in a deepe dungeon ^ him cast,
"now Clowdeslee," sayd the lustice,
152 " thou shalt be hano-ed in hast."
and cast into
a dungeon.
15G
" one VOW shall I make," sayd the Shirriffc
" a paire of new gallowes shall I ffor
& all the gates of Carlile shalbe shutt ;
" a paire of new gallowes shall I ffor thee make ; ^ {,'Sm a
there shall noe man come in thej-att.
The ShcrifE
promises
imir of new
gallows.
' i.o furious. — P.
- Ouo stroki! too tow for nn in the MS.
-F.
vol,. III.
A payr of ucw gallowes, sayd the
•slieri fo,
Now shall I fortlip mako.— 7?(7.
82
ADAM BELL, CLIME OF THE CLOUGHE,
" there sliall not helpe yett Clym of the Cloughh,
nor yett Adam Bell,
tho they came wz'th a 1004 men,
160 nor all the devills in hell."
Next
morning
Carlisle
gates are
shut,
and the new
gallows set
up.
A little boy
(who is
Clowdeslee's
swineherd)
sees them,
Erlye in the morninge ^ the lustice arose ;
to the gates ffast can hee gone,
& commanded to shutt close
164 lightlye euery-eche one.
then went hee to the markett place
as ffast as hee cold hye ;
there he new a paire of gallowes he sett vpp *
168 hard by the pillorye.
a litle boy stood them amonge,
& asked what meant that gallow tree,
the said, " to hang a good yeoman
172 called William of Clowdeslee."
the litle boy was towne swinarde,
& kept ffaire Allice swine ;
full oft hee had scene will/am in the wood,
176 & giuen him there to dine.
runs to the
wood.
and tells
Clowdeslee's
mates of his
danger.
he went out att a crevis of the wall ;
lightlye to the wood hee runn ;
there mett hee w/th these wightye yeomen
180 shortly e & anon :
" alas ! " then said the litle boy,
"you tarry here all too longe ;
Cloudeslee is tane, & damned to death,
184 and readye to be hanged.^ "
— F,
•Only half tho second n in the MS. —P. A payre of new gaUows there he
set up. — liel.
a new paire of gallowes he set up. ' Imng.— P.
AND WILLIAM OF CLOUDESLEE.
83
188
"Alas," then sayd good Adam Bell,
" thai eue?- wee saw this day !
he had better haue tarry ed w^'th vs,
soe oft as wee did him pi"ay.
Adam Bell
laments
Clowdeslee'3
fate,
" hee might haue dwelt in greene fforrest
vnder the shaddoowes ' greene,
& kept both him & vs att rest,
192 out of all trouble and teene.^ "
Adam bent a right good bo we ;
a great hart soone hee had slaine :
" take thai, child," hee said, "to thy dinner,
196 & bring me mine arrowe againe."
shoots a hart
for the boy,
" now goe wee hence," said these ioUye ^ yeomen,
" tarry wee no longer here ;
wee shall him borrow, by gods grace,
200 tho wee buy itt ffull deere."
to Carlile went these bold "* yeomen,
all in a mor[n]inge of may.
here is a fiitt of Clowdeslee ;
204 another is flbr to say.
and then
goes with
Clim to
Carlisle.
' shadowes. — Eel. shadowes sheene. —
Printed Copy, in Eel.
i.e. vexation. Jun. — P.
wightye. — Eel. * good. — Eel.
84
ADAM BELL, CLIME OF THE CLOUGHE,
They find
Carlisle
gates shut.
[The Second Part.]
[How Clowdeslee is rescued by Adam Bell and Clim of the Cloughe.]
And when tliey came [to ^] merry Carlile
all in a morning tyde,
tliey found tlie gates sliutt them vnto
round about on euerye syde.
208
2 f parte. J
212
"Alas," then said good Adam Bell,
" that euer wee were made men !
these gates be shutt soe wonderous ffast
that we may not come therin."
Clim
proposes
" Let's say
we are the
King's
messengers."
then spake Clim of the Cloughe :
" With a wile wee will vs in brings
Lett vs say wee be messengers
216 straight come ffrom our Kinere."
[page 393]
Adam said, " I haue a Letter well [written ^ ;]
now lett vs wiselye marke ^ ;
wee will say wee haue the K-tngs scale ;
220 I hold the porter no clarke."
Adam beats
at the
then Adam Bell beate att the gates
With strokes hard and stronge.
the Porter marueiled who was theratt,
224 & to the gates hee thronge.
and Clim
Bays they're
the King's
messengers.
228
" who be there," said the Porter,
" that makes all this knockinge ■* ? "
"we be 2 messengers," Quoth. CHm of the Cloughe,
" be come right ffrom our King-e."
• to. -P.
* written.
-lid.
' wcrke. — I?cL
* dinne. — Bel.
AND WILLIAM OF CLOUDESLEE.
85
232
"wee liaue a letter," said Adam Bell,
" to the Instice wee must itt bringe ;
let vs in our m.essage to doe,
that wee were againe to the Kinge."
" here cometh none in," said the porter,
" by him thai dyed on a tree,
till tliai ffalse theefe be hanged,
236 called wallmm of Cloudeslee."
The Porter
at first
refuses to
let them in,
then spake good ^ Clim of the Clougli,
& swore by Marye ffree,
" if thai wee stand long without,
240 like a theefe hanged thou shalt bee.
" Loe ! here wee haue the 'Kings, seale !
what, Lurden,^ art thou woode ? "
the Porter [weend ^] itt had beene soe,
244 & lightlye did off his hoode.
" welcome is my Lorc?s seale ! " he said ;
" for thai you shall come in."
he opened the gates shortlye :
248 an euill opening ffor him !
" Now arc wee in," said Adam Bell,
" wheroff wee are right ffaine ;
but Christ hee knowes assuredlye ■*
252 how wee shall gett out againe."
" had wee the Kcyes," sayd Clim of the Cloughe,
" right well then shold wcc spcede ;
then might wee come out well cnouge
256 when wee see time & ncode."
but they
show him
the King's
seal,
and then he
lets them
In.
To make
sure of
getting out,
' the good yeman. — lid,
* a heavy stupid fellow. L. — P.
* thought. — P. wont. — 'Re\. i.e. weened,
note ih,
* knowes, that harrowed hell. — Eel.
86
ADAM BELL, CLIME OF THE CLOUGHE,
they wring
the Porter's
neck, and
take his
keys away.
260
the called the Porter to councell,
& wi-ang his necke in towe ;
& cast him in a deepe du[n]geon,
& tooke his keycs him fFroe.
" noAv am I Porter," sayd Adam Bell;
" see, brother, the Keyes haue wee here ;
the worst Porter in merry Carlile
264 that came ^ this 100? yeere.
Then they " now wee Will our bowBS bend,
into the towne will wee goe,
ffor to deliuer our deere Brother
268 that lyeth in care & woe."
bend their
bows.
and go to
the market-
place,
then they ben[t] their good ewe bowes,
& looked their strings were round ^ :
the Markett place in merry Carlile
272 they besett in that stonde.^
& as they looked them beside,
a paire of new gallowes there they see,
& the lustice with, a quest * of Squiers
276 that iudged wilKam hanged to bee.
where
Clowdeslee
is bound,
and has a
rope round
his neck.
& Clowdeslee lay ready there in^ a Cart,
ffast bound both ifoote and hand ;
& a strong rope about his necke,
280 all readye ffor to hange.
' The have had.— Bel.
* qu. sound. — P. So Aschatn says,
" The stringe must be rounde." Toxo2)h.
p. 149, Ed. 176L A precept not very
intelligible now, P.'s note in Eeliqucs, i.
142. A string not round would of course
spoil the shooting. — F.
^ stound, signum, Momentum, liora,
spatium, tempus. Lye. — P.
'' quesf, search ; searchers collectively
- — also an impanel'd Jury. See Johnson.
—P.
* MS. thorciu.— F.
AND "WILLIAM OF CLOUDESLEE.
87
284
the Justice called to liim a Ladd :
Clowdeslee clothes hee shold haue,
to take the measure of thai yeoman,
therafter to make his erraue.
The Justice
sends a lad
to measure
him for his
grave,
'" I haue scene as gi^eat Marveill," said Cloudeslee,
" as betweene ^ this and prime ^ ;
he that maketh. a graue ffor mee,
288 liimselfe may lye therin."
"thou speukest proudlye," said the Justice ;
" I will thee hang with my hand."
fFull well hard this his brethren towe
292 there still as they did stand.
and
threatens to
hang
Clowdeslee
himself.
then Cloudeslee cast his eye aside,
& saw his tow brethren
att a corner of the Markett place
296 ready the Justice to slaine.
"I see comfort," said Cloudeslee,
" yett hope I well to ffare ;
If I might h:^.ue my hands att will,
300 right litle wold I care."
Clowdeslee
says he'd
care little
if he could
[page 394] get his
hands free.
then spake good Adam Bell
to Clim of the Cloughe soe ffree,
" brother, see you marke the Justice well ;
304 loe, yonder you may him see ! "
Adam tella
Clim to
shoot the
Justice,
" att the shirriffe shoote J will
stronglye w/th an arrow kecne ;
a better shoote in merry Carlile
308 this 7 yeere was not scene."
while he
shoots the
Sheriff.
' Only half the w in the MS.— F.
2 prime, the first Part of the day.
Dawn, morning. .Johnson. — P,
88
ADAM BELL, CLIME OF THE CLOUGHE,
They both
shoot ;
and Sheriff
and Justice
they loosed tlieir arrowes both att once ;
of no man had they di"ead ;
the one hitt the shirr [i]ffe, the other the lustice,
312 that both their sides can bleede.
get their
death-
wounds.
all men voyded //;flt them stoode nye
when the lustice fFell to the ground,
& the shirrifFe nye him by :
316 either had his deathes wound.
They loose
Clowdeslee.
all they citizens ffast gan fflye,
they durst no longer abyde.
there lightlye they losed Clowdeslee.
320 where hee with ropes lay tyde.
He seizes an
ajce and
smites men
down.
wilUam. start to an officer of the towne,
his axe out of his hand hee wrunge ;
on eche side he smote them downe,
324 hee thought hee tarryed all to longe.
wilh'am said to his brethren towe,
" this day lett vs liue and dye ;
If euer you haue need as I haue now,
328 the same shall you ffind by mee."
Adam and
Clim shoot
on
they shott soe well thai tyde,
for their stringes were of silke sure,
that the kept the streetes on euery side ;
332 that battell long- did endure.
and kill
many,
they fought together like brethren true,
like hardy men and bold ;
many a man to the ground they threw,
336 & made many a hart cold.'
And many ;i heart made cold. — P. and Rcl.
AND WILLIAM OF CLOUDESLEE.
89
but when tlieir arrowes were all gone,
men pressed to them fFall ffast ;
they drew their swords then anon,
340 & their bowes fFrom them cast.
till their
arrows fail.
Then they
draw their
swords,
they went lightlye on their way
With swords & bnckelers round
by thai itt was midd ^ of the day,
344 the made many a wound.
and by noon
kill many
men.
there was many an outhorne ^ in Carlile was blowne, The homs
are blown,
& the bells backward did ringe ; and beiis
rung back-
many a woman said " alas ! " wards.
348 & many their hands did ringe.
the Maior of Carleile fforth come was,
& wi'th him a ffull great route ;
these yeomen dread him flfull sore,
352 for of their Hues they stoode in great doubt.
The Mayor
comes dowu
with a
force
the Maior came armed a ffull great pace,
With a PoUaxe in his hande ;
many a strong man with him was,
356 there in thai stowre ^ to stand.
of strong
men,
360
they maior smote att Cloudeslee w/th his bill,
his buckeler brast in 2 ;
ffull many a yeaman Av/th great euill,
" alas, treason ! " the cryed ffull woe ^ :
" kcepe well the gates," ffast they bade,
" thai these trayters thereout not goe."
cuts
Clowdeslee's
buckler in
two,
and orders
the gates
to be kept
fast.
' middlo, mlddst. — P.
- Out-horno. An outlaw (!). Halli-
wcU's Gloss. — F. Read a iwuthorne, a
ncat'« liorn. Kowt cattle. Wrii^Iit's
Gloss.— Skeat.
' figlit, conflict. Lye— r.
■■ Alas ! they crycd for wo. — Rcl.
90
ADAM BELL, CLIME OF THE CLOUGHE,
But the
three get
safely out.
Ad.am
throws back
the keys,
and tells
the people
to appoint a
new Porter.
but all fFor naught was thai they wrought,
364 ifor soe fast they were downe Layd,
till they all 3 tliai soe manffully ffought
were gotten out att a brayde.^
"haue here jouv keyes ! " said Adam Bell,
368 " mine office here I fforsake ;
If you doe by my Councell,
a new Porter doe you make."
he threw their keyes att their heads,
372 & bad them euill ^ to thriue,
& all tlmi letteth any good yeoman
to come & comfort his wiffe.
The three
go to the
trysting
tree,
find fresh
bows and
arrows,
and cat and
drink well.
thus be the good yeomen gone to the wood
376 as lightly e as leaue on lynde ^
they laugh & be merry in their wood "• ;
there enemyes were ffarr behind.
when they came to merry greenwood,
380 vnder the trustye tree,
there they flfound bowes ffull good,
And arrowes great plentye.
" soe god me help ! " sayd Adam Bell
384 & Clim of the Cloughe soe ffree,
' ' I wold wee were in Merry Carlile
before iliai ffaire Meanye."
the sate downe & made goode cheere,
388 & eate & dranke ffull well.
a 2"^ ffitt of the wightye yeomen :
another I will you tell.
[page 395]
' Qn. o/l ahraule, i.e. abroad. North
Country dialect: abroad, ./br/.s-, est abroad,
Scot, braid, /afus, quod a Sax. brad, al.
breider. Jun. — P. " att a brayde " is
suddenly. — F.
2 No i in the MS.— F.
" Linden Tree. Lye. A Lime Tree.
Gloss, to G. Doug.— P.
* A manifest mistake for " mood,"
which the other copies have. — Dyce.
AND WILLIAM OF CLOUDESLEE.
91
[The Third Part.]
[How the three Outlaws are pardoned by tlie King, and shoot before him.]
392
396
3*! parte. <(
As tliey sate in English woode
vnder the greenwoode tree,
they thought they hard a "woman weepe,
but her they cold not see.
sore then sighed ffaire Allice,
& said, " alas tJiat euer I saw this day !
ffor [nowe ^] is my dere husband slaine ;
alas, and wellaway !
They hear a
woman
lamenting
that her
husband is
slain.
" Might I haue spoken wzth his deare brethren,
400 or With either of them twaine,
to show them what him befell,
my hart were out of paine."
Cloudeslee walked a litle aside ;
404 hce looked vnder the greenewood lynde ;
hee was ware of his wiffe & Children 3
fFull woe in hart and minde.
Clowdeslee
finds that
she is his
wife, with
his three
children.
" welcome wiffe," then said william,
408 " vnder the trustye tree !
I had wend yesterday, by sweet S* lohn,
thou sh oldest me Jieuer had see."
He welcomes
them,
" now well is mo," she said, " that yee be here !
412 my hart is out of woe."
" dame," he said, "be merry & gladd,
& thanke my bretheren to we."
and tells his
wife to
thank his
mates.
nowe. — Ed.
92
" Don't talk
of that,"
says Adam:
" let's shoot
our supper."
ADAM BELL, CLIME OF THE CLOUGHE,
" lierof to speake," said Adam Bell,
416 " I-wis itt is noe looote ;
the meate thai wee xaust supp witli-all,
itt riinetli yett ffast on fFoote."
Each of the
three shoots
a fat hart,
then went they downe into the Lawnde,^
420 these Xoblemen all 3 ;
eche of them slew a hart of greece,^
they best thai they cold see.
and
Clowdeslee
gives the
best to his
wife.
" haue here the best, AUice my wifFe,"
424 saith wilKam of Cloudeslee,
" because yee soe boldlye stood by mee
when I was slaine flfull nye.".
They sup
and are
merry.
Clowdeslee
says " We'll
go to the
King for
pardon."
then they went to supper
428 with such meate as they hadd,
& thanked god ffor their flFortune :
they were both merry and glad.
& when they had supped well,
432 certaine, without any lease,
Cloudeslee said, " wee will to our 'King,
to gett vs a Charter of peace ;
" Allice shalbe att our soiourninge
436 att a nunnery e heere besyde ;
my 2 sonnes shall w^'th her goe,
& there they shall abyde.
" My Eldest sonne shall goe Av^'th mee,
440 for him I haue noe care,
& hee shall bring you word againe
how thai wee doe JSare."
* Qu. Lawne. — P. a launcle. — Rcl.
A clear space in a forest. — F.
* Fr. graisse, fat. — F.
AND WILLIAM OF CLOUDESLEE.
93
thus be these good yeomen to London gone
444 as ffast as they might hye,
till they came to the K//;^s j^alace
where they wold needs bee.
They then
go to
London,
but Avhen they came to the 'Kings court
448 & to the pallace gate,
of no man wold they aske leaue,
but boldlye went in theratt.
■walk
straight
into the
they proceeded p?-esentlye into the hall,
452 of no man they had dread ;
the Porter came after, & did them call,
& w/th them gan to chyde.
King's hall,
the vsher said, "yeomen, what wold you haue ?
456 I pray you tell to mee ;
you might make officers shent ^ :
good su^rs, ffrom whence bee yee ? "
tell the
Usher who
they ai'e,
" Sir, wee be outlawes of the fibrrest,
400 certes without any Lease ;
& hither wee be come to the "King,
to gett vs a Charter of peace."
& when they came before the Kinge,
4G4 as itt was the law of the land
they kneeled downe without lettinge,
& eche held vpp his hande.
they sayd : " horJ, wee bcseeche yee sure
468 fhat yee will grant vs grace !
for wee haue slaiue yo«r ffatt fallow deere
in ^ many a sundry e place."
' For not keeping them out. See the Also Soke of Curtasye, 1. 3G1-78, Eabees
iutios of Prince Edward's Porters, a.d. Book &c., p. 310. — F.
1474, in Honsrhold Ordinancrs, p. *30. ^ im in MS.— F.
ind of Henrv VIlI.'s Porters, ibid. p. 239.
kneel to the
King,
and ask his
pardon for
killing his
deer.
94
The King
asks their
names.
They tell
him.
ADAM BELL, CLIME OF THE CLOUGHE,
" Avliatt be jour names ? " then sayd the K.ing ;
472 " auon thai you tell mee."
They sayd, "Adam Bell, Clim^ of the Clough, [page 396]
and williara of Cloudeslee."
He swears
he'll hang
them all,
and orders
their ai-rett.
"be yee those theeues," then said our Ki[ng],
476 ^^ that men haue told to me ?
here I make a vow to god,
you shall bee hanged all 3.
" yee shalbe dead without mercye,
480 as I am 'King of this land ! "
he com^zanded his officer[s] euery one
ffast on them to lay hand.
there they tooke these good yeomen
484 & arrested them all 3.
"soe may I thriue," said Adam Bell,
"this ffame liketh not mee.
They pray
him to let
them go
with tlie
weapons
they
brought.
" but, good Lord, wee beseeche you now
488 that yee will grant vs grace,
in soe much as wee doe to you come,
or else that wee may ffrom you passe ^
" with, such weapons as wee haue heere
492 till wee be out of yo^tr place ;
& iff wee Hue this 100? yeere,
of you wee will aske noe grace."
The King
refuses:
they shall
be hanged.
The Queen
intercedes
for them,
"yee speake proudly e," said the King ;
496 " yee shall be hanged all 3."
" that were great pittye," sayd the Queene,
" if any grace might bee.
' MS. Clinn.— F.
^ Insomuch as frele to j'ou we comen,
As frel^ fro you to passp. — Bel.
AND WILLIAM OF CLOUDESLEE.
95
" my hord, when I came ffii'st into this Land
500 to be your weded wiffe,
[you said] the flBrst booue that I wold aske,
you wold gi'ant me belyue.
and asks the
King for the
boon he
promised
her.
" & I asked yee neuer none till now ;
504 therefore, good Jjoril, grant itt mee."
" now aske itt, Madam," said the ^ing,
" & granted itt shalbe,"
He says it
shall be
granted.
"then, good my Lore?, I you beseeche,
508 these yeomen grant yee mee."
" Mad dam, ^ yee might haue asked a boons
that shold haue beene worth them all 3.
"Then give
me these
yeomen."
" you might haue asked towers & townes,
512 Parkas & fforrests plentye."
" none soe pleasant to my pay,^ " shee sayd,
" nor none ^ soe leefe ^ to mee."
" Madam, sith itt is yo«r desire,
516 joiir askinge granted shalbe ;
but I had leever haue giuen you
good Markett townes three."
the Queene was a glad woman,
520 & said, " Lord, god a mercye !
I dare vndertake ffor them
that true men they shalbee.
" I will,
though I'd
rather have
given you
3 market
towns."
The Queen
" but, good hord, speake some merrye word,
524 that some comfort they might see."
" I grant you grace," then said the King,
" washe fFellowes, & to meate goe yee."
then gets the
King to
order her
men food.
' MS. Maddan.— F.
' vid. Page 363, St. 23 [of MS. ; in the
2iid Part of John de Reeue]. — P.
' nore in MS.— F.
* leefe, dear, beloved. Johns'? — P.
96
ADAM BELL, CLIME OF THE CLOUGHE,
Soon come
messengers
they liad not sitten but a while,
528 certaine without Leasinge,^
there came 2 messengers out of the North
With letters to our kinge.
from
Carlisle.
The King
aslcs after
his Justice
and Sheriff.
" They've
been slain
& when they came before the K.ing
532 the kneeled downe vpon their knee,
& said, " yowr officers greete you well
of Carlile in the North cuntrye."
" how ffareth my lustice ? " sayd the K:ing,
536 " and my Sherriffe alsoe ? "
" Sir, they be slaine, without leasinge,
& many an officer moe."
by Adam,
Clim, and
Clowdeslee.'
" who hath them slaine ? " then said the Km*/
540 " anon that you tell mee."
" Adam Bell, Clim of the Cloughe,
& william of Cloudeslee."
"alas ! ffior wrath,^ " then sayd our Ki/tr/,
544 " my hart is wonderous sore ;
I had rather then a 1000^/
I had knowen this before.
" If Id
known this
before, I"d
have hung
them."
" ffiar I haue granted them grace,
548 & that ffi3rthinketh ^ mee ;
but had I knowen all this before,
they had beene hangd all 3."
The King
then reads
of the 300
men slain
by the 3
outlaws,
the 'King hee opened the letter anon,
552 himselfe he read itt thoe,
& there found how these outlawes had slaine
300 men and moe :
'i.e. Lying. Ji
2 rewth.— ^('/.
rnpcnts. — F.
AND WILLIAM OF CLOUUESLEE.
97
" fl&rst the lustice & the Slieriffe,
556 & the Maior of Carlile towns, —
of all the Constables and catcpoules,
Aliue were left but one.
(the Mayor,
Catchpolls,
Lpagc ;jy7]
" the BalifFes & the Beacleles both,
560 & the Sargeaunt of the law,
& 40 fforresters of the ffee,
these ontlawes haue the slawe,'
Beadles,
Serjeant
of Law,
and 40
foresters,)
" & broke his parkes, & slainc his deere,
564 of all they Coice ^ the best ;
soe penllous outlawes as they were,
walked not by East nor west."
Avhen the JLing this Letter had read,
568 in hart he sighed sore,
"take vp the tables,^ " then sayd hee,
" ffor I can eate no more."
the ILlng then called his best archers
572 to the butts with him to goe,
" to see* these ffellowes shoot," said hee,
" that in the north haue wrought this woe."
the 'K.mr/s archers busket ^ them blythe,
576 soe did the Queenes alsoe,
soe did those 3 weigh tye yconicn,
they thought w/th them to goe.
there 27 or 3"! they shott about
580 for to assay their hand ;
there was no shoote these yeomen shott
that any prickc •* might stand.
and his deer
killed.
He sighs.
and can eat
no more.
But he
calls his
archers
to shoot
against
the 3
outlaws
' slain.— P.
^ Qii. chose. — P.
^ They were laid on trestles. — P.
i I wyll 8e.—R,l.
^ busked; Scot, budkit, drcss'd, decked
VOL. in.
(a Fr. busc, a busk that weomen (so)
wear). Gloss, ad G. Dougl see P. 364,
St. 36, Pag. 246, St. 26.— P.
* ? here the wooden pin in the centre
of the target. — F.
98
ADAM BELL, CLIME OF THE CLOUGHE,
Clowdeslee
says the
butts are too
wide.
He sets
2 hazel
sticks at 400
paces,
shoots, and
splits one
in two.
Then he
proposes to
tie his son
to a stake,
then spake wilk'ani of Clondeslee,
584 " by liim thai ffor me dyed,
I hold him not a good archer
timi shooteth att butts soe wyde."
" wheratt ? " said the Kinge,
588 " I pray you tell to mee."
" att such a butt, Sir," hee said,
" as men vse in my countrye."
william went into the ffeild,
592 & his 2 brethren wi'th him ;
there they sett vp 2 liassell rodds
400 paces betweene.
" I hold him an archer," said Cloudeslee,
596 " thai yonder wand cleeueth in towe,"
"heere is none such," said the 'Kincj,
"for no man can soe doe."
"I shall assay," sayd Cloudeslee,
600 " or thai I fiPiirther goe."
Cloudeslee with a bearing ^ arrow
claue the wand in towe.
"thou art the best archer," said our Kw^y,
604 " fforsooth thai euer I see."
" & yett ffor yo^tr loue," said william,
" I will doe more masterye :
" I haue a sonne is 7 yeere old,
608 hee is to me ffull deere ;
I will tye him to a stake —
all shall see him thai bee here, —
' ? meaning of bearing. Stratt says,
" I rather think the poet meant an arrow
shot ' compass,' for tlie pricke or wand
was a 'mark of compass,' that is, the
arrow in its flight formed the segment of
a circle." Sports, p. 65, ed. Hone. As
all aiTows do that, this can be no ex-
planation of either " mark of compass "
(on which see my note on " pricks " in
The Babees Book, cfx.) or " bearing." — F.
AND WILLIAM OF CLOUDESLEE.
99
" & lay an apple vpon liis head,
612 & goe sixe score paces liim ffroc,
& I my selfe With a broad arrrowe
shall cleaue the apple in towe."
and split an
apple on his
head at I'iU
paces.
"now hast thee," said the Kinge ;
616 " by him tJiat dyed on a tree,
but if thou dost not as thou has sayd,
hanged shalt thou bee !
" & thou touch his head or gowne
620 in sight that men may see,
by all the Saints that bee in heauen,
I shall you hang all 3: ! "
The King
agrees ;
but if
Clowdeslee
falls, he's tc
be hanged.
and Adam
and Clini
too.
" that I haue promised," said william,
624 " that I will neuer £forsa':e : "
& there euen before the Ktw^/,
in the earth he droue a stake,
& bound thereto his eldest sonne,
628 & bade him stand still thereatt,
& turned the childes'fFace him ffroe
because hee should not start.
Clowdeslee
ties liis boy
to a stake,
an apple vpon his head he sett,
632 & then his bow he bent ;
sLxe score paces they were mcateu,'
& thither Cloudeslee went.
puts an
apple on his
head,
there he drew out a ffaire broad arrow,-
636 his bowe ^ was great and long, —
he sett that arrowc in his bowe
that was both stiffo & stronge ;
sets an
arrow in
his bow,
mctcd, i.e. moasurtd. — P
Tliure is a lag at the cud like s. — F.
100
ADAM BELL, CLIME OF THE CLOUGHE,
he prayed tlie people that were there
G4() That they wold still stand,'
" fFor hee that shooteth fFor such a wager
had need of a steedye hand."
[page 398]
much people prayed for Cloudeslee,
644 that his liffe saued might bee ;
& when hee made him readye to shoote,
there was many a weepinge eye.
thus Cloudeslye claue the aple in 2,
and cleaves
the apple in • i ,
two. 648 as many a man might see
The King
" now god fforffbidd,'^ " then said the KrHr/,
" that thou sholdest shoote att mee !
gives him
8d. a da J',
and makes
him his
bowbearer.
" I gaue ^ thee 8 pence a day,
652 & my bow shalt thow beare,
& ouer all the north cuntrye
I make thee CheefFe ryder."
The Queen
gives him
13d. a day,
" & lie giue thee 13? a day," said the Queene,
056 "by god and by my ffay !
come ffeich thy payment when thou wilt,
no man shall say thee nay.
makes him a
gentleman,
" william, I make thee a gentleman,
660 of Cloathinge and of ffee ;
& thy 2 bretheren, yeomen of my chamber,
for they are louely "* to see.
" yo?(r Sonne, fibr hee is tendar of age.
puts his son
cellar, 664 of my winesellar he shalbe ;
& when hee comes to mans estate,
better prefferred shall hee bee.
' The .same injunction is often heard
at firing-points now. — F.
* Over Gods forbodo.— TTc/.
give.— P.
so semely. — Bel.
AND WILLIAM OF CLOUDESLEE.
101
" & will /(fin, bring me jour wifFe," said tlie Queene,
668 "I long her sore to see ;
shee shall bee my cheefe gentlewoman '
to gouerne my nursery e."
the yeomen thanked them full curteouslye,
672 & sayd, "to some Bishopp wee Avill wend ;
of all the siuns iJiat wee haue done,
to be assoyled'-^ att his hand."
and promises
to set his
wife
over her
mirsery.
Tlie three
go to a
liishop
to be
shriven,
soe forth be gone these good yeomen
676 as ffast as they can hye,
& after came & lined w/th the K/^y/,
& dyed good yeomen all 3.
and then
live
and die well,
Thus endeth the liffe of these good yeomen,
680 god send them eternall blisse !
& all that with a hand-bow shooteth,
that of lieauen they may ncuer misse !
ffinis.
God send
them and all
bowmen
bliss 1
MS. gcntk'womian. — F.
^ i.e. absolved, Assoile, absolvcre,
liberare. Lye. — P.
102
gomtcre t Cltiutieeilft :
As the Cyclic poets adopted the lesser Homeric heroes as the
centres of new epics, as the Eomancists in process of time cele-
brated other members of the Eound Table besides its great
founder, as the ballad-writers sung of Much and Scarlett as well
as of Eobin Hood, so here one who appears as a minor character
in the great poem of " Adam Bell, Clym of the Clough, and
William of Cloudeslee," has a poem devoted to his special honour.
The piece was printed in 1605 by James Eoberts, along with
his reprint of Copland's edition of the greater poem of which
this is a parasite. With this the P^olio copy has been collated.
Listen, my
Northern
lads,
to the brave
deeds
of young
William
Clowdeslee,
■who loved a
bonny lass.
12
16
IjISTE : northeren Ladds, to blytlier things
then yett were brought to hght,
performed by our Countrymen
in many ^ a ffray and ffight,
of Adam Bell, Clim of the Clough,
and William of Clowdeslee,^
who were in ffavor with the Kinge
fFor all their miserye.
younge william of the wine-sellar,'*
when yeoman hee was made,
gan ffoUowe then his fFathers stepps,
hee loued a bonny mayde.
" gods crosse ! " q«oth will/am, " if I misse,
& may not of her speede,
He make 1000 northerne ^ hartes*^
ffor verry woe to bleede.
' List Northcrno Liiddes to blither
things. — R.
2 inicklc— R.
=• Chnulisly.— R.
* See the last poem, 1. 664, p. 100.—?.
* Only half of the second n in the MS.
-F.
° a thousand Northen hearts. — R.
TOUNGE CLOUDESLEE.
103
gone is lice ' a wooinge now,
our Ladye will ^ him guide ;
to merry mansfeild, will,-' I trow,
20 a time hee will abyde.
" Soone dop * the dore, ffaire Sislye bright,^
I come with, all the hast ;
I am come a wooinge to ^ thee for loue,
24 heere am I come att Last."
He goes
courting
to Mansfield,
and tells fair
Sisely to
open the
door.
" I know you not," q?(oth Sisely ^ tho,
" from whence that yee be come ^ ;
my loue you may not haue, I trow,
28 I vow by this ffaire ^ sonne.^°
" ffor why, my loue is ffixt so sure
vpon another wight ;
I sweare by sweet Ann, He neuer
32 abuse him out of sight !
" this night I hope to see my loae
in all his pryde and glee ;
If there were thousands, none but him
36 my hart wold ioye to see."
[page 399]
Sisely says
she can't
love him,
as her love
is fixed on
another,
whom she
hopes to see
to-night.
40
" gods cursse vppon [him,] !• " younge will/am sayd, Young
Clowdeslee
" before me that hath sped ! curses him,
a ffoule ill on the carryon nursse
that ffirst did binde his head ! "
gan wiWiam tho for to prepare
a medcine ffor the chaffe '^ ;
" his liffc," q((oth hee, " ffull hard may ffarc ;
44 hecs best to keepe alaffe."
and resolves
to kill her
lover.
' he is.— R. 2 ^vell._E.
' whore. — R.
* dope, i.e. do open. — P.
* Some dop the dore faire Cicelie
bright.— R.
* (o omitted.— R. ' Cicelio.— R.
* MS. become. — F. bee come. — R.
" Jfaure witli a dot over tho u in the
MS.— F.
'" sun.- P. » him.— R,
"^ ? for chuffe, a term of reproach,
Halliwell. See Lorden, 1. 71.— F. medi-
cine for that chaffe. — R.
104
YOUNGB CLOUDESLEE.
He draws
his sword,
48
he drew tlicn out liis bright bi-owne sword,
w7(/ch was soe bright and Iceene ;
a stouter man & hardyer
neere handled sword, I weene.
and by way
of trying it,
" browne tempered Sword & worthye ^ blade,
vnto thy master showe,
if thou 2 to tryall thou be put,
52 how thou canst ■* byde a blowe."
cuts in two
an oak
56 inches
round,
younge Wilb'am to an oke gan hye
wJdch was in compasse round
well 56 * inches nye,
& field itt to the e'round.
wishing it
was liis rival.
" soe mote he ffare," quoth wilh'am the,
" that fibr her loue hath Layde
vfliicli I haue loued, & neere did know
60 him sutor till that mayde.
He long^s
for his
father,
" & now, deere fiather stout & stronge,
william of Cloudeslee,
how happy were thy troubled sonne
64 if here I might ^ thee see.
Adam,
and Clim,
as they'd
fight 1000
men.
" & thy 2 6 brethren Adam Bell
& Clim of the Cloughe ;
against a 1000 men & more
68 wee 4 wold bee enoughe.
He calls on
Siscly's lover
to come on,
" growne itt is ffull 4 a clocke,
& night will come beliue ;
Come on, thou Lorden, sisleys ^ loue !
this niffht I must ^ thee shriue.
' strong, and -worthy. — R.
2 that.— P. now.— R.
' eanst thou. — R.
■• Read " six and fifty." — ¥. six and
fifty.— -R.
* mot.— R.
' Lurden Cislcis. — R.
» must I.— R.
« too.— R.
YOUNGE CLOUDESLEE. lOo
*' prepare thee strong, tliou ffowle black calfe ' !
what ere tliou. be, I Aveene
lie glue thy coxcombe sayke ^ a girde ^
7G in mansfeiild as was neu.er'' seene."
will/am a young fFawne Lad slaine and takes
"^ ° a fawn
in ^ slierwood merry fForrest ;
a ffairer ffawne fFor mans meate **
80 in slierwood was neuer drest.
liee liyed tlien till a nortlieren Lasse ^ to an oia
woman
not lialfe a mile liim fFroe,^
be said, " dop the dore,^ thou good ould nursse,
84 thai in to thee I goe ;
" I fFaint With being in the woods ^^ ;
loe, heere I haue a kidd
which. I haue slaine IFor thee & mee '^ ;
88 come, dresse itt then, I bidd ; to cook for
him.
" ffeitch bread and other lolly IFare,
whereof thou hast some store ;
a blyther guest this 100 yeere
92 came neuer heere before."
the good old naunt '^ gan hye apace The old
to lett young Wilb'am in ; lets him in,
" a happy nursse," q«oth willann then,
96 " as can be lightlye seene.
' frnv likck Caufe. — R. ■• Mansfield as neuer was. — E.
2 In what district is sayke used for * MS. ira. — F. " ynieat. — R.
such? In Sunieraetsliire, ji/ch is tlie ' Northcrne lasse. — R.
word. Ilalliwcll, p. xxvii., xxviii. In * ho fro. — li.
Lancasliiro, .sick (]I. xxiii.), but at Bury ' dop dore. — R. '" wood.~R.
sitc/i (//*.) ; and in Gloucestershire siich " slo for thl'p and I. — R.
(11. xviii.) ''^ Nant.- R.
» a gird.— R.
106
TOUNGE CLOUDESLEE.
and he
promises
her a reward
100
" wend till tliai house liard by," q?(oth hee,
" iliai^ made of lime and stone,
where is a Lasse, fFaire Cis," hey ' said,*
" I loue her as my owne.
if she'll fetch
Sisely to
him.
104
" If thou canst fifeitch her vnto me
thai wee may merry bee,
I make a vowe, in the fforrest
of deere thou shalt haue ffee."
She under-
takes
to bring
" rest then, fFaire S/r," the woman said,
" I sweare by good S! lohn
I will bring to you thai same maid
108 ffull quicklye and anon,"
" meane [time],^ " qwoth Wilhai??, " He be Cooke,
to see the ffawne well drest"* : "
a stouter Cooke did neuer come
1 12 Within the ffaire fforrest.
and hies off
to her,
thicke ^ blyth old lasse had witt enoughe ^
ffor to declare his mind ;
soe ffast shee hyed, & neere did stay,
116 but left william behinde,
while
William
cooks the
fawn.
where wWiiam like a nimble cooke
is dressing of the ffare,
& ffor this damsell doth hee looke,
120 "I wold thai shee weer heere ! "
[page 400]
' [insert] he.— P. The MS. is Cishey,
for Cis he, or, more probably, Cislcy. — F.
2 Ci.'Jse hee said. — R.
^ meane time. — P. meane time.— R.
< I drost.— R.
5 ? the district of thicke for that. In
Dorsetshire thik is used. See Ilalli-
■well's Gloss, p. xvi., and Barnes's Glos-
sary. Thickee, this, Devon, and ihicca
cloud, p. XV. Halliwell. Thick, the one
that, that which, .Somersetshire. Thee's
know thick us da meanne, tha da call 'm
wold Boss {ib. p. xxvii. col. 1). — F.
® enow. — R.
YODNGE CLOUDESLEE.
107
"god speed, blyth Cisley ^ ! " q?(oth that old Lasse.
" god dild ^ yee," q?(otli Cisley, " againe ;
how doe yee, naunt lone ^ ? " shee said,
124 " tell nic itt, I am ffaine."
the good old woman* said " weele shee was,
& comen an arrand to ^ you ;
for you must to my cottage gone
128 fFull quickley,^ I tell you true,
" where wee ffull merry meane to bee
all with my elder Ladd."
when Cisley hard of itt, trulye
132 shee was exceeding gladd.
" gods cursse light on me," q?foth Cisley tho,
" if with you that ^ I doe not hye !
I neuer ioyed more, IForsoothe,
130 then in yo?ir Companye."
happy the good wifFe thought her selfe
that of her purpose shee had sped,^
& home with Sisley shee is came,^
140 soe lightlye they did tread ^^ ;
& coming in, here wilhVoii soone
had made readye his ffare ;
the good old wiife did wonder much
144 soe soone as shee came there.
The old
dame
tells Sisely
she must
come and
make merry
in her
cottage.
Sisely gladly
agrees to go,
and into the
cottage they
walk.
William has
his venison
ready,
Cisley to wilhVoji now is gone,"
god send her Mickle glee,
yett was shee in a maze, god wott,
148 when shee saw itt was hee.
and Sisely
with him.
1 Cissp.— R.
' yield it. — F. requite, speed :
God dild you ! " says Ophelia,
act iv. sc. !). — Dj'ce.
^ done you Nant lono. — R.
* lone.— R.
" till.— R. « qiick.— R.
"Well, ' that omitted.— R.
Hamlet, * that her purpose he had of sped. — R.
" she doth come. — R.
'» did they read.— R.
" come. — R.
108
YOUNGE CLOUDESLEE.
But she says
she'd never
have come if
she'd known
he was there.
William
prays her to
stop and eat
and his
loving words
win her
heart.
Meantime
Sisely's
lover,
a noble-
minded
man.
"liad I beene ware, good S/r," sliee said,
" of thai itt bad beene jou,
I wold bane stayd att liome in sootb,
152 I tell you veriy true."
"faire Cisley," said tben ^ wilb'«Hi Kind,
" misdeeme tbee not of mee ;
I sent not fFor tbee to if Art t ^ end
156 to doe tbe iniurye.
" sitt downe that wee may talke awbile,
& eate all of tbe best,
the ffattest kidd thai euer was slaine
160 in merry Sherwood fforrest.^ "
his louinge ■* words wan Cisley then
with him to keepe ^ a while ;
but in tbe meane time Cisleys loue
164 of her was tho beguile.
a stout & sturdy man bee was
of qualitye & kind,
& kuowen ^ through all the north cuntrye
168 to beare a noble minde.
comes to her
cottage ;
but she is
fled.
"but," q?(oth'' wilb'rt'H?, " doe I care ?
if //;(/t bee meane to weare,
first lett * him winne,^ else neuer shall
172 be haue the mayd, I s weare."
fiull softlye is her loiie[r] '^ come,
and knocked att the dore :
but tho ^^ he mist Cisleys companye,'^
176 wher-att bee stampt and '^ swore.
' then said. — R.
2 to the.— E.
* Sir- wood Forrest. — R.
* Only half the n in the MS.— F.
* to keope with him. — R.
•^ knownp. — R.
' 15 lit wliat quoth.— R.
' There appears to be some letter
between the c and t in the MS. — F. let.
— R.
" wime in the MS. — F.
'» loner.— R. " i.e. then.— P.
'^ roonie. — R.
'•' Only half the n in tho MS.— F.
YOUNGE CLOUDESLEE.
109
180
"a mischeeffe on liis heart," quuili lice,
" that hatli allured this ' mayd
to bee w/th him in company ! "
he cared not what hee sayd,
He curKea
her beguiler,
hee was soe ^ w/th aiiger nioucd,
he sware a well great othe,
" dcere sliold hee pay if I him knew,
184 fforsooth & by my trothe ! "
gone hee is to ffind her out,
not knoAving where shee is ;
still wandering in the weary wood
188 his true loue he doth misse.
and swears
he shall pay
for her if
he finds him.
will/om purchased ^ hath the game
which hee doth meane to hold,
" come, rescew her and if you can,
192 and dare to be soe bold ! "
But William
means to
keep her.
196
Att lenght when hee had wandred long [Page 401] At last
. the lover
about the iiorrest side,'*
a Candle lig-ht a ffurlono^ of ^
fi'ull quickley hee espyed.
then to the house hee hyed him ffast,
Avhere quicklye hee gan hearc
the voice of his owne true loue ^
200 a makingc bonny chcere.
hoars
Sisely's
voice.
then gan he say to Cisley tho,
" 0 Cisley, come away !
I haue beene wandring thee to ffind
204 since shutting in of day."
He calls her
to conic to
him.
the— R.
yso. — R.
purchast. — R.
' wide— R.
» off— R.
' owne docre triio loue.— E.
110
YOUNGE CLOUDESLEE.
William
asks who
dares do this.
208
" who calls ffaire Cisley ' ? " quoth will/am tlio,'^
" what carle dares be soe bold,
once to aduenture to her to speake
who [I] haue in my hold ^ ? "
The lover
threatens
him.
" List thee, ifaire Sir," q«oth Cisley s loue,
" lett quickelye her fFrom you part :
ffor all jour Lordlye words, Tie sweare ■*
212 He haue her, or lie make you ^ smart ! "
William sayE
he'll
young Wilb"«m to his bright browne sword
gan quickelye then to take :
" because thou soe doest challenge me,
216 He make thy kingdome quake.
fight for his
love.
" betake thee to thy weapon stronge,
ffaire time I giue to thee ;
& fFor my loue as well as thine
220 a combatt flight will I."
" neuer lett sunn," q«oth Cisley s loue,
" shine more vpon my head,
If I doe fflye, by heauen aboue,
224 wert thou a gyant bredd ! "
He takes his
sword,
and the fight
begins.
It lasts two
hours,
to Bilbo blade got willmm tho
tJiat was both stiffe and stronge ^ :
a stout battell then they fibught,
228 weer neere 2 ^ houres longe ;
where many a greiuous wound was giucn '
to eche on either jiart,
till both the champyons then were droue
almost quite out of hart.
' Cisse.— K,
2 then.— R.
* wliom I haiic now in liold.
■* I swoare. — IL
* or make j'ou. — R.
* and buckler stiffo. — R.
' well nio two. — R.
* giue. — R.
YOUNGE CLOUDESLEE.
Ill
pittyous moane ffaii'e Cisley made,
tliai all the fforrest ronge ;
the greiuous shrikes made such a noysc,
236 shee had soe shrill a tounge.
att last came in the keepers 3
With bowes and arrowes keenc,
where they lett flye among these 2,
240 a 100? > as I weene.
Sisely
moaning
and
shrieking
all the
while.
Then three
keepers
come to stop
them.
willmm strong & stout ^ in hart,
when he had them espycd,
sett on courage ffor his pa>*t,
244 among the thickest hee hyed.
but William
the cheefe ranger of the woods
att ffirst did william smite,
where att one blow he smote his head
248 iFrom of his shoulders quite.
cuts off tho
chief-
ranRcr's
head,
& being in soe ffuryous teene,
about him then hee Laid,
he slew immedyatlye the wight
252 was sutor to the mayde.
and then
kills Sisely's
lover.
great moane was then ^ made ;
the like was neuer hard,
vfhich. made the people all around
256 to crye, they were soe ffeard.
The people
make great
moan,
"arme, arme ! " the cuntrye cryed,
" for gods loue quickly c hye ! "
neuer was such a slaughter scene
260 in all the north countrye.
and raise ti.e
country.
' .an bundred.— R.
* stout and stronrr.— R.
' jthcr.— R.
112
YOU.NGE CLOUDEyLEE.
William kills
the other two
keepers.
264
wilh'rtm still, tho • wounded sore,
continued still his ^ ffight
till he had slaine them all 4
that verry winters ^ night.
all the contrye then was raysed,
the traitor fFor to take
tliai fFor the loue of Cisley ffaire
268 had all the slaughter make.
and then
hies
to a cave
with Siscly.
to the woods hyed william tho, — ■
itt was the best* of all his play,-
where in a oaue with Cisley ffaire
272 hee lined many a day.
Procla-
mation is
marie to take
William.
27G
proclamation then was sent [page 402]
the cuntrye all aronnde,
' the LorcZ of Mansfeild shold hee bee
that ffirst the traytor ffounde,'
to ^ the court these tydings came,
where all men doth ^ bewayle
the young & lustye Willmm
280 w/h'cIi soe had made them quaile.
His father, hyed vp william of Cloudeslee ^
Adam, and & lustye Adam Bell,
ciim, & ffamous Clim of the Cloughe,
284 w/;(ch 3 did them ® excell :
go to the
King,
and ask
mercy for
William's
son.
to the ILing they hyed them ffast,
ffull quicklye & anon,
" mercye, I pray," qztotli old willut?»,
288 " ffor william my sonne ! "
' Will still thoiigli.— 1{.
^ in his. — E. ^ winter. — R
* twas best— R. ^ Till.— R.
" did.— R.
' Hied vp then AVilliam, Cloudeslcy.
— R. « then did.-R.
YOUNGE CLOUDESLEE.
113
" no mercye, traitors ! " q?<otli the Kwr;,
" you shall be hanged all 4 ! ^
vnder my nose this plott yea haue ^ laid,
292 to bring to passe before."
" Insooth," bespake then Adam Bell,
" ill signe j02ir grace hath scene
of any such com)»otyon
296 since with, you wee haue beene.
" If then wee can no mercye haue,
but leese both liffe and goods,
of yo^fr good gi'ace wee take our leaue,
300 & hye vs to the woods."
" arme, arme," then qiwih the K«?gr,
" my merry men euer-eche one,^
ffull ffast againe these rebells nowe *
.304 [that] ^ vnto the woods are gone ! "
" O, woe is vs ! what shall wee doe,
or w/ii'ch way shall wee worke,
to hunt them fforth out of the woods,
308 Boe traiterouslye there that lurke ?
"list you," qwoth a counsellor graue,
a wise man he seemed,
" the craued the Krnr/ his pardon ffreo
312 vnto them to haue deemed."
The King
says he'll
hang all four
of them.
Adam then
says
they'll take
to the woods.
The Kins
oi'ders his
men to arm
and pursue
the rebels.
The men
don't like the
job.
A counsellor
advises that
the rebels bo
pardoned.
" gods ffoi'bott^ ! " qH'^th the Kjing,
" I neuer itt will doe !
for they shall hang, eche mothers sonnc,
316 I tell you vcrry true ! ^ "
The King
swears
he'll hang
them,
' liang'd slmll ypo be all fouro. — E.
' haue you. — R.
' cuery choue. — R.
* now. — R. * that omitted. — R.
' {orehodo,Pr<eceptiim. Chauc. Godde.s
VOL. III.
forebode to breke, dei prfpccptum viok(re.
Lye. — P. See vol. i. p. 18, note '. "prick
bim godsforbod." Hcywood's Ejn-
grammes, 236. — F. forbod. — R.
' fairo sir I tell you tnie. — R.
114
YOUNGE CLOUDESLEE.
and sends
50,000 men
after them,
Bomc of
whom go to
the woods.
But Adam
and Clim go
on killing
the King's
deer.
Then the
King
says,
" they are
fine fellows.
50000 men were charged
after tliem ffor to take ;
some of them sett in sundrye towncs,
320 in companyes ^ did waite ;
to the woods gan some to goe,
in hope to fl&nd them out ;
& them perforce they thaught to take,
324 if that they might fi&nd them out.
to they woods still they ^ came,
dispatched still they were,
w/u'ch made ffull many a trembling hart '
328 & many a man in ifeare.
still the outlawes Adam Bell
& Clim of the Cloughe
made lolly cheere with venison,
332 stronge drinke & wine enoughe.
" Crist mee blesse ! " then said our 'Kimj,
" such men were neuer knowne ;
they are they ■* stoutest harted men
336 that raanhood euer shone ' !
Make out
their
pardon.
" come, my secretary good,
& cause ^ to be declared
a generall pai-don to them all,
340 -which neuer shalbe discared.
and give
them good
store
if they'll
come and
live with
me."
" linings plenty they shall haue '^
of gold & eke of ffee.
If they did ^ as they did before,
344 come Hue in court with mee."
' compamyes in the MS.-
2 still as they. — R.
» heart.— R.
* tho.— R.
-F.
showne. — R.
MS. caused. — F. cause. — P.
Liuing plenty shall they haue. — R.
they will do.— P. they will.— R.
YOUNGE CLOUDESLEE.
115
348
soddenlye went ffortli tlie newes
declared by trumpetts sound,
wlierof these 3 were well advised
in caiie as they were in ground.
The three
liear of this.
"but list you, Sirs," quoth, willmm younge, but young
" I dare not trust the Kinge ; [page 403] OoubtTthe
itt is some ffeitch is in bis bead, '"^'
352 wberby to bring vs in.
"nay, stay wee beere, or ffirst lett mee
a messenger bee sent
vnto the Court, where I may know
356 bis maiestyes entent."
and asks
that he may
go to
court and
see him.
this pleased Adam Bell,
" soe wee may Hue in peace,
wee are att his most bye cominando,
360 & neuer will we cease ;
Adam
agree?.
" but if that still wee shall be vrged,
& called by traitors ^ name,
& threated hanging for euery thing,
364 his hignesse is too blame.
" neare ^ had his grace subiects more true ^
& sturdyer then wee,
w7;/ch are att his hignesse will,
3C8 god send him well to bee ! "
soe to the court is young willmm gone
to parley with, the Kinge,
where * all men to the Kings presence
372 did striue for to him brinn^e.*
paying that
the King
never had
better
subjects
than
themselves.
Young
William
goes to the
King,
' traitrous. — R.
^ ne'er. — P.
^ mora subjects true. — R.
Which,— R.
him for to bring.-
116
TOUNGE CLOUDESLEE.
kneels to
him,
376
when liee before the Kwir/ was come,
he kneeled downe fTull lowe ;
he showed qnicklye to the Kinge
what duty they did owe.
and soon
wins him
over.
in such deliglitffull order blythe,
the 'King was quicklye woon ^
to comfort them in their request,
330 as hee before had done.
The King
aslcs him
to stay the
night at
court,
" ffeitcli bread & drinke," then said his grace,
" & meate all of the best ;
& stay all night heere att the court,
384 & soundlye take thy rest."
and gives
him his seal
in token of
pardon.
" gramercy ^ to jour grace," said will :
"for pa?-don granted, I see."
" for signe thereof, heere take my scale,
388 & for more certaintye."
" gods cursse vpon me," said wilLxtm,
" for my part if I meane
Euer againe to stirr vp striffe !
392 itt neuer shalbe scene."
The Lords
and Ladies
welcome
him.
the ITobles all to Wilh'am came,
he were soe stout & trim,
& all the Ladyes for verry ioy
396 did come to welcome him.
and tell him
to bring
Sisely to
court.
" ffaire Cisley now I haue to wiffe,
in ffeild I haue her woone.^ "
"bring her, for gods loxxe," said the "* all,
400 " welcome shee shall bee soone.* "
wonnt.— R.
* Gramercies.— R.
' ■wonne. — R.
♦ they.— R.
* full welcome shall she be. — R.
YOUNQE CLOUDESLEE.
117
404
forth againe went will/a7)i backe,
to woode that lice did hye,
& to liis fiatlier there hee shewed
the King his pardon flfree.
He goes
back,
and shows
his father
the King's
pardon.
" health to his grace," said Adam Bell,
" I begg itt on my knee."
the like said Clim of the Clonghe
408 & wilh'am of Cloudeslee.
to the court they all prepare
as flfast as ^ they can hye,
where gracyouslye they were receiued
412 With mirth and merry glee.
Cisley ffaire is gone ^ alone
vpon a gelding ffayre ;
a pj'operer ^ damsell nener came
416 in any courtlye ayre.
" welcome, Cisley ! " sayd the Queene,
" & Lady I thee make,
to waite vpon my owne person
420 in all my cheefe estate."* "
soe quicklye was the ^ matter done
w/iich was soe hardlye doubted,
that all contentions after that
424 from court were quicklye rooted. <*
fauorable was the kinge,
for good 7 they did him IHnd ;
They ncuer after ffbught againe ** [page 404]
428 to vex his royall mindc.
Then all of
them
come to
court,
with Sisely
on a good
gelding.
The Queen
welcomes
her and
makes her a
Lady in
Waiting.
And so all
the trouble
is happily
settled,
' euen as fast as.
* weiid. — R.
^ proprer. — R.
* cliiefust sUito. — R
R.
* tlli8.— R.
" rowted. — R.
' so good. — R.
* The nouer aftei' soiiglit againo. — R.
118
TOUNGE CLOUDESLEE.
and our
heroes
never after
troubled the
King. 432
long time ' tliey lined in court
soe neere vnto the Kinge,
that neuer after attempted - was
offred fFor any tliinge.
May God
prevent men
rebelling
43G
god aboue, gitie all men grace,
in quiett fFor to line,
& not rebelliouslye abroad
their princes fFor to greene !
in hope of
getting
pardon.
let not the hope of pardon moue
a snbiect to attempt
liis soneraignes anger, or his lone,
440 fFrom him for to exempt ;
and make
all serve God
and the , , ,
King. 444
bnt thai all men may readye bee
With all their maine and might
to serne the lord, & lone the Kinge,
in honor day and night.
ffinis.
' MS. tine. — F. Long time they.— E.
* ? read " attempt there was." — Skeat.
was attempt. — E.
[This is headed throughout, The second part, of Adam Bell. The first part has no
such heading ; liut lias this title, Adam Bell, Clim of the Clovgh, and William
Cloudesle. Lond. 1605. 9 leaves. Eegister A, C 2. Part II., 7 leaves. Eegister
A 2, B 4.
There are two copies in Eodley, 4° C. 39, Art. Seld. ; Malone, 299.— G. Parker.]
[ " Come Wanton Wenches,''^ printed in Lo. & Hum. Songs,
jj. 80-1, follows here in the MS. p. 404.]
119
h\ oltre : timesf padte : ^
What can one say on the moral of this song, better than " read
Mr. Tennyson's Golden Year'' ? " The Old Time sure was best"
is a cry that has been dinned into Englishmen's ears for many a
century ; and though lately the loud-voiced satisfaction of the
comfortable classes and their orators was inclined to substitute
for the old cry " The present time sure is best," yet now that
a certainty of greater consideration in legislation for the poor
and weak, the ignorant and needy, is at hand, now that the
trustees of power are to be more quickly answerable to the sub-
jects of their trust for the fulfilment of it, many would willingly
in their cowardly qualms cry for old times of corruption again.
When will men have faith and its cheer, and work onwards for
England's future, instead of moaning and raving, and trying to
drag their country back?
Still, the present poem is no Niagara and After, but a kind
of Youug-England regret for the chivalry, the merry outlaw green-
wood life, the songs and dances, bows and hunts of an earlier time,
the pillars of pleasure seen without the intervening spaces of sad-
ness at the end of the arcade of English life — to use Mr. Herbert
Spencer's figure — while the spaces near are painfully plain.
Merry England is to the writer — a hunting man, witness lines
38 to 41 — merry no longer ; and the cause of the decay of all the
olden pleasures is that put forward by so many of our early writers.
Pride, and, in the writer's time, miserliness in other things
to maintain it. With Conscience (ii. 189, 1. 126,) he could say,
"you must banish pride, and then all England were blest."
' All Old Song iu Praise of Ardiory.— P. and tlio good old times.— R
120 IN OLDE TIMES PASTE.
This is a change from Eobert of Brunne's time in 1303, when
Envy — which I suppose to include social grumbling and dis-
content, then more than justifiable — was the Englishman's special
sin :
And Englys men namely
Are Jjurghe kynde of herte by.
A forbyseyn ys tolde ]f>ys,
Seyde on Frenshe men and on Englys ;
Frenche men synne yn lechery.
And Englys men yn enuye.
Handlyng 8ynnc, p. 131, 1. 4154-5.
Let US hope that the writer of the present piece had no more
ground for his complaint than the authors of similar ones have
now. The " fine old English Grentle-man " has never ceased from
the land, though his gentle-ness has been shown in forms varying
with the ages as they have passed on.
Of the poem itself we know no other copy. — F.
In merry 1N : old timss past when merry nieu [page 405]
old days
lived did merry makers ^ make,
no man did greater matters then
Lancelot 4 'Ci\(m. Lancelott of Dulake.
du Lake,
KobinHood, good Robin liood^ was liui[n]ge then,
w/w'cli now is quite fforgott,
^ayd ^ goe Avas ffaire Mayd Marryan,
Marry an, •' •'
8 a pretty wench, god wott.
aowdesie'^e! wilU'am of Cloudeslee did dwell
amongst the buckes & does,
ciim of the Clim of the Cloughe & Adarn Bell
Clough, and _ _
Adam Bell. 12 killed venison With, their bowes.
pi«' jolly throiiffhe the wood these lollye bowmen went,
bowmen <-' •' '
i^^nte'i' both ouer hill & dale, & dale & dale,
vp & downe, vpp & downe,
16 through many a parke & pale : H : H :
' ? MS. malccrs may be altered to in the M.S.— F.
matters. — F. ^ There is a tag to the d. — F.
'^ The first two lines are written as one
IN OLDE TIMES PASTE.
121
20
24
Tlie Maydens on tlie holydayes
did countrey carrolls singe,
& some did passe the time away
wt'tli dancinge fibr the ringc.
yea 20 groatos was mony then
wold make men make good cheere,
& 20 nobles gentlemen
might line on all the yeere.
Wilh'am of Cloudeslee did dwell, &c.
the maidens
sang carols
and danced,
20 groats
would make
a feast,
Then were there playes att w^hitsontyde,^
& som7»er games about ;
then fFreind wj'th ffreind wold goe & ryde
28 to drine the som7»er out ;
& after merry sommer time,
then winter time came in ;
then were as merry matters done
32 when Christmas did begin. ^
William, &c.
and summer
games were
played.
Winter was
merry
at Christmas
too.
36
40
Then did they chant itt merrilye
w/th hunting in the wood,
wherin they hound [s] mad such a crye
as did the hearers good ;
the hunters with their hunting homes
did cause the woods to ringe :
to see them pricke amongst the thornes,
itt weere pastime ffor a kinge.
William, &c.
Then was it
merry too in
woods
with cry of
hounds
and huntcis'
horns.
S/r Lancelott dulakc, a-dew !
thou was a worthy Knight ;
& eke maid Marryan sure & trew,
44 good Robin Hoods delight.
But now !
farewell
Lancelot
and Marian,
' See Strutt and Er;ind on tho Whit-
son-alos &c. Strutt quotes Sir Bcvis:
In Bomor at Wliitsontyde,
When knightes most on liorsebacko
ride, &c. — F.
- MS. begini. — F.
122
IN OLDE TIMES TASTE.
Clowdeslee,
Clim and
Adam.
The world
changed.
Pleasure
turned to
spite.
48
52
willmm of Cloudeslee, ffarewell,
witli thy companyons old,
Clim of the Clough, & Adam Bell,
three bowemen braue & bold ! '
for now the world is altered quite,
as itt had neuer beene ;
for plesure now is turned to spite ;
the like was neuer seene.
Men are
misers ;
the rich
don't hunt,
men don't
shoot.
Sure, the
old time
was best.
May God
send us
good bow-
men again I
56
CO
64
68
More sparinge for a pennye nowe
then then was for a pound ;
rich men, alas, they know not how
to keepe ne hawke nor hound,
all merriments are quite fforgott,
& bowes are laid aside ;
all is to litle now, god wott,
to maintaine wordlye pryde.
where I began, there will I end,
the old time sure was best ;
vnless thai misers quicklye mend,
old mirth may take his rest,
pray wee then good bowmen may rise,
as hath beene here to-ffore,
to-ffore, to-ffore,
to mamtaine, to Maintaine,
& make our mirth the more,
the more, the more. ffinis.
' Should " William, &c.," he repeated
here, and the next four lines belong to
the next stanza ? Or are four linos
■wanting after 1. 52, and the last two
stanzas in reality one of sixteen lines,
counting tlie repeats to-ffore, the more
with the linos preceding them? — Skcat.
123
This song was printed Ly Percy in Lis Reliques, ii. 343, with
Bishop Corbet's " 0 Noble Ffestus," from the Folio, p. 447, and
four other mad songs to make up half a dozen "selected out of
a much larger quantity." Percy says : " It is worth attention that
the English have more songs and ballads on the subject of mad-
ness than any of their neighbours. Whether it is that we are
more liable to this calamity than other nations, or whether our
native gloominess hath peculiarly recommended subjects of this
cast to our writers, the fact is incontestible, as any one may be
satisfied, who will compare the printed collections of French,
Italian Songs, &c. with those in our language." Mr. Payne Collier
considers that the madness was shammed, and that the cause of
it was the desire of the idle and dissolute begfjars — who swarmed
over the country on the dissolution of the monasteries — to excite
their hearers' pity and get alms. They were called Bedlam
Beggavb; and are mentioned by Edgar in " King Lear ";
The country gives mo proof and precedent
Of Bedlam beggars, who, with roaring voices,
Stick in their numb'd and mortify'd hare arms
Pins, wooden pricks, nrils, sprigs of rosemary ;
And, with this horinble object, from low farms,
Poor pelting villages, sheep-cotes, and mills,
Sometime with lunatic bans, sometime with i:)rayer,
Inforce their charity.
In Dekker's Bellman of London, l(51(i, all the difTercnt species of
beggars are enumerated. Amongst the rest are mentioned Tom of
Bedlam's band of mad caps, otherwise called Poor Tom's flock of wild
geese . . and those wild geese, or hair brains, are called Abraham men.
An Abraham man is afterwards described in this manner : " Of all
' That common old song of Mad-torn. Collated with a copy in a 12° collection of
songs printed by Borcman, 1735.— P.
124 DAEKESOME CELL.
the mad rascals (tliat are of this wing), the Ahraltam man is the
most fantastick. The fellow (quoth this old Lady of the Latke unto
me), that sate half naked (at table to-day) from the girdle upward,
is the best Abraham vian that ever came to my house, and the
notablest villain : he swears he hath been in Bedlam, and will talk
frantickly of purpose : you see pins stuck in sundry places of his
naked flesh, especially in his arms, which pain he gladly puts himself
to (being indeed no torment at all, his skin is either so dead with
some foul disease, or so hardened with weather, only to make you
believe he is out of his wits) : he calls himself by the name of Poor
Tom., and coming near anybody, ciies out. Poor Tom is a cold. . . .
(Mr. Payne Collier's note to Dodsley's Collection of Old Flays, ii. 4,
quoted in Chappell's Popular Music, i. 334-5.)
Mr. Chappell prints the tune of the song, which is to be
played majestically, but cannot settle who is the author of it:
certainly not Purcell or Henry Lawes ; possibly Lawes's master,
John Cooper, called " Cuperario " after his visit to Italy. Mr.
Chappell continues :
There is an equal uncertainty about the authorship of the words.
In Walton's Angler, 1653, Piscator says, " I'll promise you I'll sing a
song that was lately made at my request by Mr. William Basse, one
that made the choice songs of The Hunter in his career, and To')n of
Bedlam, and many others of note." There are, however, so many
Toms of Bedlam, that it is impossible to determine from this passage
to which of them Isaak Walton refers. — P.
£ FORTH : ffrom my sadd & darksome ^ cell,
romefback ffi'om ^ the deepe abisse of hell,
madd Tom is come into ^ the world againe
4 to see if hee can ease ^ his distempered braine.
From hell
mad Tom
to the world.
He hears
the Furies
fieare & dispayre pui'sue ^ my soule !
harke how the angry ifuryes howle !
**°^^'^ ' Pluto laughes, proserepine ^ is gladd
8 to see poore naked Tom of Bedlam madd.
' dark and dismal.— P. ^ Fears and cures oppress &c.— P.
^ Or from. — P. There is a flourish like an s to the e of
' to view. — P. •* cure. — P. inirsuc. — F. * & Proserpn<-. — P.
DARKESOME CELL.
125
through woods ^ I -wander night and day
to seeke ^ my stragling sences ;
In an angrye mood I ffonnd out time '
12 -With his Pentarchye * of tenses.
when mee he spyes, away hee iByes ;
time ^ will stay ffor no man ;
In vaine with cryes hee rends ^ the skyes,
16 pittj ^ is not com)»on.
Cold & comfortlesse I lye.^
helpe,^ oh helpe ! or else I dye.
harke ! I heere Appolloes teeme,
20 the Carman 'gins to whistle ;
Chast Dyana bends her browe,''^
'^ the bore begins to bristle.
Come, vulcan, with, tooles & wt'th takells,'^
24 & knocke of my troublesome shakells I
bid Charles make ready his waine
to flfeitch my ffiue sences ^^ againe.
Last night I heard the dogstar barke,
28 Mars mett venus in the darke ;
Limping vulcan heates ^'^ an Iron barr,
& ffuryouslye runs '^ att the god of warr.
Mars with, his weapons '^ layd about,
32 but vulcans temples had ^^ they gout,
iFor his broad homes did hang soe in '^ his light
that hee cold not see to aime arrierht.'^
he wanders
about,
seeking his
senses.
He lies
comfortless.
Vnlcan
knocks off
his
shackles !
He hears the
dogstar
bark;
he sees
Vulcan and
Mars fight,
the world. — P.
find.— P.
I met old Time.— P.
pentateuch. — P.
For time. — P.
I rend, qu. — P. I rent. — lid.
For pity. — ^P.
I be.— P.
Help, help &c.— F.
bowe. — P.
" And.— P.
'- tackle, qu. — P.
" Cp. "Bless thy five wits." Khig Lear,
iii. 4. — Dyce. To bring mo my senses &c.
—P.
■' heat.— P. het.—Rel.
"* made. — P. '« weapon. — P.
" limping V: had got. — P.
'" his broad horns did so hang in. — P.
"• aim his blows aright. — 1".
126
DARKESOME CELL.
and
Bacchus
burst with
Mercuiye, the nimble post of heauen,
36 staycl to see this quain^elh'
gorreld-bellyed Bacchus, gyant-like
bestrjds a strong beere barrell :
drinking
beer.
Poor Tom is
very dry.
Give him
drink.
to me he dranke, [I did him thanke,
40 but I cold gett noe Cyder ;
hee dranke] ^ whole butts till hee burst his gutts ;
but mine Avere neere the wyder.
poore naked Tom is verry ^ drye ;
44 a litle drinke, ffor charity e !
He hears
Actfeon's
hounds.
hearke ! I heare Acteons hounds.*
the huntsmen woopp and hallowe ;
Ringwood, Royster,^ Bowman, lowler,
48 all the chase doe ffollowe.
The man in
the moon
wants a cup
of sack.
the man in the moone drinkes Clarrett,
eates pouthered ^ beeffe, turnipp & Carrett ;
''' a cup of old Maligo ® sacke
52 will fBre the bush att his backe.
ffiiiis.
' Stood still . . . the q[ — P.
^ The words included in these
brackets are omitted in the printed
copies. — P.
' Pore torn is very. — P.
•* home. — Ed.
° Rockwood, Jowler, Bowman.— P.
^ salted. See Babccs Book Index. — P.
' but.— P.
* of malaRa. — P.
1 tf-f
iHarke more ffoole:
More here is probably a corruption of Morio (a word con-
nected with the Grreek fMcopos), " homo," says Facciolati, " qui
naturali stoliditate et stultitia risum excitat." " Quidam," says
Augustine in his 26th epistle, " tantffi sunt fatuitatis ut non
multum a pecoribus differant; quos moriones vulgo vocant."
With regard to its use here of the cap-and-belled fool of the
sixteenth century, compare the following epigram of Martial
(viii. 13) :
Morio dictiis erat ; viginti millibus cmi ;
Eedde mihi nximmos, Gargiliane ; sapit.
which may be roughly rendered :
I bought Tom Fool for twenty thousand pence.
Return my money, dealer ; he has sense.
The court of the Tudors, or the first Stuarts, in whose time
probably the following piece was written, was seldom without its
Fool. From Will Somers to Archie Armstrong the succession is
continuous. WTio was the individual whose acuteness is here
celebrated, we cannot precisely state.
We have not seen any other copy of the piece.
10 : passe the time there as ^ I went,
a history there I chanced ^ to reede ;
when as Salamon raigned Ki««7, When
Solomon
4 ho did many a worthie deedo, was King
' whereas. — P. ^ MS. changed. — F.
128
MARKE MORE FOOLE.
it was
felony not
to restore to
the owner
goods found.
& many statutes liee caused to be made ;
& this was one ^ amongst the rest plaine,^
" itt was ffeloniy to any one that found ought was
lost,
& wold not restore itt to the owner asjaine."
lost his
purse with
100/. in it,
and offered
20Z. for its
restoration.
12
16
Soe then there was a rich Merchant,
as he rode to a markett towne,
itt was his chance to lose his pursse ;
he said there was in itt a 100''.
a proclamation he caused to be made,
" whosoeuer cold find the same againe,
shold giue itt him againe without all doubt,
& hee shold have fFor 20\' his paine."
A poor man
finds the
purse,
but doesn't
understand
the gold.
20
24
Soe then there was a silly poore man [page 407 ]
had 2 sheepes pells vpon his backe to sell,
& going to the Markett towne
hee fibund the pui'sse, & liked itt well ;
hee tooke itt vp into his hand,
& needs see what was in it hee wold ;
but the same he cold not vnderstand ;
fibr why, there was nothing in it but gold.
The mer-
chant
accuses him
of finding
the purse.
He says he
has it, and
will restore
it for the 20/.
28
32
The rich man hee pursued him soone,^
"thou horeson villaine," quoth, he then,
" I thinke itt is thou that has found my pursse,
& wilt thou not giue itt me againe ? "
" good S/r," sayd hee, " I ffound such a pursse ;
the truth ffull soone itt shall be knowne ;
you shall haue itt againe, its neuer the worse,
but j^ay me my safteye ■* that is mine owne."
' MS. ome.— F.
^ among thorn plain. — P.
' el'tboon.— P.
* I don't find this word elsewhere in
the same sense. — F.
MARKE MORE FOOLE.
129
" Let me see wliats in tlie pursse," said the Merchant;
" Found thou a lOOl' and no more ?
thou horeson villaine ! thou hast paid thy-selfe ;
36 for in my pursse was ffuU sixe score.
itts best my pursse to me thou restore,
or before the Kdng thou shalt be brought."
" I warrant," quoth, hee, " when I come the 'King
before,
40 heele not reward me againe w/th nought."
Then they Ledd him towards the Kinge,
& as they led him on the way,
& there mett him a gallant K.mght,
44 & With him was his Ladye gay.
wrth tugging & lugging this pore man,
his lether sckins ^ began to cracke ;
the gelding was wanton they Ladye rode on,
48 & thi'ew her downe beside his backe.
The mer-
chant says
he had UOl.
iu his purse,
and he'll
take the
poor man
before the
King.
On their
road to the
King,
a knight
and his lady
meet them.
The poor
man's sheep-
skins crack,
the lady's
gelding
throws her
Then to the earth shee gott a thawacke ;
no hurt in the world the pore man did meane ;
to the ground hee cast the Ladye there ;
52 on a stubb shee dang out one of her eyen.
the 'K.night wold needs \qion ^ him haue beene.
"nay," sayd the Merchant, "I pray you. Sir,
stay;
I haue a actyon against him alreadye ;
56 he shalbe^ brought to the King, & hangd this
day."
Then they Ledd him towards the King,
but the poreman liked not their Leading well ;
& coming neere to the sea side,
GO he thought to be drowned or sane him selfc.
on to a stub,
and puts out
one of her
eyes.
The knight
wants to
punish the
poor man.
He is afraid.
and to save
' skins. — P.
* Cp. oiir " I'll be down upon you."
VOL. III.
' There is a 5 followed by a letter
blotted out, after be. — F.
130
MARKB MORE FOOLE.
himself
leaps into
the sea,
that is, on
two fisher-
men,
and breaks
one's neck.
& as hee lope into tlie sea,
no liarme to no man lie did wott,
but there liee light vpon 2 ffislier-men ;
64 with, tlie leape lie broke one of tlieir neckes in a
boate.
The other
wants to be
down on the
poor man
for this.
They go
before the
King.
The mer-
chant says
he lost a
purse
of 120;.
and the
poor man
won't give
it up except
for 20?.
The knight
says the man
made his
lady lose one
of her eyes.
And the
fisher
says the
man broke
his brother's
neck.
The other wold needs vpon him haue beene.
" nay," said the Merchant, " I pray thee now stay ;
we hane 2 actyons against him alreadye ;
68 he shalbe carryed to the K.ing & hangd this day."
then they Led him bound before the 'K.wg,
where he sate in a gallerye gay.
"my Leege," said the Marchant, " wee haue brought
such a villane
72 as came not before you this many a day.
" ffor itt was my chance to loose my pursse,
& in itt there was ffull sixe score ^ ;
& now the villaine will not giue itt me againe
76 except that hee had 20" more."
" I kut ^ I have a worsse mache then that," sayd the
'Knight,
" for I know not what the villaine did meane ;
he caused my gelding to cast my Ladye ;
80 on a stubb shee hath dang out one of her eyen."
" But I have the worst match of all," sayd the ffisher,
" ffor I may sighe & say god wott :
hee lope att mee & my brother vpon the seas ;
84 With the leape he hath broken my brothers neck
in a bote."
the "King hee turned him round about,
being well aduised of euery thinge :
Quoth he, "neuer since I can remember,
88 came 3 such matterrs since I was Kinge.^ "
' pornids six score. — P.
■' y MS. hut. Cut, say. Hall.— F.
' before a king. — P.
MARKE MORE FOOLE. 13.1
Then Marke More, ffoole, beinge by, Marke, the
"how now, Brother Solomon ?" then q?(oth hee, soio'monto
let him
" giue you mil not gine iudgment of these 3 matters, judge these
C3(US6S*
92 I pray you returne them ^ ore to mee."
" With all my hart," q?toth Salomon to him, Solomon
agrees
" take you the iudgment of them as yett ; giadiy,
fifor neuer came matters me before,
96 tliai ffainer of I wold be quitt."
"Well," q^ioth Marke, "Avee haue these 3 men [pageios]
heere,
& euery one hath put vp a bill ; So Marke
but, pore man, come hither to me.
100 lets heare what tale thou canst tell for thy selfe."
calls on the
poor man
for his
answers.
"why, my 'Lord,'" qwoth hee, "as touching this He says
"Themer-
Merchant, chant
as he rode to a markett towne
itt was his chance to loose his pursse ; lost his lOo;.
purse,
104 he said there was in itt a 100'^
" A proclamatyon he caused to be made, and offered
' whosoeuer cold find the same againe plaine,
shold giue itt him againe without all doubt,
108 & hee shold haue 20" ffor his paine.' 20/. reward
& itt Avas my chance to ffind thai pursse, iTound it,
& gladlye to him I wold itt restore ; offer it Mm,
Ijut now hee wold reward mee with nothinge,
112 but Challengheth^ in his pursse 20V more." and he asks
me for 20^.
" Hast thou any wittnesse of iliai ? " said my LorcZ
Marke ;
" I pray thee, fellow, tell mc round."
" yes, my Lo?tZ, heres his owne man His own
116 i/irtt carry ed the Message flfrom toAVue to towne." witaess!"
' you turn them. — P. ^ The hcth in t.he MS. appears crossed out. — F.
K 2
132
MARKE MORE FOOLE.
The mer-
chant's man
says that's
true.
" Then,"
said Marke,
" the poor
man si i all
keep this
purse,
and you
shall follow
him till you
find
another."
" I'd sooner
give him 20/.
than do
that," says
the mer-
chant.
" Pay the
money then,
and go."
" As to the
knight,"
says the
poor man,
" he and the
merchant
made
my skins
rattle,
the man was called before them all,
& said itt was a 100" plaine,
& that his master wold giue 20"
120 to any wold giue him his jmrsse againe.
"I had fforgotten 20!'," said the Merchant,
" giue me leaue ffor my selfe to say."
"nay," said Marke, "thou Chalengeth ^ more then
thine owne ;
124 therfore with the pore fell owe the pursse shall
stay.
& this shall bee my iudgment straight :
thou shalt ffollow eche day by the heeles playne
till thou haue ffound such another pursse with him,
128 & then keepe itt thy selfe, & neere giue itt him
againe."
" Marry, ouer gods fibrbott," said the Merchant,
" that euer soe badd shold be my share !
how shold I fland a 100'/ of him
132 that hath not a 100 pence to loose ^ ?
rather He giue him 20'.' more,
& with that hee hath, lett him stay." ^
" Marry, render vs downe the money," said Marke,
136 " soe may thou chance goe quietlye away."
" ffellow ! how hinderedst thou the Knight ?
thou must make him amends here, I meane ;
itts against Law & right ;
140 his Ladye, shee hath lost one of her eyen."
" why, my LorcZ, as they ledd me towards the 'King,
for ffeare lest I shold loose my trattle,*
these lether skins you see mee bringe,
144 With tugging and lugging began to rattle."
' Fr. cJialanger, to clairae, challenge, — P.
make title vnto. Cotgravc. — 1\ ■• For trattle, Halliwell gives to prattle
^ spare. — P. or talk idly : for trattlis, the dung of
• And wh«t ho hath let witli him stay. sheep, hares, &c, — F.
MAEKE MORE FOOLE.
133
148
152
1 * " Tlie gelding was wanton the Lady rode vpon,-
no hurt in the world, my Lord, I did nieane, —
to the ground he cast that Ladye there,
& on a stub shee dang out one of her eyen."
" ffellow," q?ioth Marke, " hast ^ thy wiffe 2 eyes ?
I pray thee," quoth, hee, "tell me then."
" yes, my Lo?y?, a good honest pore woman,
that for her liuinge takes great paine."
frightened
the lady's
horse,
and he threw
her on a
stub."
" Has your
wife two
eyes ? "
156
160
" Why then, this shalbe my iudgment straight,
tho thou perhapps may thinke itt strange :
thy wiffe wtth 2 eyes, his Ladye hath but one,
as thou hast drest her, wrth him thoust change."
" many ouer gods fforbott," then sayd the Knight,
" that euer soe badd shold be my shame ;
I had rather giue him a 100".
then to be trobled w^'th his dunish ^ dame."
" Then the
knight
shall change
wives."
" I'd sooner
give him
100?." says
the knight.
168
"Marry! tender vs downe the mony," said Marke, "Pay down
. ,, your money
" soe may thou be gone within a while. and go."
but the ffisher ffor feare he shold have beene called. The fisher-
man is
he ran away a quarter of a mile. alarmed,
•' '■ and runs off,
" I pray you call him againe," qwoth Marke,
" gifie hee bee w/thin sight ;
for neuer came matter me before,
but euerye man shold hauo his right."
but is called
back,
They called the ffisher backe againe :
" how now, fellow ? why didst not stay ? "
"my Lon?," q'foth hee, " I haue a great way home, and makes
excuses
172 & ffiiine I wold be gone my way,"
' {Marginal note hy ih; writer of the
MS). This verso shold come in att
this * mark abouo [which is where it
now is — F.]
■' hath.— P.
' ?(/?«!7?.?/, deaf, stupid, Ilalliwell. — F.
134
MAKKE MORE FOOLE.
" As to the
fisherman,"
sa3-s the poor
man,
" to save
myself, I
leapt into
the sea.
but came on
his brother,
and broke
Ids neck."
" Then,"
says Marke,
" this
fisherman
shall put his
boat in the
same spot,
and jump on
you."
" but, fFellow, how liinderedst tliou this ffislier ?
I pray thee," quoth. Marke, "to vs tell."
" raj Jjorcl, as I came neere the sea sycle,
176 I thought either to be drowned or saue my selfe.
" And as I lope into the sea, —
no harme to no mann I did wott, —
there I light vpon this ffishers brother ;
180 With a leape I broke his necke in a boate."
"ffisher," quoth Marke, " knowest thou where the
boate stood ?
thoust sett her againe in the selfe same steade,
& thoust leape att him as he did att thy brother,
184 & soe thou may quitt thy brothers deede.^ "
" And break
my neck, or
be drowned,"
says the
fisherman :
♦' I'd rather
give him
201."
" Pay down
the money,
and go
then."
The poor
man takes
all the
money, and
says he
doesn't care
how often
he's brought
before the
King.
The other
three say
they'll never
come again
while
Marke's
there.
" Marry, gods fforbott," then sayd the ffisher [page 409]
" that euer soe badd shold be my lucke !
If I leape att him as he did att my brother,
188 1st either be drowned or breake my necke ;
rather He giue him 20'f :
& I wold, my Lord, I had neere come hither."
" Marry, tender vs downe the money," said Marke,
192 "& you shalbe packinge all 3 together."
The pore man he was well content,
& verry well pleased of euerye thinge ;
he sayd he wold neere take great care
196 how oft hee came before the Kinge.
these other 3 cold neuer agree,
but euery one ffell out w/th other,
& sayd they wold neere come more to the T^ing
200 while hee was in companye w/th marke his
brother.
doad. — P. death. — F.
135
Cf)omas : of : ^otte/
Though men in early days made the ballads as well as the laws
of the nation, they were more just to women in the one than
the other. Against the Marquis lifting Grisilde from her father's
cottage to his own throne, they set the Lady's love for her Squyer
of Lowe Degree, and against King Cophetua, Lord Arundel's
fair heiress with her Thomas Potts. If " Lady Clara Vere de
Vere " had been written centuries ago, we may be sure that some
male predecessor of Elizabeth Barrett Browning woidd have
answered it with " A Poet's Wooing," suited to the time. In-
deed, we may go further, and say, that as minstrels sang more for
knights, who held the purse, than ladies fair, the stooping of a
high-born heiress to a fighting lord of lowly birth was a more
frequent topic in old ballads and romances than the taking by a
noble of a lowborn bride. Serving-man might be squire, squire
be knight, and knight an earl : to any and all, the highest lady
in the land was a possible prize, were a strong right hand and a
stout heart the possession of him who dared to try for her. And
in the present ballad the writer has boldly faced the bathos, if
any there were, in name as well as in fact, for he has married
Lord Arundel's daughter to Thomas Potts.
In the middle of the sixteenth century Hewe Eodes counsels
his Wayting-Servant :
For your promocyon resort to such as ye may take avauwtage,
Amoug ge«tylme?» for rewardcs, to gentylwomeM for marriage.
Se your eye be iudyfferent, amongo women that be fayre,
And tell them storyes of loue, and so to you they \v3dl repayre ;
Suche pastymes somtyme dotli many men auauuco
In way of maryagc, and your good name it wyl enhaunce :
and no doubt in earlier days good-looking young serving-men
' Shewing how he won Lord Arundel's Vol. i. p. 189, 12° iiititled The Lover's
Daught<"r from Lord Plioenix, being only Quarrel or Ciqnd's Triiaiq)/!. — P.
a serving Man. In Pepys' Merrim'.',
136 THOMAS OF POTTE.
had an eye to their mistresses' hands and fortunes, besides being
honestly, desperately in lo\^e with them. We have seen, in The
Lord of Learne (i. 190-8), how the young shepherd-boy was
taken by the Duke of France's daughter into her service, and
how she fell in love with him, and married him ; we know how
in William of Palerne (or William and the Werwolf) the
Emperor s daughter Melior loves, and must love, her gens et tres
hiax young serving-man, though he is only a cowherd's foundling,
and though she tries to school her heart, saying :
what ? fy I schold i a fundeling • for his fairenesse tak ?
nay, my wille wol nou^t a-sent • to my wicked hert.
wel kud kinges & kaysers • krauen me i-now ;
I nel leie mi loue so low • now at l>is time;
desparaged were i disgisili • jif i dede in Hs wise ;
I wol breke out irava. ]?at baret • & blame my hert.
and with the immense advantage that continual access to a young
mistress's presence gave a man when kettle and other drums had
not been invented to bring suitors, and tournaments and feasts
came rarel}^, we may well believe that Thomas Pottses did some-
times secure their ladies, notwithstanding " the great gulf fixed
between churl and noble " on which Mr. Hales has remarked in
Glasgerion, vol. i. p. 248. We can hardly suppose the subject a
popular one among highborn dames ; and without the fact's actual
happening, I doubt whether it would have been chosen for a
ballad theme. Grant that it did occasionally happen, and then
the balladist would not refuse to sing the constancy of a love that
glorified all on whom it shone — as well a Thomas Potts as a
banished Earl. Anything less like a hero coming to fight for his
love it would be difficult to conceive than the canny Potts as he
rode from his Scotch home on his old dock-tailed white horse.
This is how he chose his charger, when offered his master's best :
theres an old horsse, — for him you doe giffe I be out of my saddle cast,
not care, — they beene soe wild theyle neuer be
this day wold sett my Lady ffree, tane againe.
that is a white, with a eutt tayle, lett me haue age sober & wise ;
ffidl 16 yecres of ago is heo. . . itt is a -pari of wisdome, you know
0 Master, those \heUer i/oiinrj] horsses itt plaine ;
beene wild and wicked, if I bo out of my sadio cast,
& litlo they can skill of tlio old traino ; heele either stand still or turne againe.
THOMAS OF POTTE.
137
Still, though Potts is unhorsed and wounded, and has to rely
on his white steed's wisdom, Potts has pluck, and gives Lord
Phenix so much of fighting that he wants no more. And his
Lordship, being convinced that Lady Eozamond prefers Potts to
him, generously promises her that she shall have her Potts, and
if her father will not endow them, he will :
Ho send ffor tliy father, tho liord of Arnmdale,
& marryed together I will you see.
giflfe hee will [not] maintaine you well,
both gold and Land you shall haue from me.
Need we say that the Lady, his true-love, turns Thomas a Pott's
name into " The Lord of Arrundale," and exhorts all her maids
& Ladyes of England, fairs & fFree,
looke you neuer change yoMr old loue for no new,
nor neuer change for no pouertye. — F.
12
16
20
All : you Lords of Scottland ffaire,
& ladyes alsoe bright of blee ;
there is a ladye amongst them all,
of her report you shall heare of me.
of her bewtye shee is soe bright,
& of her colour soe bright of blee ;
shee is daughter to the Lord Ai-rndell,
his heyre apparrant ffor to bee.
" Ee see that bryde," liord Phenix sayes,
" that is a Ladye of hye degree,
& iff I like her countenance well,
the heyre of all my Land sheest bee."
to that Ladye ffayre Lord Phenix came,
& to that Like-some dame said hee,
" now god thee saue, my Ladye ffaire !
the heyi-e of all my Land thost bee."
"Leaue of yo?(r suite," the Ladye sayd,
" you are a Lord of lionor ffrce,
you may gett Ladyes enowe att homo,
& I hanc a loue in mine owne countrye.
Lords and
Ladies of
Scotland,
I'll tell you
of a fail-
Lady,
Lord
Arundel's
heir.
Lord Phenix
offers to
marry her.
She tells
him that
she has a
lover.
138
THOMAS OF POTTE.
a semng-
nian,
Thomas a
Pott.
Lord Phenix
says he
has 40/. to
Thomas's 31.
" I liaue a louer true of mine ' owne,
a servinge man of a sm.all degree ;
lie is tlie first loue that euer I had,
24 & the last that hee shalbee :
Thomas a Pott, itt is his name."
" gine Thomas a Pott then be his name,
I wott I ken him soe readilye ;
28 I can spend 40" bj weeke,
& hee cannott spend pounds 3."
The Lady
says she'll
stick to
Thomas.
" god giue you good of yo?(r gold," said the Ladye,
" and alsoe, S;'r, of yo?ir ffee !
32 hee was the fiirst loue that euer I had,
& the Last, Sir, shall hee bee."
Lord Phenix
tells her
father,
With that Lord Phenix was sore amoued ;
vnto her ffather then Avent hee ;
36 hee told her flPather how itt was proued,
how that his daug-hters mind was sett.
and he says
she shan't
have his
land
unless she
marries
Lord
Phenix.
So she is
forced to be
his bride.
" thoa art my daughter," the Erie of Arrndell said,
" the heyre of all my Land to bee ;
40 thoust be bryde to the Lord Phenix,
daughter, giue thoule be heyre to mee."
for lacke of her loue this Ladye must Lose,
her foolish wooing lay all aside ;
44 the day is appoynted,^ & ffreinds are agreede,
shee is fForcte to be the Lo?yZ Phenix bryde.
But she
means
to beguile
him.
With that the Lady began to muse —
a greened woman, god wott, was shee —
48 how shee might hord Phenix beguile,
& scape vnmarryed ffrom him that day.
' MS. niue.— F.
* There is a mark like an undottcd i
in the MS. before tlie y. — F.
THOMAS OF POTTE.
139
sliee called to her lier litle ffoote page ;
to lacke lier boy, soe tenderlye
52 sayes, " come tliou hitlier, thou litle ffoote page,
for indeed I dare trust none bat thee.
She tells her
page, Jack,
50
" to Strawberry castle, boy, thou must goe,
to Thomas Pott there as hee can bee,
& giue him here this Letter ffaire,
& on o'uilford g-reene bidd him meete me.
to take a
letter to
Thomas,
" looke thou marke his conteuance well,
& his colour tell to mee ;
60 & hye thee ffast, and come againe,
& 40 shillings I will giue thee.
" for if he blush in his fface,
then in his hart heese ^ sorry bee.
64 Then lett my ffather say what hee will,
for false to Potts He neuer bee.
[page 410]
and il he
blushes,
then he'll
be sorry,
and she'll be
true to him ;
" & giue hee smile then wt'th his mouth,
then in his heart heele merry be ;
68 then may hee gett him a loue where-euer he can,
for small of his companye my pctrt shalbe."
if he smiles.
then she'll
give him up.
then one Avhile thai the boy hee went,
another while, god wott, rann hee ;
72 & when hee came to sti-awberry castle,
there Thomas Potts hee see ;
The boy
goes to
Thomas,
76
then he gaue him this letter ffau'e,
& when he began then for to reade,
they ^ boy had told him by word of mouth
' his loue must be the Lord Phenix bryde.'
gives him
the letter.
and tells
him his
love must
marry Lord
Phenix.
' heese, i.e. lie will be, or must be. — P.
■' the.— P.
140
THOMAS OF POTTE.
Thomas
blushes,
weeps,
cannot read
the letter.
80
with thai, Thomas a Pott began to blushe ;
the teares trickeled in his eye :
" indeed this letter I cannot ^ reede,
nor neuer a word to see or spye ;
but bids the
boy tell his
Lady
" I pray thee, hoy, to me thoule be trew,
& heers 5 marke I will giue thee ;
84 & all these words thou must pursue,
& tell thy Lady this ffroni mee :
that Lord
Phenix
shall not
marry her;
" tell her by ffaith & troth shee is mine owne,
by some pa?-t of promise, & soe itts be found,
88 LorcZ Phenix shall neuer marry her by night nor day
without he can winn her wz'th his hand.
he'll lose his
life to stop
it.
" on Gilford greene I will her meete,
& bidd thai Ladye ffor mee pray ;
92 for there He Loose my liffe soe sweete
or else the wedding I mil stay."
The boy goes
back.
The Lady
meets him.
then backs againe the boy he went
as ffast againe as he cold hye.
96 the Ladye mett him 5 mile on the way :
" why hast thou stayd soe long ? " sales shee.
100
" boy," said the Ladye, " thou art but 3'ounge ;
to please my mind thoule mocke and scorne ;
I will not beleeue thee on word of mouth
vnlesse on this booke thou wilt be sworne."
and he tells
her
how Thomas
cried.
104
" marry, by this booke," the boy can say,
" as Christ himselfe be true to mee,
Thomas Pott cold not his letter reade
for teares trickling in his eye."
MS. camot.— F.
108
THOMAS OF POTTE.
" if this be true," the Ladye sayd,
" thou Bonny boy, thou tells to mee,
40? I did thee promise,
but heeres 10'.' He jjiue itt thee.
" all my maids," the Lady sayd,
" that this day doe waite on mee,
112 wee will ffall do^vne vpon our knees,
for ThoHias Pott now pray will wee.
" if his fibrtune be now ffor to winn,^
wee will pray to christ in Trinytye ;
116 He make him the fflower of all his kinn,
ffor they 2 Lord of Arrundale he shalbe."
now lett vs leaue talking of this Ladye faire,
in her prayer good where shee can bee ;
120 & He tell you hou. Thomas Pott
for ayd to his Utord & vaaster came hee.
& when hee came Lorc^ lockye before,
he kneeled him low do^vvne on his knee ;
124 sales, " thou art welcome Thomas Pott !
thou art allwayes full of thy curtesye.
" has thou slaine any of thy ffellowes,
or hast thou wrought me some villanye ? "
128 " S/r, none of my ffellowes I haue slaine,
nor I haue wrought you noe villanye ;
*' but I haue a loue in Scottland ffaire,
I doubt I must lose her through pouertye ; ^
132 if you will not beleeue mc by word of mouth,
behold the letter shee writt vnto mee."
141
The Lady
gives him
10/.,
says she and
her maids
will pray for
Thomas,
and she'll
make him
Lord
Arundel.
Thomas
goes to his
Lord,
Jockyo,
and tells him
that he is
like to
lose hi.s lovo
through his
poverty.
' MS. wim.— F. in tlio MS. between lines 131, 132, but
^ the. — P. marked by a bracket, and by Percy, to go
^ The next stanza but one i.s written in its proper place. — F.
142
THOMAS OF rOTTE.
Lord Jockye
says
" You shan't
lose her :
you shall
have
gold and
silver,
when Lore? lockye looked the letter vpon,
the tender words in itt cold bee :
136 " Thomas Pott, take thou no care,
thoust nener loose her thronghe ponertye.
" thou shalt have 40V a weeke,
in gold & siluer thou shalt rowe,^
140 & Harbye towne I will thee allows
as longe as thou dost meane to wooe ;
40 men, " thou shalt haue 40*?'' of thy ffellowes ffaire,
and40horse, & 40 horssc to goc with thee,
144 & 40 speares of the best I hatie,
& I my-selfe in thy companye.^ "
and I'll go
with you."
Thomas
declines the
offer.
148
"I thanke you, Master," sayd Thomas Pott,
" neither man nor boy shall goe with, mee ;
I wold not ffor a 1000" [page 4ii]
take one man in my comj)anye."
Lord Jockye
advises him
" why then, god be with thee, Tho5H«.s Pott !
thou art well knowen & proued for a man ;
1 .52 Looke thou shedd no guiltlesse bloode,
nor neuer confound no gentlman ;
to fix a place
to fight his
rival,
and he'll
provide for
him.
Thomas goes
to
Lord Phenix
and Lady
Rosamond,
" but looke thou take with him some truce,
apoint a place of lybertye ;
156 lett him provide as well as hee cann,
& as well provided thou shalt bee."
& when Thomas Pott came to Gilford greene,
& walked there a litle beside,
160 then was hee ware of the LortZ Phenix,
& With him Ladye Rozamund his bryde.
• row, i.e. roll. See Gloss, ad Gr.
Douglas. So Page 21-20. Thretty Ling
twelf monthis rowing over, i.e. rolling
over. — P.
2 Only half the « in the MS.— F.
THOMAS OF POTTE. 143
away by tlie biyde rode Thomas of Pott,
but noe word to ber thai be did say ;
164 but wben be came Jjord Pbenix before, Lord Phenix
be gaue bim tbe rigbt time of tbe day. o' day.
" 0 tbou art welcome, Thomas a Potts ! Lord Phenix
' asks
tbou serving man, welcome to mee !
168 bow ffares tbey Lord & Master att borne, Thomas's
& all tbe Ladyes in tby cuntrye ? "
master is.
" Sir, my liord & my Master is in verry good bealtb ; "Very well.
I wott I ken itt soe readylye.
172 I pray you, will you ryde to one outsyde,! But let me
, . n •j.i )) have a word
a word or to we to taike witli mee. with you.
"vou are a Nobleman," savd Thomas a Potts, You are a
-> ^ J Lord,
" yee are a borne Lore? in Scottland ffree ; and can get
*' ladles at
176 you may gett Ladyes eno we att borne ; ^"^^ .^
you sball neuer take my loue ffrom mee ! " have my
" away, away, tbou Thomas a Potts !
tbou seruing man, stand tbou a- side !
180 I wott tberes not a sei'ving man tbis day,
I know, can binder mee of my bryde."
" K I be but a seruing man," sayd Thomas,
" & you are a Lord of bonor ffree,
184 a speare or 2 He witb you runn, forhw"^""
before lie loose ber tbus cowardlye."
" on Gilford sTcene," Lo/tZ Vhenix saics, " Le tbee ^o"^ Phenix
° ' ' accepts the
meete; fi^iit;
neitber man nor boy sball come bitber w/tb mee."
188 " & as I am a man," said Thomas a Pott,
"lie baue as ffew in my companye."
' i.e. on one side : (ho expression is still used in Nor(li«w^)tonshire. — P.
144
THOMAS OF POTTE.
and the
wedding is
put off,
Rosamond
is glad,
192
w^th that the wedding-day was stayd,
the biyde went vnmariyed home againe ;
then to her maydens flPast shee loughe,
& in her hart shee was fFuU fFaine.
and says
Bhe'U
pray for
Thomas,
and if he
wins,
■will make
him Lord
Anmdel.
" but all my mayds," they Ladye sayd,
" tJicct this day doe waite on mee,
196 wee will ffall downe againe vpon our knees,
for Thomas a Potts now pray will wee.
" if his ffortune be ffor to winn, —
weele pray to Christ in Trynitye, —
200 He make him the fflower of all his kinn,
for the Jjord of Arrundale he shalbe."
[The Second Part.]
Thomas goes
home again,
and falls
sick.
204
f now let vs leaue talking of this Lady fayre,
in her prayers good where shee can bee ;
He tell you the troth how Thomas a Potts
for aide to his Lord araine came ' hee.
21 parte <
208
& when he came to strawberry castle,
to try ffor his Ladye he had but one weeke ;
alacke, ffor sorrow hee cannott fforbeare,
for 4 dayes then he ffell sicke.
Lord .Tockye
asks whether
he has got his
love.
with thai his Lord & M.aster to him came,
sayes, " I pray thee, Thomas, tell mee without all
doubt,
212 whether hast thou gotten the bonny Ladye,
or thou man 2 g^i3,ge the Ladye w/thoute."
' MS. cane.— F.
- ma\in, i.e. must. — P.
THOMAS OF POTTE.
145
" marry, masfer, yett that matter is vntryde ;
w/'tliin 2 dayes tryed itt must bee.
i>l6 lie is a Jjord, & I am but a seruing man :
I doubt I must loose ber tbrougli pouertye."
" wby, Thomas a Pott, take thou no care ;
tboust neuer loose her through pouertye ;
220 " thou shalt hauc halfe my Land a yeere,
& that will raise thee many a pound ;
before thou shalt loose thy bonny ladye,
thou shalt drop angells w/th him to the ground.'
" That'll be
settled in
two Jays,
and I shall
loso lier from
poverty."
"No,
Thomas,
I'll lend you
half
my land,
224 " & thou shalt haue 40 of thy IFellowes fiaire,
& 40 horsses to goe w/th thee,
& 40 spores of the best I haue,
& I my-sclfe in thy companye."
228 " I thanke you. Master," sayd Thomas a Potts,
"but of one thinge. Sir, I wold be ffaine ;
If I shold loose my bonny "^ Ladye,
how shall I increase jouv goods againe ? "
and 40 men
and horses.
and go with
yon myself,
232 " why, if thou winn thy Lady ifaire,
thou maye well fiforth for to pay mee ;
if thou loose thy Lady, thou hast losse enoughe ;
not one penny I will aske thee."
236 " Master, you hauc 30 horsses in one hold, [i)age4i'j]
you keepe them ranke and royallye ;
theres an old horsse, — for him you doc not care, —
this day wold sett my Lady ffrce,
240 " that is a white, wtth a cutt taylc,
ffull 16 yeeres of age is bee ;
giffe you wold lend me that old horsse,
then I shold gett her easilj^e."
and never
ask for a
return if you
lose."
"If you'll
lend me your
old docked
horse, that's
all I want."
' Cp. Bessie off Bed /Kill, vul
VOI;. III.
p. 28i, 1. 104-24.— F.
L
MS. bomy.— F.
146
THOMAS OF POTTE.
" Don't be
foolish,
Thomas ;
have a
better
horse."
244 "thou takes a fibolish part," the LorcZ lockye sayd,
" & a ffoolish part thou takes on thee ;
thou shalt haue a better the[n] euer he was,
tJiat 40'.' cost more nor hee."
" None of
your wild
animals for
me ; I want
248 " 0 Master, those horsses beene wild and wicked,
& litle they can skill of the old traine ;
gifFe I be out of my saddle cast,
they beene soe wild theyle neuer be tane againe.
a sober one,
that if I'm
thrown will
stand still."
252 " lett me haue age sober & wise ;
itt is a part of wisdome, jou know itt jilaine ;
if I be out of my sadle cast,
heele either stand still or turne ao-aine."
" Take the
old horse
then, and
100 men."
256 "thou shalt haue that horsse wtth all my hart,
& my cote plate of siluer ffree,
& a 100!* men att thy backe
for to fight if neede shalbee."
" No," says
Thomas,
" neither
man nor boy.
260 " I tliauke you, M(w/e/-," said Thomas a Potts,
" neither man nor boy shall goe with. mee.
as you are a Lord off" honor borne,
let none of my ff'ellowes know this of mee ;
keep 'em all
back."
264 " ffbr if they wott of my goinge,
I wott behind me they will not bee ;
without you keepe them vndor a locke,
vpj)on that greene I shall them see."
At Gilford
Green
Thomas finds
Lord Phenix
and men,
268 & when Tho«ms came to Gilford greene
& walked there some houres 3 ;
then was he ware of the Lor(? Phenix,
and 4 men in his company e.
272 "you haue broken your vow," sayd Thoinas a Pott,
" joitv vowe that you made vnto mee ;
you said you wold come joav selfe alone,
& you haue brought moi'c tlieii - or o."
THOMAS OF POTTE.
147
276
280
284
" tliese are my waiting men," Lord Plienix sayd,
" that eueiy day doe waite on mee ;
gifle any of these shold att vs stirr,
my speare sliold ruun tliroAve his bodye."
" He rnnn uoe race," said Tho/zuzs Potts,
" till that this otlie heere made may bee :
' if the one of vs be slaine,
the other ftbrgineu that hee may bee.' "
Imt ihey are
only his
waiting
men.
and he vows
*' He make a vow," Lord Pheuix saye.s,
"my men shall beare wittnesse w/th thee,
giffe thou slay mee att this time,
neuer the ^^'orsse beloncd in Scottland thou slialt Thomas,
bee."
they shall
not hurt
288 then they turned their horsses round about,
to run 1 the race more egarlye.
Lo/-(? Phenix he Avas stifFe & stout,
he has runn Thomas quite thorrow the thye,
292 & beere Tho/»fl.s out of his saddle ffaire ;
vpon the ground there did hee lye.
lie sales, " for my liffe I doe not care,
but ffor the loue of my Ladye.
296 '• but shall I lose my Ladye ffaire ?
I thought shee shold haue beene my wiffe ;
I pray thee, Lord Phenix, ryde not away,
for With thee I wall loose my Liffe."
Theycharge,
and Lord
Phenix
runs Thomas
through the
thigh, and
grounds
him.
Thomas says
he'll fight on.
300 then '^ Thomas a Potts was a seruing man,
he was alsoe a Phisityan good. ;
he clapt his hand vpon his wound ; staunches
w/tli some kind of words he staunclit the blood.'
' M.S. rum.— F.
' Though.— P.
' The notes to Brand's Popular Anli-
(pdtics, ii. 167, cd. 1841, give (from the
Athenian Oracle, i. ir)8) this ch:irm to
stop bleeding at llic nose and all other
liwmorrhages :
In the blood of Adam, Sin was taken,
In liie blood of Christ it was all to-
shaken.
And by the same blood I do thee charge,
That the blood of [Thomas Potts] run no
longer at large. — F.
L 2
148
THOMAS OF POTTE.
charges Lord
Phenix,
runs him
through the
MTQ,
304 then into his sadle againe hee leepe,
the blood in his body began to warme ;
he mist hord Phenix bodye there,
bvit he run him quite throw thebrawne of the arme,
unhorses
him,
and says
" fight on,
or give up
my Lady."
Lord Phenix
says he can't
fight,
308 & he bore him quite out of his saddle ifaire,
vpon the ground there did he lye ;
he said, " I pray thee, hord Phenix, rise & ffight,
or else yeeld this Ladye sweete to mee."
312 "to ffight with thee,"q;<oth Phenix, "I cannott stand;
nor ffor to ffight, I cannott, sure ;
thou hast run me through the brawne of the arme ;
noe longer of thy spere I cannott endure.
and he'll give
up the Lady.
316 " thoust haue that Ladye w/th all my hart,
sith itt was like neuer better to proue ;
nor neuer a noble man this day
thai will seeke to take a pore mans loue."
[page 413]
Then
Thomas
320 " Why then, be of good cheere," sales Thoinas Pott,
" indeed, your bucher He neuer bee,
for lie come & stanche jouv bloode,
giff" any tliankes youle giue to mee."
Btaunclies
Lord
Phenix'a
wound,
and offei's
him another
chance :
324 as he was stanching ^ the Phenix blood,
these words Thomas a Pott cann to him proue, '^
" He neuer take a Ladye of you thus,
but here He giue you another choice :
to let
Rosamond
stand
between
them and
take which
she likfs.
328 " heere is a lane of 2 miles longc ;
att either end sett wee will bee ;
the Ladye shall sitt vs betweene,
& soc will wee sett this Ladye ffree."
' MS. btumching.— F.
or praic.
THOMAS OF POTTE.
149
332
336
340
" if tlioule doe soe," Lor J Phenlx sayes,
" Tho»ias a Pott, as thou dost toll mee ;
whether I gett her or goe w/thout her,
heeres 40'.' He giue itt thee."
Lord Phonix
accepts this
and gives
Thomas 40/.
Rosamond
& when the Ladye there can stand,
a womans mind that day to proue ;
" now, by my ifaith," said this Ladye ffaire, chooses
"this day Thomas a Pott shall haue his owne loue." Thomas,
toward Tho7»as a Pott the Lady shee went,
to leape behind him hastilye ;
" nay, abyde a while," sayd hord Phenix,
" ffor better yett proued thou shalt bee :
344 " thou shalt stay heere with all thy maids, —
in number with thee thou hast but 3, —
Thomas a Pott & He goe beyond yonder wall,
there the one of vs shall dye."
348 & when they came beyond the wall,
the one wold not the other nye ;
Ijorcl Phenix he had giuen his word
With Tho Hias a Pott neuer to ffight,
352 " giue me a Choice," hord Phenix sayes,
" Tho»irts a Pott, I doe pray thee ;
lett mee goe to yonder Ladye ffaire
to see whether shec be true to thee."
356 & when hee came that Ladye too,
vnto that likesome dame sayd hee,
" now god thee saue, thou Ladye ffaire.
the lieyre of all my Land thoust bee !
360 " ffor this Thomas a Potts I haue slaine;
he hath more then deadlye wounds 2 or 3 ;
thou art mine owne Ladye," he sayd,
" & marrycd together wee Avill bee."
and is going
to him,
when Lord
Phenix tells
her to stop,
while
Thomas
and he fight
to the death.
He asks
Thomas
to let him
prove her.
He goes to
her, tells her
he has killed
Thomas,
and she is
now his.
150
TirOMAS OF POTTE.
Rosamond
says she'll
have him
hanged,
and then
swoons.
Lord Phenix
undeceives
her, says
Thomas is
alive,
and shall
marry her.
Lord
Arundel
consents too.
So Maids
and Ladies
all, don't
change an
old love
for a new
or a rich one.
Thomas a
Pott shall
be Lord
Arundel.
3G4 the Laclye said, " if TllOJ/^^s■ a Potts this day thou
haue slaine,
thou hast slaine a better man than euer was thee ;
& lie sell all the state of my Lande,
but thoust be handed on o. o-allow tree."
368 with that they Lady shee ffell in a soone,
a greened woman, I wott, was shee :
Lort? Phenix hee was readye there,
tooke her in his armes most hastilye ;
372 " 0 LojT?, sweete/ & stand on thy ffeete !
this day Thoinas a Pott aliue can bee ;
He send ffor thy father, the Jjord of Arrundale,
& marryed together I will you see.
376 giffe hee "will you ^ maintaine you well,
both gold and Land you shall haue from me."
" He see thai wedding," my LortZ of Arrundale said,
" of my daughters loue tliai is soe ffaire ;
380 & sith itt will no better be,
of all my Land Thomas a Pott shall be my heyre."
" now all my maids," the Ladye said,
" & Ladyes of England, faire & fifree,
384 looke you neuer change yo?(r old loue for no new,
nor neuer change for no pouertye ;
" ffor I had a loner true of mine owne,^
a serning man of a small degree ;
388 flfrom Tho;ua.s a Pott He turne his name,
& the Lo7-f? of Arrundale hee shall bee."
ffiiiis.
' O Lady sweete. — Uvce.
* for not .— F,
^ MS. owme.— F.
151
SiSailliam tl)f ConqufromV
The cop}' of this ballad in Stranc/e Histories, 1607, and Chappell's
Popular Music, i. 94, is entitled "The valiant courage and policy
of the Kentishmen with long tails whereby they kept their
ancient laws and customs which William the Conquerour sought
to take from them — to the tune of Bogero.'' " It was written by
Deloney the ballading silk-weaver," who died in or before 1600.
Evans, who prints this ballad from another copy (2Vie Garland of
Delight) extracts the following account of the event which gave
rise to it, from The Lives of the three Norman Kings of England,
by Sir John Heyward, 4to, 1613, p. 97: "Further, by the counsel
of Stigand, Archbishop of Canterbury, and of Eglesine, Abbot of
St. Augustine's (who at that time were the chief governors of
Kent), as the King was riding towards Dover, at Swanscombe,
two miles from Grravesend, the Kentishmen came towards him
armed, and bearins boughs in their hands as if it had been a
moving wood : they enclosed him upon the sudden, and with a
firm countenance, but words well tempered with modesty and
respect, they demanded of him the use of their ancient liberties
and laws : that in other matters they would yield obedience unto
him : that without this they desired not to live. The king was
content to strike sail to the storm, and to give them a vain satis-
faction for the present ; knowing right well that the general
customs and laws of the residue of the realm would in short
' This seems modfrn liy it's elegance. The. Garland of Bclujht. ICvans prints
The story of the Kentish-Men's pre- this ballad from tlio latter, but the for-
serving their liberties, 1()6() Anno. Col- mar is a better autliority. As Perey
lat^d witii a Copy in Popys's Collocticu says ' Hirangc Hlshtrks or Garland'
of Penny Merrini^", Vol. 3. p. 3'J. P. L. both here and in his first note to the next
In if Strange Ihaturics or Garland of poem, I ttiink he may have si^en some
Delight. To the Tune of Rogero. — P. copy made np of the two Garland^. -
Stra>ige Hisforie.t is a different book from W. C.
152
WILLIAM THE CONQUEROUR.
time overflow these particular places. So pledges being given
on both sides, they conducted him to Rochester, and yielded up
the county of Kent and the castle of Dover into his power."
(Chappell, Pop. 3Ius. i. 94.)
When
■William
conquered
England,
he was
crowned by
the Ai-ch-
biihop of
York ;
punished his
opponents.
When william duke of normandye [page4i4]
with glitering ^ speare & sheild
had entered into ^ ffaire England,
4 & told 3 his ffoes in ffeild,
vpon Christmas day, in soleme '* sort,
then was hee crowned lieere
by Albert, Archbislioj)p of yorke,
8 & many a noble peere.
wAi'ch being done, he changed quite
the customes of England,''
& punished '^ such as daylye sought
1-2 his statutes to w/thstand.
and subdued
Loudon,
but Kent
witlistood
him.
& many cytyes hee subdued,
ffaire London With the rest,
but '^ then Kent did still w/thstand his power,^
16 & did his lawes detest.
He went to
Dover to
destroy the
castle,
to doner then he tooke the ^ way,
the castle downe for ^^ to flinge
which Aueragus had '^ builded there,
20 the noble Brittaine ^^ Kino-e.
buttheArch-
bisliop of
Canterburj',
the Abbot of
St. Austin's,
but when '^ the braue Archbishopp bold
of Canterbury knew,
the Abbott of S' Austines eke,
24 w/th all their gallant crew,
■ glistering.— P. « punislit. — P. ' del. — P.
^ There's a w seemiiiglv before llic /. " fori'o. — P. ^ his. — P.
-F. ' foiVd.— P. '0 Del.— P. " del.- P.
* solemn.— P. * of this Lund.— P. '- British.- P. '^ whioh when.— P.
WILLIAM THE COXQUEROUR.
153
the 1 sett tliemselues in order ^ bright,
these mischeefes to preueut,
with all the yeomen braue & bold
28 that were in ftruitfull Kent.
and tlio
Kenti.-sU
yeomuii
att Canterbury they did ^ meete
vpon one certaine daj',
"* With sword, With sheild, w/th bill, w/th bow,
32 to stopp ^ the conquerours way.
met at
Canterbury,
" ^ let vs not line like bondmen pore
to fFrenchmen in their pryde,
but lett vs^ keepe our ancyent lybertyes,
36 what chance soeuer tyde ** !
and resolved
" & rather lett vs ^ dye in bloody ffeild,
with manly courage prest,
then to endure the seruile yoke
40 w/iich wee thus much ^^ detest ! "
not to
submit.
thus did the Kentish Com7iions crye
vnto their leaders still,
& then they marched '^ in warlike sort,
44 & stood att swansco '^ hill.
They
marched to
Swauscomb
Hill,
& vTider a wood ^^ they hidd tliemselues,
vnder they shadow grecne,
wherby '^ to gett them vantage good
48 of all their ffoes vnseene.^^
hid in a
wood,
' they.— P.
- armour. — P.
3 did they.— P.
* sword & .spe.'ir . . .
'- And Stopt.-^P.
" yeild like.— P.
' del.— P.
" so e'er betyde. — P.
» did.— P.
& Low.— P.
'* so much. — P.
" And so marcht forth. — P.
'- Swauscomb.— P.
" There in the woods. — P.
■' Thcrby.— P.
'* And fur y"^ conq^^ coming thoro
They privily laid wait,
And thcrby suddenly appal'd
his lofty high conceit. — P.
154
WILLIAM THE CONQUEROUR.
and on
William's
approach
marched out,
each carry-
ing a bough.
& ^vllen ' the spyed his approche
ill place where tliey did stand,
they marched fforth to hemm him in ;
52 eche man tooke ^ a bow in his hande.
William sees
a wood
moving
towards
him,
"^ before, behind, & on echo syde
as hee did cast his eyes,*
he espyed these woods ^ in sober pace
56 approach to him fFnll nye.
and quakes
for fear.
The shape of men he cold not see,
the boAves did hyde them soe ;
& how ^ his hart did quake for feare
60 to see a fForrest o-oe !
The Kentish
men hem
him in,
draw their
swords,
throw down
their boughs,
but when the Kentish men had thus
enclosed the Conquerour round,
then suddenly they drew their swords,
64 & threw their bouges to ground ;
sound a
charge,
and deplo)'.
their banners they displayed ' in sight,
their trumpetts sounded * a charge,
the rattling drummes strike vp alarme,^
68 their troopes streitch fforth to the Large,'"
William is
aghast.
" wheratt this dreadfull Conquerour
theratt was sore agazed,'^
& most in perill when he thought '^
72 all psrills had beene past.
For when as they did. — P.
del. iooke. — P.
Percy marks to come in here :
So that up to the conqiifroTS sight
Amazed as he stood
Tliey seeni'il to be a walking grove
Or else a moving wood. — P.
eye.— P.
spyed the wood w/th. — P.
^ now with fear did quake. — P.
' display.— P.
" sounde. — P.
^ Their .... alarms. — P.
'" out at large. — P.
" The conqr with all his train
Were hereat sore agliast. — ,
'^ aghast or agast. — P.
" tliey thought.— P.
AVITJ.IA^r THE rOXQTKROTTR.
\3.'>
^ therfore vnto the Kentislimeu
an Embassadoure lie sent,
to know they ^ cause they tooke in hand
these warres, to what entent.'
to nsk wliat
the Kentisti
men want.
to whom they made this short reply,
"ffor liberty weele iiight,^
And to enioy K/»;7 Edwards the Confessors "• Lawes
80 w/u'eh Avee doe hold arrio-ht.-^ "
"Our
liberties,
and King
[page 41-'.]
Edward's
laws."
"why'' then," said the dreadfull Conqneronr,
"you shall haue what you Avill ;
jouv libertyes, jour ancyent custonies,^
84 soe that you wilbe still ;
William
agi-ees to
" & eche thing else w7t/ch you will crane
With reason att my hands,
soe that you Avill acknowledge me
cheefe l^ing of ffaire England."
give them
all the}' ask,
the Kentishmen therevpon agreed, **
& layd all ^ their arraes asyde ;
& by this meanes K.mg Edwards lawes
92 doe still in kcnt '" abyde.
and the
Kentish men
lay down
their arms.
96
& in no place in England else
such customes " doe remaine,
as the}^ by their manlike '^ policye
did of duke william s^aine.
ffinis
Thus Kent
alone keeps
its old
customs.
'-' Unto the Keutishmon he sent
The Ciuise to understand
For whet intent & for what cause
They took this war in hand. — P.
2 tlie.— P. ■' we tight.
* deh— P.
■'■ onr right. — I'.
" del. v^/i//. — P.
' Youv ancient customs & your law.s.
—P. See note at the end of the volume.
-F.
" agreed tlioreon. — P.
» delend a/l.—'P.
"• In Kent doe still.— P.
" those Customs. — P.
'- "\V///ph they by manly. — P.
156
" This," says Percy, " as well as the foregoing, is an excellent
ballad." To us it seems the song of a very pedestrian Muse.
The subject is excellent. It is preserved also in Strange
Histories.
When
Henry I. had
subdued the
French,
W HEN : as royall 'King ^ lieneiy the ffirst
had ffoyled his ffoes in ffrance,
& spent the pl[e]asant spi'inge
4 his honors ^ to adnance.
he came
back to
England,
then into England he returned'*
wi'th Same & victorye,
what t[i]me the suhiects of this Land
receiued him ioyfullye.
but left his
children in
France, —
but att his home returne,
his children left hee still
in ffrance, fibr to soiourne
12 to purchase learned skill.
Duke
William,
Lord
Richard,
Duke william with his brother dere,
LorcZ Richard was his name,
who was the Erie of Chester then,
16 w^[ho] ^ thirsted after ffame ;
' A.D. 1120. To the tune of T/ie
Ladies Baughtir. This, as well as the
foregoing, is an excellent ballad. Collated
with a copy in Strange Histories or The
Garland of Vdight, 12"?», Canto 3''.,B.
L., in Popys CoUoctzon of Penny Mer-
rim'!, vol. 3. p. 14. — P.
'^ After our royl king. — P.
^ honour. — P.
■* Into fair England he return'd.
'" and thirsted. — P.
THE DROWNING OF HENERY THE I. HIS CHILDREN.
157
the K/»^s ffaire daughter eke,
the Lady Marry bright,
w/th diuers noble peeres,
20 & many a hardy Knight ;
Lady
Mary, —
with peers
and knights.
all these he left ' together there,
in pleasure ^ and delight,
when that our Km^ to England came
24 after the bloodye ffight.
but when ffaire fflora had
drawen fforth her treasure dryc,
then winter sadd and cold ^
28 with hoarye head drew niee.*
Whnil
summer was
over,
and wnter
came on,
then these princes all with one assent ■'
prepared all things meete
to passe the seas into ^ ffaire England,
32 whose sight to them was sweete.
the princea
" to England lett vs hye,"
this euerye one did say,
" ffor Christamaa draweth nye ;
36 no longer lett vs stay.
spend
Christmas in
England,
but let vs "^ spend the Merry Christauias time
in game and pleasant sort,''
where Lady pleasure doth attend
40 w/th many a princely sport."
and enjoy
themselves.
' wcro left. — P.
^ pleasures. — P.
' cold and sad. — P.
* nigh.— P.
* Those princes all. . . cous[ent]. — P.
« for.— P.
' [let ivs] del.— P.
8 MS. tine.— F.
" within our Father's court. — P.
158 THE DRUWNIiNG OF HENERY THE I. HIS CHILDREN.
They set sail, to seas ' these princes went,
full fir aught ^ w/th mirth & ioy ;
but all their merryment ^
44 returned to greet '' anoye.
but tlio
sailors got
drunlc,
foi- the saylors & the shipmen,-^
throughe fFoule excesse of wine,
they were soe amazed thai ^ on the sea
48 they showed themselues like swine.
no one could
Bteer,
and the ship
went at
random.
The princes
■weep
and fear,
but at last
see England
the sterne ^ no man cold guide,
the Master sleeping Lay,
the saylors all beSyde
52 went reeling euerye way,
soe thai the shipp att randome rode
vpon the ff'oniinge ffloode,
wherby in pcrill of their lines
56 these princes ^ alway stoode,
w/; /ch caused distilling ^ teares
from their faire eyes to ffall,
their harts were filled w/th ffeare,^°
60 N'o Ioy ' ' they had att all,
the wished themselues vpon the land
1000 times and more ;
then att they last ^"^ they come in sight
64 of Englands pleasant shore.
[page 416]
' To sea.— P.
That y telle an evel lype,
Mon that doth him into shypo
AVhil the woder is wod ;
T"()r, Le ho conic to the depo.
He may wryngc hard ant wepe,
Ant be of drery mod.
' Ofto rap reweth ; '
Quoth Ilendyng.
B''Viqui(P Antiqiue, i. 115. — ^1".
■' J'ulfiU'd.— P.
' this their merrim^ — P.
* did turn, to dear. — P.
' The sailfvrs .... Shipmen all. — P.
" were so disguis'd that. — P.
' A.-S. steor-ern, the steering-place,
the stern. — F.
' The princes. — P.
" w/u'ch made distilling. — P.
•" fears.— P.
" no helpe.- — P.
'■^ And at the last.— P.
THE DRO^YiS■l^•G OF HENERY THE I. HIS CHILDREN.
159
then eueiy one began
to turne these sigcs ' to smiles,
their coulours ^ pale and wan
68 a cheerfull looke Exiles.
and smile.
the })rincelye Lords most louinglje
their Ladyes doe embrace ;
^ " In england," q?roth they " wee shalbe
r2 within a litle space." ^
Lords
embrace
their ladies,
" take comforts to yo»r seines,"
thus euerye one did say,
" & be no more dismay d ;
76 behold the Land att Last ! " *
and all take
comfort.
■^ btit as they did thus cheerfuUye
their comfort to attaine,
then soddainlye vpon a rocke
80 the shipp itt burst in twayne.^
But at that
moment
the ship
strikes, and
breaks in
two.
w/th that a greiuous scrike**
among them there was made,
& euery one did seeke
84 on something to be stayd.
Every one
seeks a
support,
but all in vaine ! such helpe the lackc.''
the shipp soe soone did sinke
that in the seas ^ they wei'e constrained
to take their latest drinke.
but all are
wliclmcd.
' their sighcs.- P.
* coloiu" P.
'— ' For now in Engbind shall wo he
Quoth they in httlc space. — P.
■• then they said
Behold the Land at last
Then he &e.
Tlio worst is gone & past. — P.
^— ^ While they did this joyful h(ip(
With comfort entertaiao
The goodly sliip upon a rock
In sunder hurst in twainc. — P,
« shrielv.— P.
' they sought. — P.
» sea.— P.
160
THE DROWNING OF HENERY THE I. HIS CHILDIJEN.
92
there miglit you see the Lords
and Ladyes fFor to lye
amidst the salt sea ffome,
w/th many a greiuons crye
notwith-
standing
their efforts,
except Duke
Bichard,
who gets
into the
cockboat ;
still laboured for their lines ' defence
^viih streched armes abroad,
& lifting vpp their Lilly hands
96 for helpe w/th one accordd.
but as good fibrtnne wold,
the sweete young duke did gett
into the Cockebotte then,
where safelye he did sitt.
100
but when he heard his si[s]ter2 crye,
the 'Kings faire daughter deere,
he turned his boate to take her in
but he turns
to rescue his
Bister, 104 whose death did draw soe neere ;
others crowd
into the
boat,
and all arc
drowned.
but while he turned his boate
to take his sister in,^
the rest such shifFfc did make
108 in seas as they did swimn,
for to ^ the boate a number gott,
soe raany att the Last,^
that the boate & all that was '^ theiln
112 was drowned & oner cast.
of Lords & gentlemen,
& ladyes ffaire of fface,
not one escaped then ;
116 this was^ a heauinesse !
' labouring .... life's. — P. j
2 .si.ster.— P.
* lio strove to take
His sweet young sister in. — P
* That to.— P.
* as at the last. — P.
" The boat .... were. — P,
' Which was.— P.
THE DROWNING OF IIENEllY THE I. HIS CHILDREN.
161
60^1^ and ten ' were drowned in all,
not one escaped death
but one pore bucher, who had swoome
120 himselfe quite out of breath.
which was ^ most lieauy newes
vnto our comlye Kinge ;
all mirth hee did refuse,^
124 this word when he did * bringe,
70 perish.
One, a
butcher,
alone
escapes.
The King is
sad at the
news,
and refuses
all mirth.
where by ^ this meanes no child wee '' had
his Elingdonie to succeede,
^ his sisters sonne was crowned 'Kings,
128 as wee may plainly reede.^
ffinis.
No child
succeedshim
but his
nephew.
' Thre Score & ten.— P.
' This was.— P.
^ Who did all mirth refuse. — P.
< they did.— P.
* For.— P.
6 he.— P.
'"' Whereby his sister's Son was king
As you shall plainly read.— P.
VOL. III.
162
ilurtDmng: of Ctiliiarb tin ffotirti) \n^ 53onnt«?/
This ballad differs very slightly from that published in the 1659
edition of The Croivn Garland of Golden Roses (reprinted by
the Percy Society, ed. Mr. Chappell), and reprinted from that
work in Evans' Old Ballads, iii. 38. The piece is there intituled
"An excellent song made of the successors of King Edward the
Fourth, to the tune of 0 man in desperation." It contains
three stanzas more than the present version, one after v. 8, one
after v. 28, one after v. 126. Else the differences are merely
verbal.
The ballad is evidently the production of a professional hand.
It tells its story in a business-like manner, with no great ex-
citement either of the imagination or the feelings. Pegasus here
appears as a sort of cab-horse. His driver awaited on his " stand "
any call that might be made for him. Poor Pegasus, well broken
to harness, jogged steadily away in the required direction, when
the call came, — to the Tower, it might be, or to Bosworth Field,
or to Swanscombe. His pace seldom varied. His caracolling
and flying days were past and gone. He did his work in a
sober plodding style, not without an occasional thought of the
" feed " that might reward his efforts.
There is another ballad on this same subject — and of no
greater merit — in the 1612 edition of the Croivn Garland, also
reprinted by Evans.
" The greater proportion of the ballads are historical," says
Mr. Chappell in his Preface to the Percy Society reprint of
' This is but of moderate excellence, Song on this Suhjoct, hut very different
tho' written so hite as Jumos the I'.'s from this, in the printed Collection, 12 '".",
Time. See Sinn". 31, 32. There is a Vol. ii. p. 100.— P.
MURTIIEIJING OF EDWAllD THE FOUKTII IIIS SONNES.
163
the 1612 edition, "and from early times down to the end of tlie
seventeenth century the common people knew history chiefly
from ballads. Aubrey mentions that his nurse could repeat the
History of England from the Conquest down to the time of
Charles I. in ballads." Could any nurses of the present day
perform such a feat ?
When : as the King of England dyed,
Edward the fourth by name,
he left 2 sonnes of tender yeeres
4 for to succeed the same.
When
Edward IV.
died
he left two
young sons.
then 'Richard, duke of Glouster,
desiring Kingly sway,
desired ^ by treason how to make
his brothers sonnes away.
Glo'ster and
Buckingham
plot to kill
them,
betwixt them they Layd downe their plott,^
& straight together went
to Stony Stratford, where they mett
12 the King incontinent.
[page 417]
and meet the
young King
at Stony
Stratford.
the sweete young King did entertalne
his vnckle Louinglye,^
not thinkinge of their "* vile intent,
16 nor of their ^ trccherye.
& then the duke of Buck[i]ngham,
to sett abroach this thinge,
he begau a quarrell for the noncte
20 with them that kept the Kinge.
BucKinghani
' contrived. — P.
■^ Tlii'ii ho & Buckingham did plot. —
' liincs i;{, 11 arc wi-illtii Infurc 1. 11
in iho MS., but are marked at the sido
with a bracket. — F.
' Ins.— i'.
* his.— r.
1G4
MCRTHERING OF EDWARD THE FOURTH HIS SONNES.
aiTests Lord
trray,
Lord Rivers,
24
& then tliey did arrest Lord Gray,
the Brother to the Queene ;
lier other brother, the hord Riuers,
in durance as they had beene.
and Sir T.
Vaiigliau,
tlio King's
friends,
Sir Thomas Vaughan then Likewise *
did there and then ^ arrest ;
soe was the 'King of all his ffreinds
28 suddenly dispossest.
and has
them i^ut to
death.
in breelFe, these Noblemen were sent
to Pontfracte Castle scone,
where the, [in] ^ short time afterwards,
32 to death was eche man doone.
Glo'ster and
Bnckingham
take the
King to
Loudon,
then forth they brought they King alone,
towards London with great speed,
vsing their perswasions full ffalselye *
36 not to Mislike that deede.
and lodge
him in the
Bishop's
Palace,
Glo'ster
names
himself
Protector,
and the
Cardinal
& when to London that they came,
ffor him they had p?'epared
the Bishopps pallace ffor the nonet,
40 but saflye vnder guard.
& then duke RiCHartZ takes vpon him
the keeping of the King,
naming himselfe Jjord protectore,
44 his wished ends to bringe ;
desiring ^ how then ^ in his mind
to gett the other brothers too,
the which the Cardinall vndertooke
48 ffull Cuningly to doo.
' in liko wise. — P.
* They then and there. — P.
« in.— P.
* their false persuasions. — P.
* Devizing. — P.
contriving, then how. — P.
MURTHERING OF EDWARD THE FOURTH HIS SONNES.
165
52
& then tlio Carclinall in great Last
vnto the Queene doth come ;
vsing his pe/'swasions ffull flalselyc,
then he "'ott her other sonue.
persuades
the Queen to
give up her
other sou.
then they both in ffull great hast
vnto the tower were sent,
where they lined but short space,
56 ffor death did them, prevent.
Glo'slerputs
them both in
the Tower,
then Duke 'RiCB.ard, hauing ffound this meanes
to worke these 2 princes death,
p?-ocured one of Iames Tirrelt.s hired men •
60 ffull soone to stopp their breath :
and Ijires
two men,
lames Dighton & Miles fforrest both,
these 2 vile wicked men,^
these 2 were made the instruments
64 to worke this murder then.
Dighton and
Forrest,
these princes being asleepe in bcdd,
lyinge arme in arme,
not thinking of their vile entents
68 nor thinking any harnie.
who, when
the princes
are asleep in
bed,
these villaines, in the ffetherbedd
did wrapp them up in hast,
& w/th the clothes soe smothered them
till liffe and breath was past.
smother
them
witli the
feather-bed.
76
& then they both were burycd,
where no man yett doth know.
but mai-ke how god, in his iudgment iust,
did Ill's riijlit reueiiLrment showe !
But Uod
takes
vengeance
for this.
' -jiie Sr Jam
tlu'sc vilo ami wicked moii. — P.
166
MURTHERING OF EDWARD THE FOURTH HIS SONNES.
Enckingham
is beheatled.
never sleeps,
is always in
fear of his
life,
and at la?t
Eichmoud
fiffhts him
at Bosworth,
and he is
slain,
and set
naked and
mangled on
a horse.
Richmond is
crowned
Henry VII.,
for betwixt those Dukes witliin short space
such a discord there was bredd,
as Buckingham to please the 'King
80 was fforcct to loose his head.
& then Richard in his Kinglye seate
no ease nor rest cold ffind,
the murthering of his nephews did
84 so sore molest his minde.
he neuer cold haue quiett sleepe,
his liffe itt stood in flfeare,
his hand vras on his dagger straight,
88 that no man might come him neere.
but att the Last Erie Richmond came
With such a puissant band,
that this ffalse King [he] was inforced
92 in his defence to stande.
then meeting him att Bosworth ffelld,'
they fought w/th harts full faine ;
yett ffor shedding of these princes blood,
96 god caused King Hicnard to be slaine.
& being dead, vpon a horsse
all naked he was borne,
his fflesh [all ^] cutt & mangled,
100 his haire all rent and tonie.
& then Erie Richmond worthelye,
ffor this his deede of ffame,
of England hee was crowned K/7/7,
104 Henery the 7'^ by name,
[page 418]
is snccecded
liy Henry
VIU.,
108
of whom most royall lines did springe,
///at ffamous King of might,
Henery the 8"', our ^ noble deeds
our chronicles doe well recyte.
Sec Bosworth Fcihle below. — F.
all cut.— P.
■' wliosc. — P.
MUUTHERING OF EDWARD THE FOUUTH HIS SONNES.
167
Avlien tliai liee dyed, liee left liis Laud & crowiio
to Edward his sweete sonue,
Avliose gracyous raigne all England may rue
112 liis time soe soone is come.
lie bv
Edward VT.,
& then his Sister Marye came,
next princesse of this Land ;
but in her time blind ignorance
IIG against gods truth did stand,
he by Mary
w/a'ch caused many a mans blood,
to be sliedd in ruefull case ;
tlien god did England once regard,^
120 & turned all these stormes to orace.
(who killed
the
martyrs).
ffor then the other sister came,
Elizabeth our Late Queene,
& shee released her peoples harts
1:24 ffrom grecfFe & eirrou[r]s ^ cleane.
she by
Elizabeth,
our late
Queen,
& then the ^ mightye lames did come,
of king Hener//*" royall race ;
Avhosc happy daycs our horO p/-(3scruc,
128 grant him Long time & space !
fliuis.
and she by
James I.,
whom God
preserve !
' England once more (lo'l di'l rr;^'.ii''l.
- orroiirs. — P.
« MS. die [blotted] the— F.
168
€\)t : fall X ot : prmte[s;:]'
The transit oriness of the glory of this life was a thing tliat our
early writers were much impressed with, a theme on which they
often wrote.
a ! man hab munde
)>at of }>is lif Jjer commijj ende :
of er]>e and axen ^ is iire kunde,
and in-to duste we schullit> wende :
was the burden of many a sermon and song. As one of the
former preaches (^Phil. Soc. Trans. 1858, Pt. ii. p. 2) to its non-
washing hearers of former days, why should men be proud or
expect to live ?
Man ! of J^i scliuldrcs and of J^i side
Jjou mi3te hunti luse and flee !
of such a park i ne hold no pride ;
i>e dere nis nau3te l^at l^ou mi3te sle.
What is the "gentil man " but a sack stuffed full of dirt and
dung that stinketh loathly and is black? When once the soul
is out of his body, a viler carrion is there none. And,
\>ei^ man bo rich of lond and lede,
and holdij? festis ofte and lome,
hit nis no donte he sal be dede,
to 3elde recning at i>e dome.
Worldly weal comes and goes, is but deceit, dirt, guile, and
vanity ; man's life is but a shadow ; now he is, and now he is not.
Death spares none. Beware then of " helle pine.''
Why, asks another,^
Whi is ]>js worlde biloued hat fals is & veyn ?
Its power passes away like a brittle pot that is fresh and gay. It
' N.B. This song sho^fM seem to have ^ ashes. — F.
been wrote soon after the Death of ' Hi/mns to the Virgin and Christ,
Henr^ 8. Vid. St. iilt.— P. E. E. T. Soc, p. 86, 1867.— F.
THE FALL OF PRINCES. 169
is full of sin, false in its business, false in its pleasures : unstable
as water, it cannot excel :
It is rat>ir to bileeue the wageringc wijnde
jran \>e chaungeable world )3at niakij> men so blinde.
Solomon, Sampson, Absalom, Duke Jonatas, CiEsar, the Rich
Man of the Grospels, Tullius, Aristotle :
Where ben fiese wor)?! J^at were heere to-forn ?
BoJ'e kingis & bischopis ? her power is al lorn.
Lydgate translated his Falles of Princes from Boccaccio to
point the same moral, and few Early English religious poems can
be found without it, " j^at worldli blis is but a ]?ing of vanite."
[Hymns to Virgin, p. 81, 1. 85-6.) The writer of the present
poem preaches a like sermon, that life is short and none can
resist Death's mace. If all the heroes of the world could not do
so, how can we ? They have died, and we must all follow them as
fast as we may. But the name of his last hero sounds odd to
our ears, though it justifies the impression that Mr. Froude says
the king made on his contemporaries : he was evidently to them
the " Solomon in all his glory " of his age :
if wisdom or manhood by any meanes cold
haue sailed a mans lifFe to endure for ever,
then King Henery the 8'^ soe noble and soe bold,
out of this wyde world he wold haue passed neucr.
Though the climax is to us an anti-climax, it is useful as a sign
of the times.
iHE : hyc god most gracyous, his ' goodenesse alone, God, after
thou hast 2 made vpon the earth, beast, bird and tree, beSts'biids,
Angells in heaueii, & ministers to thy throne,
the sun & the moonc, the Element & skyc. angels,
att Last thou made [man] of ^ noblest degree, moon,
after thine owne likenesse, such was thy grace. made man.
Lawde wee him therrtbre, for hap[)y wee bee ;
But heere wee beene sure to Hue but a space.
' whose.— P. •■' llalli. — P. 3 jimJcst man of.— P.
170
THE FALL OF PIJINCES.
But whore
are Adam
and Eve ?
Dead. And
we can live
but a space.
Where are
David,
Samson,
Hercules,
and Duke
Joshua ?
Their glorj's
gone,
a id we don't
live here
long.
Where are
Alexander,
Nebuchad-
nezzar,
Augustus,
[page 419]
All dead, and
we must
follow them.
Where are
Hector,
Rowland,
and Oliver ?
Where is Adam our ffirst progenitor,
of 1 bewt je & of cuning, & ^ neuer had no peere ?
& Eue his companyon, that most oryent ffigui-e ?
12 he Tsjing, & shee Qneene, ouer all this world in ffere ;
yet through theu' great fFalls soone changed we all our
cheer[e,]
thai all their posterytye shold fibllow their trace ;
death hath them deuoured, this matter is clere ;
IG but ^ heere wee beene sure to liuc but a space.
Where is 'King David the doughtye, that Golyas ouer-
came ?
or duke losua the gentle, of him what shold I tell ?
or Samson that ruled the Lyon like a lambe ?
or Hercules that quelled the porter of hell ?
where is duke losua that euer bare the bell ?
their pompe & their glory is nowe very basse.*
lett this be a mirrour alwayes in our sight,
that heere we beene sure to line but a space.
Where is Alexander the mighty e, that conquered this
world wide,
& gouerne att ^ one day as himselfe did luste ?
or [NTabuchondozer, tJiat prince pi'oud of price ^ ?
or Augustus, w/tli his power to them was full lust ^ ?
where is Haniball the hardy, threw all in the duste,
and brought all roome ^ into a sorry stay ?
All these be dead and gone, and after them wee must,^
and w^ee must all fi'olloAv as fast as wee may.
Where is Hector of Troy, that one of the 9 Avorthics was ?
& w^orthy sure he was soe for to bee ;
or Rowland & Oliuer, as itt came to passe, '^
."36 in number they were doughtye men all 3,
20
24
28
32
' for. — P. - tluit. — P. ' tliat was with his power full (righl)
» that.— P. just.— P.
■• base. s Komc— P.
* govern'd it.— P. » go after thoiii wo must. — P.
« full of pride.— P. '» MS. paste.— F.
THE FALL OF PRINCES. 171
but yctt With death they cokl not agree
in this world to haue no Longer space,
death, all their glory from them he did ring/ Dead, as we
' ° •' shall soon
40 & wee must all follow them in a short space. be.
Where is Grodfrey of Bullcn, that Troian soe stout ? where are
Godfrey,
or Mithydrates, where is hee ? Mithridates,
or lulyus Machabeus that went not about ?
44 or Guy of warwicke, as doughtye as hee ? cmy of
where is Huon ^ of Burdeaux, where is hee ? Huon of '
T --, „ in Mil- 1 Bordeaux?
these cold not refuse death w(tn his mace •* ;
therfor niarke my sayings all you thaf^ heere bee, Dead, and wc
48 for heere wee beene sure to hue but a space. iiere loug.
Where is lason the doughtye that woone the fleece of where arc
Jason,
gold,
or Acctollen ^ that was called the scorge of god, ^ttiia,
or Phebus, the wisest man vpon the mould ? Phebus,
52 or Acchilles that was called the Troians rodd ? Aciiiiies,
where is Kiiiq Herod the herlott, was ^ worsse then and King
■^ Herod y
ruadd,'^
for With his owne Kinsmen himselfe he did deface ?
Loe ! heere you may see, flfor all this noble ^ blood, Wc can live
here but a
that here we beene sure to hue but a space. space.
5C
60
where is the Empcrour that the bold clarke was wiierearc
called '-^ ?
the Sarasins doe remember him, & shall doe for
euer '^ ;
or lulyus Cassar, with '• head balde, juiius
that brought lloomc & the Romans to a sorry stay ? '^'*''
' wring did ho. — P. ^ wood. — P.
- Sir Huon.— P. " hye.— P.
3 ? MS. mjite, a/fcrcd to luacc— F. » Was it Charlemagne (1. 77) ? He
* MS. that you. — F. encouraged learning. — T. Wriglit.
' Antiochu-i.— P. '" aye. — P.
* who was. — P. " with his. — P.
172
THE FALL OF TRINCES.
and Nero ?
Dead,
as we soon
shall be.
64
wliere is Nero the cruell, thai ruled soe many a day ?
these cold not refuse death Avith his mace ;
therfore marke my saying, all you tliai heere bee,'
for wee beene sure to liue but a space.
Whore are
Pyrrhus,
Dulcina,
Sir Volen,
Troylus,
Tambur-
laiu?
Remember
that we
must die.
Where is Pironius,^ the proud enemy to Roome ?
or dulcina the terror, or Cicill the Kinge ^ ?
or S/r Volen, was called the hardy Troian ?
68 or Troylus of Troy thai loued well to springe ?
where is Tamberlaine thai ouej'came the Turke [in
fight],"
thai all the world did bring in di'ead & in doubt of
his deuilish face ?
lett this be a mirrour allwayes in our sight,
72 tliai heere wee beene sure to liue but a space.
Where are
Arthur,
Tristram,
Gawaine,
Lancelot,
Charle-
magne ?
Dead too,
and we
cannot
live long.
Where is 'K^'ing Arthur the venturer, w/th his Knighis
bold ? 5
or Sir Tristeram, thai treasure of curtesye ?
or Sir GaAvaino the good, w/th his helmctt made of
gold ?
76 or Sir Lancelott dulake, a 'Knighi of Chiualrye ?
where is 'King Charlemaine^ of ffrance, from them
wold "^ neuer fflee ?
yett these cold not refuse death w/tli his mace,
heere you may see, ffor all the hye degree,
80 thai here [we ^] beene sure to liue but alitle ^ space.
' hear may. — P. See Dr. Robson's
note below on leane, 1. 72 of Sir John
Buthr.—V.
* Pyrrhus. — P. I can't find Dulcina
and Volen. — F.
3 ? Eobert of Sicily :
Yn Cysylle was a nobullc kynge,
Fayre and strongo, and some dele 3ynge . .
Tiie kynge was calde kynge Koberd,
Never man in hys tyme wyste hj'maferdc.
HalliweWs Nnf/^e Puet/cce, p. 49.
According to Froissart (translated) In;
" was a great astrouomyri', and full of
great science " ; and in 1529 a play,
" Kynge Robart of Cieylye," was per-
formed at the High Cross at Chester, ib.
p. 71.— F.
^ in fight.— P.
^ The latter half of each of lines 73-7
is written in the MS. as the first half of
the line succeeding it. — F.
" Only two strokes and the dot of the
?■ in tlie MS. for in.—F.
' Wlio would.— P. MS. is right.
Com]iar(^ 1. 8.5 in tlie next stanzM. — F.
** wee.— P. " short.— P.
THE FALL OF PRINCES.
173
Where is K-Ing Ricliarc?, was called Cwer de Lyon ?
or Saladine the good Sarazen, wliere is liee ?
or Edward the 3"? that wan Gasconie & Gaines ' ?
84 or 'King Henery the 5 "', a prince of Chiualrye ?
where is duke Charles of Burgundye, from them did
neney flee ?
yett these cold not refuse death wi'th his mace ;
wherfor marke my saying, all you that here bee,
88 that here wee beene sure to Hue but a space.
Wbcro are
Cour-de-
Lion,
Salaiiin,
Edward III.
Henry V.,
Duke
Charles ?
All dead.
Take heed,
then,
we shall soon
die too.
ffor if wisdome or manhood by any meanes cold
haue saued a mans liffe to endure for euer,
then Khig Henery the 8*"^ soe noble and soe bold,
92 out of this wyde world he wold haue ^ passed neuer.
but death, where he comes, all things doth disseuer ;
where- euer he aproches, he will take place,
good hord ! bring vs to thy blisse, there to remaine
for euer ;
9C ifor heere we be sure to Hue but a space.
ffinis.
If manhood
could have
saved a man,
Henry VIII.
would not
have died.
But death
takes all.
God, bring us
to thy bliss !
Here we can
live not
long.
' Guisnes. Gasconie map be Gascoinc.
* One stroke only for m in the MS. — F.
174
Cfte mitt broUuit mnyli '
This is but a torn and tattered copy of one of the most exquisite
pieces of late Mediseval poetry.
The oldest copy extant is that inserted by Arnold in his
Chronicle^ the first edition of which appeared at Antwerp in
1502. The poem was even then, we may infer, considered old
and precious for its antiquity.
See General Introduction to Vol. II. Part I. and Introduction
to A Jigge-^ also Hazlitt's Early Popular Poetry, ii. 271.
Men com-
1
llIGHT & noe wronge, these men amonge, [iiigo420]
plain that, ^^ ^^^j ^.qj^^^^ ^qq CcmplaiTie,
affirming this, what a thing itt is
4 of a labour spent in vaine
[To love them well ; for never a dele ^
They love a man agayne ;]
^l°iu to wiii'^ for Ictt a man doe what he can
8 their fiavor to obtaine,
a woman s
love,
' Prioi>'s Poems, Vol. I. p. 160. This Copy, and several of them transpos'd.
is a very imperfect and mutilated Copy. —P. The copy helow is from Richard
That printed by Prior is very correct. Hill's MS., ab. 1500-30 a.d. — F.
There are 40 or 50 lines left out of this
THE NUTBROWN MAYDE.
[From the Balliol MS. 354, marked Arch. P. 1. 6.]
1 for late a ma« do Mhat he can,
* Be it right, or wronge, Thes [leaf 210&] ther favowre to attayn,
men a-monge yet, yf a newe to them pursue,
on wymen do co?Hplayn ; ther ferste trew lover than
afferniyng this, how that it is labowreth for nowght ; for irom her
a labowrf spent in vayn thowght
to lovo them wellc ; for ncucr a dele » he is a banysshed man.
they love a man a-gayu :
THE NUTT BROWNE MAYD.
175
12
& if a new to thorn prrsno,
the ffirst true loiicr then
he labours for nought,— fur from his thought,—
for he is a banished man.
wlion a now
loviT COlllCS
the oil! one
is turned off.
16
20
24
' And I say not nay, — but as you said,
itt is both -written and sayd, —
but womens flfaith, who soe sayth,
[is] right vtterly decayde ;
yett neuertheles, right good wittncsse
in this cause may be Layd :
that they ^ Lone true, & doe continue,
reccords the nutt-browne ^ maide :
ITor when her loue came her to prouc,
he come to make his moane ; '^
^ he sayd, " alas ! thus stands the case,
I am a banished maun.
But though
some say
that
wo'r.en's
faith is
decayed,
yet the
is'ut-brown
Maid's love
continued
true.
Her lover
came to
prove her ;
said : " I am
a banished
man.
' I say not nay, but that alle day
it is both wreten & said
that woman's feyth, Is, as who soyth,
alle vtturly decayde ;
But neu(T//«elcsse, Right good witues
In this case myght be layde,
that they love trew, & contenewe,
Rocorde the Nutbrown niayde,
■which, whaH her love cam her to prove,
to her to make his mone,"
•wolde not departe ; for in her hart
she loved but hym alone.
3
Than betwen us let us discvsse
•what was alk' tho maner
Betwen them two : we wiUc also
telle alle the payn in fere
that she was in. Now I begyn,
so that ye me answere;
■whcrfor, alle ye that present be,
I pr«y you, geve an ere.
I am the knyght ; I com by nyglit,
as secrete as I can ;
•• saying, " alas ! thus stondith the caas,
I am a banysshed man."
4
PUELI.A.*
And I yo!<r wille for to fulfille
In this wille not Refuse ;
trustyng to shew. In word/s fewe
tJiat men have an ylle use
(To thcr own shame) wymen to blame,
and cavselesse them accuse :
therfor to you I answere now,
alle wymen to excuse,—
JVIyn own hart dere, wil/« you wliat
chero ?
I pr«y yovi, telle mo a-non ;
ifor, in my mynd, of alle mankynd
1 lovo but you alon.
2 MS. they that.— F.
s MS. browmc.— F.
♦ ruclla and S(i\iyre arc at the right sides of the ^IS.— P.
176
THE NUTT BROWNE MAYD.
I've clone a
deed for
■which I
or flee
like an
outlaw
to the woods.
I'm a
banished
man."
28
32
36
' " ffor itt stall deth soe thai a decde is doc
•wherby great harme may growe ;
my destynye is ffor to dye
a sliameffu.il death, I trowe,
or else ffor to fflee ; tlie one must bee.
none other reed I know
but to Withdraw my-selfe Like an outlawe,
& betake me to my bowe.
& therfore, adew, my owne hart trew,
they best way tliai I can
is thai I to the greenwood goe,
my selfe a banished man."
The Maid
laments the
shortness of
her bliss.
But she'll
not part
from her
love.
2 " Alas ! " shee said, " what is all this worlds blisse ?
itt changeth as doth the Moone.
the sumiHcrs day in the Lusty may
40 is darke before the noone.
I heare you say ffarwell. nay ! nay !
wee will not depai-t soe soone.
but why say you soe, or whither will you goe ?
44 alas ! what haiie you done ?
' It stondith so ; a dede is* doo
wherof gret harme shalle grow :
My destynye ys for to dyo
A shamfulle deth, I trow ;
Or ellzs to flee : the on mvste be.
Non other way I know,
But to -Withdraw as an owtlawo [leaf 211]
And take me to my bow.
wlicrfor, a-dewo, Myn own hart trew !
Non other rede I can :
ffor I mvste to The gren-wode go,
alon, a banysshed man.
■^ O lorde ! what is this world«5 blis,
that changith as the raone?
the somers day In lusty may
Is darke befFore the none.
I here you say, flFarewelle : nay, nay !
we departe not so sone.
why say ye so ? vfheth^r wille ye go ?
abas ! what haue ye done ?
allc my welfare To sorow & care
shuld chauMge, yf ye wore gon ;
ffor, in my mynde, of allc mankyud
I love but you alon.
MS. it.— F.
THE NUTT BROWNE MAYD.
177
for all my welfare into sorrow & care
wold eonie if tltai you were gone ;
for in my mind, of all mankind
48 I loue but you alone."
She loves but
him alone.
I can but beleeue this wold you grceue,
& somewhatt you soe straine ; ^
Her lover
tells her
SQUYEE.
' I can beleve, i Ishalle you greve,
and su??cwliat you dystreyne ; "
but, afterward, jouv paynes harde
■Wit/an a day or twayn
sh.allc sone aslukc ; & ye slialle take
Conforte to you a-gayn.
why shuld you owght? for, to take
thowght,
yowr laijowrc \rere in vayn.
and thus I doo ; and p?'ay you to,
as hartely as I can ;
ifor I mrste to th(t gren-wodo go,
alon, a banysshed man.
PUEILA.
Now, sith that yc haue shewed to me
the secrete of yoz(r mynde,
I shalle be plaj-n to you a-gayn,
l)-ke as yo shalle me fynde.
sith it is so, that ye willc go,
I w'illc not bide bchyndc,
shalle it neucr be said, the nvtbrown
mayd
was to here love vnkynde.
make you Rody, for so am I,
alle-thowgh it were anon ;
ffor, in [my] mynd, of alk- mankynd
I louc but you a-lon.
SQUYRE.
Yet I j'ou Rede to take good hede
what me« viWXc thynke & say :
of yong, of olde, liit sliallc be told,
tliat ye be gon a-way,
yoj<r wanten willr for to fulfills,
in grenwodc you to play;
and that yc myght for yo«r delite
No lengar make delay,
rather thaw ye shuld thus for nie
be called a niyste woiiian,
VOL. III.
yet wold I to The grenwode go,
alon, a banysshed man.
PUELLA. [leaf 211^1
Thowgh it lie songe of olde & yonge,
that I shuld be to blame,
Thers be tho charge, That speke so large
In hurtyng of my name :
ffor I willf prove. That feythfullc love
hit is deuyoyed of shame ;
In yoz<r distresse and hevynesse.
To parte wit/* you, the same :
to sbewe alle tho that do not so,
trew lovers ar they non ;
ffor, in my mynd, of alle mankynd
I love but you alon.
SQUTEE.
I cownsaillc you, Reme?;«bre how,
hit is no maydyns lawe,
No-thyng to dowte, but to renne owt
to wode with an owtlawe.
ifor ye mvsto iher, In yoifr hond bero
a bowo Redy to drawe,
&, as a thcff, thus mvst ye leve.
Ever In drede & awe ;
wherby to you Gret harm myght grow :
yet hade I lever than,
that I [had] to The grenwod go,
alon, a banysshed num.
12
PUELLA.
I say not na}', but as yo say,
yt is no maydyns lore;
but love may make 3Ie to for-sake,
as I haue sayd beffore,
to cv.vi on foto, To hunte & shote
to get us mete in store ;
ffor so that I yowr company
may haue, I aske no more:
178
THE NUTT BROWISE MAYD.
of the hnnl-
have to
undergo
with him,
and says
he'll go alone
to the
gi-eenwood.
She answers
that as she's
shared his
joy, she'll
share his
■\voe.
52
56
CO
64
^ tlic tliornye Avayes, tlie clecpe valleys,
the liaile, ffrost, snow, & raine ;
ffor dry & weete, fFor cold & lieate,
wee must Lye on the plaine ;
no other house [be] vs aboue,
but a bush or a brake twaine,
my hart sweet, this ill dyett,
I know itt will make thee to looke wan ;
therfore will I to the greenwoode goe,
my selfe, a banished man."
6
• Shee sayes, " wt'th you I haue been p«i-tencr.
w/th you in loy' and blisse ;
I will take alsoe paH of jouv woe,
endure, as reason itt is ;
ffrom whifli to parte, it makytli myharte
as colde as any ston ;
for, in my myncle, of allc mawkynd
I love but you alone.
SQUYHE.
ffor an owtlawe This is the lawo,
that men hym take and bynde,
■v/ithovrt pite, hangid to be,
& waver •with the wynde.
yf I had nede, (as God for-bede !)
what socowrs cowld ye fynde?
fforsoth, I trow, ye and your bowe
ffor fere wold draw behynde.
and no mervaylo : ffor littille avayle
were in your cownselle than :
wherfor I wille to the grenwod go,
alon, a banysshed man.
14
PUF.I.LA.
Right wellc know ye, that wymoH bo
but feble for to fight ;
No woma?;hede it is in-dede
to be bold 8 as a knyght :
yet, in suche fere yf that ye were
with ennemyes day or nyght,
I wold w(t//stond, with bow in honde,
To helpc you with my myght, [leaf 21'2]
and you to save ; as wymoi liavc
from duth [men] many one :
for, in my mynd, of all^; nia?;kynd
I love but you alon.
15
[SQUYEE.]
Yet take good hede ; for cwr?- I dredo
that ye cowld not susteyn
" the thorny wayes, the dope A'aleyes,
the snowe, the froste, tlie Kayn,
the colde, the hete : for drye & wete
we mvste logge on the playn ;
&, vs above, none other Roffe
but a brake, bushe, or twayn :
which sone shuld greve you, I belcve ;
& ye wold gladly than
that I had to the grenwode goo,
a-lon, a banysshed man.
16
PUELLA.
' Sith I haue here ben partynore
v,ith you yoyo & blisse,
I mvstc also parte of yo«r woo
Elndui'e, as Reason is :
yet am 1 sure of on pleasure ;
&, shortly, it is this :
that, wlier ye be, me scmeth, p(7;-dc,
I coAvld not fare a-mysso.
W(t/;owt more spcche I you beseche
tliat wc were sliortly gon ;
for. in my myiul, of allt' mankynd
1 love but you alon.
THE NUTT BKOWNE MAYD.
179
but 1 sliokl be sure of one pleasure, At any rate
she shall
thai is shortlye tliis, see Wm,
wlieresoeuer you be, tliai I you see,
68 I cold not ffare amisse.
from home to depa/'t will make my hart
as cold as any stone ;
ffor in my mind, of all mankind
72 I loue but you alone." anclsheloves
him alone.
''But think,
It'll make
jou wan.
7
' " But you must consider, sweet hart, when you
come thither
and havie List to dine,
,1 . J j7 J. j-i we shall have
there is no meate titat w^ee can gett, ^o meat,
76 neither ale, beere, nor w^ine,
nor sheetes cleane to lye betweene, "^ sheets.
made neither of threed nor twinn, [page 42i]
Nor noe other house but leaues & brouse,
80 to couer your head and mine.^
my hart sweet, this ill dyett,
I know will make thee to Looke wan ;
therfore will I to the greenwood goe I'u go to the
woods by
84 my selfe, a banished man." myself."
^ " But among w'ild deere," shee said, " such an "Oh.j-ou'u
shoot deer
archer for us ;
as men say tliat you bee,
17 whcrfor I willc to the gren'^-od go,
[sQUYUE.] a-lon, a banysshed man.
' Iff ye go thydci-, ye mv.st co>,sider, 2 ^j ^^ j^ MS.— F.
wlian ye have luste to dyne,
tlior shalle no mete bo for to geto, 18
Nether here, ale, ne wyno ; [vuki.i.a.]
no shotes elen, to hiy hetwen, ' Amonge the wildo dere, suche an arcl
Made of threde and twyne ; as men say ('Artt ye he,
noil otlier hows, hut levis & howes, may not fayHc of good vytayllf,
to Cover yo(n- lu(h' & iiiyne ; wlior is .so gret plente :
h)o, niyn hart swi te, this ilh' dyett & wat^r ek're of tha Rivere
shukl make you pah' and wan ; siiallc lie fullr swetc to nie ;
air.
180
THE NUTT BROWNE MAYD.
I'll drink
water
and provide
a bed.
for I love
but you
alone.''
92
96
you sliold not fFaile ffor good vittaile
■\vliere is such gi'eat plentye ;
tlie water cleere w/tliin the riuer
shold be full sweete to me ;
I cold endure well, I am sure,*
in health as you may see ;
& a bedd or 2, before I goe,
I will prouide anon ;
fFor in my mindc,' aboue all mankind
I loue but you alone."
"Ah, but
there's worse
to do.
You must
cut your
hair,
shorten your
frock,
and start
with me
before
daylight,
for I'm a
banished
man."
9
^ " Nay Loue, thore you m.ust doe more :
If you will goe w^th mee,
you must shorten yowr haire aboue yo?(r eare,
100 & yoMr kirtle ^ aboue jouv knee,
ffor to Withstand, witb bow in hand,
JOUV enemyes, if neede bee ;
ffor this same nigbt, before it be day-light,
104 to the woods tliai I will fflee ;
& if you will all this ffulfill,
doe itt as shortlye as you can,
or else I must to the greenwood goe
108 my selfe, a banished man."
Vfiih which in hele* I shallc Eight wellf" "
Endure, as ye shalle see ;
and, or we go, a bedde or two
I can provide anon ;
ffor, in my mynde, of alle mawkynd
I love but you alone.
• ninde in MS.— F.
19
SQUYRE. [leaf 212i]
* Loo yet, bofforc, ye mvst do more,
yf yo willc goo wit// mo :
as, cute yo?/r here vp by youv ero,
■yoKV kyrtyll by yowr knee ;
w/t/; bow in honde, for to w/t^stonde
yo?a' enymyes, yf nede be :
& this same nyght, beffore day-light,
to wode-warde wille I flee.
yfF that ye wille alle this fulfiUe,
do it as shortly as ye can ;
Els wille I to the grenwode go,
alone, a banysshed man.
^ Kyrtle is not upper petticoat, but our
modern gown, a waist and petticoat. A
kyrtle and mantle completed a woman's
dress. Crit. Eev. Jan. 1795, p. 49. —
* Health.— F.
Tim NUir BRJWNB MIYD,
181
10
• " E;iea now," shea saies, " He doe more ffor you
tlien belonj^s to woinan-lioocr^ ;
He shorten my liaire, a bow to beare,
112 to slioote in time of ueede.
my owne deare mother ! aboue all other
of you I haue much dread ;
but yett, adew ! I must insue ;
116 '^ such IFortune does me lead,
therefore m.ak;e you ready now
as ffast as euer you can ; ^
ffor in my mind, of all mankind
120 I loue but you alone."
" I'll go
with j'oa at
once.
Dear mother,
adieu !
My love,
make ready !
I love but
you alone."
11
3 " 'Noe, not soe, you shall not goe !
ffor He tell you now as why :
your habitf* itt is to be light,
124 my loue, I will espye ;
for Hkwise as you say to me.
Likewise you shall ffind,°
itt is told of old, ' soone hott, soone cold,
1 28 and soe is a woman ; '
therfore will I to the greenwood goe
my selfe, a banished man."
" No, you
shall not go.
Women
change soon.
I'll go to tae
woods
alone."
20
PVELLA.
' I shalle as now do more for you
than longith to womanhede ;
to sliorte niyn here, a bowo lo bore,
to shote in tyme of nc<lo.
0 my swcto nioder, boiforo alle odcr
for you I have moste drede :
but now, adowo ! I nivst c■n:^ue,
• whor fortune doth nie ledc.
alle this make ye: Now lat vs Hce ;
fho day co/wincth fa.st vpon ; ''
ffor, in my mynd, of allc niaiikyndo
1 love but you a-lon.
- //rrd wanted, to rhyme with ttcide.
— Uyce.
21
SQUYRE.
'Nay, nay, not so ; ye shallc not go,
& I shallc telle you whye,
jour appetite is to be light
of love, I welle espye :
for, like as ye liaue said to mo,
In likewysc hardely "=
yc wolile answcrc who-so-ouer it were,
In way of Companye.
It is said of olde, Hon whot, sono coldc
& so is a \voma».
ffor I mvsto to the grenwode goo,
alone, a banysshed man.
* appetite. — P.
182
THE NUTT BKOWNE MAYD.
" You shall
have no
cause to say
that of me.
Haven't T, a
baron's
daughter,
loved you,
a poir
squire ?
And I'll die
with you,
1 love but
you alone."
12
" GiiF you take heed, you doe not need
132 soe ffarr to speake by mee ;
fFor I liaue prayed, & long I haue sayd,
before I loued pardye ;
& [thougb] thai you [know] of anceytrye
136 a Barrens daughter I bee,
& you haue proued how [I] haue loued ^
a squier^ of a Low degree,
& shall doe, whatsoeuer doth beffall,
140 to die With him anon ;
& in my mind, of all mankind
I loue but you alone."
"What! I,
an outlaw,
mate with a
baron's
daughter !
God forbid !
You'll
reproach me
with having
betrayed
you.
Let me go
alone."
13
^ " A Barrons child to be beguiled !
144 that were a cursed deede.
& to become fifellow with an outlaw !
alimightye god fforbidd !
itt were better the pore Squier
148 himselfe to the fforrest yeede,
then you shold say another day,
' by my accursed deede
you were betraid.' therefore, good maide,
152 the best way thai I can,
is, lett me vnto the iForrest goe
my selfe, a banished man."
22
PUELLA,
' yf ye take hede, it is no nede
such wordjs to say to me ;
iFor ofte ye prayd, and long assayed,
Or I you loved, parde :
& thowgh that I of avncetrye *
a barons dowgliter be,
yet haue ye p;-ovod how I ye loved,''
a sf^uyro of lowe degro ;
and ever shallr, what-so befallc ;
to dye tliorcfor a-non ;
ffor, in my mynd, of alle niawkynd
I love but you a-lon.
* The MS. hus four strokes for uL-
[SQUYRE.]
^ A barons child to be begiled !
It were a cursed dede !
To be felowe with an owtlawe!
almyghty god forltedc !
yet better were, the pore sqiiyer
alon to foreste yede,
than ye shuld say an-ofhcr day,
that, liy my curst'd Rede,
ye were betrayde : AVherefor, good mayd,
tlie best Ecde thai I can, [jeaf 213]
ys, thai I to the grenwod go,
alon, a banysslied man.
THE NUTT BROWNE MAYD.
183
14
" Let this out-fFall, I neuer sliall
156 of thai tiling you vpbraid ;
but if you goe & leaue me soe,
then I am quite betraid.
Remember how that itt is,*
1 60 you are not as you said :
you are vnkind to leaue behind
youv loue, the nutt-browne maid,
trust me, trulye I must dye
164 as soone as you are gone ;
for in my mind, of all mankind
I loue but you alone."
[page 422]
" \VTiatever
happens,
I'll never
upbraid you,
except you
leave me.
I am your
love, and
must die i£
you go.
I love but
you alone."
15
2 " Why, but if you went, you wold repent;
168 for in the fforrest now
I haue prouided me of a maid
whom I loue better then you ;
& ffairer then euer you were,
172 I dare this well auowo.
betw[i]xt you both I sliold be wroth ^
W('th eche other, as I trowe ;
itt is my ease to Hue [in] peace ;
176 soe will I if I cann ;
ffor I will to the greenwood goe
my selfe, a banished man."
" But you'd
repent if you
did come ;
for I've gob
tlie''e a
prettier
maid, whom
I love better
than j'ou:
I'll go to the
woods
alone."
24
[PVKIXA.]
What-cvcr LoftiUr, I iieiirr shallc
of tliis tliyiif; )-{)U o-vvt-l)r;iydf ;
But yf yii go, t*c li've nic .so,
tbaw luiuo y(; me lietraydc.
Ecmcwibrc you wellc, how thai yc dilc ; "
for, yf yo bo as ye said,
ye were viikyiid, to love iiic lieliyiid,
yo«r love, the. Nutbrown niaydo.
Truste [nie] truly, (hut 1 t^liallc dye
soiic uftcr ye be ffon ;
Hop, \n my niynd, of all miuikyud
I luve but you ulon.
25
SQUYRE.
2 If that you went, ye shuld Repent ;
for in thi' foreste nowo
I liave purveydc hk^ of a niaydc,
whom I love more than you ;
i\n-()ther more fayre, tha« eucr ye were,
I <lare it wells avowe ;
and of 3'ou lioth, Kcho wille bo wroth ''
vfiih other, as I trowe.
It wore myn eas to love in peas ;
.so willr I, yf I ean ;
wherefor I wilh' lo the greuwod goo,
alon, a banysshed num.
184
THE NUTT BROWNE MxiYD.
" Never
mind,
though you
have a
paramour,
I still am
I'll be soft
and kind to
her,
and be your
second love,
wlien you
want one.
I love vou
alone."
IG
• " Why, tlio in the wood I vnderstood
180 that you had a paramoure,
yett all thai right nought remoues my thought,
for still I will be yours,
shee shold me ffind both soft & kind,
184 & curteous euery houre ;
gladd jouY will for to ffulfiU ; *
comand me to my power.
& if you haue a 100 more,
188 of them I wold be one ;
for in my mind, of all mankind
I loue but you alone."
" Dear, true
love!
Be glad,
believe not
what I have
said!
I am Lord
Westmore-
land's son,
and not
17
2 " ]\[y owne deere loue ! I see and prouo
192 tliai you be kind and true !
in maid & wiffe, in all my liffe
the best thai euer I knew !
Be merry & glad, be no more sa[d],
196 the case is altered now ;
^ be not dismaid [at] what I haue said
to you since I begann.
thus you haue woone the Erie of Westmoreland sone,''
200 & not a banished man."
26
[mayd.]
' Thowgli in tlia wode i vndej-stode
yo had a paramo wre,
allc this may nowght remeve my thowght,
but that I wille lie yoKr :
& she shalle me fynd softe and kynd,
& Ourteys eucz-y owre ;
Glad to fulfille allc that she wille,"
Comaund mo to my powers :
flfor had yc, loo ! an huiidretli mo,
yot woldo I be that on ;
flfor, m my mynd, of allc mawkynd
1 love but you a-lon.
a?
[SQUYRE.]
* Myn o-\vn dere love ! I se thee, prcvo
that ye be kyude & trewe ;
of mayde & wyf, In allc my lyff,
the best that ever I knew.
Be mery and glade ; be no more sade ;
The case is chawngod newe ;
for it were Rowth, that for yoin* trowth,"
that ye shuld have cawse to Kewo.
be not dysniayde, what-so-cucr I said
to you, whan I be-gan ;
I willc not to the grenwodo go ; "
I am no banysshed man.
THE NUTT BKOWKE MAYD.
185
1 "These tydings to me are gladder," sliee saies,
" then tho I were a Queene,
If I were sure itt wold eudare ;
204 but itt is often seene
men will break p/'omise [the] the speake
words vpon the plaine.
you shape some wyle, me to beguile,
208 & steale ffrom me, I weene ;
then were the case worsse then euer itt was,
& I were woe-begon ;
for in my mind, of all mankinde
212 I loue but you alone."
19
- " You shall not neede soe fi'ar to dreed,
ffor I will not disparishe ^
[you, (God defend !) sith you descend
216 of so gret a linage ;]
for Westmoreland, as I vnderstand,
itt is my owne heritage ;
I will thee bring in With a ringc ;
220 in way of Marryage
I will you take, and Ladye make,
as shortlye as euer I cann.
a banished
man."
"I'm gladder
than if I
were Queen.
But are not
you beguil-
ing me y
If you leave
me
I am lost ;
for I love
but you
alone."
" No, truly,
Westmore-
land is mine.
I'll wed you
as soon as I
can.
28
MAYD. [leafl'lW]
' Thes tydyingis be more gladder to me,
than to bo made a quene,
yf I were sure they shuld eudure :
but it it) often seen,
yrhon nmn wille broke promyso, they
speke
the word/s on the splene.*
ye shape som wyle me to begile,
& stele from me, 1 wene :
than were i/u; caas wors tha« it was,
& I more woo-be-gou :
ffor. In my mynd, of allc mawkynd
1 love but you alun.
SQUYRE.
■^ Ye shalk not node further to dredo ;
I wille not disparage f
you, (god defende !) Sith ye descende
of so gret a lynago.
Now vnde/'stond; to Woslmorelond,
whicli is niyu herytago,
I wille you bryng ; & with a rynge
by way of maryago
I wille you take, & lady make,
as shortly as I can :
Tiian haue ye woiine an erles soune,
& not a banysshed man.
• On asuaJeu.— U. UiU.
t dispanigo. AruuklL'. — i\
186
THE NUTT BUOWNE MAYD.
I'm not a
banishe.l
man."
224
thus hauo you woono the Eric of wostmorelands
Sonne,'
and not a banished man."
So you fee
women are
true.
Let not men
reprove
them.
Men want
their love ;
but I shall
love God
alone.
20
2 Heere you may see thai women bee
of loue meeke, kind, and stable,
lett neuer men reproue them then,
228 nor call them varyable,*
but rather pray to god thai they
to men may be comfortable,
thai haue proued such as they loued,
232 iff they be charitable.
but men wold thai women shold
be kind to them eche one,
yett I had rather, god to obay,
2.36 & seruc but him alone."*
' sonme in MS.— F.
30
[aiitiior.]
* Here may ye see, that women be
In lore, mcke, kynd, & stable ;
latt never man Reprere them thau,
yf they be Charytable,"
but Jiathcr Tpray god that we may
to them be confortable;
God su?;(tyme provith, such as he lovith,
yf they be * charytable.
fSnis.
for sith men wold that women shuld
be meke to them echoue ;
moche more awght they to god obey,
and scrue but hym alon.
Explicit, quod R\chard Hille,
here endith the nutbrown mayd.
This last stanza is not in Prior's
Edition. — P.
^ From the concluding Words of tliis
hist stanza it should seem t/iut the Author
wtis a vroman. — P.
* MS. be be.— P,
€\)t : rode of dJnglantie:' [p»e«^23]
Thomas. Come hitlier, fiddler ;
What ballads are you seen in best ? Be short, Sir.
Fiddler. Under your mastership's correction, I can sing
" The Duke of Norfolk," or " The merry ballad
Of Diverus and Lazarus," " The Rose of England,"
" In Crete when Dedimus first began,"
" Jonas his Crying-out against Coventry."
Thorn. Excellent !
Rare matters all !
Fid. " Maudlin the Merchant's Daughter,"
" The Devil and ye Dainty Dames."
Thorn. Rare still !
Fid. " The landing of the Spaniards at Bow,
With the bloody battle of Mile End."
Thorn. All excellent !
Monsieur Thomas, act iii. sc. 3.
This is one of the many pieces that compose the Boswortli Field
and Stanley cycle. It relates in an allegorical manner how
the Earl of Richmond returned to claim his right, and how he
claimed it. There is some little confusion in this as in most
other allegories ; for indeed, to speak the language of parables
coherently and with consistence is a matter of no ordinary diffi-
culty. Nor is the allegorical treatment always maintained ; the
Rose suddenly becomes Earl Richmond. The piece is charac-
terised by a certain vigour and earnestness. The writer gives
himself up to liis subject ; he feels that that is great and grand.
No doubt he was some Lancashire or Cheshire man, a vehement
admirer of the Stanleys. Percy says that the song was written
in "Henry 8""s lifetime." From the last stanzas it would
' An allegorical Song on the Lmding bm-y, written in Henry 8"."'' lifetime.
& Victory of King Jlenry 7'.'', witii the K'.B. This song is quoted in Beimni'.'
hrave Conduct of the Uaillil" of yhvcws- Monti. Tho". p. 397.-1'.
188 THE ROSE OF ENGLANDE.
seem to have been written earlier — we should suspect before
the execution of Sir William Stanley in 1495. But the present
copy is, we may be sure, much modernised.
Vv. 57-90. — This incident is told, with additions, in " Dr.
Taylor's MS." quoted apud Phillips' History and Antiquity of
Shretvsbury.
Thys yeare [runs the MS.] in the monthe of August 1485, Henry
Earle of Ryehemoonde came out of Bryttane towards England wyth a
small companye & landyd at My Iford Haven in Wales nygh Pcmbrooke
the 7th daye of August, having help Inoughe in England & so marchyng
forward being stayed at no place untyll he came to the towne of
Shrosberie, where the gates were shutt egainst by him, & the
pullys let downe : so the Earle's messengers came to the gate to say
the Welsh gate, commandynge them to open the gates to theyre right
Kynge, and Maister Myttoon made answere being head bayley, & a
stoute royste gentilman sayinge that he knew no kynge, but only Kynge
Richard, whose lyffetenants he & hys fellows were ; & before he
should enter there, he should goe ouer hys belly : meaninge thereby
that he would be slayne to the grounde, and so to roon over hym
before he cntird, and that he protestyd vehemently e uppon the Ofche
he had tacken.
So the sayd Erie returnyd wyth hys companye backe agayne to a
vylledge callyd Forton, 3 Myles and a halfe from Shrosberie, where
he lay that night, & in the mornynge followynge there came Em-
bassadors to speake with the Baylyff, requesting to passe quyetlye,
and that the Erie theyre master dyd not meane to hurt the to^^^^e
nor none therein, biit to go to trye hys right, & that he promysed
further that he w^ould save his othe & hym & hys fellows harmless ;
uppon thys they entered, and the sayd Mytton laye alonge the
grounde, & hys belly uppwardes, & soe the sayd Erl stepped over him
& saved Lys othe ; and so passing forthe & marching forwarde he
came to Bosworth, whar the Battel was fought betwyxt hym & Ky age
Richard, in which Kynge Richard was slayne.
The difficulty in which the poor mayor found himself placed
was of course of no rare occurrence in a period when the occu-
pancy of the throne was perpetually disturbed. It was of so
connuon occuirencej that a statute was passed in the eleventh
THE ROSE OF ENGI.ANDE.
189
year of Henry the iSeventL's reigu declaring tliat " subjects are
bounden to serve their prince and sovereign lord for the time
being in his wars for the defence of him and his land against
every rebellion, power and might reared against him," and
proceeding to enact that no person for the same " true service of
allegiance " shall be " convict or attaint of high treason nor of
other offences for that cause." The answer which the distressed
official here makes is pretty much the same with that made by
Herod under somewhat similar circumstances — made by him to
Octavius after the fall of Anton}^, whose firm friend the Idumsean
prince had been. (See Jos. Ant. xv. vi. 6 ; BelL Jud. I. xx, 1.)
Vv. 107, 108. — Compare in Theocritus' account of the combat
between Amycus and Pollux (ed. Ahrens):
efOa TToKvs (r<pt(n fx6x6os iirei'jOjj.et'oiaiv irvx^T),
bir-niTipos Kara vwTa Kafioi. (paos r;eAioio •
jSpiT; i-L^ya 5' avBpa ■Kap-i]Xv6is, & XloAvSevKes,
/3oAA€T0 S' a.KTLVi(Tcnv airav 'A/xvkoio npoauirov.
ThEOUGHOUT : a garden greene & gay,
a seemlye sight itt was to see
how fflowers did flourish fresh and gay,
4 & birds doe sing Melodiouslye
In a gay
garden,
grew gay
flowers.
in the midst of a garden there sprange ' a tree
w/(/ch tree was of a mickle price,
& there A^pon sprang tlie rose soc redd,
8 the goodlyest tJiat euer sprange on rise.^
and in the
midst was
arose sored,
(Edward V.)
this rose was ffaire, ffresh to behold,
springing wt'th many a royall Lance ;
a crowned King, w/th a crowne of gold
12 ouer England, IreLand, and of ffrance.
tlie King of
England,
Ireland,
and France.
' tliis garden sprang. — P.
■^ bough. — F.
190
THE ROSE OF ENGLANDE.
A T?oar
(Richard
III.)
came in and
trampled
it down,
then came in a beast men call a bore,'
& he rooted this garden vpp and downe,^
by the seede of the rose he sett noe store,
IC but afterwards itt wore the crowne.
and buried
its branches.
hee tooke the branches of this rose away,^
and all in sunder did them teare ;
& he buryed them vnder a clodd of clay,
20 swore they shold neuer * bloome nor beare.
But an Eagle
(Lord
Derby)
bore the
branch
to its nest at
Latham.
then came in an Egle gleaming gay,
of all ffaii^e birds well worth the best ;
he took the branche of the rose away,
24 & bore itt to Latham ^ to his nest.
but now is this rose out of England exiled,
this certaine truth I will not I.aine ^ ;
but if itt please you to sitt a wliile,
28 He tell you how the rose came in againe.
ATid the Rose
(Henry
VII.)
came in
a{?aiu at
Milford,
att Milford hauen he entered in ^ ;
to claime his right, was his delight ;
he brought the blew bore in W(*th him,
32 to encounter w/tli the bore soc whitc.^
' Cf. the stanza quoted in Mrs. Mark-
ham :
" The Cat, the Eat, and Lovell the dog
Ruled all England imder the Hog."
This poem, written by Wm. Col-
lingborue, is quoted in Lai'wood's His-
tory of Signboards, p. 116, where it says
Ilichard III.'s cognisance was a hoar,
pas.sant, argent. Blue Boar = Earl of
Oxford. See Hist. Signb., p. 116. —
Skeat. The Earls of Oxford and Pem-
broke were two of the chief couiniander.s
in Henry VII.'s army. The deeds of the
latter (Jasper Tudor, Earl of Pembroke,
afterwards Duke of ]5edford), and cf the
famous Sir Wm. Brandon, flic Standard
Bearer, do not appear to be commemo-
rated in this poem. — Gr. E. Adams.
- And there he rooted up and down.
—P.
^ clean awa3\ — P.
* and .... ne'er. — P.
' See " Bosworth ffeilde," 1. 347.— F.
* conceal. — P.
' See " Scotish flfeilde," 1. 8, vol. i.
p. 212 ; "Bosworth ffeilde," 1. 50, below;
" Ladye Bessiye," below, 1. 809.— F.
*• The blue boar wa.s borne by the
Earl of Oxford, who is named in line 71.
Eichard lll.'s cognisance was a boar
passant, argent. — Skcat.
THE ROSE OF ENGLANDE.
191
36
tlie[n] ' a messenger the rose did send
to the Egles nest, & bidd him hye ;
" to my flfather ^ the old Egle I doe [me] comend,^
his aide, and helpe I eraue'' speedy lye."
and sent to
a.>k
the olil
Eagle to
help him
saics, " I desire my father att my ^ cominge
of men and ^ mony att my need,
& alsoe my mother of her deer blessing,
40 then better then I hope to speede."
with men
and money.
& when the messenger came before^ thold Egle,
he kneeled him downe vpon his knee,
saith, " well greeteth you my Jjord the rose,
44 he hath sent you greetings here by me.
The Rose's
messenger
tells the old
Eagle.
" safe ffrom the seas Christ hath him ^ sent,
now he is entered England w/thin."
" let vs thanke god," the old Egle did say,
48 "he shall be the fflower of all his kine !
He thanks
God,
" wend away, messenger, with, might and maine ;
itts hard to know who a man may trust ; —
I hope the rose shall fflourish againe,
& haue all thinsrs att Ms owne lust."
and wishes
the Kose God
sjiecd.
56
then S/r Rice ap Thomas drawes wales w/th him
a worthy sight itt was to see,
how the welchmen rose wholy w/th him,
& shogged ^ him to Shi'ewsburye.
The "Welsh-
men carry
the Rote
to
Shrewsbury,
' tl)0, or then.— P.
* send nie the loue of tlio Lo/v^
Stanley !
he niiirryeil my nii^tlicr, a Lady
bright.
Bosworthffcildc, 1. o9-G(), below.— F.
• v>v coninunil. — T.
* his aid I naist crave— P.
* I desire of my l-'atlier at my. — P.
« Both men &. - P.
' there. -P.
* Apparently altered from "mini" in
]M,S.- P.
" moved. See vol. i. p. '218, note ^. —
192
THE ROSE OF ENGLANDE.
•where
Master
Mitton is
baiUff.
60
Att tliai time was bay lye in' SlirewRbuiye
one Master Mitton'^ in the towne.
the gates were strong, & he mad them ffast,
& the portcullis he lett downe ;
Mitton
declares no
one shall
enter,
& throng a garrett of the walls,
oner severne these words said hee,
" att these gates no man enter shall."
64 but he kept him out a night & a day.^
but on
getting
orders
from Sir
William
Stanley,
lets in the
Ked Rose,
who stops
Lord Oxford
killing him.
68
these w^ords Mitton did '^ Erie Richmond tell ;
I am sure the Chronicles of this will not Lye ;
but when leifres cam.e ^ from S/r William Stanley of
the holt castle,
then the gates were opened presentlye.
then entred this towne the noble Lord
the Erie Richmond, the '' rose soe redd,
the Erie of Oxford with a sword
72 wold haue smitt of the bailiffes head.
" but hold jour hand," saies Erie Richmond,
" ffor his loue that dyed vpon a tree !
fFor if wee begin to head ^ so soone, [page 424]
76 in England wee shall beare no degree."
Richmond
asks Mitton
■why he
opposed
him?
" Because
Richard is
my king."
" what offence haue I made thee, " sayd Erie
Richmonde,
"//iftt thou Kept me out of my towne? "
" I know no King," sayd Mitton then,
80 " but Richarc^ now that weares the crowne."
' of.— P.
2 Maistpr Mitton.— P.
' be kept out by night oi' clay. — P.
Tho man misses the whole point of the
story : the Mayor said, I have sworn tliat
no one sliall enter this town exeeyit over
my hody: on which Henry proposed that
he should lie down and let him step over
him ; which ho did. — Skeat.
< he did.— P.
* cane in MS. — F.
^ tliat.— P.
' A.-S. hcufdiaii, to behead. — F.
THK KOSK OF EXaLANDK.
193
84
" why, wliat wilt tliou say," said Erie Richmonde,
" when I liaue put King Richard downe ?"
" why, then He be as time to you, my Lord,
after the time that I am sworne."
" But wlion
I put
Richard
down ? "
" Why then
I'll be true
to you."
"were itt not great pitty," sayd ' Erie Riclrmond,
" that such a man as this shold dye ? "
such Loyall service by him done,
the cronickles of this will not I^ye.^
" thou shalt not be harmed in any case."
he pardone[d] him presentlye.
they stayd not past a night & a day,^
92 but towards newport ■* did they hye.
So Mitton
is pardoned.
96
but 5 [at] Attherston these Lords did meete ;
a worthy sight itt was to see,
how Erie Richmond tooke his hatt in his hand,
Cheshire and
Laucashlre
& said, " Cheshire & Lancashire, welcome to me." p*''!^
. ' ' the Rose,
but now is a bird ^ of the Egle taken^ ;
ffrom the white bore he cannot fflee.
therfore the old Egle ^ makes great moano,
100 & i^rayes to god most certainly :
but the
young Eagle
is taken,
and the old
one prays
God
" 0 stedfast god, verament," he .did say —
" 3 pc/'Sons in one god in Trinytyc !
saue my sonne, the young Egle, this day
104 ffrom all ffalse craft & trecherye ! "
to pave Ilia
son.
' tlip, or Kichmond said. —P.
'' will not belye.— T.
^ In the wyle cop, Shrews! Jury, is an
olil houso, lately a tiuiimn's sliop (and,
perhaps, it is so still) wlierc cither
Hoirtj VII. or Ukh<(r(l III. is said to
have lodt^cd not loiif^ lief'orc the liallic oi
I'osworth. — Skcat.
* Newport in Sliropshiro. — P,
•'' Qu. At, or perhaps aliout. — P.
" Lord Strange, tlie eldest son ul' Lord
Stanh^y.— a. E. A.
' tane.— P.
** Lord Stanley, afterwards niado Karl
of Derby.— G. E. A.
VOL. HI.
194
THE ROSE OF ENGLANDE.
The blue
Boar (Lord
Oxford)
leads the
van ;
lOS
then the blew bore ' the vanward had :
he was both warry and wise of Avitt ;
the right hand of them he tooke,
the sunn & wind of them to gett.
the Eagle,
Talbot,
Unicom,
then the Egle fibllowed fast vpon his pray ;
with 2 sore dints he did them smyte.
the Talbott^ he bitt wonderous sore,
112 soe well the vnicorne ■* did him quite.
Hart's head.
■vvhite-and-
red -jackets,
fight.
& then came in the harts head ^ ;
a worthy sight itt was to see,
they lacketts that were of white & redd,
116 how they Laid about them lustilye.
and win the
daj'.
The white
Boar
(Eiohard
III.) is slain.
but now is the ffeirce ffeeld foughten & ended,
& the white bore there Lyeth slaine ;
& the young. Egle is preserued,
120 & come to ^ his nest againe.
The garden
flourishes.
but now this garden fflourishes fireshly & gay,
With ffragrant fflowers comely of hew;
& garduers itt doth maintainc ;
124 I hope they will proue lust & true.
Our King is
the Rof^e.
God love
him!
our ^ing, he is the rose soe redd,
that now does fflourish ffresh and gay.
Confound his fibes, Jjord, wee beseeche,
128 & loue his grace both night & day !
lliiiis
' The badge of John, Earl of Oxford.
— G. E. Adams.
2 And with.— P.
' The Talbot was the badge of the
family of Talbot, Earls of Shrewsbury.
The person referred to is doubtless Sir
Gilbert Talhnt of Grafton (uncle of the
4th Earl, then a minor), who commandi^d
the right wing of Henry's army. — G. E.A.
'' The unicorn's head was the crest of
8ir John Savage of Eock Savage, co.
Chester, one of Henry's principal com-
manders at Bosworth. — G. E. A.
^ Probably alluding to those in the
arms of Sir Wm. Stanley (the brother to
Lord Stanley), who had the rearguard. —
G. E. A.
* unto. — P.
19o
€i)t pore man $c tin ^mge:
This is a Kent version of the ballad which ]\Iartin Parker issued
as a Northumberland one in 16-iO, with the title " The King and
a jpoove Northerne Man. Shewing how a poore Northumber-
land man, a tenant to the King, being wronged by a Lawyer
(his neighbour), went to the King himself to make knowne his
grievances. Full of simple mirth and merry plaine jests." The
Percy Society reprinted this in 1841, Mr. Collier editing; and
Mr. Hazlitt reprinted it in 1866 in his Early Popular Poetry,
vol. iv. p. 290. The Folio ballad differs from Parker's, not only
in place, but in some of the incidents, and much in the wording.
Its existence (coupled with that of the King & Nortliern Man,
printed by W. 0[nley] noticed by Mr. Collier,) confirms the sug-
gestion of that editor, which Mr. Hazlitt states thus : " The strict
claim of jNIartin Parker to the original authorship of this produc-
tion may be open to question. Perhaps he merely modernized
what he found already in print, but too antique to jjlease the
delicate palates of the customers for such articles in his day, and
upon the strength of this attached his initials, which, as will be
seen, occiu* at the conclusion of the tract." The second edition
of it was in 1673, black letter, eleven leaves; and there is a copy
of it in the British Museum. (Hazlitt.)
Lawyers have always been reckoned poor men's foes. And the
reason is not far to seek. As a gamekeeper said to a solicitor I
know, who had grumbled at the dogs out shooting, and then got
legularly hooked up by some brambles, " We call them 'ere
Itiirycrt^ down here, we do. Wlien they once gets hold of 'ee,
tlicy don't let 'ee go witJMtut tiikin' a bit out of 'eo." Tlie
o 2
196 THE PORE MAN AND THE KINGE.
profession has not the credit of working at law for notliino-,
whatever it may do at Early English, &e. &c. Langland says
in his Vinion (p. 5, 1. 849, Vernon Text, ed. Skeat) :
Jjer houe]? an Hundret • in Houues of selk,
Seriauns hit seme}? • to semen atte Barre ;
Pleden for pons • and poii«des }>e lawe,
Not for lone of rr lord • vn-losej? heore lippes ones.
Jjow mihtest beter mete« )>e Myst * on Maluerne hiilles,
ben geten a Mom of heore MoiiJ> • til nioneyo weore schewed.
The rebels nnder Wat Tyler " killed snch judges and lawyers
as fell into their hands" {llacfarlane, iv. 183); and the Scotch
proveibs — " Law licks np a','' " Nae plea is the best plea," " Law's
costly; tak a pint and gree," &c. {HislojJ, p. 308)— bear witness
to the general modern feeling on the subject.
The punishment of a rapacious lawyer has always been a
popular theme, and the present ballad tells how a poor man who
dwelled in Kent paid out the lawyer who tried to fleece him.
He went to his king — the popular remedy for men alone, as
ballads and stories show ; the popular remedy for crowds, as Wat
Tyler's rebellion shows — and begged to be let off the forfeiture
of his lease that his felling five of his landlord's, the king's, ash
trees to build his house with had worked, and of which forfeiture
the lawyer wanted to take advantage. Needless to say that the
king forgives his Kentish man, — a worthy descendant of those
who stood up against William the Conqueror for their rights, —
and, to punish the lawyer in a way that all may understand, bids
the jDoor man,
untill hee haue paid thee a lOO'A
thoust tye him to a tree that hee cannott start.
This the poor man threatens to do ; but the lawyer pays down his
money, and the ballad concludes:
God send all Lawyers thus well served !
then may pore fFarmers liuo in rest.
The poem also gives rise to another set of scenes like those we
THE TORE MAN AND THE KINGE. 197
have seen in the Kinge and Miller and John de Reeve, on the
countrymau*8 coming- to court. To those who "coude their
curtesye," and were full of the flunkeyish respect of persons that
characterises courtiers, it must have been a joke to see a proud
porter rapped on the crown by the country clown, a nobleman
offered fourpence for an introduction to the kiug, and the dread
incarnation of majesty himself told that he was a very poor-
looking fellow for a sovereign, and his grand feast only —
. twatling dishes soe small :
zounds ! a blacke pudding is better then all !
(vol. i. p. 156.)
On the general subject Mr. Hales's Introduction to the Kiwj
and Miller, vol. i. pp. 147-8, should be consulted. — F.
ITT : was a pore man, he dwelled iu Kent, a poor man
holds land of
he payd our Kmg 5 • of rent ; the King.
& there is a lawyer dwelt him by, A lawyer
4 a ffault in his [lease,'] god wott ! he hath ffoiind, forfeited his
IgQiSG bv
" & all was for fFallino- of 5 ashe trees cutting five
to build ine a house of my owne good ground.
ash trees.
" I bldd him lett me & my ground alone ^ ; He offers the
8 to cease his selfe, if he was willinge,
& pike no vantages out of his ^ lease ;
& hee seemed a good ffellow, I wold ginc him -lO""" \"}n^
[" 40» nor 40'/
la wold not agree this lawer and mee,
w/thout I wold glue him of my farme crround, The lawyer
"^ demands
& stand to his f^ood curtesye. •''1 some of his
*= '' -' land.
' lease.— p. Sec line 9.— F. » my.— F.
- MS. aloniu. him is hem with the c ' Head 40 sl)illinge. — Skeat.
dultml. — F. ' Tlicso aro lines 147- 50 below. — F.
198
THE rOKli MAN AND THE KINGE.
He then
offers
5 marks ;
" he ' said, " nay, by liis foy, that hee wold not doe,
16 fFor wifi'e and cliildren wold make madd warke,
but & he wold lett him and his ground alone,
he seemed a good ffellow, he wold giue him 6 marke." ^
" he said, " nay by his ffay, that wold he not doe,
20 ffor 5 good ash trees thai he jffell."
So the poor " then He doe as neighbors haue put me in head,
to go to the He make a submission to the 'King my-selfe."
but the
lawyer
refuses that
too.
by [that] he had gone a dayes iourney,
24 one of his neighbors he did spye,
" ISTeibor ! how fi'ar haue I to our King ? [page -125]
I am going towards him as fFast as I can hye."
" alas ! to-day," said his neighbour,
28 itts ffor you I make all this mone.
you may talke of that time enoughe
by that tenn dales Iourney you haue gone."
He gets to
London,
oversleeps
himself,
but when he came to London street,
32 for an host house he did call.
he Lay soe longe othe tother morninge a-sleepe,
that the court was remoued to winsor hall.
and is told
he must go
on to
Windsor ;
" arrise, my guest, you haue great neede ;
36 you haue Lyen too long euen by a great while ;
the court is Remoued to winsor this morning ;
hee is ffurther to seeke by 20 mile.
" alacke to-day ! " qnoth the poore man,
40 " I tliinke yoHr 'King att me gott witt ;
had he knowen of my cominge,
I thinke he wold haue tarry ed yett."
' The poor man speaks of himself in
the third person ; or else he and fwe arc
miseopiod for Iho / of line 151.
^ MS. narke.— F.
THE POKE MAN A.ND THE KINGE.
199
" he fFoled not for you," then said his host,
44 "but hye you to Windsor as fast as you may ;
& all jour costs & yo?(r charges,
haue you no doubt but the JLiug Avill pay.'*
the King
will pay his
expenses.
he hath gotten a gray russett go"ttTie on his backe,
48 & a hood well buckeled vnder his chin,
& a longe stafTe vpon his necke,
& he is to Windsor to our Kinge.
soe when hee came to windsor hall,
52 the gates were shutt as he there stood ;
he knocket and poled w/th a great Long stafFe :
the porter had thought hee had beene woode.
So he goes to
Windsor
Hall,
knocks at
the gates,
he knocket againe with, might & maine,
56 sais, " hey hoe ! is our J^iiig w/'thin ? "
w/th that he proffered a great reward,
a single penny, to lett him come in.
" I thanke you, S/r," quoth, the porter then,
60 " the reward is soe great I cannott say nay ;
there is a noble-man standing by,
fBrst He goe hcare what hee will say."
the nobleman then came to the gates,
64 & asked him what his busines might bee :
" nay, soft," q«oth the ffellow, " I tell thee not yett,
before I doe the 'Khig himselfe sec ;
itt was told me ere I came ffrom home,
68 that gentlemens hounds eaten arrands 1)y tlie way,
& pore curr doggs may eatc mine ' ;
therfore I meane my ovme arrands ^ to say."
" but & thou come in," saies the Porter then,
72 " thy bumlile staff'o behind wee must stay."
and offers
the porter a
penny to let
him in.
The porter
fetches a
nobleman.
who asks
the man
what his
business is.
"I'll tell the
King myself.
Messengers
often
swallow
their
errands."
" Leave your
staff, then."
MS. nine.— F.
* MS. arrand, with a tag to the (/. — F.
200
THE POKE MAN AND THE KINGE.
"No, I
shan't ;
the court
bankrupts
may rob
nie."
Tlie i)Oor
man is led
to a noble-
man,
wlioiti lie
first takes
for the King,
" beslirow the, Ljar," then said the pore man,
" then may thou terme me a foole, or a worsse ;
I know not what bankrouts bee about our K.mg,
76 for lacke of mony wold take my pursse."
" hold him backo," then said the noble-man,
" & more of his speech wee will haue soone ;
lie see how hee can a-nswer the matter
80 as soone as the naatch att bowles is done."
the porter tooke the pore man by the hand,
& ledd him before the noble-man :
he kneeled downe vpon his knees,
84 & these words to him sayd then :
" & you be S/r King,'^ then said the pore man,
" you are the goodly est ffelloAV tJiat euer I see ;
you haue soe many I[i]ngles langles about yee,
88 I neuer see man weare but yee."
" I am not the K.iiig," the Nobleman said,
" although I weare now a proud cote."
" & you be not K.ing, & youle bring me to him,
92 ffor yo?fr reward He giue you a groat."
"I thanke you, Sir," saith the Noble-man,
" your reward is soe great, I cannott say nay ;
He ffirst goe know our KingB pleasure ;
96 till I come againe, be sure iJiai you stay."
" here is such a staring," said the pore man,
" I thinke the 'King is better heere then in our
countrye ;
I cold havie gone to ff'armost nooke in the house,
1 00 Neither Ladd nor man to haue troubled mcc. ' ' [page 4-20]
the noble-man went before our Kinge,
does so ; goe well hee knew his curtesye,
" there is one of the rankest clownes att yonr gates
104 Ihai euer Enu'lishnuiu did see.
and then
offers 4d. to
bi'ing him to
the King.
The noble-
man says
he'll ask the
King;
THE PORE MAN AND THE KINGE.
201
" he calles them knaues jour hignes keepe,
with-all hee calls them somewhatt worsse,
he dare not come in w/thout a longe staffe,
108 hees ffeard lest some baukront shokl pike his pursse."
" lett him come in," then said om- King,
" lett him come in, and his stafFo too ;
weele see how he can answer euery matter
1 12 now the match att bowles is done.^ "
the Noble-man tooke the pore man by the hand,
& led him through chambers and gallerjes hye :
" what does our 'King with soe many empty houses,
116 & garres them not ffilled w/th corne and hay ? "
& as they went through one alley,
the nobleman soone the K.ing did spye ;
" yond is the Km^," the noble-man sayd,
120 "looke thee, good ffellow, yond hee goes by ! "
" belike hee is some vnthrifFt," said the pore man,
" & he hath made some of his clothes away."
" now hold thy tounge," said the Nobleman,
124 " & take good heed what thou dost say."
the weather itt was exceeding hott,
& our Is-iiKj hath Laid some of his clothes away ;
and the
King
answers " let
liim come
in."
The poor
man
ask^: why
the King
doesn't
fill his
empty
rooms with
corn and
hay,
and on being
shown
the King,
won't
believe it is
ho,
& when the noble-man came before our K/)/v/,
128 soe well hee knew his curtesie,
the pore man ffollowed after him,
gaue a nodd wt'th his head, & a becke wtth his
knee :
" & if you be the king," then said the pore man,
152 " as I can hai'dly thinke yoa bee,
this goodly fi'ellow iliat brought me hithei',
seemes liker to be a K-iiuj then yee."
and tells
him the
niil)U'man
looks more
like a king
lliaii he
does.
' duo. — iJ^'co.
202
TJIE ruKE MAN AND THE KINGE.
But the
Kins **iiys be
is king,
and the ix>oi'
man tells
him how
the lawyer,
because he
has cut
down 5 ash
trees,
wants to
make him
forfeit his
" I am the K/v/r/, & tlie 'King indeede ;
136 lett me tliy matter vnder stand."
tlien the pore raan ffell downe on his knees :
" I am jour tennant on jonr owne good Land,
" & there is a Lawyer dwells me by,
140 a ffault in ray lease, god wott, hee hath found,
& all is for ffelling of 5 ashe trees
to build me a house in my owne good ground.
" I bade him lett me & my ground alone,
144 & cease himselfe, if tJiat hee Avas willing,
& pike no vantage out of my Lease ;
lie seemed a good ffellow, I wold giue him 40:"
" 40^ nor 401'
148 w^old not agree this lawer and mee,^
unless he'll w/thout I wold giue him of my farme ground,
some of his & stand to his good curtesye.
land.
" I said, ' nay, by fay, thai wold I not doe ;
152 ffor wiffe & children wold make madd warke ;
& hee wold lett me & my ground alone,
he seemed a good ffellow, I wold giue him 5 niarkc.
"Have you
your lease V "
paj's the
King.
" Here it is
if you can
read it."
" Wliat if I
can't 'i "
" My boy of
13 can."
" but hast thou thy Lease eene thee vppon,
156 or canst thou shew to mee thy deede ? "
he pulled itt fforth of his bosome,
& sales, " heere my Leege, if you cann rceade."
" what if I cannott ? " then sayes our King,
IGO " good ffellow, to mee what hast thou to say ? "
" I haue a boy att home, but 13 yeere old,
will reede itt as ffale gast as young by the way.'
LiiU'a 147 and 148 arc written as one iu the MS. — F.
THE POKE MAN AND THE KINGE.
203
" I can nenar gett these knotts Loose," tlien said our
■^Ing ;
164 liee gaue itt a gentleman stood him hard by.
" tliais a proud horsse," then said the pore man,
" tluit will not carry his owne p/vvuentye ;
" & yee paid me 5^ rent as I doe yce,
168 I wold not be to proud to loose a knott ;
but giuet me againe, & He loose itt for ye,
see thai in my rent youle bate mee a groate."
" 1 can't
read it,"
saj-s the
King.
" More
shame to
you," says
the poor
man :
" I'll read it
for you if
you'll let me
off 4c/. rent 1"
an ^ old man tooke this Lease in his hande,
172 & the Ki»^s maiesty stoode soe,
" He warrant thee, pore man, & thy ground,
if 2 thou had fFallen 5 ashes more.^ "
" Alas to-day ! " then said the pore man,
176 " now hold jour tonge,'* & trouble not mee ;
hee tliai troubles me this day with this matter.
Cares neither for joav warrantts, you, nor mee."
The King
tells him
he'll war-
rant him his
ground.
* ' AV arrant !
the lawyer
don't care
for you or
your war-
rants."
180
184
188
" He make thee attachment, ffoole," hee sayes, [page 4-27] ""Weii
then," says
" that all that sees itt shall take thy part. the King,
*' ^ "tie the
lawyer up to
a tree till he
■vTitill hee haue paid thee a 100'^
thoust tye him to a tree that hee cannott start."
" I thanke you, S/r," said the poreman then :
" about this Matter, sith you haue beene willinge,
& seemed to doe the best you cann,
With all my heart Ho giue you a shillinge."
" a plaugc on thy knaues hart ! " then said our Ki'z/y,
" this mony on my skin ^ Lyes soc cold."
he fflang itt into the K-ings Bossome,
because in his hand he wold itt not hold.
pays you
100/.''
"Tliank
vou, that'll
do,
and I'll give
you 1»-."
which he
throws into
the King's
bosom.
' the.— F.
^ i.e. oven if. — Skeat.
' moc. — Dyco.
* A n<itlur letter blotcln-dM-itlirfu! low:
in tlic i\lS.— F.
^ MS. skim.— F.
204
The King
gives him
100/. 192
THE TORE MAN AND THE KINGE.
the K.m(j called liis tresurer,
sales " count me downe a 100^' —
since lie liath s^oeiit niony by the way, —
to briiip- him home to his owne ":ood OToand."
when the 100'.' was counted,
196 to receiue itt the pore man was willing :
" if I had thought you had had soe much siluer &
gold,
you shold not haue had my good shilling."
the Lawyer came to welcome him
200 when hee came home vppon a Sunday :
" where haue you beene, Neihbor ? " hee sayes,
When the
poor man
comes
home,
the lawyer
asks him
imTbeeu! " Diethiiikes you haue beene long away."
" To the
King,
" I haue beene att the K/vir/," the poore man said.
204 " & what the deuill didest thou doe there ?
cold not our neihbors haue agreede vs,
but thou must sfoe soe ffarr iFrom heere ? "
" there cold no neighbors haue agreed thee & me,
who's told 208 nor halfe soe well haue pleased my hart ;
uptiiiyou°" vntill thou haue payd mee a lOO",
100/."^ He tye thee to a tree, thou cannott start."
The lawyer wheii the 100" was Counted,
pays the . . ^ .,,.
money. 212 to receiuc itt the poreman was most willing ;
& for the paines in the Law hee had taken,
hee wold not "'iue him ag-aine one shillino-."
and let us
live in
peace
god send all Lawyers thus well serued
May God
lawyers so, 216 then ^ may pore ffarmers line in rest.^
god blesse & saue our noble Kinge,
& send vs all to line in peace !
llinis.
' MS. tiuii).— r.
* ease. — Dycc.
205
In a '' l^ooke of Survey of the Baroiiye of Warinton in the
countie of Lancaster, Parcell of the possessions of the Eiglit
Honorable Eobert Erie of Leicester, baron of Denbigh," as talceu
on the 19th of April in the twenty-ninth year of *'our Soverein
Queen Ladye Elizabeth " (1587) we find the following description
of Bewsey Hall :
The Mannei^howse of Bewsey is situate on the west side of the
Town and Lordship of Warrington, and is a mile distant from
Warrington Town, and is the South East side of Bewsey Pai-k. The
house is environed with a fair mote, over which is a strong draw-
bridge. The house is large, but the one half of it being of very old
building, is gone to decay, that is to say, the Hall, the Old Buttery,
the Pantry, Cellars, Kitchen, Dayhouse and Brewhouse, which can
not be sufficiently repaired again without the charge of lOOZ. The
other half is of new building and not decayed, being one great cham-
ber, four other chambers or buildings, a kitchen, a buttery, and also
three chambers and a parlour of the old building are in good repair.
There is also an old chapel, but much decayed. The seat of the
manorhouse with the garden and all the rest of the grounds within
the mote containeth 3 roods 20 perches. . . .
The park is three measured miles about ; almost the one half of
it is full of little tall oaks, but not underwood. It is indifferent well
paled about. There is in it little above six score deer of all sorts ; the
soil of the park is very barren.
The park and demesne lands together contained SO-t acres
large measure = 644 statute.
The family of Botyller, Boteler, and many other variations of
spelling, becoming Butler in the reign of Henry VII., was seated
at Warrington in the time of Henry III. A William Butler
was then in ward to l^arl hY'irars, and sometime about 1240
206 8in lOIIN SUTLER.
bought the manor of Burtonwood from Eol)ert de Ferrariis.'
Here he built Bewsey Hall, aud thereafter took the style of
Butler of Bewsey instead of Butler of Warrington.
It is not intended to go into the family history of the Butlers.
As lords of various manors held in capite, they had to lead their
retainers in the Welsh and Scotch wars ; and Froissart has a
characteristic narrative of the rescue of John Butler of Bewsey
by Sir Walter Manny in the French campaign in 1342.^ This
seems to have been the prosperous time of the family. A priory
of Hermit Friars of St. Augustin in Warrington was probably
founded by them towards the close of the thirteenth century.
The chancel of the parish church dates about 1360. Sir John
Butler rebuilt Warrington Bridge, which had been washed away
by floods, 13G4. He seems also to have founded the Butler
Chantry in the church.^ His grandson, another Sir John, died
about 1432, leaving a son a year old, and a widow Isabella,
whose petition to Parliament may be seen in the Eotuli Parlia-
mentorum.^
Seven years after her husband's death she was forcibly carried
away from Bewsey Hall by one William Poole, gent, of Liverpool,
" in her kirtle and smok " to Birkenhead — another petition says
the wild parts of Wales — and there compelled to enter into a
forced marriage. What the end of it w^as we are not told, but
her son John grew up and married, first Anne Savile, aud secondly
Margaret Stanley, sister of the first Lord Stanley, and widow of
Sir Thomas Troutbeck. Here we come into much entanglement.
Some accounts make Lady Margaret the wife of Troutbeck after
her marriage with Lord Grey. Sir John Butler had two sons
— William by Anne Savile, and Thomas by Margaret Stanley.
William died about the time of his coming of age, and Thomas
finally succeeded as heir in the year 1482. Sir Jolm died in
1462, and he seems to have been the hero of the ballad, of the
' Gent. Mag. Doc. 1863, y. 7;")."). " Lanca.shirf Cliantries. {CJ/c//i. S<c.),
2 Froissart, vol. ii. p. 9, (mji. SO. p. 07. •• Eot. Pari. iv. 497-8.
SIK lOIIN BUTLER. 207
traditions of the neighbourhood, and of the narrative of Dods-
worth.
The Old Church, as it is always called by the inhabitants, the
High Church of Warrington as named in the ancient charters,
seems even then to have lost the name of the saint to whom it
was dedicated — St. Elphin — in Domesday Book. It has been re-
built within the last few years, and consisted then ( 18G0) of a nave,
north and south transepts (private chapels), chancel and central
tower. The chancel and tower arches were good decorated work
of about 1360. The north transept was the chapel connected
with Bewsey Hall, and had the name of the owners — the Athertons.
In the sixteenth century it was the Butler Chapel or Chantry.
It contained in the centre a magnificent altar tomb, apparently of
the time of Edward IV., which still exists.^ The lokd and lady
are recumbent, life-size, he in armour, and the sides of the tomb
are ornamented with statuettes in relief of various saints, but
there is no inscription, nor any appearance of there ever having
been one. In an arch in the north wall of the chapel was a
monument, in black marble, of a recumbent female ; and to the
east of this, in the position usually ascribed to the founder, \vas a
cinquofoiled arch which held a stone coffin, the contents of which
had disappeared before the chapel was pulled down. This chapel,
except the cinquefoiled arch, was of late perpendicular work, and
most likely built by the widow of Sir Thomas Butler 1520-30.
Tlie name of the Butlers had vanished from their resting place,
l)ut the memory of the lord and lady and their unfortunate end
was handed down from generation to generation in connection
with this monument, no doubt receiving additions or suffering
mutilation according to circumstances.
The tale, as generally told, was that certain of the lord's
enemies bribed his steward, and that the faitlik'ss servant placed
' Tlio whole of tlu' clia]i(l lias lieon preserved: the only part of the old pile
jiuHed down. Imt the toinlis liavt' been left is tiie ehaiicel.
208 SIR lOHN nUTLEB.
a lio-lit fit a Aviiulow over tlie hall door, to (^We notice to the
assassins, who crossed the mote and found the door open. They
made their way to the lord's chamber, and were met and opposed
by a negro servant, who fell in defence of his master, whose
murder soon followed. The heir, a haby, was carried by the
nurse in her apron, covered with chips, out of the house, under
the pretence that she was going to light a fire. Two large dark
patches on the oaken floors, one in a narrow passage leading to
the lord's room, the other within the room, near the door, were
left as evidence to all following time, and it was said that every
room on that floor, the second, was more or less stained with
blood.
A new servant had always to get accustomed to the visits of
an apparition, a rattling of chains along the narrow lobby, and
three raps at the bedroom door at midnight, till use made the
thing pass as a matter of course. The traitor steward was pro-
mised great exaltation, and they hanged him on an oak as they
came awa}^ through the park. A tree pointed out as the iti-
felix arbor was cut down some forty years ago.'
Such was the tale sixty years ago. It had, perhaps, been
modified by being introduced as an episode in a poem published
with Dodsworth's account in 1796, the first effort of the author
of the interminable epic Alfred — Mr. John Fitchett. Pennant,
who travelled after the middle of last century, heard that both
the lord and lady were slain ; and a century before that, Roger
Dodsworth had taken the pains to put in writing what he had
heard, and his narrative is still in the Bodleian Library.
Dodsworth's account is as follows: — When King Henry VII.
came to Latham, the Earl of Derby sent to Sir John I'utler, who
was his brother-in-law, to desire him to wear his cloth for a
' This tree was certainly not so old as made its appearance when troiiLle or
tlie time of Elizabeth. As an attendant ciiange was impending; it is said to
spirit (on the domain however, more than have been seen within the present een-
its lords) was a white rabbit, which tury.
SIR JOHN BUTLER. 209
time — a request which the Lady Butler answered with g-reat
disdain. This gave rise to great malice on the part of the Earl,
which was increased by various other matters, till, with the
assistance of Sir Piers Legh and William Savage, they corrupted
his servants and murdered him in his bed. His lady, who was
in London, dreamed that night that Bewse}' Hall swam with blood.
She indicted twenty men for the murder ; but after marrying
Lord Grey, he made her suit void. Upon which she left him
and came back into Lancashire, and said, ' If my lord will not
lielp me, that I may have my will of mine enemies, yet my body
shall be buried by him,' and caused a tomb of alabaster to be
made, where she lyeth upon the right hand of her husband Sir
John Butler. The faithful servant was the chamberlain named
Holcroft, and the traitor was his brother ; the porter at the hall,
whom the assassins hanged in the park.
Dodsworth's tale, no doubt, represents the tradition as it
existed in the middle of the seventeenth century, but it is alto-
gether at variance with facts. During the whole of the reign of
Henry VII. the lord of Bewsey was Sir Thomas Butler, who suc-
ceeded (as already stated) to the estate in 1482, and died in 1522.
He certainly went quietly to his rest, after providing amply for the
foundation of a grammar school in Warrington. His father. Sir
John, according to the Tnquisitio Post Mortem still extant in
the Bodleian Library, died in 1463, leaving besides Thomas,
who succeeded, a brother William, ten or twelve years older.
They were wards to the king, and the younger one is said to
have been of the Stanley blood ; in fact, there are documents
still in existence showing the interest Lord Stanley and his son
liord Strange took in the latter just before the battle of Bosw^orth
l^'ield.^ But not a tittle of evidence has turned up to show that
there was any murder at all. The record of the outrage on the
previous Lady Butler is given in the RoTULi ParliAmentoru.m,
' Gent. Mag. St'it. 1:63.
VOL. HI. p
210 SIR lOIIN BUTLER.
but every thing connected with the murder of the hist Sir John
seems to have vanished like Macbeth's witches. There had
certainly been bad blood between the Leghs and Butlers for
some generations, which continued for two or three generations
after ; and this Sir Piers Legh of the tale is said to have been
compelled to build a church at Dishley, near Lyme, to expiate
the guilt he had incurred in the bloodshed. His monumental
brass, where he is represented as wearing a priest's robes over
his armour, is still to be seen in Winwick Church ; and as he died
in 1527, aged 65, he could only have been an infant at the date
of Butler's death. It seems out of the question to connect Lord
Stanley, Butler's brother-in-law, with it; and nothing is known
about William Savage. As to the blood-marks, that portion of
Bewsey Hall is not older than the sixteenth century, and was most
likely the part described in the " Surveye " as having been then
newly built, so that we meet only with phantom evidence, which
we can neither grasp nor realise.
Whether the Lord Grey was of Codnor, of Groby, or de
Ferrariis is uncertain; and it is doubtful whether Lady Margaret
Butler was the widow of Troutbeck when she married Sir John,
or whether, as anotlier account states, she married Troutbeck for
her third husband.
We believe no other copy of this ballad is known. It is in a
fragmentary state, and no doubt a good deal of it is wanting ; the
language too has been modernised ; but the peculiar account of
Lady Butler's absence from home, and " her good brother John,"
clearly the first Stanley of Alderley, would lead to the supposition
that it was written soon after the murder, by one who was ac-
quainted with the family, and before Lord Stanley was made
Earl of Derby. The introduction of Ellen Butler as Sir John's
daughter, may have been a mistake, or put, euphonioi gratia,
for the real name Alice, who would have been fourteen or fifteen
at the time. Sir John is represented as nephew to Stanley,
which must have been incorrect ; it may, however, be from the
SIR lOHN BUTLER.
211
ballad -maker's confusion of ideas, as Lady Butler afterwards calls
Stanley her brother.
The end of the Butlers was sad enough, but we have no space
for it here. Descendants in the female line are still in existence,
and a keen genealogist might trace them to our own time ; but
their place knows them no more, the very name is forgotten, and
when the fine altar tomb was opened some years ago, a very few
mouldering bones and the fragment of a heavy two-handed
sword were all that it contained.
The knight was dust,
His good sword rust,
His soul is with the saints we trust.
(J. EoBSON.)
JjUT word is come to warrington,
& Busye liall is laid about ;
S/r lolm Bvitler and his merry men
4 stand in ffull great doubt.
Busye Hall
is sur-
roiindpcl ,
rind Sir J.
Butler in
clanger.
when they came to Busye hall
itt was the merke ' midnight,
and all the bridges were vp drawen,
and neuer a candle Lio'ht.
At midnight
his takers
come ;
there they made them one good boatc,
all of one good Bull skinn;
'WilUavi Sauage Avas one of the ffirst
12 that euer came itt wi'thin.
on a hull-
skin boat
hee sayled ore his menymen
by 2 and 2 together,
& said itt was as good a bote
16 as ere was made of letlier.
crofs over
the moat.
' merke, (hu-k ; MS. may bo merle. — F.
p 2
212
SIR lOKN BUTLER.
Ellen Butler
rouses her
father.
His uncle
Stanley is
there.
" waken you, Avaken you, deare ffatlier !
god waken you w/tliin !
for lieere is yo«r vnckle standlye
20 come yonr hall w<thin."
No money
will save
him.
"i£that be true, Ellen Butlei^,
these tydings you tell mee,
a 100 V in good redd gold
24 this night will not borrow mee."
Ellen comes
down to the
hall.
then ^ came downe Ellen Butler
& into her ffathers hall,
& then came downe Ellen Butler,
28 & shee was laced in pall.
" Where is
your
father? "
" Gone to
London,
I swear."
" where is thy ffather, Ellen Butler ?
haue done, and tell itt mee."
" my ffather is now to London ridden,
32 as Christ shall haue paj-t of mee."
" No, he is
not;
■we must
have him."
" Now nay, ISTow nay, Ellen Butler,
ffor soe itt must not bee ;
ffor ere I goe ffbrth of this hall,
36 yowr ffather I must see."
[page 428]
They search, the sought that hall then vp and downe ^
theras lohn Butler Lay "^ ;
the sought that hall then vp and downe
40 theras lohn Butler Lay ;
ffaire him ffall, litle Holcrofft !
find iiiui, soe Merrilye he kept the dore,
till that his head ffrom his shoulders
44 came tumbling downe the ffloore.
' MS. them.— F.
* These two lines only of f he four are
in the MS., hut they are marked witli a
bracket and bis. — F.
SIR lOnX BUTLER.
213
48
" yeeld thee, yeelde thee, lohn Butler !
yeelde thee now to mee ! "
" I will yeelde me to my vnckle Stanlye,
& neere to ffalse Peeter Lee."
and summon
liim to yield.
" a preist, a preist," sales Ellen Butler,
" to housle and to shriue !
a preist, a preist," sais Ellen Butler,
52 " while that my father is a man aliue
" A priest to
shrive my
father," says
Elleu.
then bespake him wilh'am Sauage, —
a shames death may hee dye ! —
sayes, " he shall haue no other preist
56 but my bright sword and mee."
" No priest
but my
sword," says
Savage.
the Ladye Butler is to London rydden,
shee had better haue beene att home,
shee might haue beggd her o\\Tie marryed LortZ
60 att her cood Brother lohn.
Lady Butler
is in
London.
& as shee lay in leeue London,
& as shee lay in her bedd,
shee dreamed her owne marryed hord
64 was swiminnge in blood soe red.
She dreams
that her
lord swims
in blood.
shee called vp her merry men all
long ere itt was day,
saies, " wee must rydc to Busye hall
68 W(th all speed that wee may."
calls up her
men
and rides
homeward.
shee mett w/th 3 Kendall men
were ryding by the way :
" ty dings, tydings, Kendall men,
72 I pray you tell itt mee ! "
She meets
Kendal men.
and asks
tidings.
214
SIR lOIIN BUTLEB.
" John
Butler is
sUiin."
She turns
back to
London,
and prays
the King
to kill her
lord's throe
slayers.
" What ! 3
for 1?
No. Do you
marry Lord
Gray."
" lieauy tydings, deare Madam !
firoin you wee wdll not Leane,'
the worthyest K.nigJit in merry England,
7G lolm Butler, Lord ! liee is slaine ! "
" ffarewell, fFarwell, lolin Butler !
ffor tliee I must neuer see.
ffarewell, ffarwell, Busiye hall !
SO for thee I will neuer come nye."
Now Ladye Butler is to London againe,
in all the speed might bee ;
& when shee came before her prince,
84 shee kneeled low downe on her knee :
" a boone, a boone, my Leege ! " shee sayes,
" ffbr gods lone grant itt mee ! "
" what is thy boone, Lady Butler ^ ?
88 or what wold thou haue of mee ^ ? "
** what is thy boone, Lady Butler?
or what wold thou haue of mee ?
" tliat ffalse Peeres of Lee, & my brother Stanley,
92 & will/'a?» Sauage, and all, may dye."
" come you hither. Lady Butler,
come you ower this stone ;
wold you haue 3 men fibr to dye,
96 all ffor the losso off one ?
" come you hither, Lady Butler,
with all the speed you may ;
if thou wilt come to London, Lari// Butler,
100 thou shalt goe home Lady Gray."
ffinis.
' 0. N. leina, to conceal. — F. Leave
is a Chcsliiropronnnciiition for layne, con-
ceal. This provincialism occurs in the
previous stanza, where ?<y/3^ rhymes Xomcc,
and elsewhere in the ballad (1. 83-8).
IIow far south it extends I don't know,
but about Frodsliam it is very peculiar.
— Dr. Eobson.
■•' These two lines are bracketed, and
marked bis in the MS.— F.
215
We know of no other copy of this capital ballad.
The scene is in North Britain. The subject is the winning of
the Earl of Mar's daughter by William Stuart of Adlatts Park
(wherever that may be) — the winning, but not the wooing. The
wooing is done by his brother John. It requires much tact and
dexterity, and in this respect, though not in age, John has the
advantage —
William he is the elder Lrother,
But John he is the wiser man.
William generally takes to his bed —
— into care-bed leaps he (see vv. 9, 188)
when his passion runs high, or any scheme for crowning it with
its object's possession fails. John sets forth to "propose" and
"arrange" in his behalf. This giving of wit and importance to
the younger brother is perhaps a Norse element. Such a com-
pensation for the disadvantages of juniority, so to speak, is very
commonly made in the Norse tales, (see e.g. Dasent's Popular
Tales from the Norse).
The incidental pictures and allusions to manners and customs
are highly interesting; as to the kiss of courtesy (v. 1.39), to
football matches (v. 105), to the beating of daughters (v. 171),
to the Dole day (v. 262), the Beggar's dress and equipment
(v. 241 etseq., vv. 312, 313).
Football matches had not unfrecjuently, as here, a second
object — not often, perhaps, so pacific a one as here. "The war-
like convocations [of the borderers]," says Scott, "were frequently
disguised under pretence of meetings for tie purpose of sport.
216
WILL STEWART AND lOHN.
The game of football in particular, wLich was anciently and
still continues to be a favourite border sport, was the means of
collecting together large bodies of moss-troopers previous to any
military exploit. When Sir Eobert Carey was warden of the
East Marches, the knowledge that there was a great match at
football at Kelso, to be frequented by the principal Scotch
riders, was sufficient to excite his vigilance and his apprehension.
Previous also to the murder of Sir John Carmichael, it appeared
at the trial of the perpetrators that they had assisted at a grand
football meetincf where the crime was concerted."
Alas ! my
love won't
love me I
I sing of
Will Siewfirt
and John.
Will takes
to his bed
for love of
the Earl of
[page 4-i9]
Mar's
daughter.
John asks
him what he
mourns for ;
gold
or a girl ?
ADLATTS : parks is wyde and broad,
& grasse growes greene in our countrye ;
eche man can gett the loiie of his Ladye,
4 but alas, I can gett none of mine !
itts by 2 men I sing my song,
their names is william Stewart and lohn :
will/ftHi he is the Elder brother,
8 but lohn hee is the wiser man.'
but william lie is in carebed Layd,
& for the loue of a ffaire Ladye ;
If he haue not the loue of the Erie of Mars daughter,
in ffaith ifor loue that he must dye.
12
IG
•20
then lohn ^vas sorry ffor his brother,
to see him lye and languish soe :
" what doe you mourne for, brother ? " he saies,
" I pray you toll to me jqhv woe.
" doe [you ^] mourne for gold, brother ? " he saies,
" or doe you mourne fibr ffce ?
or doe you mourne for a like-some Ladye
you neuer saw her w/th yoHr eye ? "
1'.
-' you.— P.
WILL STEWAET AND lOILV.
21'
24
"I doe not mourne for gold," lie sales,
" nor I doe not mourne for any ffee ;
but I doe mourne for a likesome Ladye,
I neere blinke on lier ■\v/tli mine eye."
" AbeautUul
lady." .
" but -Nvlien liarucst is gotten, my deere bi-otlier,-
all this is true tltai I tell thee, —
gentlemen, they loue hunting well,
28 & giue wight men their cloth & ffee ;
" Well, after
harvest,
when allow-
ances are
given out,
" then He goe a wooing ffor thy sake
in all the speed thai 1 can gone,
& for to see this Likesome Ladye,
32 & hope to send thee good tydings home."
I'll go
wooing: for
you, Will,
and hope to
send you
good news."
lohn Stewart is gone a wooing for his brother
soe ffarr into ffaire Scottland,
& left his brother in mikle ffeare
3C vntill he heard tbe good tydand.'
So John
goes
& when he came to the Erie of Mars his house,
soe well he could his cui-tesye,
& when he came before the Erie,
40 he kneeled Low downe vpon liis knee.
" 0 rise vp, rise vp, lohn Steward !
rise vp, now, I doe bidd thee ;
how doth thy ffather, lohn Stewart,
44 & all the Lords in his countrye ? "
to the Earl
of Mar,
kneels down
to him.
" & itt please you, my Lort/, my ffather is dead,
my brother & I cannott agree,
my brother & I am ffallen att discord,
48 & I am come to craue a service of thee."
and snj-s,
" My father's
dead; my
lirothcr and
1 can't
agree ; take
me into your
service.''
' i.e. tiilings.— P,
•*• if « 'ftimnr "¥ilfc jamer x atiuar iifflBt.
•iign^ TnuT -ftnTinr wrraiT jasmi ~n7 iE 3ies _
fi '.liiiH- 'iMcr -jitirn: iiggtagy 'n«^wB"s& twmw- "^
111 ~- ~ —
JS. X: - _ . _^ - _ : L. .
■^ 3iin JIT m* laiiifi '^ ■_ -_ :_ T^-it^ * . ar".
~~w!titsi. -q^i^^" uaK. dWn ausir iue it??-
"5 ^
"WILL STEWART AND lOHN.
219
80
"he is a 'Lord now borne hj birth,
& an Erie aflter his flather doth dye ;
his haire is yellow, his eyes beene gray ;
all this is true that I teU yee.
that his
brother, an
Earl,
yellow-
haired,
grey-eyed.
"he is ffine in the middle, & small in the wast,
& pleasant in a womans eye ;
& more nor this, he dyes for your Loue,
84 Therfore, Lady, show some pittyo."
[page 430]
small-
waisted.
is dying for
her love.
" If this be soe," then saies the Lady,
" If this be true that thou tells mee,
by my ffaith then, lohn Stewart,
88 I can loue him hartilye.
" bidd him meete me att S' Patr[i]clves Church
on Sunday after S- Andrews day ;
the fflower of Scottland will be thei*e,
92 & then begins our summers play.
" & bidd him bring w<th him a 100 gunners,
& rawnke ^ ryders lett them bee,
& lett them bee of the rankest ryders
90 that be to be ffound in that couutrye.^
She say
she can love
him.
and he is to
meet her
at their
Summer
Games,
with 100
gunners,
" they ' best & worst, & all in Like,
bidd him cloth them in one Liueryc ;
& ffor his men, greene is the best,
100 & greene now lett their liueryes bee ;
olail all ill
green,
' See Pagft 432 [of the M.S.], 6'.'' Lino
from <Ae bottom, [page 227, 1. 298 of
this volume] where it is rdnkt ryders.
limk is use<l by 0;iw? Douglas for a,
Il;wc, a Course, jind in the plural renkin,
Whence to rink up & down ; diseurrere,
circumire, from lielg. nnrken, flectere.
Thus I'a^. I.'i7, I. I'O: The futxmennis
rcnkis, is. The Races of the footmen.
Pag. 138. 18, 32. The rcnku end, Tlio
end of the Course. So Pag. 193. 52,
Soiisquo vias is rcndor'd The Sonnvs
rvnkf, M. 6. 790. So Ain. 7. H(l2,
querit iter, sekis his rcnk. N.15. nink
rider is still uai-d in Leicestershire, &
signifies a keen eager rider, one that doth
not spare horse-flesh. ^P.
'^ 'I he t seems to lie made over an r/,
pari of whieh is left. — F.
■' the.- P.
220
WILL STEAVART AND lOHN.
himself in
scarlet,
104
" & clothe himselfe in scarlett redd,
iliat is SOS seemlye fFor to see ;
fFor Scarlett is a fFaire Coulour,
& pleasant allwayes in a womans eye.
and tlien
win
most of the
16 games.
" he must play sixteene games att ball
against the men of this countrye,
& if he winn the greater port
108 then I shall [Love] ^ him more tenderlye."
John writes
all tliis to
his brother
Will.
Will leaps
out of bed,
what the Lady said, lohn Stewart writt,
& to Argyle Castle sent it hee ;
& ^ [when] Willie steward saw the letter,
112 ffbrth of care-bed then Lope hee.
hee mustered together his merry men all,
hee mustered them soe louelilye,
hee thought hee had had scarson halfe a 1 00'.'
116 then had hee 11 score and three.
chooses the
100 best,
clothes them
in green,
he chose flForth a 100 of the best
tliai were to be ffound in that countrye,
he cladd them all in one Coulour,
120 & greene I- wis their liueryes bee.
himself in
scarlet,
he cladd himselfe in scarlett redd,
thai is soe seemelye ffor to see ;-
ffor scarlett is a ffaire coulor,
124 & seemlye in a womans eye ; —
and goes to
St. I'atrick's
Church.
& then towards Patricke Church he went
with all his men in braue array,
to gett a sight, if he might,
128 & speake w/th his Lady gay.
' Love is wi'iltcn in the MS. Ly a later
liaiid between then and /. — F.
2 Wlien.— P.
WILL STEWAUT AND lOIlX.
221
Avhen they came to Patrickes cliurclie,
shee kneeled downe by her mother trulye :
" 0 Mother, if itt please you to giue me leaue,
L32 the Stewarts horsse ffaine wold I see."
" He giue you leaue, my deere daughter,
& I and my maide will goe w/th yee : "
the Lady had rather haue gone her selfe,
136 then haue had her mothers companye.
His Lady
asks
her mother
to let her go
and see
the Stewarts,
when they came before Willie Steward,
soe well hee cold his curtesye,
" I wold kisse yo?(r daughter, Ladye," he said,
140 " & if yo?(r will that soe itt bee."
the Ladyes mother was content
to doe a straunger thai curtesye ;
& when willie had gotten a kisse,
144 I- wis shee mio-ht haue teemed him 3.'
^Vhen they
see Will,
he a«ks for a
kiss from the
daughter.
She agrees,
and Will
takes it.
16 games were plaid thai day there, —
this is the truth as I doe say, —
willie Stewart & his merry men,
148 the carryed 12 of them away.
& when they games thai they were done,
& all they ffblkcs away were gone
but the Erie of Marrs & Will/rt h; Stewart,
152 & the Erie wold needs haue WilhVn/i home.
He plays 16
games,
and wins 12
of them.
The Earl of
Mar asks
him home.
& when they came vnto the Erles howse,
they walked to a garden greene ;
fFor to conflferr of their bussines,
156 into the garden they be gone.^
' deemed it 3.— P. given him 3:
teem, to pour out ; to unload a cart ; to
cause, contrive. Halliwell. A.-S. team,
issue, offspring, anything following in a
row or team : tcaniian, to produce, pro-
pagate. Bosworth. — ]*'.
■•^ I weenc [added by]— P.
2 '2 9
WILL STEWART AND lOHN.
[page 431]
Will asks
him for his
daughter.
"God
forbid,"
says the
Earl ;
"I'd sooner
hang you
or burn
you.
Go to yonr
room, girl,
in the
devil's name,
or I'll beat
you."
" I loue jour daugliter," saies william stewart,
" but I cannott tell whether she louetli mee."
" Marry, god defend," saies the Erie of March,
160 " that euer soe that itt shold bee !
" I had rather a gallowes there was made,
& hange thee fibr my daughters sake ;
I had rather a ffyer were made att a stake,
164 & burne thee ffor my daughters sake !
" to chamber, to chamber, gay Ladye," he saies,
" in the deuills name now I bidd thee !
& thou gett thee not to the Chamber soone
168 He beate thee before the Stewarts eye."
Will says
he'd better
not.
& then bespake wilh'am stewart,
. these were the words said hee,
" if thou beate thy daughter for my sake,
thoust beate a 1001 men and mee.^ "
and John
rebukes him
for his
discourtesy.
176
then bespake lohn stewart, —
Lort? ! an angry man was hee, —
" 0 Churle, if thou wonkiest not haue macht w/th
my brother,
thou might ^ haue answerd him cu^rteouslye."
The Earl
threatens
John with
loss of
Ecrvice.
" Hang your
fervice,"
tays John ;
" I hold to
my brother."
" 0 hold thy peace, lohn Stewart,
& chamber thy words now, I bidd thee ;
if thou chamber not thy words soone,
180 thoust loose a good service ; soe shalt thou doe me."
"Marry! hang them </i«t cares," saies lohn Stewart,
"either ffbr thy service or ffor thee !
services can I haue enoughe,
184 but brethren wee must euer bee."
' MS. noc— F.
* Two strokes for the i in the MS. -F,
WILL STEWART AND lOIIN.
223
y^'illiam Stewart & liis brother lolm,
to Argyle Castle gon they bee ;
& -when willye came to Argyle Castle,
into carebedd then lope hee.
The brothers
go back to
Argyle
Castle,
and Will
takes to his
bed again.
A Parlaiment att Edenborrow wns made,
the 'King & his Nobles all mett there ;
the sent ffor will/«j» stewart & lohn,
192 to come amongst ^ the other peeres.
A parlia-
ment
is held at
Edin-
burgh.
Will and
John go.
their clothing was of scarlett redd,
that was soe seemelye fFor to see ;
blacke hatts, white ffeatliers plewed ^ wtth gold,
I'JG & sett all on their heads trulye.
gaily clad.
their stockings were of twisted silke,
With garters ffringed about with, gold,
their shoes w^ere of the Cordevine,^
200 & all was comelye to behold.
& when they came to Edenborrowe,
they called fibr lohn Steward & Willie :
I answer in A* hords roome," sales will Stewart,
204 " but an Erie I hope to bee."
Will is
called, and
answers as
a Lord.
208
" come downe, come downe," sales the hord of Mars, The Eari of
Mar says ho
" I knew not what was thy degree." didn't know
•' ° _ his rank
" 0 churle, if I might not haue macht w/th thy before.
daughter,
itt had not beene long of my degree.
' The MS. has four strokes for the m.
-F.
- Perhaps plaited, pleted, i.e. plaited
r plated. — P. Fr. plicr, to phiit, plic,
end, turne, wrie. Cotgrave. — F.
' Cordevino, i.e. Cordwane, Spanish,
or Cordovan Leather, from Cordova, in
Spain. .Johns. — P.
* MS. L.— F.
224
WILL STEWAHT AND lOHN.
Will answers
that he's tlie
King's
nephew, and
fit to match
with the
Earl's
daughter.
212
" my fFather, liee is the K.tng liis brother,
& then the 'King is vnckle to me ;
0 Churle, if I might not haue macht with, thy
daughter,
itt had not beene long of my degree."
The King
says he'll
" 0 hold yoHr peace," then sayd the King,
" Cozen william, I doe bidd thee ;
infaith. Cozen william, he loues you the worsse
216 because you are a-kinn to mee.
make Will
an Earl,
"He make thee an Erie w/th a siluer wande,
& adde more honors still to thee ;
thy brother Ihon shall be a Lord
220 of the best att home in his countiye.
and their
brother
Christopher
a Kniglit.
" thy brother Kester ' shalbe a Knight,
lands & linings I will him giue,
& still hee shall Hue in Court with, mee,
224 & He maintaine him whilest he doth liue."
& when the parlaiment was done,
& all the ffolkes away were gone,
willye Stewart & lohn his brother,
228 to Argyle Castle they be gone.
Will and
John go
home,
and Will
falls love-
sick again.
but when they came to Argyle Castle
That was soe ffarr in that Countryc,^
he thought soe much then of his lone,
232 that into carebedd then lope hee.
[page -132]
John
promises to
go wooing
once more
for him,
lohn Stewart did see his brother soe ill :
Lor J ! in his heart that hee was woe ;
" I will goe wooing for thy sake
23G againe yonder gay Ladye to.
' cp. Kester Norton, vol. ii. p. 21 '2,
1. 61.— F.
^ Perhaps West Country, but it is
North Country below. — P.
WILL STEWAKT AND lOIIX.
225
240
" lie cloth my sclfc in strange array,
in a beggars liabbitt I will goe,
thai when I come before the Erie of March
my clothing strange he shall not knowe."
clad as a
beggar,
lohn hee gott on a clouted cloake,
soe meete ^ & low then by his knee,
With 4 garters vpon one Legg,
244 2 aboue, & towe below trulye.
with four
garters on
one leg.
" but if thou be a beggar, brother,
thou art a beggar thai is vnknowne ;
ffor thou art one of the stoutest beggars
248 that euer I saw since I was borne.
" heere, geeue ^ the Lady this gay gold ringe,
a token to her that well is knowne ;
& if shee but aduise itt well,
252 sheele know some time itt was her owne."
gives him]
a gold ring
to show to
his lady love.
" stay, by my ffaith, I goe not yett,'
lohn steward he can replye ;
" lie haue my bottle ffull of beere,
256 the best that is in thy butterye ;
John fills his
bottle with
beer, *
" He haue my sachell Mid full of meate,
I am sure, brother, will doe noe hamie ;
ffor, before I come to the Erie of Marrs his house,
260 my Lipps, I am sure, they wilbe warme."
& when he came to the Erie of Marrs house,
by chance itt was of the dole day ;
but lohn cold ffind no place to stand
264 vntill he came to the Ladye gaye.
his Fatchel
with meat,
and goes to
the Earl of
Mar's on
Distribution
Day.
John gets
near the
la<iy,
' A.-S. ' mii-le and mcBfe' groat and Gloss, to Piers Plowman's Crede.— F.
small: Gutlilac, 1.24, cd. Grein. Skeat's - here give.— P.
VOL. II L
226
WILL STEWAKT AND lOIIN.
268
but many a beggar he tbrew downe,
and made them all with weeping say,
" he is the devill, hee is no beggar,
tlmi is come fForth of some strange countryc !
and after the
doles are
given,
& now the dole thai itt is delte,
& all the beggars be gon away
sailing lohn Stewart, thai seemed a beggar,
272 & the Ladye thai was soe gay.
tells lier
■nho he is.
"Lady," sais lohn, "I am no beggar,
as by my clothes you may thinke thai I bee ;
I am yo«r servant, lohn stewart,
276 & I am sent a messenger to thee."
She asks " but if thou be lohn stewart,
as I doe thinke thai thou bee,
avayle^ thy capp, avayle thy hoode,
280 & I will stand & speake to thee.
how Will is.
" 111, through
you."
284
" how doth thy brother, lohn stewart,
& all the Lorc?s in his countrye ? "
" 0 ffye vpon thee, wicked woman !
my brother he doth the worsse ffor thee."
Slie weeps,
lays the
blame on her
father.
and says
she'll meet
Will at
Martings-
dalo in three
days.
288
With thai the teares stood in her eyes ;
0 lord ! shee wept soe tenderlye ;
sais, " ligg the blame vnto my ffather ;
1 pray you, lohn siewart, Lay itt not to mee !
"comend me to my owne truC loue
iliai lines soe farr in the North countrye,
& bidd him meete me att Martingsdale
292 IFullye w[i]thin these dayes 3.
' pull down, from Fr. a val. — F.
WILL STEWART AND lOIIN.
227
296
" hang tliem," sais the Lady gay,
" thai letts their ^ fFather witting bee !
lie prone a Ladye ffull of loue,
& be there by the sunn be a quarter highe.
" & bidd him bring with him a lOOf gunners,^
& ranke riders lett them bee,
lett them be of the rankest ryders ^
300 thai be to be fFound in thai Countrye.
" Let him
bring lOU
gunners
witli him,
" the best & worse, & all in like,
bidd him clothe them in one liuerye ;
& for his men, greene is the best,
304 And greene now lett their Lyueryes bee ; [page 433]
clad all in
green,
*' & cloth himselfe in scarlett Redd,
thai is soe seemelye for to see ;
for Scarlett is a ffaire Coulor,
308 & pleasant in a womans eye."
while he's iu
scarlet."
what they Lady sayd, lohn steward writt,
to Argyle Castle sent itt hee ;
his bagg & his dish, & showing home,
312 vnto 3 beggars he gaue them all 3.
John sends
this message
to Will.
& when willie stewart saw the Letter,
fforth of carebed then Lope hee ;
he thought himselfe as lustye & sound
316 as any man in thai countrye,
he mustered together his merry men all,
he mustered them soe louinglye ;
he thought he had had scarce halfe a lOO.i,"
320 then had hee 11 score and three.
Will jumps
out of bed,
mnstei-s his
'iTi men,
' my.— F.
* m in place of nn in the MS.^ — F.
' Two or throe letters appeHrono oA'er
the other for the s of this word in the
MS.— F.
ii 2
228
WILL STEWART AND lOHN.
chooses the
100 best,
and posts to
Martings-
dale.
There his
love
meets liim ,
324
lie chose ffortli a 100*^ of tlie best
that were to be found in thai companye,
& presentlye they tooke their horsse,
& to martingsdale posted hee.
& when he came to Martingsdale,
he found his loue staying there trulye,
for shee was a Lady true of loue,
328 & was there by sunn was a qwarter highe.
kisses him
and John,
shea kisst will/«m stewart & his brother lohn,
soe did shee part of his merry men :
" if the Churle, thy ffather, hee were here,
332 he shold not haue thee backe ag^aine."
marries him,
goes home
with him,
they sent ffor preist, they sent ffor Clarke,
& they were marry ed there with speede ;
Wiiliam tooke the Lady home ^ with him,
336 & they lined together long time indeed.
and is soon
great with
child.
John goes
to the Earl
of Mar.
& in 12 monthe soe they wrought,
the Lady shee was great with childe ;
the sent lohn stewart to the Erie oiF Marre
340 to come & chr[i]sten the barne soe milde.
The Earl
hopes Will
has married
his
daughter.
"And if this be soe," sayes the Erie of Marre,
" lohn stewart, as thou tells mee ;
I hope in god you haue marryed my daughter,
344 & put her bodye to honestye."
No, he
hasn't, says
John,
" Nay, by my ffaith," then sales lohn stewart,
" ffor euer alas that shall not bee ;
ffor now wee haue put her body to shame,
and he'll send
her home to
you. 348 thoust haue her ag-aine hame to thee."
' n instead of m in tlie MS. — F.
WILL STEWAKT AND lOHN.
229
352
" I liad rather make tliee Erie of Marre,
& marry my daugliter vnto tliec ;
for by my ffaitli," sais tlie Erie of Marr,
"lier marryage is marrd in our countrye."
" I'd ratlu>r
you marry
her thon,
and I'll
make vou
Earl oif
Mar."
" if tliis be soe," then sais lohn stewart,
" a marryage soone that thou shalt see ;
ffor my brother william, my ffathcrs heyre,
356 shall marry thy daughter before thine eye."
"No, Will
'11 marry
her."
they sent ffor preist, the sent ffor Clarke,
& marryed there they were w/th speed ;
& william stewart is Erie of Marr,
360 & his ffather-in-Law dwells w/th him indeed.
So Will does,
and is Earl
of Mar.
ffiiiis.
230
^otu tl)t Springe i^ tomt
This ballad is in the Eoxburghe Collection, vol. i. p. 200, entitled
"A Lover's desire for his best beloved ; or, Come away, come away,
and do not stay. To aii excellent new Court tune.'''' Having
been printed by the assigns of Thomas Symcocke, the Eoxburghe
copy of the ballad must be of the reign of James I., sa3"s
Mr. Chappell, who prints the tune of it on pages 464-5 of his
Popular' Music, vol. ii. " The rhythm of the first part of the
tune is peculiar, from its alternate phrases of two and three bars,
but still not unsatisfactory to the ear." The date assigned to the
ballad by Mr. Chappell, he confirms by the fact that Christmas' s
Lamentation — a piece like in charactei- to our In olde times
paste — is to be sung to the tune of Noiu the Spring is come,
and was itself written during the latter part of the reign of
Elizabeth, or that of James I., as the yellow starcli then in
vogue is mentioned in it.
It needs almost an effort now to realise how great the change
must have been from the winter of Early and Middle England —
with their ill-built and chimneyless houses, their scarcity of fuel
and seldom-changed food, their wretched roads, — to the glad
light green of spring, its sun, its song of birds, and all its
heavenly brightness. The impression which the spring made
on Chaucer is seen often in his works, and was, I believe, a
deeper one than the season has made on any subsequent poet.
But still to all poets and men the time has been, and is, one of
joy ; to all lovers one specially of love. Nature's current then
sets that way : why should not her loveliest work go with it ?
" Fairest faire, then turn to thy love ! " sings our song-writer.
Who of us does not hope that she did ? — F.
^'ow THE sriiLNGE is c )Mi!:.
231
now spring s
come, turn
to thy love !
ri 0 W the spring is come, tui*ne to thy loue, to tliy loue, Dearest
to thy loue, to thy loue, without delay !
where the fflowers spring, & birds doe singe
their sweete tunes : jj : Jt : doe not stay !
where I shall ffiU thy lapp w/th fflowers,
& couer thee wrth shady bowers.
Come away, Come awaye, Comc away !
Come away, & doe not stay !
12
Shall I languish still for' thy loue,
still fFor thy loue : z '■ U '• w/thout releflfe ?
shall my ffaith soe well aproued
now dispayre : t ■ U ■ w/th my greeffe ?
where shall vertue then be ffound
but where bewtye doth abound ? Come away ! &g
[page 434] Let me not
lauguisli.
Leave ine
not to
despair !
16
20
Here is a bed
for tliee
of roses
fflora heere hath made a bedd ffor my loue,
fFor my loue : Ji : Jf : of roses redd.
Phebus beames to stay are bent,
ffor to yeeld : u '■ U '• niy loue content,
& the pleasant Eglantine eglantine
m[i]xt 2 With a 1000 fflowers fine. Come away ! &c.
24
Hearke ! the Nightingale ^ doth singe
ffor my loue : &c : the woods doe ringe.
Pan, to please my loue, allwayes
pipethe there : &c : his roundelayes.
& the pleasant rushye brookes,
&euery fflower, for my loue lookes. Come away ! &c.
The nightin-
gale sings for
thee.
Bewtyes Queen w.'th all her traine
28 * doth attend : &l; : my loue vpon the plaine ;
Venus waits
for thee,
' ShiiU I still lang;«(sli for.
- luixl.— P.
-P.
' Miglitingale in the MS.— F.
' iittends. — P.
232
NOW THE SPRINGE IS COME.
the Muses
play for thee;
32
trippinge Satyres dancinge moue
delight : &c : my bewtyous loue
the muses nine, "w^'tll mnsicke sweete
doe all attend, my loue to meete. Come away ! &c.
then turn to
thy love !
Come awaj"!
ffairest ffaire ! then tuinie to thy lone,
to thy lone : &c : thai loones thee best !
lett sweete pittye moue ! grant lone for lone
36 like the done : &c : let onr lone for ener rest !
crowne my desires w/th a 1000'? ioyes !
thy lone reuines, thy hate destroyes. Come away! &c.
ffin[is^
233
Tins is one of many pieces celebrating that great event which
gave the land rest from its generation-long succession wars.
The following version of the song was produced, as the last
line shows, in the reign of James I. But the original compo-
sition may well belong to an earlier period. There is a certain
air of greater antiquity about many passages of it. Alliterative
•verses abound, as vv. 47, 48, 55, 147, 148, 175, 176, 199, 211,
212, 214, 218, &c. &c.
The passage relating the narrow escape from execution of
Lord Strange occurs also in Lady Bessy. Perhaps the earliest
account of that peril is given by the continuer of the Croyland
Chronicle in the folio wiuo; words : —
Deniqiie crescentibus indies rumoribus
quod Regis rebeiles adventum suum in
Angliarii maturant & accelerant; Rex
autena dabius in quo portu applieare in-
tonduut, id enim per nullos exploratorcs
sibi certitudinaliter affcn-i potuit; se
transfert versus Aquilonem, parum ante
festuTn Pcntecostcg: relicto doTuino de
LoveU Camerario suo prope Snthamp-
toniam, ut classem suam ibi diligenter
instruat, ut omnes portus illarum par-
tium fida obsen-et custodia, ut ipsos
hostcs si inibi applieare curaront, coadu-
natis viribus omnium circum incolen-
tium, debellare non prsetermitterct.
Perditis illic sub hac non necessaria
politia victualibus & pecuniis ***...
quo Rex tot expensas fticeretur, unde
non falleret sequivocationera vocabuli
portus illius, qiii a multis pro eorum
descensu describebatur. Aiunt aliqui
esse portum in partibus Suthnmpfonice
appellatum Milfordiam, sieut est in
WuHia. Et quia nonnulli quasi assent
proplietico spiritu prai'diti, prpedixerunt
homines istos in portu de Milford appul-
suros, consueveruntque proplietiiB hu-
jusmodi non in famosiori sed in alio
saepissime ejusdem nominis loco suum
sortiri eff'cctum : Prpeterea visus est Rex
tot propugnacula in ilia Australi parte
Regni hoc tempore constituisse. Sed
' written in tin' Time of James 1'.', see
last line. Either the Autlior of this &
of the Song in Page 461 [of the M.S.
Lo(h/c BiSsii/c, p. 321 lieiow] is t/w same,
or one of them has copied almost ver-
batim fvom the other. Sec Vagc 441
& scq'.'"' There is a song of hitter date
on this Sulijcct in t/fo printed Collection
12".'° Vol. 3'.' p. 47, N. C— P.
234
BOSWORTH FEILDE.
frustra. lUi enini primo die Aiigusti in
norainatissinio illo portu Milford juxta
Fembrochiam prospero statu, nulla in-
veiita resistentia, appliciienmt.
Gavisus est Kex, audi to eorum adventu,
sen saltern gaudere dissimulavit, scribens
iibique, jam sibi diem renisse desidera-
tum, quo de tam exili comitiva facile
triumphatuiiis, siibjectos a modo indubi-
tatse pacis beneficiis recomfortet. Interea
mandata terribilia multiplicibus literis
ad omnes Eegni eomitatus dirigit, ne
ulli hominum, eorum saltern quotquot ad
aliquas in Eegno hsereditates nati sunt,
bellum futuruni detractent, cum ea in-
terminatione, quod quicunque post ob-
tentam victoriam inveniretur in aliqua
parte Regni, ei in campo prsesentialiter
non abstitisse, nihil aliud speraturi sunt,
quam bona omnia, possessiones, & vitam
amittere.
Parum ante istorum hominum appul-
siim, Thomas de Stanley, senescallus lios-
pitii Regis, accepta liccntia, ut in patriam
suam Lancastrice, domum & familiam
suam, unde diu aberat visnrus, transiret,
non aliter uUam ibi moram trahere per-
mittebatur, nisi filium suum primogeni-
tum, Georglum dotninum Lestravge, Not-
inghamiam ad Regem loco suo transmit-
teret; quod & fecit. Deinde hominil)US
istis, ut prsefertur, apud Milfvrdiam
Wallia appiUsis, facientibusque iter
suum per aspera & indirecta partium
Borealium illius Provincire ; ubi Willielmus
Stanley frater ejusdem Domini Senescalli,
utpote Camerarius de Nurthwales, singu-
lariter prsesidebat : niisit Rex ad dictum
dominum de Stanley, ut omni postposita
mora, sese Regis conspectui apud Nofing-
hamiam prsesentaret. Timuit enim Rex
id quod accidit, ne mater dicti Comitis
liichinundke, quam dictus dominus de
Stanley habuit in uxorem, maritum ad
partes filii tuendas induceret. Ille autom
mirabili .... pestem sudatoriam
qua laborabat allegans, venire non potuit.
Pilius autem ejus qui clanculum a Rege
diseessum paraverat, discoopertus ab
insidiis capitur, conjurationem suam &
patrui sui Willielmi Stanley supradicti,
simul & Johannis Savage Militum, ad
partes Comitis Eichinundia defcnsandas,
aperit, misericordiam postulat, promittit-
que patrcm suum cum omni potent ia in
Regis anxiiium quam citissiiiie advcntu-
rum. Et super hoc, p(;riculum in quo
erat, simul cum desiderio hujusmodi
praestandi auxilii, literis suis patri de-
nunciat.
Interim dictis duobus aliis Militibus
pro proditoribus Regis apud Coventriam
& alibi publice denunciatis, festinanti-
busque inimicis, ac dirigentibiis vias
suas die ac nocte recte in faciem Regis :
opus erat omnem exercitum, licet non-
dum integro congregatum, a Notlnghamia
dimittere, venireqiie ad Leicestriam.
Ibique compertus est numerus hominum
pugnatorum ex parte Regis major quam
antea visus est unquam in Anglia pro
una parte. Die autem Dominico ante
festvim BarthoJornei Apostoli, Rex max-
ima pompa diadema portans in capita,
ciun Duce NorfolchicB Johanne de Howard,
ac Henrico Percy Comite Northninhriee,
ceterisque magnificis Dominis, Militibus,
& armigeris, populariumque multitudine
infinita, opidum Leicestrense egressus,
satis per intercursores edoctus, ubi hostes _
sequent! nocte de verisimili manere vole-
bant, ad octo miliaria ab eo opido dis-
tantia, juxta Abbathiam de Mirivall.
castra metatus est.
Majores autem exercitus adversantis
hi erant: imprimis Henricus Comes do
Bichmond, quem illi suum Regem Hcn-
ric'um septimum appelhibant ; JoJurnacs
Fere Comes Oxonice, Johannes Wellys
domimis de Wellys, avunculus Regis
Henrici septimi, Thomas dominus de
Stanley & Willielmus frater ejus, Ed-
wardus Widcvyll ivAtcv Elisabeth Reginae,
valentissimus miles, Johannes Chryne,
Johannes Savage, Bobertvs Wllloughby,
Willielmus Berkeley, Jacobus Blunt,
Thomas Arunddl, liichardus Egecombc,
Edwardus Ponyngs, liichardus Gilford,
& alii plures, tam ante banc turbation-
em, quam in isto ingressu belli, militari
ordine insiguiti. De Ecclesiasticis vero
affuerant consiliarii, qui simile exilium
perpessi sunt, venerabilis Pater Peirus
Episcopus Exonicnsis, flos militiiB patriae
suae, Magister Robertus Moreton Clericus
Rotulonim Cancellarise, Orystofenis Urs-
wyk, ^ Johannes Fox, quoinim alter Elee-
mosynarii alter Secretarii officium postea
consecutus est, cum aliis multis.
Mane die Luncp, illucescento aurora,
cum non (assent Capelhini de parte Regis
Kichurdi parati ad celeljrandum, neque
jcntaculum uUum paratuni, quod Regis
taboscentem aninium rcfocillaret ; illuque,
BOSWORTH FEILDE.
235
ut asseritur, ea nocte toi-renda somnia
quasi multitiidiiie daeiuonum circunvlatus
esset, viderat, sicut de mane testatus
est ; facieni uti semper atteiiuatam, tunc
magis discoloratani & mortifcram prte
se tulit, affirmans quod hujus hodierni
belli exitus, utrivis parti victoria con-
cessa fuerit, Regnum Anglke penitus
distruet : & expressit mentem suam
earn fore, ut si ille victor evadit, omnes
fautores adversse partis confnndat : idque
ipsum idem prajdicebat, adversarium
suum super benevolos sufe partis execu-
tiirum, si victoria illi succedat. Denique
ingre[die]utibus moderato passu Principe
& militibus partis adversae super exer-
citum Regis ; mandavit ille ut prsedictus
dominus L'strange illico decapitaretur.
Illi auteni quibus hoc officium datum
est, videntes ancipitem rem nimis, ma-
jorisque ponderis quam unius hominis
exterminium in manibus esse, differentes
crudele Regis mandatum exequi dimi-
serunt hominera suo arbitrio, & ad in-
teriora belli reversi sunt.
Inita igitur acerrima pngna inter am-
l)as partes. Comes Richniiindue cum mili-
tibus suis directe super Regeni liicliard-
u/ii processit : Comes autem Oxonke,
major post eum in tota ipsa societate,
valentissimus miles, in earn alam ubi
Dux Norfolchi(B constitutus erat, magno
tarn GnUicoriim quam Anglicornm comi-
tatu stipatus totendit. In eo vero loco
ubi Comes NorthumbricB cum satis decenti
ingentique militia stabat, nihil adversi
neque datis neque susceptis belli ictibus
cernebatur. Ad postremum, gloriosa
Dicto [sic-] Comiti liichmundke, jam soli
Regi victoria, una cum pretiosissima Co-
rona quam Rex Richardiis ante gestavit
in capitc, coelitus data est. Nam inter
pugnandum, & non in fuga, dictus Rex
Eichardus multis letalibus vulneribus
ictus, quasi Princeps animosus & auden-
tissimus in campo occubuit. Deindo
praefato Dnco Norfolchice, Richardo Rat-
clyff Milite, Roberto Brakenhiiry Milite,
Constabulario Turris Londoniarum Jo-
himiiem \sk'^ Kendall Secretario, Roberto
Percy Milite, Controrotulatore hospitii
Regii, ac Waltero Deveercux Domino de
Ferrcis, & multis, maximo Borealibus,
in quibus Rex Richardiis adeo confitebat,
\_sic] ante uUas consertas manus fugara
iueuntibus : nuUae partes digure sive habi-
les remanserunt, in quas gloriosus victor
Hc7irki(s Septimus alicujus pugnfe ex-
perientiam denuo renovaret. Pace igitur
ex hoc bello universe Regno concessa,
inventa [sic] inter alios mortuos corporo
dicto Rkhardi Regis, . . . Multasque
alias contiunelias illatas, ipsoque non
satis humaniter propter funem in collum
adjectum usque ad Lekestriam deportato ;
novus Rex Corona tam insigniter con-
quaesita decoratus Lcicestriam vadit.
Dumque hsec itii se haberent, multi
nobiles atque alii in captivitatem redact!
sunt. Atque in primis Henrkus Comes
Northiimbrke, Thomas de Hoioard Comes
Siirrei, primo genitus dicti defnnctl Ducis
Norfolchke: captus est etiam Wdlkhnus
Catesby, qui inter omnes consiliarios
defuncti jam Regis praeminebat ; cujus
caput apud Lekestrkim pro ultima re-
muneratione tarn excellentis officii sui
abscisum est. Duo autem valecti par-
tium occiduarum Regui, pater & filius
sub ^rec/«fr vocabulo appellati, qui post
finitum prselium ad victorum manus de-
venerant, laquco suspensi sunt. Et cum
neque auditum, neque lectioni aut me-
morise commendatum est, aliquos alios
post recessum a bello, similibus suppli-
ciis deputatos ; sed Principem hunc no-
vum in omnes suam clementiam impart-
isse ; coepit laudari ab omnibus, tanquam
Angelas do coelo missus, per quem Dens
dignaretur visitare plebem suam, & libe-
rare earn do malls quibus liaetcnus af-
flicta est supra modum. — Historue Croy-
landensis Continuatio ; Gd\c, Rcrii))i An-
glkarum Scriptores, tom. i. p. o72-o75.
UOD : thai shopc both sea and Land,
& ffor all ci'catures dyed ont tree,
sane & kecpc the rcalme of England
4 to Hue in peace & tranrpiillitye !
May Chi'ist
knop
Kn^laiul ill
peacu !
236
BOSWORTH FEILDE.
We have
cause
to welcome
Henry VII.
"Whothought
EngUmd
would have
changed
so soon ?
that Henry
VI. was
martyred.
Let us thank
God for
Henry VII.
King
Edward
served Jesus.
St. George, to vs a slieild tliou bee !
ffor we haue cause to pray, botli old & younge,
with a stedfast hart fFull devatlye,
8 & say, " welcome Henbrt, right- wise ^ 'Kingl "
welcome right- wise E^iiig, & loy royall,
he that is grounded With grace !
welcome the fFortune that hath befall,
12 which hath beene seene in many a place !
who wend ^ that England as itt was,
soe suddenlye changed shold haue beene ?
therfore lett vs thanke god of his grace,
16 & say " welcome Henery, right- wise K.iug ! "
how had wee need to remember, & to our minds
call
how England is transported miraculouslye
to see the great Mischeefe that hath befall
20 sith the Martyrdome of the holy K.ing Henery !
how many lords haue beene deemed to dye,
young innocents that neuer did sinn !
therfore lett vs thanke god hartilye,
24 & say " welcome Henery, right-wise T^ing ! "
some time a ^ing raigned in this land,
that was Edward of hye IFelicytye;
he was dowted & dread, as I vnderstand,
28 through all the nations in Christentye;
he serued lesus ifull heartilye :
these examples may be taken by him
w7a"ch hath prcuailed him"^ w/th royaltyc
32 to weare the crowne & be our King.
' rinjlitwise, i.e. riglitcous. — P. A. -8.
rihtwis. — i\
- wen'd, woen'd. — P.
^ ? him superfluous, see 1. 39. — F.
BOSWORTH FEILDE.
237
36
for w/tli tounge I haue heard it told,
when Henery was in a ffar cuntrye,
thai 3 times he was bought & sold
throughe the might of gold & ffee.
Henry VII.
he serued lesus fiiill hartylye :
this example may be said by him
■which preuailed right royallye
40 to weare the crowne and be our ^ing
[page 435] did so too.
they banished him oner the fflood,
ouer the fflood & streames gray ;
yett his right in England was good,
44 as herafter know you. may.
He was
banished
there was hee banished ouer the ffloode,
& into a strange Land they can him ^ bring ;
that time Raigned Richard w^'th royaltye,
48 he ware the crowne & was our Kinge,
when
Eichard ] II.
was king.
that was well scene att streames stray;
att Milford hauen, when he did appeare
w/th all his Lords in royall array,
52 he said to them that wi'th him weare :
But he
landed
at Milford
Haven,
" into England I am entred heare,
my heritage is this Land w/thin ;
they shall me boldlye bring & beare,
56 & loose my lifFe, but He be King.
and claimed
his heritage,
to be king.
" lesus that dyed on good ffryday,
& Marry mild thats ff'ull of might,
send me the loue of the LorfZ Stanley !
60 he marry ed my mother, a Lady bright ; ^
He prayed
for the
help of
Lord Stanley
' MS. hin.— F.
* Lord Stanley (afterwards Karl of
Derby) had married as liis second wife
the Countess of Richmond, mother of
Henry VII. She was his wife as early
as 1473, if not earlier.— 0. K. Adams.
238
BOSWORTir FEILDE.
64
" tliai is long sith I saw lier w^'tli sight ;
I trust in lesn wee shall meete w/th winne,'
& I shall niaintaino her honor right
ouer all England when I am Kinge.
and his
brother Sir
William,
68
" had I the Lone of thai Lord in rich array
thai hath proned his manhood soe well att
need,
& his brother Sir Wilh'am, the good Stanley; —
a better ^nighi neuer vmstrode ^ steede !
that noble
knight.
" thai hath beene seene in mickle dreed :
much was the worshipp thai happened him ;
a more nobler ^nighi att neede
72 came neuer to maintaine Kinge."
But we'll
talk of
Richard III.
BOW leaue wee Heneet, this prince royall,
& talke of Richard in his dignitye,
of the great misfortune did him befall :
76 the causer of his owne death was hee.
Wicked
counsellors
ruined him.
wicked councell drew 'Richard neere,
of them thai had the prince^ in their guiding'*;
ffor wicked councell doth mickle deere,^
80 tliai bringeth downe both Emperour & K«;y/.
He con-
demned
to death
Lord
Stanley
who won
Berwick for
him
the Lorc^ Stanley bothe stcrne & stout, —
he might be called fflower of fflowers, — man*'
dye.
thai was well seene without doubt
84 att Barwicke walls wtth towers hye ;
' A.-S. win, pleasure. — F.
' bestrode. — P. vm-, van-, i
' round.'- — F.
» Only half tlic n in llie MS.— F,
-F.
Four strokes for id in the MS. — F.
A.-S. dar, darn, destruction, injury.
maun, i.e. miist. — P.
BOSWORTir FEILDE.
239
when all the Lon?s of England let itt bee,
thai castle wightlje can hee wiun,
was there euer Lord in England, ffare or nere,^
tliai did such iorney ^ to his Kingc ?
when no
otliev Lord
could.
then Richard bade a messenger to ffare
soe ffare ' into the west countrye
to comfort his knights, squiers lesse & more,
92 & to set good rule amongst his comintye.
then wicked councell drew Rich [ard] neere :
these Avere they "* words they said to him,
"wee thinke yee worke vnwittylye
96 in England, & ^ yee will continue 'King.
His bad
counsellors
told him
Lord Stanley
the Lord Strange, & the Chamberlaine ^ ; these 3 ^"'^ °"iers
o ' ' -were too
strong.
" ffor why, the Jjord Stanley is lent ^ in this Land,
the hord Strange, & the Chamb
they may show vpon a day a band
100 such as may noe Lorde in Christentye.
" lett some of them vnder jouv bondage bee,
if any worshipp you thinke to winn ;
or else short while continue shall yee
104 In England to be our Kinge."
he must put
them down.'
108
then they made out messengers with mainc & mi<?ht So
'' ° ° messengers
soe ffarr into the west countrye ; aie sent
to the hord Stanley tJiat noble Knight to Lord
Stanley
they kneeled downe vpon their knee
' far or nere, or perliaps neie.— P.
^ A day's work. — Dyce. Cp. Fr.
Bonne iournee fait qui dc fol se delivre.
Pro. he does an excellent day's work
that rids himselfe of a foole, Cotgi-ave.
— F.
» far.— P.
* the.— P.
* uu, if.— F.
* lend, to dwell, remain, tarry. —
Halliwoll.— F.
' John (le Vere, Earl of Oxford, Lord
Chamberlain. — Gr. E. A.
240
BOSWORTH FEILDE.
and bid him
come to the
King.
He sets off,
& said, " RicliarJ thai raignes with royaltye,
Emperour of England this day w/thin,
hee longeth you sore, my Loi'd, to see ;
112 you must come & speake with our Kinge."
then they Lord busked ^ him vpon a day
To ryde to Kw^ Richarc^ with royaltye,
& hee Sell sicke att Manchester by the way
[page 436]
but falls
Chester, *°" 116 as the wiU of god is, all things must bee
and sends on
Lord
Strange
to know
Eichard's
■will.
the Jjord strange then called [he] him nee ;
these were the words hee said to him :
" In goodlye hast now ryde must yee
120 to witt the Avill of Richard, our Kinge."
Lord
Strange
kneels to
Eichard,
who
welcomes
him with
kind words
then this honl bowned ^ him ffuU right
to ryde to K:mg Richard hastilye.
when hee came before his souerraigine in sight,
124 he kneeled downe vpou his knee.
" welcome hord strange, & kinsman nye ! "
these were the words he said to him :
" was ther eeuer any Baron in England of ancetrye^
128 shold be soe welcome to his Kinge ? "
but froward,
heart,
alas that evier he cold soe say,
soe ffroward a hart as hee had vnder !
that was well scene after vpon a day ;
132 itt cast him & his crowne assunder.
& brought his body into bale & blunder,
these wicked words he cold begin ;
thus fialshood endeth in shame & wonder,
136 Avhether itt be with Emperour or King.
' busked, i.e. dressed. — P.
'^ Lo\Micd, i.e. ptjfiifd .— F.
ancestry. — P.
B0!^^V01iTlI FEILDE.
241
of itt heere is no more to say,
bat shortly e to ward comanded was liee.
new messengers were made without delay
140 soe ffarr into the west countrye
to the Jjonl Stanley soe wise & wittye :
these were the words the sayd to him,
" you must raise those that vnder you bee,
144 & all the power that you may bringe ;
and casts
bini into
prison.
Other
messengers
come to
Lord
Stanley,
and say,
"Raise all
your men ;
for
" yonder cometh Richmond over the fflood
w/th many allyants ' out of ffarr countrye,
bold men of bone and blood ;
148 the crowne of England chalengeth hee.
" you must raise those that vnder you bee,
& all the power that yee may bringe,
or else the Jjord strange you must neuer see,
152 which, is in danger of our King.'"
Richmond is
coming
to claim the
crown ;
or you'll
never see
Lord
Strange
again."
156
In a studye this hord can stand,
& said, " deere lesus ! how may this bee?
I draw wittenes to him tJiai, shope ^ both sea &
land,
tJtat I neuer delt w/th noe trecherye.
Lord Stanley
" Richard is a man tha.t hath no mercy e ;
hee wold mee & mine into bondage bringe ;
therfore cleane against him will I bee,
160 of all England though hee bee King."
"Richard has
no mercy.
I am
against
him."
164
then another messenger he did appeare
to willmm Stanley, that noble Knight,
Richard's
messenger
asks Sir
7 7 1 1 William
& saith, " Richa/'rt that weareth the crowne soe Stanley
cloarc,
& in his Empire raigncth right,
i.e. allyanlis, ;iliciis. — P.
-i.e. sliapcd. — P.
VOL. 111.
242
BOSWORTH FEILDE.
to help the
King.
"What!
■when he
keeps
my nephew
in hold.
He shall
repent it
sore!
" willetli you to bring jour power to helpe liim to
ffight;
fFor all his trust itt is you in."
then answered that gentle K.)iiijht,
168 "I liaue great marueill of jour 'King ;
"lie keepeththe[r]e my nephew, my brothers heyre; — ■
a truer knight is not in christentye ; —
that, Richard shall repent flfull sore,^
172 fFor any thing that I can see.
Let him arm
and fight,
and flee or
die.
By Jlary and
Christ
I'll make
him
a meal !
"bidd him array him wtth royalty e
& all the power that hee may bringe ;
fFor hee shall either ffight, or fflee,
176 or loose his lifFe, if hee bee Kinge,
" I make mine avow to Marye, that may,
& to her Sonne ^//«t dyed on tree,
I will make him such a breakefast vpon a day
180 as neuer made Kniyht any 'King in Cristentye !
Tell him
to fight and
flee or die ! "
184
" tell thou King Richard these words fFrom mee
fFor all the power that he may bringe,
in the fFeild he shall either ffight, or ffiee,
or loose his lifFo or hee be Kinfje."
The
messenger
tells Richard
how all the
country
reLn-'l at Lord
then this messenger fForth hee went
to carry to King Richa/-(Z with, royal tye,
& saith, " in yonder country e I haue beene sent,
188 soe greened men are not in Christentye
Strangc's
imprison-
ment.
He must
fight, or flee,
or die. ^•''^'
" fFor loue of the Jjord strange that in bale doth bee."
these were the words hee sayd to him :
"you must either ffight or fflee,
or loose your lifFe, if you bee Kinge."
' sair (i.e. sore). — Dyce.
BOSWORTII FEILDE.
243
196
atfc that King Ricliard smiled small,
& sware, " hy lesu ffull of might,
Avhen they are assembled w/th their powers all,
I wold I had the great turke against me to ffight.
Richard
swears that,
\\ hoever
opposes,
Tpage 1:17]
" or Prester lohn in his armor bright,
the Sowdan of Surrey ' with them to bringe !
yett with manhood & with might
200 in England I shold continue ILinrj.
he'll still
be king,
" I sweare by lesu that dyed on a tree,
& by his mother thai mayden blythe,
ffrom the towne of Lancaster to Shrewsburye,
204 K-nif/ht nor squier He leaue none aline.
he'll leave no
Lancashire
squire alive.
" I shall kindle their cares rifFe,
& glue their Lands to my 'Knights keene ;
many a man shall repent the while
208 that ener they rose against their King.
" ffrom the holy-head to S' davids Land,
where now be towers & castles hye,
I shall make parkes & plaine ffeilds to stand,
212 ffrythes ffairc, & fforrests ffree.
and will lay
waste Wales,
" Ladyes, ' well-away ! ' shall crye ;
widdowes shall weepe, & their hands wringe ;
many a man shall repent that day
216 that euer they rose against their Kinge."
make
widows
weep,
and rebels
rue.
then he made out messengers w/'th maine & might
throughout England ifarr & neere,^
to Duke, Erie, Barron, & Knight,
220 & to eucry man in his degree.
He sends
all over
England
for his
nobles,
' Syria. — Rubson.
s2
244
BOSWOHTII FEILDE.
and they
come to
sprvfi tlieir
King:
the Duke of
Norfolk,
the Earls of
Kent,
Shrewsbury,
Lincoln,
North-
umberland,
Westmore-
land :
Lords
Zouch,
Maltravers
Arundel,
Wells,
Grey of
Codnor,
Bowes,
Audley,
Berkeley,
Ferrers of
Chartley,
Ferrers of
Groby,
you ncuer heard tell of sncli a companye
att sowte, seege/ nor noe gatlieringe :
p«rt of tlieir names lieere shall yee
224 thai came tliai clay to serue their 'King.
thither came the duke of Norffolke vpon a day,
& the Erie of Surrey iliat was his heyre ;
the Erie of Kent was not away,
228 the Erie of Shrewshiiry hreme ^ as beare.
the Erie of Lincolne ^ wold not spare,
the Erie of ISTorthumherland ready bowne,
the Erie of Westmoreland great othes sware,
232 all they said 'Richard shold Keepe his crowne.
theres was my Jjord Zouch, sad att assay ■*
my Lor(/ Mattrevis,'' a noble 'Knight ;
young Ai-rundell dight him vpon a day,
236 the 'Lord wells, both wise and wight ;
the ~Lord Gi-ay Cotner ^ in his armour bright,
the 'Lord Bowes made him bowne,
the Lord Audley was ffeirce to ffight,
240 & all said 'Richard shold keepe his crowne.
there was my Lord Bartley, sterne on a steede,
the Lord fierryes of chartlye, the Lord flferryes of
Strobe,
the Lord Bai'tley noble att neede,
244 chamberlaine of England that day was hee.
Fitzhugh,
Scrope of
Uppal,
Scrope of
Bolton,
Dacres,
the Lord ffittz Hugh, & his cozen nyc,
the Lord Scroope of vpsall, the Lord scroojie of
Bolton ;
the Lord Dacres raised all the North cuntrye ;
248 & all said Richard shold keepe his crowne.
' assault, sicgp. — F.
* M.S. brcnne. "F.
^ MS. Liiicolmo. — F.
■• stedfast in trinl. — F.
* Maltrcvers. — P.
"i.e. Lord Grey of Codnor. — P.
I30S^yORTH FEILDE.
245
252
There was many nobles mustered to ffiglit :
tlie Lor(7 Audley & the honJ Luraley,
the Lo/-(? Graj-stockc ' in his armour bright,
he brought with him a noble companye,
he sware by lesus tltat dyed on a tree,
' that his enemyes shold be beaten downe ;
he was not [in] England, fiarr nor neere,
25G ///((t shold lett^ Richard to weare his crowne.'
Lumley,
Greystocke ;
there was S/r lohn Spencer, a noble Knight,
Sir Raph hare-bottle ^ in rich array,
S/r william ward, alwayes that was wight,
260 Sir Archeobald, the good Rydley ;
Sir Nicholas Moberly was not away,
nor yett Sir Robert of Clotten,
alsoe Sir Oliuer, the hend horsley ;
264 all said Richflrf? shold keepe his crowne.
Sirs J.
Spencer,
W. Waxd,
N. Moberly,
R. Glutton,
O. Horsley,
there was Sir Henery Percy,'* sterne on steede, h. Percy,
Sir Roger Bowmer in his companye,
Si'r RicharcZ Manners, noble att neede, R- Manners,
2G8 Soe was Sir Henery the hend Hatteley ; [page 438]
Si'r Robert Conway in companye.
Sir Raphe Smyth & Sir Roger Akerston,
& Sir William, his cozen nye ;
272 & all sayd Richard shold keepe his crowne.
There was a noble Knight, Sir lohn the Gray,
& Sir Thomas of Mountgomerye ;
Sir Rodger Sanfort was not away ;
276 ffrom London came Sir Robert Brakenburye ;
E. Conway,
W. Aker-
ston,
Jn. Gray,
R. Sanfort,
' Ralph, Lord Greystock, who died in
1487, without male issue, when the
barony became united with that of Dacre.
— G. E. Adams.
^ hinder. — Robson.
> Harbottle.— P.
* S/r Henry Percy.— P.
246
BOSWORTII FEILDE.
R. Robbj-e,
280
Sir Henery Bowdrye was not away,
Bor yett S/r 'Richard the good Chorlton ;
S/r Raphe Rohbye made him yare ;
all said Hichard wold keepe his crowiie.
M. Con-
stable,
W. Conyers,
there was S/r Marmaduke Constable, a noble 'Kn'ujhi,
of 'K.incj Richards councell hee was nye ;
S/r wilHam Conyous,^ allwayes iliai was wight,
284 Sir Robert Thribald w/th his meanye ;
M. Wardlo}',
R. Rosse,
soe was Sir Martine of the wardley,
& Si'r Richard the good Hortton,
& S/r Richarc^ Rosse sware smartlye
288 thai 'King RichartZ shold keepe his crowne.
R, Sturley,
G. Clyfton,
There was S^r Robert, the sterne Sturley ;
Sir lohn of Melton, thither Came hee,
Sir Graruis Clyfton ^ in rich array,
292 Sir Henery Perpoint in his degree,
T. North,
H. Stafford,
Sir Thomas North with royalty e,
& alsoe Sir lohn of Babington,
S/r Humphrey Stafford sware certainelye
296 that 'King Richftyci shold keepe his crowne.
R. Ryder,
J. Hunting-
ton.
there was S/r Robert Ryder, a man of might,
S/r Robej-t Vtridge in his dignity e ;
S/r lohn Huntington was ffeirce to ffight,
300 soe was S/r lohn willmarley.
R. Swayley,
"W. Staple-
ton.
S/r Robert Swayley w/th royalltye,
& alsoe S/r Bryan of stableton,^
& S/r mlliam his cozen nye,
304 & all said Richard shold keepe his crowne.
Conyers. — P.
Sir Gervase Clyfton.
fSir Erj'iin Stapleton. — P.
308
EOSWORTH FEILDE.
Tliere was S/r Rich<irc? Ratcliflfe, a noble 'Knight,
of King Ricliarcls councell was liee ;
Sir William liis brother was ffeirce to ffigbt,
& Si'r Thomas, they were brethren 3.
247
R. Ratcliffe,
W. Ratcliffe,
& Sir Richrt/vi the Mallinere,
& S/r lohn the good Hortton,
& Sir Thomas the good Mallynere,
312 & all said Rich[ai'd] shold keepe his crowne.
R. Mal-
linere,
T. Mally-
nere,
There was Sir Raphe Dacres out of the North,
& Sir Christopher the Moresbje ' ;
Sir Wilham Musgreaue was stiffe to stand,
316 soe was Sir Alexander ffawne in his dignitye.
R. Dacres,
W. Mus-
grave,
G. Murken-
ffield.
S('r George MurkenfFeild behind wold not bee,
nor yett Sir Thomas the doughtye Bronghton ;
Sir Christo-pher Owen made him readye, c. Owen,
320 & all sayd Rich[ard] shold weare his crowne.
there was S/r walliam Tempest out of the vale,
& Sir RicharcZ his cozen nye ;
Sir Raph Ashton, hee made not ffaile,
324 S/r Tho7»«s Maclefeild^ in Companye,
Sir Richard ward behind wold not bee,
nor yett S/r Robert of Middle ton ;
S/r lohn Coleburne sware eertainelye
328 that King Richard shold kcepc his crowne,
there was S/r lohn Neviill ^ of bloud soe hye,
S/r lohn Hurlstean ■* in rich arraye,
S/r Rodger Heme behind wold not bee,
332 S/r lames Harrington, sad att assay.
' perhaps Thorosby.- -P. Perhaps
ncjt. — Adams.
■' Kir Thomas Macklcsfifld.— P.
« NeA-illc— P.
" ? MS. Ilurfslean.-
W. Tempest,
R. Ashton,
R. Ward,
J. Cole-
burne,
J. Neville,
R, Ilerno,
J. Harring-
ton,
248
BOSWOHTH FEILDE.
R. HaiTiiig-
ton.
All swear
Richard
shall reign.
2 sliireg
alone
fight for
Henry.
Lord
Stanley
leaves
Latham
Castle
Sir Robert his brother was not away,
nor jett S/r Thomas of Pilkinton ;
& all these, great othes sware they
33G that ILliuj Richart? shold keepe his crowne.
had wee not need to lesu to pray,
tliai made the world, the day & night,
to keepe vs out of bale and woe ?
340 2 shires against all England to fRght,
& maintaine Henery that came ffor his right,
& in the realme of England was ready bowne !
ffreinds, & yee will hearken me right, [page 439]
344 I shall tell you how Henery gott his crowne.
the LorcZ Stanley sterne and stout,
thai euer hath beene wise and wittye,
ffrom Latham Castle w/thouten doubt
348 vppon a munday bowned hee
and marches
towards
Sir Wm.
Stanley
marches to
Nantwich,
with the
flower of
Cheshire ;
With 'Knights & squiers in companye.
they had their banners in the sunn glitteringe ;
they were as ifeirce as fiawcon to fflye,
352 to maintaine Henery that was their K.ing.
then this LojyZ bowned him vpon a day
with noble men in companye ;
towards Newcastle vnder Line he tooke the way,
356 & told his men both gold and ffee.
S^r wilHam Stanley wise and wight,
ffrom the castle of Holt with holts hye
to the Nantwich hee rydeth straight,
3C0 & tooke his men wages of gold and ffeo.
all the north wales ffor the most partye,
the fflower of Cheshire, w/th him hee did bringe ;
better men were not [in] christentye
364 that euer came to maintaine their 'King.
BOSWOKTII FEILDK
249
Erly vpon Twesday att Morne
S/r Avilliam Stanley, tliai Noble Knit/ht,
remoued ffrom l^aiitwiclie to the to\^aie of stone,-
368 by tlien was Henery come to Stafford straight, -
thence to
Stone,
be Longed sore to see bim in sigbt,
& straight to Stafford towne is gone,*
& kneeled do^^Tie anon-right,
372 & by the hand be bath bim tane :
from whence
he goes to
meet Henrv,
bee said, " I am ffull glad of thee ; "
& these were the words be said to bim :
" through the belpe of my hord thy ffatber,^ & thee,
376 I trust in Eno-land to continue Kinase."
wlio is full
glad of him.
380
then he bent that noble prince by the band,
& said, " welcome my soue/Taigne K/im Henery ! He exhorts
Henry
chalenge thy Herytage & thy Land, to claim his
that thine owne is, & thine shall bee. crown,
" be Eger to ffight, & lothe to fiBee !
let manhood be bredd thy brest w/tbin !
& remember another day who doth ffor thee,
384 of all England when thou art Kinge."
be eager to
fight.
and, when
he wins,
to remember
his friends.
after, there was noc more to say,
but leaue of the prince he bath taken,^
& came againe by light of the day
388 to the btle prettye towne of stone.
Then Sir
William
retum8
to Stone.
Early vpon Satuixlay att morne,
to Licbffeild they remoue, both old & younge.'*
att woosley bridge them beforne,
392 there had they a sigbt of our Kinge.
On Saturday
he marches
to Lichfield
' r/ane (i.e. gone). — Dyee.
- This should be " /brother" : Thomas,
Lord Stanley, the father of Sir William,
and the then (148;")) Lord Stanley, having
died in 1458. — Adams.
^ tane. — P. ■* yhicje. — Dyee.
250
BOSWORTn FEILDE.
with a
goodly-
company,
and rides
tlirougli the
town.
Then he
hears
that Lord
Stanley
is about to
fight
Richard.
& to Licliefeild tliey ridden rigbt,
With answerable army came royallye :
to nomber tlie companye that was with the K»/j//<t,
396 itt was a goodlye sight to see.
guns in Lichefeild they cracken on hye
to cheere the county e both more & min,
& glad was all the Chiualrye
400 thai was on heneryes pa?-te, our Kinge.
throughout Lichefeild rydeth the Knight,
on the other side there tarryed hee ;
a messenger came to him straight,
404 & kneeled do"\vne vpon his knee,
& saith, " the hord Stanley is his enemy nye,
that are but a litle way ffrom him ;
they will ffight w/thin these houres 3
408 With RicharcZ that is Enoflands King^e."
He passes
on to
Hattersey
and joins
Lord
Stanley.
On Sunday
they set
their battle
in array,
waiting
Richard's
attack.
'■Hhat wold I not," the Knight can say,
" ffor all the gold in Christen tye ! "
towards Tamworth he tooke the way,
412 & came to Hattersey, & neighed nye
where the Jjord Stanley in a dale cold beo,
With trumpetts & tabours tempered with him :
itt was a comelye sight to see
416 as euer was to maintaine Kinge. [page440]
All that night there tarryed they,
& vpon the Sunday gods service did see.
toward the iFeild they did them array ;
420 the vawward the Jjord Stanley tooke hee.
Sir William Stanley the rerward wold bee,
& his Sonne Sir Edward with a wiugc.
the did remaine in their array
424 to waite the coming: of Richajr? Kinc
BOSWORTir FEILDE.
251
then tliey Looked to a fForrest sjde,
they hard trumpetts & taboiu's tempered on hye :
they thought 'King Richa7'cZ had comen there,
428 & itt was the Noble prince, K(»^ Heneryb.
But Henry
first comes,
oner a riuer then rydeth hee ;
he brake the ray, & rode to him :
itt was a comelye sight to see
432 the meeting of our Ijord & Kinge. —
(comely it
was to see
the meeting)
then in their host there did ffall affray
. a litle time before the night ; —
you neuer saAV men soe soone in their array
436 w/th ffell weapons ffeirce ffor to ffight. —
vpon a kcene courser that was Avight,
other Lor(Zs with him hee cold bringe ;
thus in array came ryding straight,
440 Henery of England, our noble Kinge.
on a swift
courser,
our noble
king.
he lowted low & tooke his hatt in his hand,
& thanked the states ^ and cominaltye :
" to quitt ^ you all I vnderstand ;
444 I trust in lesu tJtat day to see."
many a cry in the host that night did bee ;
& anon the Larke began to singe ;
truth of the battell heere shall yec,
448 that euer was betweene 'King and King.
He thanked
the lords
and com-
mons,
and said he
hoped to re-
quite them.
Next
momins
Kinn Henery desired tlie vaAvard right he asked to
•' '^ , . lead tlie
of the LorcZ Stanley that was both wise & wittye; van.
& hee hath granted him in sight,
452 & saith " but small is jour companye."
' nobles. — F.
(juitr, i.e. rcqiiito. — P.
252
BOSWORTII FEILDE.
Lord
Stanley gave
it him,
with 4 good
kniglits,
456
4 of the N'oble Kuiyhts tlien called hee ;
tlieir names to you then shall I minge ;
he bade array them w/th their chiualrye,
& o-oe to the vaward with our Kinge:
Tunstaii, S/r Robe/'t Tunsall, a Noble Knight,
& come of royall anceytree ;
Savage, St'r lohn Savage, wise & wight,
Perschaii, 460 Sir Hugh Persall ; there was 3 :
Humphrey
Stanley.
Sir Humphrey Stanley the 4*!" did bee,
that proued noble in euerye thinge ;
they did assay them w/th their chiualrye,
464 & went to the vaward \v/tli our kinge.
Lord
Stanley
has two
battalions.
the Lore? Stanley both sterne and stout,
2 battells that day had hee
of hardye men, wi'thouten doubt
468 better were not in christentye.
Sir Wm.
Stanley
has the
rearguard.
Sir william, wise and worthye,
was hindmust att the outsettinge ;
men said that day that dyd him see,
472 hee came betime ^ vnto our ^ing.
He sees
Richard's
host :
five miles
of men,
then he remoued vnto a mountaine full hye,
& looked into a dale ffull dread ;
5 miles compasse, no ground they see,
476 ifor armed men & trapped steeds.
in four
battalions.
thejT armor glittered as any gleed ^ ;
in 4 strong battells they cold fforth bring ;
they seemed noble men att need
480 as euer came to maintaine [a] 'King.
' MS. betinc— F.
^ burning coal. — Dyce.
BO^WORTII FEILDE.
484
tlic duke of Norfolke ^ avanted ^ his banner ^ bright, Norfolk
soe did the younge Erie of Shrewsburye,
to the sun & wind right speedylye dight,
soe did OxfFord, thai Erie, in companye.
to tell the array itt were hard ffor me,
& they Noble power that they did bring.
And of the ordinance ^ heere shall yee,
488 tlmi had tliat day Richard our Kinge.
[page 441] Their
artillery
was,
they had 7 scores Sarpendines "'' w/thout dout,
thai were locked & Chained vppon a row,
as many bombards '• thai were stout ;
492 like blasts of thunder they did blow.
10000 Morespikes ^ wtth-all,
& harquebusyers, throwlye can the thringe
to make many a noble man to ffall
496 thai was on Henerys part, our kinge.
140 ser-
pentines,
140
bombards,
10.000
morris-pikes
and harqne-
busiers.
^ K-ing Richard looked on the mountaines hye,
& sayd, " I see the banner of the Jjorcl Stanley
he said, " ffeitch hither the Juord Strange to mee.
500 ffor doubtlesse hee shall dye this day ;
Richard sees
Lord
" I make mine avow to Marye, thai may,
thai all the gold this Land within
shall not saue his liflfe this day,
504 in England iff I be Kinge ! "
Lord
Stranfro
shall die.
' Norfolk was on the side of Richard.
Shrewsbur?/, a minor, pi'ohably with his
nnclo Sii' Grilbert Talbot, was on the side
of Henry. Oxford was a chief com-
mander of Henry's side. — Adams.
^ availed, or perhaps avanced. — P.
advanced, raised. — Dyce.
3 MS. bamcr.— F.
'' Fr. Artillcric, f., ArtiUerio, Ordnance.
Cotgrave. — F.
^ a kind of cannon. Halliwell. l"r.
Serpentine, the Artillerie called a Ser-
pentine or Basiliskoe. Cotfjjrave. — F.
" See Florio, ed. 1611, pp. 100, 112,
127. Halliwell. Yv.Bomharde. A Bnm-
bard, or mnrthering peece. Cotgrave.
F.
' a largo pike. Halliwell. — F.
* A. -8. \>riHgan =to rush. -F.
" Vide Pag. 478. St. 236, & .sequent'
[Tlie 6'h Part of Ladyc Bcs.^i//r, below.]
254
BOSWORin FEILDE.
Strange Is
brought out ;
508
then they brought the LonZ Strange into his sight
he said, " fFor thy death make thee readye."
then answered tliat noble 'Knight,
& said, " I crye god & the world mercy e !
Christ to
witness
that he never
was a
traitor.
" & lesus, I draw wittnespe to thee
thai all the world fFroni woe did winn,
since the time thai I borne did bee,
512 was I neuer traitor to my Kinge."
He sends a
message
to his
gentlemen
a gentleman then called hee, —
men said Latham was his name, —
" & euer thou come into my countiye,
516 greete well my gentlemen eche one;
and jeonien, " my yeomen Large of blood and bone,
sometimes we had mirth att our meetinge ;
they had a M.aster, & now they haue none,
520 ffor heere I must be martyred w/th the Kinge.
a ring to his
Lady,
there he tooke a ring of his ffingar right,
& to thai squier raught itt hee,
& said, "beare this to my Lady bright,
524 for shee may thinke itt longe or shee may ' sec :
and hopes
that
they all may
meet in
heaven.
" yett att doomes day meete shall wee, —
I trust in lesu tliai all this world shall winn-
In the celestyall heauen vpon hye
528 in presence of a Noble 'King.
If Henry
loses.
his son is to
be taken
abroad ;
" & the ffeild be lost vpon our partye, —
as I trust in god itt shall not bee, —
take my eldest sonuc thai is my hcyrc,
532 & filee into some ffarr countrye.
-F.
BOSWORTir FEILDE.
255
53G
" yett the cliild a man may bee, —
liee is comen of a Loyc?s kiim, —
another day to reuenge mee
of Richard of England, if he be KZ/iy."
and when
he's a man,
he is to
revenge him
on Richard.
then to King Richard there came a Knight,
saith, "I hold noe tinie about this to be.
see yee not the vawai-ds begining to flight ?
540 when yee haue the ffather, the vnckle, all 3,
Richard
hears
that the vans
arc ligliting,
" looke what death you will haue them to dye ;
att your will you may them deeme."
through these ffortunate words eskaped hee
.544 out of thfe danger of Hichard the Kinge.
waits to
take
the Stanleys;
and Strange
escapes
death.
then the partyes countred ^ together egerlye.
when the vawards began to ffight,
King Henery ffought soe manflfullye,
548 soe did Oxford, that Erie soe wight ;
Henry fights
manfully,
Sir lohn Sauage, /A(6t hardy Knight,
deathes dints he delt that day
wi'th. many a white hood in fight,
552 that sad men were att assay.
and so do
Savage,
Sa' Gilbert Talbott was not away,
but stoutly stirred him in that ffight
with, noble men att assay
55G he caused his enemyes lowe to light.
Talbot,
Sir Hugh Persall, with sheild & speare
ffuU doughty lye that day did hee ;
he bare him doughtyc in this warr,
560 as a man of great degree.
and Pearsall.
.V. fncouuttTcd. — P.
256
BOSWOKTH FEILDE.
Eichard has
40,003 men.
564
'King 'Richard did in liis army stand,
he was n[u]rabred to 40000 and 3
of hardy men of hart and hand,
that vnder his banner there did bee.
Sir William
Stanley
attacks him.
Arrows fly,
guns shoot:
Richard's
men begin to
fail.
Henry's
archers
take to their
swords,
and his men
fight
mightily.
A knight
advises
Eichard to
flee.
Sir WilHam Stanley wise & Avorthie [page 442]
remembred the brea[k]flFast ' he hett to him ;
downs att a backe then cometh hee,
568 & shortlye sett vpon the Kinge.
then they conntred together sad & sore ;
arcliers they lett sharpe arrowes fflee,
they shott guns^ both ffell & ffarr,
572 bowes of vewe^ bended did bee,
springalls * spedd them speedylye,
harquebnsiers pelletts throughly did thringe ;
soe many a banner began to swee ^
576 that Avas on RichrtctZs p«)'tye, their King,
then our archers lett their shooting bee,
With ioyned weapons were growden ^ ifiill right,
brands rang on basenetts hje,
580 battell-axes ffast on helmes did light.
there dj^ed many a doughtye Knight,
there vnder fFoot can the thringe ;
thus they ffought w/th maine & might
584 that was on Henekyes part, our King.
then to King Richard there came a Knight,'^
& said, " I hold itt time ffor to fflee ;
ffor yonder Stanleys dints they be soe wight,
588 against them no man may dree.
' See line 179, page 242.— F. * swpe, qn. pcrliaps flee— P. sway
^ M.S. gums.— F. ^ yewe.— P. (& fall).— P.
* Springal, an ancient military engine ° ? grownden. — P.
for castingstones and arrows. Halliwcll. ' Vide Pag. 479, St. 255 [of MS., last
F. part of Lad^c Bcsdyc], et sequcntes. — P.
EOSWORTK FEILDE.
257
592
" lieere is thy liorsse att thy hand readye ;
another day thou may thy worshipp win,
& ffor to raigne vfith. royal tyc,
to weare the crowne, and be our K/»r/."
he said, " giue me my battell axe in my hand,
sett the crowne of England on my head
ffor by him that shope both sea and Land,
But Richard
calls for his
sett the crowne of England on my head soc hyc ! battle-axe
ami crown :
ho will die a
King,
596 lS.ing of England this day I will dye !
" one ffoote will I neuer fflee
whilest the breath is my brest w/thin ! "
as he said, soe did itt bee ;
600 if hec lost his liffe, if he were King.
and never
flee.
about his standard can the light,
the crowne of gold the hewed him ffroe,
with dilffull dints his death the dight,
604 the Duke of I^orffolke that day the slowe.
Richard
is slain ;
Norfolk too,
the LorfZ fferrers & many other moe, Lord
'' Ferrers,
boldlye on bere they can them bringe ;
many a noble 'Knight in his hart Avas throwe,
608 that lost his liffe with Richard the King.
there was slaine Sir Jiichard Ratcliffe, a noble sir Richard
Knight,
612
of King Richards councell was ffull nyc ;
Sir william Conyas,' allwayes that was wight,
& Sir Robert of Brakenburye.
a Knight there dyed that was ffull doughtye,
that was Sir Richard the good Chorlton ;
that day there dyed hee
G)G With Richard of England iJiat ware the crowne.
Sir William
Conyers,
and Sir
Richard
Chorlton.
VOL. III.
Conyirs. — P.
258
BOSWOKTH FEILDE.
Sir William
Brandon,
Henry's
standard-
bearer,
was killed,
620
amongst all other ILnigJiis, remember
which, were hardy, & therto wight :
S/r william Brandon was one of those,
K.ing Heneryes Standard he kept on height.
& vanted itt with manhood & might
vntill With dints hee was dr[i]uen dowiie,
& dyed like an ancyent ILnight,
624 With Henery of England that ware the crowne.
and also
Sir P.
Triball,
Richard's
standard-
bearer.
Sir Perciuall Thriball, the other hight,
& noble K.night, & in his hart was true ;
King Richards standard hee kept vpright
628 vntill both his leggs were he wen him froe ;
to the ground he wold neuer lett itt goe,
whilest the breath his brest was w/thin ;
yett men pray ffor the K.nights 2
632 that ener was soe true to their Kins:.
Henry is
proclaimed
King,
and Lord
Stanley
then they moned to a mountaine on height,
With a lowde voice they cryed hing Hene.iy ;
the crowne of gold that was bright,
636 to the Jjord Stanley deliuered itt bee.
hands the
crown of
England to
him.
anon to King Henery deliucred itt hee,
the crowne that was soe deliuered to him,
& said, " methinke ye are best worthye
640 to weare the crowne and be our King."
They ride to
Leicester,
Then they rode to Leister that night [page 4i3j
with our noble prince K-ing Heneeye ;
they brought Ki?i^ Hichard thither with might
64 ■! as naked as he borne niiu'ht bee,
648
BOSWORTJI FEILUE.
& iu Newarke • Laid was liee,
tliai nmny a one might looke on him.
thus fFortunes raignes most maruelouslyc
both w/th Emporoiu" & w/th king.
259
and lay
Ricliard's
body in
Newark.
652
656
now this doubtfull day is bronght to an end,
lesu now on their soules haiie raercye !
& hee [that] dyed this world to amend,
saue Stanleys blood, where- soeuer they bee,
to remaine as Lorr/s w/th royal tye
when truth & conscyence shall spread & spring,
& thai they bee of councell nye
to lames ^ of England thai is our 'King !
ffinis.
Jcsu have
mercy on
their souls,
and pave
Stanley's
blood
as Lords
whei-ever
truth shall
spread !
' A place in Leicester so called. — P.
^ This Poem was certainly written
before the time of K/?;g James, but some
transcriber applied the Prayer to the
reigning Prince. — P.
s 2
260
This sou^- is to be found among- " The Ayres that tvere suncj and
played at Brouyhatn Castle in Westmerland, in the King''s
Entertainment, given by the Right Honourable the Earl of
Cumberland and his Right noble Sonne the Lord Clifford.
Composed by ]Mr. George Mason and Mr. John Earsden. Printed
l)y Thomas Snodham, 1618." They were reprinted by John
Stafford Smith in Miisica Antiqua ; and in the preface to tliat
work he says: "The last verse of the famous ballad Dido
Queen was, on this occasion, added to the more ancient song.
The Editor has in his possession an older copy without it." Tiic
verse here referred to begins " Dido wept."
D'Urfey reprinted the song, with this third verse, in Pills to
2'jurge Melancholy, yo\. vi. p. 192, but to another tune. The old
song was very popular, as may be proved by the following
quotations :
You ale-knights ! you that devour the marrow of the malt, and drink
Avliole ale-tubs into consumptions ! that sing Queen Dido over a cup,
and tell strange news over an ale-pot ! you shall be awarded with
this punishment, that the rot shall infect your purses, and eat out
the bottom, before you are aware. (The Penniless Farliainent of
Threadbare Foets, 1608.)
This allusion to the song is ten years earlier than the date of the
printed copy of the " Entertainement." Again, in Fletcher's The
Captain, Act iii. Scene 3, Frank says :
These are your eyes — -
Wliere were they, Clora, when you fell in love
With the old footman for singing Queen Dido ?
In C'larh'S IF.'s reign, Sir Robert Howard (speaking of hini-
' lu praise of Inconstancy. — P.
ACENEAS AND DIDO.
261
self) said : " In my 3'ounger time I have been delighted with
a ballad for its sake; and 'twas 10 to 1 but my muse and I had
so set up first : nay, I had almost thought that Queen Dido, suug
that way, was some ornament to the pen of Virgil." {Poertis and
Essays, 8vo, 1673.)
"The most excellent History of The Duchess of Suffolk's
Calamity," printed in 1G07, was sung to the tune of Queen Dido.
Several more are quoted in Popular Music of the Olden Tirae,
vol. i. pp. 371-2.— W.C.
UlDO : was a Carthage Queene,
& loued a Troian Ku/r/7/t,
[that] "wandering,^ many a costs had seene,
& raanj a bloody flight,
as they on hunting [rode,^] a shower
drone them in a foiling liower,
downe to a darkesome Cane,
wheras ^neas wi'th his chamies
locket Queene didon in his amies,
& had what hee wold craue.
Dido loved
JEneas,
and in a cavo
he locked Ijer
in his ai'HiR.
12
IG
20
Dido Hymens rites fiforgett,^
lier loue was winged with hast ;
her honor shee regarded not,
but in her brest him placet,
but when their loues were new begun,
louo sent downe his winged sonne
to fFright Aeneas sleepe,
who bade him l^y the breake of day
fFroni Quee7te dido steals away,
which made her wayle and Avccpe.
But Jove
ordered liiin
RWiiy,
' MS. wondcriiifT. — F. who w.uul? — P.
^ wcnl. — P. rode, in ihe otlur cujiy. — W. C.
' f(jrK0t.- P.
262
A(ENEAS AND DIDO.
and Dido
wept.
.apneas did
no wrong, as
he was
forced to go.
Learn lords,
tlien,
to be
faithless.
r.iid get new
loves.
24
28
dido wept, but wliat of this ?
the gods wold haue itt see ;
Aeneas nothing did amisse,
fFor he was fForcte to goe.
Learne, Lordings, Learne \ no ffaith to keepe
w<^th jour loues, but lett them weepe;
itts ffolly to be true ;
And lett this story serue jour turne,
& lett 20 didoes burne,
soe you gett dalye ^ new.
ffinis.
' thmi in the oilier copy, — W, C.
daily.— P.
[" As it heffell on a Day,'''' printed in Lo. & Hum. Songs, ])■ 82, fuUows
here in the MS. p. 444.]
263
This is a much abridged and somewliat mutilated version of the
charming and most popular old romance, The Squyr of Lowe
Degre,"^ reprinted by Eitson from Copland's edition, in his Ancient
English Metrical Romances ; reprinted again more accurately
by Mr. Hazlitt in his Early Popular Poetry ; liberally quoted
from by Warton in his History of English Poetry. The " Squyr
of Lowe Degree," as Mr. Hazlitt (ii. 22) points out, " was licensed
to John Kyng on the 10th of June, 1560, with several other
articles ; but no impression by King has hitherto come to light."
The following may possibly be a copy of King's edition.
With one part of the story — the tender care with which the
supposed remains of her lover are preserved by the king's daugh-
ter— the reader will not fail to compare Keats' Isabella or the
Pot of Basil.
It : was a squier of England borne,
he wrought a fforffett against tbe crowne,
against the crov.ne & against the ffee :
in England tarry no longer durst hee,
ffor hee was vexed beyond the ffome ^
into the K.mgs Land of Hungarye.
he was no sooner beyond the ffbme,
but into a service he was done ;
' A poor imperfect Old Ballad. Of
very moderaU' excfllence : yet curious.
This ia a mutilated incorrect copy of tlio
ancient Komanco intitlod 77/c Squire of
Low Dcfjree. (So I once thot, but upon
Comparing them I find them, very difFo-
rcnt.) This seems to differ from tho
printed Romance of the Squier of Low
An English
Squire
offended his
King,
and had to
flee to
Hungary.
There lie
took service
Degree about as nmcli as tliat of Sir
Lambwell in pag. 60 [of MS., vol. i.
p. 142 of print] does from that of Sir
Launfal, & probably for the same Rea-
son— vid. supra, p. 60. — P.
- Or Vndo your door c: 1132 lines. — F.
' Sea, qu.— P.
264
THE SQUIEE.
■with
the King's
daughter,
and waited
on her
till he won
her love.
When he
was sad,
he went to
his garden
of maples
and hazles,
where the
martin and
thrush sang.
There he
lamented
his want of
money
and birth
that he
might win
his Latly.
She heard
him,
12
16
20
24
28
32
36
40
and asked
him
whom he
was
sucli a service lie cold liim gett,
lie sei'ued the Kings daiigiiter in her seate ;
such a service he was put in,
he serued the K.mgs daughter Mviih. bread & wine ;
he serued this Lady att table and Chesse
till hee had woone her loue to his.'
he was made vsher of the hall,
the setter of the LorcZs both great & small.^
the Squier was soe curterous & kind,^
Euery man loued him & was his ffreind.
& alwaies when the Squier was woe,
into his arbour he wold goe ;
the maple trees were ffaire & round,
the ffilbert hangs downe to the ground,
the lay iangles them amonge,
the marttin song many a ifaire songe,
the sparrow spread vpon her spray,
the throstle song both night and day,
the swallow swooped too and flfroe :
the squii^es hart was neuer soe woe,
he Leaned his backe vntill a thorne,
& said, " alacke that euer I was borne !
that I had gold, soe had I iFee,
mai^ry I might yond ffaire Ladye.
O that I were borne of soe hye a kin,
the Ladyes loue that T might win ! "
the Lady lay in her chamber hind,
& heard the Sqiiier still mourning ;
shee pulled fforth a pin of luorye,
like the sun itt shone by and by ;
shee opened the Casement of a glasse,
shee saw the squier well where hee was,
" Squier," shee sayes, " ffor whose sake
is tltat mourning that thou dost make ? "
' Compjiro Thomas of Potte, p. 136 aLove. — F.
2 See Kusscll's Bokc of Nurture, 1. 1001.— F.
lionil, i. 0. gentle. — P.
THE SQUIER.
265
" Ladye," he sayes, " as I doe see, [page 445]
44 of my mourniuge I dare not tell yee,
ffor you wold complaine vnto our K/v/r/,
& hinder me of my Liuinge."
" Squier," shee sais, " as I doe thriue,
48 neuer while I am woman aliue ! "
" Squier," shee sais, " if you will my loue hauc,
another ffashion you must itt craue,
ffor you must to the ffeild, & ffight,
52 & di-esse you like & other mse Knight ^ ;
& euer the fformost I hold you ffirst,
& euer my ffather hold you next,
& hee will take such ffavor to yee,
56 soone marryed together wee shalbee."
"Lady," he sales, " iliai is soone said :
how shold a man to the ffeild, was neuer arraid ?
Lady," he said, " itt were great shame
60 a naked man shold ryde ffrom home."
" thou shalt haue gold, thou shalt haue ffec,
strenght of men & royaltye."
shee went to a Chest of luorye,
64 & ffeitcht out a 100'! and 3 :
" Squier," shee sales, " put this in good Lore ;
when this is done, come ffeitch thee more."
slice had no sooner these words all said,
68 but men about her chamber her ffather had Laid :
" open yowr doore, my Lady alone,
heere is twenty, I am but one."
" I will neuer my dore vndoe
72 ffor noe man thai comes me to,
nor I will neuer my dore vnsteake "^
vntill I heare my ffather speake."
then they tooke the Squier alone,
76 & put him into a chamber of ffrom ^ ;
mourning
after,
and told him
that if he
would have
her love,
ho must
fight and
dress
like a
knight,
and then
they could be
married.
" But I have
no armour."
The Lady
gives
him 103?.
and promises
him more.
The King's
men
■wlio have
lain in wait.
take the
Squire, put
him in
prison,
' Anothcr-guesse Knir/Itt ; qu. — P,
* i. c. unfiiston, open. — P.
^ licr from, qu. — P. ? frame;
ffrane, 1. 153.— F.
cp.
266
THE SQUIER.
set a corpse
at her
chaniber
door,
and mangle
his face.
The Lady-
gets up,
opens her
door, and the
corpse falls
on the floor.
She thinks
her Squire is
dead.
She says she
will bury his
bowels,
embalm his
body,
and keep it
at her bed's
head
till it can be
kept no
longer :
then she'll
bury it, and
say her daily
prayers on
it.
Also she'll
wear
nothing but
black.
80
84
92
96
100
104
108
& to the gallow tree tliey be gone,
& ffeitched dowtie a hanged man.
the Leaned him to her chamber dore,
the dead might ffall vpon the ffloore ;
they mangled him soe in the face,
they Lady might not know who he was.
shee harde the swords ding & crye ;
the Lady rose vpp by and by
naked as eue?- shee was borne,
sauing a mantle her beforne ;
shee opened the chamber dore,
the dead man ffell vpon the fflore.
" alacke," shee saith, " & woe is aye !
something to Long that I haue Lay,
alacke," shee sais, " that euer I was borne !
Sqnier, now thy liife dayes are fforlorne !
I will take thy ffingars & thy fflax,'
I will throwe them well in virgins wax ;
I will thy bowells out drawe,
& bury them in christyan graue ;
I will wrapp thee in a wrapp ^ of lead,
& reare thee att my beds head.
Squier," shee sayes, " in powder thoust Lye ;
longer kept thou cannott bee ;
I will chest thee in a chest of stree,
& spice thee well yvith. spicerye,
<% bury thee vnder a marble stone,
& eueiy day say my praiers thee vpon,
& euery day, whiles I am woman aliue,
for thy sake gett masses flB.ue.
through the praying ^ of our Lady alone,
saued may be the soule of the hanged man.
Squier," shee sais, " now ffor thy sake
I will neuer weare no clothing but blacke.
' X.-?>. fcax, \\iuv of the lioad.-
^ Wrapper. — P.
s Only half the n in the MS.— F,
THE SQUIER.
267
112
116
Squier," sliee sais, " lie neuer lookc att other thing,
nor neiici" wcare mantle nor ringe."
her iFather stood vnder an easing ^ bore,
& heard his daughter mourning euer more ;
" daughter," he sais, " iFor Avhose sake
is that sorrow thai still thou makes ? "
" ifather," shee sais, " as I doe see,
itt is ffor no man in Christentye.
ffather," shee sayes, "as I doe thriue, [page44G]
120 itt is ffor noe man this day ahue ;
ffor yesterday I lost my kniffe ;
much rather had I haue lost my liffe ! "
" my daughter," he sayes, " if itt be but a blade,
124 I can gett another as good made."
"ffather," shee sais, "there is neuer a smith but one
tJiat [can] smith you^ such a one."
"daughter," hee sais, "to-morrow I will a hunting
ffare,
128 & thou shalt ryde vppon thy chaire,
& thou shalt stand in such a place
& see 30 harts come all in a chase."
"ffather," shee sayes, "godamercy,
but all this will not comfort mee."
" daughter," he sais, " thou shalt sitt att thy meate,
& see the ffishes in the ffiloud leape."
" ffather," shee sais, " godamercy,
but all this will not comfort mee."
" thy shcetes they shall be of they Lawnc,
.thy blanketts of the (fine ffustyan."
" ffathe[r,] " shee sais, &c.".
" & to thy bed I will thee bring,
many torchcrs ffaire burninge."
" ffather," shee sais, &c.
132
136
140
Her father
asks whom
she's sorrow-
ing for.
" No man
alive.
I've lost my
knife."
" I'll get
another
blade for
you.
Come and
see me hunt
to-morrow."
"That won't
comfort
me."
" I'll give
you some
lawn
sheets and
fustian
blankets,
' Easing, i. e. Eves of a house. — P.
? Building with eaves. lior, bore, a
place used for slicltcr, especially hy
smaller animals. Sir Tristrem. Easin-
fiang, a course of sheaves projecting a
little at the easin, to keep the rain from
getting in. Jamieson. — F.
'■^ that can smithe you, &c. — P.
268
THE SQUIER.
minstrels
shall play to
you, and
pepper and
cloves
burn for
you.
Why are
you so
pale?
I have your
lover I "
He brings
the Squire to
her;
she swoons,
but recovers
when kissed.
She marries
the Squire.
Kings come
to her
wedding.
The feast
lasts 34 days,
and the
lovers live
over 30
years.
144
148
152
156
160
164
168
" If tliou cannott sleepe, nor rest take,
tliou slialt liaue Minstrells w/th thee to wake.^ "
" ffather," sliee sais, &c.
" pepcr & Cloues shall be burninge,
iliat thou maist fFeele the sweet smellinge."
" ffather," shee sais, &c.
" daughter, thou had wont to haue beene both white
& red ;
now thou art as pale as beaten leade.
I haue him in my keeping
that is both thy loue & likinge."
he went to a Chamber of ffrane,
& ffeitcht fforth the Squier, a whales bone.^
when shee looked the Squier vpon,
in a dead swoone shee ffell anon,
throng 3 kissing of thai worthye wight,
vprisse thai Lady bright.
" ffather," shee sayes, " how might you for sinu
haue kept vs 2 loners in twin ? "
"daughter," he said, " I did ffor no other thingc
but thought to haue marryed thee to a KiiKj."
to her Marriage came Kings out of Spaine,
& Kings out of Almaigne,
& Kings out of ISTormandye,
att this Ladyes wedding ffor to bee.
a long month and dayes 3,
soe long lasted this Mangerye.*
30 winters and some deale moe,
soe longe lined these Loners too. lliniS.
' A.-S. waccan, to watch. — F.
2 as white as ivory. — F.
3 ffor is marked out for tkroug. — F.
* Mangeryo, i. e. eatiug, feasling. — P.
[" Blame not a Woman," printed in Lo. & Hum. Songs, j). 84',fn]hnvs
here in the MS. p. 446.]
2G9
(9 i^oijlc fffstui^ : '
[page 447]
This piece is, as Percy mentions, " printed in a Collection of
Songs called the Eump, p. 237, a. d. 1662." (It is not in the 1660
edition of the said collection.) It is reprinted in the two-volumed
edition that appeared in 1731. " It was written," says Percy,
" abont the beginning of the seventeenth century by the witty
bishop Corbet, and is printed from the 3rd edition of his poems
12mo. 1672, compared with a more ancient copy in the editor's
folio MS."
V. 9. " Coming to Court after he [Sir Walter Mildmay,
"formerly a serious student in and benefactor to Christ's College,"]
had founded his college [Emmanuel College,]" sa3^s Fuller in his
History of the University of Cambridge, " the queen told him
' Sir Walter, I hear you have erected a Puritan foundation.'
' No, madam,' saith he, ' far be it from me to countenance any
thing contrary to your established laws; but I have set an acorn,
\Yhich, when it becomes an oak, Grod alone knows what will be
the fruit thereof.' " John Gifford, Ezekiel Culverwell, Jeremiah
Burroughs, Stephen Marshall, Thomas Shephard, Nathaniel
Ward, Samuel Crooke, John Cotton, Thomas Hooker, John
Yates, John Stoughton, all well-known Puritan divines, were
members of Mildmay's College.
V. 47. Richard Grreenham was born circ. 1531, educated at
and elected fellow of Pembroke Hall, Cambridge, " became pastor
to the congregation at Drayton, near Cambridge," "took such
uncommon pains," says Brook in his Lives of the Puritans, "and
' Printed in a Collection of sonpjs N. B. The Various Readings below are
called the Eiunp, p. 237, a.d. 16G2. from the printed Copy. — V.
270 O NOBLE FESTUS.
was so remarkably ardent in his preaching, that at the conclusion
of the service his perspiration was so great that his shirt was
iisuall}^ as wet as if it had been drenched in water ; " *' was a most
exact and conscientious nonconformist, choosing on all occasions
to suffer rather than sacrifice a good conscience ; " " died a most
comfortable and happy death in the year 1591." With regard
to the " cure " the reading of his writings is said in the following
piece to have effected, we quote once more from Brook : " In
addition to his public ministerial labours, he had a remarkable
talent for comforting afflicted consciences ; and in this depart-
ment the Lord greatly blessed his endeavours. Having himself
waded through the deep waters, and laboured under many painful
conflicts, he was eminently qualified for relieving others. The
fame of his usefulness in resolving the doubts of inquiring souls
having spread through the country, multitudes from all quarters
flocked to him as to a wise physician, and by the blessing of Grod
obtained the desired comfort. Numerous persons, who to his
own knowledge had laboured under the most racking terrors of
conscience, were restored to joy and peace in believing. When
any complained of blasphemous thoughts, his advice was " do not
fear them, but abhor them." Amongst his treatises (see his
Works, fol. 1612) are " A sweet comfort for afflicted conscience,"
*'A short direction for the comfort of afflicted consciences,"
" Eules for an afflicted miiide concerning several temptations," &c.
V. 49. William Perkins (1558-1602), too, was of Cambridge,
a fellow of Christ's College, and afterwards preacher at St.
Andrew's Church. He was both a Boanerges and a Barnabas,
according to Brook. " Mr. Perkins' sermons were all law and all
gospel . . . He used to apply the terrors of the law so directly
to the consciences of his hearers, that their hearts would often
iSink under the convictions ; and he used to pronounce the word
damn with so pecidiar an emphasis that it left a doleful echo in
their ears a long time after." " As for his books," says Fuller in
O NOBLE FESTUS. 271
a highly eulogistic sketch of his life in his Abel Redivivus, "it
is a miracle almost to conceive how thick they lye and yet how
far they overspread all over Christendome." . . .
Of all the Worthies in this learned role,
Our English Perkins may, without controlc,
Challenge a crowne of Bayes to deck his head,
And second unto none be numbered,
For's learning, wit and worthy parts divine.
Wherein his Fame rcsplendantly did shine
Abroad and eke at home ; for "s Preaching rare
And leaimed writings, almost past compare ;
Which were so high estecm'd, that some of them
Translated were (as a most precious jem)
Into the Latine, French, Dutch, Spanish tongue,
And rarely valued both of old and young.
And (which was very rare) Them all did write
With his left hand, his right being uselesse quite ;
Borne in the first, dying in the last year
Of Queen Elica, a Princesse without peer.
T. Fuller's Abel Redivivus (1651) p. 440.
His works were printed again and again — in 1608-10, 1612,
1616, 1621, 1626, 1635. The reference in the following piece is,
no doubt, to his " Golden chaine or the description of Theologie,
containing the order of the causes of Salvation and Damnation,
according to God's Word, a view whereof is to be seen in the
Table annexed." See vol. i. of the 1612 edition of his works.
This table, a side-note on it informs us, " may be in stead of an
Ocular Catechisme to them which cannot read ; for by the
pointing of the finger the}' may sensibly perceive the chiefe
points of religion and the order of them." The reader is in-
structed that " the white line sheweth the order of the causes of
salvation from the first to the last. The blacke line sheweth the
order of the causes of damnation." Some of these latter causes
are " the decree of Reprobation," " A calling not effectual," " No
calling," " Ignorance and vanitie of mind," " the hardening of the
heart," " a reprobate sense," " Greedines in sinne," " Fulnes of
sinne." A bold analysis of perdition this — an audacious piece of
975
O NOBLE FESTUS.
theological presumption. The black line has a fearful look, as
of some dark deadly flood moving across the page. No wonder
Those crooked veins
Long stuck in my brains
That I feared my reprobation.
Am I mad
because I
hope to put
down the
Pope?
I was trained
Emmanuel's
house.
I was bound
like a
madman,
and lashed.
12
16
Am : I mad, 0 noble fFestus,
when zeale & godlye knowledge
put me in hope to deale with, the Pope
as well as the best in the Colledge ?
Boldlye I preacht " war ' & cross war a surplus,
miters, copes, & rochetts !
come heare me pray 9 times a day,
8 & ffill yoi^r head with crochetts."
In the house of pure Emanuell ^
I had my cducatyon,
till my ffreinds did surmise I dazlcd my eyes
With the light of reuelation.
Boldlye I preacht &c.
The bound me like [a] ^ bedlam,
& lash[t] '' my 4 poore quai'ters.
while this does endure,^ fiaith makes me sure
to be one of ffox his Martyres.
Boldlye I preacht &c.
These iniuryes I sufferd
Wi'tli Antich[r]ists perswasion.
lett loose my chaine ! neither Roome nor Spainc
20 can Withstand my strong inuasyon.
Boldlye I preacht &c.
' hate a Cross, liate, &e., or ware a
Cross &c. i. 0. beware, &c. — P.
* Emanuel College, Cambridge, was
originally a seminary of Puritans.^
W. C.
' a.— P. * t.— P. * thus I indure.— P.
0 NOBLE FESTUS.
273
24
I assailed the seauen-liild Cittye
where I niett the great redd dragon ;
I kept liim aloofFe with the armor > prooffo
thonghe now I haue neuer a ragg on.
Boldlye I preacht &e.
At Romo I
I'onght the
red dragon.
28
With a ffiery sword and Targett,
twice ffought I with this monster ;
but the sonnes of pryde my zealc doe derydc,
& all my deeds misconster.
Boldly I preacht &c.
with a sword
and target.
32
I vnhorset the here of Babell
with, the Launce of Inspiration ;
I made her stinke, & spill the "^ drinke
in the Cupp of abbominatyon.
Boldlye I preacht &c.
I unhorsed
the whore of
Btibjlon.
36
3 flTrom the beast with 10 homes, Lord blesse vs,
I haue plucket of 3 allreadye ;
if theyle Lett me alone, He leaue him none ;
but they say I am to heady e.
Boldlye I preacht &c.
I pulled out
three of the
beast's ten
horns.
40
I saw 2 in the visyon,
With a fflying booke betwcene them.
I haue beene in dispairo 5 times in a yeere,
& beene cured by reading Greenham.*
Boldlye I preacht &c.
I've l>ceii
resciK'il
from despair
by
Greenham.
' [insert] of. -P.
^ her.— P.
» This Stanza is not in tho printed
Copy.— P.
* The Works of Richard Grrevham,
Minister and Preacher of (he Word of
VOL. III.
God. Lone]. 1599, 4to. Greenham was
a puritan divino of considoniblc talents
and popuhirity. His works consist of
sermons, treatises, and a commentary on
Psahn cxix. Lowndes. — F.
274
O NOBLE FESTUS.
Perkins has
made me fear
my dam-
nation.
44
I haue read in ^ Perkins table ^
tlie blacke Line of clamnatyon ;
these crooked vaines long stucke •"' in my braincs,
that I ffeared my reprobtxci'on.
Boldlye I preacht &c.
48
In the holy tounge of Cannan
I placed my Cheefest tresure,
till I hurt my ffoot w/'th an hebrew roote
that I bled beyond all measure.
Boldlye I preacht &c.
I've told the
Archbishop
that
he favoured
superstition.
5-2
I was ^ before the Archbisho2ope
& all the hye Comiss3ron ;
I gane him no grace, but told him to his fFace
that he ffauoured superstition.
Boldlye I preacht &c. ffillis.
' observed in. — P.
^ Perkins, William, The Works.
Lond., 1608-10, fol., 3 vols. A Re-
formed Catholike, or a Declaration of De-
clarations. Camb., 1567. A Reforma-
tion of a Catholike deformed, 1604, 4to.,
and a Second Part of the Reformation,
etc. 1607. Discourse of the Damned
Art of Witchcraft. Camb. 1610. The
works of this Puritan are distinguished
for their piety, learninc, extensive know-
ledge of the Scriptures, and strong Cal-
vinistic argumentation. Lowndes.^F.
^ so stuck. — P.
* appear'd. — P.
[" 0 Watt, tvhere art tho?'^ printed in Lo. & Hum. Songs, jj. 121,
follows here in the 3£S. j'- 447-8.]
275
Cade off tniliU't
Tins poem was printed from the Folio by Sir F. Madden in
the Appendix to his 8>jr Gaivayne for the Bannatyne CIulj,
pp. 256-74. Some of his readings of tlie MS. differ from mine;
and though, if I can trust my eyes, the MS. does not make all the
mistakes that Sir F. Madden attributes to it, I have thought it
only due to his well-established reputation and great experience
in reading MSS., as well as to our readers, who will probably
trust him rather than me, to put his readings in the notes. The
poem is, as he says, a modernised copy of the Syi'e Gawene and
the Carle of Carelyle in the Porkington MS. No. 10, " written in
the reign of Edward IV./' printed by him (Sir F. Madden) in
the Appendix to his Syr Gaivayne, pp. 187-206. Though Mrs.
Ormsby Gore has kindly lent me this Porkington MS., I have
not collated the Folio with it, as its iSyre Gavjene will be printed
by Mr. Richard Morris for the Early English Text Society next
year, and will there be easily accessible to all readers. The
alterations are great in words, small in incidents, and the earlier
poem is the better one. Sir F. Madden looks on the occurrence
of the present poem and TJce Grene Knigld (vol. ii. p. 58) in our
Folio as settling the " question of the genuineness and antiquity
of the romance-poems (as distinguished from the longer and
better-known romances) in this celebrated MS." — that is, that
the Folio poems are not abstracts made of the old romances in tlie
seventeenth century, but retellings or adaptations of abstracts
made in the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries. " The orioinal
of this story must be sought for in the literature of the Continent,
and we find it in the beautiful fabliau of Le Chevalier a VEpee,
printed in INIeon's liecneil, tome i. p. 127, 8vo, 1823, and pre-
viously analysed by Le Grand."
' A ciu-icnib .Sony of the Miirriiige of Sir Gawane, one of Khr^ Arthur's Knight.-^.— P.
T 2
276 CARLE OFF CAIJIJLE.
Like the other Gawaine stories in the Folio, this one takes us
into weirdland, the region where necroniancers have been at work,
where Kelts loved specially to range. And, as in The Turks and
Goivin and TJie Marriage of Sir Gaivaine, the counter charm
which undoes the fiendly work is Gawaine's courtesy. Though
lie was not held worthy of the highest honours in Arthiu'-stor}^,
though he kept not the state of the virgin three who alone
achieved the Quest of the Holy Graal ' — Galahad, Percival, Bors,
— yet the sweetness of his spirit, his never-failing gentleness to
poor as well as rich, to frightful dames as well as beauties, made
him the favourite of most^ of the Arthur-writers, and they sang
his praises and his prowess, blessed him with the loveliest wives
— the second appears here — and, with Israelitish unction, added
many concubines. In contrast with him, here, is not only crabbed
Kay, but also the Christian Bishop who has sunk the humility of
his religion in the pride of his office, has forgotten that
It. ffitteth a Clarke to be ciirtcoiis and ffree,
and gets accordingly a rap on his crown that sends him down.
But Gawaine does not fail : what courtesy requires, that he does,
all that his host asks ; and so, escapes himself, and rescues
his friends, from the fate that had befallen 1500 men before who
" coude not their curtasye," — death at the hand and mouths of
the Carle and his Four Whelps. As of the Turke (vol. i. p. 101,
1. 288) so of the Carle, Gawaine strikes off the head; the bale
that Necromancy had wrought is turned to bliss, the loathsome
giant becomes again a man, and Gawaine weds the lady gay.
What is not possible to those sweet souls who sun their world, at
' " Gamvains, Gauwain ! mult a lone s'eii ala, car nous aiiies lo lieu ordi do
tans qne tu fus chiualers, ot onques uotre pechie, et quant il s'en ala il vous
puis ne seruis ton crcatour, se peu non : dist, ' chiualer plain do pouro foi et de
tu ios mais si vieus arbros qu'iln'aen toi poure creanehe, chos iij. choses vous
no fuello no fruit, car tu pensos quo nos- faillent: carite, abstinenclie, et uerites,
tro sires en eust la moulo et rescoi-clio, et pour che n'en jjoes auenir as auen-
puis quo li anemis en a eu la flour et lo turos del saint graal.'" Q/tcs/c, p. 133,
fruit." Nasciens to Gawaiii, Qiics//', ed. I'\ J. l-'. for Roxb. Club, 1864.— F.
p. 144. Again: " et quant il vi)us vit, .si '^ Others consistently run him down.
CAKLE OFF CARLILE.
277
whose presence words of wrath and thoughts of evil cease, the
remembrance even of whose smile wins ns from bitterness and
frloom ? — F.
12
IG
20
Listen : to me a lltle stond,
yec shall heare of one thai was sober & sound :
hce was meeke as maid in bower,
stifle & strong in euery stoure;
cartes wtthoutcn flUblc
he was one of the round table;
the K.nights name was S/r Gawalnc,
that much worshipp wan in Brittaine.
the He of Brittaine called is
both England & Scottland I-wis ;
wales is an angle to that He,
where Kinj Arthur soiorned a while ' ;
w/th him 24 Knights told,
besids Barrons & dukes bold.
the King to his Bishopp gan say,
" wee will have a Masse to-day, [page 449]
Bishopp Bodwim ^ shall itt done :
after, to the fiairest ^ wee will gone,
ifor now itts grass time of the yeere,
Barrons bold shall breake the decre.
fi'aine thcroif was S/r Marrockc,'*
soe was S/r Kay, the Knight stout ;
I'll toll yon
about
Arthur
stayed a
while in
Wales,
and Olio day
saiil h(!'il
liear 51 ass,
and then go
Liuitinfr.
Miirrock
was glad.
Kay too,
' At Cardyfo soiorned I'c kyiigc a
Nvhyllc. I'orkington M.S.— F.
- that IJisliop Sir Bodwine. Tur/ce cj-
Gowin, 1. 154, vol. i. p. 96. On this
Bodwin or Bawdowyn in The Grcne
Kny-^t, Sir F. Madden says that he
"occurs nowhoro in the larly French
metrical and prose romances; and his
name seems to have been substituted
by the English or Scctish poets in the
14tl\ century, for that of Bishop Bricc
or Dubricius. There was an Archbishop
of Canterbury named Baldwin, who iiuld
the See from 1181 to 1191. from whom
tlir nnnic m:iv iiavc bem taken. Hiir
Gawajjnc, p. 312. — F.
^ forrest. — Pork.
' Mewreke. — Pork. Marrakc in The
Aumti/rs of Arthure, 1. G4 1 . Ilo " appears
to bo the same as ' Sir Man-ok, the good
knyghte, tliat was bitra^'ed with his wyf,
for she made him seuen yero a werwoU','
in Malory's Mortc d'Arthur, voL ii.
p. 385 ; and on a similar story is founded
the Lai de Bisclaveret of Marie, ed.
Koquefort, tome i. p. 179." — Madden's
Si/r Gaxcijave, p. 335. Marrocki' is also
the name of the giant in K</li(iuor(', vol. ii.
p. 349, ]. 2'M), and of tlic false steward in
Sir 'I'ritimiirc, vol. ii. ji. H'2, I. 51. — F.
278
CARLE OFF CARLILE.
and
Lancelot,
Percival,
Ewaine,
Lott, tlie
Green
Knight,
Gawaine,
MorfireJ,
Lybius
Disconyns,
and Iro
side,
ffaine was S/r Laucelott Dulake,
24 soe was Str Perciuall,' I vndertake ;
ffaine was Sir Ewaine ^
& Sir Lott of Lotliaine,^
soe was the knight of armes greene,''
28 & alsoe Sir Gawaine the sheene.
Sir Gawaine was steward in Ai-thurs hall,
hee was the curteons 'Knight amongst them alh
Ki7i^ Arthur & his Cozen Mordred,^
S2 & other K)ii^/its Withouten Lett,
Sir Lybins Disconyus ' was there
w{th proud archers lesse & more,
Blanch ffaire ^ & Sir Ironside,^
36 & many K.nighis iltai day can ijdo.
' The nephew of king PcscLeor, [or
king Pelles, the Eich Fisher,] guardian of
the Hangreal, whose adventures occupy
a quarto volume, printed in 1530.
Madden's Byr Gawayne, p. 345. See
Mr. Halliwell's edition of the verse ab-
stract of the French romance in The
Thornton Bomances. — F.
^ See Caxton's Maleore, vol. i. p. 231.
— F.
' See Caxton's MaJeore, vol. i. p. 55, &c.
— F. He was the father of Grawayne,
and king of Lothian and Orkney.
Geoffr. Monm., lib. ix. cap. 9. Madden,
p. 346. He is the celebrated Ywain or
Owain sometimes surnamed Le Grand,
son of Urien, king of Moray, according to
Geoffrey, or of Rheged, according to
the AVelsh authorities. His exploits
were celebrated in French verse by
Chrestien de Troyes, and thence trans-
lated into the German, Icelandic, Welsh,
and English languages ; for which con-
sult Benecke's edition of Iwein der Miter
mit dim Lewen, 8vo, Berlin, 1827 ; Von
der Hagen's Griindriss zur Geschichtc
der Dcutuchen Poesie, 8vo, Berlin, 1812,
p. 118; Hit son's Metrical liomances,
vol. i., and Notes, vol. iii., 8vo, 1'02;
and Lady C. Guest's Mahinogion, part i.,
8vo, 1838. He must not be confounded
(as Ritson has done him) with Twain
VAvoidtre, a base son of Urien by his
seneschal's wife, who was killed by
Gawayne without knowing him, Eoman
de Lancelot, iii. f. cxvii. There are
also others of the same name mentioned
in the Bo7nan de Merlin, i., f. ccviii *,
and in the Boman d'Erec et d'Enide.
Cf. Arthour and Merlin, p. 306, 4to,
1838. Madden, p. 312-13.— F.
■* Ironside's son, see 1. 37-40. I know
nothing [of him] as one of Arthur's
knights. Madden, p. 346.— F.
* most courteous Knight of all. — P.
" Arthur's son by his sister, King
Lot's wife. — F.
" Gawaine's bastard. See vol. ii.
p. 416, 1. 8 ; p. 418, 1. 80.— F.
^ Blancheles. Porkn. MS. " But as no
knight of that name occiu-s. in all proba-
bility we should read Brajidelgs," says
Sir F. Madden, who gives an abstract of
the French Romance about him at p. 349
of Syr Gawayne. See Caxton's Maleore,
vol i. p. 230, ' syre Braundyles.' — F.
^ Syre Ironsyde that was called the
noble kny3te of the reed laundes, that
Syre Gareth [Ijrother of Gawayne]
wonne for the loue of dame I^yones.
Maleore, vol. ii. p. 384. The narrative
of the combat may be read in vol. i.
p. 211. Madden's A/;- Gav'ayne,i>. 347.
CAELE OFF CAIJLILE.
279
40
44
48
& Ironside, as I weeno,
gate ^ the Knight of armour grcene —
certes as I vnderstand —
of a ffaire Lady of blaiinch Land.^
hee cold more of lionor in warr
then all the KnIgJds tfiat w/th Arthur weare :
burninof drasrons he slew in Land,
& wilde beasts, as I vnderstand ;
wilde beares he slew that stond ;
a hardyer Knight was neuer ffound ;
he was called in his dayes
one of King Arthurs ffellowes.
why was hee called Ironsyde ?
fFor, euer armed wold he ryde ;
hee wold allwais arms beare,
ffor Gyants & hee were euer att warr,
dapple coulour ^ was his steede,
his armour and his other weede.
Azure of gold he bare,
w/th a Griffon lesse or more,
& a difference of a Molatt *
he bare in his crest Allgate.'''
where- soeuer he went, East nor west,
he neuer fforsooke man nor beast.
beagles, keenely away the ran,
the King ffollowed affter wi'tli many a man.
they ^ gray hounds out of the Leashe,
f,4 they drew downe the deere of grasse.'^
ffine ^ tents in the ffeild were sett,
a merrj' sort there were mett
56
60
wbo was
better than
any of
Arthur's
knights, an
got his
name
because he
went always
armed,
to fight
giants.
Beagles ran,
greyhounds
pulled down
the deer,
' i. e. begat. — P.
^ The Seigneur de la Blamiche Jmnle
is noticed as one of Arthur's kiiiglits, in
the Boman de Fcrcevcd, f. Ixxi. Cf. f.
clxxi ''. See in regard to this territory a
note of M. Michel on Tristan, vol. ii.
p. 173. Madden's f^yr Gavay7)e, p. 348.
— F.
' Dapple colour'd. — P. The steed's
name was Fabcle-hondo. Madden's Sijr
iiavaync, p. 189, 1. 79.— F.
■* i. e. a nmllot. — P.
' The second / is over the q in the MS.
— F.
« the.— P. ' greace.— P. fat.— F.
* or ffine.- F.
280
CARLE OFF CARLILE.
68
and by noon
100 harts
were killed.
But
Gawaine,
Kay, and
Bishop
Bodwin,
lose their
way in
following a
red deer.
Gawaine
proposes to
dismount,
and stay all
night in the
forest.
Kay Pays
he'll lodge
in some-
body's
house.
No one
dare stop
him.
The Bishop
says,
The Carle of
Carlisle will:
80
84
88
92
96
of comely knigJits of kind,
vppon the bent there can they lead,'
& by noone of the same day
a lOO*? harts on the ground the ^ Lay.
then S/r Gawaine & Sir Kay,
& Bishopp Bodwin, as'I heard say,
after a redd deere ^ the rode
into a flforrest wyde & brodo.
a thicke mist ffell them among,
that caused ^ them all to goe wrongre :
great moane made then S/r Kay
iJicit they shold loose the hart tJiai day ;
that red hart wold not dwell.
hearken what aduentures them beffell :
fFuU sore the were adread
ere the any Lodginge had ;
then spake Sir Gawaine,
" this Labour wee haue had in vaine ;
this red hart is out of sight,
wee meete with him no more this night.
I reede wee of our horsses do light,
& lodge wee heere all this night ;
Truly itt is best, as thinketh mee,
to Lodge low vnder this tree."
" nay," said Kay, " goe wee hence anon,
ffor I will lodge whersoere ^ I come ;
for there dare no man warne me,^ •
of whatt estate soeuer hee bee."
" yes," said the Bishopp, " that wott I well ;
here dwelleth a Carle in a Castele,
the Carle of Carlile is his name,
I know itt well by St. lame ;
[page 4o0]
' lead. — Madden.
2 delend.— P.
^ rayne-derc, and revne-derc, 1. 79. —
Pork.
* Only half tlio u in tlic MS.— F.
ca i sod . — Madden .
* wherfurro, Maddcn's text : wlurso-
over ?, his note. — F.
" wcrn hit me. — Pork.
CARLE OFF CARLILE.
281
was there neuer man yett soe bold
100 thai durst lodge wttliin his hold ;
but, & if hee scape ' wtth his liffe away,
hee ruleth him well, I you say." ^
then said Kay, " all in ffere,^
104 to goe thither is my desire ;
fFor & the Carle be neuer soe bolde,
I thinke to lodge w/thin his hold.
ffor if he iangle & make itt •* stout,
108 I shall beate the Carle all about,
& I shall make his bigging bare,
& doe to him mickle Care ;
& I shall beate [him,] as I thinke,
112 till he both sweate and stinke."
then said the Bishopp, " so mote I ffare,
att his bidding I wilbe yare."
Gawaine said " lett be thy bostlye ffare,-''
116 fi"or thou dost euer waken care.
if thou scape ^ wrth thy liffe away,
thou ruleth thee well, I dare say."
then said Kay, " thai pleaseth mee ;
120 thither Let vs ryde all three.
such as hee bakes, such shall hee brew ;
such as hee shapes, such shall hee sew ;
such as he breweth, such shall he ^ drinke."
124 " thai is contrary," said Gawaine, " as I thinke ;
but if any ffaire speeche will he gaine,
wee shall make him Lord within his owne ^ ;
if noe ffaire speech will auayle,
128 then to karp on Kay wee will not ffaile."
he never
lets any
man lodge
with him.
" If he
refuses me.
I'll beat
him till he
stinks," says
Kay.
Gawaine
tells Kay
not to brag ;
they'll try
fair sjjecch
first ;
if that's no
good,
Kay may
BCOkl.
' Btaye. — Maclden.
* It schall be bette, as I hardo say,
And 3cfe he go wtt lyfe away. —
Porkington MS.
^ i. e. together. Perlmps all on fire.
—P.
* him.— P.
' Compare vol. i. |i. 'J I, I. 'J.")-oii.
Kay was tlio braggart of Arthur's court.
— F.
" Madden reads tlie MS. stape, and
corrects it to scape. — F.
' him ?. — Madden.
" aine (in pencil). — P. Pork, has tlio
t;ilk 1. 104-30 somewhat differently.—
1'.
282
CARLE OFF CAELILE.
They rule to
the Earl's
gate.
Gawaine
knocks.
ami tells the
Porter
that they
arc tired out
with hunt-
ing.
and ask his
lord for a
nipht's
lodging.
Kay
threatens
the Porter,
but he
answers
boiaiv.
Gawaine
asks him
courteouslj-,
and the
Porter
gives his
132
1.3G
140
144
148
152
156
then said the Bishopp, " that sontoth ' mee ;
thither lett vs ryde all three."
when they came to the carles gate,
a hammer they ffound hanging tlieratt :
Gawaine lient the hammer in his hand,
& curteouslye on the gates dange.
ifortli came the Porter w/'th still fFare,
saying, " Avho is soe bold to-knocke there ? "
Grawaine answered him curteouslye
"man," hee said, " that is I.^
wee be 2 knights of Arthurs inn,
& a Bishopp, no moe to min ^ ;
wee haue rydden all day in the fForrest still
till horsse & man beene like to spill ;
fFor Arthurs sake, tJiat is our Kinge,
wee desire my hord of a nights Lodginge,
& harbarrow'' till the day att Morne,
that wee may scape''' away w/thout scorne."
^Then spake the crabbed 'Knight Sir Kay:
" Porter, our errand I reede the say,'^
or else the Castle gate wee shall break e,
& the Keyes thereof to Arthur take."
the Porter sayd with words throe, ^
" theres no man aliue that dares doe soe !
of ^ a 100** such as thou his death had sworne,
yett he wold ryde on hunting to morne. '^ "
then answered Gawain that Avas curteous aye,
" Porter, our errand I pray thee say."
"yes," said the Porter, "w/thouten ffayle
I shall say yo?(r errand ffull well."
' Madden reads tiiitdh. — F.
2 " It am I " is the earlier phrase.- — F.
^ min, ming, i. e. mention, vide v. 162.
— r.
* Madden reads harhorrovo. — F.
* Madden again reads sta'pc, and
correets to scajir. — F.
" Pork, puts in tlio Porter's answer.
warning them that his lord " can no
cortessye," and that they will not escape
without a "wellony." — F.
' thou say or thee (to) say.^ — P.
8 tho, i. c. then.— P. A.S'. Vra, bold. —
F.
» If.— P.
'" lo-morrow. — P.
CAKLE OFF CAIJLILE.
283
IfiO
1G4
1G8
as soone as the Porter the Carle see,
liee kneeled downe vpon his knee :
"Yonder beene 2 K.iu'ijJds of Arthurs m/ [page4.M]
& a Bishopp, no more to niyn ;
they hane roden all day in the fforrest still,
that horsse [&] man ^ is like to spill ;
they desire you fFor Arthirs sake, their K/v/g,
to gi*ant them one nights Lodginge,
& herberrow till the day att Morne
that they may scape ^ away without scorne."
"noe thing greeues^ me," sayd the Carle w/thout
doubt,
" but that they ^ T^niijhts stand soe long w/thout."
with, that they ° Porter opened the gates wyde,
& the K-nights rode in that tyde.
their steeds into the stable are tane,
the K.nights into the hall are gone ^ :
heere the Carle sate in his chaire on hye,
w/th his legg cast ouer the other knee ;
his mouth was wyde, & his beard was gray,
his lockes on his shoulders lay ;
betweene his browes, certaine
itt was large there a spann,
with 2 great eyen brening as ffyer.
Lord ! bee was a Lodlye syer ^ !
ouer his sholders he bare^ a bread
1 84 3 taylors yards, as clarkes doe reade ;
his ffingars were like to teddar stakes, '''
& his hands like breads that wiues may bake ;
message to
the Carle.
172
176
180
The Carle
regrets that
they have
been kept so
long wait-
ing.
Gawaine &c.
ride in,
go to the
hall, and
see the
Carle,
a loathly
man,
with fingers
like stakes
and han<ls
like leaves.
' inne. — P.
* liorsf & man. — P.
' Madden af.'ain reads slapc, ami
corrects to scape. — F.
* Half the u left out in tlie MS.— F.
* the.— P.
« the.— P.
' gane. — P.
" a lodlye sire, i. e. filthy, p. 387.— P.
" bore. — Madden.
'" 'I'iii' stakes l)y •w/;/ch the hair lines
are I'asten'd to tin: ground that ai'e tied
to the horses' feet when they graze in
open fields.— P. Madden reads tixlder.
— F.
284
CAKLE OKF CARLILE.
Gawaine
salutes him
courteousl}',
and the
Carle
welcomes
them for
Arfiur's
Bake, though
Arthur aud
he have long
been foes.
They go to
the tables,
and see 4
\\helps,
a bear,
a boar,
a bull,
and a lion.
1S8
192
196
200
204
208
212
50 Cubitts • he was in height ;
hord, he was a Lothesome wight !
when iSi'r Gawaine that carle see,
he halched ^ liim fFull curteouslye,
& saith, " carle of Carlile,^ god saue thee
as thou sitteth in thy prosperitye ! "
the carle said, " as christ * me saue,^
yee shall be welcome fFor Arthurs sake.
^ yet is itt not my paH to doe soe,
fFor Arthur hath beene euer my fFoe ;
he hath beaten my l^nigMs, & done them bale,
^ & send them wounded to my owne hall.
yett the truth to tell I will not Leane,^
I haue quitt him the same againe."
" that is a kind of a knaue ^," said Kay, " w/thout
Leasing,
soe to reuile a Noble King."
Gawaine heard, & made answere,
" Kay, thou sayst more then meete weerc."
with that they went ffurther into the hall,
where bords were spredd, & couered w/th pall ;
& 4 welpes of great Ire
they fFound Lying by the ffire.
there was a beare that did rome,'*^
& a bore that did whett his tushes '^ ffomc,
alsoe a bull that did rore,
& a Lyon that did both gape & rore ;
the Lyon did both gape and gren.
" 0 peace, whelpes ! " said the carle then :
' ix. taylloris 3erdi5. — Pork.
'' i. p. saluted. — P. Miidden reads the
MS. haltlcd, and corrects it to halscd.
Halche is 0. N. heilsa, Dan. hilsa, to
salute, to cry hail to. Wedgwood. — F.
' " Callilo, MS.," says Madden.— F.
■■ Madden reads cheif, and puts " Crist ? "
in his note. — F.
^ perliaps take. — P.
« y' et in MS.— F.
' sent.— P.
8 vid. p. 367, St. 45 [of MS.].— P.
See Dr. Robson's note in Sir John Buthr
above. Madden says "leave, MS." — F.
« A c follows in the MS.— F.
'" Cp. the berc to raniy. Pork. — F.
'■ tusks. — Madden. — F.
CARLE OFF CARLILE.
285
21G
'2-20
224
228
232
2."56
240
ffor that word that they carle ' did speakc,
the 4 whelpes vnder they bord ^ did crecpe.
downe came a Lady flFaire & fFree,
& sett her on the carles knee ;
one whiles shcc harped, another whiles song,
both of Paramours & louingc amonge.
" well were that man," said Gawaine, " that ere were
borne,
that might Lye w«th that Lady till day att morne."
" that were great shame," said the carle ffree,
" that thou sholdest doe me such villanye."^
" Sir," said Gawaine, "I sayd nought."
" no, man," said the carle ; " more thou thought."
Then start Kay to the fflore,
& said hee wold see how his palfrey ffore.^
both corne & hay he ffound Lyand,
& the carles palfrey by his steed did stand.
Kay tooke the carles palfrey by the necke,
& soone hee tlu-ust him out att the hecke^ :
thus Kay put the carles fible out,
& on his backe he sett a clout,
then the carle himselfe hee stood there by,
and sayd, " this buflTett, man, thou shalt abuy.** "
The carle raught Kay svich a rapp [page 4V2]
that backward he ffell fQatt ;
had itt not beene ffor a ffeald ^ of straw.
Kayes backe had gone in 2.*
then said Kay, " & thow were without thy hold,
Man ! this buffett shold bo deere sold."
" what," sayd the carle, " dost thou menace me ?
A fair lady
seats herself
on the
Carle's knee,
and
Gawaine
says her
bedfellow
will be a
happy man.
The Carle
reproves
him.
Kay goes to
the stable,
finds the
Carle's
palfi-ey next
to his,
turns it out.
and gives it
a clout.
knocks Kiiy
down.
Kay
threatens
him,
and he tells
Kay
' the Carle— P.
» tho horci— P.
' Pork, suljstitutcs a scene of the
knights drinking, for tliis one of the
lady; but (h'seribes tlio Carlo's wife at,
supper-time, p. 197 <'( Maihleu's Sijr
(iawaynv.— F.
■' i. 0. fared, p?-(y<. iiiusildL — P.
* i. 0. Cratch, verb. Scot. Dr. Graing'',
-P.
" abye. — P. IMaddcn roads aht/. — F.
' i. e. a truss of straw. Dr. Graing''. —
" t\va.--P.
286
CAKLE OFF CARLILE.
that if he
says any
more
he'll get
more
knocks.
Then the
Bishop goes
to look at
his palfrey.
He finds the
Carle's
there,
and turns it
out
with a cut,
to go to the
devil.
The Carle
knocks the
Bishop over,
he cares
nothing for
mitre or
ring.
Then
Gawaine
244
248
252
^56
260
264
268
272
I swere by all soules sicci'lye ' !
Man ! I swere ffurtlier tliore,^
if I heere any malice more,^
ffor this one word that thou hast spoken
itt is but ernest thou hast gotten,"
then went Kay into the hall,
& the Bishopp to him can call,
saith : Brother Kay, where you haue becue ? "
" to Looke my palffrey, as I weene.'* "
then said the Bishopp, " itt fFalleth mo
that my palfrey I must see."
both corne & hay he ffound Lyand,
& the carles palffrey, as I vnderstand.
the Bishopp tooke the carles horsse by the necke,
& soone hee thrust him out att the hecke ;
thus he turned the carles ffole out,
& on his backe he sett a clout ;
sais, " wend forth, ffole, in the devills way !
who made thee soe bold w?'th my palfrey ? "
the carle himselfe he stood there by :
" man ! this buffett thou shalt abuy.''' "
he hitt the Bishopp vpon the crowne,
thai his miter & he ffell downe.
"Mercy ! " said the Bishopp, " I am a clarkc !
somewhatt I can of chr[i]sts werke."
he saith, " by the Clergye I sett nothmg,
nor yett by thy Miter nor by thy ringe.
It ffitteth a clarke to be curteous & ffrec,
by the conning *• of his clergy."
Av/th thai the Bishopp went into the hall,
& Sir Gawaine to him can call,
' Madden reads sikerli/c- F.
2 tho.— P.
' moe. — P.
' al.s I woon, i.(\ I also tliinko, in-
tend. Sid viJ. in^'ra '276. — P. As is
thus, like.— F.
* abay, MS. says Madden. — F.
" MS. coming. — F, cunning or cou-
ninjr.— P.
CAULE OFF CARLILE.
287
276
saith, " brother Bishopp where haue you beeiie ? "
"to looke my palfrey, as I weene."
then sayd Sir Gawaiue, " itt fFalleth mec
that my palfreye I must needs see."
corne & hay he ffound enoughe Lyand,
2>iO & the carles ffole by his did stand.
the carles ffole had beeuc fforth in the raine ;
therof S/r Gawaine was not ffaine ;
hee toohe his mantle that was of greene,
& couered the ffole, as I weene ;
sayth, " stand vp, ffole, & eate thy meate ;
thy Master payeth ffor all that wee heere gett."
they carle ' himselfe stood thereby,
& thanked him of his curtesye ;
they carle ^ tooke Gawaine by the hand,
& both together in they hall they wend.
the carles called ffor a bowle of wine,
& soone they settled them to dine ;
70 bowles 3 in that bowle were, —
he was not weake that did itt beare, —
then they •* carle sett itt to his Chin,
& said, " to you I will begin ! "
15 gallons he dranke that tyde,
& raught to his men on euery side.
then they '' carle said to them anon,
" Sirrs, to supper gett you gone ! "
Gawaine answered the carle then,
" Sir, att yoztr bidding we will be ben.*' "
" if you be bayne att my bidding,
304 you honor me without Leasinge."
they washed all, & went to meate,
& dranke the wine that was soo sweete.
284
288
292
290
3')0
goes to soo
his palfrey.
He finds
the Carlo's
foal by it,
wet with
rain.
Gawaine
covers the
foal with his
mantle
and tells it
to eat away.
The Carlo
thanks
Gawaine,
takes him in,
calls for a
bowl of
wine.
and drinks
1 5 gallons
at one
draught.
Then tlicy
nil liavu
Biippcr.
Tlic Carle— P.
The Carlo.— r.
gallons?— Madden. Ordinary bowls. --F.
* the— P.
= the.— r.
« bailie.— r.
288
CARLE OFF CARLILE.
After it, the
Carle tells
Gawaine to
take a spear
and to mark
him in his
face.
Gawaine
takes the
spear,
charges at
the Carle
(who dodges
his head,)
runs the
spear
into the wall,
and breaks it
off.
Then the
Carle
takes
Gawaine to
his wife's
bed,
308
312
316
320
324
328
332
tlie carle said to Gawaine anon,
"a long speare see thou take in tliy Land,'
att the buttrye dore take thou thy race,
& marks me well in middest the face.
"a ! " thought •-' Sir Kay, " that that were I !
then his buffett he shold deere abuy.^ "
" well," qitoththe carle, "when thou wilt, thou may,''
when thou wilt thy strength assay." —
"well S/r," said Kay, " I said nought."
"Noe," said the carle, "but more thou [pageioij]
thought."
then Gawaine was ffull glad of that,
& a long spere in his hand he gatt ;
att the butteiy dore ^ he tooke his race,
& marked the carle in the middst the ffacc.
the carle saw S/r Gawaine come in ire,
& cast his head vnder his speare,
Gawaine raught the wall such a rapp,
the fi'yer flSew out, & the speare brake ;
he stroke a fFoote into the wall of stone,
a bolder Barron was there neuer none.
" soft," said the carle, "thow was to radd.^ "
" I did but, S;'r, as you me bade."
" if thou had hitt me as thou had ment,
thou had raught me a ffell dint.'^ "
they carle tooke Gawaine by the hand,
& both into a Chamber they wend ;
a ffull ffaire bed there was spred,
the carles wiffe therin was laid :
' hond.— P.
2 All! thought.— P.
' MS. aluy. Madden reads a huy. —
F. abuy or abye. — P.
'' then thou (yee) may. — P.
' Madden roads the MS. doe.—Y.
* furious, 0. Fr. roide. — Skeat. lioide,
rough, fierce, violent. — Cotgrave. A.S.
hr(Ed, swift, quick, rush. — F.
' Pork. MS. puts Gawaine's supper after
this, and brings the Carle's daughter in
to harp and sing to thorn. She is prettily
described, has the gold-wire hair so much
admired in early times, and
Owyrc allc ]>o hallc gauMC sche lemo
As hit were a sonwc-beme.
Madden's 8i/r Gaxvaync, p. 199. — F.
CARLE OFF CARLILE.
280
330
340
3U
348
352
356
.•if.O
304
the carles said, "Gawaitio, of curtesye
gett into this bedd ^\ith this ffaire Ladj^e.
kisse thou her 3-'' before mine eye ;
looke thou doe no other villanye."
the carle opened the shcetes wyde ;
Gawaine gott in by the Laydes syde ;
Gawaine ouer her ' put his arme ;
With that his fflesh began to Avarme :
Gawaine had thought to haue made in fiare,^
" hold," quoth, the carle, "man, stopp there ^ !
itt were great shame," quoth they carle, "for nic
that thou sholdest doc me such villanye ;
but arise vp, Gawaine, & goe With me,
I shall bring thee to a fiairer Lady then euer was
shee."
they "* carle tooke Gawaine by the hand ; ^
both into another Chamber they wend ;
a ffaire bedd there found they spred,
and the Carles daughter therin Laid :
saith, " Gawaine, now for thy curtesye
gett thee to bedd to this ffaire Lady."
the carle opened the sheetes wj^de,
S/r Gawaine gott in by the Ladyes side.
Gawaine put his arme ouer that sweet thing ;
•' sleepe, daughter," sais the carle, " on my blessing."
they carle turned his backe & wont his way,
& lockt the dore w/th a siluer Kaye.
on the other morning *> when the carles rose,
vnto his daughters chamber he goes :
" rise vp, Sir Gawaine, & goe w/th mec,
a maruelous sight I shall Ictt thee see."
they carle tooke him by the hand,
& both into another chamlicr thoy wend,
and bids him
net in and
kiss her,
but do
nothing
more.
Gawaine
does so,
and thiidvs
to do morn,
but the
Carle stops
him,
and takes
him to bis
daughter's
bed, and
tells him
to get into it.
Gawaine
does so.
and the
Carle goes
away,
locking the
door.
Next
morning
he calls
Gawaine,
' he. — Miiddon.
- free, q.— Pencil note.
3 MS. thee.— F.
• the— P,
'" Pork. MS. makes tho C.irle send his
daufilitor to Gawaino, ib. p. 201. — P.
" In the next m. — P.
ViiL. 111.
290
CAELE OFF CAELILE.
and shows
him
bloorly shirts
and 1501)
dead men's
bones,
slain by him,
the Carle.
Gawaine
wants to
take leave,
but the Carle
makes him
stop to
dinner.
After it
he shows
Gawaine
a Kword,
and begs
him to cut
liis (the
Carle's) head
off.
Gawaine
refuses.
whereupon
the Carlo
says he'll
cut his head
off if he
don't do it.
So Gawaine
cuts the
Carle's
head off,
and ho
3G8
372
37G
3S0
384
392
396
& there tliey found many ' a bloody serkc
which were wrought with curyons wei'ke :
1500 dead mens bones ^
they found v}3on a rooke ^ att once.
"alacke!" quoth Sir Gawaine, " what hauc becne
here?"
saith, " I & my welpes haue slaine all there."
then Sir Gawaine cui'teous and kind,'*
he tooke his leaue away to wend,
& thanked they carle & the Ladyes there,
right as they worthy were,
"nay," said the carle, "wee will first dine,
& then thou shalt goe with blessing mine."'' "
after dinner, the sooth to say,
the carle tooke Gawaine to a Chamber gay
where wei-e hangingc swords towe ^ ;
the Carle soone tooke one of tho,
& sayd to the ILnight tlien,
" Gawaine, as thou art a man,
take this sword & stryke of my head."
" Nay," said Gawaine, " I had rather be dead ;
ffor I had rather suffer pine & woe
or euer I wold tliat deede doe."
the carle sayd to Sir Gawaine,
" looke thou doe as I thee saine,
& therof be not adread ;
but shortly smite of my head,
ffor if thou wilt not doe itt tyte,
ffor-ssooth thy head I will of smyto."
To the carle said Sir Gawaine, [page 454]
" Str, yowr bidding shall be done : "
he stroke the head the body ffroe,
& he stood vp a man thoe
' One stroke too few in tho MS. — F.
2 a bones, IMS.— Madden. I tliink tlic
a is meant to bo blotched out. — F.
^ i. 0. a ruck, a heap. — P.
* liond, q. — Pencil note.
■' Only half the m in the MS. Madden
reads mine too. — F.
** rowc. — Maclden.
CARLE OFF CARLILE.
291
400
404
408
412
4K)
420
424
428
of the height of S/r Gawaine,
the certaine soothe "w/thoiiten Laine.
the carle sayd, " Gawaine, god blese thee,
ffor thou hast deliuered mee !
fifrom all ffalse witchcrafft ^
I am deliuerd ^ att the Last ;
by Nigromance thus was I shapen
till a 'KnigJit of the round table ^
had With a sword smitten * of my head,
if he had grace to doe that deede.
itt is 40 winters agoe
since I was transformed soe ;
since then, none Lodged Av/thin this wooun,^
but I & my whelpes driuen them downe ;
& but if hee did my bidding soone,
I killed him & drew him downe,
euery one but only thee.
Christ grant thee of his mercy e !
he til at the world made, reward thee this !
ffor all my bale thou hast turned to blisse.
now will I leaue that Lawe ;
there shall no man ffor me '^ be slawe,
& I purpose ffor their sake
a chantrey in this place to make,
& 5 preists to sing ffor aye
vntill itt be doomes day.
& Gawaine, for the loue of thee
euery one shall bee welcome to me."
Sir Gawaine & the young Lady clcre,
the Bishopp weded ^ them in ffere ;
stands up a
proper man.
and thanks
Gawaine
for deliver-
ing him
from the
witchcraft
that 40 years
ago trans-
formed him,
so to be till
a Knight of
the Round
Table should
cut his head
off.
"Christ
reward you!
Henceforth
I'll kill no
one;
but every-
body shall
be welcome
to me.
The Bishop
marries
Gawaine and
' ? witchcraffls cast. Cast is the regu-
lar -word for a magical contrivance, and
the line? iH too short as it stanfls.
Skoat.
- Madden oniils the d.—'F.
'■' 1 would read :
liy Nigroniancc thus was I Imund,
till a Knight of the table round. — Skoat.
■' M.S. snitton.— F.
^ Madden reads worn, and notes
tvnonc ? — F.
' i. e. thro' mo. — P.
' wedded. — Madden.
V 2
292
CARLE OFF CxVKLILl;.
the Carle's
daughter.
The Carle
gives Kay a
blood-red
steed,
and
Gawaine's
lady a white
palfrey.
Then he bids
Gawaine
go to Arthur
and ask him
to dine witli
him next
day.
Gawaine
goes singing
with his
lady,
and tells
Arthur
his
adventures.
Kay gives
Arthur
the Carle's
invitation.
Arthur and
his company
ride off,
tlie carle gaue him ' for liis wedding
a staffe, miter,^ & a ringe.
he gaue Sir Kay, that angry 'KnlyJd,
402 a blood red steede, & a wight.
he gaiie his daughter, the sooth to say,
an ambling white palfrey,
the ffairest hee was on the mold ;
4.36 her palfrey was charged w/th gold ;
shee was soe gorgeous & soe gay,
no man cold tell her array.
the carle comiizanded Sir Gawaine to wend^
440 & " say vnto Ai"thur our King,
& pray him that hee wold —
ffor his lone that ludas sold,
& for his sake that in Bethelem was borne, —
444 that hee wold dine With him to morne."
Sir Gawaine sayd the carle vnto,
" fforssooth I shall yo?(r message doe."
then they rode singing by the way
448 w/th the Ladye that was gay ;
they were as glad of that Lady bright
as euer was ffowle of the day-Lyght.
they told Km^ Arthur where they had bceno,
452 & Avhat aduentures they had seene.
" I thanke god," sayd the 'King, " cozen Kay,
that thou didst on line * -part away."
" Marry," sayd S/r Kay againe,
456 " of my liffe ^ I may be ffaine.
flEbr his loue that was in Bethlem borao,
you must dine w/th the carle to-morne."
in the dawning of the day the rode ^ ;
':60 a merryer meeting Avas neuer made.
1 Sc. tlio bishop.— r.
^ a stuff, !i miter, &c. — P.
' wend rimes al,«o with bri/ir/r, 1. 498.
■ Skeat.
i.e. alive. — P. part = dopart.-
lifte, MS., says Madden.— F.
rade. qu. — P.
8koat.
CAIJLE OFF CARLILE.
293
404
468
472
476
480
484
488
when tliey together were mett,
itt was a good thing, I you hett ;
the trumpetts plaid att the gate,
With trumpetts ^ of siluer theratt ^ ;
there [was] all manner of Minstrelsye,
harpe, Gyttorne,^ and sowtrye.
into the hall the King was ifett,*
& royallye in seat was sett.
by then the dinner was readj^e dight,
tables were couered ^ all on height ;
then to Avash they wold not blinn,
& the fFeast they can beg-inn.
there they were mached arright,
euery Lady against a Knight ;
And Minstrells sate in windowes ffaire, [page 455]
& playd on their instruments cleere ;
" Minstrells ifor worshipp att euery messe
iFull Lowd they cry Largnesse ^ ! "
the carle bade the 'Eiing " doe gladly e,
fFor heere yee gett great curtesy e."
the King said " by Saint Michaell
this dinner Liketh me ffall well."
he dubd the carle a K-uiglit anon,
he gaue him the county of carlile soono,
& made him Erie of all tJud Land,^
& after, 'Knight of the table round.
the King said, " Knight, I tell thee,
CARLILE * shall thy name bee."
when the dinner was all done,
euery Knight tooke his leaue soone,
are received
at the
Carle's
with sounri
of trumpet,
harp,
gittern, and
psaltery ;
tables are
laid,
and the feast
begins.
minstrels
playing the
while.
Arthur likes
his dinner.
knights the
Carle, gives
him Carlisle,
makes him
an Earl, and
a Knight of
the Round
Table, and
christens
him Carli<lo.
After dinner
the guests
' trunnpetts MS.— F.
- tluTott, MS., says Madden. — F.
^ gjttonu', I^IS., says INIaddcu. — F.
♦ 1ms full, MS., says Madden.— F.
^ covered. — p. Pork, has a bettor de-
scription of the room and dinner, 1. C0;3-
24,— F.
* Largesse. — P.
' Loud.— P.
" No kniglit of this name occnrs in
the Freucli romances of tliu Kound Talile,
nor in the Moric cTArlhurc of Maloi-}-.
Miiddon's Syr G., p. 348.— F.
294
CARLE OFF CARLILE.
go home.
May God
bring our
souls to
heaven !
492
496
500
to wend forward soberlye
home into tlieir owne country e.^
he thai made vs all with his hand,
both the sea and the Land,
grant vs all fFor his sake
this fFalse world to fForsake,
& ont of this world when wee shall wend,
to heauens blisse our soules bringe !
god grant ys grace itt may soe bee !
Amen, say all, ffor Charitye !
ffinis.
■ The Porkington MS. makes the
Carle (according to his promise, 1. 422-3
above), foiiud "A ryehe Abbey . . in the
towne of mciy Carleyle
J>rtt lie liad slayno." — F.
for the men
[" Off all the Seaes," printed in Lo. & Hum. Songs, j7. 85, folhnus here
in the MS. p. 455.]
295
I)f ro : vS: : trnntrrr : ^
Quid juvonis, magnum cui versat in ossibus ignom
Durus amor? Nempe abruptis turbata procellis
Nocte natat caeca serus frota ; quom super ingens
Porta tonat ccoli et scopulis illisa reclamant
^quora ; nee miseri possunt revocaro parentes,
Nee moritura super crudeli funere virgo.
Virg. Gcorg. iii. 258-63.
This subject has been a favourite one with both ancient and
modern writers. The eighteenth and nineteenth of Ovid's
Heroides deal with it. A famous poem was written on it l)y
Musseus :
ejVe, 6ea, Kfivpiwv itnyidprvpa Xv^vov ipurwv,
Ka\ vvx'-'^v TTKwrrjpa Qa\affaoTr6pwv vixevaioov,
Kal ydpiov dx^^^^VTa rhv ovk tSev &(p6iTos 'Huis,
Kol ^rjffThy KofA^vSov Sirri jd/xos 6yvvxos"Hpovs.
When he lived is unknown ; perhaps not before the fifth cen-
tury of our era. His poem, discovered in the thirteenth century,
became passing popular. It was translated again and again,
into English by Chapman (the dead shepherd's saw occurs in
. this translation :
"Who ever loved that loved not at first sight ? "),
Stapylton, Stirling, and many others; into Gorman by Stolberg,
Passow &c. ; into French by Marot; into Italian 1)y Bernardo
Tasso, Bettoni &c. (see Smith's Biog. Did. &c.) The story it
told was retold in other shapes, and amongst them in the shape
of a ballad as here.
This version is, as the Jjisliop remarks, " tollerahly regular."
It cannot indeed lay claim to any plenary ins[)iralioii ; it is
' A I'otiii toll, nibl.) («o) regular.-^ 1'.
296
HERO AND LEANDER.
evidently the production of a sort of poetical shopkeeper who
could serve his customers with whatever amount of verses they
wanted, well measured and carefully weighed, on any subject —
of one who executed poetical orders.
References to the touching story lie thick in literature, from
the mention of " The Amours of Hero and Leander," in the Gomi-
'plaint of Scotland, to Rosalind's mocking revision of it in As
You Like It: " Leander, he would have lived many a fair year,
tliough Hero had turn'd nun, if it had not been for a hot mid-
summer night ; for, good youth, he went but forth to wash him in
the Hellespont, and being taken with the cramp, was drowned ; and
the foolish coroners of that age found it was ' Hero of Sestos.' "
In recent times Hood and Turner have, each in his own way,
illumined and glorified the old tragedy.
Once were
two lovers,
whose storv
I'll tell yoii.
low : fFamous louers once there was,
wliome fame liatli quite fforgott,
who liued long most constantlye
wz'thout all eniiious blott.
sliee was most ffaire, & hee most true,
w/w'ch caused that thai did ensue : ffa : la
whose story I doe meane to write,
and title itt trueloues delight : f a : la : la :
la
Leander and
Hero.
Tlie Helles-
pont
Kcparateil
them,
Leander was this young mans name, rpngo 4'if.]
right noble by discent,
& hero, shee, whose bewtyes rare
12 might giue Loue great content,
hee att Abydos kept his court,
shee att cestos liued in sport, fa : la : la.
a riuer great did part these twainc, —
If. w///ch caused them oft, poore soules, coinplaiuo
fa : la : la : —
HERO AND LEANDEI!.
297
Euen Hellespont, -whose current streamc
like lightning swift did glyde ;
acenrsed riuer thai 2 liarts
20 soe fiaithfull must ^ devyde !
And more, w7;/'cli did angment tlieir woe,
the parents Avere eche others fFoc, fa : la : la :
soe thai no shipp durst him conuay
24 vnto the place Avherc his Hero Lay, ffa : la : la :
Long time these loners did complaine
the Misse of their desires,
not knowing how the ^ might obtains
28 the thing they did require.
though hee were parted w^'th rough seas,
no watters cold loues fflame appease, fa : la : la :
Leander ventured for to swim
32 to Hero, who well welcomed him, fa : la : la :
Euen in the midst of darkesome ^ night
when all things silent were,
wold young Leander take his fflight
30 throug[h] Hellespont soe cleere ;
wher att ^ the shore Hero wold bee
to welcome him most Louinglye, fa : la :
& soe Leander wold conuay
40 vnto the Chamber where shoe Lay, fa : la :
Thus many dayes the did enioye
the fruite of their delight,
for he oft to his Hero came,
44 & backe againe same night ;
And shee for to encourage him
through Hellespont more boldlye swim,'^' fa : la :
In her tap •• tower a lampe did place,
48 wherby he might behold her liace, fa : la :
and tlieiv
parents wcra
enemies.
For a long
time the
lovers could
not meet.
At last,
Leander
swam
across the
Hellespont,
and Hero
took him
To help him
swim.
she used to
put a lamp
in her tower,
M.S. unust. — F.
they.— P.
MS. darkosone. — 1"'.
' MS. wluTiUt.— F.
'• ? MS. siiirin.— F.
" high : taper, qu. — P.
t(.p.— F
298
HERO AND LEANDER.
and sit by it,
praying for
her love.
52
56
And by this lampe wold Hero sitt,
still pi'ay[i]ng for lier loue,
thai the rough watters vnto him
might not offensiue prone :
" be mild," quoth, shee, " while he doth swim,
& that I hane well welcomed him, fa : [la :]
& then euer rage & rorc amaine,
that he may neuer goe hence againe, fa : la :
Winter
came with
its storms,
but these did
not stop
Leajider.
CO
64
Now boisterous winter hasted on,
when winds & watters rage ;
yett cold itt not the LustfFull hart
of this younge youth as wage ;
though winds & watters raged soe,
no shipp durst venter for to goe : fa : [la :]
Leander wold goe see his loue,
his manly armes in flfloods to proue fa : la :
Ho leapt into
the Helles-
pont,
but could
not reach
land, his
lover's lamp
was out.
Then leapt hee into Hellespont,
desirous for to goe
vnto the place of his delight,
CS w7i/ch hee afiected soe ;
but winds & wanes did him withstand
soe that he cold attaine no Land, fa : la : la
ffor his loues lampe [he] looked about ;
72 ffaire Hero slept, & itt was out. fa : la : la :
His body
was cast
ashore.
76
80
Then all in vaine Leander strouc
till armes cold doe no more ;
for naked, he, depriued of liffe,
was cast vpon the shore.
0 had the Lampe still stayed in,
Leander liueles had not beene : f a : la : la :
w/ti'ch being gone, he knew no ground,
because tliick darkuesso did ubouiul. fa : la
HERO AND LEANDER.
299
When Hero fFaii'e awaket ffrom sleepc, ipngei.JTj
& saw her lampe was gone,
hei' sences all benunied were,
8-t & shee like to a stone.
O ! ffrom her eyes, then perles more Clecre, fa : la : she wept,
pyoceeded many a dolefall teare,
perswading ^ that the angry flood
88 had drunke Leanders guiltlesse bloode, fa : la :
Hero awoke
niul found
her lamp
out.
fearing
Leander's
fate.
92
96
Then to the topp of highest tower
faire hero did ascend,
to see how the winds did w^'th the wanes
for mastershipp contend,
& on the sand shee did espye
a naked bodye linelesse lye, fa : la :
& lookeing more vpont, shee knew
itt was Leanders bloudlye hew. f a : la :
She saw his
corpse on the
sand.
100
104
Then did shee teare her golden hairo,
& in her greeue thns sayd,
" accui'sed riuer ! that art still
a foe to euery maide
since Hellen ffaire in thee was drowned,
named Hellespont, that euer ffround, fa : la :
& now to see what thou canst doe,
thou hast made me a mourner too ! fa : la : la :
Slio tore her
hair.
cursed tlie
Hellespont,
108
112
" But though thou didst attach my louc,
& tookest him ffor thy owne,
that hec was only es ^ Heroes deere,
hencforth itt shall be knowne."
then ffrom the tower faire Hero ffell,
whose woefuU death I sighe to tell, fa : la :
and on his body there did dye
that loued her most tenderlyc, fa : la :
and fell
from her
tower,
on Lcander'
body, and
died.
' perswadcd. — Skeat.
? fur indij hU, or onlijc witJiout llii^ a. — F.
300 HERO AND LEANDER.
Thus endeth both they ^ liffe & lone
in prime ^ of their young yeeres,
since whose untimely ffuneralls
lie no such true loue appeares.
vntill more constant loue arise,
their names I will imupetelasze,^ fa : la :
May true
lovers now & heauen rffrantl such as liaue * true ffViends,
have better '-° -* '
''"''s' 120 as ffaithffull harts, but better ends ! fUuis.
' their.— P. 2 jvis. prine.— F.
^ qu. MS. — F. himpettelaze, corruptly ^Yritt':'Il for immortalize. — P.
" * grant sucli. — P.
301
Boccaccio, Chaucer, and Shakespeare have all taken in liand
the story of Troilus and Cressida — an episode of the Trojan war
not mentioned by Homer or any other extant ancient writer, but
first narrated by Guido de Colonna in the thirteenth century.
"In the royal [now imperial] library of Paris," says Warton,
" it occurs often as an ancient French romance. ' Cod. 7546,
Roman de Troilus;^ 'Cod. 7564, Roman de Troilus et de
Briseida ou Creseida.^ " Chaucer, as is well known, in his nar-
rative refers to " myn auctor Lollius ; " but who this Lollius
was is a question of much difficulty. Manifestly, the tale w^as
extremely popular, and found its way into many different lan-
guages and forms.
Warton notices in the Eegister of the Stationers' Company
" A ballet intituled the History of Troilus ivhose troth ^ had well
been tryed" licensed to Purfoote in 1565, and again in 1581,^
and ia 1608.
The following piece gives a summary of the old tale, with the
moral of it.
CrESSUS : was the ffairest of Troye, Troilus •
whom Troylus did loue !
the 'Kn'ujhi was kind, & slice Avas coy, couui not
. , win Crossid,
4 no words nor worthes ' cold mouo, till
_,. , . Ill- Pandarus
till Pindaurus * soc playd his prn-t hdped lum.
Hint the K?//^//t obiainod lier Iiart,
' It sli'.' Lo Crcssidc, sec Chaucrr & dAWcr. Jicg. Sl(i.Com2i.\tA.\.\>.\'l\. — F.
Shakespcar.— P. •■• Collier, vol. ii. p. 1 IG.— F.
* Wartoii's correction of "throtcs." * worth. — P. '•' Paiiiltirub. — P.
302
CRESSUS.
tlic Ladyes rose destroyes :
[Tliey] lield sweet warr a winters niglit
till tlie enuyous day gaue Hglat ;
■wJdch darkness ' loners ioyes.
Wlicn tlie
Trojans lost,
loved
Diomede.
!2
IC
20
Cresses ^ lone lones mother ^ crest,
fforctold her in a dreame
how Grecyans ^ won, how Troians Lost.
fFalse loue ffleetes w^'th the streams :
Shea sweets ffaces, vallyant flights,
who put downe the Troian knights,
downe might their Ladyes put.
dioncd ^ thought her noe mayd,
yctt loues debt was richely paid,
the seas the poorest cutt.
So lasses,
3eam
that one love
cloys ;
change it
then.
like your
clothes,
and take the
best.
24
28
Lasses, learne some witt by this !
though Ladyes truth proffesse,
no signe remaines of vnseen kisse
vnlesss a ffoole conflPesse,
■what pleased to-day, to-morrow cloyes;
loy growes dull thai still enioyes ;
change loue, for loues sweet sake,
now hopes pleased ^ w/th pleasure strange ;
then chang loue, with garments change,
& still the better take.
ffiiiis.
' darkens. — P.
2 Cressidc's. — P.
' Luve's-mothcr. — P.
* Grecians. — P.
* Diomede. — P.
" new hopes plcivsc.-
-Skeat.
303
^Ottcysi : of ,i^f)f parties;.' [p«go 4.^^]
Tjiis song is in Westminster Drollery, Part II. 1672, p. 64, under
the title of "The hunting of the Grods." After two long
searches through the JNluseum Catalogues, only Part I. of that
work, dated 1671, could be found. Recourse was therefore had
to jNIr. Lilly, of New Street, Covent Garden, to whose kind help
so many editors and writers have been indebted, and he at once
produced from his stores a copy of Part II., and allowed
]Mr. Furnivall to collate the Folio proof with it. We thank
him for his courtesy, and wish his example was followed by all
noble and gentle owners of rare books and MSS. in England.
But, alas, among the fair flock of collectors is more than one
black sheep.
This piece, as Percy notes, occurs also in the Collection of
Old Ballads, and is there, too, entitled "The Hunting of the
Gods." The copy is much freer from gross blunders than that
of the Folio, but is not altogether satisfactory ; e. g. it loses the
rime to Olympical, reads course for courser.
An elaborate collation of the Old Ballads copy with the Folio
one, which differs much from it, had been made for us by
Mr. Brock before we found out ]\Ir. Lilly ; but this has now been
put aside in favour of the collation with the earlier Drollery
copy. In the O.B. copy which Mr. Brock used, the order of the
stanzas differs from that of the Folio and ^Yesilninster Drollery ;
the first four and the last coincide, but the others vary thus : —
In Ihc priiilcd Collccliuu of old IJalladb 12"'" vi.l. 3. \yd'^. 198, N. 3(i.— P.
)04 SONGS OF SHEPAEDES.
Stanza 5 of MS. and W.D. is nt
,. 7 „
mza 9 of O.B.
8
6
9 „ „ 7 „
The gods, ennuyes, tired of lying beside their nectar, sick of
their " securum sevum," envious of the sports of men, resolve on
a sort of divine " meet." They have a day with the harriers.
The shepherds wonder what this strange venery means.
The piece illustrates the passionate attachment with which
hare-hunting was regarded in the old pre-foxchasing days.' Jt
was an attachment of long standing. In the Squire of Loio
Degree, when the king's daughter of Hungary in her forlornness
cries out on this world's vanity, and bids adieu to all that was
held most precious, she concludes :
Farewell hawkes and farewell lioundc ;
Farewell markes and many a pounde ;
Farewell hiintynge at the hare ;
Farewell liarte and hynde for evormaro.
There are other copies, as Mr. Chappell points out, in Wit and
Drollery (1682), Pills to purge Melancholy (1707), and Dryden's
Miscellany Poems.
Songs of OONGS : of shepards,'^ rnsticall roundelayes
shepherds
fFramed on^ fiancyes,^ whistled on reeds,
songs ■* to solace young Nimphes vpon liolydayes,
worthy * ^^^ ^^ ^ unwortliy ffor wonderflFull deeds.
*° *®'^ Phebus Aeminius ^ or worthy Cylen[i]us,''
his lofty Genius ® may seem to declare
In verse better coyncd, or verse ^ more refined,
how the J, ]jQ^y states '" diuined '' once hunted '^ the hare.
Gods liuntcu
the hare.
' See pages 320-1 of ChappoU's Poj«<- ^ Ingenious. — W.D. ingenious. — P.
lar Music. — F. ' winged Cylenius. — AV.l). witty Cyl-
* Westminster BroUery inserts 'and.' Icnius. — P. " MS. ccnius. — F.
— F. 3 Forni'd of.— W.D. '■> And voice.— W.D. '» stars.— P.
' Sung.— W.D. " devin'd.- W.D. divine.— W. Chap-
i too.— W.D. too.— P. prll. 1-' the huntiug.— P.
SONGS OF SHEPARDES.
305
12
Hi
Starres inamoured wt'tli pastimes Olimpicall,
stares & planetts thai bewtiffall slio^vne,
wold noe longer tJiat eartlilye men only shall '
swim in pleasures, & they but looke on.
Round about horned Lucina the ^ swarmed,
& her informed how minded they were,
Eche god & goddesse, to take humane bodyes,
as Lords & Ladyes, to flbllow tlie hare.
The stars
and pi 1171 els
told tho
moon
that they
meant to
take
human forin,
and liunt the
liure.
chast dyana aplauded the motyon,
w/th •* pale p/oserpiua sate in her place,
Lights ■* the welkin & gouemes the Ocean
20 whilest ^ shee conducted her nephews in chase,
& by her example^ her ffavour'' to trample
tlie cold & ample * earth, leaueth the '-' ay re,
Neptune the Avatter, the wind "* liber pater,
24 & Mars the slaughter, to ffollow the hare.
Diana,
Proserpine,
Neptune,
and Mars
join in the
hunt,
2S
;J2
Light young ^' Cupid, horsset '^ vpon Pegasus, withCupid,
borrowed of Muses w/'th Kisses and prayers ;
strong Alcydes vpon cloudy e Caucasus Aicides,
mounts a Centaure thai proudlye him beares ;
Postylyon of the skye, light heeld '^ Mercurye, Mercury,
makes ^* his courser ffly as fflight as the ''^ ayre ;
yellow Appollo the Kenell doth ffollow, Apoiio,
w/th '^ whoope and hallow after the hare.
Hymen vshers the Ladyes : Astrea
the '^ iust tooke hands with Minerua the bold,
Astrfa,
Jlincrva,
' f^houH.— P.
- tlicy.— W.I), thcv.— r.
■•> And.— W.I). And.— r.
* Wliich li^'hts.— P.
» wliile.— W.D.
" and, qu. — P.
' l<'allicr.— W.D.
" Thr Kartli old & ample.^P.
•• Uavc. -W.D. kavc th.y tlir
VOL. lir.
- I'
'" Wine— W.D. wine— P.
" god.- W.D.
''■' was bors'd. — W.D.
'» footed.— P.
" niaketh: Conj.— P.
'^ flv Fleet as tho.— W.D.
the— P.
'" and. -W.D.
'■ tliat, qu.— P.
fleet
306
SONGS OF SHErAEDES.
Ceres,
Thetis,
Aurora,
Maya,
Juno,
36
40
Ceres the browne with the ' bi'ight Cythei'[e]a,^
Thetis ^ the wanton, Bellona the old/
shame-ffast ^ Aurora, with suttle Pandora,
& May ^ With fflora did company ^ beare ;
luno ^ was stated too hye to be mated,
but,^ 0 ^^ shee hated not hunting the hare.
Narcissus,
Somnus,
Mulciber,
Tan.
Mollis,
Momus.
48
drowned Narssissus ffrom his Metamorphisis
raised with ^' Eccho, new manhoode did take ;
snoring Somnus vpstarted in cinaris,^^
that this ^3 1000** yeeres i^ was not awake,
to see clubfFooted old Mulciber booted,
& Pan pj-omoted on Aeolus ^^ mare ;
proud Colons ^^ pouted, proud ''' Aeolus •** shouted
& Momus fflowted, but ffollowed the hare.
The liouTicls
give tongue,
the hunters
sound their
horns.
AVe
shepherds
told our
fancies about
the hunt :
52
.56
deepe Melampus & cuning Ignobytes,'^
Nappy,^° & tigre, & harpye, the s[k]yes ^^
rends with ^^ roring, whilest hunter like ^'^ Hercules
sounds they ^'' plcntifFull home to their cryes.
^■' [Till with varieties To solace their Pieties
The wary Deities Repos'd them where]
wee shepards weare seated, the whilest ^^ wee repeated
what wee conceited of their hunting the hare.
-F.
P.
' W.D. omits the
2 Cytherea.— P.
=■ With Thetis.— W.D.
* doth hold. Sic Icgerim. — P.
^ Shamefac't.— W.D.
« Maya.— P. May.— W.D.
' MS. campany. — F.
s But Juno.— P. » Altho'.
>» yot.— AV.D.
■' Rowzed by.— P. Eais'd by.— W.D
'■ Cimmeris. — P. Cineris. — W D.
" The whicli. — P.
'* thousand year. — W.D.
'5 Chirons.— W.D.
'» Pallas.— P. Faunus.--W.D.
" and.— W.D.
'* and iI']ohis. — P.
'" fortunate L?elaps. — P. lehnobatcs
—W.D.
2» Jowler.— P. Nape.— W.D.
-' Harper, the skies. — P.
2- Pent with.— W.D.
^^ huntsman-like. — W.D.
2' Winds the.— W.D.
25 Percy inserts here from OldljaUads:
Till with varieties
To solace their deities,
Their weary Pieties
refreshed were.
W.D. has the variations of the text
above, and the two lines arc printed iis
fonr. — F.
'-° And 1hcro.— W.D. Line 53 is
written as two lines in the MS. — F.
f^ONGs OK ,siiErAitT>::s.
307
60
Gi
68
80
yooung Amyntas supposed, the gods came to breathe, Amyntas
told his,
after some battell, themselues on the ground;
Thirsis thought they starres * came to dwell herebeneath, Thj-rsis his,
& flat herafter they ^ Avorld. wold goe round ;
Corydon aged, w/th Phillis engaged,
Avas much inraged w/th iealous dispayre,
but fFeare "• rewarded,* & he was pcrswaded,
when I thus aplauded their hunting the hare :
anil I told
mine.
" starrest but sbadowes where,^ states* were but sorrow,
that ^ noe '" motyon, nor that no delight '' ;
loyes are louyall, delight is the Marrow
of lifFe, & action the apple '^ of light '■* ;
pleasure d[e]pends vpon no other ends,'*
but''^ ffreely lends to eche vertue a share;
only is mesure "^ the lewell of treasuix; "■ ;
of pleasure the treasure is '** hunting the hare."
fibwre " broad bowles to the Olimpicall rector
fhat'^^ Troy borne ^' Egle does bring 22 on his knee !
loiie to Pheobus Carrouses in nector.
And he to Hermes, & Hermes to mee, [iwse -i:,nj
whei'e-wi'th infused, I pipet ^^ & I mused
in verse '^^ vnused, this sport ^^ to declare.
O ^ that the rouse of loue, round a-s his spheero may
moue,
lielth to all that loue hunting the hare 1
in 11 is.
" stars arc
shaxlows,
ETods no
delight ;
the treasure
of pleasure
is hunting
the hare,"
It has
inspired me
to write
thus.
Here's
health U> nli
who love
hunting
the harei
' battels.-- W.D. - tlio stars.— W.D.
3 t ho.— W.I). ■• fury WHS faded.— P.
* fnrv vaded.— W.D.
« Sta'rrs.— W.D.
' wen-, — W.D. worn: Jov.'<. — P.
« Htatc— W.D. » Had they.— W.D.
'" thoy witliout — P.
" these wanting Y)p\k/hi. — P.
'- axle.— W.D. '» axle of might.- P.
" friends.— W.D. '^ And yet,— W.D.
'" As measures. — W.D.
' ' pleasures. — AV.D.
Alone is pleasure
The measure of treasure. — P.
"* treasures of.— W.D
'" Three.— W.D. " His.— W.D.
-' Boy presents. — P.
-'- ho brings. — W.D.
-^ I pip'd. — W.D. ■-' songs.
" thoir sports.— P. -« And.
-W.D.
-W.D.
[The follmnnc) jv'ece.<^, printed in Lo. and Hum. Songs, jrp 87-101
folloio hrre in the MS, (pp. 459-63) : " Loner.'^ hm[ril-e alarum,'' " i
freinrh of wine;' "Onay,Onay, not yrft;' '' I canvot bee confevtej;'
'' Lilhmvhrim," '^he S<'a-rrahl,;' '' Last night T thought "^
308
" Mr. Thorpe, the enterprising bookseller of Bedford Street,"
says Mr. Collier in a note in his History of Dramatic Poetry, " is
in possession of a MS. full of songs and poems, in the handwriting
of a person of the name of Eichard Jackson, all copied prior to
the year 1631, and including many unpublished pieces by a
variety of celebrated poets. One of the most curious is a song
in five seven-line stanzas thus headed : ' Shakespeare's Eime
which he made at the Mytrein Fleete Streete.' It begins, ' PVom
the rich Lavinian Shore,' and some few of the lines were pub-
lished by Plaj^ford and set as a catch."
Mr. Thorns (see Anecdotes and Traditions, printed for the
Camden Society) and Dr. Eimbault (in an article in Notes and
Queries, May 13, 1854) apparently accept this heading as a
sufficient proof that the piece is verily written by Shakespeare.
We certainly cannot so accept it.
Dr. Eimbault gives an interesting version from a MS. collection
of songs formerly in possession of J. S. Smith, editor of Musica
Antiquu.
From the fair Lauinian shore
I your markets come to store,
Marvel not I thus far dwell
And hither bring my wares to sell,
Such is the sacred hunger of gold.
Then come to my pack
While I cry
What d' ye lack ?
What d' ye buy ?
For here it is to be sold.
' One stanza of this is in Wilson's Checrefull Ayrcs (1600) p. '6. — F.
THE LAUINIAN SHORE. 309
I have beauty, honour, grace,
Virtue, favour, time, and space,
And what else thou wouldst request,
K'en the thing thou likest best.
First, let mo have but a touch of tliy gold.
Then come too, lad,
Thou shalt have
"What thy lust never gave.
For here it is to bo sold.
Though thy gentry be but young,
As the flower that this day sprung.
And thy father thee before
Never arms nor scutcheon bore.
First let me have but a catch of tliy gold.
Then though thou be an ass.
By this light
Thou shalt pass
For a knight.
For here it is to be sold.
Thou whoso obscure birth so base
Ranks among the ignoble race,
And desireth that thy name
Unto honour should obtain.
First, etc.
Madam, come, see what you lack,
Here's complexion in my pack,
White and red you may have in this place.
To hide an old ill-wrinkled face.
First, let me have but a catch of thy gold.
Then thou shalt seem
Like a wench of fifteen.
Although you bo three-score and ten years old.
Other less perfect copies are, lie points out, to l)e found in
Playford's Select Ayres and Dialogues (1659), Dr. Wilson's
Gheerefull Ayres and Ballads (1660), in Playford's Cai!c/i that
Catch (7a7i (1667). The first stanza is given as "set" by Dr.
Wilson in Playford's Musical Companion (1673).
A remarkable writer in the Athenceum, quoted by Dr. Rini-
bault, says the "rime is a merely clumsy adaptation from Een's
interesting epigram ' Inviting a Friend to Supper.' " This
gentleman had certainly not read botli poems.
310 THE LAUINIAN SJIOKE.
The speaker in the piece is a sort of superior hawker. His
stock consists not of such material blessings as Autolycus vended
at the sheep-shearing in the Winter's Tale — lawn, and gloves,
and bracelets, and pins — or as were proffered to the London
Lackpenny strolling through the Chepe and Canwyke Street,
but of far subtler wares. He sells Success in Love, Rank, Repu-
tation, Health-restoratives. There is nothing in the world that
he does not sell, except Wit and Honesty. These cannot be
bought and sold. Otherwise he is an universal outfitter. The
satire in the third and fourth stanzas is directed, no doubt, at
the venality of the court of James I. and especially at the selling
of knighthodd countenanced and practised by that disreputable
monarch. But as was the court so was the country. Dives was
successful everywhere. He could never bear a bad cliaractcr ;
he could never be "refused" as a lover; he was always a gentle-
man born. Riches made the man. An ever-old, an ever-new
subject for the satirist. The worship of Plutus never ceases.
His temple is never uncrowded.
Viucant divitise, sacro ne cedat honori,
Nuper in banc urbem pedibus qui venerat ulbis;
Quandoquidem inter nos sanctissima divitiaruni
Majestas, etsi funosta pecunia templo
Nondum habitas, nuUas nummorum ereximus aras.
This famous chapman, himself urged on, as he confesses, by *auri
sacra fames ' (v. 5), comes from far-away Italy — from Lavinia
littora (v. I. Compare, in D'Urfey's Pills to purge Melancholy,
A gentle breeze from the Lavinian shore
Was gliding o'or the coast of Sicily.)
Did Italy already in the earlier years of the seventeenth cen-
tury bear that ill name that was affixed to it in the eighteenth
and is but now perhaps being removed from it? Was it even
then regarded as the cradle and nursery of impostors and
charlatans? And were these, its miserable offspring, already
overrunning other countries and England ? The " Gneculus
THE LALINIAN SHORE. oil
esuriens " whom Juvenal described with such sarcasm, as ready
to turn his hand to anything and everything, to turn
Grammaticus, rhetor, geometres, pictor, aliptes,
Augur, scliojnoliates, medicus, magus,
was but a type of what his ow^n countryman became in hxter
times.
ITR0]\I the rich ' Laiiinian shore i come from
ffir
I yo«r markett ^ come to store,
muse not you I soe farr ^ dwell,
4 [&] hither * come my warres to sell ; ^ t°je^ii "y
Such is they ^ Sacred hunger of gold,
come '^ to my packe ! will you buy ^ what you ^ Buy what
you lack!
lacke : '«
Avhat you lacke, ^*
heare shall you baue '^ to be sold. ,
8 you -svbose fFortune young denyes '^ You unsuc-
, . cessful
grace m yo?(r belouecl '* eyes ; loveis,
thou thy loues, vowes, or deserts ^^
nought p/'cuaile in womans harts ;
12 soe be yowr palmes anointed wi'tli gold "' bring me
come to me then ! wben, gentlemen, will you buy ? '^
loue, loue, is heere to be sold. ^i'"' I'H soU
you love.
3^ou, Avhose birth obscure & base You base-
born nieu
16 rankes you w/th ignoble ^* race ;
' faire. — Wilson's Ayres. " what d'yo buy. — W.A.
- Markets.— AV.A. " for here it is.— W.A.
' though so farr I. — W.A. " you, whom Fortune's Wrong tleiiios.
* and hitlier.-P. —P.
' and my wares come hero to sell. '^ beloved's. — P.
— W.A. " For all your loves, vows, &c. — P.
* the. — P. '" Unless their palms be (I w**. rtaul).
' then come. — W.A. — P.
* while I crj\ — W.A. " " Come to me then,
" d'ye. — W.A. will you buy Gout".
"• What you laekr is licro to be sold. " Gcn*love &c.— P.
—P. "* of ignoble.— P.
312
THE LAUIMAN SHOKE.
wlio arc
:imbitioiis
bring me
gold,
and I'll sell
you a place.
You
parvenus
whose
fathers had
no arms,
bring mo
gold.
and I'll sell
you
heraldry.
You
defamed,
defieient in
body or
mind.
bring me
gold, and
I'll sell you
fame and
perfection.
hope, ambityon, layer strines
ffor jour seines & ffor yo?fr wiues ;
well then, supply tliy deflects w/tli thy gold ;
'JO come for thy race, care not thon for a place, for a
place,
for a place is heare to be sold.
Thongh thy gentry be as younge
as the fflower that this day spronge,
24 thongh thy ffather thee before
neuer sheild nor scuchyon bore :
canst ffind in thy [heart] ' for to part w/th tliy
gold ?
come to me, lad, thon shalt haue Avhat thy dad
neuer had :
28 heeres Heraldrye to be sold.
Hath blind ffortnne hurt thy flame,
or vnkind natnre hurt thy fiframe ?
hart,^ nor mind, nor body, prwtes,
32 sti'ong ^ pi'oportion, or deserts ?
well then supply thy defects w/th thy gold ;
come to me then ! buy thy fame ; come * againc !
buy thy frame ;
fibr both are heare to be sold.
But you
dullards.
whatever
golil you
bring,
I can sell
you neither
wit nor
honesty.
3G
40
But dull chapemen, they dispise
my rich flairings to be wise ;
they whose humors ^ still doth ^ scorne
truth,^ and trickes & toyes adorne ;
If you doe come w/th Millyons of gold,
Seeke ffurther yet in my stall ;
there is witt none att all,
nor honesty, to be sold.
Ifinis.
' in thy heart. — P.
"- Hast.— P.
^ strength. — P.
* MR. cono. — F. come. — P.
'■• MS. hunors.— F.
" do. — P. " those whom. — P.
313
Come my 55aintp tiovt))*?*^
[page 4C4]
Tins piece praises the joys of a gypsy's life. It prefers tents to
homesteads, picking and stealing- to honest labour, complete
looseness to any sort of restraint.
The word " doxy " Nares defines to mean " a mistress."
" Coles has it a ' doxy meritrix ' . . . For the use of it among the
beggars, see Beaumont and Fletcher in the Beggar's Bush, Act
ii. 1." "Dill" is much the same as dilling, which is probably,
as Nares suggests, much the same as darling. " Minshew
explains it a waiiton, but there is nothing in its origin to convey
that meaning, even if with him we derived it from dlligo . . .
To make up a match with my eldest daughter, my wife's
dilling, whom she longs to call madam.' Eastw. Hoe. 0. PI. iv.
20G."
\jOME : my dainty doxeys, my dills, my dcares !
we liaue neitlier house nor land,
yet neuer want good cheers ;
4 Avoe take no care far candle, rents ;
wee sleepe, we snort, we snore, in tents.
Then rouse betime, & steale our dinners ;
our store is neuer taken w/tliout pigg or bacon,
8 & tliats good meate ffor sinners.
Att wakes & ffaires we cozen
poore cuntry folkes by the dozen ;
if one haue money, he disbursses,
12 while some tell fortune, some ^ picke pnrsscs.
Come my
dears !
Tho' we've
no houses
we live in
tents.
Go and steal
our dinners !
Cheat tlie
countrj'folk
at fairs.
' A Gypsy's Song.— P.
MS. sone.— F.
314
COME MY DAINTY DOXEYS.
For practice,
steal boots,
smocks, or
anything !
IG
rather then Hue out of vse,
steals hose or garters, bootes or shoocs,
boots, guilcled spurres wt'th inghng ^ rowells,
shirts or smockes, napkins or towells.
Come and
live with us,
all who love
their ease !
Gipsies get
drunk when
they please,
come line w/th vs, come line with vs,
all you flu it loue yo^tr eases!
he thats a Gipsey, may be drunke & tipsey
20 att what houre he pleases !
laugh,
and steal.
wee laugh, wee quafFe, wee rore, we shuffle,
wee filch, wee steale, wee drab, wee sckuffle !
(finis.
' perhaps jingliuj^. — P.
315
Co : (i^vffortif :
This song is said to have been composed by some contemporary
Cambridge wit on the occasion of James I.'s visit to Oxford in
1605. No doubt the whole affair — the speechifying, the jil'dj-
acting, the " qua^stiones " — was absurd enough ; and the keen
eyes of certain members of the sister university who were present
observed and recognised abroad absurdities which might have
passed unnoticed if perpetrated at home. Indeed, the spectacle
of the universities scraping and bowing before a royal visitation —
a spectacle they presented at everj^ possible opportunity — is highly
ludicrous. They poured forth Latin verses to a prodigious extent :
The hall was hung with verses thick,
A goodly sight to see,
For every one was willed to make
Verses in his degree.
To their trade some had made
Verses called Asclepiad.
Here might you find, of every kind,
Verses fitting to your mind;
Here a Hexameter, there a Pentameter,
Sapphics and Scazons too.
They overflowed with Latin orations. In a word, their book-
wormships exhausted all the powers of hyperbole and adulation.
A full and very amusing account of the visit to Oxford here
referred to, is quoted by Nicliols in his Prof/resses of James I.
(i. 530-59) from Ilarl. MS. 7044, fol. 201. " This, as is stated
by a note in the MS. in the handwriting of Baker, to whom the
MS. once belonged, was written by one Stringer, a bedell at
Cambridge in 1589, and subsequently a holder of other important
university posts. It fully illustrates the following s<|ui]): c </.
316 TO OXFFORDE.
as to V. 9 : "they presented to his Majesty," he says, " a Grreek
Testament in Folio washed and ruled, and two pair of Oxford
gloves with a deep fringe of gold, the turneovers being wrought
with pearle. They cost, as I was informed, 6L a pair," &e,
Anthony a Wood in his Annals, under 1614, speaking of the
King's visit to Cambridge in that year, says (apiid Nichols 1. c.
oiote) : " It must be now noted that when King James was en-
tertained at Oxford in 1605, divers Cambridge scholars went
thither out of novelty to see and hear ; yet, if anything had
been done amiss, they were resolved to represent it to the worst
advantage. Some therefore that pretended to be wits made
copies of verses on that solemnity, among which I have met with
one that runs thus :
To Oxenford the King is gone
With all his mighty Peers,
That hath in grace maintained us
These four or five long years.
Such a king as he hath been
As the like was never seen.
Knights did ride by his side
Evermore to be his guide :
A thousand knights, and forty thousand kniglits.
Knights of forty pound a year.
Some have said that it was made by one — Lake, but how true
I know not."
The piece, then, was composed for the benefit of the Com-
bination Eooms of Cambridge, or what equivalent institutions
there were in the beginning of the seventeenth century, and, we
may be sure, was received with much laughter there by the Dons
of the Stuart times.
The King's lO : Oxford the King is gone
gone to
Oxford w/th all his pompous sjraco,
to see the
sights- to vew the sights & see the learning
4 of thai ffiimons i)laco,
TO OXFFOKDE.
317
where clownes of the towne —
clothed in their scarlett gownes —
giiue the 'King such a thing
8 as passes all imageninge ;
a paire of gloues, to testifye their loncs
■which, to the K-iiuj they bore.
And tlie
clowns have
given him
a pair of
glovea :
They gaue him a payre of gloues
12 of stifie & strong staggs lether ;
I say, a payre of hunting gloues
to keepe out wind and wheather.
Some relate they gaue him plate,
16 & a purse stufft full with, gold :
" sure," said I, " thats a lye ! "
as soone as ere I heard itt told.
ffor why shold they giue their gold away
20 to him that hath enough of his owne ?
hunting
gloves ;
not plate
and monoy,
as some say.
24
28
Next to christs- church was he brought,
a place of Mickle ffame,
where the warden him receiued, —
I haue forgott his name. —
heere they all went to the hall,
tag & rag, great and small ;
the bells did ring, the boyes did singe,
& all did crye, " god saue the Kinge !
& grant hira grace to run a race
w/th pleasure in Royston downcs ! "
At Christ-
cliurcU
they took
him to the
hall.
The hall was liougc w/th verses thicke,
.'52 a goodlye sight to see,
ffor euery one was willed to make
verses in his degree.
to their trade some had made
30 verses called ascelpiado.
which was
hung all
over with
versos
318 TO OXFFORBE.
of all kinds, lierc might you find, of euerye Kind,
verses ffitting to yo?(r minde :
hexameters, lierc an examiter,^ tliere a pentamitcr,
&c. 40 saphickes,^ & seasens^ too. llinis.
' hexamef. — P. (the ■well-known verses, called also chol-
* .Sapphickes. — P. iai7ib'c^). — Dyce.
'■' Beyond all doubt an error for sca~ons
319
?Catipe : Bes^^iye/
Inerat ibi ab imgiiiculis Doi timor et fservitium adrairabile ; in parentes vero
mira observantia ; erga fratres et sorores amor ferme incredibilis ; in paupercs
Christique ministros reverenda ae singidaris aifectio. — Bernard Andreas.
Tavo copies of this song are preserved elsewhere, one in a MS.
of the time of Charles II. in the possession of Mr. Bateman,
the other in MS. Harl. 367, transcribed apparently, says
Mr. Halliwell, about tlie year 1600. These two copies differ
considerably. They have both been printed: the former three
times, viz., by Mr. Thomas Heywood in 1829, by Mr. Halliwell
for the Percy Society, and by Mr. Jewitt in his Ballads and
Songs of Derbyshire ; the latter by j\lr. Halliwell along with the
other. The following copy differs but slightly from this latter
one from the Harl. MS. It is perhaps a little later than it, as it
speaks of ' our comely King,' probably James the First, in v. 3,
where the Harleian version reads ' Queen,' probably Queen
Elizabeth. Certainly neither copy in its present shape is as old
as the events it describes. Both are less morlernised than the
copy in Mr. Bateman's IMS.
But we see no reason to doubt that the main ground-work of
the poem was laiil early in the sixteenth century, or still earlier,
' In f) P;irts. Coritaining a long Ai-- wlioreas our copy in the Folio dates from
count of the bringing in of Hen?-// 7".' and a King's reign — no doubt James l."s, —
all the steps previous to it, down lo the sauc & keepo our eomolye Klngc.
battle of liosworth. — P. (To prevent the repetition of an objec-
This is a later copy of the Ladi/c. t ion already made, I add that the epithet
Bessie in M.S. Ilarl. 367, fol. 89, printed 'comelye' was probably applied to J;imes
by Mr. Halliwell for the Percy Society because it was in the text, h;iving been
in 1847, at p. 43-79 of Tlie mosf pleasant used for Elizabetii.)
SoiKj of Ladji Bessji. The Harleian Cp. for st. 118, p. 18 1. Tiie IfMrleian
copy is doubtless of Elizabeth's reign, — copy is not divided into parts. The eol-
ab. IfiOO Mr. Halliwell saj's — as in its lation of it here is from Mr. HalliwelTs
S''' line, and its last line but one, it Iims text. — F.
save and kepe our comlyo qireene.
320 LADYE DESSIYE.
by one who himself took part, as he professes, in the exciting
transactions that are narrated — by Humphrey Erereton, the active
and zealous agent, the ' true esquire,' of the Lady Bessy. As to
the date of the composition of the poem, there is a great look of
authenticity about the work ; there is an annalistic air. The
account given of the conferences between the Princess and
Lord Stanley (styled, proleptically, the Earl of Derby), of the
messenger's journeys into the northern counties and across the
sea, is singularly minute and graphic; and these merits can
scarcely be ascribed to the brilliant imagination of the writer.
There are no signs apparent of any great talent of that kind.
The style is that of a man who can relate soberly and steadily
what he has seen, not of one fertile in conjuring up ideal
pictures. It is matter of fact, autoptic throughout.
We have, unhappily, no means of applying the touchstone of
history to the circumstances narrated by the ballad. There is
exiant no other information as to the movements of Elizabeth
of York, between Christmas 1484 and the 21st of the following
August, when the battle of Bosworth was fought. We find that
at the time of that battle she was living at Sheriff Hutton Castle
in Yorkshire, " with no companion," says Miss Strickland (see
that lady's Lives of the Queens of England), " but its young and
imbecile owner, her cousin Warwick." The ballad speaks of her
as present at Leicester, when the dishonoured body of her uncle
was carried from the field of his fall into that town. But this
collision between the ballad and facts cannot be allowed to
impugn the validity of the whole account furnished by the
ballad. The bringing the lately oppressed lady to the sight of
her fallen oppressor, formed a " position " too tempting to be
rejected. Facts might pardonably be strained a little to com-
pass such an effective meeting ; and the furious spirit of a
partisan might put into the mouth of a, most gonth^ l''<ly cruel
words dei'isive of lior fdlcn enemv.
LADYE BESSIYE.
321
Tlicy carried him naked unto Leicester,
And buckled his hair under his chin.
Bessie met him with a merry cheer ;
These were the words she said to him :
"How likest thou the skying of my brethren twain?"
She spake these words to him alone.
" Now are we wroken upon thee here !
Welcome, gentle uncle, home ! "
As to the authorship, we may easily believe that the writer
was Humphrey Breieton. Probably no one but Brereton would
have described so carefully Brereton's movements, the main
interests of the piece centring around the Earl of Eichmond, and
the lady Elizabeth. This author knows well and describes every
passage of them.
This ballad then may be set down as of some considerable
historical value for the picture of old times that it gives.
[Part I.]
[How the Princess Elizabeth persuades Lord Derby to help her and her
lover Kichmond.]
vJOD : that is most of might, God s
& borne was of a maiden ffree,
saue & keepe our comelye Kinge ^
4 & all 2 the pore cominaltye !
12
for wheras K.hig Rich(f)-(7, I vnd[e]rstand,
had not raigned yeeres three,
But the best duke in all the Land [page ur,]
he caused to be headed ^ att Salsburye.
that time the Stanleys w/thout doubt
were dread oner England ffarr & nccre,''
next 'King Richard, fhdi was soc stout,
of any hord in England Ire.''
the King
and the
Commons !
In Richard
lll.'s time
the Stanleys
were tlio
gi'oatest
lords in
England ;
' tjueene. — ITarl.
* also. — Ilarl.
* A.-S. heafdkm, to head, behead. — F.
* nee.— Ilarl. ^ free.— Uarl.
VOL. ni.
322
LADYE BESSIYE.
and when
Lady Bessyo
16
there was a Lady faire on mold,
the Bame of her was litle Bessye ;
shee was young, shee was not old,
but of the age ^ of one and twentye ;
was staying
in London
with Lord
Derby,
shee cold write, & shee cold reede,
well shee cold worke by prophesyc ;
shee soiorrned in the Cittye of London
20 that time with the Erie of Darbye.
she com-
plained to
him against
her nncle,
King
Bichard :
"He drowned
my brothers
vpon a time, as I you tell,
there was noe more but the Erie & shee ;
shee made complaint of ^ Richard the ^ing,
24 that was her vnckle of blood soe nye :
" helpe, ffather Stanley, I doe you pray !
for of K-ing Richard \\Token I wold ^ bee.
he did my brethren to the death on a day
28 in their bedd where they did lye ;
in a pipe of
wine,
and wanted
to put away
his Queen
and lie with
me.
You too may
meet with
Bucking-
ham's fate.
" he drowned them both in a pipe of wine ;
itt was dole to heare and see !
& he wold haue put away his Queene
.32 for to haue lyen by my bodye !
" helpe that he were put away,
for the royall blood destroyed Avilbee * !
BcKiNGAM, that duke of England,
36 was as great w/th 'King RicharcZ as now arc yce.
" the crowne of England there tooke hee, —
forsooth. Lore?, this is no lye, —
& crowned King 'Richard of England fi-ee,
40 that after beheaded him att Salsbuiye.
' j'eares. — ITarl.
^ one. — Ilarl.
will I.— ILirl.
destroy will hee. — Hurl.
LADYE BESSIYE.
" lielpe, fatlier Stanley, I you pray !
for on that traitor wroken wold I bee ; *
& lielpe Erie Richmond, ihat Prince soe ' gay,
41 that is exiled ouer the sea !
"for & he were 'King, I shold be Queene ;
I doe him loue, & neuer him see.
thinke on Edward, my father, that late was King,
48 vpon his deathe-bed where he did lye :
" of a litlo child he put mo to thee,
for to g'oucrnc and to guide ^ ;
into yo?(r keeping hee put mee,
52 & left me a booke of prophecye ^; —
" I haue itt in keeping in this citye ; —
he knew that yee might make me a Queene,
father, if thy will itt be ;
for Richa rt? is no righteous Kinge,
56
CO
G4
" nor v]3on no woman borne was hoe ;
the royall blood of all this land,
'Richard my vnkle will destroye
as he did the Duke of Buckingham,
;j23
Help, too,
Richmoiui,
who is
exiled.
I love him.
Think how
uiy father,
King
Edward, on
his death-
bod, left me
to your care.
as he knew
that you
could make
me Queen.
Richard will
destroy all
the royal
blood.
"Who'* was as great w/thKnir/RichanZ as now are yee.
for when he was duke of Gloster,
he slow good King Henerye He slew
in the Tower of London as he lay there.
King Henry
in the
Tower.
' Harl. omits soe. — F.
■■^ For gye = giiiclo. — D^to.
' See " Tlic most pleasant Song of
Ltuly Epssy," edited from i\Ir. Batenian's
MS. by Mr. Ilalliwell for the Percy So-
ciety, p. 4. King BUvard speaks to liis
little Bessy set in a window :
" Here is a book of Reason ; keep it well.
As yuu will have the love of me ;
Neither to any creature do it tell,
Nor let no livcing lord it see,
K.\cept it be to the Lord Stanley,
The ■which I love full heartiley :
All the matter to him show you may.
For ho and his thy help must bo ;
As soon as the truth to him is shown.
Unto your words he will agree ;
For their shall never son of my body
be gotten
That shall be crowned after mo,
But you shall be queen and wear the
crown,
So dot h oxprcsse I he prophccyc.' ' — F.
' which. — Ilarl.
324
LADYE BESSIYE.
Stanley,
your brother
Sir William
can bring
500 men,
your son
George
1000 men,
your son
Edward
300 men.
your nephew
Sir J.
Savage
1500 men,
" Sir ^vi\[iava Stanley, thy brother deere
in the hol[t]e ' where he doth '[jc,
he may make 500 fightinge men ^
68 by the marryagc of his faire Ladye.^
"your Sonne George, the liord Strange,
in Latham where he doth lye,
he may make a ] 000 ^ fEghting men in ffcrc,
72 & giue them wages for monthes three.
" Edward Stanley that is thy sonne,^
300 men may bring to thee,
thy Sonne lames, that young preist,
76 warden of Manchester was made lately e.
" S/r lohn Sanage, thy sisters sonne, —
he is thy sisters sonne of blood soe nye —
hee may make 1500 fighting men,
80 & all his men white hoods to ^ giue ;
" he giueth the pikes " on his banner bright ;
vpon a feild backed was neuer ^ hee. ^v^S'^ 466]
Sir Gilbert Talbott, a man of might,
84 in ShefTeild castle where he doth lye,
" Hele make a lOOO'l men ^ of might,
& giue them wages ifor monthes three.
& thy selfe a 1000 Eagle flfitt lo to fEght,
88 that is a goodlye sight to see ;
" for thou & thine witliouten pine
may Bring Richemond ouer the sea ;
for & he were K.ing, I should be Queene ;
ffather Stanley, remember bee ! "
SirG.
Talbott
1000 men (?)
yourself
1000 men :
You and
yours can
bring
Richmonil
back,
and then
he'll be
King, and I
Queen."
' holte.— Harl. holto, viJ. St. 50, &c.,
passim. — P.
* ten thowsand fighting men in fore.
— Ilarl.
'•> llarl. transposes linos G8 and 72. — F.
' niako fyvo thowsand. — Ilarl.
^ camo, cju. — P. sonne. — Harl.
92
•^ doc— Harl.
' pickes. — Ilarl.
* neiier backed was. — Ilarl.
° He may make ton thowsand. — Harl.
'" ten thowsand eigle feeto. — Harl.
Tlio Stanley liadge was an eagle's foot.
See vol. i. p. 223, note ". — F.
LADYE BESSIYE.
325
then answered the Earle againo ;
tliese were the words lie sayd to Besste :
" & K-incj Richard doe know this thing,!
96 wee were vndone, both thou and I ;
"In a ffire you - must brcnn,
my Hffe & my lands are ^ lost from niee ;
therfore these words be in vaine :
100 leauc & doe away, good Bessye ! "
" fiather Stanley ! is there no grace ?
noe Queene of England thai I must bee ?
then Bessye stoode studying ^ in thai place
104 With teares trickling fFrom her eyen :
" Now I know I must neuer be Queene !
all this, man, is longe of ^ thee !
but think e on the dreadffull day
108 when the great doame itt shalbe,
" when righteousnesse on the rainbowe shall sitt,
& deeme ^ he shall both thee and mee,
& all ffalshood away shall fflitt
when all truth shall by him bee !
112
llf)
120
" I care not whether I hange or drowne,
soe tliai my soule saued may bee ;
make good answer as thou may,
ffor all this, man, is longe of ^ thee."
With tliai shee tooke her head grace * downe,
& threw itt downe ^ vpon the ground,
both '° pearles & many a precyous stone
tliai were better then a 1000 i^ pound.
Lord Derby
answers,
that if
Ricliard
loicw of this
he'd burn
her, and
kill hiui.
She must
begone.
" Is there no
grace ?
Am I never
to be
Queen ?
Stanley !
Think on
the day of
doom,
when Christ
shall judge
you.
Care not for
death,
so that you
can answer
God ! "
Bessye
dashes lier
head-jewels
on the
ground,
' then.— Harl. ^ thou.— Harl.
' liind is. — Harl.
■• styding.— Ilarl.
'•' on. — llarl.
" And all dcnie. — Harl.
' on. — Harl. Cp. Cotgravo's '^ A ioij
ii'a pas toiu. Tboii vert HO liiudtra lice . .
it, was not lonr/ <//" thee— !•'.
8 perhaps geare.— P. gere.— Harl.
Yet "grace" may have been intended, as
in the description of a peasant :
" Her bon grace was of wended straw."
— W.C.
" did it throwe. — Harl. ^
'" with.— Harl.
" theri fowertvc- Harl.
326
LADYE BESSIYE.
tears licr
hair,
124
licr ffaxe ^ that was as wMte as silkc,
sliortly downe shee did itt rent ;
With her hands as white as any milke,
her ffaire ffaxe thus hath shee ^ spilt •
wrings her
hands,
laments,
and bids
Lord Derby
farewell.
her Lands together can shec wringe,
& With teai^es shoe Avipes her eye ;
" welladay, Bessye ! " can shee sing,
128 & parted With the Erie of darbye.
He turns
pale,
" ff are- well, man ! now am I gone !
itt shall be long ere thou me see ! "
the Erie stood still as any stone,
132 & all blarked^ was his blee.
weeps,
sa}'s " Stay,
Bessie !
Here
when he heard Bessye make such mone,
the teares fell downe from his eye,
" abyde, Bessye ! wee part not soe soone !
136 heere is none now ^ but thee and I ;
I fear
overhearers.
" ffeild hath eyen, & wood hath eares,
you cannott tell who standeth vs by ;
but wend forth, Bessye, to thy Bower,
140 & looke you. doe as 1 bidd yee ^ :
but at 9
to-night,
I'll be in
your bower
" put away thy maydens bright,
thai noe person doth vs see ^ ;
for att nine of the clocke w/thin this night,
144 in thy bower will I be wi'tli thee ;
' faxc, hair, A.-S.fcax, idem. — P.
2 lit'.— Harl.
^ ? fiplcnt (cf. splinter). — Uyce.
♦ Meneked.-Harl. lilanked— lii.s blee,
vide infra, Page 470 [of MH. 1. 412 here] :
i. c. his Complexion turned pale. — P,
^ I wone here is noe moe. — Ilarl.
6 the.— Ilarl.
' th(>rc with us bee. — Ilarl.
LADYE BESSIYE.
327
148
" then of this matter wee will talke ^ more,
when there is no moe but you ^ and I ;
A charcole [fire] ^ att my desu-e,
iliat no smoke come in our eye ; "*
and talk
more with
you.
Have a
charcoal fire
that won't
smoke,
" Peeces ^ of wine many a one,
& diners spices be therbye,
pen, Inke, paper, looke thou want none,
152 but haue all things ffull readye."
and pen, ink
and paper
all ready."
Bessye made her busines, & forth is gone,
& tooke her leaue att the Erie of Darbye,
& put away her maydens anon,
15G no man nor mayd ^ was therby ;
She goes
home,
sends away
her maids,
A charcole fire was ready bowne, —
there cane no smoke within his eye,-
peeces of wine many a one,
1 60 & diners spices lay ^ therby.
gets ready
a charcoal
fire.
and spices.
Pen, Inke, & paper, shee ^ wanted none,
& ^ hadd all things there flfull readye,
& sett her selfe vpon a stone
164 without ^'^ any companye.
[page 4G7] pen and
paper,
shee tooke a booke in her hande,
& 1 ^ did read of prophecye,
how shee shold bee Queene of ^^ England,
1G8 but many a guiltelesse man first must dye ;
and reads
her book of
prophecy.
* carpe. — Harl.
* thou. — Harl.
' fire, vide infra. — P.
* With no cliimney in the room, the
wood smoke would make their eyes
smart. See Pref. to Bahccs Hook, p. Ixiv.
— F.
^ cup.s. See ' a peece of wine,' p. 333,
1. 3()f) below, and 1. 159; also Bahccs
Book, p. 325, 1. 792.— F.
" mayden was tliere nye. — Harl.
' dyvers spiees did lye. — Harl.
* there. — Harl.
" shee. — Harl.
'" withouten. — Harl.
" and there. — Harl. '■' in. — Harl.
328
LADYE BESSIYE.
till Lord
Derby comes
at y lit
night.
17:
& as shee read ffurtlier,' shee wept.
with ^ that came the Erie of Darbye ;
att nine of the clocke att ^ night
to hessyes bower Cometh hee.
She bar? her
door.
shee barred the dore aboue and vnder,
that no man shold come them nye ^ ;
shoe sett him on [a] seate [soe] * rich,
176 & on another shee sett her by ;
and gives
him wine
and spice.
It works.
shee gaue him wine, shee gaue him spice,
sais,^ "blend in, ffather, & drinke to me."
the fire was hott, the spice itt bote,
ISO the wine itt wrought ^ wonderfFullye.
and he
promises
her what-
ever she
asks.
She wants
only her
Richmond.
then kind ^ in heat, god wott,
then weeped the noble ^ Erie of Darbye :
" aske now, Bessye then,i° what thou wilt,
184 & thy boone granted itt ^^ shalbce."
" Nothing," said Bessye, " I wold haue,
neither of gold nor yett of fiee,
but ffaire Erie Richmond, soe god me sane,
188 that hath lyen soe long beyond the sea."
Lord Derby
says he'd
gi-ant her
request if ho
had a clerk
he could
trust to
write for
him.
192
" Alas, Bessye! that '^ noble Lord
& thy boone, fforsooth, grant wold I thee ;
but there is no clarke that I dare '^ trust
this night to wi'ite fibr thee and mee,
' faster. — Harl.
* And with. — Harl.
' within the. — Harl.
■• nee. — Harl.
° a seate soe. — Harl,
• Said.— Harl.
' wroiighte. — Harl.
8 full kynde.— Harl.
' Maxcd the oulde. — Harl.
'« Harl. omits ihen.—F.
" And nowe thy bouno grannted.-
Harl.
'- said that.— P. said that.— Harl.
'^ doe. — Harl.
LADYE BESSIYE.
329
96
" because our matter is soe liyc,
lest any man wold vs bewray."
Besste said, " ffather, itt shall not needc :
I am a clarke fFull good, I say."
Bessje sas's
she'll be
clerk,
sliee drew a pape?' vpon her knee,
pen and Inke shee had full readye,
hands white & ffingars long ;
200 shee dressed her to write ^ speedylye.
and gets her
paper, &c.
ready.
" ffather Stanley, now let me sec,
ffor euery word write shall I."
" Bessye, make a letter to the Holt
204 there ^ my brother Sir William doth Lye ;
" bidd him bring 7 sad yeomen,
all in greene clothes lett them bee,
& change'his Inn in euery towne
208 where before hee was Avont to Lye ;
Lord Derby
dictates a
letter to Sir
William
Stanley,
telling him
to come to
him
" & lett his fface be towards the benchc,^
lest any man shold him espye ;
& by the 3''. day of May
212 that ho come and speake with mee.
by May 3.
" Com7)iend me to my sonne George,
the Jjord strange, where he doth lye,
& bidd him bring 7 sadd yeomen ;
2 1 0 all in greene clothes lett them bee,
He dictates
another
letter to his
son George,
bidding him
also come
" & lett himselfe be in the same suite,
& change ■* his Inn in euery towne,
& lett his backe be flfroe the bcnche,
220 Lest any man shold him knowne ;
' wrytc full.— Harl.
* whereas. — Harl.
' ? moaning. — F.
* i.'iianii<j;iii'r. — Harl.
330
by May 3.
Another to
his son
Edward,
bidding him
to come by
Mays.
Another to
Sir J.
Savage and
SirG.
Talbot,
bidding
them to
come by
May 3.
Lord Derby
seals the
letters,
224
LADYE BESSIYE.
"& by the 81 day of May
bidd him come & speake w/tli mee.
Commend me to Edward my sonne,
the warden ' & hee togetherr bee,
"& bidd them bring 7 sadd yeomen,
& all in gTeene lett them bee,
changing their Inn in euery towne
228 where before ^ they were wont to Lye ;
" lett their backes be fFrom the bench,
lest any man shold them see ;
& by the S". day of ]\Iay
232 bidd them come & speake w/th mee.
Comend me to Sir lolin Sauage
& Sir Gilbert Talbott in the north cuntrye,
& [let] either of them [bring] ^ 7 sad yeomen,
236 and all in greene lett them bee,
" Changing their Inn in euery towne
before where they were wont to bee ;
& by the 3'^. day of May
240 lett "* them come & speake -with, me."
Bessye writeth, the Lord he sealeth ;
" ffather Stanley, what will yee more ? "
" alas ! " sayd thai royall Lord,
244 " all our worke is ^ fforlore !
[page 48G]
but then he
has no
messenger
that lie can
trust.
" fTor there is noe messenger thaf^ wee may trust
to bring the tydings to the north cuntrye,
^ lest any man shold vs betraye,
248 ^ because our matter is soc hye."
' See line 76 above. — F.
* Before where. — Harl.
^ bjd them bryngo eyther of them.
—Harl.
' byd.— Harl. * yt is.— Harl.
* \vhom. — Hiirh
' The Folio transposes these two lines.
Harl. lias ihcm as here printed. — F.
LADYE BESSIYE.
331
252
" Humplirey Bretton,i " said litle Bessye,
" lie liatli beene true to my father & mee,
liee shall haue the writting ^ in hand,
& bring them into the North cuntrye.
Bessye saj-s
Humphrey
Brettoii
will take
the letters.
" goo to thy bedd, ffather, & sleepe,
& I shall worke ^ ffor thee & mee,
to-Morrow by rising of the sunn
256 Humphrey Bretton shall be w;'th thee."
shee brought the Jjord to "* his bedd,
all that night where he shold Lye ;
& Bessye worketh ^ all the night ;
260 there came no sleepe in her eye.
She takes
Lord Derby
to bed,
[Part II.] '
[How Humphrey Bretton, for the Princess Elizabeth's sake, carries the Letters
of Lord Derby to his Adherents.]
2C4
In the morninge when the day can spring,
vp riseth Bessye in that stower,
to Humphrey Bretton gone is shee "^ ;
but when shee came to Humphreys bower.
mid at day-
spring
goes to
Humphi'ey
2C8
With a small voice called shee.
Humphrey answered that Lady bright,
& saith, "lady, who are yee
that calleth on me ere^ itt be light ? "
and calls
him.
He asks who
it is.
272
" I am 'K.ing Edwards daughter,
the countesse cleere, young Bessye :
in all the hast thou ^ can,
thou must come speake AVith the Erie of Darbye."
" King
Edward's
daughter,
Lady Cicero,
come to
Lord Derby."
' Breerton. — Harl. & so tlirougliout.
* writynges. — Harl.
' wake. — Harl.
* unto. — Harl.
" waketh. — Harl.
' The 2'! P'! Query.— P.
' she ys. — Harl.
8 yc-r.— Harl. » that thou.— Harl.
332
LADYE BESSIYE.
Humphrey
goes with
her
to Lord
Derby,
who gives
him the 6
letters.
Bessye
promises to
reward him
when she's
Queen,
p.nd tells
him to avoid
bad
company,
Humphrey cast vpon [him] ' a gowne,
a paire of shppers on ^ his ffeete.
for[th] of [his] Chamber ^ then he came,
276 & wenf* With thai Lady sweet.
shee brought him to the bed side
where they Jjord lay in bed to sleepe.
when they ^ Erie did Humj)hrey see,
280 full tenderlye can hee ^ weepe,
& said, "my loue, my trust, my liffe, my Land,
all this, Humphrey, doth Lye iu thee !
thou may make, & thou may marr,
284 thou may vndoe Bessye & mee !
" take sixe letters in thy hand,''
& bring them into the north countrye ;
they be written on they ^ backside,
288 where they letterrs deliuered shokP bee."
he recciued the letterrs sixe ;
into the west wend '° wold hee.
then meeteth him that Ladye bright,
292 she said, "abide, Humphray, & speakc w/th mce.
" a poore reward I shall thee giue,
itt shall be but pounds three ;
if I be Queene, & may line,
better rewarded shalt thou bee.
296
300
" A litle witt god hath sent mce :
when thou rydest into the west,
I pray thee take no companye
but such as shall be of the best.
' him. — Harl.
* upon. — Harl.
3 forth of his ChamL':— P.
his chamber. — Harl.
* went forthe. — Harl.
*> the.— Harl.
* then can. — Harl.
' MS. hamcl.— F. thyno hande.—
forthe of Harl.
« the.— Harl.
^ leA'ercd shall.- — Harl.
'"> wyndc.— Harl.
LADYE BESSIYE,
333
304
" sitt not too long drinking tliy ' wine,
lest in heat ^ thou be too merrrje ;
such words you ^ may cast out then,
to-morrow * iforthought^ itt '' may bee.'
and not sit
too loiiR
over his
wine.
Humphray of ^ Besste recemed noble[s] nine ** ;
Av/th a peece of wine shee cold him assay ;
hee tooke leaue of that Ladye sheene,
308 & straight to the holt he took h[i]s ^ way.
when Sir william Stanley did him see,
he said to him wt'th words free,
" Humphrey Brettom, what maketh thce'° hcere,
312 that hither dost ryde soe hastily e ?
She gives
him nine
nobles,
and a cup of
wine,
and he rides
offlto
Sir W.
Stanley,
"How [farcth] ^^ tJiat Lore?, my brother deai'c, who asks
That lately was made the Erie of darby, Iv^so -tfio] Lord Derby,
is he dead without letting,
31G or With JLing Richard his counsell ^^ is hee?
" Or he be suspected without '^ lett,
or taken into the tower so hye,
London gates shall tremble & quake
320 but my brother borrowed shall bee !
" tell me, Humphrey, w/thouten lett,
that rydest hither '' soe hastilye."
" breake that letter," ^^ said Humphrey tlicn
324 " behold then, and you shall see." •**
the.— Harl.
liarto. — ILirl.
tlioii. — Ilarl.
the other morrowe. — Harl.
for thought. — P. repented of. — F.
Harl. omits itt. — F.
at.— -Harl.
ree'? nobles nine. — P. nowbles. —
If ho is pnt
in the Tower,
London
gates
shall tremble
for it.
Iluiniihrcy
h;inds him
the Earl's
letter.
Harl.
•■> the.— Harl.
'» thou.--Harl.
" fareth.— Harl. How cloth that.— P.
'- what consayte. — Harl.
'^ withouton. — Harl.
" hither rydeth.— Harl.
'■■ breake letter.— Harl.
'" IJeliuuIdo, sir, and yec may see. —
Harl. ^
334
LADYE BESSIYE.
Sir William
bites his
stick.
gives
Humphrey
100*.,
when tlie K.niijht Looked the Letter ' on,
he stood still in a studdiinge :
fiiiswer to Humphrey gane he none,
328 but still hee gnew ^ on his staffe end.
he plucket the letter in peeces three,
into the water he cold itt fflinge ^ :
"haue heere, Humphrey," said the ^nir/M,
3.^2 " I will 2:iue thee a 100 shillino'e :
tells him to
go to sleep,
and he'll lend
him a fresh
horse.
Humphrey
rests two
hours,
rides to
Latham ,
and reaches
it at nine.
The porter
" thou shalt not tarry heere all night,
straight to Latham ryd shall yee."
" alas," sais Humphrey, " I may not ryde,
336 my horsse is tyred, as ye may see ;
" I came ffrom London in this tyde,
there came no sleepe within mine eye."
"Lay thee downe, Humphrey," he said, " & slccpc
340 well the space of houres three ;
" a fPresh horsse I thee behett,
shall bring [thee] through the north countrye."
■* Humphray slept but howers 2,
344 but on his lourney well thought hee ;
a ffresh horsse was brought to him
to bring him through the west countrye.
he tooke his leaue at the 'Knight,
348 & straight to Latham rydeth hee,
& att 9 of Clocke in ^ the night,
att Latham gates ^ knocketh hee.
the Porter ariseth '^ anon-right,
352 & answerd " Humpliray w^'th words ffrce,
' tlie latter looked. — Harl.
2 gneve. — Harl. gnawed. — F.
^ slyngo. — Hiirl.
' The Folio ■vvronply transposos linps
343 & 347, 344 & 348. Harl. has thi.m
right, as printed here. — F.
* At nyno of the clocke within.
« yates.— Harl.
' rysetli. — Harl.
^ answercth. — Harl,
-Harl
LADYE BESSIYE. 335
" In good fFaitli, itt is to Late
to call on me this time of the night."
" I pray the, porter, open the gate,
356 & lett me in anon-right ;
" with the hord strange I must speakc,
from his ffather, the Erie of Darbye."
the porter opened vj) the gates, lets him in,
360 & in came his horsse and hee.
the best wine that was therin,
to Humphrey Bretton fforth brought hee,
w/th torches burning in that tyde,
364 & other lights that he might see.
& brought him to ' the bed syde and takes
- n X 7 1 X ^"" *" Lord
wlieras the Lord strange L/ay. strange in
bed.
the Lord he mused m that tyde,
368 & sayd, " Humphrey, what hast thou to say ?
" how ffareth my ffather, that noble Lord ?
in all England he hath no peere.^ "
Humphrey tooke a letter in his hand, Humphrey
gives liim
372 & said, " behold & yee may see.^ " his letter,
when they hord strange looked the letter vpon,
the teares trickled downe his eye ;
he sayd, " wee must vnder a cloudc,*
376 for wee may ^ neuer trusted bee ;
wee may sigh " & make great moanc ; -
this world is not as itt shold bee.
' downc unto. — Hurl. ' cloddc. — Karl.
'•^ no pcere hath he (to rhyme with * niuste. — Harl.
•hat follows). — Dycc. " siko. — Harl.
' here. — Harl.
336
LADYE BESSIYE.
and he
promises
to keep his
appoint-
ment.
" comend me to my father dcere,
380 his daylye blessing he wold ' giue m.e ;
for & I Hue another yeere,
this appontment keepe will I."
Humphrey
rides on
to Man-
chester,
sees Sir
Edward
Stanley and
Ids brother,
384
388
he receined gold of my Lor*? Strange,
& straight to Manchester rydeth hee ;
And when hee came to Manchester,
Itt was prime of the day ; [page 4<o
he was ware of the warden & Edward Stanley,
together their Mattins fifor to say.
then "^ one brother said to the other,
"behold, brother, & yon may see,
heere cometh Humphrey Bretton,
392 some hastye tydings^ bringheth hee."
and gives
them their
letters.
They rejoice.
he betooke them either a letter,*
& bidd them looke & behold ;
& read they did these lei^errs readylye,^
39G & vp they lope, & laught aloude.
Buckingham
shall bo
revenged,
And saith,^ " ffaire ffall ouv ffather thai noble Lord !
to stirre and rise beginneth hee ;
Buckinghams blood shall be roken,^
400 thai was beheaded ^ att Salsburye.
and Bessy's
love brought
over the sea.
" ffaire ffall the Countesse, the 'K.ings daughter,
thai good ^ Councell giue cold slice ;
wee trust in god ffull "^ of might
404 to bring: her Lord ouer the sea !
' wolde.— Harl. ^ The— Harl. « said.— Harl.
" tliyth.indes. — Harl. ' wroken. — Harl.
* Ho tooke cyther a k'Ltor in their " luadod. — Harl.
handos. — Harl. » (such. — Harl.
^ radlyc— Harl. '<• t^oo full.— Harl.
rcvwigi'd.— F.
LADYE BESSIY'E.
337
" baue heere, Humpliray, of eitlaer 40' ;
better rewarded shall tliou bee."
be tooke the gold att tbeir band ;
408 to ' Sa- lobn Sauage rydetli bee,
& bee tooke bim a letter in ^ band,
bade 3 bini "bebold, read, and see."
&^ when tbe K/i/V/Z^t the Letter badd,
412 all blanked-'' was bis blee :
" woniens witt is wonder to beare !
my vnckle is turned by yo«r ^ Bessye !
& wetber itt turne to weale or woe,^
416 att my vnckles biddinge will I bee.®
" baue beere, Humpbrey, 40'. :
better rewarded may tbou bee !
to Sheffeld Castle Looke tbou ryde
420 in all tbe bast that may bee."
ffortb tben rydetb tliai gentle K.iii(jhi ;
Sa- Gilbert Talbott ffindetb ^ bee ;
bee tooke bim a letter in bis band,
424 & bidd bim, " readc & yee may '^ see."
wben Sir Gilbert Talbott tbe letivG looked on,
a loude laugbter laugbed bee :
" ffaire flfall that Lord of bye ^ ' renown e !
428 to rise and stirr '^ beginnetb bee !
" ffaire ffall Bessye, that Countesse cleere,
that sucb councell giuetb trulye !
Comcnd me to my nepbew deare,
432 tbe young Eric of Sbrewsbyrye,
Humplircy
goes then to
Sir Jolin
Savage,
and he
swears to
back
his uncle.
Sir Gilbert
Talbot's
letter is not
delivered,
and he vows
' and to. — Hurl.
^ in his. — Harl.
' and bad. — Harl.
■* Harl. has nu cj-. — F.
* then all blencked. — Ilarl.
" you. — Harl.
VOL. III.
' wayle. — Harl.
" I will.— Harl.
" then fyndeth. — Harl.
'" he mighte. — Harl.
" richo. — Harl.
'- stirrc and ry.se nowc. —Harl.
338
LADYE BESSIYE.
that he'll
set Lord
Strange free,
bring
Richmond
to England,
" bidcl liim neuer dread for no death,
In London Towre if hee hee ;
I shall make London tremble & quake
436 but my nephew bon^owed shalbee !
*' Comend me to tJiat Countesse cleere,
''Ki7ig Edwards daughter, young Bessye ;
tell her, I trust in god that hath no peerc
to brina: her lone oner the sea.
44!)
444
" Comend me to that Jjord wtthout ^ dread
that latelye was made Erie ^ of darbye ;
& 3 euery haire of my head
for a man counted might bee,
and live and
die with
Lord Derby.
Humphrey
rides back to
London,
and finds
Lord Derby
with King
Richard.
" With that Jjord withouten dread,
with him will I line and dye !
haue heere, Humphray, pounds three ;
448 better rewarded may thou bee !
" Straight to London looke thou ryde
in all the hast that may bee ;
Comend mee to the ^ings daughter,^ yoimg Bessye,
452 'King Edwards daughter forssooth is sliee,
" In all this Land shee hath no peere."
he ^ taketh his leaue att the K.night,
& straight to London rydeth hee.
456 & when he came to London right
•■ Itt was but a litle before eueni[n]ge,
there was he ware, walking in a garden greene,
[of] both the Erie & Richard our Kinge.
460 when the Erie had Humphrey see[ne,^] [page 47i]
withouten. — Harl.
the Earlc— Harl.
and. — Harl.
to the Cowntas. — Harl.
f' thus ho.— Harl.
« The 3"? Parte. Query.— P.
' seen. — P,
LA DYE BESSIYE.
339
lie gaue him a priuye twinke ' with his eye. Derby
1 T7- • IT winks
then Humphrey came before the Kmg soe tlrec, at him,
& downe he ffalleth \^on his knee.
464 " welcome, Humphray ! " said the Erie of Darbyc :
" where hast thou beene, Humphray ? " said the Erie, and asks
where he 1
" ffor I haue mist thee weekes three. been.
408
472
476
480
484
" I haue beene in the west, my Jjord,
where I was borne and bredd trul^'e,
" ffor to sport me & to play
amonge my ffreinds ffarr & nye."
"tell me, Humphrey," said the Eric,
" how ffareth all ^ that Countrye ?
3 tell me, Humphray, I thee pray,
how ffareth King Richards Comunaltye ? "
" of all Country es, I dare well say,
they beene the fflower * of archerye,
ffor they will be trusty with their bowcs,
for ^ they ^vill flight & neuer fflce."
when KiiKj JHchard heard Humphray soe say,
in his hart hee was ffuU merry e ;
hee ^ w/th his Cappe that was soe deere
thanked him ' ffull ourteouslye,
& said, " ffather Stanley, thou art to mee necre,^
you are cheeffe of yo?/-r Comynaltye,
" halfe of England shalbe thine,
& equally devided betAveene thee & mcc ;
I am thine, & thou art mine,
488 & for ^ 2 ffullowes will wee bee.
" Amnsitig
myself
among my
friends."
" How arc
King
Richard's
commons
there ? "
" They are
the flower
of archery,
will fight,
and never
flee."
Richard
is glad,
and promises
Lord Derby
half
England,
' twynckc. — Iliirl Uio Ijjise of twin-
kle.—¥.
* all in. — Harl.
' The Folio wrongly puts lines 473-4
after line 478. Tln'ir position is altered
here on the nntliorily of the Hni'leiiin
MS.— F.
* checfo.-^IIarl.
» And —Harl.
° Hurl, transfers J/e to the next line.
- 1'.
' that hmlo.— H.
" locrc : for nacrf, with half the n left
cut.— F. " soe.— Harl.
z2
340
LADYE BESSIYE.
for no one ia
like him.
49-2
" I sweare by Marry, maid ' mild,
I know none sucli vnder the skye !
whilest I am ^ K.ing & wears tlie Crowne,
I Avill be clieeffe of the poore ^ Comynalfcye.
And he,
Richard, will
never tax
the com-
mons,
" tax nay mise "* I will make none,
in noe Cuntry ifarr nor neare ^ ;
fFor if by their goods I shold jDlucke them downe,
49G for me they will ffaight ^ fFull fifainteouslye.
who are hi3
dearest
treasures.
" There is no riches to me soe rich
as is the pore Comynaltye." "^
when they had ended all their speechc,
500 they tooke their leaue fFull gladlye,
The King
leaves them,
and they go
to Bessye's
bower.
& to his Bower the King is gone.
then the Erie and^ Humphrey Bretton,
to Bessyes bower they ^ went anon,
.504 & ifound Bessye there alone.
She kisses
Humphrey,
when Bessye did see Humphrey anon,
anon ^^ shee kissed him times three,
saith, " Humphray Bretton, welcome home !
508 how hast thou spedd in the west Cuntry e ? "
and prays
him to
tell her his
tidings.
Into a parler they went anon,
there was no more but hee & shee :
" Humphray, tell mee or hence I " gone,
512 some ty dings '^ out of the west Countrye
' mayden. — Harl. ^ be. — Harl.
' llarl. has no poore. — F.
' Taske ne myse. — Harl. Tax ne
levies qu. — P. For mise, expeuce, dis-
bursement, money layed out, or the
laying out of money. Cotgrave. — F.
* nye. — Dyee.
* fight, qu. — P. woulde fyghte. —
Harl.
' These sentiments may show who the
Ballad- writer's audience were, and that he
looked to please them rather than engage
their sympathy on Richmond's side.
Had his words represented the King's
real feelings, no doubt Richard would
have kept his crown. — F.
8 MS. of.— F. and.— P. and.- Harl.
" there has been altered into thei/ in
the MS.— F.
'" Hurl, omits Anon. — F.
" I hence. — ^Harl.
'■■= tythaudos.— Harl.
LADYE BESSIYE.
341
" If I shold send fFor yonder Prince
to come oner fFor the Lone of mee,
raid niurtliered amongst ' his fFoes to bee,
516 alas, that were ffuU great pittye !
" fforsooth, that sight I wold not see
for all the gold in Christentye !
tell me, Humphray, I thee pray,
520 how hast thou done in the west countrye."
vnto Bessye anon he told
how hee had sped in the west countrye,
what was the answers of them hee ^ had,
524 & what rewards hee had trulye :
" By the third day of May, Bessye," he sayd,
" In London there will they bee;
thou shalt in England be a Queene,
525 or else doubtlesse they will dye."
so that she
may not
mislead her
lover.
Humphrey
tells her
that on
May 3
her friends
will be in
London,
and she shall
be Queen.
[Part III.]
[lli)\v Lord Derby's friends come to London ; and how the Princess Elizabeth
sends Humphrey Bretton to her lover, Kichmond.]
thus they prouided in ^ the winter time
their councell to ■* keepe all three,
the Erie wrought by pj-ophecye, Lord Derby
532 he wold not abyde in London trulye,'^ [page 472]
but in the suburbs without the Cittye
an old Inn Chosen hath hee,
& drew an Eagle "^ vpon the entrye
536 that the wcsterne men might know where to Lye.''
withdraws
to an old Inn
in the
suburbs,
1 by.— Harl. ' lie of tliem—Harl.
3 for.— Ilarl. * for to. — Ilarl.
' The Earle woiilde not in London
abyde,
for whye — he wrouglite by jirophesvo.
-Harl.
« Tlio Eagle's foot was the Badge of
tlio Stanleys. Percy in vol. i. p. 223,
note 1'.— F".
' myghte yt see. — Harl. A curious
I'lstance of ancient Hospitality. — P.
342
LADYE BESSIYE.
and thither
on May 3
come
Sir William
Stanley,
540
Humphrey stood in a liye tower,
& looked into tlie west Conntrye ;
Sir William Stanley & 7 in greene
came straight ryding * to the Citye.
when he was ware of the Eagle di-awne,
he drew himselfe wonderous nye,
& bade his men goe into the towne,
544 & dranke ^ the wine and make merry e.
lord
Strange,
Into the Inn where the Eagle did bee,
fforsooth shortlye is hee gone.
Humphray Looked into the west,
548 & saw the hord strange & 7 come
ryding in greene into the Cittye.
when hee was ware of the Eagle ' drawen,
he drew himselfe wonderous nye,
552 & bade his men goe into the towne,
"* & spare no cost, & where they come
& ^ drinke the wine & make good cheere ;
& hee himselfe drew ffull nye
556 into the Inn where his ffather Lay.
Sir Edwanl
Stanley, and
his brother,
Humphrey looked more into the west ;
Six-teene ^ in greene did hee see,
the warden & Sir Edward Stanley
560 came ryding both in companye.
' ryding streight into. — Harl.
2 drynke. — Harl.
" oulde eigle. — Harl.
* This stanza is in the Harl. MS.
And drynke the wyne and make
good chearo,
and whereever tlipy coiuc, noe
c'oste to sparo.
then to the inno where his fatlier
laye,
he drewe hymselfe wundorous
neare. — F.
» to.— F.
" The form of the x changes here,
and in 1. 582, &c. to the modern one.
_F.
LADYE BESSIYE.
343
564
there as the Eagle was drawen,
the gentlemeu drew itt nye,
& hade their men goe into the towne,
& drinke the wine & make merrye ;
& went into the same Inn
there where their ffather Lay.*
yett Humphray beholdeth into the west,
568 & looked towards the North country e ;
572
he was ware of Sir lohn sauage & Sir Gylbert
Talbott
came ryding both in companye.
when they where ware of the Eagle drawen,
then they drew themselues fFuU ^ nye,
Sir John
Savage, and
Sir Gilbert
Talbot.
& bade their men goe into the towne,
& drinke the ynne & make merry ;
& yode ^ themselues into the inne ■*
576 where the Erie and Bessye Lay.*
when all the Jjords together mett,
among them all was litle Bessye ;
with goodlye words shee them grett,'"'
580 & said, " Lords, will yee doe ffor mee ?
Bess3'e
welcomes
them all.
" what, will yee releeue yonder Prince
that is exiled beyond the sea ? "
the Erie of Darbye came fforth then ;
584 these be ^ they words he said to Bessye
Lord Derby
says he'll
' where the carle their father lee. —
Harl.
* wunderous. — Harl.
' yode, i.e. went. — P. yende. — Ilarl.
* MS. inme, — F.
^ lee. — Harl. Forti rythmi gratia.
Where lay the Earl & Ifiy Bessye.— P.
" i. e. greeted. — P. can them greet<^.
-Harl.
' were. — Harl.
344
LADYE BESSIYE.
give her 40?.
and 20,000
men.
588
" ffoiirty Pound will I send,
Bessje, ffor the lone of tliee ;
& 20000 Eagle ffeette,i
a queene of England to make thee."
Sir William
Stanley
Sir "William Stanley came fforth then ;
these were the words hee sayd to Bessye
" remember, Bessye, another time,^
592 who doth the best now ffor thee.
10,000 men.
She shall be
Queen, or
he will die.
" 10000 Cotes thai beene red,
in an howers warning ready shalbee.
In England thou shall be a queene,
596 or else doubtelesse I will dye."
Sir John
Savafje
will give
1000
marks.
Lord
Strange
S/r lohn Sauage came fforth then ;
these were the words he said to Bessye :
" 1000 marke ^ ffor thy sake
coo I will send thy loue beyond the sea."
the Lord strange Came fforth then ; [pngo 473]
these were the words he said to Bessye :
" a litle mony & ffew men
G04 will bring thy loue ouer the sea ;
advises that
they keep
their money
at home.
" Lett vs keepe our gold att home
for to wage our company e.
if wee itt send ouer the sea,"*
608 wee put our gold in leopardye."
Edward
Stanley
says
Edward Stanley came forth then ;
these were the words he sayd to Bessye
" remember, Bessye, another time,
612 he tliai doth now ^ best ffor thee ;
> ? MS. ffeelte.— F. feete.— Harl.
perhaps feete. — P. Lord Derby's own
Badge. — F.
■•* MS. tume.— F.
' ten thousand nuirkes. — Harl.
'' foiuno. — Hfirl.
'" nowe dotho. — Harl.
LADYE BESSIYE.
345
616
" ffor there is no ' power that I liaue,
nor no gold to giue tliee ;
■\Tider 2 my ffiitliers banner will I bee ^
either fFor to Hue or dye."
he has
neither
men nor
money,
but he'll
fight for
Bessye.
Bessye came fForth before the Lo7v7s all,
& vpon her knees then ffalleth shee ;
" 10000 pound I will send
C20 to my louc ouer ■* the sea.
She thanks
them all.
She'll send
Eichmond
10,000/.
" who shall be our messenger ^
to bring the ^ gold ouer the sea ?
Humphrey Bretton," said Bessye ^ ;
624 " I know none soe good as hee."
by
Humphrey
Bretton.
G36
excuse
himself
fi'om taking
it,
" alas ! " sayd Humphrey, " I dare not take in hand He tries to
to carry the gold ouer the sea ;
they Galley shipps beene ^ soe stronge,
G2S they will me neigh wonderous nighe,
" they will me robb, they will me drowne,
they will take they ^ gold fFrom mee."
"hold thy peace, Humphrey," sayd litle Bessye,
032 " thou shalt itt carry without ^^ leopardye;
but she tells
him to be
quiet ; he
shall take it
" thou shalt haue no baskett nor no male ;
no buchett '^ nor sacke-cloth i^ shall goe with thee ;
three Mules tJiat be stifFe & stronge,
loded with gold shall they bee ;
w^'th saddles side'^ skirted, I doe thee tell,
wherin the gold sowed i** slialbe.
in the saddle-
flaps of
three mules.
nowc noe. — Harl.
but vxndor. — Harl.
fyghte.— Harl.
even to my love beyoiifle.
messenger then. — Harl.
our. — Harl.
litill Bes.sie. — Harl.
« the bo.— Harl.
» the. Harl. "> out of.— Harl.
" Budget.— P. bothed.— Halliwell.
-Harl. for boched (t. i. budget). — Harl.
'■* clothe saeke. — Harl.
'^ wide, or long. — F.
'* sewed. —Harl.
346
LADYE BESSIYE.
" if any man sayes, ' who ^ is the shipp
640 tliai sayleth iforth vpon the sea ?'
Say itt is the Lore? Liles ;
in England & ffrannce welbeloued is hee.'
Lord Derby then came fforthe the Erie of Darbye ;
C44 these were the words he sayd to Bessye ;
^^^^'^^ lie said : "Bkssye, thou art to blame
to poynt any shipp vpon the sea !
has a ship
in which
Humphrey
shall go :
no alien will
" I haue a good shipp of my owne
648 shall carry Hurafhrey & my mules three ;
an Eagle shalbe drawen vpon the top mast,^
that the out allyants ^ may itt see.
touch the
Eagle.
" there is no ffreake in all ffrance
052 that shipp that dare come nye.*
if any man aske whose is the shipp,
say 'itt is the Erie ^ of Darbyes.' "
Humphrey
sails from
Hippon with
the money,
056
060
HvMjjhrey tooke the Mules three ;
into the west wind taketh hee ;
att Hippon ^ withouten doubt
there shipping taketh hee ;
with a fifaire ^ wind & a Coole
thus he sayleth vpon the sea
■ whoes. — Harl.
^ maste toppe. — Harl.
^ out-alliens.— P. the Italyants.—
Harl.
* that the eigle clarre once come nee.
—Harl.
* Earles. — Harl.
6 Hyrpon.— Harl. ' softe.— Harl.
LADYE BESSIYE.
347
[Part IV.]
[How Humphrey Brettun takes nioncy from the Priucoss Elizabeth to Richmond ;
and who are on Richmond's side.]
rTo BiGEKAM ' abbey, Avliere the English Vrlnce and reaches
Bigeram
I was.
4'. parte J ^q porter was an EngKshman,
well he knew HuMp^rej/ Breitton,
664 L & ffast to him can he ^ gone.
Hamphrey knocked att the gate priuilye,
& these words he spake surelyc,
" I pray thee, Porter, open the gate
6GS & receiue me & my^ mules thiee,
I shall thee giue withouten lett [page 474]
ready "* gold to thy meede.^ "
geram
Abbey,
where
Richmond is.
He knocks
at the gate ;
" I will none of thy gold," the Porter said,
672 " nor yett, Jlmij^hrey, none of thy ffee ;
but I will open the gates wyde,
& receiue thy mules and thee,^
" ffor a Cheshire man borne am I,
676 ffrom the Malpas^ but miles three."
the porter opened the gates soone,
& receiued him & the Mules three ;
the best wine readilyc ^ then
680 to Umiphrej/ Bretton giueth hee.
" alas ! " sayd Humphrey, " how shall I doe ?
for I am stead ^ in a strange countrye ;
the porter
is a Cheshire
man,
and lets him
in,
' Begeram. — Harl.
'■* gan he. — P. Read ' gone he can.' —
Dyee.
* and.— Harl.
* red. — Harl.
* Read ' fee.' — Dyce.
" the and thy mules three. — Harl.
' A town in Cheshire. — F.
* radlye. — Harl.
» stad.— Harl.
348
LADYE BESSIYE.
and filiows
him
" the Prince of England ' I do not know ;
684 before I did liim neuer see."
" I shall thee teach," said the Porter then,
" the Prince of England to know truly e.
Riclimond
shooting.
He may
know the
Earl by his
long pale
face,
and a wart
above his
chin.
CS8
G'.»2
"loe, where he shooteth att the butts,
& with him are Lorc?s three ;
he weareth a gowne of veluett blacke,
& itt is coted aboue his knee ;
with long visage & pale ;
therby the Prince know may yee ;
" a priuye wart, wi'thouten lett,
^ a litle aboue the chin ;
his face h[i]s white, the wart is red,
C9G therby you ^ may him ken."
Humphrey
goes to
Richmond,
now ifrom the Porter is he gone ;
with him hee tooke the Mules 3
to Erie Richmand he went anon
700 where the other Lorc7s bee.*
and gives
liim Hessyo's
letter,
her money,
when ^ he came before the Prince,
lowlye hee kneeled vpon his knee ;
he deliue^-ed ^ the le^^e thai Bessye sent,
704 & soe he did the mules three,
and her
ring.
Richmond
kisses the
ring,
[&] a rich i^ing w(th a stone.
there the prince glad was hee ;
he tooke the ring att Unmjihreij then,
708 & kissed itt times 3.
' Thero is a tag at the end of this word
in the M.S. like an s.—F.
2 he hathe.— Harl.
' full well yee.— Harl.
* dyd bee. — Harl.
° And when. — Harl.
" And delivered hyni.
Harl.
LADYE BESSIYE.
349
HvMjjhrey kneeled still as any stone,
assuredlye as I tell to thee ^ ;
Hviijyhreij of the Prince word gatt none,
712 therfore^ in his hart hee was not merrye.
HuMp^vey standeth vpp then anon ;
to the prince these words said hee,
" why standeth ^ thou soe still in this stead,
716 & no answer does ■* giue mee ?
" I am come ffrom the Stanleys bold,
K.ing of England to make thee,
& a ffaire Lady to thy ffere,^
there is none such in Christentye ;
720
-24
" shee is Countesse,*^ a Kings daughter,
the name of her is ^ Bessye,
a louelye Lady to looke vpon,
& well shee can worke by profecye.
" I may be called a lewd ^ messenger,
for answer of thee I can gett none ;
I may sayle hence with a heauy heart ;
728 what shall I say when I come home ^ ?"
the prince tooke the hord Lisle,
& the Erie of Oxford was him by '^ ;
they hord fferres wold him not beguile ;
732 to •' councell the goeth all 3.
when they had theif councell tane,
to HuMj:>/ire^ Bretton turneth hee,
" answer, HuiMp/ire^, I can giue none
736 for '2 the space of weekes 3.
but does not
speak to
Humphrcv,
who there-
upon
gets up,
tells him he
comes from
the Stanleys
to make him
King and
^ive him a
Queen.
> tell thee.— Harl.
2 i. e. on that account. —P.
^ standest. — Ilarl.
* thou doest. — Harl.
" fere.— P.
* a cowntsis. — Harl.
it is. — Harl.
lowte. — Harl.
liowme. — Harl .
nee. — Harl.
to a. — Harl.
not for. — Har\
What
answer is he
to give
them ?
Richmond
consults his
friends,
and says
he can give
no answer
for three
weeks.
350
LADYE BKSSIYE.
He ripa up
the mules'
saddles,
740
" when 3 weekes are come & gone,
Then an ansAver I will ' giue thee."
the mnles into a stable are tane ;
the saddle skirtts then rippeth hee ;
[page 4":)]
takes out the
money,
therin he ffindeth gold great plentye
for to wage a companje.^
he caused the houshold io make him cheare ;
744 " in ^ my stead lett him bee."
and goes to
Pans
to bfty arms.
Erly in the morning, as soone as itt was day,^
With him he tooke the Lords three,
& straight to paris he tooke the way,
"48 there armes to make readye.^
He asks the
King of
France for
help
and ships.
to the K-lng of ffrance wendeth hee,^
of men and mony he doth him pray,
^ that he wold please to Lend him shipps,
752 & ffor to bring him oner the sea : "^
" the Stanleys stout ffor me haue sent,
'King of England ffor to make mee,
& if euer I weare the crowne,
756 well quitt the Kdng of ffrance shalbe."
The King
refuses
them.
then answereth the "King of ffrance,
& shortlye answereth,^ "by St. lolin,
^ no shipps to bring him ouer the seas,
760 men nor money bringeth he none ! " '■'
' sliall.— Harl.
2 Only half the n in the MS.— F.
' And saith iu.— Harl.
* Yerlyo on the other mornyng As-
sonno as yt was brpake of dayn. — Havl.
* A herotte of armrs thoy road^'n
made. — Harl.
^ then wyndoth. — Harl.
'~' And shippes to brynge hym over
the soae. — Harl.
^ swearoth shortlye. — Harl.
"-" men nor money gettoth ho none,
nor shippes to brynge hym over tho
foame. — Harl.
lADYE BESSIYE.
351
thus the Prince his answer hath tane.
both the Prince & Lords gay '
to BiGGERAM abbey rydeth hee,
7G4 wheras^ Hmip/ire?/ Bretton Lay.
" haue heere 'Kvuphrey a 100 ^ markcs ;
better rewarded shalt thou bee ;
comend me to Bessye, that Countesse cleere,-
768 & yett I did neuer her see, —
" I trust in god shee shall be nay Queene,
for her I will trauell the sea.
comend me to my ffather Stanley, —
772 my owne mother marryed hath hee, —
Richmond
rides back
to
Humphrey,
gives him
100 marks.
and bids him
tell Bessye
he will coiiie
to her :
" bring him here a loue le^^re,
& another to litle Bessye ;
tell her I trust in the Jjord of might
776 that my Queene shee shalbee.
" Comend me to S^'r william. Stanley,
that noble Knight in the west countrye ;
tell him, about Micchallmasse
780 I trust in god in England to bee.
" att Mylford hauen I will come in,
With all the power that I can bringe ; ■*
the ffirst towne that I may mn '^
784 shalbe the toAvne of shrewsburye.
" pray Sir william, that noble KnigJit,
that night that hee ^ wold looke on mce.
comend me to Sir Gilbert Talbott that is soe wight ;
788 he lyeth still in the north cuntrye."
tell Sir
William
Stanley
that about
Michaelmas
he will land
at Milford
Haven,
and take
Shrewsbury,
and tho English Lordes gayt-. — Hurl
there as. — Hurl,
thousand. — Harl.
* powers I brynge with mo. — Ilarl.
* niyn. — Harl.
" nyghto he. — Harl.
332
LADYE ISESSIYE.
Humphrey
will none of
Eichmoud's
gold :
he is his.
792
" I will none of thy gold, Sir Prince,
nor yett none ' of thy ffee ;
if euery haire of my head were a man,
With yon, Sa- Prince, that they shold ^ bee.
Humphrey
returns to
Lord Derby,
thus Uvujyhreij his leaue hath tane,
& fforth hee sayleth vpon the seas ;
straight to London can he ryde,
79G there as the Erie and Bess3"e Lyes.
who then
goes
westward.
he tooke them either a lettre in hand,
& bade them reade ^ and see.
the Erie tooke leaue of Richard the Kimj,
800 & into the west rydeth hee.
leaving
Bessye at
Leicester.
& leaueth Bessye att Leicecster,
& bade her lye there in * priuitye :
" ffor if K/hy/ RicharcZ knew thee there,
804 in a ffyer brent must thou bee."
He sends
Lord
Strange to
King
Richard.
On
Richmond's
side are
Sir William
Stanley,
with 10,000
men :
straight to Latham is he gone,
Where the Lord strange he did ^ Lye, [page 476]
& sent the Jjord strange to London
808 to keepe ILing Richard ^ companye.
then to'' Str william Stanley, wiih'^ 10000 cotes
in an howers warning readye to bee :
they were all as red as ** blood,
812 there, they harts head ^ is sett full hye.
I wyll non. — Hiu'l.
thf", sir prynce, slioulde tlioy.-
looke, rt'ade. — Harl.
lyo in. — Ilarl.
Strange dyd. — Harl.
kcepe Ilichard. — Karl.
i\o then to, or witli, i7i Ilarl. -
* were read as any. — Harl.
Hai'l. ^ Tho Stanley arms (Lancashire and
Earl of Derby) are, argent, on a bend
azure, three buc/is' hrculft eabossed or.
l?eiTy'.s Eiicyc. Herald. The red cutcs
must have been woni by the Stanley
-F. followers. — F.
LADYE BESSIYE.
353
816
S/r Gilbert Talbott, 10000 doggs i
in an howers warning readye to be.
Sir lolm Sauage, 1500 white lioods,^
ffor they will flight & neuer flBee.
Sir Gilbert
Talbot, with
10,00U ;
Sir John
Savage, with
1500:
Sir Edward Stanley, 300 men ;
there were no better in Christentye.
Rice •'' apthomas, a Ts.iiiijht of wales,
820 800 ■* spere-men brought hee.
Sir Edward
Stanlcy,wiUi
600;
Rico
ap Thomas,
with 800.
[Part v.]
[How Richmond lands in England, and marches to Bosworth.]
S/r William Stanley, att the holt hee lyes,
& looked ouer his head soe hye ;
" w/i/ch way standeth the wind ? " ^ he sayes ;
824 " if there be "^ any man can tell mee."
Sir William
Stanley says
5.' parte ^
""" The wind itt standeth south west,"
soe ' sayd a K.night that stood him ^ by.
" this night, yonder royall prince,
into England entreth hee."
he called thai ^ gentleman that stood him by,
his name was Rowland Warburton,
he bade him goe to Shrewsbuiye that night,
832 & bade them lett that prince in come.
Riclinioiul
lands ill
Engcland to-
nifjlit.
lie sends
Warburton
to
Shrewsbury,
to order
Riolimond
to be
admitted.
' dogges. — Harl. A talljot is a kind
of mastiff. Different Ijranchcs of tlio
Talbot family liavo a talbot for their
crest, or 3 IkjiukIs for their arms. — F.
* Thi- Savage arms are lions. The
white hoods must have boon worn by the
retainers. — F.
' Sir Ryse ap. — Ilarl.
VOL. III. A A
* cightc thousand. — Harl.
* Avheri' standeth the wyndo then.
Harl.
" is there. — Harl.
' sec. — Harl.
* hum in the MS. — F,
" a.— Harl.
354
LADYE BESSIYE.
Warburton
throws the
oi'clers into
the town,
and the
gates are
thrown
open.
Richard
summons his
Lords.
Percy, with
30,000 men ;
Norfolk,
Surrey,
Bishop of
Durham,
Sir William
Bawmor,
Scroope and
Kent,
with 20,000
men each ;
and Sir
William
Harrington.
by that ' Hoyvland came to Shrewsbury e
the portcullis was letten downe ;
the called the Prince in fFull great scorne,
836 & said " in England he shold weare no crowne."
Howland bethought him of a wile,
& tyed the writtings to a stone ;
he threw the writtings ouer the wall,
840 & bade the baliffes looke them vpon.
then they opened the gates wj^de,^
& mctt the Prince with pi'ocessyon ^ ;
he wold not abyde in shrewsburye that night,
844 for 'Kiuij Richrt-nZ heard of his cominge,
& called his hords of great renowne.'*
hord ^ Pearcye came to him '^ then,
& on his knees he kneeled him downe
848 ^ & sayd, " my leege, I haue 30000 ffighting men."
the Duke of Norffolke came to the 'King,
& downe he kneeleth on ^ bis knee ;
the Ei4e of Surrey came with him,
852 they were both in companye.
the Bishopp 'of Durham was not away.
Sir william Bawmer stood him by,
the hord scroope ^ & the Erie of Kent
856 they were botli'^ in companye :
'^ " & wee haue either 20000 men
^1 ffor to keepe the crowne with thee."
the good Sir william Harrington
860 said they '^ wold fBght & neucr fflee.
' then that.— Ilarl.
^ on everio syde. — Harl.
^ processioning. Sic Icgerim rytlimi
gratia. — P. procession. — Harl.
* of rcnowno. — Harl.
* the Lordp. — Harl.
" scil. to Kinn; Kichard.— P.
' saitlie. — Harl.
" Tipon. — Harl.
3 Scroope.— Harl. '» all.— Harl.
" Harl. puts those liaos before lino
853, and lines 855, 856 after thcni, also
before lino 853. — F.
'■^ he.— Harl.
LADYE BESSIYE.
355
864
'King Ricliard made a messenger,
& send into the west countrye,
" bidd the Erie of Derbye make him readye
& bring 20000 men vnto mee,
The King
scuds to
Lord Derby,
he must
bring 20,000
men.
" or the Lore? strangcs ' head I shall him send ;
for doubtlesse hee ^ shall dye.
w/thoiit hee come to me soonc,^
868 his owne sonne hee shall neue/- sec."
or Lord
strange
shall die.
then another Herald can appcare :
" to S/r william Stanley tJnd noble I\.niijJii,
bidd him bring 10000 men,
872 or to * death he shalbe dight."
Sir William
Stanley
must bring
10,000, or
die.
then answered that doughtye 'Knighb,
& answered the herald ^ w/thout lettinge :
[" Say, on Bosworthe feilde I wyll hym meetc "^J
876 On nmnday earlye in the morninge. [page 477]
Sir William
" such a breakeffast I him hett ''
as ncuer subiect did to ^ King-e ! "
o
the mcssen2:er is home gone
880 to tell King Richard this tydand.^
defies the
King.
the King '° together his hands can ding,
& say[d], " the LonZ Strange •' shall dye ! "
hee bade, " put him into ^^ the tower,
884 ffor '^ I will him ncue;' see."
orders Lord
Strange
to the Tower.
' Strange. — Harl.
^ nowo that he. — ILirl.
* full soniif. — ITarl.
* to tlu'.^llarl.
'' spake to llio iieryoUc. — Hiirl.
* MS. pared away; liiu^ Bupplicd from
Ilarl.— F.
' hett, i.e. promise. — P.
" did knyshte to noc. — Harl.
" tydinge, sic leqcrim Uythmi gratia.
— P. tythinge. — Harl.
'» Then Eiehard.— Harl.
"MS. Stanley; but Strange, 1. 961, &c.
— 1'\ SI range. — Harl.
'-' had putt hym in. — Harl,
'■' for bure. — Harl.
356
LADYE BESSIYE.
888
now leaue wee Hichard & his hords
thai were prest all • with pryde,
& talke wee of the Stanleys bold ^
that broii2;ht in the Prince of ^ the other side.
Eiciimoiid Now is Richmond to Stafford come,
& S/r william Stanley to litle stone,
the Prince had Icuer then any gold
892 Si'r william Stanley to looke vppon.
sends to Sir
William
Stanley at
Stone.
a messenger was readye made,
thai night to stone rydeth hee ;
Sir william rydeth to Stafford towne,
896 w*th him a small companye.
They meet
at Stafford,
Richmond
kisses him.
when the K.nighi to Stafford came,
thai Richmond might him see,
he tooke him in his armes then,
900 & kissed him times three :
and Stanley
assures
Richmond
*' the welfare of thy body •* comforteth mc more
then all the gold in christen tye ! ' '
then answered thai royall 'Kmighi ;
904 to the Prince thus speaketh hee :
he'll make
him King or
die,
and Lady
Bossye shall
he his wife.
908
^ " in England thou sLalt Aveare the crowne,
or else doubtlesse I will dye.
a ffaire Lady thou shalt fifind to thy ffere,
as any " is in christentye,
a K/»r/s daughter, a countesse clere ;
yea, shee is both wise & wittye.
' all full.— Harl.
2 blood.— Harl.
' Lroughto the pryncc on.^ — Harl.
' MS. my.— F. thy.— Harl. thy
body, sic legerim. — P.
* Harl. inserts here :
Remember, man, bothe daye and nyglite,
whoo nowo doeth the moste for thee.
— F.
" is any. — Harl.
LADYE BESSIYE.
357
" I must goe to stone, my soueraiginc,
912 ffor to comfort my men tliis night."
the Prince tooke him by the hand,
& sayd, "ffarwell, gentle 'K.nigM ! " ^
now is word comen to Sir wiUiam. Stanley
916 Early on the Sunday ^ morninge,
that the Erie of Darby, his brother deere,
had giuen battell to Hichard the Kinge.
Sir William
Stiinley
hears that
Lord Derby-
has fo\ight
Eicliard.
"that wold I not," said Sir william,
920 " for all the gold in christentye,
except I were wrth him there,
att the Battell ffor to bee.^ "
then straight to Lichefeild can he ryde
924 in all the hast thai might bee.
& when they came to the towne,
they all cryed " King Heneey ! "
He hastens
to Lichfield,
then straight to Bosworth wold he ryde
928 in all the hast that might bee.
when they '^ came to Bosworth ffeild,
there they ^ mett wi'th a royall companye.^
and then
Bosworth ;
■ A line is dra-vm here by Percy, as if
to mark the beginning of Part VI. — F.
2 vpon Sundayo in the. — Harl.
^ at that battell mysclfc. — Ilarl.
' and when he. — llarl.
* he. — llarl. " arniyc. — lla
358
LADYE BESSIYE.
[Part VI.]
[How Richmond fights and wins the I'attle of Bosworth Field, and marries the
Princess lilizabeth, Lady Bessy.
Lord Derby,
Sir J.
Savage,
932
6" Parte
936
Tlie Erie of Darbye he was there,
& 20000 stoorle hhn by;
S/r John Savage, his sisters sone,
he was his nephew of blood, soe nye,
Lhe had 1500 ffighting men ;
there was no better in christentye.
SirW.
Stanley,
and Bice ap
Thomas.
Sir william Stanley, that noble knight,
10000 red Cotes had i hee.
Sir Rice ap Thomas, he was there
940 w/th a 1000 2 speres mightye of tree.
Kichmond
asks Lord
Derby to let
him
lead the van.
Erie Richmond came to the Erie of Darbye,
& downe he kneeleth vpon his knee ;
he sayd,^ " ffather Stanley, I you ^ pray,
944 the vawward you will ^ giue to me ;
Lord Derby
" for I come for my right ;
flfuU ffaine waged wold I bee."
" stand vp," hee sayd, " my sonne deere,
948 thou hast thy mothers blessing by mee ;
consents,
and puts
Sir W.
Stanley
with him.
" the vanward, sonne, I will thee giue ;
ffor why, by me thou wilt [ordered be ^],
Sir William Stanley, my brother deere, [page 478]
952 in that battell he shalbee ;
' that day had. — Harl. On the ' red
cotes,' see 1. 809.— F.
'^ with ten thowsand. — Harl.
' Theto is a tag at the end of this word
in the MS. like an s. — F.
* lhe.— Harl.
^ voward thou woiilde. — Harl.
® MS. pared away.— F. ordered be. —
Harl.
LADYE BESSIYE.
359
956
S/r loTin Sauage, that liatli no peeve,
liee shall be a winge to thee ;
S/r Rice ap Thomas shall breake the ^vray,
ffor he will fl&ght & neuer fflee ;
& I my selfe will houer ^ on this hill,
that ffaire battell ffor to see."
Savage is to
lead one
wiiip,
aiul nice ap
Thomas
is to break
King
RichariVa
line.
King Richard [houed 2] on the mountaines,
9fiu & was ware of the banner of the hord ^ Stanley,
he said, " ffeitch hither the hord strange to me
ffor doubtlesse hee shall dye this day."
" to the death, hord, make thee bowne !
964 ffor by Mary, that mild mayde,*
thou shalt dye ffor thy vnckles sake !
his name is william stanleye."
Richard sees
tlio Stanley
banner,
and bids
Lord
Strange
prepare to
die.
" if I shold dye," sayd the hord Strange,
968 " as god fforbidd itt soe shold bee !
alas ffor my Lady att homo,
itt shold be long ere shee mee see !
Lord
Strange
laments for
his wife.
" but wee shall meete att domesday,
972 when the great dome itt shalbee."
he called a gentleman of Lancashire,
his name was Latham trulye.
& [a] ring 5 beside his fiingar he tooke,
976 & cast itt to the ^ gentleman,
& bade him " bring itt to Lancashire,
to my Ladye tJiat is att home;
He sends her
his ring,
' hove. — Iliirl.
' hoved. — llarl. looked mountV high.
See Piig. 4-11 [of MS.], St. 63. N.B.
Many of tho follow^? Stanzas are nearly
the same with those in Pag. 141 [of MS.
1. 497-548 of Bosworth Feilde, p. 253-5.
above] q. vide. — P.
' boulde. — Harl.
■' mayo. — Dyce.
' a ryngo.—" Harl. » that.— ILirl.
360
LADYE BESSIYE.
that after-
wards
he may
revenge
his father's
death.
Sir William
Harrington
asks Richard
to wait till
the other
Stanleys
are taken,
BO that all
may be
killed
together.
Eichard
refuses,
" att lier table sliee may sitt ;
9S0 ere shea see lier LorJ, itt may be Longe.
I liaue no ffoot to scutt or * fflytt,
I must be ^Martyred ^ vfiih tyrant stronge.
and tells her,
if his uncle
loses, 984
to take his
son over the
bea.
988
" if itt ffortune my vnckle to lose tlie fFeild —
as god defend itt sliold soc bee ! —
pray lier to take my eldest Sonne
& exile liim ouer the sea ;
" be raay come in another time ;
by fFeild, firrith,^ tower or towne,
wreake hee may his ffathers death
vpon K-ing Jiichard •* that weares the cro-mic."
a 'Knighi to the King did appeare,
992 good^ Sir william Harrington ;
sales, " lett him haue his liife a while
till wee ^ haue the ffather, the vnckle, & the sonne.
" wee shall haue them soone on the ffeild,
996 the ffather, the vnckle, the sonne,^ all 3 ;
then may you deeme them with jour mouth,
what Kind of death tJtat they shall dye."
but a blocke on the ground was cast,
1000 thervpon the hords head was Layde ;
an axe ^ ouer his head can stand,
& out of passyon^ itt was brayd.^*'
he saith, " there is no other boote
1004 but that the '^ hord needs must dye."
Harrington heard itt, & ^^ was ffull woe
when itt Avoid no better bee :
' feeto to schunte nor. — Harl. scittt
is the Laso of scuttle, move bustlingly.
—F.
'^ murdcrfd. — Harl.
3 fryfrh— Harl.
■* oil Eichard of England. — Harl.
* the gude. — Harl.
" ye. — Harl.
' the sonu and the uncle.
* a sawe. — Harl.
^ fasliion. — Harl.
>» ? nourished about.— F.
" thou.— Harl.
12 harto yt.— Harl.
-Harl.
LADYE BESSIYE.
361
lie saith, "our ray breaketh on euery sydc
1008 wee put our ifolke ^ in ieopardye."
tlien tliey tooke x]} the Lo/vi on line ;
'King RichanZ did him neuer see.
then he ^ blew vp bewgles of brasse,
1012 the shott ^ of guns were soe ffree
that [made] many wiues cry ■* alas,
& many children ^ ffatherlesse.
bnt his
line is
broken,
and Richard
goes to fight.
Rice ^ ap Thomas w/th the blacke gowne/
1016 shortly e he brake ^ the ray :
with 30000 fighting men
the Jjord Percy went his way.
Percy and
30,000 men
leave him.
the Duke of ISTorfolke would haue ffled :
1020 With 20000 in ^ his companye
he went vp to ^"^ a wind- mill,
& stood vpon a hill soe hye,
Norfolk
there he mett Sir lohn Savage, a valyant ^' K-niyht ; is slain by
Sir John
1024 With him a worthy companye : Savage,
to the death the duke was dight,
& his Sonne, prisoner taken was hee. ani his son
' *■ taken.
then they ^^ horcl dakers began to fflee,
1028 soe did many ^^ others morc.^''
when king RicharcZ that sight did sec,
[Then his heart '^ was fifuU w]oe : '^
Lord Dacres
and others
flee.
> feilde.— Harl.
' they.— Harl.
' schottcs. — Ilarl.
* mado many wyves to. — Ilarl.
* niony a childe. — liarl.
« Sir Kyso.— Ilarl.
' crowc. — Ilarl. ? his badgc-
" made lia.sto to brcakc. — Ilarl.
» of.— Ilarl.
F.
"» unto.— Harl.
" royall.— Harl.
'2 the.— Harl.
'3 Only half the n in tho MS.— F.
'* moe. — P. other moe.^ — Harl.
'^ in liis harto he. — Harl.
'" Copied in by Percy. The lino is
nearly pared away in the MS.— F.
362
LADYE BESSIYE.
Eicharil
pravs them
to stay hl3-J
and die with
liiin.
'* I ] rny yon, my nicr, Lc not away,
ffor like a man ffrce ^ will I dye !
ffor I had leuer dye this day,
the[n] 2 -vv/th the Stanleys taken bee ! "
[page 479]
Harrington
says they
a 'K.niglit to 'K.'mg Richard can say,^
1036 good ^ Str william of harrington,
he saith, " wee are like all heere
to the death soone to be done ; —
can't resist
the Stanleys,
Richard had
better flee.
" there may no man their strokes abyde,
1040 the Stanleys dints they beene soe stronge ; —
yee may come in another time ;
therfore methinke yee tarry too longe ;
" jouv horsse is ready att jouv hand,
1044 another day you may jouv ^ worshipp win,
22 & to raigne wt'th royaltye,
& wears jouv *> crowne & be onr K-ing.^'
But Richard " giuc '^ me my battell axe in my hand,
swears he'll on a t n i i
die King 104S & sctt my crowne on ** my head so hye !
ffor by him tJuct made both sunn & moone,
K:ing of England this day I wilP dye ! "
besides '■? his head the hewed the crowne,
1052 & dange on him as they were wood ;
the stroke his Basnett to his head
vntill his braines came out w/th blood.
the carry ed him naked vnto ^^ Leicester,
1056 & buckeled his haire vnder his chin.
Bessy e mett him with ^^ merry cheere ;
these were they words shee sayd to him :
His crown
is hewed off
him,
and his
helmet
dashed into
his head,
and he is
carried to
Leicester.
' here. — Harl.
2 then.— Harl.
» Vid. Pag. 442, St. 74 & sequentes
[of MS. ; p. 'irjG, 1. 585 here].— P.
' yt was glide. — Harl.
'' yee mayo. — Harl. ^ the.— Harl.
' He said, give. — Harl.
* Sett the crowne of England upon.
-Harl.
" will I.— Harl.
'» Bosydc— Harl.
" into.— Harl. '^ with a.— Harl.
LADYE BEbSIYE.
363
" liow likest tliou tliey slaying of my Ijicilircn
twaine ? " '
1060 sliee spake these words to liim alo-wdc^ :
" now are wee wroken vppon tliec lieere !
welcome, gentle vnckle, home ! "
taunts his
coi"pse,
welcomes
Lord Derby.
great solace itt was to see,
10G4 I tell you, masters, w/thout lett,
Avhen they red rose of Mickle price
& our Besste^ were mett.
The Red
Rose and
White meet.
a Bishopp them marryed with, a ringe,
10G8 they * 2 bloods of hye renowne.
Bessye sayd, "now may wee sing,
wee tow bloods are made all one."
and are
married.
the Erie of Darbye he was there,
1072 & S^'r william Stanley a man of might ;
vpon their heads they sett the crowne
in presence of many a worthy wight.
Lord Derby
and Sir
William
Stanley
crown them.
then came hee ^ vnder a cloud,
1076 that sometime in England was ffull high ^
the hart began to cast his head ;
after, noe man might itt see.
but god that is both bright & sheene,
1080 & borne was of [a ''] mayden fFree,
saue & keepe our comelye K.ing ®
& 9 the poorc cominaltye !
ffinis.
our King
and tl:e
Commons!
' tho slcaying of my brethren dore.—
Harl.
* alon. — Ilarl.
^ yoiigo Ik's.sio togeder. — Karl.
* tlie.— Harl.
» Sir William Stanley. Scol.812.— F.
" MS. hight. Read f/it/h, prononnced
fuc. — Dyco.
' a.— Harl.
* queeuo. — Harl.
" and also.— Harl.
364
9ivt iDomtn ffairt*'
IS lU
**A VERY imperfect copy of this song," notes Percy,
Pepys' Merriments, vol. ii. p. 330."
It is a handful of woman-abusing commonplaces, true enough
perhaps of such specimens of tlie sex as the writer of them was
likely to see or appreciate.
Women are
fair, and
sweet to
those that
love them :
Are women ffaire ? " I ! wonderous ffau'e to see too.
"are women sweete ? " yea, passing [sweets 2] tliey
be too ;
most flfaire & sweete to tliem that only loue them ;
chast & discreet to all saue those that proue them.
not wise,
but so witty,
they beguile
you;
" Are women wise ? " not wise ; but they be wittye.
" are women wittye ? " yea, the more the pittye ;
they are soe wittye, & in witt soe whylye,^
8 that be yon neare soe wise, they will beguile ye.
not fools,
but fond,
and never
stable ;
not devils,
but very
like them ;
needful
evils.
12
" are women ffooles ? " not fFooles, but fibndlings
many.
" can women ffound ^ be fFathfull vnto any ? "
when snow-white swans doe turne to colour sable,
then women ffond ^ will both be ffirme & stable.
" Are women Saints ? " no saints, nor yett no diuells.
" are women good ? " not good, but nccdfull cuills ;
soe Angell-like, that diuells I doe not doubt them ;
16 soe needfFull cuills, that fFew can Hue W('th-out them.
' a satire on Womon. A very im-
perfect Copy of this Song is in Pepys
Merrini'.', vol. 2, p. 330.— P.
' swoct. — P.
— F.
wilyo. — P.
Throe strokes only for vn in the MS.
found. — F.
ARE WOMEN FAIRE. 365
"Are women proud?" I! passing proud, & praise ^ Proud they
are,
tlaem.
" are women kind ? " I ! wonderous kind, &- please and kind
when they
them, like to be ;
or soe imperyous,^ no man can endure them,
20 or soe kind-harted, any may procure them. ffinis. often too
kind.
' praishiffe was first -writton in the hand. — F. ^ an't, if it. — F.
MS., but the viffc has been crossed out, ^ MSv imperious. — F.
and an e writton above it by a Liter
I" I Dreamed my Loue," printed in Lo. & Hum. Songs, p. 102,
follows here in the MS. ]Jcige 480.]
366
The author of The Treaty se of Ffjsshynr/e ivyth an Angle,
printed by Wynkyn de Worde in his edition of the Book of
St. Alban's in 1496, sets himself to " dyscryue foure good dis-
portes and honest games, that is to wyte, huntynge, hawkynge,
fyshynge and foulynge," in order to find out the best ; which is the
most fit mean and cause to " enduce man into a mery spyryte,"
that brings a man " fayr aege and longe life;" for "Salamou
in his parablys sayth that a good spyryte makyth a flourynge
aege, that is, a fayre aege and a longe." Our Fisher with an
Angle proceeds with the description of the four sports as
follows :
. . huntynge, as to myn entent, is to laboiyous, for the hunter must
always renne and folowe his houndes : traueyllynge and swetynge full
sore. He blowyth till his lyppes blyster. And whan he wenytli it
be an hare, full oft it is an hegge hogge. Thus he chasyth, and wote
not what. He comyth home at euyn, rajai-beten, pryckyd, and his
clothes torne, wete-shode, all myry, Some hounde lost, some surbat.^
Suche greues and many other hapyth vnto the hunter, whyche, for
dyspleysaunce of them y* loue it, I dare not reporte. Thus truly me
semyth that this is not the beste dysporte and game of the sayd foure.
The dysporte and game of hawkynge is laboryous and noyouse also,
as me semyth. For often the fawkener leseth his hawkes as the
hunter his houwdes. Thenne is bis game and his dysporte goon. Full
often cryeth he and whystelyth tyll that he be ryght euyll a-thurste.
His hawke taketh a bowe, and lyste not ones on hym rewardc.^ whan
he wold haue her for to flee : theune avoII she bathe. Avitli mys-
fedynge she shall haue the Fronse ^ : the Rye : the Cray : and many
' A Curious Old Song in praise of nioutli. Sco " Modicyno for tlic Frounce"
Falconry. — P. in Iicliquice Antiqucc, i. 29i, 297. The
^ . . surhotcd or riven of their skin. lii/c is a sore in the nostrils, ih. i. 294;
Topsoll, p. 689, in Ilalliwell. — F. the Cray a disease of the 'fondement,'
' look. ih. i. 295. ( The Booke of Haxvkyng, aftt r
* The I'ronso is a sore in a hawk's Prince Edwarde,Ky)ig of Englavdc.^—Y.
A CAUILERE. 367
other syknosscs that brynge them to the Sowse.^ Thus by proufF this
is not the beste dysporte and game of the sayd foure. The dysporte
and game of fowlynge me semyth moost symple. For in the wynter
season the fowler spedyth not but in the moost hardest and coldest
weder : whyche is greuous. For whan he wolde goo to his gynnes
he maye not for colde. Many a gynne and many a snare he makyth.
Yet soryly dooth he fare. At morn tyde in the dewe he is weete
shode unto his taylle. Many other suche I cowde tell : but drede of
magre ^ makith me for to leue. Thus me semyth that huntynige and
hawkynge and also fowlynge ben so laborous and greuous that none
of thepn maye perfourme nor bi very meane that enduce a man to a
mery spyryte : whyche is cause of his long lyfe acordynge unto y^
sayd parable of Salamon : ^ Dowteles then«e folowyth it that it must
nodes be the dysporte of fysshynge with an angle. For all other
manere of fysshyng is also laboi'ous and greuous : often makyugc
folkes full wete and colde, whyche many tymes hath be seen cause of
grete Infirmytees. But the angler maye haue no colde, nor no dysease
nor angre, but yf he be causer hymself. For he maye not lese at the
moost but a lyne or an boke : of whyche he may haue store plentee
of his owne makynge, as this symple treatysc shall teche hym. So
thenne his losse is not greuous. and other greyflTes may he not haue,
sauynge bu.t yf ony fisshe breke away after that he is take on the hoke,
or elles that he catcbe nought : whyche ben not greuous. For yf he
fay lie of one he maye not fajdle of a nother, yf he dooth as this
treatyse techyth, but yf there be uoiight in the water. And yet atte
the leest he hath his holsom walke, and mery at his ease, a swete ayre
of the swete sauoure of the meede floures : that makyth hym hungry.
He hercth the melodyous armony of fowles. He seeth the yonge
swanncs : heerons : duckes : cotes, and many other foules wyth theyr
brodes ; whyche me semyth better than alle the noyse of houndys : the
blastes of hornys and the scrye of foulis that hunters, fawkeners, and
foulers can make. And yf the angler take fysshe : surely thenne is
there noo man mericr than he is in his spyryte. ^ Also who soo well
vse the game of anglynge : ho must ryse erly, whiche tliyng is prouffyt-
able to man in this wyse. That is to wyte : moost to the hccle of his
soule. For it shall cause hym to be holy, and to the heele of his
body, For it shall cause him to be hole. Also to the encrease of his
' ? doatli. ' Dead as :i fowl :it soH.sr,' 278). ' To Inipo or scaze greedily upon,
i.e. !it the stroke of another Lird de- to sv//-c doiuu^ ah;a hauko.' Florio, p. 48,
seending violently ou it. So explaiudl cd. Kill. Jlaliiwell.— F.
by Mr. Dyce {Beaumont 4' Fletcher, vii. ^ Tr. vtu'yri; illwilL— F.
368 A CAUILEHE.
gooclys. For it shall make liym ryclie. As the olde englysshe pro-
uerbe saytli in this wyse. ^ who soo "woll ryse erly shall be holy
helthy and zely.' ^ Thus have I prouyd in myn entent that the
dysporte and game of anglynge is the very meane and cause that
enducith a man in to a mery spyryte : Whyche, after the sayde parable
of Salomon and the sayd doctryne of phisyk, makyth a flourynge aege
and a longe. And therefore to al you that ben vertuous : gentyll :
and free borne, I wryte and make this symple treatyse folowynge :
by whyche ye may haue the full crafte of anglynge to dysport you at
your luste : to the entent that your aege maye the more floure and
the more longer to endure.
Now this is all very well for a quiet man with no devil in him ;
but Crecy and Agin court were not fought and won by men of
this type ; Nelson and Napier could hardly have been content to
be fools at one end of a rod, with worms at the other. Nor
could our Cauileere have accepted the reason of " Perkyn ]'e
plou mon " why knights should hawk :
fecche ^e hom Faucuns • \>e Foules to quelle,
For i>e\ comen in-to my croft • And Croppen my Whete.
(William's Vision of Piers Plowman, Pass. vii. p. 76, 1. 34-5, ed. Skeat.)
There are many men whom, more or less, Tennyson's " Sailor-
boy " represents, even in their sports :
My mother clings about my neck,
My sisters clamour " stay for shame ! "
My father raves of death and wreck :
They are all to blame ; they are all to blame. ]
God help me ! Save I take my part
Of danger on the roaring sea,
A devil rises in my heart.
Far worse than any death to me.
The electric force within them must out ; the excitement that
the chance of danger in the chase gives is necessary for them, is
the condition of health for body and mind, which if cooped up in
city and court would both become diseased ; the devil would rise.
But the sportsman cares not to look at this negative side of the
' A.-Sax. S(elig, happy, lucky, blessed, prosperous. Bosworth. — F.
A CAUILERE. 369
question: be knows that he loves his sport; its toils are his plea-
sures, its danger his business to beat ; his horse, his dog — in old
time, his hawk — is his friend, ^^^lat matters the chance of a fall,
when you feel your horse going under you, and hear the hoofs of
the field about you ? Sit close, and take your chance, whatever
it be.
Our ballad is by a man of the right breed. It has the true
lilt in it ; carries us back to bright old days, and makes us wish
that all our workers could have something more of healthy out-
door life. Of the poem itself we know no other copy. — F.
OOIVIE : in their traine, & some in their gaine, some doiight
in gain,
doe sett their whole delight ; others
_ in adorning
they[r] time ^ some doe passe "With a comb & a glasse, themselves,
4 to be loued in their mistresse sight ;
Some loue the chace, & som.e loue the race others in
hunting the
of the hare & of the fFearlFull deere ; hare ;
but the brauest delight is the flEawcon in her ffligh[t], buttiie
falcon's
8 when shee stoopes w^th a cauileere. flight beats
all.
flfor shee will moue iust like a done ;
when once her game shee doth flBnd,
shee clipps itt amaine, shee strikes itt a plane, she flies at
her game
12 but seemes ^ to outstripp the wind. like the
wind ;
shee fflycth att once her niarke lumpc ^ vpon, she soars
& mounteth the wc[l]kin "* cleere ;
then right shee stoopes, when the ffalkncr hoe whoopes,
16 triumphing in her cauileere.
' their time. — P. Ami bi-iiip; him ii(»ipc, wlicii ho may
* MS. scenes. — F. Cassin find
* lie set her on my selfc, a while, to Soliciting his wife. — 0/J/r/lo, Actus Se-
draw the Moor apart, cundus, Scena Secunda. — F.
* welkin. — P.
VOL. III. n B
370
A CAUILERE.
and makes
the clouds
her quaiTy.
She stoops,
20
24
In a moments space sliee will better place *
as tkougli sliee did disdains to carrye ^ ;
the earth is soe ^ neere, shee mounteth the sphere,
& maketh the clouds her quarrey,''
till the ifawkner quite now hath Lost her sight,
& her bells no longer can heare ;
then listening ^ to a starr, he espyes her affarr,
come stooping with a cauileere.
and her
master
rushes
through
thorn and
wood to
meet her
ringing
cheer.
Then comes he in, through thicke, through thin,
as nothing can his passage stay ;
his paines doth him please, his pleasure doth him ease,
28 through studds,^ through woods, is his way.
he fforceth not ^ to sweat, though breathles with heat,
but w^th a resounding Cheare
he reacheth fforth his throte, & whoopeth fforth his
note,
32 triumphing in her cauileere.
He's free
from care,
and sleeps
at his ease.
His falcon's
bells are
his chimes.
36
40
He is ffree ffrom court & Cittyes resort,
& thus his houres doth imploye ;
the brooke & the ffeild him pleasure doth yeeld ;
theres nothing interrupts his ioye.
his paines doth him please when he sleepeth att case ;
but this fFawcon, when day doth appeare,
her bells are his Chimes when he riseth betimes
triumphing in her Cauileere.
ifinis.
' pace, or her place. — P.
^ tarry. — P.
8 too.— P.
< ? MS. qurwey.— P.
* lessonB or less? query. — P.
* Lin. 4. perhaps stubhs, i. e. short
stumps of cut underwood, tho' sfiidds
signify Posts. See Pag. 407, St. 7 [of
MS.]— P.
' doesn't mind : cp. ' no force,' it's no
matter, of no consequence. — F.
371
The hero of this strange piece is obviously James I. The earlier
verses are, no doubt, prophecies founded on fact — prophecies
after the event — as indeed is not unfrequently the case v/ith
prophecies, they being but chapters of history with the tenses
altered and the language darkened. After verse sixteen our
author either turns satirical, or perchance indulges in a wild
dream born of his ardent Protestantism and his study of the
book of Joel. We prefer the latter supposition, and conjecture
that the poem was written about the time of the beginning of the
Thirty Years' War. The writer sympathised with the cause of the
Elector Palatine. The general excitement in this country in the
Winter King's behalf was unbounded. " The Protestants of Eng-
land," says Mr. Knight, " were roused to an enthusiasm which had
been repressed for years. Volunteers were ready to go forth full
of zeal for the support of the Elector. James was professing an
ardent desire to Protestant deputies to assist his son-in-law, and
at the same time vowing to the Spanish ambassador that the
alliance with his Catholic master, which was to be cemented by
the marriage of Prince Charles to the Infanta, was the great
desire of his heart. At length the Catholic powers entered the
Palatinate ; and the cry to arm was so loud amongst the English
and Scotch that James reluctantly marshalled a force of four
thousand volunteers, not to support his son-in-law upon the
throne of Bohemia, but to assist in defending his hereditary
dominions." At this crisis, we should suggest, the following piece
was composed. The Prophet, rejoicing that the darling wish
and hope of his Protestant heart is about to be realised, recognises
in the King who has sent forth the expedition him who, after grand
mt 2
372
A PROPECYE.
successes achieved in the Occident, is to fight that great final
battle in the valley of Jehoshaphat.
The news that reached England towards the end of the year
1620 must have sadly disappointed the poor visionary. This
once hopeful monarch proved but a traitor to the Good Cause.
Perhaps he was the one who was to be vanquished — not to
vanquish — at Armageddon.
A prince
from the
North shall
called J. S.,
find good
fortune,
and couch as
a lion.
He calls a
parliament,
and at once
breaks it up.
Then,
roused by
foreign foes,
he draws his
sword
and punishes
them,
12
16
20
A : Prince out of the north shall come,
K-ing borne, named babe ; his brest vpon,
a Lyon rampant strong to see,
and 1 1 S ^ Icclippedd bee :
borne in a conntry rude & stonye,^
yett hee couragyous, wise, & holy ;
att best of strengbt, his ffortunes best
he shall receiue, & tlierin rest,
coach as a Lyon in the den,
& lye in peace soe long till men
shall wonder, & all christendome
tbinko the time long, both all and some.
Att Last he calls a Parlaiment,
& breakes itt straight in discontent ; -^
& shortly then shall roused bee
by enemyes beyond the sea.
but when in wrath he drawes his sword,*
woe that the sleeping Lyon stured !
£for ere he sheath the same againe,
he puts his foes to mickle paine.
[page 481]
' James Stuart. The I before J. S. may
be a c : the two letters are often exactly
alike.— F.
« Scotland.— F.
' James's second Pai'liament, which
met April 5, 1614, and was dismissed
angrily, without passing a single act,
because it declined to grant supplies till
the illegal impositions and other griev-
ances were redressed. — F.
^ ? referring to the 4000 volunteers
whom he sent to defend the Palatinate
in 1G20.— F.
A PROPECYE.
373
24
28
32
36
40
44
48
& vallyant actes he shall then doe,
great Alexanders ffame outgoe :
he passeth seas, & fi'ame doth wiun,
& many princes ioyne vfith him,
& chuse him ffor their gouernor,
& crowne him wcstcrne Emperour ; '
after a Avhile he shal be-girt
that cittye ancyent and great
which, vpon 7 hills scituate,
till hee her all haue ruinate.
then shall a iFoe ffrom east appeare,
the brinkes of one great riuer neere ;
this Lyon rampant him shall meete ;
& iff on this side hee shall ffight,
the day is Lost : but hee shall crosse
this riuer great, & being past,
shall in the strenght of his great god,
into his ffoes discouraging rode,
causing him thence take his fflight,
of Easterne Kwi^/s succour to seekee ;
during which time he is in owne ^
of East & west crowned Emperowne.
then shall the ffoe in ffury burne,
& ffrom the East in hast return e —
With aid of K.ings & princes great —
to the valley of lehosaphatt :
then shall hee meete the Lyon stronge,
who in a battcll ffeirce & longe
shall ffoyle his ffoe. then crucll death
shall take away liis aged breath. ffinis.
outdoing
Alexander's
fame,
and being
crowned
Western
Emperor.
Then he
shall besiege
Borne,
meet his
eastern foe,
and rout
him.
But the
foe shall
return,
reinforced,
and be
routed
again, in the
valley of
Jehoslui-
]jhat.
Then the
Kniperor
shall die.
' James I. was proclaimed Ly the new
title of " King of Great Britain, Franco,
and Ireland," on Oct. 24, 1604; but ou
his medals lie assumed the title of
Imperator. — F.
^ ? ono. — F.
374
This ballad occurs in the Roxburghe Collection (reprinted in
Collier's Book of Roxburghe Ballads, p. 104, and from it in
Professor Child's English and Scottish Ballads), and in the
Collection of Old Ballads.
" This narrative-ballad," says Mr. Collier, " which is full of
graceful but unadorned simplicity, is mentioned in Fletcher's
Monsieur Thomas (Act III. sc. 3), [see Introduction to the Rose
of Englande~\ by the name of Maudlin the Merchant's Daughter.
Two early editions of it are known ; one, without printer's name
(clearly much older than the other), is that which we have used ;
we may conclude that it was written considerably before James I.
came to the throne. It was last reprinted in 1738, but in that
impression it was much modernised and corrupted."
Maudlin, a
Bristol
merchant's
daughter,
is loved by i
neighbour-
youth,
but her
friends
[The first Fitt.]
IjEHOLD : tlic touchstone of true loue,
Maudlin, the Merchants daughter of Bristow ^ towne,
whose ffirme aflfection nought ^ cold moue !
this ^ ffauor bearcs the louely browne.
a gallant youth was dwelling by,
yvhich long time ^ had borne this Lady great good
will ;
shee loued him most ffaithffully,
but all her ffreinds wi'thstoode itt still.
' In i//o printed Co]lcct«m of Old
Ballads, 12'V», vol. 3, p. 201. N. 37.— P.
In two Fitts. — P.
- r>risto].^O.B.
* Ilor.— O.B.
^ O.B. omits time. — 1'
3 nothing.— O.B.
MAUDLINE. 375
tlie young man now p(??-cciuing well oppose the
he cold not gett nor winn ^ the fauor of her ffreiuds,
the fforce of sorrow to expell,
12 to ^ vew strange countryes hee intends ; Sohe
_ resolves to
& now to lake his last ff'arwell go and see
strange
of his true loue & ^ constant Maudlin, countries,
With, sweet musicke,^ that did excell, ^""^ , ^.
' ' serenades his
16 he playes vnder her windowe then : }°X^ '^^^°^®
^ J ^ going.
" farwell," quoth, he, "my owne true Loue !
" ffarwell," qiwth he, " the cheefFest tres[ure of my
Heart] ^
Throughc fFortunes *" spite, ihat ffalse did proue, [page 482]
20 I am. inforcet ffrom thee to pa?'te
into the Land of Italye ^ : in Italy
'' _ he'll spend
there will I waite & weary out my dayes ^ in woe. '"^ days in
seing my true loue is kept ffrom mee,
24 I hold my liffe a mortall ffoe.
therfore, ffaire Bristow towne, now adew ! ^ and forsake
' _ _ Bristol
for Padua shalbe my habitation now for Padua.
although my loue doth Lodge ^° in thee,
28 to welcome [whom] ^^ alone my heart I yow."
With trickling ^^ teares this did hee singe ;
w/th ^3 sighes & sobbs discendinge from his hart full He sighs and
sor[e],
he said, when hee his hands did winnge, and wrings
his hands,
32 " ffarwell, sweet loue, ffor euer-more ! " ai«i bids his
love fare-
ffaire Maudline from a window hye ^^'^'i'-
beholding ^^ her true loue wi'th Musickc where he
sto[ode],
' vnm in the MS. O.B. omits nor ' fair Italy. — O.B.
winn.—F. « Life.— O.B.
'■' And. — O.B. " Fair Bristol Town therefore adieu.
» his fair and.— O.B. —O.B.
* Musick sweet.— O.B. '» rest.— O.B.
* MS. pared away: the . . heart read " whom. — O.B.
hy the help of, or supplied from Old " tiekling.^ — O.B.
Ballads, whieh omits qno/h he. — F. " O.B. omits with. — F.
* ? IVIS. pared away. — F. '* See. — O.B.
376
MAUDLINE.
She dares not
answer him,
but weeps
all night,
36
and TOWS
she'll give
np her
family
and follow
her love.
She gets up
and finds a
master
seaman
waiting to
see her
father.
him into
a parlour,
40
44
48
52
56
60
but not a word sliee durst ' replye,
fi'earing her parents angry naoode.
in teares sliee spends tliis ^ woefull night,
wishing her^ (though naked) w/th her ffaitlifuU
ffrein[d].
shee blames her ffriends & ffortunes spight
that wrought their ^ Loue such Luckless end ;
& in her hart shee made a vowe,
cleane to fForsake her country & her kinsfolkes ^ all,
& ffor to ffollow her true loue
to bide what ^ chance thai might befFall.
the night is gone & the day is come,
& in the morning verry early shee did rise ;
shee getts her downe to the ^ Lower roome,
where sundry seamen shee espyes,
A gallant Masfe/- amongst them all, —
the master of a gallant * shipp was hee, —
which there stood ^ waiting in the hall
to speake w;'th her ffather, if itt might bee.
shee kindly takes him by the hand ;
"good Si'r," she said,"^ "wold yee speake with any
heere ? "
q?ioth hee, " fFaire mayd, therfore I '^ stand."
" then, gentle Sir, I pray you come ^^ neere
Into a pleasant parlour by."
With ^^ hand in hand shee brings the seaman all alone ;
sighing to him most pyteouslye,
shee thus to him did make her moane ;
' did.— O.B.
2 spent that.— O.B.
3 herself.— O.B. The ' naked ' alludes
to the early custom of sleeping naked,
occasionally mentioned in romances. The
authority of early illuminated MSS. is
also cited for it ; but as kings and queens
in bed are almost always drawn with
tlieir crowns on, and lying flat on their
backs, one does not feel compelled to
accept the illuminators' authority for the
nakedness any more than the crowns,
— F. * her.— O.B.
* ? MS. kinifolkes.— F. To forsake
lior Country and Kindred. — O.B.
" abide all.— O.B. ' into a.— O.B.
* a great and goodly. — O.B.
s AVho there was.— O.B.
'" said she.— O.B.
" and therefore I do. — O.B.
'- I pray draw. — O.B.
" O.B. omits tvUk. — F.
MAUDLINE.
377
64
68
72
76
BO
84
88
shee falls vpon her tender ^ knee,
"good S('r," sliee said, "now i>itty yea a womans
case,^
& proue a ffaithffull freiud to mee,
that I to you my greeffe may show ! "
" sith you repose jour trust," hee sayd,
" to me that am vnkno^vne,3 & eke a stranger heere,
be you assured, proper "* maid,
most ffaithfull still I will appeare."
" I haue a brother," then quoth, shee,
" whom as my liffe I ^ ffauor tenderlye.
In Padua, alas ! is hee ;
fFull sicke, god wott, & like to dye ;
& ^ ffaine I wold my brother see,
but that my father will not yeeld to let me goe.
tlierfore, good Sir, bee good^ to mee,
& vnto me this ffauor show,
some shippboyes garments bring to me,
that I disguised may goe away ffrom hence ^ vn-
knowne,
& vnto sea He goe wtth thee
if thus much ffreindshipp may ^ be showne."
" ffaire mayd," q-woth hee, " take heere my hand ;
I will ffulfill eche thing that you now doe '"^ desire,
& sett ^^ you saffe in that same Land,
& in tliat place where ^^ you require ! "
shee gaue him '^ then a tender kisse,
& saith, "yo?(r servant, gallant Master, will I bee,'**
& proue yoitr ffaith-full ffreind ffor this,
sweet Master, fforgett ''' not mee ! "
falls on her
knees to
him,
jjraj's him
to hear her
troubles.
and then
tells him
that her
brother is
(lying in
Padua,
and her
father won't
let her go to
him.
" Bring
me some
shipboy's
clot hes,
and let mc
go with
you."
The seaman
promises to
do all she
wants.
She kisses
hiiu and says
she'll be liis
friend.
* bended.— O.B.
* (said she) pity a Woman's Woe. —
O.B.
' In me unknown. — O.B.
■■ most liciiutcous. — O.B.
* I love and.— O.B.
« Full.— O.B. ' kind.— O.B.
* O.B. omits aim ji from hence. — F.
" Favour might. — O.B.
'" O.B. omits now doc F.
" sec.— O.B.
i^" tile Pkee that.— O.B,
" to him.— O.B.
" said, Youi- Servant, Master, I will
Lo.— O.B.
'* then forget.— O.B.
378
MAUDLINE.
He brings
her the boy's
clothes.
She puts
them on,
and goes
with him
before her
father.
" Tliis youth
is going
there."
The mother,
not knowing
her
daughter,
gives her 20
crowns to
tend home
news of
Ijerself,
92
96
[page 483]
Her mother
comes in,
saying their 1 00
daughter is
gone.
"That vile
wretch has
enticed her :
we shaU find
him in
Padua."
104
108
112
116
this done, as they had both decreede,'
soone after, earlye before the ^ breake of day,
he brings her garments then w^'th speed,
wherin shee doth her-selfe ' array.
& ere her ffather did arise,
shee meetes her Master walkeing ^ in the hall ;
shee did attend on him likwise
enen vntill ^ her ffather did him call,
bnt ere ^ the Marchant made an end
Of all the matter to the M.aster he cold saye,'^
his wiffe came weeping in with speed,
saying, " our daughter is gone away ! "
the marchant, much ® amazed in minde,
" yonder vile wretch inticed away my child ^ ! "
but well I ^^ wott I shall him ffind
att Padua or in Italy e." ^^
With thai bespake the 'M.aster braue :
" worshippffull M.aster,^'^ thither goes this pretty
youth, ^^
& any thing thai you wold haue,^"*
he will perfforme itt,'^ & write the truth."
" sweete youth," qwoth shee,^*' " if itt be soe,
beare me a le^^re to the Enghsh Marchants ^^ there,
& gold on thee I will bestoAve ;
my daughters welfare I doe ffeare."
her mother takes '^ her by the hand :
"faire youth," q«oth shee, " if ^^ thou dost my
daughter see,
leitt me therof soone ^° vnderstand,
& there is 20 crowncs ffor thee."
* agreed.^ — O.B.
2 after that by.— O.B.
^ Therein herself she did. — O.B.
* as he walked.— O.B.
'^ Until— O.B.
« But here.— O.B.
' Of those his weighty Matters all
that Day.— O.B.
" then.- O.B.
■^ intie'd my Child away. — O.B.
'« I well.— O.B.
" In Italy at Padna. —
'2 Merchant.— O.B.
" tliis Yoxith.- O.B.
" crave. — O.B.'
'^ perform. — O.B.
"= he.— O.B.
" the English.— O.B.
'■' Youtli, if o'er. — O.B
2» soon thereof.- O.B.
O.B.
'8 took.— O.B.
MAUDLINE. 379
thus, through the daughters strange disgniise,
the mother kncAV not when shee spake vnto licr
chikl ;
& ^ after her master straight shee hyes, and Maudlin
1120 taking her leauo w/th countenance myld.
thus to the sea fFaire ^ Maudlin is gone goes to sea
with her
With her gentle master, god send them a merry master.
A^dnd !
where ^ wee a while must leaue them alone,'*
124 till you the second fitt^ doe ffind.
[The Second Fitt.]
r " welcome, sweet Maudlin, ffrom the sea Maudlin and
I _ _ her master
J where bitter stormes & tempests doe rise ^ ! ^^^a m
'' I the pleasant bankes of Italye
128 l^ wee ^ may behold wi'th morttall eyes."
thankes, gentle laaster," then qtioth.^ shee. She thanks
"^a ffaithffull ffreind in all sorrowes hast thou ''^ kindness,
beene !
if ffortune once doe smile on mee,
1.32 my thankfFuU hart shall then ^^ be seene.
blest be the hand that ffeeds my loue,
blest be the place wheras his person '^ doth abydc !
nor '3 tryall will I sticke to proue and says
•' _ ^ she'll
1.3G wherby my good will '^ may be tryde.
now will I walke with ioyffull hart walk about
1 T ir T 1 . till she tiiids
to vew the towne wheras my darling '•' doth remamc,
& seeke him out in euery pa H
140 vntill I doe his sight attaine." ^'^ her love.
' Then. — O.B. * There is a tag like an s at tlic end of
^ sweet. — O.B. this word — F.
' ? MS. when. The n (or rr) is '" in Sorrow thou hast.— O.B.
blotted out in the MS.— F. Where.— " My gratitude shall soon.— O.B.
O.B. '^ wherein he.— O.B.
♦ all alone.— O.B. " No.— O.B.
5 Part.— 0.15. " true Love.— O.B,
^ arise. — O.B. " wherein he. — O.B.
' You.— O.B. " said.— O.B. '" Until his Sight I do oUain.— O.B.
380
MAUDLINE.
The Master
says he'll
see her safe
to Padua.
At last she
arrives
there.
and finds
her lover
condemned
to death
unless he'll
turn Papist.
Maudlin
wails.
walks under
the prison
walls,
and hears
her lover
bid farewell
to England,
friends,
144
148
152
156
160
164
168
*' & I," q?fotli hee, "will not fforsate
Sweete Maudlin in her sorrowes vp & downe ;
in wealtli & woe, thy part He take,
& bring thee saffe to Padua towne."
& after manj weary stepps
In Padua the arriued safFely ^ att the Last :
for verry ioy her harte itt leapes,
shee thinkes not on her pe?ills ^ past,
condemned hee was to dye, alas,
except he wold flProm his religion turne ;
but rather then hee wold goe to ^ masse,
in flB.ery fflames he vowed to burne.
now doth Maudhn weepe and waile,
her ioy changed to weeping,** sorrow, greeffe &
care ;
but nothing can ^ her plaints preuaile,
ffor death alone must be his share,
shee walked vnder the prison walls
where her true louedoth lye& languish" in distresse;
most ^ woeflPallye for ffood hee calls
when hungar did his hart oppresse ;
he sighes, & sobbs, & makes great moane ;
" farwell," he said, " sweete England, novv^ for eu-
ermore !
& all my flfreinds tliat haue me knowne
In Bristow towne with health ^ and store !
but most of all, ffarwell," q^oth hee,
" my owne true loue,'*^ sweet Mnudlin, Avhom I left
behind !
for neuer more I shall see thee.'^
woe to thy ffather Most vnkind !
O.B. omits saffcly. — F.
Sorrows.- — O.B.
would to. — O.B.
O.B. omits weeping. — F.
For nothing could. — O.B.
Love did languish. — O.B.
' Then.— O.B.
* Fiirewcl, Swcot-hcart, he cry'd. —
O.B.
» Wealth.— O.B.
'" O.B. omits true louc. — F.
" thou wilt me see. — O.B.
MAUDLINE.
381
172
176
180
184
192
196
how well were I if tliou were ' here,
with, thy ffairehantls to close vp both these^ wi'etched
eyes !
my torments easye wold appeare ;
My soule w/th ioy shall ^ scale the skyes." [page 484]
when 'Maudlin hard her louers moane,
her eyes with teares, her hart with sorrow, feild.''
to speake with him noe meanes was knowne,^
such greenous doorae on him did passe.^
then cast shee of ^ her Ladds attyre ;
a maydens weede vpon her backe shee^ seemlye sett ;
to ^ the iudges house shee did enquire,
& there shee did a service gett.
shee did her duty there soe well,
& eke soe prudently shee did her-selfe '^ behaue,
with her in Loue her Master fFell,
his servants ffavor he doth craue :
"Mauf?^i7«," qttoth hee, "my harts delight,
to whome my hart in affectyon is tyed,'^
breed not my death through thy despite !
a ifaithfFull ffreind I wilbe ^^ tryed ;
grant me thy loue, ffaire mayd," qtioth. hee,
" & att my hands '^ desire what tho[u] canst d[e]-
uise,^*
& I will grant itt vnto thee,
wherby thy creditt may arrise."
"I haue [a] '•'' brother, Sir," shee sayd,
" fFor his religion is now '** condcmpncd to dye ;
in Lothesome prison is he '^ Laid,
opprest with care '** and misery.
Maurllin
sorrows,
but cannot
speak to her
lover.
She dresses
again as a
takes service
in the
judge's
house,
and he falls
in love with
her.
and promises
her what-
ever she asks
him.
She asks for
the life of
her brother,
in prison foV
his belief.
' I wore if thou wert. — O.B.
^ close my. — O.B.
' would.— O.B.
* Heart soon filled was. — O.B.
s found.— O.B.
• did on him pass. — O.B.
' she put off.— O.B.
" Her Miiidcn- weeds upon her.
» At.— O.B.
-O.B.
'" so well herself she did. — O.B.
" my Soul is so inelin'd. — O.B.
'2 thou shalt me.— O.B.
'' And tlien.— O.B.
'< ? MS. diuise.— F.
" The a is written above the line in a
later liand.— F.
'" O.B. omits JiouK — F.
" he is.— O.B. '« Grief.— O.B.
382
MAUDLINE.
" He must
recant or
die ! "
" Then let
an English
friar I
know be
sent to
him."
The jiidce
agrees.
Maudlin
dresses up
the seaman
as a fi-iar,
and sends
him with a
letter to her
lover.
Her lover
charges her
to leave
Italy, as
death awaits
her there.
200
2'4
208
212
216
220
224
grant you ^ my brothers [life]," ^ slice sayd,
*' to you my lifFe ^ & liking I will giue."
" thai may not be," q?totli liee, " faire mayd ;
"except lie turne, he cannott Hue."
" an English fFryer there is," shee said,
" of learning great, & of a passing pure ■* Hffe ;
lett him to my brother be sent,
& hee will soone ifinish'^ the strifie."
her 'Master granting ^ her request,
the Marriner in ffryers weed ^ shee did array,
& to her loue that lay distrest
shee doth a letter straight ** conuay.
when he had read those gentle lines,
his heauy hart was rauished with ^ ioye ;
where now shee was,^*^ ffull well hee knew.
the flFryer Likewise was not coye,
but did declare to him att large
the enterprise his loue had taken in hand,
the young man did the ffryer charge
his loue sliold straight depart the Land ;
" here is no place for her," hee sayd,
" but death & danger of her harmless ^' liffe ;
& testing death, '2 I was betrayd,
but ^^ ffearfull fl&ames must end our strifTc,
for ere I will my faith deny,
& swearo to '"* ffollow my selfc damned Anii-
CHRIST,^^
I will '^ yeeld my body for to dye,
& '^ liue in lieauen with the liyest."
' mc— O.B.
2 Life.— O.B.
^ And now to you my Love. — O.B.
■* passing pure of. — O.B.
* finish soon. — O.B.
" granted. — O.B.
7 Woods.— O.B.
* did a Letter soon. — O.B.
" His Heart was ravisliVl with plea-
sant.— O.B.
'« is.— O.B.
" ]>at woful Death and Danger of her.
—O.B.
'■•i Professing Truth.— O.B.
'3 And.— O.B.
>^ MS. to to.— F.
"' And swoar myself to follow damned
Atheist.— O.B.
'« I'll.— O.B.
" To.— O.B.
MAUDLINE. 383
"0 Sir," the gcntlo £fryer sayd, Tiio seaman
. urRcs him
" for jour sweet lone reccant, & sane your "wicked to recant.
liffe." 1
" a ^Yoeffull match," quoth, hoc, " is made, H'^ refuses.
228 where chr[i]st is left to Avin "^ a wiife."
when shee had wrought ■* all meanes shee might
to saue her fFreind, & that shee saw itt ■* wold not bee,
then of the iudge shee claimed her right Then
232 to [dye] ^ the death as well as hee. resolves to
■, T (• ^^ die with
when no perswassyon wold ° preuaile, him,
nor change her mind in any thing that shee had ^
sayd,
shee was w/th him condemned to dye,
236 and for them both one Fire was made,^ anri both
& ^ arme in arme most loyfiFullye stake with
these loners twaine vnto the ffyer they "^ did goe.
the marriner most ffaith-flfullye
240 was likwise '^ pav-tner of their woe :
but when the Judges vnderstood But the
the ffaith-ffuli ffreindshipp that^'^ did in them re- '^^^''^^^
maine,
they saued their lines, & afterward pardon tiicm
and M-nd
244 to England sent them home '^ againe. tii"" i>ome
" , ° to Ejigland.
Now was their sorrow turned to Toy,
And fTaithffull louers had now ^* their harts desire ; [page 4S5]
their paines soc well they did imploy,
248 god '^ granted that they did require ;
& when they were '^ to England come. They pet
& in merry Bristowe arriued att the Last, liristoi!
' Consent thereto, antl end the strife. was made. — O.B,
— O.B. " Yea.— O.B.
■^ gain.— O.B. '" O.B. omits fJiet/.—F.
3 u.s'd.— O.B. " Two strokes for the first i.—F.
* To save his Life yot all.— O.B. '- O.B. omits fhat.—F.
* dye.— O.B. '' back.— O.B.
« could.— O.B. " have.— O.B.
' thing she.— O.B. '* The d lias a tag to it.— F.
» MS. comdemned to dye. one Fire '" did. — O.B.
384
MAUDLINE.
find
Maudlin's
father dead,
her mother
joyfiil to see
her,
and they
are married
at once,
the seaman
giving her
away.
252
256
260
great loy there was to all & some
thai lieard tlie clanger tliey had past,
lier fFather, hee was dead, god wott,
& eke her mother was ioyfull of ^ her sight ;
their wishes shee denyed not,
but weded them with harts delight,
her gentle Master shee ^ desired
to be her ffather, & att Church to giue her then.
itt was ffulffilled as shee required,
vnto ^ the ioy of all good men. ffinis.
' at.— O.B.
2 he.— O.B.
3 To.— O.B.
380
Come pretty tunntom
A LOVER praying for pity, would fain know the reason of his idoFs
indifference. If she will not look at him, yet will she hear him ?
If she will not hear him, will she look at him and his tears?
The poor fellow is in a weak condition ; and his verses are
such as might be expected.
12
Lome : pretty wanton, tell me why
thou canst not loue as well as I ?
sett thee downne, sett thee downe, sett thee downe,
and tlioM shalt see
Avhy thus vnkind thou art to me.
My dearest sweet, be not soe Coy,
for thou alone art all my Toy.
sett thee downe &c.
thai itt is hye time to pittye mee.
O gentle loue ! be not yett gone ;
leaue me not heere distrest alone !
sett thee downe &c.
that I delight in none but thee.
Lett me not crye to thee in vaine !
Looke but vpon me once againe !
if a looke, if a looke, if a looke thou wilt not lend,
16 lett but thy gentle eai^es attend.
If thou doe stopp those gentle cares,
Looke but vjjon these cruell teares
w/u'ch doe fforce me still to crye
20 ' pittye me, sweet, or else I dye ! ' ffillis.
VOL. HI. C C
Tell me why
you won't
love me.
You alone
are my joy.
Go not yet ;
look on me
once more 1
Pity mo, or
Idle.
3^6
lee i£J a ffoolle:^
This piece, as Mr. Furnivall notes, was printed in the first edi-
tion of the Reliques with the title of " The Aspiring Shepherd."
(Cf. " The Steadfast Shepherd," " The Shepherd's Kesolution,"
&c.)
The lover here holds his head up. He is not for everybody.
He must have some rarer beauty for his affection, not of the
common sort or such as will smile upon anybody.
Shall I love
one who's
loved by the
herd?
No.
JilEE : is a fFoole thai baselje dallyes
where eclie peasant mates wrth him.
shall I haunt the thronged valleys,
haninge noble hills to climbe ?
no ! no ! tliose clowncs be scared wi'th ffrownes
shall neuer my affectyon ^ gayne !
& snch as you, ffond fFooles, adew,
tliai ^ seeke to captiue me in vaine !
Give me one
whom
buzzards
daren't gaze
at,
who needs
effort to win.
12
16
I doe scorne to vow a dutye
where eche lustfull Ladd may woe.
giue me those whose seemlye * bewtye,
bussards dare not gazt ^ vnto.
shee itt is affords my blisse
ffor whome I will reffuse no payne ;
& such as you, fond fooles, adew,
thai seeke to captiue mc in vaine !
fTlllis.
' Printed in the Reliques, iii. 253, ^ estccme. — Bel.
( 1st ed.), with the title of " The Aspiring * sun-like. — liel.
Shepherd." — i\ ' gaze. — P.
' Ye.—L\l.
387
iCuIIa : tulla:
A LOVER here, parting from the object of his affections, would lull
to sleep all doubts of his truth and constancy. He is going
away ; but let her put a calm unruffled faith in him. The
verses are but commonplace.
JjY : constraint if I depart, —
sing lullabee, —
I leaue w/th [thee] behind, my constant hart,
placed w/th thine, there lett itt rest
till itt by death be disposest,
sing lulla lullabee ! lone, Hue loyall till I dye.
If forced to
go,
I leave my
heart with
thee.
12
doe not any wayes distrust —
sing lullabye —
that I shall proue inconstant or vniust.^
though banishment a while I ti^y,
yett shall affectyon neuer dye.
[sing lulla &c. (a line pared aivay here)'\
Never doubt
my
constancy.
16
K by absence I be fforcet —
sing lullabee —
a litle while to be deuorcet
ffrom thcc whose brest can testifyc
where my subiects hart doth Tiye,
Lulla &c.
[page 480]
While
absent from
thco
' One Btrokc too many in tho MS. — F.
c c 2
388 LULLA LULLA.
I crave only constancye is all I craue
thy
consta
to me.
thy . 1 11 1
constancy 20 Sing luliabee
peiformed by tliee, my wisli I liaue ;
If I to thee vnconstant proue,
lett death, my liffe fFrom earth remoue.
24 LuUa &c.
ffinis.
389
91 louei* off ^tiU : '
Here a lover asserts and proclaims his independence. He has
loved, and been rejected ; and here he makes up his mind to
bear his rejection well. He gives the lady up. Let who will,
win her ; he will not.
A LOUER of late was I, I was lately
. in love
fFor Cupid wold haue itt see,
the boy that hath neuer an eye,
as euery man doth know.
I sighed, and sobbed, and cryed alas
fifor her that langht & called me asse, ^& called me with a girl,
and she
assee, called me an
ass.
& called me asse .'. for her that &c.^
12
Then knew not I what to doe
when I see itt was ^ vaine
a lady soe coy to wooe,
& ■* gaue me the asse soe plaine.
yett would [I] her asse that I should bee,*
soe shee would helpc & beare with mee, **& beare &c.
soe shoe &c.^
If she'd have
had nifi, I'd
like to have
been her ass.
And I were as faine ^ as shee,
16 & shee were as kind® as I,
what payre cold haue mad[e] ^ as wee
If we could
have
changed
places,
I'd have
loved her.
' Printed in tlie licliques, iii. 176
(1st ed.).— F.
^-■^ Omitted in Bel.—¥.
^ saw it was all in. — licl,
* Who.— Bel.
' Yet would I her asse frcelvo boc-
Bel. ^
«-" Omitted in Bd.—F.
' An' I were as faire. — JRel.
' Or slieo were as fond. — Rd.
' made. — P.
390
A LOUER OFF LATE.
soe prettye a sumpathye ?
I was as kind ' as shee was ffaire,
20 but for all this wee cold not paire ; ^ we cold &c.
wee cold not paire but fFor all &c.^
But as she
won't have
me,
■why, let her
scorn away.
I'm myself
again.
Paire w*tli ber that will, ffor mee !
with ber I will neuer paire
24 thai cuninglj can be coy,
for being a litle fi'aire.
the Asse lie leaue to ber disdane,
& now I am, my selfe againe. ^ my selfe &c.
& BOW I am my selfe againe.^ ffinis.
28
• (ond.— Bel.
'-2 Omitted in Eel.—F.
3-3 Omitted in Eel.—F.
[" Panders come away" printed in Lo. & Hum. Songs, y. 104, folloivs
here in the MS. p. 486-7.]
391
6rtat or f routin
Here again a lover protests bis independence. He will not be
derided by anybody, however great she may be. He will act
like a rational beincf.
Man by reason should be guided.
But is he? Our dislikes are proverbially inscrutable — are not the
work of conscious reason. We cannot say why we do not like
" Dr. Fell" or Sabidius ; but we do not like them. Perhaps our
likes are not always more intelligible. Can we always say why
we like Sabidius ? Pallas Athene and Aphrodite were never
close friends.
vjREAT or proud, if shee deryde mee,
lett her goe ! I will ^ not dispaire !
ere to-morrow lie prouide mee
one as great,^ lesse proud, more ffaire.
he that seeks loue to constraine,
shall haue but Labor ffor his paine.
If my love
sneers at me,
I'll get a
fresh one
to-morrow.
12
And yett strongly will I proue her
whome I meane to haue indeede.
if shee constant proue, lie loue her ;
& if iFalse, lie not prococde.
ought from mee, that may constraine '
my mind & reason to be Lwaine !
But before
taking her,
I'll prove
her.
Eead lie. — Djce.
good. — P.
' Away from mo ! what may constrain.
Query. — P. Ouglit = out, interj.—V.
392
GREAT OR PROUDE.
No one
should stand
disdaiu.
Any pirl
can be
matched by
some o.her.
16
]Man by reason shold be guided,
& not loue where bees disdaind ;
If that once he be deryded,
others loue rnay be obtained.
hold you not one mayd soe rare ;
theres none that Hues without compare.
ffinis.
\_Ttvo verses of "J. Dainty DucJce," printed in Lo. & Hum. Songs,
p. 108, follow here ; and the next leaf of the MS., contamiwj the
beginning of " The Spanish Lady,'^ has been torn out.^
398
Prof. Child, in his English and Scottish Ballads, prints his copy
of this ballad " from the Garland of Good Will, as reprinted by
the Percy Society, xxx. 125. Other copies, slightly different, in
A Collection of Old Ballads, ii. 191, and in Percy's Reliqu.es, ii.
246."
"Percy conjectures," Prof. Child adds, "that this ballad took
its rise from one of those descents made on the Spanish coast
in the time of Queen Elizabeth. The weight of tradition is
decidedly, perhaps entirely, in favour of the hero's having been
one of Essex's comrades in the Cadiz expedition, but which of
his gallant captains achieved the double conquest of the Spanish
Lady is by no means so satisfactorily determined. Among the
candidates put forth are. Sir Kichard Levison of Trentham,
Staffordshire, Sir John Popham of Littlecot, Wilts, Sir Urias
Legh of Adlington, Cheshire, and Sir John Bolle of Thorpe Hall,
Lincolnshire. The right of the last to this distinction has been
recently warmly contended for, and, as is usual in similar cases,
strong circumstantial evidence is urged in his favour. The
reader will judge for himself of its probable authenticity.
" ' On Sir John Bolle's departure from Cadiz,' it is said, ' the
Spanish Lady sent as presents to his wife a profusion of jewels
and other valuables, among which was her portrait, drawn in
green, plate, money, and other treasure.' Some of these arti-
cles ^ are maintained to be still in possession of the famil}^, and
also a portrait of Sir John, drawn in 1 596, at the age of thirty-six,
in which he wears the gold chain given him by his enamoured
prisoner.^ See the Times newspaper of April 30 and jNLiy 1,
1846 (the latter article cited in Notes and Queries, ix. 573), and
' Percy heads this "Fragniewt of the of his dosecHclant, Captain Birch. lUing-
Spanish Lady." — F. In the printed Col- worth's Topoynt-phical account of Scamp-
lection of Old BaUads 12";" Vol. 2. pag. ton, with anecdotes of tJie family of Bolles.
192. — P. That portrait is now in the possession of
^ The necklace is still extant in the Captain Bircli's successor, Thomas Bos-
possession of a menilior of my family, vilo Bosvile, lisq., of llavensfiold Park,
and in the house whence I write (Cold- Yorkshire, my brother, and may be seen
rey, Hants). Charles Lee, in 27<£ 2'i»efs, by any one. C\vAY\cs^P6,ih. supra. Dr.
May I, 1846. — F. Rimbault has reprinted Mr. Lee's letter
' The portrait is still in the possession in his Musical Ulusl rat ions, p. 23-4. — F.
394 THE SPANISH LADIES LOVE.
the Quarterly Revieiv, Sept. 1846, Art. iii. The literary merits
of the ballad are also considered iu the Edinburgh Revieiu of
April, 1846.
" Shenstone has essayed, in his Moral Tale of Love andlionour,
to bring out ' the Spanish Ladye and her Knif/ht in less grovelling
accents than the simple guise of ancient record ; ' while Words-
worth, in a more reverential spirit, has taken this noble old
romance as the model of his Armenian Lady^s Love." (Child.)
Dr. Eimbault has printed the tune of this ballad at p. 72 of
his Musical Illustrations. He says, " the tune . . is preserved
in the Skene MS. ; in ' The Quaker's Opera, Performed at Lee
and Harper's Booth in Bartholomew Fair, 1728;' and in * The
Jovial Crew, 1731.' Our copy is taken from the ballad operas,
and altered from three-four time to common time, upon the
authority of the Skene MS." Mr. Chappell also prints the tune
at p. 187 of his Popidar Music, and notes early quotations of
the ballad in Cupid'' s Whirligig, 1616 ; Brome's Northern
Lasse, 1632, &c., and a parody of it in Eowley's A Match at
Midnight, 1633.
In order to complete the story of the ballad, we add here the
portion of it in Roxhurghe Ballads, vol. ii. p. 406, collated with
the Collection of Old Ballads, vol. ii. second edition, 1726, p. 191,
which corresponds to the part torn out of the Folio MS. — F.
TJ>e Spanish Ladys Love.
Will you hear a Spanish Lady,
• how she woo'd an English Man ;
Garments gay as rich may be,
Ledeckt ' with jewels, had she on ;
Of a comely countenance
and grace was she ;
Both by birth and Parentage
of high degree.
As his prisoner there he kept her,
in his hands her life did lye ;
CupicVs Bands did tye them faster,
by the liking of an Eye :
' Deck'd.— O.B.
THE SPANISH LADIES LOVE. 395
In his courteous company
■was all her joy :
To favoiir him in any thing
she was not coy.
But at last there came commandment
for to set all ladies free,
With their jewels still adorned :
none to do them injury ;
0 then, said this Lady gay,'
full woe is mo,
0 let me still sustain this kind
Captivity.
Gallant captain, take some pitty
on a woman in distress,
Leare me not within this City,
for to dye in heaviness :
Thou hast set this present day
my body free,
But my heart in prison still
remaine ^ with thee.
How should'st thou, fair Lady, love me,
whom thou know'st thy Country hate,'
Thy fair words make * me suspect thee :
Serpents lye where flowers grow.
AH the harm I think on thee,
most courteous Knight,
God grant upon my Head the same
may fully light * ;
Blessed bo the time and season
that thou ^ came on Spanish ground ;
If our flPoes you may '^ be termed,
gentle ffoes wee haue you fibund ; You've won
° •' my city and
With our cittye ^ you liaue woon our harts echo one ; Ji'■';'■^'^"0:
•' •' Taki> back
then to jouY Country beare away thai ^ is jouv owne." ^^itii you
' most mild.— O.B. • you.— O.B.
* Remains. — O.B. ' Ifyou may our Foes. — Eox. andO.B.
« Country's Foe.— O.B. « City.— O.B.
* speech makes. — O.B. " what.— O.B.
* light.— O.B.
396
THE SPANISH LADIES LOVE.
" Nay, Lady,
stay in
Spain,
you'll fincl
plenty of
lovers
there."
" Rest you still, most gallant Ladye !
rest you still, & weepe noe more !
of fFaire Louers there is ' plenty ;
Spaine dotli yeelde a^ wonderous store."
" Spanyards ffraught -vvitli ielousye wee often ^ ffind,
but Englishmen through all the world are counted
Kind.
No. I
love you
aloue ;
let me serve
you night
and day.
12
16
" Leaue me not vnto a Spanyard,
you alone inioy ** my hart ;
I am lonely, young, and tender ;
lone likwise is ■'' my desert,
still to serue ^ thee day & night, my mind is prest ;
the wifie of euery Englishman is counted blest."
"As a
soldier I
can't take
you."
Then I'll be
your page.
20
" Itt wold be a shame, fFaire Ladye,
ffor to beare a woman hence ;
English souldiers neuer carry
any such without offence."
" I will quickly e change my selfe, if itt be soe,
& like a page He ffollow thee whersoere ^ Thou goe."
" I've no
money to
keep you
■with."
My jewels
and money
are yours.
24
28
" I haue neither gold nor siluer
to maintaine thee in this case,
& to trauell is great charges,
as 3'ou know, in euery place."
" My chaines and lewells euery one shalbe thy owne,
& eke 500'.' ^ in gold that Lyes vnknowne."
" The sea is
full of
danger."
" On the seas are many dangers;
many stormes doe there ari-ise,
■ you have. — O.B.
* you.— O.B.
s oft do.— O.B.
* Thou alone enjoy'st. — O.B.
^ is likewise. — O.B.
« save.— O.B.
' Where-e'er.— O.B.
* Ten thousand Pounds.-
-O.B.
THE SPANISH LADIES LOVE.
397
which. Avilbe to Ladyes di^eadffull,
32 & fforce teares ffrom watterye eyes."
" well in worth I will endure extremitj'e,^
for I cold find my ^ hart to lose my liff'e for thee."
" ciirteous Ladye, leaue this ffancye.^
36 here comes all that bieakes * the striffe :
I in England haue already
a sweet woman to my wiffe.
I will not ffalsifye my vow for gold nor gaine,
40 nor yett ffor all the ffairest dames thai liue in Spaine.
" 0 how happy is that woman
that enioyes soe true a ffreind !
many dayes of ioy god send you ! *
44 of my suite He ^ make an end.
vpon ^ my knees I pajxlon craue for this * offence
w/u"ch loue & true affectyon did ffirst comiuence.
48
62
50
" comend me to thy Louely ladye ;
bears to her a ^ Chaine of gold
& ^"^ these braceletts ffor a token,
greeuing that I was soe bold.
all my ie wells in Like sort take ^' w^'th thee ;
these ^^ are flitting ffor thy wiffe, & ^^ not fibr mee.
" I will spend my dayes in prayer ;
loue & all her '^ Lawes deffye ;
in a nunery wdll I ''^ shrowd me,
ffar ffrom other '^ companye ;
but ere my prayers haue an end, be sure of this,
to pray ffor thee & ffor thy Loue I will uott niisse.
I would lose
my life for
you.
" Cease your
offers, Lady,
I have a
wife in
England,
and will bo
true to her.'
Happy
she !
I end my
suit.
Give your
lady my
chain
and jewels.
I will seek
refuge in
and pray for
you and
your love.
' Well in Troth I shall endure Ex-
treamly. — 0.15.
■' in.— O.B.
' Folly.— O.B.
• Lrcods.— O.B.
* Many happy Days God lend her. —
O.B.
" I.— O.B.
' On.— O.B.
« my.— O.B.
'■> this.— O.B.
'» With.— O.B.
' ' Take thou.— O.B.
'- For they.— O.B.
'3 But.— O.B.
'» I will.— O.B.
his.-
any.-
-O.B.
-O.B.
398 THE SPANISH LADIES LOVE.
" Thus flarwell, most gallant captaine,
60 & ffarwell ^ my harts content !
count not Spanish Ladyes wanton
though to thee my loue ^ was bent.
All joy to loy & true prosperitye be still ^ with thee ! "
64 "the Like fFall euer to'* thy share, most fFaire Ladye ! "
• Farewel too.— O.B. » Ecmain.— O.B.
2 Mind.— O.B. * fall unto.— O.B.
you
399
^^ ^^lutirfU) Bnrttcin : '
This ballad is on an event of considerable historical importance,
on one, if not the first, of the causes that led to the war between
James IV. of Scotland and Henry VIII. of England, and which
ended in the death of James at Flodden Field. Henry's motive
in desiring to have Andrew Barton and his ships captured cannot
be put down to the cause to which the prejudiced John Lesley,
Bishop of Koss, attributes his interference in the Low Countries
{Historie of Scotland, a. b. 1436-1561, Bannatyne Club, 1830,
p. 83).
"Here is to be considered and weile noted, the first niotione
of the gryit trubles quhilk eftiruart did fall betuix the tuo
princis of Scotland and Yngland, quhilk happinit principale
becaus King Henry the aucht of Yngland, being ane young man
left be his fader with greit welth and riches, wes varray desierous
to half weiris quhairin he mycht exerce his youthhed, thinking
thairby to [dilate] his dominions."
Henry's order to take Barton can only have sprung from the
injuries which his subjects received from that sailor ; and there
can be little doubt that in those early years after 1500, a privateer,
as Barton was, took whatever the Lord put in his way, whether
neutral's or foe's, and pocketed the proceeds without qualms of
conscience. He would perform the service his sovereign sent
him on, and then take care of himself.
Andrew Barton and his brother Robert were evidently James
IV.'s right hand at sea; and Andrew's character may be judged
of by the way in which he took revenge on the Dutch for their
piratical doings against the Scotch. Lesley tells us that " ane
greit and costly ship, quhilk had bene apon the Kingis expensis,
was compleit" in 1506,^ and after a preliminary sail in her by
the King —
' 111 the printed CoUectwn of Old ing ; yet a few stanzas may l)o bettci-
Ballads 1727, Vol. I. p. 159, N. xx. given from the other.— P.
Very different from the printed balbid : - James was a gri'at shiiilmiMcr : see
but containing sonic things there want- Mr. Gairdner's Preface to his Letters and
400 SIR ANDREW BARTTON.
" wes schortlie thaireftir send furth agane to the seas with
sundre vailyeant gentill men into her ag-anis the Holanderis,
quha had takiuand spollyeit divers Scotis ships, and crewallyhad
murdrest and cassin ourburd the merchauntis and passingeris
being thairintill ; bet for revenge of the samyn, Andro Bartone
did tak mony shipps of that countrey, and fillit certane pipis with
the heidis of the Holandaris, and send unto the King in Scotland,
for dew punishement and revenge of thair crueltie. — Lesley,-^. 74.
After this, Barton kept at sea and greatly pestered, if he did
not plunder, the English. What followed is told in different
waj^s by the English and Scotch. For the former we will take
Percy's quotation from Guthrie's Peerage ; for the latter, Lesley's
account. And first, says Guthrie :
" The transaction that did the greatest honour to the Earl of
Surrey and his family at this time (a.d. 1511) was their behaviour
in the case of Barton, a Scotch sea-officer. This gentleman's
father having suffered by sea from the Portuguese, he had
obtained letters of marque for his two sons to make reprisals
upon the subjects of Portugal. It is extremely probable that
the court of Scotland granted these letters with no very honest
intention. The council-board of England, at which the Earl of
Surrey held the chief place, was daily pestered with complaints
from the sailors and merchants that Barton, who was called Sir
Andrew Barton, under pretence of searching for Portuguese
goods, interrupted the English navigation. Henry's situation at
that time rendered him backward from breaking with Scotland,
so that their complaints were but coldly received. The Earl of
Surrey, however, could not smother his indignation, but gallantly
declared at the council-board, that while he had an estate that
could furnish out a ship, or a son that was capable of command-
ing one, the narrow seas should not be infested.
" Sir Andrew Barton, who commanded the two Scotch ships,
had the reputation of being one of the ablest sea-officers of his
time. By his depredations he had amassed great wealth, and
his ships were very richly laden. Henry, notwithstanding his
situation, could not refuse the generous offer made by the Earl
of Surrey. Two ships were immediately fitted out, and put to
sea with letters of marque, under his two sons. Sir Thomas and
Papers illustrative of the Reigns of Notices of the Bartons also occur in tliese
Richard III. and Henry VII., vol. ii. volumes.
SIR ANDKE^y BARTTOX. 401
Sir Edward Howard. After encountering a great deal of foul
weather, Sir Thomas came up with tlie Lion, which was com-
manded by Sir Andrew Barton in person ; and Sir Edward came
up with the Union, Barton's other ship (called by Hall, The
Bark of Scotland). The engagement which ensued was ex-
tremely obstinate on both sides; but at last the fortune of the
Howards prevailed. Sir Andrew was killed, fighting bravely, and
encouraging his men with his whistle to hold out to the last; and
the two Scotch ships, with their crews, were carried into the Kiver
Thames (Aug. 2, loll).
Now hear Lesley :
"In the moneth of Junij, Andro Bartone, being one the sey
in weirfair contrar the Portingallis, aganis quhome he had ane
lettre of mark, Sir Edmond Haward, Lord Admirall of Ingland,
and Lord Thomas Haward, sone and air to the Erie of Surr}^
past furth at the King of Inglandis command, with certane of his
best schippis ; and the said Andro being in his vayage sayling
towart Scotland, haveand onelie bot one schipe and ane barke,
thay sett apoun at the Downis, and at the first entre did make
signe imto thame that thair wes friendship standing betuix the
tua realmes, and thairfoir thocht thame to be freindis ; quhair-
with thay, na thing movit, did cruelly invaid, and he manful lie
and currageouslye defendit, quhair thair wes mony slane, and
Andro himself sair woundit that he diet shortlye ; and his schip
callit the Lyoun, and the bark callit Jennypirroyne, quhilkis with
the Scottis men that wes levand wer hed to Londoun, and keipit
thair as presonaris in the bischop of York hous, and eftir wes
send hame in Scotland. Quhen that the knalege herof come to
the King, he send incontynent ane harald to the Kinge of Yng-
land with lettres requiring dress for the slauchter of Andro
Bartane, with the schippis to be randerit agane, utherwayis it
myclit be ane occasioun to break the leage antl peace contractit
betuix thame.' To the quhilk it wes ansuerit be the King of
Ligland, that the slauchter being ane pirat, as he allegit, suld
be na break to the peace ; yit nochttheles he suld cans com-
missionaris meit upoun the bordoiwis, ([^ihair thay suld treat
npoun that and all uther enormities betuix the tua realmes." —
Ilistorie of Scotland, p. 82-83.
Accordingly, says Lesley, p. 87, in A. n. 1513
' ScG tlie rcmonstranco sliortly ab- out rirs as to James's repeated complaints
stracted,antlroferred to, in Prof. Jlrewcr's to the Kinf? of Denmark about Barton's
Calendar, feuqj. Henry VIII. ; also tlio slaughter, &e. — F.
VOL. ni. D D
I
402 SIR ANDREW BARTTON.
"The commissioners of baith the realmes, as wes appoiiitit
be Doctor West, meit on the bordouris in the moneth of Junij,
qiihair the wrangs done unto Scotland mony wayis, speciallie of
the sUxuchter of Andro Bartone and takin of his schippis, ware
confessit. . . . bot the commissioneris of Ingland wuld not con-
sent to mak ony redress or restitucione"
till they thought that Henry would be clear of his French
war. But James, unwilling to lose such a favourable chance of
attacking England, — empty of troops, as he thought, the King
and his generals away in France, — sent a herald to Henry in his
camp at Turenne, alleging, among other things, the
" slauchter of Andro Bartane by your awine command, quha
thane haid nocht offendit to yow nor your leigeis, unredressed,
and breking of the amitie in that behailf by your deid ; and
withholding of oure schippis and artillarie to your use." {Lesley,
p. 89),
and, notwithstanding Henry's answer, declared to him war. This
did not trouble Henry much, for he knew that the Howard who
(with his father) had taken Barton, could deal with Barton's
master too. What Lord Thomas himself thought of the matter
may be seen from his message to James : that as high-admiral, and'
one who liad helped to take Barton, he was ready to justify the
death of that pirate, for which purpose he would lead the van,
and there his enemies would find him, expecting as little mercy
as he meant to grant. ' No quarter ' was the word. What fol-
lowed has already been told by Mr. Hales in prose (vol. i. p. 203-9),
and in verse by our Scotish Feilde, i. 212, and Flodden Feilde,
i. 334. Lancashire and Cheshire did the deed, and Scotland's
pride lay low. Andrew Barton's master followed his man.
As to the details mentioned in our ballad, we can only repeat
Percy's words :
" I take many of the little circumstances of the story to be
real, because I find one of the most unlikely to be not very re-
mote from the truth. In Pt. 2, v. 156, it is said that England
had before ' but two ships of war.' Now the great Harry had
been built but seven years before, viz. in 1504 : which ' was,
SIR ANDIJEW BARTTON. 403
properly speaking-, the first ship in the English nav}-. Jjefure
this period, when the prince wanted a fleet, he had no other
expedient but hiring ships from the merchants.' Hume.'"
The present ballad was printed by Percy in his Reliques,
vol. ii. p. 180, with some deficiencies (as he calls them), supplied
from a black-letter copy, in the Pepys collection, of the " vulgar
ballad, which is evidently modernised and abridged from " that
in the Folio. Prof. Child printed Percy's version in his English
and Scottish Ballads, vol. vii. p. 57; and at p. 201 he also
printed the said " vulgar ballad : " A True Relation of the Life
and Death of Sir Andreiu Barton, a Pirate and Rover on the
Seas. The Professor says :
" This copy of Sir Andreiu Barton .is to be found in Old
Ballads (1723) vol. i. 159, Eitson's Ancient Songs ii. 204,
Moore's Pictorial Book of Ancient Ballad Poetry, p. 256, and
Early Naval Ballads of England, Percy Society, vol. ii. p. 4,
with only exceedingly trifling variations. We have followed the
last, where the ballad is given from a black-letter copy in the
British Museum, 'printed by and for W. 0., and sold by the
booksellers.' "— F.
[Part I.]
As : itt Leffell in M[i]dsunier time
when burds singe sweetlye on eucry tree,
oiu^ noble K('//r/, lS.ing Henery the 8".',^ To Henry
4 oner the riuer of Thames past hec.
' For the ul)Ovc tliree simple and natu- Scot. Ballads, \\\. 56). The roniaiiiiiig
ral lines, Percy actually substituted in four lines of Percy's first stanza, given
his lieliqws the four following, from the without any of his inverted commas to
printed copy in the Popys collection: mark them as altered from his MS., are:
When Flora with her fragrant flowers King Henrye rode to take the ayre,
Eedeckt the earth so trim and gaye. Over the river of Thames past hee ;
And Neptune with his daintye showers '\^^lf■n eighty merchants of London came,
Came to present the monthe of Maye. And downo they knelt upon their
Well did Prof. Child say in his Intro- ^'"'""■
ducfiou to this Eallad, "We would fain After this, it may Le well to eai-ry the
Ijelieve that nothing except a defect in collation I'ight through, though it in-
tho manuscript could liave reconciled the volves waste of time, los.s of monej-, and
Kishop to adopting the four lines with vexation of spirit. — F.
which the ballad now begins" {Evgl.and
D D 2
404
SIR ANDREW BARTTON.
out riding,
came SO
London
merchants,
liec was no sooner oner tlie riiier,
downe in a fforrest to take the ayre,
but 80 merchants of London cittyo
came kneeling before 'King Henery there ;
and com-
plain that
they daren't
sail on the
sea
for fear of a
pirate who
robs them.
a proud
Scot.
" O yee are welcome, rich merchants,
[Good saylors, welcome unto me^ ! "]
they swore ^ by the rood the were saylers good, [page 49i]
12 but rich merchants they cold not bee ;
" to ffrance nor fflanders dare ^ we nott passe,
nor Burdeaux ■* voyage wee dare not ffare,^
& ail ifor a fifalse robber *" that lyes on the seas,
16 & robb ^ vs of our merchants ware."
'King Henert was stout, & he turned him abovit,*
& swore by the Lord that was mickle of might,
" I thought he had not beene in the world throughout,^
20 that durst haue wrought ^^ England such vnright."
but euer they ^' sighed, and said — alas ! —
vnto '^ King Harry this answere ^^ aguine ^*
" he is a proud Scott that will '^ robb vs all ^"^
24 if wee were 20 shipps ^^ and hee but one.'^ "
Heury asks
his Lords,
" who'll
fetch that
traitor to
me?"
The King looket ouer his left shoulder,
amongst his Lords & Barrens soe ffree '^
" haue I neuer hord ^^ in all my realme
28 will ffeitch yond traitor vnto mee ? "
> From the Bdiqucs. The MS. is pared
away, and the tops of letters left don't
suit either of Percy's lines. — F. For
sailors good are welcome to me. — P.
■- MS. pared away, but read by Percy.
— F.
' dare we pass. — P. and Eel.
■* & to Bourdeaux. — P.
* dare we fare. — P. and ElI.
* a rover. — Rcl.
" s added by P.— F. Who robbs.— i?c^.
* frownd, and turned him rounde. —
Bel.
" Ed. omits throughout. — F.
'" us.— P.
" Tlie merchants. — Ed.
•- And to.— P.
'^ thus answered. — P.
^* And tluis they did theiro answer
frame. — Eel.
'■^ would.— P.
'" tliat robbes on the seas. — Eel.
" AVere we 20 ships.— P.
'* AndSir Andrewo Barton ishi.s name.
—Eel.
'" And an angryc looke then looked
hee. — Eel.
2" a Lord.— P.
SIR ANDREW BARTTON.
405
32
"yes, fJiat dare I ! " saycs my Lort? Chareles Howard,' "i,"says
neere to the K.ing wheras ^ liee did stand ^ ; Howard,
"If that jour gro,ce wiin giue me leaue,
my selfe wilbe the only man."
" ^ thou shalt haue GOO ^ men," saith our ^ing,
" & chuse them out of my realme soe fFree ;
besids Marriners and boyes,'^
36 to guide ® the great shipp on the sea."
" He goe speake "With S/r Andrew," sais Charles, my
Lore? Haward ;
" vpon the sea, if hee be there,
I will bring him & his shipp to shore,
40 or before my prince I will neuer come neere. ^ "
" I'll bring
you Sir An-
drew Barton
and his
ship."
44
48
the flBrst of all my hord did call,^°
a noble gunner hee was one ' ' ;
this man was 60 '^ yeeres and ten,
& Peeter '^ Simon was his name.
" Peeter," sais hee. " I must sayle to the sea
to seeke out an enemy e ; god be my speed ! i'* "
before all others I haue chosen thee ;
of a lOO'l guncrs thoust be my head.'^ "
Lord
Howard
chooses an
old gunner,
Peter Simon ,
' lord Howard sayes. — Eel.
■■' where. — P.
' Yea, that dare I with heart and
hand. — Bel.
•* it please your Grace to. — P.O., P.,
and Bel.
* This stanza Percy alters to :
Thou art but yong ; the king replyed :
Yond Scott hath numbred nuuiye a
yeare,
" Trust me, my liege, He make him quail,
Or before my prince I will never
appeare."
Then bowemcn and gunners thou shalt
have,
And chuse th(»mover my realme so free ;
Eosidcs good mariners, and shipp-boyes,
To guide tlio great shipp on the sea.
—Bel. ii. 181.
6 a hundred.— P.C., P.
' good sailors and ship boys. — P.O., P.
* a, ccL ed. — P.
® appear. — P.
'" The first man, that Lord Howard
chose.— iPc^.
" the ablest gunner in all the Eealm.
— P.O., P. Was the ablest gunner in
all tlie rea'me. — Bel.
'^ three-score. — P. Though ho was
threescore. — Bel.
'' Good Vetcr.— Bel.
'* Peter, sayd he, I must to the sea,
To bring home a traytor live or dead.
—Bel.
'* to be the Head.— P. to be head.—
Bel.
406
SIR ANDREW BAllTTON.
who can
shoot close
to his niai'k.
Then he
chooses a
noble
bowman,
William
Horsley,
who can hit
witliin a
shilling's
breadth ;
and to sea
he goes.
He soon
meets
a ship,
"my Lore?," sais liee, "if you ^ Lane clioscn nice
of a 100'! giinners to be the head,
hange me att ^ yo?tr maine-mast tree
52 if I misse my marke past 3 pence bread. -^ "
The next of all my Jjord he did call,*
a noble bowman heo Avas one '^ ;
In yorekeshire was this ^ gentleman borne,
5G & william Horsley was his name.
" Horsley," sayes ^ hee, " I must sayle to the sea ^
to seeke out an enemye ; god be my speede ^ I
before all others I haue chosen thee ;
of a 100 bowemen thoust be my head.'° "
" My Lore?," sais hee, " if you ^^ haue chosen mee
of a 100'! bowemen to be they head,^^
hang me att joiir mainemast tree '^
if I misse my marke past 12"! ^^ bread."
Wi'th pikes, and gunnes, & bowemen bold,
this '^ ISToble Howard is gone to the sea
on the day before Midsummer euen,'"
68 & out att ''^ Thames mouth sayled they.'^
They had not sayled dayes 3 '^
vpon their Journey ^° they ^^ tooke in hand,
but there they ^^ mett with a Noble shipp,
72 & stoutely made itt both stay ^^ & stand.
60
64
' If yon, my lord.—Iiel.
- Then hung me np on. — Rd.
^ i.e. breadth. — P. marke one shilling
Lread'th. — licL
* My lord then chose a Loweman rare.
—Bel.
^ A bowman who had gained fame. —
P. Whoso active hands had gained fame !
From the pr. copy. — lid.
^ he was a. — Bd.
' A letter blotted out before the a in
the MS.— F. snyd.—Iiel.
" must with speede. — Ed.
" Go seeke a traytor on the sea. — liel.
'" And now of a hundred bowemen
brave
To be the licad I have c-hoscn thoe.
—Rd. to be 1]ic luY/d.-P.
" If you, quoth hee. — Rd.
'^ to be head. — Rd.
'^ On your maine-mast He hanged bee.
—Rd.
" A shilling. — P. If I miss twelve-
score one penny bread'th. — Rel.
'* The— Rd.
'° With a valyant heart and a pleasant
cheare. — ReL
" Out at.— Rel.
'8 he.— Rel.
'" and days he scant had sayled three.
—Rd.
-" the Voyage. — P. and Rd.
2' he.—Rd.
" hc.—Rel.
-^ itt sUxy.-Rel.
SIR AJS'DREW BARTTON.
407
76
80
"thou must tell me thy name," sais Charlcf, my • anda?ksit3
Lord Haward,
" or who thou art, or fFrora whence thoa came,^
yea, &^ where thy clwellhig is,
to whom & where thy shipp does belong.* "
" My name," sayes hee, " is Henery Hunt,^
wiih a pure ^ hart & a penitent mind ;
I and my shipp they doe '' belong
vnto the 'New castle * that stands vpon tine."
owner
who he is.
" Henry
Hunt,
of New-
castle,
" Now thou must tell me,^ Harry Hunt, [page 402]
as thou hast sayled by day & ^^ by night,
hast thou not heard of a stout robber ^^ ?
84 men calls ^^ him S/r Andrew Bartton, Knight."
but ^3 euer he sighed, & sayd, " alas !
'* ffull well, my ^^ Lorf?, I know tluit wight !
he robd mo of my merchants ware,
88 & I was his prisoner but yesternight.
and Andrew
Barton
" as I was sayling vppon the sea,
& ^'^ Burdeaux voyage as I did ''^ ffai'C,
he Clasped me to his Ai'chborde ^*
92 & robd me of all my merchants ware ;
robbed me
last night."
' MS. ny.— F.
^ come. — P.
^ and shewe me. — Eel.
* Wherto thy Ship belongs & whom.
— P. And wliither Loiiud, and whence
thou came. — lid.
^ is Henryo Ilunt, quoth hoe. — Bel.
" poor, heavy. — P. heavye . . carefuU.
—Bel.
' do Loth. — P. and Bel.
8 To the Newcastle.— i?c/.
" Hast thou not heard, now. — Bel.
'» or.— P. and Bel.
" Of a Scottish rover on the seas. —
Bel.
'■' ciiU.— Bel.
'^ Tlian.— ^e^.
'^ With a grieved mind, and well away !
But over-well I knowe tliat wight,
I was his prisoner vesterday. — Bel.
'^ IMS. ny.— F. '
'" A.— Bel.
" voyage for to. — Bel.
'8 ship, or side of a ship : see 1. 278,
" oucr tlie hatcli-bord cast into the sea."
A.-S. earc-bord, Ark's-board, tlio ark.
Bosworth.
" l>a?t earcc-hord heold heofona frea,"
the Lord of Heaven held the ark.
Cu'dmon, p. 84, 1. 26. ed. Thorpe. See
also Genesis cf- E.vodus, 1. 576:
Soxc hundred ger noo was hold
Quan he dode him in 4o arche-wold.
and Mr. Morris's note, p. 123. — F.
408
SIR ANDREW BARTTON.
9G
& I am a man both poore ^ & bai'e,^
& eiieiy man will liaue his owne ^ of me,
& I am bound towards London to ffai-e/
to complain e to my Prince Henerye.-^ "
Lord
Howards-ays,
'• Show me
Barton ,
and I'll give
you Is. for
every penny
you've lo=t. "
Hunt tries
to di'^suade
him from
fighting
Barton,
100
104
" tJiat shall not need," sais my hord Haward *• ;
if thou canst lett me this robber ^ see,
ffor euery peny he hath taken ® thee ffroe,
thou shalt be rewarded a shilling," q-woth hee.^
" Now god flfore-fend," sales Henery Hunt,^"
" my hord, you shold worke ^^ soe ffarr amisse !
god keepe you out of thai Traitors hands !
for you wott flFall litle ^^ what a man liee is.
" hee is brasse w/'thin, & Steele without,
& beanes hee beares in ^^ his Topcastle '■* stronge ;
^^ his shipp hath ordinance cleane round about ;
108 besids, my Lon7, hee is verry well mand ;
he hath a pinnace is ''' deerlye dight,
8aini Andrews crosse, that ^^ is his guide ;
his pinnace beares '^ 9 score men & more,'^
and 30 guns, jjo besids 15 ^'' camions on euery side.^^
who has a
well-man-
ned pinnace
' There is a tag at the end like an s in
the MS.— F.
■- And raickle debts, God wot, I owe.
—Bel.
« his own.— P., P.C, and Ed.
* And I am nowc to London bonnde.
—Rel.
' Of our gracious King to beg a boon.
— P., P.Candi^e^.
* You shall not need, lord Howard
sayes. — Rel.
' Lett me but once that robber. — Eel.
* penny tane. — Eel.
" It shall be doubled shillings three.
—Eel.
'" the merchnnt sayes. — Eel.
" That you shold seek.— Eel.
'2 little you wot.— P. Full litle yo
wott.— 7?c/.
'^ beams. — P. With beames on. — Eel.
The MS. has beanes or beaues again in
1. 116, 208, 220.— F.
'^ Top-castles. Ledgings surrounding
the mast-head. Halliwell. — F.
'^ And thirtye pieces of ordinance
He carries on each side alonge. —
Eel.
With 1 8 pieces of ordinance
He carries on each side along. Pr.
Copy.-P.
'" And ho hath a pinnace. — Eel.
" \it.— Ed.
'8 beareth.— P. and Ed.
'" Eel. omits ^' moe. — F.
■"> And fifteen.— P. and Eel.
'-' on each side. — P. and Eel.
SIR ANDREW BARTTON.
409
116
120
" if you were 20 ^ sliippes, & he bnt one,
either in charke-bord ^ or in hall,^
he wold ouercome joa ■* eucrje one,
& if ^ his beanes they doe downe flail."
" this is cold comfort," sais my Lord Ha ward,''
" to Wellcome a stranger thus to ^ the sea ;
He ^ bring him & his shipp to shore,
or else into ^ Scottland hee shall carry e mee."
Howard
says
he'll beat
Barton,
or Barton
shall him.
124
128
" then you must gett a noble gunner, my Juord,
thai can sett well w/th his eye
& sinke his pinnace into '° the sea,
& soone then ouercome will hee bee.^'
& when that you haue done this,'^
if you chance Sir Andrew for to bord,*^
lett no man to his Topcastle goe ;
& I will giue you a glasse, my Lordj^"*
Hunt advises
him first to
sink
Barton's
pinnace,
and then
board him,
avoiding the
topcastle.
" & then you need to fferae ^^ no Scott,
whether you sayle by day or by night ;
& to-morrow by 7 of the clocke, By 7 next
'' day he shall
132 you shall meete with. Sir Andrew Bartton, K.ninht. n'^R*
•^ . '' Barton,
And seyen pieces of ordinance,
I pray your honour lend to mee,
On each side of my shipp along.
And I will lead you on the sea.
A glasse I'll sett, that may be scene,
Wliether you sayle by day or night ;
And to-morrowe, I swearo, by nine of the
clocke,
Yo\i shall see Sir Androwc Barton
knight.
The Second Paut.
The merchant sett my lorde a glasse
8oe well apparent in his sigjit.
And on the morrowe, by nine of the clocke,
He shewd him Sir Andrewe Barton
kniglit.
His hatchboi'do it was ' gilt ' with gold,
Soe decrly dight it dazzled the ee,
Nowe by my faith, lord llowardo says,
This is a gallant sight to see.
—lid. ii. 185-6. '■' feare.— F.
* Were you 20.— P. and Bel.
'' ? same as archebord, 1. 91. — F.
' I sweare by kirke, and bower, and
hall.— Eel.
* orecome them. — Bel.
* If once. — Bel.
* Bel. omits Howard. — F.
' stranger on. — Bd.
8 Yett 1\q.—BcI.
s Ot to.— Bd.
'» in.— Bd.
" he'll Ijo. — P. Or else he ne'er ore-
come will be. — Bd.
'- thing [added by P.]
" And if you chance his shipp to borde,
This counsel I must givo withall.
—Bel.
" To strive to let his beames downe
fall. — Bd. Percy's next two stanzas,
altered seemingly from the printed copy,
take in the next three stanzas of the
Folio :
I
410
SIR ANDREW BARTTON.
but he must
lend Hunt
six guns.
Lord
Howard
I was his prisoner but yester niglit,
& he hath taken mee sworne ^ ; " quoth, hee,
" I trust my L[ord] god will me fForgiue
136 & if thai oath then ^ broken bee.
"you must lend me sixe peeces, my 'Lord,'" quoth hee,
" into my shipp to sayle the sea,
& to-morrow by 9 of the clocke
jotcr honour againe then will I see.^ "
And the hache-bord where S/r Andrew Lay,
is bached with gold deerlye dight :
" now by my filiith," sais Charles, my LonZ Haward,
" then yonder Scott is a worthye wight !
140
144
orders his
flags to be
taken in,
and a white
wand put
out.
They sail by
Barton,
taking no
notice of
him.
which
enrages
Barton,
2'! parte <
[Part II.]
" Take in yowr ancyents & jottr standards,''
yea that no man shall ^ them see,
& put me fforth a white willow wand,
148 (_ as Merchants vse to ^ sayle the sea."
But they stirred neither top nor mast,
but S/r Andrew they passed by.''
" whatt English are yonder," said S/r Andrew,^
152 " that can so litle curtesye ?
^ " I hauo beene Admirall ouer the sea
more then these yeeres three ;
there is neuer an English dog, nor Portingall,
156 can passe this way w/thout leaue of mee.
' made me swear. — P.
^ now. — P.
* Again your hon^ I will see. — P.
■• ancyents, standards eke. — Rcl.
* [insert] now. — P. So close that no
man may. — Bel.
« that.— i?c/.
' Stoutly they past Sir Andrew hy.
—Rel.
' he sayd. — Bel.
® Now by the roode, three yeares and
more
I have been admirall over the sea ;
And never an English nor Portingall
Without my leave can passe this
way.
Then called he forth his stout pin-
nace ;
" Fetch back yond pedlars nowe
to mee ;
I sweare by the masse, yon English
cliurles
Shall all hang at my niaine-mast
tree."— 7?^'/. ii. ISfi.
?IR ANDREW BARTTON.
411
But now yonder pedlers, they are past,
Av/u'ch is no litle greffe to me : [page 493]
fFeicli them backe," sayes S/r Andrew Bartton,
160 "they shall all hang att my maine-mast tree."
w/th thai they pinnace itt shott of,
thai my Lore? Haward might itt well ken,^
itt strokes downe my Lords fibremast,^
164 & killed 14 of my ~Lord his' men.
" come hither, Simon ! " sayes my Lore? Haward,'*
" looke thai thy words be true thou sayd ^ ;
He hang thee att my maine-mast tree ^
168 if thou misse thy marke past 12') bread. '^ "
Simon Avas old, but his hart itt ^ was bold,
hee tooke downe a peece, & layd itt ffull lowe ^ ;
he put in chaine yeards 9,''^
172 besids^' other great shott lesse and more.'^
w/th thai hee lett his gun shott goe '^ ;
soe well hee settled itt w/th his eye,''*
the ffirst sight thai S/r Andrew sawe,
176 hee see '•'' his pinnace sunke '** in the sea.
when '^ hee saw his pinace sunke,
Lord ! in his hart hee was not well '^ :
" cutt '^ my ropes ! itt is time to be gon !
180 He goe ffeitch ^° yond ^' pedlers backe my selfe ^^ ! "
and ho ilo-
claros lio'U
hang tliom,
and sends
out his
pinnace to
take tliem.
But old
Simon
aims low,
and with hig
chain shot
sinks the
pinnace.
Barton sails
to fetch
Lord
Ilowai'd
himself.
> well it ken.— P. Full well Lord
Howard might it ken. — lid.
■ For it strake downe his fore-mast
tree. — IM.
^ of his. — Rel.
* Eel. omits Howard. — F.
* word doe stand in stead. — Bel.
^ For at my maine-mast thou shalt
hang. — Rd.
' twelve score one penny brmd.—
P.C., P. one shilling bread'th. — liel.
8 Ilel. omits itt.—Y.
" His ordinance ho laid right lowe.
— Bii. 'Aim low' is the regular rule.
— F.
'» full 9 yards long.— P. and Ud.
" with.— /&/.
'- moo. — P. and Bel.
'•' And he lett goe his great guanos
shott. — Bel.
'^ ee.—Bel.
'^ saw. — P. He sawe. — Bel.
'" MS. sumke. — F. sunke i'. — 7?^/.
" and when. — Bel.
"* Lord, how his heart with rage did
swell. — Jid.
''■• No we cutt. — Bel.
2» Ho ictch.—Bd.
-' MS. yomd.— F.
''- mys(>l. — P. and Bel.
412
SIR ANDREW BARTTON.
Old Simon's
son
puts iu
another
phot, and
kills 60 of
Barton's
men.
Hunt
attacks
Barton too,
and kills 80
more men.
Barton
laments,
■\vlien my Jjord Haward ' saw Sir Andrew loose,
lord ! in Hs liart that liee ^ was ffaine :
" strike on yo?(r drummes, spread out yo»r ancycnts ! ^
184 sound out yo?a' trumpetts ■* ! sound out amaine ! "
" ffiglit on, my men ! " sais S/r Andrew Bartton ^ ;
"weate, Lowsoeuer this geere will sway,
itt is my honl Adm[i]rall of England
188 is come to seeke mee on tlie sea."
^ Simon had a sonne, w/th shott of a gunn, —
well Sir Andrew might itt Ken, —
he shott itt in att a priuye place,
& killed GO more of Sir Andrews men.*'
192
19G
200
7 Harry Hunt came in att the other syde,
& att Sir Andrew hee shott then,
he droue downe his flPormost tree,
& killed 80 ^ more of Sir Andirwes men.
" I haue done a good tui'ne," sayes Harry Hunt,
" Sir Andrew is not our Isjivgs ffreind ;
he hoped to haue vndone me yesternight,
but I hope I haue quitt him well in the end."
" Euer alas ! " sayd Sir Andrew Barton,^
" what shold a man either ^^ thinke or say ?
yonder ffalse theeffe is my strongest Enemye,
204 who was my prisoner but yesterday.
' Bel. omits Howard.- — F.
^ how he. — P. Within his heart.
—Bd.
^ your Ancients spread. — P.
Nowe spread your aneyents, strike up
drummes. — Bel.
*' Sound all your trumpetts. — Bel.
* Sir Andrew says. — P. and Bef.
""'* Simon had a sonne, who shott riglit
well.
That did Sir Andrcwe mickle scare ;
In att his decko he gave a shott,
Killed threescore of his men of
warre.
Bel. ii. 188, (altered from printed copy.
-F.)
' Of the next stanza and a half Percy
makes one, taking two lines from the
Polio, and the rest (altered) from the
printed copy :
Then Henrye Hunt with rigour hott
Came bravely on the other side,
Soor.e he drove downe his fore-mast tree,
And killed fourscore men beside.
Nowe, out alas ! Sir Andrew cryed,
What nuiy a man now thinke, or say?
Yonder merchant theefe, that pierceth
mee,
He was my prisoner yesterday.
** tifty. — P.C., P. foiu'scoro men be-
side.— Bel.
'•> &•: Andr sayd.— P. '" now.— P.
SIR ANDRE-W BARTTON.
413
208
212
216
220
224
come hither to me, thou Gourden ' good,
& be thou 2 readye att my call,
& I will giue thee 300'.'3
if thou wilt lett my bcanes * downe ffall."
^ With that hee swarned ^ the mainc-mast tree,
soe did he itt ^ with might and maine :
HoRSELEY^ W(th a bearing 5 arrow
stroke the Gourden ^'^ through the braine.
And he ffell into ^^ the haches againe,
& sore of this wound that he ^^ did bleed,
then word went throug Sir Andrews men,
that they Gourden ^-^ hee was dead.
"come hither to me, Iames Hambliton,'* —
thou art my sisters sonne, I haue no more,''^-
I will giue [thee] GOO'.' ^^
if thou will lett my beanes downe ffall. '^ "
With /7iat hee swarned the mainc-mast tree,
soe did hee itt w/tli might and maine ^^ :
Horseley with an- other ^^ broad Arrow
strake the yeaman -"^ through the braine.
find offers
Gordon
.300/. to
climb the
mast and let
tlie beams
fall.
He climbs
up,
but Horseley
sboots bim
through the
brain.
Barton then
offers his
nci)liew (iOO/.
to climb up.
He climbs,
but Ilorsoloy
shoots him
dead.
' Gordon. — P. and Eel.
'^ That aye wast.— 7?e^.
' I will give thee three hundred
markes. — liel.
■* beams. — P.
* For the next four lines, Percy,
without notice, takes (and alters) the
printed copy :
Lord Howard hee then calld in haste,
" Horseley see thou be true in stead;
For thou shalt at the maine-mast hang.
If thou misse twelvescore one penny
bread'tli.— i?e;. ii. 188.
* swarmed, i.e. climbed, a word still
used in Sliropsliire [? all over England.
— F.] in tills sense. — P. Then Gordon
swarvd. — Rcl. MS. may be swarucd. — F.
' lie swarved it. — Eel.
8 But Horseley.— 7?e/.
" Seeyl(/rt»ji/e/^cj-c.,p. 98,1. 601. The
iearwY/ arrow was a broad one, 1.223 below.
I suspect the word means only well-
feathered for far shooting, like a ' good
carrying cartridge.' — F.
'» Gordon.— P. and Eel.
" downe to. — Eel.
'- sore his deadlye wounde. — Eel.
" Gordon.— P. How that the Gordon.
—Eel.
'* Hamilton.— P. Hanibilton.— /iW.
'* mo. — P. my only sisters sonne. —
Eel.
'" thee six himdred po;iwds. — P.
" wilt to my Top-castle go. Printed
Copy.-P.
If thou wilt let my bcames downe fall,
Six hundred noliles thou hast wonne.
—Eel.
"* He swarved it with nimble art. —
Eel.
'" But Horseley with a. — Ed.
'■"' yt'oman. — P. Pierced tlie Hambil-
ton thorough the heart. — Ed.
414
SIR ANDREW BARTTON.
Barton
calls for his
armour ;
he'll
climb to the
topcastle
himself.
228
232
He puts on
his armour.
2.36
240
24t
Horseley
^ that ^ liee ffell downe to the haclies againe ^ :
sore of his wound that * hee did bleed,
itt is verry true, as the welchman sayd,
couetousness getts no gaine.'^
hut when hee saw his sisters sonne ^ slaine,
hord ! in his heart hee was not weU.
" goe fFeitch me downe '^ mj armour of proue,^
ffor I will to the topcastle my-selfe.^
" goe '*' ffeitch me downe my armour of prooife, [pageioi]
for itt is guilded '^ w/th gold soe cleere.
god be With my brother, lohn of Bartton !
amongst ^^ the Portingalls hee did itt weare.'^ "
but when hee had his '^ armour of prooffe,
^^ & on his body hee had itt on,
euery man that looked att him
sayd, " gunn nor arrow hee neede feare none ! "
" come hither, Horsley ! " sayes my hord Haward,'*'
" & looke ^'' yowr shaft that itt goe right ;
shoot a good shoote in the time '^ of need,
& ffor thy shooting '^ thoust be made a 'Knitjht.'"
" He doe my best," sayes 2*' Horslay then,
" jour honor shall see befibre I goe ^^ ;
' I'or the next six lines the Bellques
have :
And downe he fell upon the deck,
That with his blood did strcanie
amaino :
Then every Scott cryed, "Well-away!
Alas a comely e youth is slaine !
All woe-tifgone was Sir Andrew then,
With griefe and rage his he;irt did
swell.— F.
» And.— P.
» MS. agaimo.— E. * then.— P.
* Covetousness brings nothing home.
Ray: ed. Bohn, p. 81. — F.
" nephew. — P.
' forth. — AW. " proof. — P. and Jicl.
" top-mast mysel. — P. topcastle niy-
sel—licl.
'» MS. pared away.— F.
'■ gilt.— P. That gilded is.— Rd.
'- Against. — Bel.
" ware. — P. hee it ware. — licl.
' ' on this. — Eel.
'^ Percy has a bit of his own for the
next three lines :
He was a gallant sight to see.
Ah ! ncre didst thou meet with living
wiglit,
My decre brother, could cope with
thee.—jRel. ii. 190.
'" my lord. — Bel.
'• looke to.— Bel.
'* in time. — Bel.
'" it.— P. it thou shalt.~7iW.
"" quoth. — Bel.
-' sec, with might and m;iinc. — Bel.
SIR ANDREW CARTTON.
415
248
252
256
if I shold be hanged att yo?tr mainemast, '
I haiie in my shipp but arrowes tow.^ "
3 but att Sir Andrew liee sliott tlien ;
hee made sure •* to hitt bis markc ;
vnder the spole ^ of his right arme
hee smote S/r Andrew quite throw the hart,
yett ffrom the tree hee wold not start,
but hee chnged to itt w/th might & maine.
vnder the coller then of his lacke,^
he stroke Sir Andrew thorrow the braiae.
" ffight on my men," sayes Sir Andrew Bartton,^
" I am * hurt, but I am ^ not slaine ;
He lay mee ^'^ downe & bleed a- while,
& then lie rise & ffight againe.'^
ffight on my men," sayes Sir Andrew Bartton,'^
" these English doggs they bite soe lowe ; •'
'^ ffight on ffiar Scottland & Saint Andrew
till '^ you heare my whistle bio we ! "
but Avhen the cold not heare his whistle blow,
sayes Harry Hunt, " He lay ray head
you may bord yonder noble shipp, my LorcZ,
268 for I know Sir Andrew hee is dead." ^^
260
264
has only two
arrows left :
with one he
shoots
Barton
through the
heart,
and with the
other,
through the
brain.
Barton tells
his men
to fight on
till
they hear his
whistle.
Ko whistle
sounds.
' But if I wero hanged at your maine-
mast tree. — Rd.
^ I liave now left but arrowes twaino.
—Eel.
^ For this stanza Percy has the fallow-
ing^, altered from the printed copy:
Sir .\ndrew he did swarve tlie tree,
AVitli right good will he swarved then:
Upon his breast did Horseley hitt,
But the arrow bounded back agen.
Then Ilorselye spyed a privy e place
With a perfect eye in a secret! e part;
Under the spolo of his right armo
He smote Sir Andrew to the heart.
■' right [sure].— P.
* Fr. espaule, a shoulder. — Cotgrave.
" leather tunic over the armour. See
Fairholt, on Jacket. — F.
' Sir And'*; says.— P. Sir Andrew
saj'es. — JieJ.
» a little I'm hurt.— Pi-. Copy, P., and
licl.
' but yett.— 7?e/. i» btit lye.— i?c/.
" Only half the n in the MS.— F.
'* Sir And'.'' says. — P. Sir Andrew
sayes. — lid.
'^ and never flincho before the foe. — Eel.
'* But stand fast by St. Andri^w's Cross.
—P. Copy, P., and Ed. with A>!d for
2iHf.—¥. '■' Until.— P.
'° They never heard his whistle blow.
Which made their hearts waxo
sore adread:
Then Horseley sayd,.\board, my l.u'd,
I'or well I wottSir Andrew's dead.
E I. (altered from printed copy). — F.
416
SIR ANDREW BARTTOX.
Howard and
Hunt
board
Barton's
ship.
w/tli thai they borded this ' noble shipp,
soe did they itt ^ wtth might & maine ;
tlie fFound 18 score Scotts aliue,^
bcsids the rest "vvere maimed & ^ slaiue.
Howard cuts
off Barton's
head.
has his
body thrown
overboard,
276
280
My Jjord ^ Haward tooke a sword in his hand,*^
& smote'' of ^ S^'r Andrews head.
the Scotts stood by, did weepe & mourne,
but neuer a word durst speake or say.^
he caused his body to be taken downe,'"
& ouer the hatch-bord cast '' into the sea,
& about his middle 300 crownes :
" wheresoeuer thou lands, itt '^ will bury thee."
and sails to
England,
^3 With his head they sayled into England againe
With right good will, & fforce & meanye,'^
' they boarded then [his]. — P. and
Ed.
2 They boarded \t.—Rd.
' Eighteen score Scotts alive they
found. — Ed.
* The rest were either maimd or. — Ed.
* Lord. — Ed. " in hand. — Eel.
' [insert] ther.— P.
^ And off he smote. — Ed.
" they spake or said. — P.
I must ha' left England many a daye,
If thou wert alive as thou art dead. —
Ed. (from printed copy, altered.) — F.
'" to be cast. — i?c/.
" Ed. omits cf- and cast. — F.
'- "Wherever thou land this. — Eel.
'■' For the next four stanzas, Percy has
these four from his own head, the printed
copy, and the folio :
Thus from the warres lord Howard came,
And backe he sayled on the maine,
With niickle joy and triumphing
Into Thames mouth he came againe.
Lord Howard then a letter wrote,
And sealed it with scale and ring:
" Such a noble prize have I brought to
your grace,
As never did subject to a king.
Sir Andrewes shipp I bring with nice ;
A Ijraver sliipp was never nt)ne :
Nowe hath your grace two shipps of
warre,
Before in England was l)ut one."
King Henryes grace with royall cheere,
Welcomed the noble Howard home.
And where, said he, is this rover stout :
That I myselfe may give the doome ? ,
"The rover, he is safe, my leige,
Fidl many a fadom in tiie sea ; [Percy]
If he were alive, as he js dead,
I must ha' left England many a day :
And your grace may thank four men i'
the ship
For the victory wee have wonne,
These are William Horsdey, lleni'y
Hunt,
And Peter Simon, and liis Sonne."
To Henry Hunt, the king then sayd,
In lii'ti of what was from thee tano,
A noble a day thou shalt have,
With Sir Andrewes jewels and his
chayne."
And Horseley thou shalt be a knight,
And lands and livings shalt have
store ;
Howard shall be earl Snrrye higlit.
As Howards erst have beenc before.
—Eel. ii. 192-3.
" main. — P.
SIR ANDEEW BAKTTON.
417
& the day befFore Newyeercs euen
284 & into Thames mouth againe they came.'
My Jjord Haward wrote to Kiufj Heneryes gi^acc,
with, all the newes hee cold him bring :
" such a newyeeres gifft I haue ^ brou ght to jonv
gr[ace],
288 as neuer did subiect to any^ King.
wliicli he
reaches on
December
30.
Lord
Hnwanl
writes to
Henry VI TT.
that he hii^; a
grand new-
year's gift
for him.
292
296
"ffor Merchandyes & Manhood,
the like is nott to be jBTound ;
the sight of these wold doe you good,
fFor you haue not the Like in yo?(r English ground."
but when hee heard tell that they were come,
full royally hee welcomed them home :
S/r Andrews shipp was the Kjings Newyeeres guilTt ;
a brauer shipp you neuer saw none.
Henry is
delighted to
find that it's
Barton's
ship,
300
304
Now hath our King Sir Andrews shipp
besett with pearles and precyous stones ;
Now hath England 2 shipps of warr,
2 shipps of warr, before but one.
"who holpe to this ? " sayes King Henerte,
" that I may reward him ffor his paino.'* "
" Harry Hunt & Peeter Simon,
William Horseleay, & I the same."
all over
pearls.
The King
has now two
ships of war.
He gives
Hunt
Barton's
" Harry Hunt shall haue his whistle & chaine, [page 4a-)] jewels &c.
& all his lewells, whatsoeuer they bee,
& other rich giffts that I will not name,
308 for his good service he hath done ^mee.
Horslay, riffht thoust be a Km^iht ; makes
' ° .^ ' Horseley a
Lands & linings thou shalt haue store. knight,
° Howard
Howard shalbe Erie of Nottingham, S'"'! "^
° ' Notting-
312 & soe was neuer Haward before. '^'""'
they e.imo again.— P.
a nol)!p prize have I. — licl.
a. — lid.
* MS. paime.— F.
* [insert] to.— P.
VOL. III.
E E
418
SIR ANDREW BARTTON.
and gives
Simon and
his son
500Z.
The Queen
comes
to see
Barton's
face.
The King
wishes he
wore
alive again,
and sends
his men
baclc to
Scotland,
" Now Peeter Simon, tliou art old,
I will maintaine tliee & tliy Sonne,
thou shalt haue 5001' all in gold
316 ffor the good service thai thou hast done.^ "
then 'Kiing Henerte shiffted his roome ;
in came the Queene & ladyes bright ;
other arrands they had none
320 but to see Str Andrew Bartton, KnigJd.
but when they see his deadly fface,
his eyes were ^ hollow in his head,
" I wold giue a 100'.'," sais 'King Henerye,
324 " the •* man were aliue as hee is dead !
yett ffor the manfuU pa^-t thai hee hath playd "*
both heere & ^ beyond the sea ^
his men shall haue halfe a crowne^ a day
328 to bring them to my brother 'King Iamye.* " ffinis.
' And the men shall have five h\indred
markes
For the good service they have done. —
Bd. ; which has for the next four lines :
Then in came the queene with ladyes
fair
To see Sir Andrewe Barton knight :
They weend that hee were brought on
shore,
And thought to have seen a gallant
sifflit.
^ soe. — Ed.
3 This.— i?e;.
■* part he playd. — Rd.
* [insert] eke. — P.
* Wliich fought soe well with heart
and hand. — Bd.
' twelvepence. — Bd.
* Till they come to my brother king's
high land. — Ed. Oh, this restless itch
of alteration ! — F.
419
<( Pity the sorrows of a lover " is the gist of this piece. The
swain protests that he is scorched with the flame of love, and
must be altogether consumed by it, if his lady will not put forth
a hand and pluck him like a brand from the burning. His only
claim to such a service is that he loves her. He hopes she may
be induced to reflect his love.
Fire warms to life ; it also burns to death ; as the simple
savage found, who was consumed by the flames in which he had
taken pleasure. And so it is with love.
12
16
Like : to the sillye Siluan
bui^nt by the ffire he liked,
I scor[c]lied am with, cupidds fiyery fBamc,
wherin I became ' delighted,
grant then, o grant, my desire to allay,
lest that I ruined bee ;
& godd[e]sse like, saue mee !
[By] Loue ^ my lifFe I maiutaine ;
death by hatred I gaine :
you ■'' the Murthresse, if slaine I bee.
Then hand in hand lett pittye
AVtth bewtyo March intwincd ■* ;
harmonious pairc, if sec linked they wore,
how delightffull in thee combined !
fi'aircst of all that the sun doth survay,
Ictt gracyousucsso take place ;
' ]\IS. bccanc— F.
■^ ])y your Love. — P.
you are. — P.
outwined. — P.
Vm scoi'ched
with Cupid's
flame !
Then, love,
Let Pity join
with tliy
Beauty.
E K 2
420
THE SILLYE SILTJAN.
Be not too
coy:
pity me !
20
O be not to coye ' !
Thou art an Angell, if a ffreind ;
if an enemye, a ffeend.
then to pittye concliscend, I pray !
Love yonr
lover again.
Grant me
love's
rights,
now the time
is so fit.
24
28
ffaine wold I thai mj desires
on her might haue refflectyon.
Lone loued againe ; itt is my only ^ aime
to be answered with true aftectyon.
Loue is attended with many a plesuro
to thee vnknowene as yett.
mee ^ to those "* loyes admitte !
crowne me with those loues rights,
with those precyous delights,
whiles the time that vs invites if itts ffitte.^
ffillis.
' too coye. — P.
° it is my only. — P.
3 MS. meete.— F.
* mee then to those. — P.
^ that invites us is so fit. — P.
421
|3atitut evi^^tU : '
This is a later version of the story which seems to have been
first told in English Ly Chaucer, who derived it from Boccaccio,
who derived it perhaps from Petrarch, who derived it from
some floating tradition. There were current in the Middle
Ages numberless tales and songs abusive of women. This sorry
literature sprung probably from the monks, who, whatever their
practice may have been, were ready enough to clamour that
women's society was by all means to be avoided and detested —
that women were everything bad and abominable. One would
think that Eve had tempted the serpent, not the serpent Eve.
Had there arisen no authors of broader and truer experiences
than these cloistered libellers, the very acrimony of their slanders
would have sufficed to excite a literature reactionary and pro-
testing. Certainly such a literature grew and flourished. Women
found their advocates. In the fields of poetry as well as of
tournament and war they found their knights, who did battle
bravely for them. Men rose up and called them blessed, and
put ignorant scandal- mongers to shame. The Kut Bvoivn Maid
was written especially to gainsay those who accused them of
perpetual inconstancy; Patient Grissell to rebuke those who pro-
nounced them ever shrews. Griselda is essentially a reactionary
story ; else, the patience of the heroine is too extreme to be toler-
ated, she is tame to excess, she is characterless. If we remember
how incessantly the shrewishness of women, their obstinacy, their
furiousness were asserted and proclaimed, then we shall under-
stand why Griselda's patience is represented as so extreme and
' In the printed Collection of Old ib. — F. vid. Boccacc Chaucer {pencil
Ballads, 1727, Vol 3. p. 202.— P. "To note).
the tuno of 2Tie Bride's Good-morrow <^c."
422 PATIENT GRISSELL.
invincible, why the roughest, cruellest, shamefullest wrongs cannot
ruffle it. The story does not contemplate the virtue it celebrates
in reference to other virtues. It does not concern itself with these ;
in its devotion to its one object, it may even outrage some of
these. Its aim and purpose is to picture patience in a woman.
This picture it paints surely with surpassing success. Is there
any more moving picture of meekness in any secular literature ?
Griselda bears the grievous burdens laid upon her shoulders with
a quiet unmurmuring spirit. No angry cries, no burning re-
proaches escape from the lips of this most gentle lady. And yet,
if ever any tongue might grow shrewish and curst, assuredly hers
might grow so. But in meekness she possesses her soul. Bereft
of her children, cast off by her husband, the tenderest fibres of
her soul thus rudely torn and broken, she cannot but weep some-
what. " The tears stood in her eyes." But
She nothing answered, no words of discontent
Did from her lips arise.
And when ready to " part away,"
" God send long life unto my lord," quoth she.
" Let no offence be found in this,
To give my lord a parting kiss."
The following version of the story is found elsewhere — in an
old chap-book, dated 1619, from which it has been reprinted by
the Percy Society in Deloney's Garland of Good Will, and in
the Collection of Old Ballads, 1727.
" Two plays upon the subject," observes Professor Child in the
Introduction to his copy of Patient Grissel, " are known to have
been written, one of which (by Dekker, Chettle, and Haughton)
has been printed by the Shakespeare Society, while the other, an
older production of the close of Henry VIII.'s reign, is lost.
About the middle of the sixteenth century (1565) a Song of
Patient Grissell is entered in the Stationers' Eegisters, and a
prose history the same year." License is given to " Owyn
Kogers" "for pryntinge of a ballett intituled the souuge of
pacyente Gressell unto hyr make."
PATIENT GRISSELL. 423
The poem given by Percy ia the Reliques, called The Patient
Countess, an extract from Warner^s A lb ion's England, re-presents
rather tact and management than patience in the wife of an
unfaithful (not a tempting and assaying) husband. " The sub-
ject of this tale," says the Bishop, " is taken from that enter-
taining colloquy of Erasmus intitled Uxor /jbSfiylrLjafjios sive
Conjugium ; which has been agreeably modernized by the late
Mr. Spence in his little Miscellaneous Publication intitled
'Moralities &c. by Sir Harry Beaumont, 1753, 8vo. pag. 42.'"
" Jam si molestum non erat," says Eulalia, one of the interlocu-
tors in that dialogue, " referam tibi quiddam de marito commo-
ditate uxoris correcto ; quod nuper accidit in hac ipsa civitate."
"Nihil est quod agam," rejoins Xantippe, whose name indicates
her views as to how husbands should be dealt with, " et perquam
grata mihi est tua confabulatio." " Est vir quidam," proceeds
her more discreet friend, and relates the tale versified by
Warner. Xantippe does not appreciate the forbearance shown
by the wronged lady of the story. " 0 matronam nimium
bonam ! Ego citius pro lecto substravissem illi fasciculum urti-
carum ac tribulorum." The Patient Countess then is other than
our Griselda.
Griselda became a proverb of patience. Scarcely has the
patience of Job been more widely heard of than hers. Butler
{Hudihras, part i. cant, ii.) speaks of
Words far bitterer than wormwood,
That would in Job or Grizel stir mood.
A : noble Marquesse, as lice did rydc on ' huntingc a Jtarquis
, -, -, n- 11 o"t bunting
hard by a florrest syde,
a proper maid,'^ as shee did sitt a spinningc,
4 his gentle eye cspydc. j'''.';!"' ..,
' a. — 0.1). ^ fair and comely IMaiden. — O.li.
424
PATIENT GRISSELL.
singing.
His heart is
on fire,
and he
accosts the
maiden.
12
Most ffaire & louely, & of comely ' grace, was sliee,
altliougli iu simple attii-e ;
sliee sung fFull sweet ^ with pleasant voice melody ous-
lyee,
w/iicli sett the Lords hart on ffire,
the more he looket, the more hee might ;
bewtye bred ^ his harts delight ;
& to this dainty "* damsell then [hee went.] ^
" God speed," quoth, hee, " thou fFamous fflower, [p. 49C]
ffaire Mistress of this homely bower
where louee & vertue Hues ^ with sweet content ! "
She
welcomes
him
modestly.
The Marquis
asks her
name ; he
means to
marry her.
" Grissell
is my name.
I'm quite
unfit for
you."
He urges his
suit;
16
20
24
28
With comely lesture & modest flS.ne ^ behauiour
shee bade ® him welcome ; then
shee entertaind him in ffaithffull ffrendly man[ner]
& all his gentlemen,
the Noble Marquesse in his hart felt such a fflame,
which sett his sences att striffe ;
quoth hee, " ffaire mayd,^ show me soone what is thine ^^
[name ;]
I meane to raake thee my wiffe."
" Grissell is my name," quoth, shee,
" ffarr vnffitt ffor jour degree :
a silly may den, & of parents poore."
" nay, Grissell ! thou art rich," he sayd ;
" a virtiuos, ffaire, & comely e mayde !
grant me thy loue, & I will aske no more."
she consents, Att Lenght shec Consented, & being both contented,
they marry, they marryed were with speed.
her country russett was changed to silke & veluett,
she is clad
in silk
velvet, 32 as to her state agreed
' a comoly. — O.B.
* most, sweetly. — O.B.
" was.— O.B.
* O.B. omits dainty. — F.
" Strait the Noble went.— O.B.
« Dwells.- O.B.
' O.B. omits ^72c.—F.
s bids.— O.B.
» Maiden.— F.
'» thy name.— P. & O.B.
PATIENT GRISSELL.
425
36
40
44
48
52
50
& when thai sliee was trimly tyred in tlie same,
her bewtye shined most bright,
fiarr stainninge euery other braue & comelye ^ dam[e]
thai did appears in her sight. ^
many enuyed her therfore,
because shee was of parents poore,
& twixt her LorcZ & shee great striffe did raise,
some said this, & some said that,
& some did call her beggars bratt,
& to her Lord they wold her offt dispraise :
" 0 noble Marquesse " (q?ioth they) "why doe you ^
wrong vs,
thus baselye ffor to wedd,
thai ^ might haue gotten an hono?tr«ble ^ Ladye
into jouY princely bed ?
who will not now jouv noble issue still ^ deryde,
w/w'ch heerafter shall ^ be borne,
thai are of blood soe base on ® the Mothers syde,
the w7w"ch will bring them in scorne.
put her therfore quite away ;
take ^ to you a Ladye gay,
wherby yottr Linage may renowned bee : "
thus euery day the seemed to ^^ prate
thai malHced ^* Grissells good estate,
who tooke all this most mild & patyentlye.'^
and looks
lovelier than
anyone else.
People envy
her,
call her
beggar's
brat.
and
reproach the
Marquis
with having
married a
base-born
girl;
his children
will be
scorned.
He should
put her
awaj ,
and marry a
Lady.
Grissell
takes it all
patiently.
when '^ the Marquesse see ^^ thai '■'' they were bent thus The Marquis
against his ffaithfiull ^^ wiffe,
who ^^ most dearly 0, tenderlye, & entirlye,
loves her
as his life,
60 he loued ^^ as his liffe
' Fair and Princely.— O.E.
2 O.B. omits this Hue— F.
3 didst thou.— O.B.
< Who.— OB.
s horn''.'.' in the MS.— F.
® now. — O.B.
' shall heruaftcT.— O.B.
» baso Born by.— O.B.
» And take.— O.B.
but thinks
to prove her,
'» they did.— O.B. •' envy'd.- O.B.
''•^ Who all this while Took it most
patiently. — O.B.
" When that.— O.B.
" Did see.— O.B.
'* O.B. omits that.—F.
'» lawful.— O.B.
" Wlioin he.— O.B.
'" Beloved.— O.B.
426
PATIENT GKISSELL.
and seems
cruel,
that men
may jjity
her.
She gives
birth to
twins,
a boy and
girl.
A grand
christening
feast
is held for
six weeks,
and then
the Marquis
sends a
messenger to
fetch the
twins
to be
murdered.
64
68
72
76
80
Grissell
weeps,
but says her
lord must be
obeyed. §4
[page 497]
She kisses
her babes.
Minding ^ in secrett for to prone ^ lier patjcnt liart,
tlierby lier fFoes ^ to disgrace,
thinking to play ■• a hard discurteons part
thai men might pittye her case ; —
great with child this ^ Ladye was ;
& att lenght ^ itt came to passe,
2 goodlye children att one birth shoe had,
a Sonne & daughter god had sent,
w7i/ch did their iiather "^ well content,
& w/wch did make their mothers ^ hart full glad.
Great loy & ^ ffeasting was att the ^^ childrcns christ-
enin[g,]
& princely triumph made.
6 weekes together all nobles thai came thither
were entertained, and stayd.
& when thai all these plasant sporttings ^' quite were '^
done,
the Marquesse a Messenger sent
ffor his young daughter & his pretty smiling so[ne,]
declaring his ffull entent,
how thai they '^ babes must murdered bee, —
for soe the Marquess did decree :
" come,lett mehaue thy^^ children," then hee say[d].
wiith thai, ffaire Grissell wept ffull sore,
shee wrong her hands, & sayd no more :
"My ^^ gracyous LortZ must haue his will obayd."
Shee tooke the babyes ^^ ffrom ^^ the nursing Ladyes
betweene her tender armes ;
shee often wishes with many sorrowffull kisses
thai shee might helpe ^^ their harmes :
' Meaning. — O.B.
3 his Foes for.— O.B.
■• show her. — O.B.
* the.— O.B.
« lit the last.— O.B.
' Mother.— O.B.
« Father's,— O.B.
« try.— O.B. '» these.— O.B.
" the pleasant Sporting. — O.B.
'■^ was.— O.B. " How the.— O.B.
'* The.— O.B.
'» But my.— O.B.
'« the Babes.— O.B.
" Royal.— O.B. " Even from.— O.B. "* case.— O.B.
PATIENT GRISSELL.
427
" ffarwell, ffarwell 1000 times, my children deere !
neere ^ shall I see you againe !
tis long of me, your sad and -wofull mother hcere,
92 for whose sake you ^ must be slaine.
had I beene borne of royall race,
you might haue lined in hapjiy case,
but you must dye for my vnworthynesse !
96 come, messenger of death," sayd ^ shee,
" take my despised * babes ffrom mee,^
& to theii' ffather my complaints expresse ! "
Hee tooke the children ; vnto '^ his Noble Master
100 he brought ^ them both ® with speed,
who ^ secrett sent them vnto a noble Ladye
to bee brought vp indeed,
then to fiaire Grrissell with a heauy hart hee goes
104 where shee sate my Idly e alone.'*'
a pleasant gesture & a louelye looke shee showes,
as if greeflfe '^ shee had neuer '^ knone.
q^ioth hee, " my children now are slaine :
108 what thinkes fFaire Grissell of the same ?
sweet Grissell, now declare thy mind to mee."
" sith you, m.y Jjord, are pleased with itt,
poore Grissell thinkes the actyon '^ fitt.
112 both I and mine att your comand wilbee."
bills them
farewell,
tells them
they're to
die
because she's
of low blood,
and bids the
messenger
repeat her
plaints to
her husband.
He takes
them
to the
Marquis,
who sends
them to a
lady to be
brought up,
and then he
goes
to Grissell
(who
receives him
pleasantly),
says the
children are
slain ;
what does
she think of
it?
" If it
pleases you,
I think it
right."
" My Nobles '''murmure, fFaire Girssell, at thy honour, Thcnheteiis
-r n 1 ''^l" tll'lt> to
& i noe ioy Can haue please his
. . nobles, she's
till thou be banisht both ffrom my court & presence, to be sent
away
116 as they vniustly craue.
• Never.— O.B.
« both.— O.B.
s q^oth.— O.B.
* dliirest.— O.B.
5 to thee— O.B.
« And to.- O.B.
' bore.— O.B.
« thonco.— O.B.
« Who in.- O.B.
'" all alouo.— O.B,
" no Grief.— O.B.
'- O.B. omits ncuer. — F.
" tliis.— O.B.
" One stroke too few in llio M.S.-
428
PATIENT GRISSELL.
in her plain
grey frock,
and be his
wife no
more.
thou must be stript out of thy ' gai'mcuts all,
& as thou earnest vnto ^ mee,
in homely gray, instead of bisse ^ & purest pall,
120 now all thy clothing must bee.
My hady thou slialt * be no more,
nor I thy LorcZ, w/«ch greeues me sore.
the poorest liife raust now content thy mind ;
1 24 a groate to thee I may ^ not giue
to maintaine thee ^ while I liue '' :
against my Grissell such great ffoes I ffind."
The tears
come to
lier eyes,
but she says
nothing,
takes off her
velvet gown,
puts on her
russet one,
kisses her
husband,
Wlien gentle Grissell had hard this * wofull tydings,
128 the teares stood in her eyes.
she nothing ^ answered, no Avords of disconte[nt]-
ment ^'^
did ifrom her lipps arrise ;
her veluett gowne most pitteouslye shee slipped of,'^
132 her kirtle of silke with the same.
her russett gowne was browght againe w/th many a
scoffe :
to here '^ them all,^^ her selfe shee did fframe.
when shee was drcst in this array,
136 and readye was ^* to part ^^ away,
" god send long liue vnto my LorcZ ! " q?6oth shoe,
"Let no Offence be ffound in this,
to giue my LorcZ a parting kisse."
140 With wattered ^^ eyes, " ffarwell, my dcare ! " q^oth
hee,i7
» Of thy brave.— O.B.
2 to.— O.B.
' Eyssus, Lat. — Pencil note.
O.B.
* must.— O.B.
» dare.— O.B.
" Tlife to maintain. — O.B.
' I do live.— O.B.
» Did hear these.— O.B.
" Nothing she.— O.B.
'" Discontent.— O.B.
Silk. — " patiently she stripped oiT. — O.B.
'•- hear.— O.B.
'» O.B. omits.— F.
» for.— O.B. -
'= pass.— O.B.
'" watry.— O.B.
" saidslic.-^O.B.
rATIENT GiaSSELL.
429
144
148
152
156
ffrom statelye ' pallace, vnto lier ffathers cottage
poore Grissell now ^ is gone.
flfuU 15 winters sliee liued there contented ;
no wrong shee thought vpon ;
& att thai 3 time through all the Land the Speeches
went,
the ]\Iarqnesse shold niarryed bee
vnto a Ladye great ■* of hye discent ;
& to the same all pcw'tyes did ^ agree,
the Marqnesse sent fFor Grissell ffaire
the bryds bedchamber to prepare,
that nothing therin shold ^ bee ffound awrye.
the bryde was withe her brother come,
w/w'ch was great loy to all & some :
& ^ Grissell tooke all this most patyentlye.
And in the Morning when thai * they shold be wedcd,
her patyence now ^ was tryde :
Gr[i]ssell was chargd, her-selfe in princely '° mauno«r
ffor to attyre the bryde.
and goes to
hor father's
cottage.
There she
stays 15
years.
and is then
sent for
to prepare
the
Marquis's
new wife's
room.
[page 498]
and dress her
for her
wedding.
most willingly shee gaue consent vnto '^ the sam[e :]
160 the bryde in her '^ brancry was drest,
& pj'csentlye the noble Marquesse thither came
with all his 'Lords att his request :
" 0 Grissell, I wold '^ aske of thee
164 if thou wold to this match '■* agree ;
methinkes thy lookes ai*e waxen '^ wonderous coy."
with thai they all began to smile,
& Grissell shee replyes '*' the while,
168 *' god send Lo/-'i Marquesse many yeeres of loy ! "
Grissell
dresses the
bride ;
and then the
Marquis
aslcs her if
she agrees to
tlic match.
She wishes
liiin many
happy years.
' Princfly.— 0.15.
2 she.— O.E.
« this.— O.JJ.
* Noblo Lady.— O.E.
* O.B. omits did.—i\
« Migiit.— O.B.
' But.— 0.15.
« as.— O.B.
» there.- O.B.
"> fripiidly.— O.B.
" to do.— O.B.
" O.B. omits kcr.—F.
" will.— 0.15.
" If to this Match thou wilt.
'^ waxed.— 0.1!.
'" reply'd.- O.B.
-O.B.
430
PATIENT GRISSELL.
The Marquis
steps to her
and says,
"You are
my only
britle :
these are
your
children.
You who
envied her,
blush for
shame 1
Fame shall
evermore
praise
Patient
Grissell."
The Marquesse was moued to see his best beloucd
thus patyent in distresso ;
he stept vnto her, & by the hand he tooke her ;
172 these words he did expresse :
" thou art the * bryde, & all the brydes I nieane to
haue !
these 2 thine owne children bee ! " —
the youthfull [Lady] ^ on her knees did blessing craue ;
176 her brother as willing ^ as shee ; —
" & you that enuye her estate
whom I haue made my louing "* mate,
Now blush ffor shame, & honour vertuous liffe !
180 the chronicles of Lasting ffame
shall eucj-more extoll the name
of patyent Grrissell, my most patyent ■'' wiffe ! "
fF[mis.]
' my.— O.B.
- youthful Lady.— O.B.
3 well.— O.B.
chosen. — O.B.
constant. — O.B.
431
This piece was manifestly written by a professional hand.
Dolorous and tragic incidents which now form the subjects of
newspaper paragraphs were in old pre-public-press day reported,
with such graceful varieties of narrative as might seem expedient,
by vagrant versifiers. The ballad-writer of James I.'s time per-
formed the functions of the penny-a-liner of our day. Some
such grievous duel as that described in the following piece may
probably enough have been fought not far from the Tweed early
in the seventeenth century, and this be the ryming news-monger's
account of it. There is a certain reality about the narration,
which cannot be attributed to the art of the narrator. It is
evidently an event that actually transpired which he celebrates.
His artistic merit is sufficiently indicated by the morals he
appends to his story. He belongs to the Ovros lttttos school.
1N: Barwicke Low,' as late beffell,
a great mishap happened therin
wold peaine ^ a stonye hart to tell :
4 the great discourse that did begin
Betwixt 2 youthes of gentle blood,
as they were walking all alone,
they wrought their wills as they thought good,
8 -which made their ffreinds to wailc & mone.
a sail mishap
befell
between two
well-born
youths,
12
The one hight Scroope, as I heard tell,
the other browne, as I hard say :
betwixt these 2 itt soe beffell,
that hand to hand the rnadc allray.
Scroope
and Browne.
? Bcnvick Low, a hill near TlorM'ick. — H.
■' Qu. MS.— F.
432
SCROOPE AND BROWNE.
Scroope
taunted
Browne
with not
daring to
fight him.
IG
Saitli Scroope to Browne, " what dost tliou meane
to come all naked ^ thus to mee ?
itt meaneth sure, by thy comj»ing,
thou wilt not ffight, but rather fflee."
Browne
retorted ;
Quoth Browne, " my weapons are att hand,
as to thy paine shall soone bee seene ;
fFor while that I may goe or stand,
20 one ffoote to ffly I doe not meane."
they drew
their
swords,
and fought
They drew fforth their swords anon,
they ffought together manifullye,
they 2 bright blades in the sun shone,—
24 0 Lord, itt was great loy to see ! —
manfully,
till Scroope
hit Browne
a cruel cut
ill the leg,
and called
on him to
yield.
Browne
would not ;
they fought
again ;
and Browne
killed
Scroope.
They Laid on strokes tliai were soe strong,
they ifought together manffuUye.
att Lenght Scroope [pressed] ^ vnto Browne,
28 [&] w/tli his sword ffull Egarlye
Hee hitt Browne on the legg, god wott,
hee cutt him vaines 2 or 3 ;
a man might haue seene where iliai stroke bo[tc ;]
32 0 Lorf^, itt pearced him cruelly !
They tooke their breath, & still they stoode :
Qttoth Scroope, "thou Browne, yeelde thee to mee !
[on] w7;/ch, Browne waxing neere hand wood,
36 together ffearfullye they cold fflee.
They Lady came runinge apace :
Browne cast vp his head & did her see ;
w/th that hee cut Scroope in the fFace ;
40 [the sword to the brain went through his ee.'*]
' nakoil = unarmed. So nndus in
" In raaxirao iiietu nudutti et caecum
corpus ad hostes vortcre." — Sail. Jirtj. 107
and elsewhere, and yvuvhs in Horn. 11.
xvi., 81 5, ou5' vireueivei/ ndrptMiXoy yvfiviv
nep iivr iv STji'jTTjTi, and elsewhere. — II.
^ their.— P.
•'' pressed.- — Dyce.
* A line of the MS. is pared away. — F.
Alas ! it was tlic more pittye. — P.
SCROOrE AND BROWNE.
433
44
" Out & alas ! " q?<i'tli this gay Ladje,
" Browne ! why wouldest thou doe this deedc ?
I loued him better then I loued thee ! "
shee kist liis wounds as they did bleede.
[page 499] Browne's
love
reproaches
him.
She loved
Scroope best.
" Ladye," qiioth. Browne, " my owne thou art !
owr trothes together plighted they bee ;
ffor shame lett this deede neuer be knowne,
48 nor neuer show extremitye."
Browne says
she has
plighted her
troth to him.
" As ffor our trothes plighting," shee saith,
" is not the thing that greeueth mee ;
but ffor his sake that heere is dead,
52 taken soone that thou shalt bee."
" I care not
for that :
you shall be
taken up for
Scroope's
sake."
" 0 No, ISTo, No, Ladye ! " he sayes,
" if that thou wilt thy troth deniye,
yett ffor his sake that heei^e Lyes ' dead,
56 taken will I neuer bee."
Hee tooke the sword then by the blade,
the lieauye hilt on ground did Lye ;
quite through his body a wound hee made,
60 & there hee dye[d] beffore her eye.
"If you deny
your troth,
I'll not be
taken,"
says Browne,
then runs
himself
through the
body,
The ffattall end of Scroope & Browne,
of botlie their ffreinds Lamented was ;
& eke the crye through Barwicke townc
64 was " wellaway, & out alas ! "
But of this Ladye, marke the end,
that causer was of deadlye fuyde :
a swouiiig trance god did her send
68 that shee ffell dead vpon the ground.
Tlio Lady
falls down
de.ad tt>o.
VOL. 111.
' MS. Lyed— F.
F F
434
learn to keep
secrets !
SCROOrE AND BROWNE.
You Ladyes all thai heere my song,
& maidens all of Eche degree,
see yea neue?- speake word wt'tli jouv tounge,
but keepe itt till the day you dye.
Toung men;
seek for a
true love :
it's a rare
bird.
76
And young men all thai heere my song,
to seeke true loue doe you not spare ;
tliougli PiRAMUs be eft ^ to find,
yett Thisbye is a bird most rare. ffinis.
' eath. — P. eft, qxiick, ready : Shakspere, in Halliwell. — F.
['•' Now ffye on Dreames,'^ printed in Lo. & Hum. Songs, p. 109,
follows here in the MS. p. 499.]
435
Geoffkey of Monmouth tells us^ that after the Trojan war,
^neas, flying with his son Ascanius from the destruction of
Troy, sailed to Italy. There Ascanius begat a son named
Sylvius, and he begat Brutus, who at the age of fifteen acci-
dentally killed his father out hunting. Driven from Italy for so
heinous a deed, Brutus landed in Greece, headed the oppressed
Trojans there, took their adversary Pandrasus prisoner, married
his daughter, and then sailed to the shores of the Tyrrhenian
Sea, where he found other descendants of Trojans, under the
command of Corineus. Having together conquered the king
of Aquitaine, Brutus and Corineus sailed to the island called
Albion, then inhabited by none but a few giants, and divided it.
Corineus chose Cornwall (probably called after him) because in it
there were more giants than elsewhere, and it was a diversion to
him to encounter them. Among others he slew the biggest and
most detestable monster Goemagot. Brutus took the rest of the
island, christened the whole of it Britain, after his own name, and
built on the Thames the city of New Troy, afterwards called
Kaer Lud and then London. After Brutus's death his three sons
shared his kingdom — Locrin, the eldest, taking the middle of the
island called Loegria, of which we hear so often in the Arthur
romances ; Kamber, the second son, taking Kambria, or Wales ;
and Albanact, the youngest, taking Albania, or Scotland. Locrin
' A late version of tlie story told l>y lection of Old Ballads 1726, Vol. 2. p. 5.
Geoffrey of Monmouth and his Welsh N.I. — P.
translators, by Wace (i. Go-71), Laya- '^ Book i, Chapters iii-xviii. Book ii,
mon (i. 91-106), IloLert of Gloucester Chapters i-v, A. Tiiompson's translation
(i. 23-7), Robert of Brunne (Inner Temple revised by Giles (Bohn, 1S18) p. 91-
MS. fol. 13) &c.— F. lu tho printed Col- 109.— F.
V r 2
436 KINGE HUMBER.
was betrothed to Guendolsena, the daughter of Corineiis. Then
Humber, king of the Huns, invaded Albania, and slew Albanact.
Locrin and Kamber routed Humber near the river which now bears
his name, and in which he was drowned. In one of Humber's
ships Locrin found the lovely Estrildis, of beauty " hardly to be
matched. No ivory or new-fallen snow, no lily could exceed the
whiteness of her skin." For love of her, Locrin would have
broken his troth to Corineus's daughter, but the giant-slayer
shook his battle-axe at him, and he thereupon married Gruendolgena.
But he kept Estrildis in "apartments underground," and begat
on her a most beautiful daughter who was named Sabren. In
process of time Corineus died, Locrin divorced Guendolsena, and
advanced Estrildis to be queen. But " twenty thousand Cornish
men would know the reason why," as a modern ballad sings of
another event. They met Locrin near the river Sture ; he was
killed by the shot of an arrow ; and G-uendolaena became queen.
She had Estrildis and her daughter Sabren thrown into the river
now called Severn after that daughter; Guendoh-pna hoping thus
to perpetuate Locrin's infamy by his fair girl's name.
Of Geoffrey's story told above, our ballad retells, with varia-
tions, the part after Humber's invasion. Sir F. JNIadden shows in
his note in Layamon iii. 313 (p. 440, note ^ here) how by Geoffrey's
misreading the name of Estrildis' daughter as Sabren, instead of
Avren, he has transferred the legend of the Avon's christening to
the Severn's, so that we have the names of two rivers accounted for
by the process so familiar to comparative mythologists, of the
invention of stories about men and women to account for existing
names of streams and hills, countries and towns. But surely this
linking of natural objects with the stories and fates of hmiian
beings is again to the imagination, the life, of man. A light is on
Greece and Judsea, on Norse-land and England too, when tlie sun
is down, and no moon or star can be seen. A glory of legend and
history rests for ever on the spots where the deeds they tell of
KINGE nUMBER.
437
were done, the sufiferings they sing were suffered. And tliough we
now can people the Severn's course with the wondrous vegetation,
the coral-reef islands and fishful lagoons of the carboniferous
system, with the gigantic saurians of the trias, and the earliest
creations of mammal being, yet how did the river acquire to many
of us a new life when we read —
The Danube to the Severn gave
The (larken'd heart that beat no more, {In Memoriam, xix.)
when we learnt that Tennyson's friend lay on Severn's bank,
and that there from his ashes might be made
The violet of his native land, {ib, xviii.)
Though Greoffrey's stories be not true, let us not forget that we
owe him a debt of fjratitude for them.
12
IG
When number in his wrathe-fFull rage
'King Albanack in ffeild had slaine,
those bloody broyles fFor to asswage,
King Locrin then applyed his paine,
& with an host of Brittaines stout
att Lenglit hee ffound King Humber out.
Att vantage great he mett him then,
& AVith his hoast besett him. soe
thai hee destroyed his warlike men,
& HuMBERS power did ouerthrowe ;
& Humber, w/tich ffor ffeare did fflye,
leapt into a riuer desjDc/'attlye.
And be[i]ng drowned in the deepc,
& left a Ladye there a-liue,
& ' sadlye did lament and weepe
for ficarc they shold her lillc depriue ;
but by her fface iliai was soe ffaire
the King was caught in cupidds snare.
After
Humber had
slain
Albanack,
attacked
and routed
his army.
and Humber
drowTicd
himself.
Locrin fell
in love with
a Huuuish
lady,
Estrilde,
and secretly
' who. — P.
438
KINGE HUMBER.
(to the
sorrow of his
Queen
Guendoline,
by whom he
had a sou)
begat a
daughter on
Estrilde.
Humber
then put
away
Guendoline,
(who took
refuge in
Cornwall),
and crowned
Estrilde his
wife.
20
24
28
32
36
Hec tooke tlie Ladye to his loue,
& secrettlye • did keepe her still ;
soe that tliey Queene did quicklye prone
tlie IS-ivg did beare lier small good ^ will ;
although in wedlocke late begun,
liee had by her a gallant sonne.
Queene Guendoline was greened in m[i]nde
to see the ^ing was altered soe ;
att leng'ht the cause shee chanct to ffind,
w7i/ch brought her to much bitter woe.
ffor Estrilde was his ioy, god wott,
by whom a daughter hee begott.^
The duke of cornewall being dead,
the ffather of that gallant queene ■* ;
the K.!rig by lust bemg ouer-ledd,
his lav/fFuU wiffe hee cast of cleane,
who w/th her deare and tender sonne
for succour did to cornewall turne.
Then Locrine crowned Estrild bright,
& made of her his lawfull wiiTe ;
w/th her w7i/ch was his harts delight,
he thought to lead a pleasant liffe.
thus Guendoline, as once ^ ffoi'lornc,
was of her husband held in scorne.
' Wace puts her into a deep cellar,
and keeps her there seven years :
Par iin, sou Lon familier,
Fist a Londre faire un celier,
Desos terre parfondement ;
La fu Estril bien longement:
Set ans la tint issi Locrin
Celeenient el sostc^rin. — JJrut, i. 68-9.
'^ There is a tag at the end in the MS.
like an s. — F.
^ I'ant i ala et con versa
Qu' Eslril une fille enfanta.
Abren ot nom, mult par fu cl^re
Et plus bele qu' Estril sa mere
Qui mult fu bfele et avenant.
"Wace, liomans de Brut, i. 69, 1. 1435-9.
(ed. le Eoux de Lincy, Paris, 1836).
We have been already assured, at p. 66,
that Estril's match could not then be
found :
mult par fu b^le ;
Ne p^ust, ou nol liu trover
Plus bele de li, ne sa per.
* He was Corineus, the Trojan chief,
"who slew the king of the giants, Gog-
gamog, that was, men say, about four and
twenty feet long. R. Glosicr, i. 22. It
slioidd be remembered of England, that
in those days " in this island wero
giants ; no other people dwelt there."
{Wace,\- 51).— F.
* one, Al. Ed.— P.
KINGE HUMBEE.
439
But when the cornish men did know
44 the great abuse ^ shee did endure,
wtth her a number great did goe,
which shee by prayers did procure.
in battell ^ then they marcht alonge
48 for to redresse this greeuous wronge,
The Cornish
men resolve
to avenge
Guendoliue.
52
And neere a riuer called store ^ They attack
Locriu,
the 'King w/th all his host shee mett,
where both the armyes fought full sore,
[but then the qu]eene the feild did gett ; ''^feat him,
yett ere they did the conquest ga[i]ne, [pagesoi]
the Kdng was with an arrow slaine. and kiii him.
56
60
Then Gdendoline did take in hand —
Yntill her sonne was come to age —
the gouer[n]ment of all the Land ;
& tJiai great fiury to aswage,
shee did command he[r]^ souldiers wild
to drowne both Estrill & her child.
Guendoline
ordei's
Estrilde and
her girl to
be drowned.
64
Incontinent then did they bringe
fFaire Estrild to the riuers syde,
& Sabrine, daughter to a Kinge,
whom Guendoline cold not abyde ;
who, being bound together ffast,
into the riuer they were cast.
Estrilde and
her daughter
Sabrine
are cast into
the river,
' A stroke 'between the s and c in tlio
MS.— F. abuse.— P.
'^ column, niilitivry formation. — F.
' La3amon's account (cd. Madden, i.
104-5) is:
MS. Cott. Calig. A. ix.
& heo to gadero comew i
vppen ane watore.
})at watere hattc Stoure !
}:at feiht was swiSe st?<rne.
inne Dorsete !
Locrin deaS (;olcde.
MS. Cott. Otho, C. viii.
and liii to gadero com en '.
vppcn one watere.
\>dt liatte Steure '.
\};\t fiht was sw\]i>e sturno.
ino Dorsete!
Locrin doa)' t>olede.
her al. id. — P.
440
KINGE HUMBER.
which has
since been
called
Severn,
because
Sabrine
was drowned
there.
68
72
And euer since that runing streame
wliei'in these Ladyes drowned were,
is called Seueene tln-ouglie the realme,
because that Sabrine dyed there. ^
thus 2 they that did to lewdnesse bend,
were brous'ht vnto a wofull end. mniS.
' La3amoii (ed. Madden i. 105) says:
ta hehte heo [Gvendolfine] ane heste . .
Jjat me sculde |>at ilke water '.
\>eT Abren was adninken.
clepien hit Aiiren ;
for t>aune mseidene Abron.
& for Locrines lufe '.
\>e wes hire kine louerd.
i>o het 360 one heste.
i^at me solde }>at ilk water '.
\>ar Abren was a-dronke.
cleopie hit Auren '.
for fan maide Abrew.
On this passage Sir F. Madden remarks,
iii. 313:
" La3amon has here strictly adhered to
the text of Wace, as we find it in the
Cotton MS.
Puis fut I'ewe u ele fut jetee,
Del nom Abren Avren apelee ;
Avren, ke de Abren son nom prent,
A Cr iste-cherche euraer Aescent. — f. 28'
" It is very evident that by Auren or
Avren the Twer Avon is intended, which,
after being joined by the Stour, falls into
the sea at Christchurch. 8o far all is
intelligible enough ; but in the printed
text of Wace, for Criste-cherche is absurdly
read Circecestre, which the editor at once
declares to be Cirencester in Gloucester-
shire, and interprets Avren to be the
Severn. The latter error, however, is of
ancient date, and is found in the text of
Geoffrey, who whites, ' Jubet enim Es-
trildem et filiam ejus Sabren prsecipitari
in fluvium qui nunc Sahria dicitur.
Unde contigit quod usque in hunc diem
appellatum est flumen Britannica lingua
Sabren [i/rtyrcw], quod per corruptionem
nomiuis alia lingua Sabrina vocatur,' lib.
ii. c. 5. He is followed in this by the
Welsh translations, by the anonymous
author of the metrical Anglo-Norman
Brut, in MS. Keg. 13 A. xxi. f. 45^ c. 1,
by Robert of Gloucester, vol. i. p. 27, and
by Robert of Brunne : —
Scho did take faire Estrilde,
& Sabren, th' was hir childe,
& did tham in a water cast.
The name for tham is rotefast.
Scuerne it hate for the child Sabren,
For th* childe the name we ken.
/. 13^ c. 1."
Ebren is the name of one of the
daughters of Ebroc. {Wace i. 76, 1.
1596).— F.
" MS. this.— F.
441
hx tin IDai)t^ oi (BlUt*'
CoriES of this ballad occur in Thomas Deloney's Garland of
Good Will (reprinted by the Percy Society), in the Collection of
Old Ballads, in the Roxburghe Collection, in the Bagford, in the
Reliques (from the Editor's ancient folio MS. collated with
another in black-letter in the Pepys Collection intitled " An
excellent Ballad of a prince of England's courtship to the King
of France's daughter &c. To the tune of Crimson Velvet,") in
Ritson's Ancient Songs, in Child's English and Scotch Ballads
from the Percy Society reprint of the Garland of Good Will.
The story of this ballad (says Percy in his introduction to his
" repaired " copy) seems to be taken from an incident in the domestic
history of Charles the Bakl King of France. His daughter Judith was
betrothed to Ethelwulf King of England : but before the marriage was
consummated, Ethelwulf died, and she returned to France ; whence
she w^as carried ofi" by Baldwyn, Forester of Flanders ; who after many
crosses and difficulties, at length obtained the King's consent to their
marriage, and was made Earl of Flanders. This happened about
A.D. 863. See Rapin, Henault, and the French historians.
This may be the historical basis of the ballad. A strange
edifice is built upon it.
Judith was formally married to Ethelwulf, with her fathr's
full consent.
In his return [Ethelwulf's return from his second visit to Rome]
(says Lingard), lie again visited the French monarch, and after a
' In iJie printed Collection of Old Prince was disastcrouly slain, and the
Ballads 1727. Vol. i. p. 182. No. xxiii. aforesaid Pi-ince.ss was afterwards mar-
— P. There the long lines of our copy ried to a Forrester." To the tuno of
are printed in two, and the Ballad is C'rwison Velvet. The Clarendon com-
entitlcd " An Excellent Ballad of a mas in our text are for the heavy
Prince of Etighinds Courtship to the commas of the MS., meant for mescal
King of France's Daughter, and how the points or bars. — F. / ■
442 IN THE DATES OF OLDE.
courtship of three montlis was married to his daughter Judith, who
probably had not reached her twelfth year. The ceremony was
performed by Hincmar, Archbishop of Reims. At the conclusion
the princess was crowned and seated on a throne by the side of her
husband, a distinction which she afterwards claimed, to the great
displeasure of the West Saxons.
And on his return homewards (say some texts of the Saxon
Chronicle) he took to [wife] the daughter of Charles King of the
French, whose name was Judith, and he came home safe. And then
in about two years he died, and his body Hes at Winchester.
(Stevenson's Church Sistorians of England.')
After this period [his second visit to Rome] (says Asser), he
returned to his own country, bringing with him as a bride Juditha,
daughter of Charles the King of the Franks. . . . He also commanded
Judith, the daughter of King Charles, whom he had received from
her father, to sit by his side on the royal throne ; and this was done
without any hostility or objection from his nobles even to the end
of his life, in defiance of the perverse custom of that nation. . . .
King ^thulwulf, then, lived two years after his return from Rome,
during which, among many other useful jjursuits of the present life,
in the prospect of his going the way of all flesh, that his sons might
not engage in unseendy disputes after their father's death, he com-
manded a will, or rather a letter of instructions, to be written, &c. &c.
After the demise of Ethelwulf, the yoimg widow was married
by Ethelbert the son, who immediately succeeded him on the
throne.
This incestuous connection (says Lingard) scandalised the people
of Wessex ; their disapprobation was publicly and loudly expressed ;
and the King, overawed by the remonstrances of the Bishop of
Winchester, consented to a separation. , , .
Judith, unwilling to remain in a country which had witnessed her
disgrace, sold her lands, the dower she had received from Ethelwulf,
and returned to the court of her father. Charles, who dared not
trust the discretion of his daughter, ordered her to be confined within
the walls of Senlis, but to be treated at the same time wdth the
respect due to a queen. The cunning of Judith was, however, more
than a match for the vigilance of her guards. By the connivance of
her brother she eloped in disguise with Baldwin, great forester of
France, and the fugitives were soon beyond the reach of royal i-eseut-
IN THE DATES OF OLUE. 443
ment. The King prevailed on liis bishops to excommunicate Bald^vdn
for having forcibly carried off a widow, but the Pope disapproved of
the sentence, and at his entreaty Charles gave a reluctant consent to
their marriage, though neither he nor Aixhbishop Hincmar could be
induced to assist at the ceremony. They lived in great magnificence
in Flanders, the earldom of which was bestowed on them by the King ;
and from their union descended Matilda, the wife of William the
Conqueror, who gave to England a long race of sovereigns.
See Palgrave's History of Normandy.
The first part of the poem then — that containing the dismal
end of the English prince — is purely fictitious. Tlie marriage
brought about in the latter part, and the reconciliation at last
effected between the French King and his daughter, are historical
facts.
The metre is notable. The piece was sung, as we have seen,
to the tune of Crimson Velvet. Could it have given the name
originally to that tune ? The Queen is described in v. iii, when
she is awaiting the coming of the King her father, as " richly clad
in fair crimson velvet." This tune, says Mr. Collier, in his Rox-
hurghe Ballads, was " highly popular in the reigns of Elizabeth
and her successor." "Amongst the ballads that were sung to it,"
adds Mr. Chappell in his Pojpidar Music, ''is 'The lamentable
complaint of Queen Mary, for the unkind departure of King-
Philip, in whose absence slie fell sick and died' — and ' Constance
of Cleveland.'"
iN : the dayes of old, when faire ffrance did flourish, in days of
storyes plaine haue ' told, louers felt annoye.
the Yilnij a daughter had, bewtyous, bi'ight, & nFrcneii
King liiid a
louelye,^ lov^iy
daughter,
4 w7(/ch made her ffathcr glad, slice was his onlyc
ioye.
' plainly. -O.B. " fair ami comely. — O.B.
444
IN THE DAYES OF OLDE.
■n-hom an
English
Prince
■wooed
and won.
This made
her father
angry,
12
A prince of England came, whose deeds did merit
fame ;
he woed he[r] long, & loe, att last,
looke^ -what he did reqn[i]re, shee granted his de-
sire ;
their harts in one were linked fFast:
wA/ch when her ffather proued, hord ! how he was
moued
& tormented in his minde !
he sought pro^ to preuent them, and to discontent
them,
fortune crossed loners kind.
and he
forbade
their
meeting.
The Lady
packed up
her jewels,
and vent,
poorly
dressed,
to meet her
lover
in a forest.
But while he
was waiting
outlaws
robbed and
stabbed him
16
20
When these princes twaine, were thus debarred of^
plesure
through the Kings disdaine, w/a'ch their ioyes with-
stoode,
the JjSidye gott ^ vp close, her iewells & her treasure.
hauing no remorse of state or royall bloode,
in homelye poore array shee went ffrom court away
to meete her ioy ^ & harts delight,
who in a fforrest great, had taken vp his seate
to Avayt her cominge in the night,
but see ^ what sudden danger, to this princly stranger
chanced, as he sate ^ alone :
by outlawes hee was robbed, & with ponyards ^
stabbedd,
mortally. 24 vttering many a dying grone.
The Prin-
cess, uncon-
scious,
The princesse armed by him, and by true desire,
wandr-ing all the night w/'thout dreat '** att all,
still vnknowne shee past, in her strange attyre
28 coming att the last, in the ^' Ecohes call,
' from.— O.B.
2 Look.— O.B.
3 for.— O.B.
* barr'd of.— O.B.
5 lock'd.— O.B.
« Love.— O.B.
' lo.— O.B.
8 set.— O.B.
" a Poniard. — O.B.
'» Dread.— O.B.
II Within.— O.B.
IN THE DAYES OF OLDE.
445
32
36
"you fFaire woods," qnoth. sliee, "honored may you thanks the
wootis for
bee !
harbouring my harts delight,
w7^/ch doth compasse ' heere, my ioy & onlye deere,
my trustye ffreind & comelye K.night.
sweete, I come vnto thee, sweete, I come to woo thee,
that thou maist not angrye bee.
for my long delaying, & thy ^ curteous staying,
amends fFor all He make to thee ^ ! "
harbouring
her love,
and promises
to make him
amends for
his waiting.
Passing thus alone through the silent forrest,
many greeuous grones,"* sounded in her eares,^
where shea heard a man to lament the sorest
40 tJiat was euer seene,^ fforct by deadlye teares ^ :
" ffarwell my deere," q?<oth hee, " whom I must ^
neue?' ^ see !
ffor why, my liffe is att an end !
through villanes cruelty e, lo ^^ ! heere for thee I dye '' !
44 to show I am a fFaith[f]ull ffreind,
there '^ I lye a ^^ bleeding, while my thoughts are
feedinge
on thy ^^ rarest bewtye ffound.
0 hard hap that may bee, litle knowes my Ladyc
48 my harts blood Lyes on the ground ! "
Then she
hears
gi'oans,
a lover
lamenting
bidding
farewell
to his
beautiful
love,
With, that he jraue a gronc, which ^° did burst in sunder '*» [i"i.?c "io-i]
° ° ' and then
all the tender strings of his bleedinge ''^ hart. 'lying-
slice, which 1^ knew his voice, att his talc did wonder : she knows
52 all her former ioy,''-* did to greeffe conuert. voice,
' encompass. — O.B.
* One stroke too many to the y. — F.
' make thee. — O.B.
■• Many a gi-ievoiis Groan. — O.B.
* Ear.— O.B.
' Chance that ever came. — O.B.
' Strife.— O.B.
8 sliall.— O.B.
» MS. racurr.— F.
"> MS. to.— F.
" For thy sweet sake I clyo.
Through Villians Cruelty.
•■^ Here.— O.B.
'» O.B. omits a.—F.
" the.— O.B.
'* that.— O.B.
'" break asunder. — O.B.
" gentle.- O.B.
" who.— O.B.
'" Joys.— O.B.
-O.B.
446
IN THE DATES OF OLDE.
runs to him,
and fln'ls
him dead.
56
60
64
68
straiglit sliee ran to see, who this man shol[d] ^ lie
that see like her loue did speake,
& found, when as shee came, her lonely LorcZ lay
slaine,
all 2 smeared in blood w/uch liffe did breakc.
when this deed shee spyed,^ Jjord, how sore shee
cryed !
her sorrow cannott ■* counted bee.
her eyes like fountaines runinge, while shee cryed out,
" my darli[ng !] ^
wold god tliai I had dyed for thee ! "
His pale lipps, alas, 20 times shee kissed,
& his fface did waslie, w/th her trickling ^ teares,
euery bleeding wound, her faire eyes ^ bedewed,
wipinge of the blood, with her golden haires.
"speake, faire* loue! " qwoth shee, "sjieake, faire ^
prince, to me !
one sweete word of comfort giue !
lifet vp thy fayre eyes, listen to my cryes !
thinke in what great greeffe I line ! "
all in vaine shee sewed, all in vaine shee vewed,"'
the princesse ^^ liffe was dead '^ and gone,
there stood shee still mourning, vntill '^ the sunns ^*
approching,'^
& bright day was coming on.
" In this great ^^ distresse," q/foth this royall Ladye,
" who can now expre[s], what Avill become of mc ?
to my fiPathers court will I neuer '^ wander,
but some service seeke where I may placed bee."
and exclaims,
Would God
I had died
for thee !
She kisses
him,
wipes the
blood from
him with
her golden
hair, and
pra3's him
for one word
of comfort.
Alas! in
vain.
Slic mourns
till the day
comes,
and then
resolves
not to
return to
court,
but to seek
service
somewhere.
' might.— O.B.
2 O.B. omits All.—Y.
^ Whieli when that she espycd. — O.B.
^ could not.— O.B.
^ Query the MS. The a or ar is
blotched, and the g and half the n pared
away. — F.
« brinish.— O.B. ' face.— O.B.
» my.— O.B.
'" wooed.— O.B.
" Prince's.— O.B.
'« fled.— O.B.
'3 Till.— O.B.
»' sums in the MS. — F.
'* returning:. — P.
'' Never will I.— O.B.
dear.— O.B.
'« sad.— O.B.
IN THE DATES OF OLDE. 447
& ^ thus sliee made her mone, weeping all alone, •
all in dread "^ and deadly e ffeare.
A fforrester all in greene, most comely to be seene, a forester
80 ranging the woods, ^ did ffind her there,
round besett w/th sorrow, " maid,'* " q?wth [he,^] " god nccostis her.
morrowe !
what hard hap hath brought you heere ? "
" harder happ did neue;-. chance vnto ** maiden euer. shoteiis
. ^ him
84 heere lyes slaine my brother deere ! iicr brother
■' "^ lies slain,
" where might I be placed, gentle forster, tell mee, and asks
where shall ^ I procure a service in my neede ? where she
can got
paines I will ^ not spare, but will doe my dutye ; taken into
88 ease mee of my care, helpe my extreme neede ! "
the fforrester all amazed, att ^ her bewtye gazed The forester
till his hart was sett on ffire : fails in love
with her,
" if, ffaire mayd," q?ioth hee, " you will goe with mee,
92 you shall haue yowr harts desire.''
he brought her to his mother, & aboue all other takes her
to his
he sett fforth this maydens praise. mother,
long- was his hart inflamed, att last''* her louc he gains her
° _ ' love,
gained :
9G thus did fortune ' ' his glory raise ;
Thus \Tiknowen he macht, with a''^ 'Kinns fiaire . anri so
marries a
daughtefrl ; Km^s
^ L J ' daughter.
children 7 shee '^ had ere shee told the same.''* she bears
hnn seven
but when he vnderstood, shee was a royall princesse,
100 by this meanes att last, hee shewed forth lusr '^
fame :
children,
and then
tells him
who bhe is.
' Whilst.— O.B. . » Ou.— O.B.
« In this deep.— O.B. '" length.— O.B.
3 wood.— O.B. " So Fortune did.—O.B.
* Fair Maid.— O.B. '^ the.— O.B.
» quoth he.— P. & O.B. " he.— O.B.
« to.— O.B. " to him was known.— O.B.
' might.— O.B. '* ? M.S. thvr with Iho t blotched out.
» will I.— O.B. — F. her.— O.B.
448
IN THE DATES OF OLDE.
He dtesses
his children
in cloth of
gold on the
left side,
wool on tho
right.
The King
of France
comes
to the forest
to hunt,
lie clothed his children then, not like to other men,
in partye conlors strange to see ;
the left ^ side, cloth of gold ; the right ^ side, now ^
behold,
104 of Avollen cloth still fframed hee.
men heratt * did wonder, golden fame did thunder ^
tliis strange deede in euery place,
the 'King of ffrance came thither, being pleasan[t] ^
whether,
108 in the "^ woods the harts ^ to chase.
and the
children
are placed in
his way,
with the
mother in
velvet,
the father in
grey.
The King
asks him
how he dares
dress his
wife and
children so.
" Because
their mother
is a prin-
cess."
112
116
120
The children then^ did stand, as their father ^^ willed,
where the royall King must of force come by,
their mother richly clad, in faire crimson ^^ veluett,
their ffather all in gray, comelye^^ to the eye.
then the ^^ famous King, noting euery thinge,
did aske "how hee durst be soe bold
to let his wiffe to weare, & decke his children the[re,]
in costly robes of cloth, of ^^ gold."
the iforrester replyed,^^ & the cause descryed ;
to '^ the King thus did hee ^^ say :
" well may they by their mother, weare rich gold ^^
w/th other,
being by birth a princesse '^ ^^J-^^
The King The King vpon these words, more heedfully beheld
them,
till a crimson blush his conceipt did crosse :
Right.— 0.13.
Left.— O.B.
to.— O.B.
thereat. — O.E.
MS. thmdor.— F.
The t is put on by a later haiid.-
these.— O.B.
Hart.— O.B.
there.— O.B.
Mother.— O.B.
" MS. crinson. — F.
'- Most comely. — O.B.
'3 When this.— O.B.
'« of Pearl and.— O.B.
'•^ boldly rcply'd.— O.B.
'" And to.— O.B.
" he thus did.— O.B.
I" Cloaths.— O.B.
'» Only half the n in the MS.-
IN THE DATES OF OLDE.
449
" the more," q?(otli lice, " I looke ' on thy wiffe &
Childi'en,
124 [The more I call to mind the Daughter Avhom I
lost."]2
"I am that child," q?ioth shee, falling on her knee ;
" pardon mee, my soucraine leege ! "
the K.ing perceiuing this, did his daughter ' kisse,
128 &* ioyfull teares did stopp his speech.
with his traine he turned, & with them ^ soioumed ;
straight hee dubd her husband knight,
then ^ made him Erie of fflanders, one of his clieefe
com??ianders :
132 thus was his sorrow" put to fihght, ffinis.
says the
mother
must be
Ills lost
daughter.
[page 503]
She owns
that she is.
He kisses
her,
knights
her husband,
antl makes
him Earl of
Flanders.
• I look, quoth he— O.B.
^ O.B. The line was pared off the
folio by the binder. — F.
^ His Daughter dear did. — O.B.
« 'Till.— O.B.
5 her.— O.B.
« He.— O.B.
' were their Sorrows. — O.B.
VOL. III.
r, G
450
Amintas is here chided for his inconstancy by the unhappy
victim of it, who, having said her say and moaned her moan,
dies. The piece is but commonplace. The allusion to the
name-cutting on the trees will remind the reader of Orlando's
habit, so distasteful to Jacques. Both in the stanza that contains
it and in the preceding one the poet closely imitates the pretty
lines Ovid puts in poor forlorn CEnone's mouth, or rather assigns
to her pen, in his Fifth Heroid :
Incisas servant a te mea nomina fagi,
Et legor (Enone falce notata tua ;
Et quantum trunci, tantiim mea nomina crescunt.
Crescite et in titulos surgite recta meos,
Populus est, memini, fluviali eonsita ripa,
Est in qua nostri litera scripta memor.
Popule, viva precor, quae eonsita margine ripse
Hoc in rugoso cortice carmen habes :
Quum Paris Qilnone poterit spirare relicta,
Ad fontem Xanthi versa recurret aqua.'
Xanthe, retro propera, versseque recurrite lymphse,
Sustinet CEnonen deseruisse Paris.
One Tiot day,
Amintas
drove his
flocks to
water,
Amintas, on a summers day
to shunn Apolloes beames,
went driuing of his fflockes away
to tast some cooling streames.
and through a fforrest as liee went,
neere to a riuer side,
a voice which from a groue Avas sent,
invited him to abyde :
An old Song not inelegant or unpoetical. — P.
AMINTAS.
451
12
16
20
24
28
32
36
40
A voice well seeming ^ to bewrayc
a discontented mind,
ffor offtentimes I hard liim ^ say,
10000 times, "vnkinde! "
the remnant ^ of this ragged mone
wold not escape my eare
till euery sigh brought fForth a grone,
& euery sobb a teare.
But leaning her vnto her-selfc ; —
in sorrowes, sighes, & mone,
I heard a deadly discontent :
these 2 brake fforth att one :
" Amintas ! is my loue to thee
of such ■* small account,
that thou disdainest to looke on mee,
& loue as thou was wont ?
" How often ^ didest thou protest to me,
' the heauens shold tume to naught,
the sunn shold ffirst obscured bee,
ere thou wold change thy thought ! '
but heauens, be you dissolued quite !
sunn, show thy fface no more !
ffor my Amintas, hee is lost,
a ! woe •* is me therflfore !
" How oft didst thou ingraue o«r names,
neere to the rocke of ^ Bay ?
still wishing that our Loue shold haue
no worse successe then they,
but they in groues still happy prouc,
& fflourish doe the still,
whiles I [in ^] sorrow doe remaine,
still wanting of my Avill.
complain-
ing.
Oh unkind !
A girl
broke forth
" Amintas!
Why dost
thou disdain
me?
Alas!
Amintas is
lost to me.
1 live In
sorrow, and
want my
love.
' MS. sccmimg. — F.
» it.— P.
* MS. rcnniint. — F.
• [insert] a. — P.
• oft clid'st, as in line 33. — Dyce.
• Ah ! woe. — P.
' on.— P.
» in.— P.
o ci 2
452
AMINTAS.
False man,
thou hast
broken thy
promise,
and left me
alone
to end my
days in
woe."
44
48
" 0 ffalse, forsworno, & ffatlielesse man!
disloyall in thy loue !
thou hast fforgott thy promises,
and dost vnconstant prone.
& thou hast [left '] me all alone
in this woefull distresse,
to end my dayes in heauinesse,
yfhich. well thou misfht redresse."
She breathed
her last.
and died for
love.
52
56
And then shee sate vpon the ground,
her sorrowes to deplore ;
but after this was neuer seene
to sigh nor sobb noe more.
And thus in loue as shee did Hue,
soe ffor loue shee did dye ^ ;
a ffairer creature neuer man
beheld with, morttall eye.
ffinis.
' left.— p.
' Shee for her love did. — P.
453
OTinino:e of Cakd/
This ballad, of which another copy is preserved in Deloney's
Garland of Good Will, reprinted by the Percy Society, celebrates
what Macaulay has declared to be " the most brilliant military
exploit that was achieved on the Continent by English arms during
the long interval which elapsed between the battle of Agiucourt
and that of Blenheim " (Essay on Lord Bacon). It was undoubtedly
written at the time, as the details are extremely accurate. It
may have been written, as Percy suggests in his Introduction to
his " corrected " Folio version in the Reliques, by some person
concerned in the expedition. Certainly it is eminently authentic.
The vauntings and threatenings of the Spaniards (they were
meditating a second Armada about the year 1596) — the setting
forth from Plymouth under Howard of Effingham (the Lord
Admiral) and the brave impetuous Earl of Essex, as commanders-
in-chief (amongst the other officers were the Lord Thomas Howard,
Sir Walter Raleigh, Sir Francis Vere, Sir Greorge Carew, Sir
Coniers Clifford) — the capturing or burning of the ships beneath
Cadiz — the landing of the soldiery and surrender of the town —
the enormous booty seized — the generous protection by the Earl
of the women and children — the advance to the market-place —
are all historical facts ; of which there are, as Lingard points
out, several accounts by Birch, Camden, Stowe, Strype, Raleigh.
" Never before," says Lingard, " had the Spanish monarch received
so severe a blow. He lost thirteen men of war and immense magazines
of provisions and naval stores ; the defences of Cadiz, the strongest
fortress in his dominions, had been razed to the ground ; and the
' An exffUciit <j1i1 LalliKl : on llie Under tlio Lord i\iliniiMl Ilowaixl, &
■\Viniiiiig of Cadiz— on June 21".' loDO: Ivirl of Essex, General. — P.
454
WININGE OF CALES.
secret of his weakness at home had been revealed to the world, at the
same time that the power of England had been raised in the eyes of the
European nations. Even those who wished well to Spain, allotted the
praise of moderation and humanity to the English commanders, who
had suffered no blood to be wantonly spilt, no woman to be defiled,
but had sent under an escort the nuns and females to the port of
St. Mary, and had allowed them to carry away their jewels and
wearing apparel."
"The town of Cales," says Raleigh (^apud Cayley, i. 272) " was very
rich in merchandise, in plate, and money; many rich prisoners given
to the land commanders, so as that sort are very rich. Some had
prisoners for 16,000 ducats, some for 20,000, some for 10,000, and
beside gi'eat houses of merchandise."
[page 504]
The proud
Spaniai'ds
boasted
they'd
conquer us.
-Long : the proud Spamyareds had van-ted to con-
quer vs,
threatning ^ our Country w/th ffyer & sorde,
often preparing their nauy most sumptuos,
wi"th as great plenty as spaine cold afforde :
duba-dub, dub-a-dub ! thus strikes their drummes,
tanta-ra, ra-ra ! the Englishmen comes !
But Howard
and Essex
To the seas presentlye went our Lord Admirall,
with 'kniyJits ^ couragyous, & captaines flPull good ;
The Erie of Essex, a prosperous generall,
With him prepared to passe the salt ffloode.
dub a dub &c.
Bet sail from
Plymouth,
12 Att plimmouth speedilye, tooke they shipp valliantly
brauer shipps neuer weere seene vnder sayle.
With their ffayre colours spread, & streamers ore their
hea[d].
now, bragging spauyards, take heede of yo?fr tayle !
16 dub &c.
' Ono stroke too few in the JVIS. — F.
■' Kiiiohts.— P.
WININGE OF CALES. 455
Vnto cales ' cuninglye came wee most speedylye, and
anchoi'eil at
"vvnere the K/nr/s nauye securely did ryde ; Cadiz,
being ^^^ou tlieu" backes, pearcixig their butts of
sackes,
20 ere any spanyards our coming descryde. dub : &c.
Great was the crying, runing & rydinge, The
Spaniards
Av7i/ch att that season was made in that place ; hunied to
and fro,
the beacons were fFyered, as need then required ; and lighted
24 to hj-de their great treasure they had litle space. beacons.
There you mio-ht see theu" shipps, how they were fiired we fired
•' * -^ -^ ' ■' their ships,
ffast,
& how their men drowned themselues in the sea ; drowned
' their men,
there might they here them ciye, wayle & weepe
piteouslye,
28 wlien they saw no shifFt to scape thence away.
The great Sctint Phillipp, the pryde of the Spanyards, sank their
was burnt to the bottom, & sunke in the sea.
but the Saint Andrew & eke the Sa«it Matliew, and took
' their St.
32 wee tooke in flight manfullye, & brought them Andrew.
away.
The Erie of Essex most vallyant and hardy, Essex
With horsemen & ffootmen marched toward the marched
witli our
towne. army to the
the spanyards vfhich. saw them, were greatly affrighted,
36 did fflye ffor their sauegard, & durst not come
dow[ne.]
"Now," qituth the Noble Erie, "courage, my soul-
diers all !
flight and be vallyant ! they ^ sjioyle you shall haue,
& [be ^] well rewarded from they ^ great to the small ;
40 but looke that women & Childxcn you saue."
' So they culled Ciidiz iu (iueen * the. — P. ' bo. — P.
Elizabeth's Time.— P. •• the.— P.
456
TVININGE OF GALES.
The
Spaniards
surrendered.
we put our
colours on
their walls,
44
The spanyards att thai siglit tlioiigli[t] iii vainc twas
to fight,
hunge vpp fflaggs of truce,' yeelded the towne.
wee marcht in presentlye, decking the walls on hye
w/th our English coulours, w7i/ch purchast renowne.
plundered
their houses,
48
Entring the houses then of the most richest men,
ffor gold & treasure wee serched eche day :
in some places wee did flfind pyes bakeing in the
oue[n],
meate att the ffire rosting, & ffolkes ffled away.
and took
their fair
satins and
velvets.
52
ffull of rich merchandize euery shop wee did see,
damaskes, & sattins, & veluetts, flPall ffaire,
wMch souldiers mesured out by the lenglit of their
swo[rds.]
of all comodytyes eche one had a share.
And when
our
prisoners
Thus cales was taken, & our braue generall
marcht to the markett- place where hee did stand ;
tbere many prisoners of good account were tooke,
56 many craued mercy, & mercy they found.^
wouldn't
pa3' their
ransom,
we burnt
their town
and marcht
away.
60
When our braue general! saw they delayed time,
& wold not ransome their towne, as they said;
w/th their faire wainescotts, their presses & bedsteeds,
their ioyned stooles & tables, a ffire were made.
& when the towne burned all in a fflame,
w/th ta-ra, tan-ta-ra, away wee came ! ffillis.
[insert] &.— P.
- fauu'd, Rhytlimi gratia. — P.
457
ei5luartr tin tl)irtr/
Copies of this ballad occur in the Garland of Good Will, the Col-
leciion of Old Ballads. In Hallivvell's Descriptive Notices of
Popular English Histories, Percy Soc. 1848, No. 63 is " The
Story of King Edtvard III. and the Countess of Salisbury,
12 mo. Whitehaven, n. d. This is a small prose history; and there
is one, if not more [than one,] early play on the same subject. A
ballad . . is printed in Evans' Old Ballads, ed. 1810, ii. 301."
This ballad tells how Edward the Third became enamoured of
the Countess of Salisbury, and how the brave lady most excellently
converted him to a better mind.
Chapter Ixxvii. of Berners' Gronycle of Froissart narrates
" how the kyng of England was in amours with the Countess of
Salisbury." She receives the king at Wark Castle, and by her
exceeding beauty and grace strikes him "to the hert with a
sparcle of fyne love." He falls into a " gret study." Presently
she " came to the kyng with a mery chere."
She came to the kyng with a mery chere, who was in a gret study,
(and she sayd) dere syr, why do ye study so for, your grace nat
dyspleased, it aparteyneth nat to you so to do : rather ye shulde
make good chere and be ioyfull, seyng ye haue chased away your
enmies, who durst nat abyde you : let other men study for the
remynant ; than the kyng sayd, a, dere lady, knowe for trouthe, that
syth I entred into the castell, ther is a study co?«,e to my mynde, so
that I can nat chuse but to muse, nor I can nat tell what shall fall
therof, put it out of my hertc I can nat : a sir, quoth the lady, ye
ought alwayes to make good chere, to confort therwith your peple :
god hath ayded you so in your besynes, and hath g^nien you so great
graces, that ye be the moste douted and honoured prince in all
christeudome, and if the kyng of scottes haue done you any dyspyte
' In the priiitud CoUcctit/n of Old Ballads 172G, Vul. 2, p. G8, N. xi.— P.
458 EDWARD THE THIRD.
or damage, ye may well amende it whan it shall please you, as ye
haue done dyuerse tynies or this ; sir, leave your musyng and come
into the hall, if it please you, your dyner is all redy ; a, fayre lady,
quoth the kyng : other thynges lyeth at my hert that ye knowe nat'
of: but surely tlie swete behauyng, the perfyt wysedom, the good
gi-ace, noblenes, and exellent beauty, that I se in you, hath so sore
surprised my hert, that I can nat but loue you, and without your loue
I am but deed : than the lady sayde, a, ryght noble prince, for
goddessake mocke nor tempt me nat : I can nat byleue that it is true
that ye say, nor that so noble a prince as ye be, wold thynke to
dyshonour me, and my lorde, my husbande, who is so valyant a
knight, and hath done your grace so gode seruyce, and as yet
lyethe in prison for your quarell ; certerely sir, ye shulde in this case
haue but a small prayse, and nothyng the better therby : I had neuer
as yet such a thought in my hert, nor I trust in god neuer shall haue,
for no man lyueng ; if I had any suche intencyon, your grace ought
nat all onely to blame me, but also to punysshe my body, ye and by
true iustice to be disme?}z.bred : therwith the lady departed fro the
kyng, and went into the hall to hast the dyner, than she returned
agayne to the kyng, and broght some of his knyghtes with her, and
sayd, sir, yf it please you to come into the hall, your knightes abideth
for you to wasshe, ye haue ben to long fastyng. Then the kyng went
into the hall and wasslit, and sat down amonge his lordes, and the lady
also ; the kyng ete but lytell, he sat sty 11 musyng, and as he durst,
he cast his eyen vpon the lady : of his sadnesse his knyghtes had
maruell, for he was nat acustomed so to be ; some thought it was
bycause the scottes were scaped fro hym. All thai day the kyng
taryed ther, and wyst nat what to do : sojutyme he ymagined that
honour and trouth defejided him to set his hert in such a case, to
dyshonour such a lady, and so true a knyght as her husband was,
who had alwayes well and truely serued hym. On thother part, loue
so constrayned hym, that the power therof surmounted honour and
trouth : thus the kyng debated in hymself all that day, and all that
night ; in the mornyng he arose and dysloged all his boost, and
drewe after the scottes, to chase them out of his realme. Than he
toke leaue of the lady, sayeng, my dere lady, to god I cowtmende you
tyll I returne agayne, requiryng you to aduyse you otherwyse than
ye haue sayd to me : noble prince, quoth the lady, god the father
glorious be your cojiduct, and put you out of all vylayne thoughtes :
sir, I am, and euer shal be redy to do your grace seruyce to your
honour and to myne ; therwith the kyng departed all abasshed.
EDWARD THE THIRD.
459
Not long afterwards, when the king hckl his Round TaLle at
Windsor, his passion was still fervent. Probably this passion
thus entertained by the king about the time when he instituted
the Order of the Garter suggested to the popular mind the
traditional story which professes to explain the name and the
motto of the Order. The earliest occurrence of that story is,
perhaps, in the Anglica Historia of Polydore Vergil ; but he
omits the name of the countess. The tale soon won general
acceptance. There is no historical evidence for it whatever. It
is but a specimen of what may be called vulgar etymology.
The " sleight of iine advice," by which the countess in the
following ballad saves her own and the king's honour, is admira-
bly told.
When" : as Edward the S"? did Hue, that vallyant
david of Scottland to rebell did then begin ;
the towns of Barwicke suddenlye fFrom vs he woone,
& burnt Newcastle to the ground : thus strife begun.
to Rose-bury ^ castle marchet he then,
& by the force of warlicke men
beseiged therin a gallant ffaire Ladye
while that her husband was in fFrance,
his countryes honor to advance,
[The Noble and Famous Earl of Salisbur3^]2
In Edward
III.'s time.
David II. of
Scotland
took
Berwick,
burnt New-
castle,
and besieged
Lady
Salisbury in
Kosebury
Castle.
12
16
Braue S/r williavo. Montague rode then in post,^
who declared vnto the K/«^ the Scottishmens hoast ;
who like a Lyon in a rage did straight- way prepare
ffor to deliuer iJiat wocfull'* Lady from wofull care,
but when the Scottishmen did heare say
Edwrtn? our king was comen ^ tltai day,
[page nnrj]
News is
brought to
Edward,
and he
jiri'iiares to
march north,
on which
the Scotch
raise the
' Roxbury.— O.B.
^ O.B. The lino is pared away in tlio
MS.— F.
haste. — O.B.
fair.— O.B.
come. — O.B.
460
EDWARD THE THIKD.
siege and
run away,
so that the
Lady
alone meets
Edward.
He falls iu
love with
her.
She thanks
him for
frightening
her foes.
the raised their seege, & ran away with speede/
soe that when he did thither come
w/th warlike trumpett, fRfFe, & drum,
20 none but a gallant Lady did him meete ^ ;
who ^ when hee did with greedy eyes behold & see,
her peereles bewtye straight"* inthralld^ his mai-
estye ;
& euer the longer thai he looked, the more hee might,
for in her only bewty was his harts delight.
& humbly then vpon her knee
shee thankett his royall maiestye
that he had driuen danger ffrom her gate.
" Lady," qwoth he, " stand vp in peace,
although my warr doe now increase."
"Jjord, keepe," qiwth. shee, "all hurt ifrom jour
estate ^ ! "
24
28
Edward is
sad for love
of the
Countess,
and tells
her he has
been
wronged.
She says,
" Tell me
how,
and I'll
right it."
" Swear
that," says
Edward.
Now is the 'King fFuU sad in soule ; & wott you "^
why;
32 all * for the loue of the faire countesse ^ Salsbury.
shee, litle knowing his cause of greefe, did come to see
wherefore his highnesse sate alone soe heauilye :
''I haue beene wronged, faire dame," quoth, hee,
36 " since I came hither vnto thee."
" no, god forbid, my souo-ainge ! " shee sayd ^^ ;
" if I were worthy for to know
the cause & ground of this yo?(r woe,
40 itt *^ shold be helpet if itt did Lye in mee.'^ "
" Sweare to performe to me thy words, thou Lady
gay;
to thee the sori-ow of my hart I will bewray.'^ "
* Fear.— O.B.
'^ met he there. — O.B.
^ whom. — O.B.
* (lid.— O.B.
* enthrall.— O.B.
« State.— O.B. ' wots not.
-O.B.
« And.— O.B.
9 Countess Of.— O.B.
>» said she.— O.B.
" You.— O.B.
'2 thy Word to mo.- O.B.
" betray.— O.B.
EDWARD THE THIRD.
461
44
48
" I sweare by all the Saints in heanen I will," q?(otli she swears,
shee,
" & lett my Lord liaue no mistrust at all in me."
" Then take thy selfe asyde," he sayd ;
q?foth hee/ "thy bewtye hath betrayd
& wounded ^ a Isiing w/th thy bright shining eye
if thou doe then some mercy show,
thou shalt expell a princes woe ;
soe shall I line, or else in sorrow dye." i shall die."
and the
King says,
" You have
wounded
me ;
show me
mercy, or
" you haue you[r] wish, my soueraine liord, effect-
ual lye :
52 take all the loue ^ thai I may* gfiue yout maiestye." "i give
J b J J you fill tiie
" but in ^ thy bewtye all my woes ^ haue then* abode." ^"^'^ ^ ^'^^^
" take then ^ my bewtye from my face, my gracyous
LojtZ."
" didst thou not sweare to grant my mil ? "
56 " all 8 thai I may, I will fulfill."
" then ^ for my loue let thy ^^ ivae loue be scene."
" my Lon7, yo?ir speech I might reproue ;
you cannott giue to me yowr loue,
60 ffor tliai alone ^^ belongs vnto yo?{r queene :
" But grant
my will,
love me,"
says the
King,
64
" But I suppose yo?tr grace did this onlye to trye " You are
whether a wanton tale might tempt Dame SALSBMr^/e; tempf me,"
Nor ^^ ffrom jouv selfe therfore, my lecge, my stcpps Saiisbm-y.
" I go from
doe stray, your t^mpt-
1 1 T ''^S talk."
but fro?3i yo?tr tempting wanton '■* tale I goe my way."
" O turne againe, thou '^ Lady bright !
come vnto me, my hartes delight !
' For why.— O.B.
« Wounding.— O.B.
« Leave.— O.B.
* can.— O.B.
* on.— O.B.
» Joys.— O.B.
' then.- O.B.
s O.B. omits «//.— F.
" All then.— O.B.
'» my.— O.B.
" O.B. omit.s alone. — F.
'■- Not.— O.B.
'^ wanton tempting. — O.B.
" my.— O.B.
462
EDWAED THE THIRD.
Lord
Warwick,
the
Countess's
father,
asks Edward
why he is
grieved. 72
your
daughter."
" I'll per-
suade her to
yield to
you."
Warwick
meets his
daughter,
tells her the
King is
[page 506]
dying for
her love,
and urges
her to grant
it.
gone is the comfort of my pensiue hart.
68 heere comes the Erie of warwicke, hee
the father of this faire Ladye ;
my mind to him I meane for to impart."
" why is my Jjord & souei-aine ^ soe greeued in mind ? "
" because tliat I haue lost the thing I cannott find."
" what thing is that, my gracyous Jjord, that ^ you
haue lost ? "
*' itt is my heart, w7«'ch is neare dead twixt ^ fiB.re &
frost."
*' curst be the ^ ffire, & ffrost too,
that causeth •'' this jour hynesse woe ! "
" O warwicke! thou dost wrong me wonderous^ sore.
It is thy daughter, Noble Erie ;
tJtat heauen-bright lampe, that peereles pearle,
w/w'ch kills my hart ; yett I doe ^ her adore."
" If that be all, my gracyous [Lord,] ^ that workes
yottr greefe,
I will perswade the scornefuU dame to yeelde releefe.
neuer shall shee my daughter be if shee refuse ;
84 the loue & fiauor of a king may her excuse."
thus why lye ^ warwicke went his way,^*'
& quite contrary he did say
when as hee did the bewtyous countesse meete :
88 "well mett, my daugheter deere,^' " quoth hee,
" a message I must doe to thee :
our royall 'King most kindlye [doth thee greete ; ]
The 'King will dye vnlesse to him thou grant ^^ thy
loue."
92 "to loue the King, my husbands louel shall'"' remoue."
76
80
' Sovereign King.-
2 Which.— O.B.
3 Betwixt.— O.B.
* that.— O.B.
* caused. — O.B.
' very. — O.B.
-O.B.
' do I.— O.B.
« King.— O.B.
■•' wise. — O.B.
'» away.— O.B.
" then.— O.B.
'- less thou to him Do grant, — O.B.
'3 must.— O.B.
EDWARD THE THIIJD.
46a
96
100
" It is right charytye to louc, my daughter deere."
"but not ^ true loue, soc ^ charytable to ^ appearc'
" his greatnesse may beare out the blame.^ "
" but his kingdome cannott buy out the shame.* "
" he craues thy loue that may bereaue thy Hffe ;
itt is my duty to urge thee this ^ ! "
" but not my ^ honestye to yeeld, I- wis ;
I meane to dye a true vnspotted wiflfe."
true to her
husband.
" Now hast thou spoken, my daughter dcere, as I
wold hau[e] ;
chastity beares a golden name vnto her ^ graue ;
& when vnto'' thy wedded Ijord thouproues vntruc,
104 then lett my bitter cursses still thy soule pursue,
then wi'th a smiHng cheere goe thou,
as right & reason doth allowe,
yett show the 'Kintj thou bearest no strumpetts
minde."
108 "I goe, deere fiather, with ^° a trice ;
& with ^ ^ a sleight of ffine deuice
He cause the 'King ^^ conffesse tJmt I am kind.'^ "
Wan\dck
approves her
answer:
would curse
her if she
were untrue.
She must
show tlie
King she's
no strumpet.
She sajs
she'll
bring him
round.
" Heere comes the Lady of my lifFe ! " the 'King did
say.
112 "my ffather bidds me, soucraigne hord, jour will
obay,
and I consent if you will grant one boone to nice."
" I gi'ant itt thee, my Lady ffaire, what-erc itt bee ! "
" my husband is aliue, you know ;
116 flfirst lett mee kill him ere I goe.
She tells
Kdward
that she'll
yield to him
if he'll let
her kill her
husband.
' no.— O.B. 2 O.B. omits soe.—F.
' For to.— O.B.
* Shame— O.B.
* Blame.— O.B.
* move this. — O.B.
' thy.— O.B.
8 the.— O.B.
» to.— O.B.
•« in.— O.B.
" by.— O.B.
'■- King to.- O.B.
'^ conlVss I'm not unkind. -O.B.
464
EDWARD THE THIRD.
" But he is
in France."
" No, in my
breast:"
120
& att your connnande ffor euer will I bee ' ! "
" thy Inisband now in ffrance doth rest."
" noe, noe ! hee lyes within my brest ;
& being see nye,^ hee will my fFalshoode see."
and she tries
to stab
herself.
The King
says she
shan't do it.
" Then I'll
not lie with
you."
" No, live on
in honour
with your
Lord!
I'll trouble
you no
more."
w/th tliai shee started ffrom the KrH//, & tooke her
kniffe,
& desperattly shee thought to rydd her selfe of Hffe.
the ^ing vpstarted ^ ffrom his chayro her hand to
stay:
124 "0 noble ^ing, you haue broke your word w/th me
this day."
" thou shalt not doe this deed," quoih. hee,
" then will I neuer '' lye with thee."
" now liue thou ^ still, & lett me beare the blame ;
128 liue thou ^ in honoitr & in ^ high estate
with thy true Jjord & wedded mate !
I will neuer' attempt this suite againe." ffinis.
* I will ever be
2 MS. mye.— F.
» he started.— O.B.
* never will I. — O.B,
O.B.
« No ; then live.— O.B.
* O.B. omits thou and in. — F.
' never will. — O.B.
465
^£J m rame from tin ?i?olL)e
This piece occurs also in the Garland of Good Will, reprinted
by the Percy Society ; from which reprint Prof. Child draws the
version he gives in his collection. The copy given in the Reliques
was communicated to the editor by the late Mr. Shenstone, aa
corrected by him from an ancient copy, and supplied with a con-
cluding stanza. Shenstone's edition differs not materially from
the following one from the Folio except in this said concluding
stanza, which is this :
But true love is a lasting fire
Which viewless vestals tend,
That burnes for ever in the soule
And kuowes nor change nor end.
A note considerately instructs the reader that by " viewless
vestals" is meant "angels"! What a shocking discord the phrase
makes ! It has about the same effect as if you should add to the
costume of a gentleman of Queen Elizabeth's time one of Lincoln
and Bennett's newest and silkiest hats !
A lover growing or grown old, it would seem, has been left in
the lurch by the object of his affections. As all the world
thronged to Walsingham, the lover supposes that she too must
have gone that way ; and meeting a pilgrim returning from that
English Holy Land, asks him if he has seen anything of her run-
away ladyship. The lover, having described liow his true and
untrue love may be known from many another one, learns that
she has been met making for Walsingham ; and then, asked why
she has deserted him, explains that, though she once loved him,
she has lost her love now he waxes old, and generally, that a
VOL. in. II n
466 AS TEE CAME FR05[ THE HOLYE.
woman's love is ever capricious and veering ; whereas the
genuine passion
is a durable fii'e
In the mind ever burning,
Ever sick, never dead, never cold.
From itself never turning.
The Filr/rimage to Walsingham, says Percy, "suggested the
plan of many popular pieces. In the Pepys collection, vol. i.
p. 226, is a kind of Interlude in the old ballad style, of which the
first stanza alone is worth reprinting :
As I went to Walsingham,
To the shrine with speede,
Met I with a jolly palmer
In a pilgrimes weede.
"Now God you save, you jolly palmer!"
"Welcome, lady gay.
Oft have I sued to thee for love."
" Oft have I said you nay."
" The pilgrimages undertaken on pretence of religion were
often productive of affairs of gallantry, and led the votaries to no
other shrine than that of Venus.
" The following ballad was once very popular ; it is quoted in
Fletcher's' Knight of the Burning PeStle, Act II. so. ult.; and in
another old play called Hans Beer-pot, his Invisible Comedy, &c.
Act I. 4to. 1618."
Of the tune of Walsingham, Mr. Chappell observes : " This
tune is in Queen Elizabeth's and Lady Neville's Virginal Books
(with thirty variations by Dr. John Bull), in Anthony Holborne's
Cittham Schools, 1597, in Barley's i\^(?t^ Book of Tablature, 1596,
&c. It is called 'Walsingham,' 'Hei-e with you to Walsingham,'
and 'As I went to Walsingham.' It belongs, in all probability, to
an earlier reign, as the Priory of Walsingham in Norfolk, which
was founded during the episcopate of William Bishop of Norwich
(1146 to 1174), was dissolved in 1538. Pilgrimages to this once
' It is by no means certain that position of The Knight of (he Burning
Eeaumont had 7iot a share in the com- Vestle. — Dyce.
J
AS YEE CAME FROM THE HOLYE. 467
famous shrine commenced in or before the reign of Henry III.,
who was there in 1241; Edward I. was at Walsingham in 1280,
and again in 1296, and Edward II. in 1315. The author of the
Visio7i of Piers Ploughman says,
Heremj-tes on a hepe with hooked staves
Wenten to Walsingham, and her (their) wenches after.
" Henry VII. having kept his Christmas of 1436-7 at Norwich,
from thence went in manner of pilgrimage to Walsingham, where
he visited Our Lady's Church, famous for miracles; and made
his prayers and vows for help and deliverance ; and in the fol-
lowing summer, after the battle of Stoke, he sent his banner to
be offered to our Lady of Walsingham, where before he made
his vows.
" In The Weakest goes to the Wall, 1600, the scene l)eing laid in
Burgundy, the following lines are given:
King Kichard's gone to Walsingham, to the Holy Land,
To kill Turk and Saracen, that the truth do withstand,
Christ his cross be his good speed, Christ his foes to quell
Send him help in time of need, and to come home well.
"In Nashe's 'Have with you to Saffron-Walden,' 1596, sign.
L, ' As I went to Walsingham ' is quoted, which is the first line
of the ballad in the Pepysian collection, vol. i. p. 226.
" One of the Psahnes and Songs of 8ion, turned into the
language and set to the tunes of a strange land, 1642, is to the
tune of Walsingham ; and Osborne, in his Traditional Memoirs
in tiie reign.s of Elizabeth and James, 1653, speaking of the
Earl of Salisbury, says :
Many a hornpipe he tuned to his Phillis,
And sweetlj' sung Walsingham to 's Amaryllis.
"In Don Quixote, translated by J. Phillips, 1688, p. 273, he
R;iys : 'An infinite number of little birds, with painted wings of
various colours hopping from branch to branch, all naturally
sino-ing 'Walsingham' and whistling 'John come kiss me now.'"
Perhaps the most interesting picture of this once popular resort
4G8 AS YEE CAME FROM THE HOLTE.
of the people of all nations is drawn by Erasmus in his colloquy
between Menedemus and Ogygius, entitled Peregrinatio lleli-
(jionis enjo. Ogygius, it seems, had been missing for sometime,
for some six months, and had been given out for dead. But at
last, to the surprise of his friend and neighbour Menedemus, he
turns up and accounts for his eclipse. " Visi," he says, " divum
Jacobum Compostellanum, et hinc reversus Virginem Paratha-
lassiam apud Anglos percelebrem ; quin potius banc revisi, nam
ante annos tres inviseram." "Animi gratia ut arbitror," suggests
Menedemus. "Imo religionis causa," rejoins the other. " De
Jacobo frequenter audivi," presently says the stay-at-home ; " sed
obsecro te describe milii legnum istius Parathalassise." And then
follows a long gossiping account of the buildings, the relics, the
traditions, the miracles appertaining to the famous spot ; which, for
the curious details it furnishes, and the dry humour with which
these are accepted by the less enthusiastic Menedemus, is well
worth reading. The pilgrim sees " Sacellum prodigiis plenum."
*• Eo me confero," he says. " Excipit alius mystagogus. Illic
oravimus paulisper. Mox exhibetur nobis articulus humani digiti,
e tribus maximi ; exosculor: deinde rogo cujus sint reliquiae.
Ait, Sancti Petri. Num Apostoli, inquani ? Aiebat. Deinde
contemplans magnitudinem articuli, qui gigantis videri potuerit :
Oportuit, inquam, Petrum fuisse virum priegrandi corpore. Ad
banc vocem e comitibus quidam in cachinnum solutus est ; id
certe moleste tuli. Nam si is siluisset, sedituus nos nihil celasset
reliquorum. Eum tamen utcunque placavimus, datis aliquot
drachmis. Ante sediculam erat tectum, quod aiebat hiberno tem-
pore, ciuTi nix obtexisset omnia, eo subito fuisse delatum e longi-
quo. Sub eo tecto putei duo ad summum pleni; fontis venani
aiunt esse, sacram divse Virgini ; liquor est mire frigidus, efficax
medicando capitis stomachique doloribus.
" Me. Si frigida medetur doloribus capitis et stomachi, po8thac
et oleum extinsfuet incendium.
AS YEE CAME FKOJI THE IIOLTE. 469
" Og. Miraculum audis, o bone : alioqui (|uid esset niiraculi, si
frigida sedaret sitim ?
" Me. Et ista sane est una pars fabulae.
" 0//. Affirmabant, eum fontem derepeute prosiliasse e terra
jussu Sanctissimaj Yirginis. Ego cuncta diligenter circumspiciens
rogabani quot essent anni quod ea domuucula fuisset eo depor-
tata ; dixit aliquot secula. Alioqui parietes, inquam, non prge se
ferimt aliquid vetustatis. Non repugnabat. Ne coluumse quidem
liae ligneae : non negabat esse nuper positas et res ipsa loquebatur.
Deinde ha3C, inquam, tecti culraea arundineaque materia videtiir
esse recentior. Assent! ebatur. Ac ne trabes quidem hoe, inquam,
transversa nee ipsa tigna quie culmos sustinent videntur ante
multos annos posita. Annuebat. Atqui cum jam nulla cases
pars superesset : Unde igitur constat, inquam, banc esse casulam
illam e longinquo delatam ?
" Me. Obsecro quomodo sese ab hoc nodo expediebat asdituus ?
" Og. Scilicet incunctanter ille ostendit nobis pervetustam ursi
pellem, tignis affixam, ac propemodum irrisit nostram tarditatera,
qui ad tam manifestum argumentum non haberemus oculos.
Itaque persuasi, et tarditatis culpam deprecati, vertimus nos ad
coeleste lac Beatse Virginis."
"Among other superstitions belonging to the place," says a
writer in Chambers's Booh of Days, " was one that the Milky
Way pointed directly to the home of the Virgin, in order to
guide pilgrims on their road; hence it is called the "NValsinghani
Way, which had its counterpart on earth in the broad way wliich
led through Norfolk : at every town that it passed tli rough, a cross
was erected pointing out the path to the holy spot ; some of these
elegant structures still remain."
The place was in wonderful repute. To it Catherine of Arra-
gon, dying, entrusted her soul ; and so her sometime husl)and,
when his hour came. In the second volume of the Reliques,
Percy gives "a few extracts from the housoh(dd book of Henry
470 AS YEE CAME FROM THE HOLTE.
Algernon Percy, fifth Earl of Northumberland, to shew what
constant tribute was paid to our Lady of Walsingham :— Item.
My lorde usith yerly to send afor Michaelmas for his Lordschip's
Ofiferynge to our Lady of Walsyngeham, iiijd." The Paston letters
abound in allusions to pilgrimages made to this shrine, pilgri-
mages made by the Duke of Norfolk in 1459, by Edward IV. and
his queen in 1469, by the Duchess of Norfolk in 1471, by the
Duke of Buckingham in 1478 (five years before his beheading).
This stream of pilgrims stayed its flowing at last. In August,
1538, the priory was dissolved. The gorgeous image of Our
Lady was carried away to Chelsea, and there burnt before the
commissioners. The people of Norfolk murmured, and wailed,
and rebelled. Their idol was thrown down and burnt with fire ;
and their hopes of gain were gone. Not only was their religion
affronted, but their purse was spoiled. No wonder if they beat
their breasts, and rove their hair, and threw dust and ashes over
their heads and in their enemies' faces !
In the Bodleian Library is preserved the following poem :
In the wrackcs of Walslngam
AVliom should I chuse
But the Queene of Walsingam,
to be guide to my muso ?
Then thou Prince of Walsingam,
graunt me to frame
Bitter plaintes to rewe thy wronge,
bitter wo for thy name.
Bitter was it, oh ! to see
The seely sheepe
Murdred by the raueninge wohies
While the sheephardes did sleep !
Bitter was it, oh ! to vewe
the sacred vyne,
Whiles the gardiners plaicd all close,
rooted vp by the swine.
Bitter, bitter, oh ! to beliould
the grasse to growe
Where the walles of Walsingawz
so statly did sheue.
AS YEE CAME FROM THE UOLYE. 471
Such were the workes of Walsinga//t
while ishee did stand !
Such are the wrackes as now do shewe
of that holy land !
Levell, Levell with the ground
the towres doe lye,
[Fol. 206] "Which with their golden glitteringe tops
pearsed once to the skye !
Wher weare gates, no gates ar nowe ;
the waies vnknowen
Wher the presse of peares did passe,
while her fame far was Llowen.
Oules do scrike wher the sweetest himnes
lately weer songe ;
Toades and serpentfs hold ther dennes
wher the Palmers did thronge.
Weepe, weepe, o Walsingam !
whose dayes are nightes,
Blessinge turned to blasphemies,
holy deedes to dispites !
Sinne is wher our Ladie sate,
heauen turned is to hell !
Sathan sittes wher our Lord did swaye
Walaingham, oh ! farewell !
finis.
' Earl of Arundel MS. ' among Bawlinson MSS.
"As : yee came ffrom. tlie holy Land
of walsingham,
mett you not with my true loue Did you not
1 J.1 o )) meet my
4 by the way as you cam.e r love, as you
" liow sliold I know jouv true loue,'
thai haue mett many a one
as I came flFrom the holy Land,
8 thai haue come, thai haue gone ? "
" Shee is neither white nor browne, she is fair as
1 , ,11 ,r> • tlie heavens,
but as the heauens naire ;
there is none hathc their ^ fforme diuine
12 on the earth or the ayi'c."
' The MS. makes the verses of 8 linos.— F. ^ j^^j.^ Qu._p.
472
AS YEE CAME FROM THE HOLYE.
but has left
me here all
aloue,
because I
am old.
Love Is
never fast,
but fickle,
lost -with a
toy.
" No, true
Love burns
ever, turns
never."
" such, a one did I meete, good S/r,
With an angellike fface,
who like a nimph, like a queene, did appeare
16 in her gate, in her grace."
" Shee hath, left me heere alone,
all alone as vnknowne,
who sometime loued me as her lifFe
20 & called me lier owne."
" what is the cause shee hath left thee alone,
& a new way doth take,
that sometime did loue thee as her selfe,
24 & lier ioy did thee make ? "
" I taue loued her all my youth,
but now am old, as you see.
loue liketh not the ffalling ffruite
28 nor the whithered tree ;
for loue is like a carlesse child,
& iforgetts promise past :
he is blind, he is deaffe when he list,
32 & infaith neuer ffast ;
" his desire is ffickle, ffond,
& a trusties ioye ;
he is won w^'th a world of dispayre,
36 & lost wi'th a toye.
such is the [fate of all man] ' kind,
Or the word loue abused, [page so7]
vnder w/w'ch many childish desires
40 & conceipts are excused."
" But loue is a durabler ffyer
in the mind euer Burninge,
euer sicke, neuer dead, neuer cold,
44 ffrom itt selfe neuer turniuo-e." inniS.
' MS. pared and broken away. — F. ? read [way of woman]. — Skeat.
473
?Lf offnrusi t '
A COPY of this piece is to be found in the Collection of Old
Ballads, 1726.
The story told in it is that made so well known to us of to-day
by Tennyson's exquisite poem of Godiva.
Few chronicles which deal with the time of Edward the
Confessor omit to mention Leofric, Earl of Chester, and after-
wards of Mercia, and his wife Grodiva. The VEstolre de Seint
Edward le Rei ; Ailred's Vita Regis Ediuardi Confessoris ;
Ingulph's (?) ///storirt Croylandensis (she vfixs "tunc foeminarum
pulcherrima sic corde sanctissima "), the Mailros Chronicles,
Hoveden's Anncdes (he says, " dei cultrix et sanctse Marise semper
virginis amatrix devota nobilis comitissa Godiva"), all mention
her with enthusiasm as a charitable and most pious lady. The
earliest account of her famous ride through Coventry which is
quoted by Dugdale (see his History of Warivichshire), is given
by Brompton, who " flourished " about the close of the twelfth
century :
De dicta quoque Godiva Comitissa qua3 ecclesiam de Stoire sub
proraontorio Lincolnice, et multas alias construxerat, legitur, quod
dura ipsa Coventreiam a gravi servitute et importabili tolneto Hber-
are affectasset, Leofriciim Comitem virum suum sollicitavit, ut sauctaa
Trinitatis Dcique genitricis Maria) intuitu, villam a praedicta solvorct
servitute. Prohibuit Comes ne de cetero rem sibi darapnosam inaniter
postularet. Ilia nichilominus virum indesiuenter de petitione prae-
missa exasperans, tale responsum ab eo demum extorsit. Asceude,
inquit, cquum tuum, et nuda a villa) initio usque ad finera populo
congregato cquites, et sic postulata cum redieris impetrabis. Tunc
Godiva Deo dilecta equum nuda ascendens, ac capitis crines et tricas
dissolvens, totum corpus praeter crura inde velavit. Itinere complete
a nomine visa ad virum gaudcns est reversa, unde Leofriciis Coven-
treiam a servitute et malis custuniis et exaction ibus liberavit, et cartam
' In the printed Collection of Old Ballads 1726. Vol. 2. p. 34. N. v.— P.
474 LEOFFRICUS.
suam incle confectam sigilli sui munimine roboravit, de quo adhuc
isti pauperes mevcatores ad villam accedentes plenarie sunt experti.
Matthew of Westminster, some hundred years after the Abbot
of Joreval, gives the following version :
Haec autem comitissa religiose villain Conventrensem a gravi servi-
tute ac turpi liberare affectans, stepins coraitem virurti suum magnis
precibus rogavit, ut sanctae Trinitatis, sanctaeqne genetricis Dei
intuitu, villain a prsedicta absolveret servitute. Cumque conies illam
increparet, quod rem sibi damnosam inaniter postularet, proliibuit
constanter, ne ipsuin super hac re de cetero conveniret. Ilia contrario,
pertinacia muliebri ducta, virum indesinenter de petitione prsemissa
exasperans, tale responsura extorsit ab eo. Ascende (inquit) equum
tuuni nuda, et transi per mercatuni villse, ab initio usque ad finem,
populo congregato, et cum redieris, quod postulas, impetrabis. Cui
comitissa respondens, ait : Et si hoc facere voluero, licentiam mihi
dabis ? Ad quam comes, Dabo, inquit. Tunc Godyva comitissa,
Deo dilecta, die quadam, ut praedictum est, nuda equum ascendens,
crines capitis et tricas dissolvens, corpus suum totum, pr^eter crura
candidissima, inde vclavit, et itinere completo, a nemine visa, ad
virum gaudens, hoc pro miraculo liabitum, reversa est. Comes vero
Leofricus, Conventrensem a prsefata servitute liberans civitatem,
chartam suam inde factam sigilli sui munimine roboravit.
Higden, some half century afterwards, says briefly :
Ad jugem quoque instantiam uxoris suae urbeni suam Coventrensem
ab omni tolneto prjeterquam de equis liberam fecit ; ad quod impe-
trandum uxor ejus Comitissa Godyva quodam mane per medium
urbis nuda sed comis tecta equitavit.
Knighton adopts Higden's account word for word.
Bower, the continuer of Fordun's Scotichronicon, in the first
half of the following, the fifteenth centvu-y, tells the story of
Matilda, wife of Henry II. ; for which act he is severely
reproved by his and Fordun's editor, Hearne (1722). The only
other noticeable variation in his account is, we think, particularly
coarse. He says the poor lady performed her ride "rege et
populo spectantibus."
LEOFFRICUS.
475
lu our own age the story has been gracefully and refined ly told
by Leigh Hunt, and in an incomparable manner by Tennyson.
There is then, extant, no narrative of the gentle Godiva's most
generous feat till upwards of two centuries after its alleged
performance.
We find, indeed, in the reign of Henry I. that the good
Queen Maude, " that's right well loved England through "
( Hardy ngj, who did so many good services for the people, and
taught her Norman husband a milder policy than his own nature
prompted, received the sobriquet of Godiva. She, too, loved
the people well, and so was called after the Saxon countess who
had so signally testified her affection for them. This is the
earliest reference to the story.
LeOFFRICUS the ' noble Erie
of Chester, as I read,
did ffor the cittye of conentrye
4 many a noble deede ;
great priuiledges for the towns
this noble-man did gett,
of all things did make itt soe,
8 that they tole ffree did sitt,
saue onlye thai for horsses still
they did some custome paie,
w7i/ch was gi'eat charges to the towne
12 flfull long & many a day.
LeofEricus
Earl of
Chester
made the
cit}" of
Coventry
toll-free,
except a
horse-tax.
wherfore. his AvifFe, Godiua^ ffaire,
did of the Erie request
that therfore ^ he wold make itt ffree
IG as well as all the rest.
This his wife
Goiiiva
asked liim
to take off ;
' thiit. — O.B. The first two linos arc written as one in tlie MS. — F
■^ Godina.— O.B. ' thereof.— O.B.
476
LEOFFRICUS.
and finding
him one day
in a good
liumuur.
entreated
him to
remit the
tax.
"What'U
you do
if I will ? '
& when the Lady long ' had sued,
her purpose to obtaine,
att last her noble LorcZ ^ shee tooke
20 w/thiu 3 a pleasant vame,
& vnto him vfith smiling cheere
shee did fForthwith proceede,
intreating greatly that hee wold
24 performe that godlye ■* deede.
" you moue me much, fFaire dame," ^ quoth, hee,
" yowr suite I ffaine wold shunn ;
but what wold ^ you performe & doe,
28 to haue the ' matter done ? "
" Anything
in reason,"
ehe says.
"Won if
yon'U do
what I
ask you.
I'll take oflE
the tax."
"why, any thing, my Lo/r?," q?toth shee,
"you will Wi'th reason crane,
I will performe itt w/th good will
32 if I my wish may ^ hauc."
" if thou wilt grant one^ thing," he said,
" w/w'ch I shall now require ;
soe 1^ soone as itt is fifinished,
36 thou shalt haue thy desire."
" I'll do it,"
she says.
" Then strip,
and ride
naked
through the
town."
"comi»and what you thinke good, my Lo)7? ;
I will ther-to agree
on that condityon, tJiat this ^^ towne
40 in all things '^ may bee ffree."
" if thou wilt stripp thy clothes '^ off,
& heere wilt '■* lay them downe,
& att noone-daye ^^ on horsbacke ryde,
44 starke naked through the towne,
' So when that she long Time. — O.B.
2 Her Noble Lord at length.— O.B.
3 When in.— O.B.
* goodly.— O.B. = my Fair.— O.B.
« will— O.B. ' this.— O.B.
might.— O.B.
9 the.— O.B. '« as.— O.B.
" the.— O.B. '2 For ever.— O.B.
"* but thy Cloaths.— O.B.
" by me.— O.B.
'* The MS. has a tag like s to the
e. — F. Noon-day.— O.B.
LEOFFRICUS.
477
*' they slialbe free for euo-niore.
if thou wilt not doe see,
more lyberty then now tliey haue
48 I nciier will bestowe."
the Lady att this strange demand
Avas much abashet in minde ;
& yett fFor to fulfill this thing
52 shee neuer a whitt repinde.
The
Countesa
is taken
abac k ,
but does not
hesitate.
wherfore to all the ' oflB.cers
of all the towne ^ shee sent,
that they, po'ceining her good will,
56 w7//ch for their 3 weale was bent,
and tells the
town-
officials
that on the day that shee shold ryde,
all persons through the towne
shold keepe their houses, & shutt their dore,"*
60 & clap their windowes downe,
soe that no creature, younge nor ^ old,^
shold in the streete ^ bee seene
till shee had ridden [all about] ^
64 Through all the Cittye cleane. [page sos]
to order that
when she
rides
through,
all houses,
doors, and
windows
shall be
shut,
so that no
one may see
her.
And when the day of ryding came,
no person did her see,
sauing her lord . after which, time
as the towne was euer ffree. ffinis.
She rides.
Koneseeher.
The town is
freed.
' unto all.— O.K.
'■' Of Coveiitrv.— O.B.
» the.— O.B.'
* and Doors.— O.B.
* or.— O.B.
° There is a tag at the end like an s
in tlie ISIS.— F.
' 8treet.s.— O.B.
8 all about, Throughout.— O.B.
["^ Maijdm-heaile " and " Tom Tjonc/e," j^rinted in Lo. & Hum.
Songs, 2>- in-lS,folloiv here in the MS. p. 508.]
478
This ballad first occurs in the Garland of Good Will.
A more complete copy than that of the Folio is to be found in
the Collection of Old Ballads, so often referred to in our Intro-
ductions ; but it too is miserably mutilated.
It is evidently the work of a later writer, of one who wrote
generations after the memory of Queen Isabella's profligacy in
the subsequent years of her life was keenly remembered. Its
sympathy with the Queen's side is vehement; and may possibly
have sprung from the fact that a Queen was sitting on the throne
w^hen it was written.
It would seem not to have been founded on current traditions ;
but to be the result of some historical research. The details
are, for the most part, accurate to a degree most imusual in
ballad-poetry. In other respects it can boast no great superiority
over other liistorical ballads — a department of literature by no
means pre-eminent for its poetic worth. It tells its tale in a
business-like way.
It tells it, as we have said, with surprising accuracy ; but there
is when it errs. The Queen departed for France nominally on a
diplomatic mission — to smooth down certain differences with
regard to Gascony which were dividing her brother Charles IV.
of PVance and her husband ; she did not make her escape from
the country with the aid of any such pretext as that preferred in
the text. The letters written by the deserted Edward both to
her and to his son who was with her, urging their return, are
still extant (see Fcedera). The Pope persuaded Charles to
dismiss his sister from his court. Then she found refuge at the
' 111 Hl' printed Collcct/on of old Ballad.s 172(3. Vol. 2. p. J9. X? x.— P.
PROUDE WHERE THE SPENCERS. 479
court of William Count of Hainault, to whose daughter Philippa
the Prince her son was there betrothed. This Count placed at
her service a force of 2,000 men under the command of John of
Hainault (see vv. 40-62).
On September 24, 132G, those whose return Edward II. had so
earnestly urged, landed at Orwell in Suffolk, armed. The nobles,
who some five years before had been overthrown with Lancaster,
now flocked from their hiding-places and their places of exile to
support this frightful insurrection of wife and son. The King's
brothers, his cousins, and many bishops, hastened to support it.
London murdered the King's lieutenant, and supported it. The
elder Despenser was seized at Bristol, the burghers there turning
against him, and there executed as a traitor. His son was seized
in Wales, carried to Hereford, and executed as a traitor there.
The Earl of Arundel and others were beheaded. (See Knight's
Popular History of England.)
The ballad alludes but briefly to the end of the tragedy :
Then Wtas King deposed of his Crown ;
From rule and princely dignity the
Lords did cast him down.
Written in admiration of Isabella, it, naturally enough, shrinks
from any allusion to the atrocities perpetrated in Berkeley Castle
— to the " shrieks of death" that rang through its roof —
Shrieks of an agonizing King !
r ROUD : were the Spencers, &, of coiidityons ' ill ; tho
all England & the 'K.ing they ruled \\owan\\\-
likwise •* att tneir will ; lot,
' Condition, in Old Ballads, Z'i^ ed., all iMigland & the King they ruled
ii. 62.— F. likwiso att their will ;
^ likewise They ruled. — O.B. Each & many Lords
couple of lines 2 and 3, 5 and 6, 19 and & noliles of this Land
20, is written as one in the MS.— F. through their occasion lost their liu, s.
The true arrangement is : & none durst them withstand.
Proud were the Spencers, The first lino very short ; only two ac-
& of condityons ill : cents at most; the second, third, and
fourtii lines with three accents. -Skeat.
480
PROUDE WHERE THE SPENCERS.
and the
cause of
many nobles'
deaths.
They raised
strife
between
King
Edward and
his Queen,
so that she
was forced
to escape
into France.
The Fi ench
King, her
brother,
received lier
well,
gave her
leave to
raise men,
and
promised her
4 & many Lords & nobles of this ' Land
through their occassion ^ lost their Hues,
and none durst thera [withstand.] ^
& att the last they did increase great * greefFe
betweene the [King and Isabel] ^
his queene and fFaithfull wiffe, [page 509]
soe that her liffe shee dreaded wonderous sore,
& cast wtth[in] ^ heer present thoughts
some present helpe therfore.
12
16
20
24
28
then shee requested,'^ w/th countenance graue &
sage,
that shee to Tnomas Beccetts tombe
might goe on pilgramage.
then being ioyfull to haue that ® happy chance,
her Sonne & shee tooke shipp w^'th speede,
& sayled into ffrance ;
& royally shee was receiued then
by the K-ing & all the rest
of the peeres & noblemen ;
and vnto him att lenght ^ shee did expresse
the cause of her arriuall there,
her greeffe ^° & heauinesse.
when as her brother her greefe did vnderstand,
he gaue her leaue to gather men
out of ^ ' his ffamous land,
& made his ^^ promise to aide her euermore
as offt as shee shold stand in Neede •'
of gold & siluer store.
' the.— O.B.
8 the.— O.B.
'■^ Occasions. — O.B.
» last.— O.B.
^ did them withstand.
—O.B.
"• care.— O.B.
* much.— O.B.
" Througliout.— O.B.
* IVTS. pared away.
Supplied from
>■- a.— O.B.
Old Ballads.~¥.
13 N written over st in the MS
« within.— O.B. '
requests. — O.B.
need.— O.B.
TROUDB WHERE THE SPENCERS.
481
but when indeed lie sliold pcrforme ^ the same, But he
~, ,-, T . . afterwards
32 he Avas as flari* ffrom doing itt broke
his word,
as when shee thither came,
& did proclaime,'^ Avhile matters yett were grecne,'* and refused
that none on paine of death shokl goe men enlist
for her.
3f) to aide the Enghsh queene.
40
this alteration did greatly greene the Queene,
that downe along her comely ffacc
they * bitter tcares were seene.
when shee p«rciued her ffreinds forsooke her soe,
shee knew not, ffor her saftey,
which way to turne or goe ;
This grieved
her greatly.
but through good happ, att last shee tlienn decreede and she took
44 to Seeke in ffruitfull GeRMANYE Germany,
some succour in ^ this neede ;
And to Sir lohn Henault** then went shee,
who entertained this wofull queene
48 w/th great solempnitye ;
where Sir
John
Henaiilt
& With great sorrow to him shoe then com|)laiiied
of all the greefe ^ & iniuryes
w/(/ch shee of late sustained,
52 soe thai with weeping shee dimnd her princly
sight,
the sunn ^ therof did greatly greefe
that noble curteous knight,
who made an othe he wold her champyon bee,
56 & in her quarrell spend his bloode,
from Avi'ong to sett her ffree ;
^wore to bo
her
champion,
and fight lor
her,
' sho did require. — O.B.
2 MS. proclaino.— F.
* whilst matters wove so. — O.E.
* The.— O.B.
» to.— O.B.
VOL. III.
« Hainault.— O.B.
' her Griffs.— O.B.
* MS. sunn or smni : ? for sumni. w
E. E. SUV1W, sin. — F. jfiume not to bo
tliought of. — Dyce. cause. — O.B.
I I
482
PROUDE WHERE THE SPENCERS.
with all his
friends.
"& all my frcincls with wliom I may prciiailc
shall helpe for to aduance your state,
60 whose truth no time shall faile."
He proves
faithful ;
sails with
many lords,
and lands
with her at
Uarwich.
64
And in this promise, most faithfull he was found,
& raany Jjorcls of great account
Avas in this voyage bound.
soe setting fforward with a goodlye trainc,
att lenght through gods especiall grace
into England they came.
Many
English
lords join
her.
68
72
Att Harwich then when they were come a-shore,'
of English LorJs & Barrens bold
there came to her great store,
w/(ich did reioce the queenes afflicted hart,
that English nobles ^ in such sort
did come ^ to take her part.
Edward II.
hears of this,
and flies.
76
when as Is.ing Edwarc? herof did vnderstand,
how that the queene w/th such a power
was entered on his Land,
& how his nobles were gone to take her pa/-t,
he ffled from London 2:)irsentlye ;
then ■* w/th a heauye hart.
with the
Sjiencers,
to Bristol,
leaving the
Bishop of
Exeter in
London,
80
84
And Av/th the Spencers, did vnto Bristowe ^ goe,
[To fortify that gallant town,] ^
Greatt cost he did best[owe ;] [page5io]
leauing behind, to goucrne London towne,^
[The stout Bishop of E.vcfei;
Whose Pride Avas soon pull'd down.
' were ashore. — O.E.
- Lords.— O.B.
3 Came for.— O.B.
" Even.— O.B.
» Unto Bristol did.— O.B.
" MS. pared away. Line supplied
from O.B.— F.
' (N.B. There are upwards of 22
stanzas Avanting : Avhich are all in t/io
Printed Copy.) — P. and are hero printed,
Avith the leads out, from the 2nd edition
of Old Ballads, 1726, vol. ii. p. 62.
Aljout half a page in the MS. is left
Llank.— F.
PROUDE WHERE THE SPENCERS.
483
88
[The Mayor of Lovilon, with Citizens great Store,
The Bishop and the Sj^encers both
In Heart they did abhor ;
Therefore they took him Avithout Fear or Dread,
And at the Standard in Cheapaide
They soon smote off his Head.
whore the
citizL'iis
SOOQ
cut his
head off,
92
96
[Unto the Queen this Message then Ihey sent.
The City of London was
At her Conimandement :
Wherefore the Queen, with all her Company,
Did strait to Bristol march amain.
Wherein the Kins: did lie :
and tell
Isabella the
city is hers.
She marches
to Bristol,
[Then she besieg'd the City round about,
Threatning sharp and cruel Death,
To those that were so stout ;
ICO Wherefore the ToAvnsmen, their Children, and their
Wives,
Did yield the City to the Queen
For Safe-guard of their Lives :
besieges it,
and it is
yield ('il up
to her.
104
108
[Where was took, the Story plain doth tell,
Sir Hufjli Spencer, and with him
The Earl of Arundel.
This Judgment just the Nobles did set down.
They should be drawn and hanged both.
In Sio'ht of Bristol Towti.
SirH.
Spencer
and Lord
Arundel are
taken ,
112
[Then was King Edward in the Castle there.
And Hugh Spencer still with him.
In Dread and deadly Fear ;
And being prepar'd from thence to Sail away.
The Winds were found contrary.
They were enforc'd to stay :
the King
and Spencer
IIG
120
[But at last Sir J\ilin Beaumont, Knight,
13id bring his sailing Ship to Shore,
And so did stay their Flight :
And so these Men were taken speedily,
And brought as Prisoners to, the Queen,
AVhicli did in Bristol lie.
being
caught as
they were
escaping by
ship.
[The Queen, by Counsel of the Lordsand Barons bold. The Qncen
To Barkleij sent the King,
There to be kept in hold :
I 1 2
uni)risons
the Kini.
484
PROUDE WHERE THE SrEXCERS.
and has
Spencer
carried from
town to
town on a
jade's back,
124 And young Hugh Spencer, that did mucli 111 procure
Was to the Marshal of the Host
Sent nnto keeping sure.
[And then the Queen to Hereford took her way,
128 With all her warlike Company,
Wliich late in Bristol lay :
And here behold how Spencer was
From Town to Town, even as the Queen
132 To Hereford did pass ;
[Upon a Jade, which they by chance had found.
Young Spencer mounted was.
With Legs and Hands fast bound :
136 A Writing- Paper along as he did go,
Upon his Head he had to wear.
Which did his Treason show :
men playing
before him.
Then at
Hereford
Spencer is
hanged and
quartered,
[And to deride this Tray tor lewd and ill,
140 Certain Men with Reeden-Pipes
Did blow before him still.
Thus was he led along in every Place,
Wliile many People did rejoice
144 To see his strange Disgrace.
[When unto Hereford o-n!" Woble Queen was come,
She did assemble all the Lords
And Knights, both all and some ;
148 And in their Presence young Spencer Judgment had,
To be both hang'd and quartered.
His Treasons were so bad.
King
Edward is
deposed,
and his son
crowned
King.
152
156
[Then was the King deposed of his Crown ;
From Rule, and princely Dignity,
The Lords did cast him down :
And in his Life, his Son both wise and sage.
Was crowned King of fair JE)) gland,
At Fifteen Years of Age.] ffillFis.l
485
Tnis rhyming version of a good old Saxon tale occurs in the
Garland of Good Will, " to the tune of Labandulishot," in the
Collection of Old Ballads, in Evans's Old Ballads.
The authority followed by the writer of it is William of Mal-
mesbury.
There was in his time (says that chronicler) one Athelwold, a
nobleman of celebrity, and one of his confidants ; him the king had
commissioned to visit Elfrida, daughter of Orgar, Duke of Devon-
shire (whose charms had so fascinated the eyes of some persons that
they commended her to the king), and to offer her marriage if her
beauty were really equal to report.
Hastening on his embassy, and finding everything consonant to
general estimation, he concealed his mission from her parents, and
procured the damsel for himself. Returning to the king, he told a
tale that made for his own purpose, that she was a girl of vulgar and
commonplace appearance, and by no means worthy of such a tran-
scendent dignity. When Edgar's heart was disengaged from this
affair, and employed on other amours, some tattlers acquainted him
how completely Athelwold had duped him by his artifices. Driving
out one nail with another, that is, returning him deceit for deceit, he
showed the earl a fau' countenance, and, as in a sportive manner,
appointed a day when he would visit this far-famed lady. Terrified
almost to death -with this dreadful pleasantry, he hastened before to
his wife, entreating that she would administer to his safety by attir-
in"- herself as unbecomingly as possible ; then first disclosing the
intention of such a proceeding. But what did not this woman dare ?
She Avas hardy enough to deceive the confidence of her miserable
lover, her first husband, to adorn herself at the mirror, and omit
nothing that could stimulate the desire of a young and powerful man.
■Ror did events happen contrary to her design ; for he fell so desperately
in love with her the moment he saw her, that, dissembling his in-
di'i-nation, he sent for the earl into a wood at Warewelle, under
' 111 tlio printed Collect wii 17'2G, Vol. 2, p. 2.5, N. iv.— P.
486 KINGE EDGAE.
pretence of liiinting, and ran liim throiigh with a javelin. Wlicn tlic
illegitimate son of the niiirdered nobleman approached with his ac-
customed familiarity, and was asked by the king how he liked that
kind of sport, he is reported to have said, " Well, my sovereign liege,
I ought not to be displeased with that which gives you pleasure,"
with Avhich answer he so assuaged the mind of the reigning monarch,
that for the remainder of his life he held no one in greater estimation
than this young man; mitigating the tp'annical deed against the
father by royal solicitude for the son. In expiation of this crime, a
monastery, which was biult on tbe spot by Elfrida, is inhabited by
a large congregation of nuns. — Stevenson's Church Ilisiorians of
England.
Another accoimt is given by Brompton. He narrates how
Athelwold, after securing, by his deception, the hand of Alfrida,
as he calls her, persuaded the king to stand godfather to their
first-born son, " de sacro forte levare," in order that — a spiritual
affinity ('* spiritualis cognatio") contracted thus between his wife
and Edgar — he might be secure from his majesty's amorousness.
But the king made but little of this restraining tie. He speedily
put Athelwold out of the way, sending him to oppose the Danes
in the North, and perhaps getting him killed on his way to his
post — at all events he was killed on the way — and took Alfrida
to his arms. In vain Dunstan, who seems to have been extremely
free of the palace, entering the royal chamber the morning after
the espousals, asked the king, " qnrenam ilia esset quae secum in
lecto jacebat," and chafed at the answer " regina." Edgar married
Alfrida.
The story is told in the following ballad with some skill, but
in a somewhat prosy manner.
The form adopted is the favourite one of the old romances
(revived by Scott in the Lay of the Last Minstrel); and the
besetting blemish of the piece— prolixity — is also an imitation of
the old romances.
The sympathy of the account is all on the king's side.
Thus lie which did tlio king doceivo
Did by deceit this deatli receive,
KINGE EDGAR.
487
says the loyal poet, after describing Athel wold's assassination-
"Be true and faithful to your friend" is the moral. And when
that friend is a king, why, expect the extremest penalties, if you
are false.
12
16
20
VVHEN as King Edgar did gouo-ne tins land,'
& in the strenght of his yeeres did^ stand,
such praise was spread of a gallant dame
w7i/ch did through England carry great fame,
& shea a Ladaye of noble ^ degree,
the Erie of deuonshu'es daughter was sh.ee.
the 'King, w/w'ch had latetly ^ buryed th.e queene,
& a long ^ time a wydower had ^ beene,
bearing the praise of this ^ gallant maid,
vpon her bewtye his loue hee laid ;
& in his sighes * he wold often say,
" I will goe ^ send for that Lady gay ;
yea, I will send for that ''^ Lady bright
w7(/cli is my treasure and delight,
whose bewty, like to Phebus beames,
did'' glister '^ through all Christen realmes."
then to himselfe he wold replyc,
saing, " how fond a prince '^ am I,
to cast my loue soe base and Lowe,
& on '■* a girle I doe not know !
Kdng Edgar will his fancy frame
to loue '^ some peereles princely dame.
The widowed
King Edgar
hears of a
gallant
dame,
the Earl of
Devojishire's
daughter,
and sets his
love on her.
He often
savs that
he'll
send and
fetch her,
but then
thinks how
stupid he is
to fall in
love with a
low-born
girl ho has
never seen.
He'll find and
love some
Princess,
' O.B. adds :
Adown, adoum, down, doum down:
and after lino 2,
Call him down a. — F.
2 he did.— O.P..
' hifrh.-O.B.
* who lately had.— -O.B.
* not a long. Printed C. — P.
long.— O.P>.
« O.B. omits Jiad.—Y.
' this Praise of a. — O.B.
" mind. Printed C— P.
" O.B. omits ffoe. — F.
"> this.— O.B.
" doth. Pr'.' Copy.— P.
•- Doth glitter.— O.B.
" Tlie MS. has only one stroke fov the
;.— F.
H Upon.— O.B.
'■• have— O.B.
488
KINGE EDGAR.
with a good
dowry,
who is more
beautiful
thauEstriia.
Then he
thinks
again, liow
wrong it is
to abuse his
love
Estrild,
wlio is more
lovely than
Helen.
So he decides
on Estrild,
and sends off
a knight,
Ethel wold,
to her
father's,
to look at
her.
and if he
finds her
beautiful.
then he's to
propose to
her, for
Edgar.
24
28
32
36
40
44
48
tlio daugliter of some ^ royal! Kr^r/,
tliai may a worthy'^ dowry briuge,^
whose maclieles bewty brought in place
may Estrilds coulor cleane disgrace.
but senceless man, what doe I meane,
vpon a broken reede to leane ?
& what fond ftiry doth ^ me moue
thus to abuse my deorest loue,
whose visage, gracet w/th heaucnlye hue,
doth Hellexs honor quite subdue ?
the glory of her bewtyous pride
[Sweet Estrild's Favour doth deride] ^
Then pardon m[y unsejemely speech,''
deere loue & lady, I beseech !
& ^ I my thoughts hencforth will * frame
to spread the honore of thy name."
then vnto him he called a \i7iujht
w/w'ch was most trusty in his sight,
& vnto him thus did he '-^ say :
" to Erie Orgarus *° goe thy way,
& '^ aske for Esteilds ^^ comely dame,
whose b[e]wty is soe for by ^^ fame ;
& if thou '* find her comlye grace
as fame hath ^^ spread in euery place,
then tell her father shee shalbe
my crowned queenc, if shee agree."
[page 511]
' a.— O.B.
« dainty.— O.B.
^ Betere were a rycho mon
For te spouse a god womon
Thath hue be sum del poro,
Tlien to br3-nge into his hous
a proud quenu ant daungerous,
That is sum del horc.
"Moni mon for londe wyvctli to
shonde."
Quotli Hendyng.
licUqiiice Aniiquce i. llo. — F.
■' or wliat did, Pr'.' C— P. & 0.15.
* CB. M.S. pared away.- F. swccl
Estrild's favour d(jth deride. — P. For
the original Estrild, see p. 466-7 above.
— F.
* Then pardon my unseemly speech,
Printed Copy. — P.
' For.— O.B.
* will henceforth. — O.B.
» ho did.— O.B.
•» Orgator, Printed Copy.— P.
" Wliere.— O.B.
'■" Estrild.— O.V>.
" went so far for. — O.B.
" v<m. 0.15.
■' did.- 0.15.
KINGE EDGAR.
489
the 'knifjlit in message did proceedc,
& into deuonsliire Aveiit ^ w/th specde ;
but when he saw thai ^ Ladye bright,
he was soc rauisht att her sight,
thai nothing cold his passyon moue
except he might obtainc her loue.
& 3 day & night there while ^ he stayde,
he courted still thai ^ peereles mayd ;
& in his suite hee showed such skill,
thai att the lenght woon'' her good will,
fforgetting quite the duty tho
w/(/ch hee vnto the kingc did owe.
then coming home "VTito his grace,
he told him w(th dissembling face
thai those reporters were to blame
thai soe aduanced thai ^ maidens name ;
" for I assure jour grace," qiiotli^ hee,
" shee is as other women bee ;
her bewtye of such great report,
no better then they ^ comiHon sort,
& far vnmeet in euery thing
to mach w/th such a noble Kinge.
but though her face be nothing ffaire,
72 yett sith shee is her ffathers hoyre,
perliapps some LorcZ of hyc degree
wold verry glad ^° her husband bee ;
& '^ if yo?tr grace wold giue consent,
76 I cold '2 my selfe be well content
the damsell for my Avife to take,
for lier great Lands & liuings sake."
the 'K.inrj, whom thus he did deceiue,
80 incontinent did giue him leaue ;
52
56
60
64
68
Tho knight
goes,
ami is so
ravished
with Estrild,
that ho
courts hei'
for himself,
and wins her
heart.
Then he
goes back to
Edgar, and
tells him
that Estrild
is nothing
particular,
one of the
common
sort,
quite unfit
for a King ;
but as
she'll have
her father's
lands,
he, Ethel-
wold, would
like to
have her
himself, for
her lands.
Edgar
consents
' O.E. omits wcui.—F.
2 the.— 0.]?.
3 For.— 0.15.
* while there. — O.E.
5 this.— O.E. " he gain'd.
-O.E.
the.— O.B.
said.— O.B.
the.— O.B.
fniii.— o.r..
Tlicn. O.B.
12 would. - ().
490
KINGE EDGAR
The knight
marries
Estrild,
and is made
an Earl.
Then the
report of
her beauty
reaches
Edgar,
who sees
how he's
been
cheated ont
of his love,
but puts a
good face on
it.
84
One day
though
he as-ks
Ethel wold
how he'd
receive him
if he paid him
a vis-it.
Ethehvold,
sad at heart,
says,
" You'd be
most
welcome."
Before the
Ki)ig comes,
92
96
100
104
108
for on tliat poynt he did not stand,
for why, he had no • need of land.
then being glad, he went his way,^
& weded straight tliai^ Lady gay;
the fiairest creature bearing liffe,
had this ffalse 'knight to •* his wiffe ;
& by that mach of high degree,
an Erie soone after that was hee.
ere hee long time had marry ed beene,
many ^ had her l::ewtye seene ;
her praise was spread both farr & neere,
soe that they 'King ^ therof did heare,
who then in hart did plainly proue
he was betrayed of his lone.
though therof^ he was vexed sore,
yett seemed he not to gTeeue therfore,
but kept his countenance good & kind,
as though hee bore no grudg in minde. '
but on a day itt came to passe
when as the K.ing full merry was,
to Ethelwold in sport hee said
" I muse what cheere there shold be made
if to thy house I wold ^ resort
a night or 2 for princely sport."
heratt the Erie shewed contenance glad,^
though in his hart he was [full sad ;] '"
And said,'^ " your grace s[hall welcome be]'^ [page 512]
if soe yo^tr grace will honor mee."
when ^' as the day apointed was,
before the 'King shold ^* thither passe,
' not.— O.B.
* away. — O.B,
3 tWs.— O.B.
^ unto.— O.B.
« That many.— O.B.
" The King again.
' therefore. — O B.
» shoiild.— O.B.
® One stroke too many in the MS. — F.
'« full sad.— O.B.
" Siiying.— O.B.
'■^ shall weleoino be. — O.B.
'^ Then.— O.B.
" dill.
KINGE EDGAR.
4«Jl
112
116
120
124
128
132
13C
140
the Erie before-liand did prepare
the K.ings ^ coming to declare,
& w/th a countenance passing grim
he called his Lady vnto him,
saing with sad & heauje cheere :
" I pray yon, when the 'King comes heere,
sweet Lady, as you tender mee,
lett yoHr attire but homclye bee ;
& washe not thou thy Angells face,
but doe 2 thy bcwtye quite ^ disgrace ;
therto thy gesture soc apply,
itt may seeme lothsome to his ■* eye ;
for if the King shold heere ^ behold
thy gloiroous bewtye soe extold,
then shold ^ my lifFe soone shortened bee
ffor my desartt ^ & trecherye.
when to thy ffather ffirst I came,
though I did not declare the same,
yett was I put in trust to bring
the ioyfull tydings of the Kinge,
who for thy glouryous bewtye seene,
did thinke of thee to make his queene.
but when I had thy person found,
thy bewty gaue me such a wound,
no rest nor comfort cold I take
till yo?(r ^ sweet louc my greffe did slake ;
& thus,^ though duty charged me
most flfaithfull to my liord to bee,
yett loue vpon the other side
bade ^° for my selfc I shold prouide.
then for my sute & service knowne,^^
att lenthgt I woon you for my owne ;
Etliclwoia
prays his
wife,
when Eilgar
does come,
to dress
badly,
not wash
her face.
and behave
disgust-
ingly ;
for if the
King
sees her
beaut V,
he'll kill her
husband.
Ethelwold
then tells
his wife of
his
treachery
to Edgar :
how, scut to
woo her
for the King,
he fell in
love with
her himself.
and woo(-d
anil won her.
' King Ill's.
- so.— O.B.
- so. — \J.1>.
» clean.— O.B.
* the.— O.B.
» there.— O.B.
« sliall.— O.B.
' Deserts.— O.B.
« von.— O.B.
» that.— O.B.
•» Bid.— O.B.
" .'<iio\vn.— O.B.
492
KINGE EDGAR.
But for their
weiUock's
sake
he prays her
to disguise
herself.
She answers
Bmiliiigly ;
but, as it
would be a
shame to
mar God's
work,
she dresses
herself out
as bravely as
possible.
and does all
she can to
please the
King.
He falls
madly in
love with
her;
she gives
him ten
sweet looks
fur one;
and next
hunting-day
he kills her
husband,
144
148
152
156
ICO
1G4
1C8
172
& for jour louo & ^ wedlocke spent,
joiir choice you need no whitt repent.
& sith ^ my greefFe I liaue exprest,
sweet Lady, grant me my request."
good words sliee gaue with smihng cheere ;
musing att ^ that which shee did heeare ;
& casting many things in mind,
great fault herwith ^ shec seemed to find ;
& ^ in her-selfe shee thought itt shame
to make thai ffoule which, god did fiframe.
most costly robes & "^ rich, therfore,
in brauest sort that day shee wore,
& did all things ^ that ere shee might
to sett her bewtye forth to sight,
& her best skill in euery thing
shee shewed, to entertaine the JLitig,
wherby ^ the K.ing soe snared was,
that reason quite firom him did passe ;
his hart by her was sett on ffire,
he had to her a great desire ;
& for the lookes he gaue her then,
for euery looke shee gaue him ten ;
wherfor tlie Ts.ing pei'ceiued plaine
his loue & lookes were not in vaine.
vpon a time ^ itt chanced soe,
the K.ing hee wold a hunting goe,
& into HOKSWOOD did he ryde,**^
the Erie on horssbake by his side.
& there ^^ the story telleth plaine,
that with a shaft the Ei4e was slaine.
& when that '^ hee had lost his liflfe,
he ^^ tooke the Lady to his ^'^ wiffe ;
' my Love in. — O.B.
'^ Tlien siiico. — O.B.
=• of.— O.B. * thorewith.— O.B.
* But.— 0.1?. « full— O.B.
' Doing all.— O.B.
8 Wherefore.— O.B. " MS. tino.— F.
'" And as they through a Wood did
ride.— O.B.
" For so.— O.B.
'- So that when.— O.B.
'■'' King Edgar. — F.
" unto.— O.B.
KINGE EDGAR.
493
176
180
he marryed her, all shame ' to shunn,
by whom he had bcg'ott ^ a sonne.
thus hee ^\■J^ich^ did the 'Kincj deceiue,
did by desart this * death receiue.
then, to conclude & make an ende,
be true & jBTaithffull to jouv ^ ffrcind !
ffinis.
marries her,
and begets a
son on her.
So the
deceiver
lost his life.
Moral :
Cc true to
your friend.
' Who marry'd licr, all irarm.— O.B. » that.— O.B. * thy.— O.B.
2 did beget.— O.B. ■• his.— O.B.
494
We know of no other copy of this ballad.
A wealthy merchant — a burgess of four towns, one of them
Edinburgh — makes love to the sweetheart of Christopher White,
during Christopher's banishment. She hesitates ; she has found
Christopher White good company; she warns the man of business
that, if she is false to her old love, she cannot be true to him.
But he still urges his suit, and at last —
The Lady she took ' his ' gold in her hand,
The tears they fell fast from her eyes ;
Says, ' Silver & gold makes my heart to turn.
And makes me leave good company.'
The honey-moon, and two or three other moons over, "the
merchants are ordered to sea" to serve against Spain (see vv. 40,
68). Such an employment of mercantile-navy was not unfrequent
in the later middle ages, and if discontinued, may not have been
forgotten at the time this ballad was written (see Pictures of En-
glish Life^ Chaucer, p. 233). Or possibly " that all the merchants
must to the sea " may mean only that the convoy was ready to
accompany them, and they must at once put themselves under its
protection. In any case, whether by his own business, or that of
the State, the merchant was called away from his bride. When
he returns, he finds her gone off to England with the companion-
able Christopher (who has managed to get pardoned) and his own
spoons and plate and silver and gold. The excellent man
protests he cares nothing for the missing goods and chattels ; but
for his " likesome lady " he mourns ; yet confesses ingenuously
that she warned him when he wooed her, that —
If ho M'ere false to Christopher White,
She would never be true to me.
CIIKISTOniEU WHITE.
And so aptly follows the moral :
All yoiing women, a warning take,
A warning, look, you take by mo ;
Look that you love your old loves best,
For in faith they are best company.
495
As I walked fforth one inorni[n]ge [page r,io]
by one place thai pleased nice,
Avlierin I lieard a wandering wiglit,
sais, " clmstoplaer white is good conipanyc."
I drew me neerc, & very neere,
till I was as neere as neere cold bee ;
loth I was her councell to discreemc/
because I wanted com2:)anye.
I overheard
a girl
mourning
for Cbristo-
plicr WhiCc.
I drew elose
to licr.
" Say on, say on, thou well foire mayd,
why makest thou ^ nioane soe heauilyc ? "
sais, " all is fFor one wandering wight,
12 is banished fforth of his owno countryo."
" I am the burgesse of Edenburrow,
soe am I more of townos 3,
I haue money & gold great store,
16 come, sweet wench, & ligg thy loue on nice."
the merchant pulled forth a bagg of gold
Av/«ch had hundreds 2 or three,
sais, " euery day throughout the weeke
20 He count 3 as much downc on thy knee."
" 0 Merchant, take thy gold againe,
a good lining twill purchase thee ;
if I be ffalse to ChristojiliGr white,
24 Merchant, I cannott bo true to thee."
and she said
that Wlritc
was
banished.
An Edin-
burgh
burgpss tells
her he has
plenty of
money ; will
she love
him ? He
offers her
gold.
and 200/. or
tiOO/. a week.
She answers
that If she's
false to
White,
she ean't bo
true to him.
' ? discrceuc. — F.
- MS. thorn.— F.
' M.S. comt.— F.
49G
CIlinSTOrilKIt WHITE.
He tells her
whiit wealth
ho has,
28
sais, " I liaue lialls, soe liaue I bowers,"
sais, " I haue sliipps say ling on tlie sea ;
I ame the burgess of Edenburrowe ;
come, sweete wench, ligge thy loue on mee.
and offei-s to
marry her
next clay.
" Come on, come, thon well faire mayde !
of our matters lett vs goe thronghe,
for to-morrowe He marry thee,
32 & thy dwelling shalbe in Edenburrough.'
The girl
takes his
money,
and agrees
to have him.
The Lady shee tooke this gold in her hand,
the teares the ffell ffast flTrom her eyes ' ;
sais, " siluer & gold makes my hart to turne,
36 & makes me leaue good company e."
But soon
after their
maiTiage,
all the
merchant?
have to go
to sea.
They had not beene marryed
not oner monthes 2 or 3,
but tydings came to Edenburrowe
40 thai all the merchants must to the sea.
On this, the
wife sends a
love letter,
and 100/., to
Christopher,
Then as this Lady sate in a deske,
shee made a loue letter fiPull round ;
she mad a Xettve to Christopher white,
44 & in itt shee put a 1001'
She lind the letter w/th gold soe red,
& mony good store in itt was found,
shee sent itt to Christopher Avhite
48 that was soe ffar in the Scotts ground.
and bids him
cor::u tu her.
Shee bade him then ffrankely spend,
& looke that hee shold merry bee,
& bid him come to Edenburrowe
now all the merchants be to the sea.
oye.
CHRISTOPIIEK WHITE.
497
56
But clwistoi^lier came to leeue Loudon,
& there lie kneeled lowly downe,
& there liee begd his pardon then,
of our noble 'King that ware the crowne.
He goes
first to
London,
and gets the
King's
pardon.
But when he came to his true lories house,
which was made both of lime and stone,
shee tooke him by the lilly white hand,
60 sais, " true lone, you ^ are welcome home !
Then he
comes to his
old love.
" welcome, my honey ! welcome, my ioy !
welcome, my true lone, home to mee !
ffor thou art hee that will leng[t]hen my dayes,
64 & I know thou art good companye.
She
welcomes
him,
" Chr istojyhei; I am a merchants wiffe ;
christop/ier, the more shall be yoHr galne ;
siluer & gold you shall haue enough,
68 of the merchants gold that is in Spaine."
" But if you be a Merchants wiffe,
something to much you are to blame ;
I will thee reade a loue letter ^
72 shall stu.[r]e thy stumpes, thou noble dame."
promises
him as much
gold as
he wants.
76
" Althoug I be a marchants wiffe,
shall
. & g
into Eng'land He ffoo w/th the.'
[page 514]
and declares
that she'll
elope with
him.
They packet vp both siluer & p[late,]
siluer & gold soe great plentye ;
& they be gon into litis England,
80 & tlie marchant must them neuc/' see.
So the}- pack
up all the
nuTchant's
money,
and are off to
England.
' MS. j-o"; — i'\ ofp. ol3; iuid tlic writinrj lias porif^liod,
- MS. k'rtrr. — F. iind part of the paper is lu'okon away at
^ The MS. is pared away at tlir boltom the top of p. 614. — F.
498
CHRISTOPHER AVHITE.
When the
merchant
comes back
from sea, his
neighbours
tell him
how his wife
84
And when tlie merchants they came home,
their wines to eche other can say,
"heere hath beene good christophey white,
& he hath tane thy wiffe away ;
has run
away with
White.
'■ They hane packett vp spoone & plate,
silner & gold great plenty,
& they be gon into litle England,
& them aofaine thow mnst neuer see."
" Well,''
says the
merchant,
" I don't
grieve for
my gold,
though I do
for my wife :
" I care nott ffor my silner & gold,
nor for my plate soe great plentye,
bnt I monrne for that like-some Ladye
92 that Christopher white hath tane ffrom mee.
but she gave
me fair
notice, so I
mustn't
grumble."
" Bnt one thing I mnst needs confesse,
this lady shee did say to me,
' if shee were ffalse to chTistojjher white,
96 shee cold neuer be true to mee.' "
Moral :
Young
women,
love your old
loves best !
100
All yonng [wo] men, a warning take !
a warning, looke, you take by mee !
looke tJiat you loue yo^r old loues best,
for infaith they are best companye.
ffinis.
499
(Bnttnt JBil50*'
'^ " A BALLETT iutituled ' The Wanderynge Prince ' was entered on
the Registers of the Stationers' Company in 1564-5." This was,
no doubt, the 'Proper new ballad, intituled The Wandering
Prince of Troy : to the tune of Queen Dido,' of which there are
two copies in the Pepys Collection (i. 84 and 548). Of these
copies, the first, being printed by John Wright, is probably not
of earlier date than 1620 ; and the second, by Clarke, Thackeray,
and Passinger, after 1660. The ballad has been reprinted in
Percy's Reliques of Ancient Poetry, iii. 192, a. d. 1765 ; and in
Ritson's Ancient Songs, ii. 141, 1829. Its extensive popularity
will be best shown by the following quotations :
You ale-knights, you that devour the marrow of the malt, and
drink whole ale-tubs into consumptions ; that sing Queen Dido over
a cup, and tell strange news over an ale-pot . . . you shall be awarded
with this punishment, that the rot shall infect your purses, and eat
out the bottom before you are aware. — The Penniless Parliament of
ThreadlavG Poets, 1G08. (Percy Soc. reprint, p. 44.)
Franlc. — These are your eyes !
Where were they, Clora, when you fell in love
With the old footman for singing Queen Dido ?
Fletcher's The Captain, Act iii. Sc. 3.
" Fletcher again mentions it in Act i. Sc. 2 of Bonduca, where
Petillius says of Junius that he is ' in love, indeed in love, most
' This Song is in Print, and commonly nut in tlie first three (xlitions.
intith'd " ^'^neas tho Wandering Prinee - Prom Cliappell's Popular Music, i.
of Troy." — P. Printed in t lie fourth 370-1. The C]Uotation.s have been already
edition of the Reliques, vol. iii. p. 240; given by him, p. 260-1. — F.
K K 2
500 QDEENE DIDO.
lamentably loving, — to the tune of Queen Dido." At a later
date, Sir Eobert Howard (speaking of himself) says:
In my younger time I have been delighted with a ballad for its
sake ; and 'twas ten to one but my muse and I had so set up first :
nay, I had almost thought that Queen Dido, sung that way, was
some ornament to the pen of Virgil. I was then a trifler with the
lute and fiddle, and perhaps, being musical, might have been willing
that words should have their tones, unisons, concords, and diapasons,
in order to a poetical gamuth. — Poems and Essays, 8vo, 1673.
" A great number of ballads were sung to the tune, either
under the name of Queen Dido or of Troy Town."
Percy gives it in the Reliques from the Folio, " collated with
two different printed copies both in black-letter, in the Pepys
Collection."
This ballad tells, with some trifling variations, the story of
Eneas' visit to Carthage, and Dido's passion and unhappy end.
Pity for his sufferings as he recounted them quickly grew into
love, and "this silly woman never slept," and she "rolled on her
careful bed," and sighed and sobbed, and drove her knife home
to her heart. Thus far the- ballad follows the famous Roman
epic ; afterwards it narrates circumstances uncommemorated by
Virgil. Dido's sister writes to ^neas (the Wandering Prince's
address at this time was " an isle in Grraecia " ) to inform him of
the poor lady's decease, and how with her last breath she praj^ed
for his prosperity. The perusal of the letter much distresses him.
Just as he has completed it, appears before him Queen Dido's
ghost, grim and pale, reproachful, portentous. It bids him
prepare his flitting soul to wander with her through the air.
The miserable deserter prays for mercy ; he would fjxin live, he
says, to make amends to some of her most dearest friends — offers
" damages," in fact ; but, when he sees her inflexible, he makes
a virtue of necessit}^, and professes himself content to die. His
hour comes at once.
QUEENE DIDO. 501
And thus as one being in a trance,
A multitude of ugly fiends
About this woeful prince did dance ;
Ho had no help of any fi-ionds.
His body then they took away,
And no man knew his d^nng day.
So that even an inquest could not be held over him.
In the jEneid the hero does indeed see the ghost of the
Carthaginian Queen ; but it is because he goes to its habitation,
not that it comes to his. When in the sixth book he descends
into hell, he sees the hapless Phcenician in the region or quarter
of those
Qui sibi Ictum
Insontes peperere manu, lucemque perosi
Projecero animas.
He sees her, and with tears would explain his departure from
her arms. He left her, he urges, against his own will, by divine
compulsion, and entreats her to stay and converse with him.
But she answers him never a word.
Talibus ^neas ardentem et torva tucntem
Lenibat dictis animam, lacrimasque ciebat.
Ilia solo fixos oculos aversa tenebat ;
Nee magis incepto vultum sermone movetur,
Quam si dura silex aut stet Marpesia cautes.
Tandem corripiut sese, atque inimica refugit
In ncmus umbriferum ; confux ubi pristiuus illi
Rcspondut curis, sequatque Sichseus amorem.
Nee minus ^neas, casu percussus iniquo.
Prosequitur lacrimaus longc, et miseratur taintem.
Ovid in the third book of his Fasti describes an appaiition of
Dido, but it is revealed, not to -^neas, but to Dido's sister Anna,
who is at the time the welcome guest of ^neas in Italy, to warn
her of Lavinia's jealousy.
Nox erat ; ante torum visa est adstare sororis
Squalenti Dido sanguinoleuta comd,
Et ' Fuge ne dubita, moestum fuge,' dicere, ' tectum.'
The door creaked opportunely; and Anna, alarmed, escaped
through the window, and finally threw herself into the river
Numicius.
502
QUEENE DIDO.
After the
Trojan war,
lands at
Carthage,
Dido makes
him a sump-
tuoiis feast.
and at it
asks him to
tell her the
storj' of his
hard
fortune.
This he does.
Fo sweetly
and patheti-
cally that all
weep,
and at last
Dido is
obliged
to ask him
to stop.
VV HEN ' Troy towne for ten yeeres warr
"vv/thstood the greekes in manfull wise,
yett did their foes encrease soe fiast,
4 that to resist none ^ cold snffise ;
wast ly ^ those wall[s] ^ thai were soe good,
& come now growes where Troy towne stoode.
^neas, wandring prince of Troy,
8 when he fFor land long time had sought,
att last arriued ^ w/th great ioy,
to mighty carthage walls was bronght,
where dido queene with s[u]mptuous feast
12 did entertaine that wandering guest.
And as in hall att meate the sate,
the qneene, desirous newes to heare
of thy vnhappy 10 yeeres warr,
16 " declare to me, thou troian deere,
thy ^ heauy hap, & chance soe bad,
that thou, poore wandering prince, hast had."
And then anon this comelye 'knight,
w/th words demure, as he cold well,
of his vnhappy ten yeeres warr
soe true a tall ^ begun to tell,
w/th words sooe sweete & sighes soe deepe,
tlmt oft he made theru all to weepe ;
And then a 1000 sighes he ffeiht,^
& euery sigh brought teares amaine,
that where he sate, the place was wetfc
28 as though he had scene those warrs againe ;
soe that the Queene w/th ruth therfore
said, " worthy prince, enough ! no more ! "
20
24
' Although or albeit. — P. now added
aftei' when liy P. — F.
- nought. — P.
s MS. wastly.— F. waste lie.— P.
■* walls. — P. * Arriuing.^ — P.
« The— P. ' tale.— P.
* fot. olim pro feteht. vid. Bible.
2 Sam. 9. 5. item 1 K5' 9. 28, &c.— P.
32
36
46
44
48
52
all take
sweet rest,
save Dido,
who cannot
sleep,
but always
weeps and
moans,
desiring
.Mneas.
QDEENE DIDO. 503
And then the darkesome niglit drew on, At night
& twinkling starres on skye was ' spread,^
& 3 he his dolefull tale had told.
euery "* one were layd in bedd,
where they full sweetly tooke their rest,
sane only didos boyling brest.
This sillye woman neucr slept,
but in her chamber all alone,
as one vnhappye, alwayes wept.
vnto the walls shee made her moane
that she shold still desii^e in vaine
the thing that slice cold not obtaine.
And thus in greefFe shee spent the night
[Till twinkling starres] ^ in skye were ffledd,** Tn the
morning
[And now bright Phebus mornling beames [page 5i5] she hears
[Amidst they] clouds appeared redd.
[Then tidings] came to her anon
[How that the] Teoian shipps we[r]e gone.''^
^ And then the queene with bloody kniffe
did armee, her hart as hard as stone ;
yett something loth to loose her liiFe,
in wofull wise shee made her mono ;
then rowling on her carfull ^ bed,
With sighes & sobbs these words shoe sayd :
that the
Trojan ships
are gone.
She seizes
a knife ;
but before
killing
herself,
' were. — P.
2 the skye bespread. — P.
' when. — P. •* then every. — P.
* I'iired away in the MS. Tlie brack-
eted parts of the next four lines are
torn away. — F.
8 Till twinkling starres in the .skye
were tiled. — P.
' And now bright Phebus morning
beamei
Amids the clouds appeared red,
Then tidings came to her anon
How that the Trojan .Sliippw were
gone. Qu. — P.
^ And then the Queen with bloody
knife
Did arm her heart &c.
Yet something «&;c.
In woful wise &c.
Then rowling on &e.
AVith sighs &c.— P.
" caro-fulJ, as in Piers Plowman's
Credo :
And al they songen o songo
Tliat sorwe was to heren ;
They cricden alle o cry,
A karcfid note. — F.
504
QUEENE DIDO.
she laments
her sad fate.
56
60
" 0 wretclied dido quecne ! " sliee said,'
" I see thy end approchetli neere,
ffor liee is gone away fFrom. thee
■whom thou didst loue & hold soe dere.
what, is he gone, & passed by ?
0 hart, prepare thy selfe to dye !
Then she
calls on
Death,
and stabs
herself.
" Though reason sais thou shouldest fforbeare,
to 2 stay thy hand fiFrom bloudy stroke,
yett ffancy sais thou shalt not ffeare '^
64 who ffettereth thee in cupids yoke.
come death ! " q-itoth shee, " resolue my smart !
& With those words shee peerced her hart.
when death had peercet the tender hart
68 of DiDO, Carthiginian Queene,
& bloudy kniffe had ended * the same,^
which, shee sustaind in mournfull teene,
^neas being shipt & gone,
72 whose fflatery caused all her mone.
Her funeral
is costly,
and her
sisters and
subjects
bewail her.
Her sister
writes
^neas
a letter,
Her ffunerall most costly made,
& all things ffinisht mournefullye,
her body £&ne in mold was laid,
76 where itt consumed speedilye :
her sisters teares her tombe bestrewde,
he[r] ^ subiects greeife their kindnesse shewed.
Then was -i^neas in an He
80 in grecya, where he stayd long space,
wheras her sister in short while
writt to him in ^ his vile disgrace ;
In speeches bitter to his mind
84 shee told him plaine, he was vnkind :
' sra'd shoe. — P. •
■' And.— P.
' bids thee not to fiar.— P.
■• did [end].— P.
* smart. — P.
6 Her.— P.
to.
QUEENE DIDO.
505
" ffalse liarted wretch," quoth, sliec, " thou, art
& traitorously thou hast betraid
\Tito thy lure a gentle hart
w/i/ch vnto thee much welcome made,
my sister deere, & carthage loy,
whose ffolly bred her deere annoy.
calling him
a false-
hearted
wretch,
92
96
" Yett on her deathbed when shea lay,
shee prayd for thy p/'osperitye,
beseeching god that euery day
might breed thy great fFelicitye.
thus by thy meanes I lost a fireind :
heauens send thee such an v[n]timely ^ end ! "
saying that
Dido prajed
for his
welfare,
but her
sister wishes
him an un-
timely end.
100
When he these lines, fFull flfraught w/th gall,
perused had, and wayed them right,
his Losty ^ coTU'age then did ifall ;
& straiglit appeared in his sight
Queene didoes Ghost, both grim & pale,
w/a'ch made this vallyant souldier for to quaile.
>33neas, on
reading this.
is cast down ;
and Dido's
ghost
appears,
104
108
"^neas," quoth, this gastly ghost,
" my whiole delight when I did line !
th.ee of all men I loued most,
my fiancy & my will did giue ;
ffor Entertainment I the gaue ;
vnthankefuUy thou didst me grauc ;
reproaches
him for his
ingratitude,
112
" Therfore prepare thy fflitting soule
to wander with me in the aire,
where deadly grceffe shall make itt howle
because on me thou tookest no care.
delay not time, thy glasse is run,
thy date is past, & death is come ^ ! "
and
summons
his soul to
fly howling
about the
air with her.
His death is
at hand.
' luitimc'ly. — P.
" ? Lusty or Lofty.— F.
thy life is done. — Child's Bctllads.
506
QUEENE DIDO.
^neas prays
for a respite.
116
120
" 0 stay a wliile, tliou [lovely sprite !] ^
be not soe hasty to coniiay
my soule into eternall night,
where itt shall neere behold bright day !
O doe not ffrowne ! thy angry looke
hath made my breath my liiFe fforsooke.
[page 516]
but all in
vain ;
124
" But woe is me ! all is in vaine,
& booteles is my dismall crye !
time will not be recalled againe,
nor thon surcease before I dye.
O lett me Hue, & make amends
to some of thy most deerest ffreinds !
and seeing
she is
obdurate,
he is content
to die.
128
132
" But seeing thou obdurate art,
& will no pittye to me show
because ffrom thee I did depart,
& lefft vnpaid what I did owe,
I must content my selfe to take
what Lott to me thou wilt partake.^ "
Ugly fiends
dance
around Mm,
and carry ofE
his body.
136
And thus, as one being in a trance,
a multitude of vglye ffeinds
about this woffull prince did dance : —
he had no helpe of any ffreinds ; —
his body then they tooke away,
& no man knew his dying day. ffinis.
' 0 stay a while thou gentle sprite,
Be not so hasty to conuay.
Query. — P.
MS. pared away. — F. lovely sprite. —
Child.
- to admit, to share : to extend parti-
cipation. " So Spencer." see JolinsV — P.
507
A cory of this ballad occurs in the Garland of Good Will,
(reprinted by the Percy Society) to the tune of " Flying Fame " —
a tune to which, says Mr. Chappell in his Popular Music, " A
large number of ballads have been written," one in Collection of
Old Ballads, and one in Evans's Old Ballads.
The ballad celebrates the friendship of the two heroes whose
name it bears. These stuck closer to one another than brothers.
Such fast friendships between two knights were favourite subjects
with the old romance-writers.^ Every true knight could boast not
only of a lady love, but of a " brother sworn." And perhaps the
writer of the following ballad does but echo some older poem.
The generous eagerness of Alphonso to die for his friend, when
overwhelming circumstantial evidence was condemning that
friend to death, will remind the reader of the well-known old story
Damon and Phintias, told by Cicero in his Be OfficHs (III. 10),
and by others elsewhere.
iN Stately Roome sometime did dwell A Roman
a man of worthy ^ ffam.e, gentleman
who had a Sonne of ffeatures rare/ had a son,
4 Alphonso called by ^ name. Aiphonso,
when hee was growTie & come to age,
his ffather thought itt best
to send his sonnes ^ to Athens iFaire, whom ho
8 where wisdomes Schoole did rest. Atiiens
' In fI>o print/'d Collection of Old ikl- ^ Noble— O.B.
lads, 1726, Vol. 2, p. 145.— P. ' seemly Shape— O.B.
- See Kfftr and Grime, vol. i. p. 3.5.'), * was his. — O.B.
1. 46, and note •*. " Son. — O.B.
508
ALFFONSO AND GANSKLO.
to learn
letters,
where a
knight
took charge
of him
whose son,
Ganselo,
was so like
Alphonso
that they
were only
known apart
by their
names.
The j'ouths
love one
another.
Ganselo
loves
a beautiful
lady,
He sent him vnto Athens towne,^
good letters for to learne ;
a place to boord him with delight
12 his fFreinds did well discerne ;
a noble hniglit of Athens towne
of him did take the charge,
who had a sonne Ganselo cald,
IC iust of his pitch and age.
In stature & in person both,
in ffauor, speech, and fface,
in quahty & condityon el-ce,^
the greed in enery case ^ ;
soe like they were in all respects,
the one vnto the other,
they were not knowne, but by their names,
of ffather nor ^ of mother.
20
24
28
32
And as in fiauor they were found
alike in all respects,
euen soe they did most deerly loue,
as proued by good efiects.
Ganselo loued a Lady faire
which did in Athens dwell,
who was in bewtye peereles found,
soe ffarr shee did excell.
takes a fancy
to visit her,
and asks
Alplionso to
go with him.
36
40
vpon a time itt chanced soe,
as ffancy did him moue,
that hee wold visitt for delight
his Lady and his loue ;
& to his true and ffaithfull flTrcind
he did declare the same,
asking of him if hco wold see
that tfaii'c & comely dame.
' And when he was to Athens come.
-O.B.
■-' Conditions. — O.B.
••' Phice.— O.B.
-0.15.
ALFFONSO AND GANSELO.
509
u
48
Alplionso did tlierto agree,
& wttli Ganselo went
to see the Lady whom ' hee loued,
w/iich bred his disconteut :
ffor when he cast his christall eyes
vpon her angells ^ hue,
the bewty of /7mt Lady bright
[Did strait] ^ his hart subdue.
Alphonso
goes,
and falls in
love with
the lady,
52
56
[His gentle Heart so wounded ''] was
wi'th that ffaire L[ady's'*] face
that affterward hee daylye liued
in sad & woefull case ;
& of his greeffe he knew not how
therof ^ to make an end,
ifor that hee knew the Ladyes loue
was yeelded to his ffreind.
[page 517]
and becomes
very sad.
as he knows
she's his
friend's
sweetheart.
60
61
Thus being sore pcrplext in mind,
vpon his bed hee lay
like one which^ death & deepe dispaire
had almost worne away,
his ffreind Ganselo, that did see
his greeffe and great distresse,
att lenght requested ffor to know
his cause of heauinesse.
He takes to
his bed.
as one like
to die.
nsks the
cause,
w/th much adoe att lenght he told
the truth vnto his IJ'reind,
who did release ^ his inward woe
68 w/th comfort ® in the end :
and on
hearing it,
which.- 0.15.
Angel. — O.Ij.
O.B. MS. jiiircd away. — F.
o.i;.
Tlici'cforo.— O.E.
wlioin. — O.n.
relieve- C). J),
to. -O.B.
510
ALFFO^^SO AND GANSELO.
at once gives
his love up
to liis friend,
72
" take courage then, deere freind ! " q^toth liee ;
" thongli shee tlirougli loue be mine,
my riglit I will resigne to tliee,
the Lady shalbe thine.
tells bim to
put on his
(Ganselo's)
clothes,
and marry
the lady.
76
80
" You know our fFauors ^ ai'e alike,
our speech alike ^ likwise ;
this day in mine apparrell then ^
you shall your selfe disguise,
& unto church then shall you goe
directly in my stead ;
soe ^ though my ffreinds suppose tis I,
you shall the Lady wedd."
Kext day
Alphonso
does man'y
her.
and is taken
to her bed.
Alphonso was fFull ^ well apayd ;
& as they had decreed,
he went next '' day, & weded plaine
84 the ladye there indeed.
But when the nuptyall feast was done,
& Phebus light ^ was filed,
the Lady for Ganselo tooke
88 Alfonso ^ to her bed.
But in the
morning
Alphonso is
summoned
to Borne,
the
deception is
found out,
92
96
That night they spent in pleasing sort,^
& when the day Avas come,
a post ffor ffaire Alfonso came
to fieitch him home to Roome.
then was the matter plainly proued,
Alfonso weded was,
& [not '"] Ganselo, to tJiat dame ;
which, brouorht great woe, alas !
' Favoiir.— O.B.
« also.— O.B.
s O.B. omits thai.
* Lo.— O.B.
* so.— O.B.
-F.
« that.— O.B.
' quite— O.B.
* Part of a letter, or an 7% follows o in
the MS. — F. Alphonso.— O.B.
» pleasant Sport.- O.B. '° O.B.
ALFFONSO AND (iANSELO.
511
100
104
Alfonso being gone to Roome
witli this his lady gay,
Ganselos ffreinds & kinred all
in such a rage did staye
tJiat they depriued [hini^] of his welth
his lands "^ & rich attire,
& banisht him their country eke ^
in ragre & wrathefull Ire.
and
Ganselo's
friends,
enraged,
seize his
property,
and
bauish him.
108
112
With sad & pensiue thought,'* alas !
Ganselo wanderd then,
who was constrained through want to begg
releeffe of many men.
In this distresse oft wold he say
" to Roome I mean to goe,
to seeke Alfonso, my deere ffreind,
who will releeue my woe."
He is forced
to beg,
116
120
To Roome when pore Ganselo came,
& found Alfonsoes place,
vfhich. was soe ffamous, huge, & faire,
himselfe in such poore case,
he was ashamed to shew himselfe
in that his poore array,
saying, " Alfonso knowes me well
if he shold ^ come this Avay ; "
goes to
Rome,
and finds
Alphonso's
jilace so
prrand that
he daren't
go there.
Avherfore ^ he staid within the street.
Alfonso then came by,
but heeded non^ Ganselo pore,
124 his ffreind fhat stood soe nye ;
So he stops
outside.
Alphonso
passes by,
taking no
notice of
liini.
' O.B.
- Land.— O.B.
' quite— O.B.
< Thoughts.— O.B.
^ would.— O.B.
' Tluivfoiv.— O.B.
« uot.— O.B.
512
ALFFONSO AND GANSELO.
This grieves
Ganselo, so
which greened Ganselo to the liart
q?wtli hee, " and is itt soe ?
doth proud Alfonso now disdaine
128 his freind in need ' to know ? "
that he
draws his
knife to stab
himself ;
but, while
weeping,
falls asleep.
132
136
In desperatt s[ort away he went] ^
into a barne hard by,
& presently he drew his k[nifFe,]
thinking therby to dye ;
& bitterlye in sorrow there
he did lament & weepe ;
& being o?ferwayd with greelFe,
he fi'ell full ^ fast asleepe.
[page 618]
A murderer
takes up the
knife,
thrusts it
into a man
he has
killed,
140
144
while soundly there he sweetly slept,
came in a murthering theetfe,
which. ■* saw a naked kniffe lye by
this man soe ffull of greeffe.
the kniffe soe bright he tooke vp straight,
& went away amain e,
& thrust itt in a murthered man
which hee beflfore had slaine ;
and then
puts it, all
bloody, into
Gansclo's
hand.
Ganselo is
found witli
the knife.
148
152
And aflFterward ■'' hee went with speedc,
& put this bloody kniffe
into his hand, that sleeping lay,
to saue himselfe ffrom striffe.
which done, in hast away ^ he ran ;
& when thai serch was made,
Ganselo with his bloody kniffe
was fibr the murther stayde,
indeed
O.B.
Hare i'vW.
O.C.
-O.B.
' And.— O.B.
^ afterwards. — O.B.
" tiwiiy in hu.ste.— O.B.
ALFFONSO AND GANSELO.
513
156
160
And brought befor the Magistrates,'
who did confesse most plaine
thai hee indeed with that same krdffe
the murthered man had slaine.^
Alfonso sitting there as ^ iudge,
& kno^ving Ganselos fface,
to saue his fFreind, did say himselfe
was guilty in thai case.
and tried
for the
murder.
He confesses
that he
committed
it.
Alphonso is
the judge ;
and to save
Ganselo,
164
168
" None," qwoth Alfonso, "killed the man,
my lords,"* but only I ;
& therfore sett this poore man ffree,
& lett me iustly dye."
thus while for death these ffaith-flTull freiiids ^
in striuing did proceed,
the man before the senate came
w/a'ch ^ did the ffacte indeed,
vows that
he killed
the man.
Just then
the real
murderer,
172
176
Who being moued w/th remorse
their ffaith-flfuU '^ harts to see,
did proue * before the judges plaine
none did the deed ^ but hee.
thus when the truth was plainly told,
of all sids ioy was seene ;
Alfonso did imbrace his freind
■which, had soe wofull beeno.
struck with
remorse,
proves
his own
guilt.
Alphonso
embraces
Ganselo,
In rich array he clothed him,
as fitted his degree,
& helpt him to his lands againe
180 & fibrmer dignitye.
and helps
him to his
old hinds, iStc.
' Magistrate. — O.B.
* flain.— O.B.
» with the. -O.B.
* Lord.— O.B.
» One stroke too few in tlie MS.— F.
VOL. III.
L L
That.— O.B.
friendly.— O.B.
say.— O.B.
Fact.— O.B.
514 ALFFONSO AND GANSELO.
And the tlie murtlierrer lie ' ffor telling truth
pardoned. was p«rdoned 2 att that time,
who afterward lamented much
184 this ^ foule & greiuous crime, lliniS.
' O.B. omits ke.—F. ^ Had pardon.— O.B. » His.— O.B.
l^^ All in a greene Meadowe,^'' jprinted in ho. & Hum. Songs, j7. 114,
folloivs here in the MS. j:>. 518-19.]
515
This exquisite song is given in the Reliques from the Folio,
" corrected by ^ another [copy] in Allan Eamsay's Miscellany,''''
and of course touched up by Percy himself without notice,
Scottified throughout. There are many versions of the song ;
and of them we may particularise seven, in order of date as
printed, or copied into manuscripts. On several of these versions
Mr. Chappell remarks below :
1. In Brome's comedy of 2%e Northern Lass, or the Nest of
Fools, printed in 1632, acted somewhat earlier,^ occurs a version
of two stanzas found neither in our Folio nor Ramsaji's Tea-
table Miscellany. They are no doubt an imitation of one of the
MS. versions now printed, and which have an earlier cast than
Brome's lines.
Peace, wayward barne ! Oh ! cease thy moan !
Thy farre more wayward daddy's gone,
And never will recalled be,
By cryes of either thee or me ;
For should wee cry
Uutill we dye.
Wee could not scant his cruelty.
Ballow, ballow, &c.
He needs might in himselfo foresee
What thou successively mightst be ;
' This Song is in Allan Eamsays * "compared with" 2nd and 3rd edi-
CoUcction call'd the Tea-table Misccl- tions of tiie Reliques; "con-ected by"
lany, printed at Glasgow, 17'")3, in 4 ^thed. : no notice of any comparison or
Parts. It is there call'd Lady Anno con-ection in tlie 1st ed. — F.
Bothwell's lament. — And consists of 13 ^ Eobert Chambers, in a note to his
Stanzas. Of wA/ch only the 11' 2'\ 3'.' Scottish Bcdluds (ed. 1829, p. 118), says
& 7'.'^ are the same with this : — In the that it is to bo found in The Northern
printed copy: the 2^ & 3?, are put Lass, or the Nest of Fools, 1606. — "W.C.
3'.' & 2'.' «fe the TV' comes in 4'.'', the in- ? a misprint for 1706. the date of the
termcdiate being omitted: — after w/t/eh reprint of Brome's play ; we cannot find
follow 8 other. Tile last St. of this is any notice of a book or play of this
somethwg different from the Printed. — P. name in 1606. — F.
L L 2
516
BALOWE.
And could hee then (though mo forcgoe)
His infant leave, ere hee did know
How like the dad
Would bee the lad,
In time to make fond maydens glad ?
Ballow, hallow, &c.
2. Our Folio version, out of the first stanza of which a
couplet has disappeared.
3, 4. In John Gramble's book, 1649 A.D., a musical MS.
belonging to Dr. Eimbault, is the copy of Balowe given in the
left-hand column below,^ which Dr. Eimbault has allowed us to
transcribe. By its side, on the right, w^e put the copy from
Elizabeth Rogers's Virginal Book, the Additional MS. 10,337,
A.D. 1658, to which Mr. Chappell has called our attention.
[John Gamble's MS. Book, 1649 a.d.]
1
Ballowe, my babe, lye still and sleepe,
it gi'ieves me sore to see thee weepe !
when thou art merry, I am glad ;
thy weepinge makes my hart full sad.
ballowe, my boy, thy mothers ioy,
thy father breedes thee much anoy ;
ballow, ballow, ballow, ballow.
balow my babe, ly still a while ;
and when thow wakest, sweetly smile ;
butt doe nott smille as filither did,
to cozen maidens, god ffbrbid !
butt now I ffear ihat thou willt leer
thy ffathers fflattringe hartt to bear,
balow &c.
[Addit. MS. 10,337, p. 6 from the end.]
1
Baloo my boy lye still and sleepe,^
itt grieues me sore to see the weepe :
Wouldst thoa bee quiet ist* be as glade.
Thy morniuge, makes my sorrow sad :
Lie still my boy, thy mothers Joy,
Thy father Coulde mee great a-noy :
La loo, Ba loo, la loo, la loo, la loo,
la loo, la loo,
Baloo, baloo, Baloo, baloo; Baloo
Baloo.
When he began to court my loue,
and with his sugard words did moue
His flattering face and feigned cheare,
To mee that tyme did not appeare.
' Pinkerton prints a version in his Select
Scotish Ballads, 1 783,vol. i. p. 86, and says :
"In a 4to MS. in the Editor's posses-
sion, containing a collection of poems by
different hands from the reign of Queen-
Elizabetli to the middle of the last cen-
tury, when it was apparently written
(pp. 132) there are two Balowcs as they
are styled, the first The Balow Allan, the
second Bahncr's Balow ; tliis last, is that
commonly called Lady Botli well's Lament,
and the three first stanzas in this edition
are taken from it, as is the last from Allan's
Balow.- They are injudiciously mingled
in Eamsay's edition, and several stanzas
of his own added ; a liberty he used much
too often in printing Scotish poems."
Pinkerton'sMS. (temp. Car. 1. 1 6lio-49)
is now in the possession of Mr. David
Laing, and ho has kindly compared it
for us with Pinkerton's text. The latter
he declares to be " utterly worthless. In
the MS. the ballad Balnters Balow con-
sists of six stanzas nearly verbatim with
the text you have given from Gamble's
MS., 1649."
'•^ Stops, hyphens, &c., all in the MS.
—P.
« I should.— F.
BALOWE.
517
{John Gamble's MS. Book, 1G19 a.d.]
•when hee beegan to court my louc,
with sugred words hee did niee move,
his faineinge ' fface & iflattringe leares
thatt unto me in time apearcs ;
butt now I see that crcwelty
cares ueitther fFor my babe nor mee,
balow &c.
I caunott chose, butt euer will
boe loyall to thy ifather still ;
his cuninge hath parlur'd- my hartt,
thatt I can noe waics fFram him partt ;
in well or woe, wher-eare hee goe,
my hartt shall nere departt him fro.
balow.
ffarewcU ! ffarewell the fflilsestt yoiith
that euer kistt a womans mouth !
lett neuer maide ere after mee
once trust unto thy creuelty !
fFor crewell thou, iff once shee bow,
wiltt her abuse, thou carstt nott how.
balow &c.
[Addit. MS. 10,337,^. Gfrovi the end.]
But now I see, that Cruell hee
Cares nether for my boy, nor mee,
Baloo baloo.
But thou my darlinge sleepe a while,
and when thou wakest sweetlye smile,
yet smile not as thy father did
ozen^
To Cuseu mads, nay god for-bid
But yett i feare that thou willt heare
Thy fathers face and hart still bears
Baloo //.- II: ///
Now by my greifs I vow and sweare
the and all others to forbeare
rie neuer kisse nor Cull nor Clapp
But lull my youngling in my lapp,
Cease hart to moane, leaue of to groane,
and sleepe securelye hart a-lone.
Baloo //; //; //.•
Now by my greifs I uow & sware,
thee and all others to fforbeare ;
ile neitlier kiss, nor cull, nor clapp,
butt lull my younglinge in my lapp.
bee still my hartt, leaue off to moane,
and sleep secuerly all alone.
balow &e.
5. Watson's copy in his Comic and Serious Scots Poems,
Pt. iii. 1 7 1 1 , p. 79. It is called " Lad}^ Anne Bothwell's Balo^o"
and contains 13 stanzas.
6. Allan Ramsay's copy in his Tea-Table Miscellany, 1724.
This is called " Lady Anne Bothwell's Lament." It is Watson's
version with emendations, and some stanzas transposed. Like
Watson's, it consists of 13 stanzas; the Folio of 7. There are,
as Percy notes, only 4 stanzas common to both copies ; stanzas
1, 2, 3, and 7 of the Folio version occur with but slight varia-
tions in the other one.
' ? MS. fameingc— F. " ? for purloin'd.— F. ' So in MS.— F.
518 BALOWE.
7. The version in Evans's Old Ballads, 1810. 'The new
Balow.'
The ordinary account of the original personages of this ballad
is that given by Prof. Child in the fourth volume of his English
and Scottish Ballads.
The unhappy lady (he says) into whose mouth some unknown
poet has put this lament, is now ascertained to have been Anne,
daughter to Both well, Bishop of Orkney. Her faithless lover was
her cousin, Alexander Erskine, son to the Earl of Mar. Lady Anne is
said to have possessed great beauty, and Sir Alexander was reputed
the handsomest man of his age. He was first a colonel in the
French army, but afterwards engaged in the service of the Cove-
nanters, and came to his death by being blown up, with many other
persons of rank, in Douglass Castle, on Aug. 30, 1640. The events
which occasioned the ballad seem to have taken place early in
the seventeenth century. Of the fate of the lady subsequent to this
period nothing is known. See Chambers, Scottish Ballads, p. 105,
and The Scots Musical Museum (1853), iv. 203 ....
But on this statement Mr. Chappell has been good enough to
draw up, at some trouble, the following :
" Baloo is a sixteenth-century ballad, not a seventeenth. It
is alluded to by several of our early dramatists, and the tune is
to be found in an early Elizabethan MS. known as William
Ballet's Lute Book,^ as well as in Morley's Consort Lessons,
printed in 1599. The words (see above) and tune are together
in John Gamble's Music Book, a MS. in the possession of Dr.
Eimbault, (date 1649,) and in Elizabeth Eogers's Virginal Book,
in the library of the British Museum (Addit. MS. 10,337).
The last is dated 1658, but the copy may have been taken some
few years after. Baloo was so popular a subject that it was
printed as a street ballad, with additional stanzas, just as 'My
lodging it is on the cold ground ' and other popular songs were
' This highly interesting MS. ■which is 'Queen Maries Dump' (in whoso reign
in the library of Trinity College, Dul)lin, it was probably coinniencod) stands first
(D. I. 21) contains a large number of the in the book. ChappcU's Popular Music,
popular tunes of the sixteenth century, . i. 86, note ''. — F.
BALOWE. 519
lengthened for the same purpose. It has been reprinted in that
form by Evans, in his Old Ballads, Historical and Narrative,
edit. 18i0, vol. i. p. 259. The title is * The new Balow ; or,
A Wenches Lamentation for the loss of her Sweetheart : he
having left her a babe to play with, being the fruits of her folly.'
The particular honour of having been the ' wench ' in question
was first claimed for * Lady Anne Bothwel ' in Part iii. of Comic
and Serious Scots Poems, published by Watson in Edinburgh in
1713. Since that date Scotch antiquaries have been very busy in
searching into the scandalous history of the Both well family, to find
out which of the Lady Annes might have been halla-balooing.
" May we not release the whole race from this imputation ?
The sole authority for the charge is Watson's Collection ! — the
same book that ascribes to the unfortunate Montrose the song of
' My dear and only love, take heed,'* and tacks it as a second
part to his ' My dear and only love, I pray.^ Shade of
Montrose ! how must you be ashamed of your over-zealous
advocate! Let us examine whether the spirit of *Lady Anne
Bothwel ' has more reason to be grateful. Among the stanzas
ascribed to her by Watson, are the two following, which are not
to be found in any English copy :
I take my fate from best to worse
That I must needs now be a nurse,
And lull my young son in my lap.
From me, sweet orphan, take the pap :
Balow, my boy, thy mother mild
Shall sing, as from all bliss exil'd.
In the second we find the inducement supposed to have been
offered by Lady Anne's lover :
I was too credulous at the first
To grant thee that a maiden durst,
And in thy bravery thou didst vaunt
That I no maintenance should want : [!]
Thou swear thou lov'd, thy mind is moved.
Which since no otherwise has proved.
" Comment is imnecessary. Can any one believe that such
520 BALOWE.
lines were written by or for any lady of rank ? ' Yet they were
copied as Lady Anne's by Allan Ramsay, and polished in his
usual style. They have been polished and repolished by subse-
quent editors, but to little avail, for they remain great blots
upon a good English ballad.^ There is not a Scotch word, nor
even one peculiar to the north of England, in the whole of
Watson's version.
*' The remainder of Ramsay's copy will be found in the English
ballad reprinted by Evans. Omit stanzas 5 and 7 of Ramsay
(which are given above) and compare with Evans in the fol-
lowing reversed order : — Verse 2, 9, 3, 15, 10, 1, 14, 5, 6, 7 and 8.
" The acumen of Scotch antiquaries has rarely been exercised
against claims that have been once put forth for Scotland. Such
matters are left for us lazy Southrons to find out."
The sad lady and her lover are thus still to seek.
Excepting the two stanzas added in Watson's copy, the
piece is, we think, singularly beautiful — the work of no com-
mon poet, whoever he was. It is marked by a most touching
simplicity and truthfulness. The poor forlorn woman speaks
from the abundance of a full heart. The words she utters fall as
naturally as her tears. Her spirit is of the gentlest and tenderest
and she makes her plaint most gently and tenderly. She can-
not bring herself to speak bitterly of him who has betrayed and
left her. She regards him still with an ineradicable fondness :
• The verse is accordingly altered in Lament is composed out of that -which
K. Chambers's Scottish Ballads, 1829, appeared in Watson's Collection, with
p. 135, to some stanzas and various readings from
I was too credulous at the first, '^ \%^\^''^ altogether different, which was
To yield thee all a maiden durst. P^\^^'^ {f^ ^^ ^J' ^"^f- " i: ii a ^.
Thou swore for ever trae to prove, ^ ' Other portions of the baUad have
By faith unchanged, unchanged thy love ; }^^^ ^reated m the same way. Even the
t/, -1 ii 1 i. ii 1 •' late Professor W. E. Aytoun, not content
But, quick as thought, the change is a.^c -Livjico^ •',, ^ '■ „ j. ,, t
wrought "^^^^^ ^'^^^^ changes as 0 gm for 1
Thy lo^'s'no more, thy promise noucht Tfjf' £« j:^'!!^!^,T"Li'f ^'Lf ^^
^alow, my boy, lie ^ifi and sleep ! -^i.^l^^S! H^l ^f:^',!^!£'Z::^
It grieves me sair to see thee wcip.
Chambers says that his " copy of the
It grieves me sair to see thee wcip. ^^^'f\ minds," into "With fairest hearts
are falsest minds. — W.O.
BALOWE. 521
I cannot choose but ever will
Be loving to thy father still.
Where'er he goes, -where'er he ride,
My love -with him doth still abide.
In weal or woe, where'er he go.
My heart shall ne'er depart him fro.
What a moving lealty of soul ! What a passing constant loving-
ness ! ^
May we do ourselves the pleasure of quoting here an old
Greek song, of which " Balow " much reminds us — the Lament of
Danae, written by Simonides ? The circumstances are indeed
different. Danae has been sent out to sea in a boat by her
father with only her child with her. (Compare Chaucer's Man
ofLavfs Tale.) This aggravation of her sufferings is wanting to
the deserted lady in Baloive. The father is in one case a god ; in
the other a mortal. But each woman's one care and comfort is
her child. Each bids her darling sleep as she herself weeps and
watches tenderly over its slumbers. Of each the characteristic is
a sweet patience, a touching meekness of nature.
'6re xdpvaKL [5'] iv SatdaXea afffJ-os re fxiu
KiUTidflffd T€ Kiixva.
Se'ifj.aTt fipiirev, ova a^iavTOiai irapeicus
dixtpi T6 neptrei' fidWe (p'lKav X*V"
elW T€ • 5 T6K0S, oTov ex<>> ir6vov '
av S' oi^Tws ya\aQ7]V(f
arfjOei'^ Kvciicrffeis eV aTepwei
Siiifxart ■)(aXKiO'y6iJ.(p(f vvktiXuixttu
Kvaveci) re 5v6(pC{i radeis.
AuaXeav 5' limpde nai/
KS/xav fiaduav TrapLOPTOs
KV/UOTOS OVK a\f-^(is,
ouS' ive/j-ov <pQ6yyoiv,
Kiijxevos 61/ TTopcpvpeq. x^oJ/'Si, irpScruirov Ka\6v.
el 5e Toi Seifhu t6 ye SeLpbv ?iv,
Kai Kiv ifiwu (njudruv Aeirrbj/ virelx^^ oZas'
' Mr. Robert Chambers's opinion, if it by no means agi-eealilo to reflect upon,
beentitledto the name, maybe eom})arod: Ho, however, afterwards saw reason to
"The editor at first thought of excluding change his resohition, in the fine moral
the ballad alt(jgclher from his collection, strain which pervades the unfortunate
as, although tlie poetry is exquisitely lady's lamentations." — F.
beautiful, the subject is one which it is '^ Al. t' f)Topt, al. i^Ou, al. fxeiSti.
522
BALOTVE.
k4\oix' €i<5e ^pe<pos,
euSeTCt) Se txoptos,
evS4ru &fx.eTpov Kaudu '
jueTa^iiuAia 8e Tts (paveir],
Zed Trdrep, 4k crio.
o Tt 5e 6apffa\fop enos ivxofiai
TeKv6^i BIkuv, (TvyyvuOi /jloi.
Ed. Sckneidewin.
Baby, sleep !
Your father
has \vrongecl
me.
When he
courted me,
I did not see
his falseness.
but now I do.
12
X)ALOW my babe, lye still & sleepe !
itt greeues rae sore to see thee "weepe.
balowe my boy, tby motbers ioy,
tby ffatber breeds me great anoy.
balow, la-low, la-la-la, ra-row, fa-la, la-la,
la-la, la-la-la, la-low !
"WTien lie began to court my lone,
& with his sugred words me moue,
his ffaynings false & fflattering cheere
to me that time did not appeare ;
but now I see most cruellye
he cares neither for my babe nor mee.
Balow &c.
Darling,
don't smile
like your
father did.
16
20
Lye still my darling, sleepe awhile,
& when thon wakest thoule sweetly smile
but smile not as thy father did,
to cozen maids : nay, god forbid !
but yett I flPeare thou wilt goe neere,
thy fathers hart & fface to beare.
Ballow &c.
But I cannot
help loving
him still.
I cannott chuse, but euer will
be louing to thy father still ;
where-ere he goes, where-erc he ryds,
24 my loue -with, him doth still abyde ;
in weale or woe, where-ere he goe,
my hart shall neere depart him ifroc.
Ballow &c.
BALOWE.
523
28 But doe not, doe not, pretty mine,
to fFajmings false thy hart incline.
be loyall to thy loner true,
& neuer change her iFor a new.
32 if good or faire, of her haue care,
Ifor womens baninge is wonderous sare.
Ballow &c.
Only, pretty
one,
be true to
your love ;
never
change.
36
40
Bearne, by thy face I will be ware ;
like Sirens words lie not come neere ' ;
my babe & I together will line ;
heele comfort me when cares doe greeue ;
my babe & I right soft will lye,
& neere respect ^ mans crueltye.
Ballow &c.
Live and
comfort me.
44
48
ffarwell, ffarwell, the falsest youth
thai euer kist a womans mouth !
I wish all maids be warned by mee,
neere to trust mans curtesye ;
for if wee doe but chance to bowe,
theyle vse vs then, they care not how.
Ballow &c.
ffinis.
May all
maiils take
warning by
me, never to
trust a man.
' Eairne, sin thy cruel father is gane,
Thy winsoine smiles maun eise my
paine. Percy in Beliques. — F.
* quite forgeit. Percy in licliqucs. — F.
[" Old Simon the Kinge," printed in Lo. & Hum. Songs, j). 124,
follows here in the MS. p. 519-20.]
524
(Btntlt fieartisman*
This poem is printed in the Reliques "from a copy in the
Editor's folio MS., which had greatly suffered by the hand of
time ; but vestiges of the lines remaining, some conjectural
supplements have been attempted, which, for greater exactness,
are in this one ballad distinguished by italics." We are not quite
sure that the hand of time was always more to be dreaded than
the hand of the Bishop.
A lady who has killed her lover with her caprice and boldness,
determines to get her to some secret place and fast and pray till
she dies. The picture of the forlorn figure — young of years, fair
of face, weak (that is, youthful, immature) of wits, green of
thoughts — begging her way to Walsingham, remorseful, hopeless,
is prettily drawn. Groldsmith has borrowed from her speech in
the ballad recited by Mr. Burchell in the Vicar of Wakefield.
The Stranger, standing " confess'd a maid in all her charms,"
tells how she had trifled with the affections of her Edwin :
The dew, the blossom on the tree,
With charms inconstant shine;
Their charms were his, but woe to me,
Their constancy was mine.
For still I try'd each fickle art.
Importunate and vain :
And while his passion touch'd my heart,
I triumph'd in his pain.
Till quite dejected with my scorn,
He left me to my pride ;
And sought a solitude forlorn
In secret, where he died.
But mine the sorrow, mine the fault,
And well my life shall pay ;
I'll seek the solitude he sought,
And stretch me where he lay.
GENTLE HEARDSMAN. 525
And there forlorn, despairing, hid,
I'll lay me down and die :
'Twas so for me that Ed^vin did,
And so for him will I.
There the likeness ends. The eighteenth century poet could
not bear to let the poor thing pass away from the scene still
dejected and unhoping. The sentimental bosom of his time
could not abide such dismal endings. The poet in this case, as
his contemporaries in many another, gives it relief and comfort
at the expense of probability :
" Forbid it, Heaven ! " the Hermit cry'd,
And clasp'd her to his breast :
■ The wond'ring fair one turned to chide —
'Twas Edwin's self that press'd.
"Turn, Angelina, ever dear,
My chai'mer, turn to see,
Thy own, thy long-lost Edwin hero,
Restored to love and thee.
" Thus let me hold thee to my heart,
And every care resign :
And shall we never, never part,
My life — my all that's mine?
" No, never from this hour to part,
We'll live and love so true :
The sigh that rends thy constant heart,
Shall break thy Edwin's too."
Contrast this gushing finale with the concluding stanzas of the
older ballad, in their quietness and intensity at the same time :
Now, gentle herdsman, ask no more.
But keepe my seeretts, I thee pray.
Unto the townc of Walsingham
Show me the right and read^'o way.
Now goo thy wayes, and goe before.
For ho must euer guide thee still :
Turne downe that dale, the right hand path,
And soe ifairo Pilgrim ffare the well.
And the contrite pilgrim moves sadly away towards her
appointed goal.
526
GENTLE HEARDSMAN.
' Tell me
the way to
Walsing-
ham."
Gentle : heardsman, tell to me —
of curtesy I thee pray, —
vnto the towne of walsingham
4 w/w'ch is the right and ready way.*
"It's bad,
and hard for
you to find.''
*' vnto the towne of walsingam
the way is hard ffor to be gon,
& verry crooked are those pathes
ffor you to ffind out all alone."
" Not bad
enough for
me.
" weere the miles doubled 3"^,
& the way neuer soe ill,
itt were not enough for mine offence,
12 itt is soe greuious and soe ill."
" Thy yeeares are young, thy face is ffaire.
thy witts are weake, thy thoughts are greeno ;
time hath not giuen thee Icaue as yett
16 for to comwdtt soe great a sinne.^ "
and so you'd
say if you
knew my
sin.
" Tes, heardsman. Yes, soe woldest thou say
if thou knewest soe much as I ;
my witts, & thoughts, & all the rest,
20 haue well deserued for to dye.
I am a
woman,
*' I am not what I seeme to bee ;
my clothes & sexe doe differ ffarr ;
I am a woman, woo is mc !
24 [A prey] "^ to greeffo & irksome care,
1 MS. simc— F. song for tlio Press, part of the Louf has
2 MS. torn away here and in the been woruc away. It was once exax^tly
following lines. — F. as I have represented it in my Book.
N.B. Since I first transcribed this —P.
GENTLE HEARDSMAN.
527
28
" [' For my] beloued & well toloued
[My wayward cruelty could kill :
[And though my teares will nought avail, [page 521]
[Most dearely I bewail him still.
and was
loved
' " [He was the flower of noble w]ights ;
[None ever more sincere colde] bee ;
[Of comelye mien and shape he] was,
32 [And tenderlye he lov]ed mee.
" [When thus I saw he loved m]e well,
[I grewe so proude his paine t]o see,
[That I, who did not kn]ow my-selfe,
36 [Thought scorne of such a youth] as hee,^
by a noble
youth,
whom I
tormented
and scorned.
" And grew soe coy, & nice to please,
as womens lookes are often soe ;
he might not kisse, nor hand fforsooth,
40 vnless I willed him soe to doe.
" Thus being wearyed wrth delayes
to see I pittyed not his greeife,
he gott him to a secrett place,
44 & there hee dyed without releeffe.
I wearied
him out,
and he killed
himself.
" And for his sake these weeds I weare,
to saci-iffice my tender age,
& euery day He begg my bread
48 to vndergoe this pilgrimage.
For liis sake
I go this
pilgrimage,
' This and tho following pieces in
brackets were supplied by Percy, in the
lieliques i. 73-4. — F.
^-* Note by Percy on a separate slip,
with an irregular line (but no dots)
marking the broken edge of tho leaf :
still
oble wights
ore . . bee
. c hco was
0 loved mee
ned mc well
. me to see
know myselfo
as hee
and grew so coy & nice to please
N.T3. This shows the state of tho Loaf
us it was at first, before part of it was
worn away — i.e. when I first got the
Book.— P.
^28 GENTLE HEAEDSMAN.
" Thus euery day I ffast & pray,
& euer will doe till I dye,
and desire to & gett me to some secrett place ;
die as he did. „ t -, ^ o -n t
52 nor soe did hee, & soe wul 1.
Tell me the " N^ow, gentle hcardsman, aske no more,
w^UsilJg. but keepe my secretts, I thee pray ;
vnto the towne of walsingam
56 show rae the right & readye way."
" N'ow goe thy wayes, & god before,^
" God go for he must euer guide thee still :
with youl
turne downe that dale, the right hand path,
Turn to the eo & soe, ffaire Pilg[r]im, flare thee well ! ffinis.
Farewell 1 "
' Seothe Glossar}' for a reference to Mr. Dyce's note on this phrase. — F.
[" Thomas you cannott,^^ j^rinted in Lo. & Hum. Songs, p. 116, foUotos
here in the MS. p. 621. Part of it is on a fragment apoM from the
MS., being p. 522. Then follow Percifs " A List of the Ballads Sf
other Pieces in this Booh:. Dec. 20'? 1757" un the two fly-leaves, as
printed (with additiotis) in my "• ProposaV for the publication of
the 3IS., and the following P.S. and N.B.s at the end of the List:
P.S. — Properly 191 Pieces or Fragments. See the Additions inserted after N? 5,
N? 9, and N? 12, and N? 162, which had not been discover'd when the above List
was first made in 1757, or 8. (Percy.)
' N.B. — I have, since this P.S. was written, found another Fragment in-'Pnge 55,
which makes the Number 192. Perhaps more Fragments may be yet discovered
distinct from the rest. Yes; 3 more on the Subject of Eobin Hood in Pages 7,
13, 20. In all 196. (Percy.)
^ N.B. — I have drawn a Eed Line under such Ballads as I have seen in print.
The vols, refer to the printed Collection of Old Ballads, Timo. 3 vols." A Black
Line under such as I printed in my Beliques of Ancf. Tuetrij, 3 vols. (Percy.)
Lastly, inside, the bach cover of the MS. is Percy'' s ^^An Alphabetical
List" of the Poem,s, referring by the numbers 1, 2, ^"c. to the former
Contents-List. The following fragments from the end of the MS.,
and one complete poem in a different hand, are pinned on a separate
piece of paper. — F.]
' This paragraph is written length- of tlie Contents-List. — F.
wise up the inner edge of the last page '^~'' This paragraph is in red ink. — F.
529
' X am . . .
UAY: wliat is a wom[ans hart]
thai calmes & ,
is itt liglit he
4 & or is itt
out alas out
my mother h
lay I [h]ome
. what is a womans hart ?
. has all, yett all has part ;
[r]ound or square, or soft or hard,
12 . itt in the fforging raarde
[out ala]s &c
[Tell me, my] loue & are all women true ?
[Some ar]e no doubt, but they are very ffew.
[Most think that if their] fi'aith & loue last long,
16 [Then must t]hey doe all others wronge.
[out alas &c]
[Why do] I loue ? what are those ffemale sexe
\_tliai\ doth mankind soe much perplex ?
is itt water, ffire, earth, or aire,
20 thai makes these creatures seeme soe rare ? fJinig
' Thi.s follows "Tlionms you cannot," on a fragment of p. 522 of the MS. F.
VOL. Ill, M M
530
€oi'xtion
[On p. 522 of the MS.]
ly shepard swaine
vpon the storadyan plainc
ent to keepe liis fflockes of sheepe
lits lie did obtaine
liis eye he did espye
wlyoiis traine to passe
[a]fter a deere w7«cli ifollowed necre
8 -which, they had hard in chase.
after them came amaine a faire mayd,
w/u'ch did moue corydon through the sun for to
run,
thinking to haue stayd her : but he fraincd ^ her
] 2 & still prayd her, but dismaid her,
& shee thought his sight to shunn.
Ere they ended had their race, they came vnto a
place
where Pann did sitt his ffitt in a garland made of
bayes ;
16 but when the godds perceiued the maid,
the tooke her ffor diana ;
both ffor bewty & attire the like was neuer any ;
wZw'ch did moue him to loue her to follow,
20 att ■which, sight, in a ffright backe againe rann the
swai[n,]
where his fflockes were grazing, Pann sate praising,
but still gazing and amazing,
ffearffull to behold the mayd.
■ frayed, qu. P. frainod = asked. — F.
CORIDON. 531
24 ffrom his ffacc sliee fled w/tli feare lest the godds
shold find hei* th[ere]
w/th ffootmanshipp shee him out steppe, till shea
came to riuer cleer[e] . . .
but when shee see shee cold [n]ot fflce
nor cold no JBfurther sc[ape] .
28 but tliai shee [might]
to ..... .
JI M 2
532
[^i^eep] off iUoune*
[On page 523 of the MS.]
Tins is a fragment of a late copy of the old poem on Henry V.'s
famous siege of Eouen, which was begun on July 30, 1418, and
ended, after a most gallant defence, by Henry's triumphal entry
into the city on January 16, 1419. The poem professes to
be, and no doubt is, by an eyewitness, 1. 21-3.' The first part
of it was first printed by the Eev. J. J. Conybeare in vol. xxi.
of the Archceologia, p. 48-78, from an incomplete MS., Bodley
124 (where Mr. Gr. Parker says he cannot now find it), and the
second part was afterwards printed (with a portion of the first
part, that is, from 1. 636) by Sir F. Madden in Archceol. vol. xxii.
p. 361-84, from a complete MS., Harl. 2256, the prose chronicle
of The Brute, collated with a rather older but less accurate
MS., Harl. 753. Other MSS. are Bodley 3562 (formerly E.
Musseo 124), and Lord Leicester's MS. 670 at Holkham {Madden^
p. 351). The fragments of our Folio are here completed from
a late MS., Egerton 1995, bought at Lord Charlemont's sale in
August, 1865, " supposed to be in the hand of Grregory Skinner,
Lord Mayor of London in 1451."^ The poem, says Mr. Hazlitt
in a note, "must have been written about two years after the
battle, as the author speaks throughoat of Thomas Earl of Dorset
as Duke of Exeter, to which dignity he did not attain till
4 Henry V." But as the 4 Henry V. was March 21, 1416, to
' It will bo admitted, I believe, by all F. Madden in Archa'ol. xxii. 353. — F.
who will take the trouble to compare the ^ Sotlieby's Catalogue, referred to by
various contemporary narratives of the Mr. Hazlitt, Early Pop. Poctri/, ii. 92.
siege of Rouen, that in point of simpli- The reader will perceive that the Char-
city, clearncs.'), and minuteness of detail, lemont or Egerton MS. is not unique,
there is no existing document which can as Mr. Hazlitt supposed it was. — F.
compare with the poem before us. Sir
SEEGE OFF ROUNE. 533
March 20, 1417, it is clear that Mr. Hazlitt was induced to
attribute the date of Eouen to Agincourt by his prior erroneous
statement that the Charlemont or Egerton MS. exliibited a
different narrative of the same event which is commemorated in
the ballad he reprints of " ye batayll of Egyng-ecoiu'te & the
grate sege of Eone by kynge Henry of Mon-mouthe " ; for the
writer of that ballad wisely says,
. . in this boke I cannot comprehendo
The greatest batayll of all, called y" sege of Rone ;
For that sege lasted .iij. yere and more;
And there a rat was at .xl. pens,'
For in the Cytye the people hongered sore ;
Women and chyldrcn for faute of mete were lore.
And some for payne bare bones were gnawynge.
That at her brestes had .ii. chyldren soukynge.
Of the sege of Rone it to wryte were pytye,
It is a thing so lamentable . .
E. Fop. Todry, ii. 107- 8.
As the poem is printed from the best IMSS. in the Archcvologia,
as above-said, and as the Early English Text Society have a new
edition of it in their list, I have not thought it worth while to
complete the Folio late copy by printing all the long late Egerton
MS. here.— F.
[uOd that dyde a-pon A tre^]
[And boughte vs ^v^th liys blode so]c ffi-ee,
[To hys blys tham] bringe
4 [That lysteuythe vnto my] talkinge !
[Oflyn tymys we] talke of diu«res trauells,^
[Of saute, Sege, and of grete ba]ttolls''
• And flesche, save horsefleschc, haddo For fourty jicns they solde a ratte,
they none : And for two nobels they .soldo a catte :
Tliey etc also botho dogges and cattcs. And for six pens tliey solde a mowsc,
And also botlie mysc and rattes, ffuU few was lofte in any howse.
And also an hors quarter lene other fat, Eodley IMS. 124, in Archa'ol. xxi. 63.
And a hundredc scliyllynges hyt was ^ From Egerton MS. 1995, fol. 87. —
worth at ; i''.
And also a hors hede at halfe a pownde, ^ of trauayle. — Eg. MS.
And a doggo for ten SL-hylyugo of niuny ■* liafayle. — Eg. MS.
sounde :
534 SEEGE OFF ROUEN.
[Botlie in Romans and in ryni]e,
8 [What hathe ben done be-fore tliys tyme ;
[But J wylle telle you nowe pre]sent —
[Vnto my tale yf ye] take tent' —
[Howe the v. Harry oure leg]e,
12 [With hys ryalte he sette a sege
[By-fore Rone, that ryche Cytt]e,
[And endyd hyt at hys o] wne to bee ^ ;
[A more solempne sege was n]euer sett ;
16 [Syn lerusalem and Troy] were gett,^
[So moche folke was neuyr] seene^
[One kynge with soo many vndyr heuyne :
[Lystenythe vnto me A lytylle space,
20 [And I shalle telle you howe hyt was ;
[And the better telle I may,]
ff[or at that sege with the kyng I lay,]
& [there to I toke a-vyse]
24 [Lyke as my wyt wolde suflpj^ce,
[Whenne Pountlarge with sege was wou«ne
[And ouyi" sayne, then enter was be-gu^me.]
the duke of [Exceter, that hende,]
28 to Rowne the king [yn sothe hym sende,] ^
& Herrotts with, him, to that Citye
to looke if itt wold yeeleden bee,^
& alsoe ioy to looken the^ ground
32 all ^ about the Cittye round,
& how they might best lay a seege ;
but they wold not obey their leege.
when the duke of great renowne
36 was come before that royall towno,
he display d his banners great plen[tyc,] "
& herotts into the cittye sent heo,
» wylle tent.— Eg. MS. " yf that tliey yoldyn woldo 1)C.— Eg.
" owne volunte.— Eg. MS. MS.
* was gotte. — Eg. MS. ' alle soo for to se that.^Eg. MS.
■• sene.— Eg. MS. « That was.— Eg. MS. ^
* To Eono yn sothc ourc kyng hym " bailors on A bent.— Eg. MS.
sende.— Eg. MS.
SEEGE OFF EOUNE. 535
to warne tlieiu on paine of deatli
40 ' that thej our king sliold not greeu[e,]
nor [be] witli-standing of his luiglit,
but deliuer this cittye soone in his sight.
& soe hee told them Avithouten bad,
44 he wold no flPurther till hee thai hadd ;
ffor ere hee went fiarr firom this place,
hee wold itt winne by gods grace,'
but that they flfrenchmen make no answer,
48 but bade tlieni on theii' wayes to ffare,
& made assignment with their hand
that he shold there no longer stand,
& shotten out ordinance with great en[vyc,]
52 & maden ware dispitteouslye.
then came fforth 'Kniijhts keene
on horsbace with armour sheene,
& there mustered the Duke againe.
56 on both partyes many were slaine,
& this was done w/thout delay ;
to pont large the duke tooke the way,
& told the 'K.nighi of thai cittye
60 how itt stoode, & in what degree.
to my talking &' you will take heedc,
I shall tell you of accursed deede,
& how sinfully^ the flfrenchmen did thore-*
C4 or our king came them before,
ffor all the suburbs of that ffaire towne,
both kirkes & houses, drone them downe,
& att jDort Hillary the hcnd,
68 a parish church they all to-rend ;
of St. Hillary was the same
thai after the port bare the name ;
and att the same porf* downe tlic drew
72 a church thai was of S' Andrew,
' for an, if.- — F. ' ]S'vt;\ dc mcdicia coi-wni, says the
2 M.S. siifully ; and it traiijiposf.s lines Egerton MS. — F.
62 and 63.— F". * At porto Caiusscs.— Eg. MS.
556
GLOSSAKY.
GRY
gryse, ii. 448/902, grej' fur ?
ffucsfs, i. '232/402, Scotch, c/uesf, ghaist,
English, ghost. — Brockie
guilt, i.l 72/1 68, 170, gilt
gnrde, i. 21 6/93 ; Sc. gird, to more with
expedition and force. — Janiicson
gnrding, i.228/323, letting fly, shooting
gynne, i.480/1854, engine; i.491/2223,
wile, device
gysarmes, ii.457/1166, " guisarme, a
lance with a hook at tlie side." —
Planche
hahergion, i.358/128; i. 364/309, dim. of
hauhcrk, the little throat-guard. —
Planche, i.l 10
haihm, i.l 50/1 73, A.-S. haliq, holy
halvh, i.110/65 ; iii.284/190,"salute, O.N.
heilsa, say " hail" to. hayhc, or greete,
je sal'ue. I halse one, I take hym
aboute the ■a.e^Qkfi,Jaccole. — Pcdsgrave.
p. 577
^«7?cActZ,i.217/98;i.301/27;i.306/146-7;
372/581, saluted
haled, ii.13/180, drew
handfastcd, i.394/1274, betrothed
JuuiS'-U, ii. 192/37, greeting, gift
happen, i. 359/ 146, fall, strike
harharrowes, ii.71/342, lodges
harbor, ii.560/78 ; 581/573, lodging,
entertainment
harhorrowe, ii. 69/294, 300, lodging
harke, ii.482/1851, hearken to
harllot, i.l 52/260, scamp, worthless fel-
low
harlotts, i.445/726,737, loose fellows,
scamps
harold, i.304/K)6, herald
harrowed, ii. 349/241, broke open and
despoiled
harroiues, ii. 73/414, breaks open and
despoils
hart, tooke his owne to him, i.163/606,
took courage
harvenger, i.38/5, harbinger, courier,
" one sent on to prepare harbourage
or lodgmentforhis employer." — Wedg-
wood
hattell, i. 224/237, nobleman
haw, ii. 579/530, hay, a winding coinitry
dance, a reel. It was also a winding
in-and-out figure in a round country
dance. — Chappell
hawerc, i.l 49/ 150, "Fr. avoir, possessions
hawlinge, i. 92/56, halting?
HYN
he, i.477/17o7, they
head, give ones horse his, i.358/124
head, iii.192/75, A.-S. hcafdian, to be-
head
headed, iii.321/8, beheaded
heare, iii. 63/158, hair
heate, ii. 305/18, a promise
hcathennest, i. 63/56 ; heathinnesse, ii.l84
/125; heathyncsse, i.498/3, heathen-
dom
hccke, iii.285/232, the lower half of a
stable door
hee, i.92/56 ; 147/102, high
hcede, iii.24/134, perhaps keep. — P.
heese, iii. 139/63, he will be, or must be
heire, i. 97/ 179, higher
hend, ii.345/120, bid
heiid, i.l52 244, gentle
hendlye, i.427/147, gently
Ae»r',i.l00/263, seized; i.28/29,35,caught,
took
hcrrott, i.230/353, herald
hett, iii.355/877, promise; i.443/666,
671, promised
highinge, ii. 110/876, haste
hight, i. 439/558, was named
hind, i.159/463 ; i.162/577, hend, gentle
Ais, i. 387/1042,1.390/1 153, ii.375/921, is
hoe, ii.489/2058, hold, stop
hoglin, ii. 360/529, dear little hog
hold, iii.25/161, to its . . . hold, i.e. held.
—P.
hollen, i.l 09/55, A.-S. holen, holly
holte, iii. 58/55, a wood, a rough place.
Holt (Sax.) a small AVood, or Grove ;
whence the Street call'd Holhorn in
London had its Name. — Phillips (by
Kersey). Fr. Touche de bois. A hoult ;
a little thicke groue or tuft of high
trees, especially such a one as is ueere
a house, and serues to beautifio it, or
as a marke for it. — Cot grave
home, iii. 28/ 258, on whom
homly, i. 67/ 153, home, close, tight
hony, i. 161/203, love, sweetheart
hare, ii.473/1585, mud, dirt
hose, i.67/153, cuddle
houed, ii.383/1151, iii.31/358, halted
houzle, sb. i. 57/88 ; houzle, vb. i.l72/
178, to administer the Sacrament:
A.-S. huselian
hurt, i.67/153, heart
hyde, i. 362/263, a lady's skin
hynd, iii.61/107; %«f/c,iii.70/ 340, hend,
gentle
hyndes, iii. 68/279, servants
GLOSSARY.
557
lAC
iacke, iii. 415/255, leather tunic over
the armour
icrffaucon, ii. 451/977, gerfalcon
iest, ii.549/632, story
iettid, i. 42/71, marched showily
ictters, ii. 568/275, strutters
if, iii.203/174, even if
like, i. 56/52, same (time) ; i. 73/278
time
Lnvpctdasze, iii.300/118, qu. MS.— F.
himpettelaze, corruptly written for
imnwrtal ize. — P.
incontinent, i. 286/384, forthwith
inde, ii.455/1105, Fr. inde, m. Jndico ;
light Blue, Blunket, Azure
inestimable, i. 288/461, not to bo esti-
mated or valued
inc/ling, iii. 314/15, perhaps jingling
inholder, i. 283/ 78, innkeeper
iiine, ii. 563/1 36, house
iiisame, ii. 434/501, together: A.-S. sam,
together
intertalked, ii.35/2
iollye, ii. 295/1 30, pleasure
iojfinge, i. 230/352, joining
irke, i. 177/54, angry, A.-S. yr
irke, i.361/232, cbead
is, ii.423/188, are
is, i. 155/ 341, his
is (for the possessive 's) i. 161/548
ishucles, i. 290/513, issueless
ishulese, i.274/31 ; i. 290/496, issueless
Isl, iii.45/780, I'll, I shall
ist, ii.218/2 ; 219/30; 223/145, I'll
it and itt, as genitives, for its, ii. 248/34
ii. 251/131
ludaslye, ii. 258/96, Judasly, traitorously
iumpe, iii. 369/1 3, lust due, right,
even, jicmpc, levell, straight. — Cot-
grave. See Othello, A. ii. s. 2.
iuster, ii. 292/62, jouster
I-wis, i. 19/10; 333/343, &e. : every /
is hyphened to its wis wherever this
word is printed, under the belief that
it stands for the A.-S. adverb gewis
certainly ; but in the passage where it
is used with as, " as I wis," ii.583
/627,the words are of course separate,
a pronoun and verb
i-wis, i. 146/69, A.-S. getuis, certainly.
But see " as I wis " li. 583/627
iwitt, i. 453/981, A.-S. gewitan, under-
stand
itt'^ke, iii.4 15/255, leather tunic over the
armour
KYT
jack, i. 31 1/296, a sleeveless tunic
jig, ii.334
jolly, ii 422/155, merry
jorney, iii. 239/88, a day's work
jousts and tournaments, i.85/9, note '
jury, 1.196/ 397
kayred, ii.62/117, passed over
keere, iii. 74/436, turn
keered, i. 229/333, turned ; A.-S. cerran
kdl, ii.67/2o5; 502/12; 503/44, a net
for a lady's hair, for Bredbeddle's
wife
kempe, ii. 606/21 9, kemperye man, ii.
605/215, magician ?
kempes, ii. 527/5, warriors
kempys, i.90/6, A.-S. kempa, cempa, a
soldier, warrior
keti, iii.62/131, to inform. See Witt,
1. 120
kend, ii.457/1152, taught, showed
kere, i. 229/347, return
kered, i.222/192; iii.61/118, turned
kethcrinckes, i.219/131,135 ; 230/351,
Cateranes, Katheranes, Highland rob-
bers ; Gael, and Ir. caetharnach, a
soldier. — Jamieson. Highland or Irish
soldiers. Gaelic, cath-flicara, fight-
ing-men, warriors, Scotch caterans,
kerne. — Brockie
kin, ii.233/143, relation
kindle care, ii. 539/360
kirtle, iii. 180/100. Kyrtle is not upper
petticoat, but our modern gown, a
waist and petticoat. A kyrtle and
mantle completed a woman's dress.
—Crit. Rev. Jan. 1795, p. 49
kissed, i 449/857, the whoi'e's euphuism
for having connection with her, cur-
rent in London as well as in the
North. — Atkinson.
kithe, ii.233/143, acquaintance
kithc, iii. 74/436, A.-S. cy^, a region;
cy^^e, a home, native country
kithen, iii. 73/392
knaue, i. 438/511, male
knaue, iii. 23/97, a boy, a male child ;
ii.547/573', page, lad
knoidedge, i. 163/ 585, acknowledge, con-
fess
kut, iii. 130/77
kyrcth, iii. 66/230, A.-S. ci/rran, to turn
kythc, iii. 58/ 17, region, A.-S. cy^
538 SEEGE OFF ROUNE.
[At the nortlie syde by-tjweene,
124 [There was loggyd Excetyr ]>e ke]ne,
[And at the Porte Denys] he lay,
[Where freynysche men yssuyjn out ouery day.
[He bet hem in at euery sch]amffull brunnt,' 1^1^?^^="
128 [And wanne worschyppe] as hee was woont
[Of alle pryncys manhode to] report,
[Set hym for on of] the best sort.
[Bytwyne hym and Claren]ce then,
132 [Erie Marchalle, a man-]full man,
[Loggyd hym next the castell]e gate,
[And kepythe hyt bothe erly] and late.
[And forthe in the same] way,
136 [The lorde Haryngton] here he lay.
[Talbot, from deumfrount] when he come,
[He loggyd hym next] that^ groome.
[The Erie of Vrmounde] then lay hee
140 [Next Clarence wit/t a grete meanye,
[And Cornewale, that comely knyghte,
[He lay with Clarence bothe day and] night,^
[And many knyghtys in a froun]t
144 [Thatnowecomenot]in'* [mym3aidetocounte.][i. 202
Es.'ms"]
[(rap : 56 lines in Bodley MS. 124, Archceol. xxi. 55-G.]
^- AV en . W . . [p. r,0G of Folio MS.
148 & he gran[te]d them comp[assyon,'5] ' " ^"
' at euery brounte. — Eg. MS. And grantede hyt in compocyssyone,
^ ? MS. thy. that gome, Eg. MS., And selydehyt uppo-on tliyscondissiono,
and adds two lines. — F. That in the water of Sayuo wythonten
3 ? MS. might.— F. lette
'' ? MS. in t. — F. Owre schyppis to passe forth wyth here
* Eut bc-lyve comawndede owre Lege. fretto.
For to go to Caudyheke and sette ther a E«>dley MS. 124, Archaol. xxi. 56.
scgc. • "^ Tliat lie that dede wolde doo
And when he come the towne before, He gvauntyd hem in compassyou.
They bygan to trete wytliont cny more ; —Eg. MS. 1. 266, 267.
And as ]{one dyde, .so tliay wolde done.
SEEGE OFF ROUNE. 539
soe that tlieii wi'tliout lett
our sliipps might passe w/tli our [frettc]
then passed our shipps forth in [fere,]
152 & cast their Anchor Rowne fu[lle nere,]
as thicke in soyne as they neu[cr did stonde ;] •
then were the beseeged by watte [r and by londe.]
& when that warwicko thai end [hadde made,]
15G then to the hing againe hee ro[de,]
betwixt St. Katherins & the [kynge]
there he ordered his lodgiu[g.^]
well entred the Abbey w[as,]
IGO & soone yeelded, by gods gr[ace ;]
& after wrthin a litle space ^
he lodged att the port M[artynvace,''] [i. 2so Eg. ms.]
there as spitefull warr[e there was.]
1G4 euer they came forth o[wte in ]>at place,]
but then be dreuethe [hem yn a-gayne]
manfully with migh[te and mayne ;^]
& Salsbury was fain^ [to ryde,] [i. 280 Eg. ms.]
168 & yett hee turned *■ [and dyd a-byde,
[By Huntyngdon there lende]
till the seege wa[s at an ende,]
& the Gloster, that [gracyus home,]^
172 from the [sege of Chirboroughc when he [i. 288 Eg. MS.]
come]
[Gaj) : of about 70 lines in the Egerton MS., of 55 in the
BudUy.']
' in sayu as they niyghtc .stonde. — Eg. Moeho worschyppo there-fore to liyni
MS. was,
^ He loggyd hym and was byggyngc. And soo hathe ben in euery place. — F.
— Ef. MS. * Saulysbury that was synyde. — Eg.
» why] e.— Eg. MS. MS.
■• Martynvyle.— Eg. MS. ' Yet ho returnydo.— Eg. MS.
^ Lines 163-166 occur two pages back " So in Eg. MS., but read gome as in
in the Egerton MS. Eor them here. Eg. Bodley, 124,
lias: -(^iid tlieii Glowsetre tliat wortli}' gome.
- v.
540 SEEGE OFF EOUNE.
. wariyour ag-lit ' [p. 527 of MS.]
Knight
t noble Kniglit
176. . . .lie was full right
[Mon senoure PJewnes, tliis^ was hee, [i. 353 Eg. ms].
[Captayne of the p]ort of St. Hillary e ;
[The Bastard of Teynjosa,^ a warryour wight.
180. . . tive of much might,
[And of alle the] men* thai were without
[Of alle the Cytte ro]und about ;
[And euery on of the]se Captaines had
184 [V. M^ men and moo in l]ade ;
[And they nomberyd] were w/thin,^
[Whenn oure sege] did begin,
[To .iij. CCC. Ml an]d ten,
188 [Of wymmen, chyldryn,] and men;
[Of pepylle hyt was a grjeat rowte,"
[A kynge to lay a se]ge about.''^
[And there-to they were fulle] hardy indeede^
1 92 [Bothe in foote and eke in] steede [i. ^72 Eg. irs.]
er^y men^
. did know
' Mon seuyour Antoiiye A wern'our And gaunt laket or lakys of werrys
^•yglitf, [1. 347] wyse
He was leuetenaunt to that knyglite He was captayne and alle so the
Herre Ehanfewe was captayne pryce. — Eg. MS.
Of the porte de pount de sayne : [350] ■* skarmoschys.— Eg. MS.
lohan Mawtrevers that man, * And whenn they wolde rayse alle tlio
Of the porte of castelle was captayne. comyualte
— Eg. MS. Many a tlioiisande myghtf they be ;
And Mowne-Syr Antony, a werryoiir Men nomberyd them w/tA-yn. — Eg.
wyjte, MS.
He was levetenawnte nnder that kny3te. * a proude store. — Eg. MS.
And Hery Camfewe, he was captayne " a sege be-fore. — Eg. MS.
Of the Porte de Pownte of Sayne. * MS. ded indeede.— F. hardy in dede.
And Johan de Matreways, that nobylle — Eg. MS.
man, ' ^ And als i^rowde men as cuyr I sayo,
Of the Porte of the Castelle he was And poyntys of warre many one dyd
captan. shewe.
Bodley MS. 124, in Arcliceol. xxi. 59. Whenn they yssuyd owt, moste co-
"^ Pennewys thenne. — Eg. MS. mynly
^ The Bastarde of Tiyne in tliat Tli'--.y come not owte in one party ;
whylo [1. yr,-,] At ij. gatys, or iij. or alle, [i. 377]
Was captayne of porte Martynvyle Sodynly tlioy dyd owte falle. — Eg.
SEKUE OFF KOUNE.
541
. TO come out
e port
MS. Thero are 33 pages more in the
Egerton MS.
Men nomhrcil of hem that ■were withinne,
Ffurste when owre Scgo gan to Lcginne,
Unto four hundred thewsande aud ten,
OflF wymmen, off chyldren, and also off
men :
Off peple that was prowde store,
A kyuge to lay a Sege tofore.
Aud therto they war fulle hai'dy in dede,
Bothe on fote, and also on stede,
And the prowdcst men that ever y
knewe.
And niony poyntes of werre they wolde
shewo.
Eut when they wolde come owte comenly,
They eanio nott o^Yte alle on a party,
Notiier at two gates, nor at thro, but at
alle
Sodaynly they wolde out falle :
Bodley MS. 124, in Arckceol. xxi. p. 59-60.
There are above 18 pages more in
vol. xxi., in all 946 lines ; the rest, up to
1. 1312, arc (with the prior lines from
1. 686) in Arclueol. xxi. p. 371-384.— F.
542
l^m\) a %obtv am 5 ^
This song declares that the speaker is a lover of such a temper
that he varies, to use a mathematical phrase, directly as his
mistress ; whereas lovers, for the most part, vary inversely as
their idols. If she smiles on him, he is delighted ; if she refuses
him, he ejects her from his thoughts. He is no woman's slave.
Of lovers, as of the Jews, it may be said that sufferance is the
badge of all their tribe. This gentleman tears off and throws
away his badge. Should Cupid and Venus trouble him, —
Mandaret laqueum mediumque ostenderet unguom.
Mars, Bacchus, Apollo, are far superior divinities, to his thinking.
We have seen no other copy of this song.
I shan't die
for a girl's
refusal.
If once my
mistress is
unkind,
I forget her.
bUCH a Lover am I :
'Tis too late to deny
That for a refusall I never can dye ; ^
Yet my Temper is such,
And that's very much,
My Passion Re-Kindles at every Touch ;
But if once I doe find
My Mistress vnkind,
Why then her past favours are quite out of mind.
I don't cry
and bother
myself.
My Courage Il'e Keepe,^
'Tis Childish to weepe ;
12 I'le not be disordered, awake nor a-sleepc ;
' This song is written in a different and the MS. — F.
later hand. It has initial apostrophes, ^ ljuo 3 is written as two in the MS.
and some commas. Though it is with — F.
the fragments, it was never part of ^ ? MS. ILcepo. — F.
SUCH A LOVER AM I. 543
ffor if like a fond Swaine " i ^"^' Pi"°'
I should pine & complaine,
She'l scornfully Trivmph, & laugh at my paync, at'^no!''"^''
IG Or if I shold crave cowards
In Revenge the Cold Grave : for a
He that Dyes for a woman, can nere be that brave, [had-.] '
Hang Cupid and Venus ! nere menc/on them cupid i
more !
20 Such pitifull Powers I scorne to adore !
Since I by Kind Nature mv Liberty e have, if I'm free,
•' J J ^ ^vl)y should
'Twcre base that such Busrbares should make me ^ '^^^°
o myself
their slaves : ^ave ?
I manfully acknowledge my selfe farr above that'^'^°^°
24 That childish Idoletry, miscalled Love. nonsense.
Mars, Baccus, Apollo, are much more divine, Bacchus
Theire Biusinesse farr Nobler, much brisker their ^emis!
wine.
A wedded Condic/on contributes noe ease ;
28 Wife, Children, and Servants, disorder their
peace.
When heartye ffreinds fayl, my true Comforts of }^'"L'"/-,
Jjl^Q tlicn I'll turn
' desperate
I then may turnc desperate, & thinke of a Wife. ^^"^ marry.
544
2lppen6u\
I. LEOFFRICUS.
[Sodl. MS. 240, 2^. 359, col. 1, />i/ John of Tci/ncmoidk]
lte??i de eue?«tib?^t ilYius ton-pons cap.
99.
'HaraldKS et tosixus filij godwini du»i
ap;al AVindesora/M x'rnwm regi propiu-
asse?2t . capillis et mawibi^s mutuo cowfli-
geba?*t . qixovum i«fortuniii5« ventunuM
stati;« prophetauit rex edward^fs . Ha-
rald«s comes uolews visere ivatrem
suum et nepote;;t qui apud -WiWiehnum.
duce»t norma^mie obsides evAnt tem-
pestate actws delatzes est pontunium .
Q,ue;« co?!sul terre t?-«didit diici Williel-
mo . Harakb?s antcquam eiiadere posset .
iurauit duci quod filiawi eius duceret . et
Angliajwad opi(s eius scruaret . ^Mortuo
Henrico .2. mpcratore . successit Henri-
cus 3"' qui regnauit awnis 50 . StephaHus
.9. abbas de monte cassino . sedit post vic-
tore;/i mensihus .8. Benedici!us .10. sedit
papa me?isib?<s .9. qui xiolentcr intrusus
postmod««?« cessit . " Circa hectewporago-
diua comitissa, eoue»tr/aM a graui sfmi-
tiite liberare affecta^JS, leofricuwi comitewi
assiduis prceibMS sollicitauit ut sancte
trinitatis dei quod gewitricis i?!tuitu vil-
him a Tpredicta. sc/-uitute absolueret . P/'o-
hibuit comes ne de cetfro re;;; sibida;;;p-
nosa;;t hi-dnitcr postularet . Ilia autem
virum indesiiie?;te»-de peticfone pnmissa
exaspcrans . tale raHsu;?i extorsit ab eo
" Ascende," hiqult, " eq\ui?;i tuu;;i nuda a
ville inic/o usq;<e ad fiue?;;, pop?do con-
gregato . et cum redieris postulata im-
petrabis ." Genere godiua deo dilecta .
equum asce?zdens nuda crines capitis ot
tncas dissoluens . corpz<s totu;;i preter
crura inde velauit . Itinere co;«pleto . A
neminevisaad viru;7tgaude«sreuersaest.
Leofric«<5 \iero cowentriam a .s«-uitute li-
berauit . carta;/* sua?;i inde facta;;* sigilli
muuimiwe roborauit . et cito post obijt .
et apud couentrifl?;;, i;* moMflsteno qKod
ipso coMStruxerat, sepult?;s est . ^Vbi et
brachium srtwc^i Augustini doctoris ha-
hefur, arge;;tea techa Hiclusu;;i . q^wd
egelnotli!(s Avckie^piscojnis redie5;s a roma
apudpapiam vrbem aliqufl;?o'o emit .100.
tale;;tis argcwti . Hie leofricifs rep«rauit
et ditauit mo;?astma Iconewse iuxifa
Herefordw;;* . nVenelocmse et i« Lege-
cestrtfl srt?;,cteWerburge . sanctique ioha;j-
ms . Wxgovncnse quoque et euisham-
[ense] In Alamawnia scotor;«m moHas-
triu;« co;?;bustu;» est . q;(od qicidem
i;;cendiu;?J . quidaw mo;;ffclius patenn^s
no;;ii?;e diuan^'cpmlixerat' .Hio propter
p;-opositu»i reclusionis exire nole«s . se
co;?jburi passus est.
II. NUT-BROWN MAYD.
Compare with this the Carol on the Virgin Mary, No. VIII. in
the Sloane MS. 2593, leaf 5, printed by Mr. Wright in his
Songs and Carols for the Warton Club, 1861, p. 11.
1 |c,.)o KsriC.M. » c)/m brachium sant7/Ang».<tini mfiffrnt doctoris.
= infra cod. li6;'o. c. 110. ' nolo, de Lcomeustna iu.xto Hercfordi(/;;j.
» li;21. 10.57. 15. ' lli. 1058. icaa.
' Flores histon'a.
NUT-BROWN MAYD. 545
Woramew be bol>° good and trewo,
Wytnesse of maryc.
Of hondfs and body and face arn clene,
Womme« mown now bet<T bene,
In cwcry place it is sene,
W}1.nesse of marie.
It is knowyw, and euere was,
\>er a womma?? is in plas,
Womma?i is )>* wclle of gras,
Wytnesse [of Marie.]
J>ey louy« men wit/« herte trewe,
Ho wyl not chaungyw for now newe ; -
Wommew ben of wordys ffewe,
Wytnesse [of Marie.]
Wonimew ben trewe wJt/«-out lesyng,
Wommew be trewe in alle J^ing,
And out of care )>ey mown vs bryng,
Wytnesse of marie.
There are several satirical songs against women in Mr. T.
Wright's Carols and Songs for the Percy Society, 1847, in his
Ballads temp. Philip and Mary from a MS. at Oxford, for
the Roxbiirghe Club, and in vol. iv. of Mr. Hazlitt's Remains
of the Early Popular Poetry of England. Mr. Hazlitt notices
songs in praise of women. There is one in Reliq. Antiq. vol. i.
p. 275 ; and as Roberd of Brunne says,
. . no I'yng ys to man so dere
As wowmanys lone yn gode manere.
A gode wo?nman ys ma?;nys blys
Jjore here loue ry3t and stodfast ys :
}>ere ys no solas vndyr heuene
Of alle )>at a man may neuene,
Jjat shixld a man so moche glew
As a gode womman Jiat loueth trew.
Ne derer ys none yn Goddys hurdo
ban a chaste wo?nman w_yj5 louely wrde.
Handlyng Synne, p. G2, 1. 1901-13.
VOL. III. N N
A Cauilere 366
A Louer ofFLate . . . 389
A Prop[h]ecye . . . .371
Adam Bell, Clime of the Cloiigh, "1
and William of Cloudeslee _|
^Lneas and Dido . . .260
Alffonso and Ganselo . . . 507
Amintas 450
Are Women faire . . . 364
As yee came from the Holye
Land 465
Balowe 515
Bosworth Feilde .... 233
Carle off Carlilo . . . .275
Christopher White . . .494
Come, my dainty Doxeys . . 313
Come, pretty Wanton . . . 385
Coridon ..... 530
Cressus 301
Darkesome Cell . . . .123
Death and Liffe .... 49
Edward the Third . . .457
Gentle Heardsman . . . 524
Great or Proiide . . . .391
Hee is a Foole . . . .386
Hero and Lcander . . .295
I am 529
In olde Times paste . . .119
In the Dayes of Olde . .441
Kinge Edgar . . . .485
Kinge Hum bar . . . .435
Ladye Bessiyc . . . .319
Lcoffricus (or Godiva) . . 473
Lulla, Lulla! . . . .387
Marks More Foolo . . .127
Maudline 374
Murthering of Edward the Foixrth
his Sonnes . . . .162
Now the Springe is come . . 230
0 Noble Eestus . . . .269
Patient Grissell . . . .421
Proude where the Spencers . . 478
Queene Dido .... 499
Scroope and Browne . . .431
SeegeoffEoune .... 532
Sir Andrew Bartton . . . 399
Sir Cawline .... 1
Sir Degree . . . . .16
Sir John Butler .... 205
Songs of Shepardes . . . 303
Such a Louer am I . . .512
The Drowning of Henery the I
his Children . . . .156
The Fall of Princes . . .168
The Lauinian Shore . . . 308
The Nutt-browne Maid . .174
The Pore Man & the Kinge . 1 95
The Eose of Englande . .187
The Spanish Ladies Love . . 393
The Squier 263
Thomas of Potto . . .135
To Oxfforde . . . .315
Will Stewart and John . .215
William the Conquerour . . 151
Winingc of Cales . , , 453
Youngo Cloudeslee . . .102
547
GLOSSARY.
Almost all tJie words arc explained in the notes where they first occur. The
m<'aninris arc therefore put shortly here. Generally, only one reference is given.
The French words are from Cotguave, except where another authority is named.
ABO
ahone, i. 364/307, above, outside
abotts on ymi ! ii. 155/ 186
accompackemenf, i. 430/249, a compact
acton, i.358/127 ; i. 359/173, a waddod
or quilted tunic worn under the hau-
berk.— Planchi', i.lOS
aduanting, i. 155/342, boasting
afterclap, ii.399/184 ; afterclappe, i.435
/429
againe, i. 93/85, gain, get to
agoe, iii.26/215; 46/819, gone
agazed, iii. 154/70, agast
agramed, ii. 489/2036, angered
agrisc, i. 469/1515, frighten, terrify
a-know, i. 450/901, acknowledge, confess
all in ffere, iii.281/103, together. Per-
haps all on fire. — P.
alle, i. 362/247, ale
allyance, ii.58/7, aliens
allyants, iii. 241/1 46, aliens. — P. Alliant
or ally, one that is in league, or of
kindred with one. — Blount, 1656
alncr, i.l43, purse, money-bag
alyant, i. 215/61, alien
ancetrye, iii.240/127, ancestry
ancyent, i.303/77, ensign, flag
ancyents, ii.480/1789, heroes of old
and, iii.63/171, an
4', i. 367/405; ii.44/1, an
and, i.96/159, if
^- . . <$■, i. 369/463, if . . and
4% i.450/899, that, who
-and, imp. part., i.26/5
ane, i. 101/305, one
anonwright, i. 152/ 241, at once
apayd, ii. 559/49, pleased
apliqht, i.428/187 ; 472/1602, at onco
apl'y, i. 153/287, bend, yield
appay, ii. 568/274, own estimation?
applycd, i.l9i/263, bent to, performed
N
AXS
apnd, ii.265, in
archhoardc, iii.407/91, ship, or side of a
ship
arkward, i. 386/1029; 387/1055, ? awk-
ward, ugly
armin, ii. 476/ 1678, ermine
arming, i.517/18
array, ii. 570/305, armour
arsoone, ii. 434/516, saddle
arsowne, ii.429/363, Fr. ar<;on, saddle-
bow
as, iii.286/252, thus, like
aslake, i. 152/247, slacken, stop. A. -Sax.
aslacian, to slacken, loosen
assignment, iii. 535/49, signs
assise, ii.439/651, measure, manner, way
assoyled, iii. 101/674. assail, to acquit,
cleer, or pardon : to absolve. — JJul-
lokars I}ict.
a-steere, i.357/112, astir, on the qui vive
astyte, i.l08jl93, at once, quickly
astytc, or tytc, ii,430/379, c^uickly
att, i.391/1173, from
attdevice, i. 158/ 4 35, elegantly, splendidly
attild, i. 228/31 8, prepared, made ready
attilde, i.221/180; 228/318, made ready
attilde, i. 385/992, dealt, struck
auant, i. 150/192, boast. Fr. avanter
avant, iii. 71/366, boast. " I avaunto or
bosto myself," je me vante. — Palsgrave
avantcd, iii. 253/481, advanced, raised
avanting, i. 160/506, boasting
avayle, iii. 226/279, pull down, from Fr.
a val.
avoyde, I go out of a jilace, I avoydc out
of it. Jo vuide. — Palsgrave
awise, i. 233/410 ? miswritten for " a
noise."
awondrcd, i. 466/141 2, astonished
axsy, i.l43, ask, A.-Sax, acsian
n2
548
GLOSSARY.
BAG
bacheelcere, iii.6/61, knight
hachdours, iii.. '59/78, kuiiihts
hu(J(itrs, ii. 205/31, corn-dealers
baile, i. 161/534, bale, sorrow
baine, i.94/108, ready
bale, Prov. : when bale is att hyest,
boote is at next, i. 171/133
ball, ii.229/43, bale; iii.57/21, sorrow,
misery
ban, i.96/158, curse
baud, i. 81/26, bond, agreement
ha>Hlo;i, i.30/58
6rt«f('A7;i}ji^;,ii. 564/ 177,? bondship.vill en-
age, or fellowship. Sc. band, bond,
obligation . — Ja mieson.
bane, iii. 21/53, perhaps lane. — P.
bandy, iii. 66/247, kindly
bann, i. 55/31, curse
barathron, iii. 76/406, the Latin bara-
thrum, an abyss, used to signify hell.
— Dyce
barme, ii. 438/629, bosom
barnes, iii. 59/81, children, human crea-
tures.— P.
barrison, ii. 580/561, for warrison, gift,
reward
barronrye., i. 158/442, collection, or jury,
of barons
barronrye, i. 277/1 18, baronry
bascnett, ii.435/545, iii. 45/788, a light
helmet, like a scidl cap. Yv. bassinet . . ,
tlie scull, sleight helmet or headpiece,
worne in olde time, by the French men
of armes.- — Cot grave, 1611
bashed, i.225/252, abashed
battdl, iii. 439/47. Column, military
formation
baylye, ii.367/717, district
baysance, i. 159/476, obeisance, bow,
salutation *
beads, gold, for prayers, i. 365/ 331
beanes, iii. 41 3/208, beams. — P.
bcariny (arrow), iii.98/601 ; 413/211,
? well-feathered for far-shooting, like
a " good carrying cartridge."
Z»e«r»e, iii.56/14 ; 73/407, child human
creature, man, &e.
be det.ne, ii.224, Dutch, bij dicn, fortli-
with
bedone, ii. 305/8, done over, ornamented
beene, ii. 583/625, baine, ready
beeten, i. 227/304, lighted
began, i.448/843, grow, swell
begin the dais, ii. 379/ 1028, take the first
place at it :
Qwene Margaret began the dcyse ;
Kyng Ardus, wyth-owtyn lees,
Be hur was he sett.
Syr Tryamoure, ed. Halliwell, Percy
Soc. 1846, p. 55, 1. 1636-8
Two kyngys the deyse began,
Syr Egyllamoure and Crystyabelle
than
Sir Eglamnur, p. 173, 1. 1259-60
began, i. 115/595, gone over, done over,
dressed
began, i.394/1279, covered, ornamented
with
behapfned, i. 356/73, happened to
behcard, i.236/23,31. heard, i.309/229
behoues, iii. 25/165, is of use to
beleeue, ii.7 1/355, be leal, loyal, true
Mme,i.21/48,siiddenly; 223/212 quickly
belyeth, i. 458/1177, belies, tells lies,
against
benbow, i. 36/21, 54/20, bend bow, bow
that will bend
benchc, iii.329/209, ?
benefize, ii. 573/367, benefice
be7it, iii. 59/63, bent, whore rushes grow,
the field, bent, ii.341/20, dwelling ?
beraye, iii.24/138, bewray
fere, i.383/924, noise. ep./>w?/, iii.62/144
beranen, i. 213/31 ; iii. 63/172, run over
with, covered
beseeke, i. 163/596, Northern form of
beseech, i. 162/554
besene, well bysene, bicn accoustre. —
Palsgrave, p. 844, col. 1.
besett, i. 445/ 745, charged, exhorted
besids, i.379/802, from off
bespake, i. 176/11, spoke to
besprent, ii. 184/5, besprinkled
bethought, ttr;r, i.460/1226 ; i.463/1317,
thought
bethought, was, i. 486/2056, had plannotl
betide, " Baillez luy belle, G^wdly betide
him ; some bodie spit in his nioutli,
for now he hath it sure. — Cotgrave
betraine, i.459/1185, betrayed
bett, i. 36 1/238, remedied, relieved
bett, ii.485/1928, hoaX,, perfect
bett, iii. 36/ 190, better, larger
bett, i. 168/ 53, lighted, A.-Sax. betan, to
light a fire
bettdl, ii. 574/408, tell of, betray
biwept, ii. 373/ 858, lamented, wept for
bickered, i.213/27, fought, Welsh bicra,
to fight
//iVZf/o«, i. 356/79. stayed ; 368/455; 440
/580, remained
GLOS^fciAUY.
549
BIG
higrfcd, iii.72/S83, built
higi/lyc, iii. 72/390, mightily
biled, ii.306/34, drew near
lillamc7itt<, ii. 330/66, ornaments ?
bme, iii. 67/254, ? for pyne (see hync) ; or
trick, slaughter
birth, iii. 66/231, bulk, burthen
biriled, ii.310/173, cut \ip
bisse, iii.428/119, white silk; bissus,
qwite silke. Gloss, in lidiq. Ant.
i.7, col. 1. " Pure white sylke, soi/e
bissine." — Palsgrave, bissines, silken
words. — Cot grave
bitter, iii. 28/255, A.-S. Utd, beetle
blacke, ii. 403/54, ? blacking
blanchmere, iii. 41/1352, ? a kind of fur
blanke, ii. 164/12, a half-sou.s, half-i)onny
blanked, i.228/328, pierced point blank
Marked, iii.326/132 ; 337/412, blanked;
blank, palo and won, that is, out of
countenance. — Phillips
blaundemere, ii. 420/129, a kind of fur
bled, i. 362/246, bled drj-, bloodless
blee, ii. 306/50, colour, hue
blee, iii. 59/65, complexion ; S. bleoh, color
Wf«r/;ef/,iii.57/32, shrunk, started, leaned
towards
blend, i.236/30; 134/18, mixed
Ueeue, 1.1621556, believe
blinn, iii.67 254; bBme, i.175/7; 218
1 10, A.-S. blinnan, to cease
blood-irons, i. 56/53, 59, lancets
bliishe, iii.72/388,
bbisfied on, ii.72/382, blushed at
blythe, iii.38/551, A.-S. bli&e, glad
board, ii.298/69, lodge and feed
bole, iii. 57/32, (country word) the main
Body, or Stock of a Tree— -Phillips
bombard, n\.253/491. Fr. Bombarde. A
Bumbard, or murthering peece. — Cot-
grave
bondsman, ii.557, note. See Essay on
Bondman in vol. ii.
bo7ie, i. 38 1/881, village, Flemish bonne,
Sw. boning, Du. wooning, Germ, xvoh-
nen. From the same root as waiiie. —
Brockie. ? like bane, i.377/749, A.-S.
ba7ia, bona, 1. awound-niaker, a killer,
manslayer; 2. destruction. — Bosv'orlh
bookcs-7nan, i. 237/39,43 ; cp. kookes-
man, 1. 55
book-othe, i. 232/395, book-oath
boolish, iii. 58/58, perhaps tumid, swel-
ling, rounded
boomc, 1.66/122, 1 suspect " lodly bourne"
is an error of the copyist for "lodly
loone." — Brockie. log?, dwarf
boote, '\A7j6, compensation, A.-S. bot
bord, i.93/83, table
bord, ii. 372/837, side
bore, i. 21 3/27, boar, Richard II.'s badge
bore, i.452/967, ? lore, lost
borrowe, i.472/1612, surety
borrotved, ii.532/161, rescued
bote, i.474/1661, bit
bourd, i.379/811, jest
bourde, ii. 557/10, merry tale
bouted, i.374/651, bolted, sprang
bowles, i.98/220, knobs
bowles, iii, 287/293, bowls of wine
bowne, i. 218/113, prepare, address; ii.
298/57, dress ; i.384/948, prepared ;
iii.65/216, ready, prepared
hnwncd, i.396/1325, made ready
bowneth, i, 219/145, goes, journeys
bowsing, ii, 54/61, free-drinking
bradd, i. 221/176, moved quickly, flew
bradd, iii.63/175, to draw, to pidl
bradde, i. 453/989, broadened, spread
bradden, i.228/312, flew
braggatt, ii. 563/ 141, honej' and ale fer-
mented. See a recipe from the Haven
of Health in Nares
braid, ii.381/1090, dropt, fell; ii.65/
188, leapt
brake, ii.l 19/1 112, cut up
brake of fear ne, i. 27/11, in bracken or
fern
hrasyd, i. 115/655, embraced
brau'ders, iii. 59/63, embroideries
brag, i.97/192, move quickly
brayd, i. 222/ 191, attack
bragd, iii.360/1002, ? flourished about
brayd, i. 495/2349, instant, (on a) sud-
den
brayde, att a, iii. 90/366, suddenly
bread, ii. 105/740, breadth
brcade, ii.533/187, pulled
hreaden, ii, 329/35, braided?
break, ii. 358/486, cut up ; see brake
bred, i.213/24, spread out
hredd, i.229/332, attack
hroiie, i. 92/36 ; iii. 57/34, fierce
brecmlye, iii.7 1/364, fiercely, furiously
brest, speares in, ii. 240/63 ? not for rcKt
Init up to the breast ; so in Maleore's
Mort Darthur
brrther, ii. 206/56, brethren
breuelye, iii. 68/283, bremely. — P. ? brief-
550
GLOSSARY.
BBB
brewice, ii.574/389, broth, pottage
bringer-tip, i.332/332
broche, iii. 60/94, an ornament, jewel,
clasp. — P.
hrodinqe, iii.6/63, brode, to prick. G.D,
—P. ? breadthe : cp. 1. 76.— F.
broJced, i. 356/82, rejected, lost?
brooke, ii. 388/1279, enjoy, possess
broohe, iii. 13/167, broke, i.e. enjoy. —
P.
brotherlingc, i. 426/1 34, nincompoop:
brithdmr/, worthless, a rascal. Cp.
O. Eng. brothel. — H. Coleridge
bruchc, i. 184/58, brooch
brushed, 1.388/ 1075, spouted. Cp. the
complaint icatcr-brush, a vomiting of
watery fliiid
bryar, iii.26/188. Pronounced brcre:
see Levins, col. 209, 1. 15
bryke, i. 232/401, ravine, fissiu-e, broach
or break in the surface, Dan. hrtek :
or, unploughed land, Du. hraak.
— Brockie
biichett, iii. 345/634, budget
buff, 1.517/ 14, a leather coat
bufe, i. 83/76, ? for buske, ai-m
blinded, i. 27/11. beilded, sheltered : Old
Norse bceli, place of shelter or refuge
burgen, iii. 59/ 71, burgeon, the same as
bud
burne, i.91/12, man
burnef, ii. 569/284. Fr. hrimette, fine
blacke cloth, whence, Aiessi bien sent
amourettes soubs bureau qtie sous
brunettes: Prov. Loiie plaj'es his
pranks as well in Cotes as Courts. —
Cot grave
5««S;t,i.91/9; iii. 47/843, to prepare, dress ;
a simple adoption of the deponent form
of the Icelandic verb bua ; at buast for
at buasc contracted from at bua sig, to
make oneself ready, dress oneself. —
Wedgwood
busked', iii.97/575. Scot, buskit, dress'd,
decked
busied, ii. 122/ 1202, hurtled, buslery, a
tumult. — Halliwell
but if, iii. 67/254, unless.— P.
butt', ii.232, note »
by, iii. 3/5, of; iii. 27/242, about, con-
cerning
by, shold by, should go by, hold to, i.
157/405
bydeene, i.472/1614, at once, forthwith
bye, iii.56/16, abye, A.-S. abicgan.
bygan the dese, i.l 15/602, took the
CHA
highest place at the table. See began
byne, ii.86/160, pyne, punishment
cainell bone, i.387/1041, the clavicle or
neckbone. See cannelle-boon in Bahees
Book Index
caltrappys, iii. 537/113, Pr. chanssetrape:
f. A Caltrop or iron engine of vs'arre,
made with foure pricks or sharp points,
whereof one, howsoeuer it is cast, euer
stands vpward. — Cotgrave
can, i.455/1049, knowest; ii.429/353,
know. " I can skyll of a crafte or
science. Je ms congnois. . Thoii cannest
skyll of cranes dyrte, thy father was
a poulter." — Palsgrave, p. 475, col. 1
candle, i. 248/4, ? caudle
cankrcd, i.48/33, ill-tempered
cantell, ii. 430/388, corner, piece
capuU, i.214/33; ii.562/130; 567/234,
W. keff'yl, a horse
carded, i.l 25/9, played at cards
carfull, iii.503/53, care-full
carle, ii. 559/47, churl, peasant
carles, ii. 576/452, churl's
Carlist, i.l 17/183,?
carpe, 1.212/5, tell
carped, i.216/83, uttered; iii. 66/231,
complained
earned, iii. 7 1/347, pierced
cast, i.369/491, device, trick
causye, ii. 428/320, caiiseway . Fr. chaussce,
a woman that wears breeches, also, the
causey, banke or damme of a pond or
of a riiier
cease, iii. 36/494, seize, give possession
cercott, ii. 421/138, surcoat
certer, ii. 428/335, certes
chaffe, iii. 103/42, ? for chiiffe, a term of
reproach
chaffing, i. 56/55, heating
chalengeth, iii.132/123, Fr. ehalengcr, to
claime, challenge
c^a^js^jw^,i.389/ 11 16, bother, fuss. "Sir
Gray-Steeles desired that there should
be ' noe chalishing ' for his death, that
is, no procession of priests at his fune-
ral, no religious rites. Chalice, the
communion cup. lie did not want to
be chaliccd." — Brockie
chanqmind, i.l 58/458, ? ornamented in
some way
chandlers, ii. 70/311 ; chandlours, ii.567
/248, candlesticks
chape, ii. 582/ 606. " I chape a sworde, or
dagger. I put a chape on the shcthe.
GLOSSARY.
551
CHA
' Je mcts la boiiteroUe.' What shall
I gyve the to chape my dagger."—
Palsy rave
charke-bord, iii.409; 114,? same as arche-
bord, 1. 91
cheape, ii.539/369 ; chccpe, i.179/102,
A. -Sax. ccdp, a bargain
cheere, i. 446/768, state, condition
chccuc, ii. 563/ 152, thrive
chest of tree, ii. 461/1263, chestnut tree ?
chiualryc, i.494/2314, chiualrous, mag-
nificent, fighting
choppes, ii. 570/314, blows?
christall, iii.75/446, kjTtle. ? petticoat
christendome, i.452/962 ; ii. 369/ 753,
christening
Christen tie, i.45/139, Christendom
chune, ii. 537/314, chin
chtirle, iii.33, 402, a slave, a vassal. — P.
chmmcd, i. 225/258, starved: elem or
clam, the latter is in Staffordshire
the more common, the former con-
sidered the more correct. Clanid
is very hungry ; Starved, very cold ;
the two are never confounded, and
starve is never used in connection
with hunger. — E. Viles
clergye, i. 365/350 ; ii.488/2020, learning
clii'ft or chut, i. 15/18, clouted: see i.48
/12
clippeth, i.l 53/272, A.-Sax. clypian, to
call
close, i.225/249, clewes, valleys
clothes, ii. 134/1568, tablecloths
clouted, iii.225/241, patched
clowes, i.232/391, clefts in the sides of
hills
coate-armor, ii. 192/50, tabard
cockebotte, iii. 160/99, kockebotte for a
shyppe, cocquet. — Palsgrave. Nasscl-
Ictte : f. A small skiffe, scull, or cocke-
boat. Nasselle : f. A skiffe, wherrie,
or cock-boat. — Cotyravc
cockward, i. 65/94, 106, cuckold
coice, iii.97/564, Qu. chose. — P.
cold, i.70/198 ; 457/1125, knew
cold, i.l 11/89; 385/980, did
colled, ii.493/2151, curled
colour, iii. 60/89. Qu. collar
combrance, i.448/825, encumbrance, ill-
doing, stratagem
coinen, i.220/150, coming
comment, i.29/47, read conwent, convent,
lot
co7nuvye,\.&Qi\'2b, communing, consult-
ation
CUM
confoiinde, ii. 386/1213, perish
contrition, ii. 547/585, lamentation
cooasten, i.224/235, marched
coparsonarye, i. 275/64, coparceny
coppe, i. 28/20, head
cordiuant, i. 185/91, of Cordovan leather
coste, ii. 558/38, province?
couer, ii. 543/467, recover
couett, ii. 67/235, courtt ?
countenance, grimace, " "Wrinkeled as
ones face is by makyng of a coim-
tenance, m. et f. fronce. — Palsgrave,
p. 330, col. 2
counter, vb. i.358/144, encounter, fight
counter, sb. i. 382/895, attack
countred, iii. 255/545, encountered
course, corpes, 1.462/1295, 1297, corpse
course ofwarr, a, ii. 292/49, tilt, joust
courtnolls, ii. 151/80, courtiers
couthe, i.433/339, known
cowle-tree, ii.440/680, cowl.'^taff, a big
pole. Fr. tine, a Colestaffe or Stang ;
a big staffe whereon a burthen is
carried betweene two on their should-
ers.— Cotgrave
cowthe, ii.557/14, knew
coye, i. 233/414, man
coyfe, ii. 430/394, hood of mail
coyle, ii.52/2, fuss. Fr. carymari, cary-
mara. Fained words expressing a
great ccyle, stirre, hurlyburly, or the
confused muttering of a rude com-
panie. — Cotgrave
coyse, ii. 53/29, ? coyle, fuss, or Fr. cause,
chat, and thence carouse
creame, iii. 74/438, chrism, sacred oil
creepers, ii. 151/68, lice
cricke, ii.323/12, louse
crinkle, ii.308/114
cristinty, i. 41/48, Christendom
crochc, i.514/155, crouch
crowdc, ii.422/149, a kind of fiddle
crownackles, ii.451/983, note ; spear-
heads
crownall, ii. 451/993, coronel ; see note ',
p. 451
crownalls, ii.477/1712, spearheads
crope, i. 360/1 88, crept
crowt, ii.308/114, curl up
cryance, iii. 7/ 82; MS. cryamce, fear;
Old Fr. criente, crainto
cth for tch, i.23/73 ; ii. 139/76, macth, i.
228/316
cuchdd, ii. 310/150,161, cuckold
cumber, i.l 97/4 16, distress, torture
552
GLOSSARY.
CUE
DBA
cursing, i.43.5/41 o, state of excommuni-
cation, heathenness
cut-tailed clog, i.20/17, note '
Whistles Cut-taylc from his phiy,
And along with them he goes.
1627. — Drayton's Shepheards Sirena.
ctittcd, i.27/l6; i. 29/44, short-frocked,
generally ciirfal. Fr. Eoussin : A Ciu'-
tall or strong German horse. — Cot.
dain, i.366/371, ? corner, or hole, spying-
place
dained, iii. 66/226, ordained, bade. — Sk.
The context wants the meaning — was
told to.— F.
dale, ii.76/482, share
dange, i.359/166, dashed, struck
danger, ii.566/207, endanger
danger, i.472/1611, power
t?rt??,c?cr,i.471/ 1598, difficulties, hesitation
daredst, iii.74/419
darr, ii.73/395, hurt
dayntye, iii.68/281, delight
(/mfZ,'i.l00/258, death. Mr. Peacock
says, a Lincolnshire woman told him
that she " would rather be nibbled to
dead with ducks, than live with Miss
— ; she is always a nattering." — Mirk,
p. 73
dcane, i.444/693, injury ?
deared, iii. 69/31 2, destroyed, injured
dearfe, i.21 3/25 ; fierce, ' great, bold, O.N.
diarfr, Sw. djerf,stvoug, bold.' — Morris
dearne, 1.464/1356, A.-S. dearn, secret
decke, ii.403/58, pack of cards
deede, iii. 134/184, death
deene, ii. 559/48, e'en, evening
deere, 1.364/320; iii.238/79, A.-S. dar,
daru, destruction, injury
deere, i.481/1879, injure
degree, i.369/478; ii.103/674, the pas,
place of honour
delay, ii. 382/11 07, an appearance: Fr.
delay, in Law, a day given for appear-
ance, or for the bringing in or amend-
ing of a plea. — Cofgrave
ddfc, i.445/732, delven, buried
delicates, ii.285/145, delicacies
ddinerlye, i. 358/135, nimbly
demeaning, ii.442/727, walk or ride ; Fr.
demener, to stirro much, mooue to and
fro, remoue often
derfc, i.228/329, fierce ; i.213/32. hard ;
iii.70/325, cruel
dcsease, ii.561/106, harm
device, at, i.159/485, elegantly; ii.240
/1 25, neatly, correctly
deske, i.427/148, dais
desonres, ii.45 1/989, disours, tellers
desse, iii. 40/629, dais, the upper part of
the Hall, where the high table stood.
—P.
dijformyd, i.117/700, misshapen, put out
of shape
dight, i.466/1434, make ready
dight, iii. 44/736, deck'd, dressed
dight, i. 355/54, conditioned
diqht, ii. 543/468, used up
dild, iii. 107/122, yield it, requite
dilffidl, iii.257/cd3, doleful
dill, iii. 4/22, grief, A.-S. deol, deceit,
trouble ?
ding, ii.361/537, batter
divge, i. 236/22, beat, knock
diiit, ii.423/183, 192, charge, thrust
dint, iii. 34/436, dent, impression, mark.
— P. Bint, an impression or mark. — •
Phillips (by Kersey) ; and so Shak-
speare :
His tenderer cheek receives her soft
hand's print.
As apt as new-fall'n snow takes any
dint.
Venus and Adonis, 1. 53-4. — E.V.
discrccme, iii. 495/7, ? discreeue
discrecve, iii.4/19, describe, discover
dish-mcatc, ii. 576/463, sweets; ' J>eire
dischmetes ar dressid with hony not
claryfied.' — Kussell in Bahces Book,
160/514
di.'ijwnce, i.286/392, dispensation
distance, ii, 115/996, dispute, diffi^rence
distayned, i. 357/89, worsted, vanquished
disfere, ii.456/1107, destrier, war-horse
dinvorship, i. 156/ 392
doe, i. 449/877, put
doe away ! ii.569/297, go along with you !
dole, i. 428/181, sorrow, misfortune
donge, ii.361/531, battered
doii'ge, ii.384/1172, clashed, charged
dnp, iii. 103/21 ; dope, i.e. do open. — P.
dniihl, i.48/14; iii. 74/439, f*ar
douhtfull, iii.259/649,_fearful, dreadful
dought, ii.332/122, enjoyed
doughtilye, iii. 75/447, valiantly, reso-
lutely, vmdauntedly
downe, iii.25/183, perhaps done. — P.
doxie, Fr. Gucuse : f. A woman bcgger,
a she rogue, a great lazie and louzie
queane ; a Doxie or Mort. — Cotgravc
drayned, i. 221/174, dawned
GLOSSARY.
553
drcadfullye, i. 470/1563, in great dread
dree, iii. 73/397, endure, hold out, A.-S.
dreogan, Goth, driwjan, to serve as a
soldier, fight, to hold out in lighting.
dright, iii.57/38, great, noble, fine, A.-S.
driht
droughten, i. 214,35, A.-S. driJden, the
Lord, God
droxiycrs, ii.8/32, drivers of the deer
druryes, iii. 60/87, lovelinesses, graces
drye, iii. 67/263 ; d>-y,drien,o\ld'\ w\ord'\,
suffer, Coles's Eng. Diet. 1677.— F.
dtmge, iii. 65/211, dang
dungen, i.213, 32, beaten, Scotch ding,
to beat, Isl. daengia. — Jamieson
dunish, iii. 133. 160. ?fZt<«wy,deaf, stupid
dunned, i.228/329, resounded
effs?"«^, iii.267/113. See note
easmend, i. 361/222,230, attention, doc-
toring
eas7)icnts, i. 362/260, attentions, care
eft, iii. 434/75, quick, readv
eke, for ' epe,' bold, i.226/282
clke, i.226/282, ilke, same
ett-cs,ii.677/468,wild swans, or? omelettes
e??ies,ii. 431/434, uncle's, A.-S. crt/», uncle
enfante, i.443/669, get with child by
enginy, ii. 29/36, scheming
epe, i!223/220 ; 229/340 ; 231/371, bold
error, ii .423/ 196, running, haste ; or
anger ?
-es, 2ud pers. sing. ' slayes thou' i. 20/21 ;
see gahlcs
ethe, i."396/1352, easy
euercche, i. 486/2070, every
eues, ii.437/601, eaves, overarching trees
euyes, ii. 75/450, ivies
examiter, iii. 31 8/39, hexameter
cse[7i], i.28/39, hose?
faikine, i.43/90
faine, iii. 79/ 69, glad
faire, iii. 75/450, fair thing
falling, iii. 197/5. This transitive sense
of the verb to fall is common in Staf-
fordshire, where people always speak
of falling a tree instead of Jelling it.
—r.
fame, ii.80/12, evil report, disrepute
famed, ii. 100/570, defamed
fane, ii. 383/1 137, vane, weathercock
farden, iii. 63/165, i.e. fared, passed,
went, were. — P.
FFO
fare, ii. 355/402, went
fare, i.472/1608, doing, business, object
[farr, i.232i404, ? fsire, go
farren, i.391/]16o, fared
fate, f lite, i. 30/51, whistle
faua'h, i.228/315, fallow ground. Scotch,
Jauch, " Tenants' fauch gars lairds
lauch." — Brockie
fay, i.94/92, faith, Fr./oi
fay rye, ii.472/1540, enchantment
fcxtrc, i. 158/454; 178/72, company
feared, i.378/756, frightened
felly, i.325/123, savagely
fend, i.21/32, ward off; ii.61/78, defend
fended, i.365/346, guarded, fought
fettle, i. 221/163, in constant use in Staf-
fordshire, ' to prepare or get ready.' —
E.r.
fere, i. 355/41, mate, lover
ferle, i. 233/41 3, wonderful; or fcrse,
fierce
fet, i. 149/ 166, fetch
'fett, ii.328/19, fetch
'fettled, i.221/183, set to work quickly
fettled, i.231/388, prepared
fettlen, i.227/304, get ready
fetv, i. 21 3/17, ? iorfele, many
ffaine, iii.31/340, glad
ffalcy, ii. 588/766, ? ferley, wonderful
fare, ii.647/o83, going-on, grief
jj'arlcy, ii.229/36, wondrous
ffarrand, ii.572/353, 358, looking
jj'a.re, iii. 326/121, faxe, hair. A.-S.
feax
ffayre, iii.59/64, i.e. fair thing, fair crea-
ture, see 1. 450. — P.
ffeald, iii.285/239, a truss of straw.— P.
ffcarcth, iii.68/282, frighten
ffeate, ii. 545/ 533, natty, handy
ffecre, in, iii. 44/ 763, together
ffeiht, iii.502/2o, fet, fetched
ffeh-y, ii.451/994, savage?
if'vlled, ii. 435/548, feeled, felt
jfere, iii. 77/20, companion
ffettclcd, ii.230/60, made ready
fflax, iii,266/93. A.-S. fax, hair of
the head
ffleeringe, iii.73/412, ? flcingo
fflome, ii. 425/251, river
fflomes, ii. 577/468, cheesecakes
fflourisJicd, ii.485/1913, ornamented
ffome, iii. 263/5, sea, qu. — P.
food, ii. 385/1 195, lady, dame
jfoodr, i. 456/1 084, imp, cliild
Jfootmannfiijiji, iii. 531/25, running, speed
for, iii.291/420, through
554
GLOSSARY.
FFO
Sorhott, iii.ll3;313, see A^ol. I. p. 18,
note. " I fende to Goddes forLode it
shulde be so : a Bku ne playse
qiCaynsi il aduiengne." — Palsgrave,
p. 548, col. 1
fforceth not, iii. 370/29, doesn't mind
ffvre, iii.'285/228, fared
fforfarc, ii.459/1'200, destroy
fforlore, iii. 45/ 790, lost
fforildnketh, iii.96/548, repents. "I
repente me, I fortlij'nke me. Jc me
rejxns. — Palsgrave, p. 686, col. 2
Forthink, o[ld], to be grieved in mind, — ■
Coles s Eng. Diet. 1677
ffortliought, iii.333/304, repented of
fforward, agreement, ii. 461/1271
founded, ii.544/493, tried
ffraine, iii 61/130, to ask or desire. —
Phillips
frankish, ii.590/826, ? liberator French
ffreaJce, iii. 62/157, freke, homo, a human
creature. — Lye
ffreane, ii.534/224, ask
ffrededge, ii. 564/176, condition?; but
freelage, an lieritable property as dis-
tinguished from a farm. — Jamicsmi
ffreelye, ii.385/1195, A.-S.frc6Uc, noble,
lordly
ffrom, iii. 265/76, ? frame: cp. flfrane,
1. 153
ffroferye, ii. 577/468, fritters
ffrowtc, ii. 588/771, hit, punch
Jibd, i. 441/594. defiled
filingc, ii. 276/118, 124, defiling, dirtying
flaugh, i.71/227, flew
flcame, i.472/1624, K.-^. flyman, banish
fleamed, i.435/426 ; ii.l33/lo26, ban-
ished
florences, i.393/1232; 396/1350; ii.89/
238, florins
flyte, ii. 322/9 ; 324/41, 57, scold, quarrel
fooder, i.172/160, German /«^(^/-, a wine-
tun. 1. 162, "God will send to us
auger " = God will enable me to tap
you, draw your life blood. — Blacldcy.
Rin fudcr oder stuck/ass rheinischen
weins, so seeks oh77i oder zwey hundert
und vierzig stilbchen halt, a tun of
Ehenish wine ; a great fat containing
two buts or 240 gallons. — lAidwig
fooder, i. 216/94, A.-S. fo^er, a mass,
load
force, i. 100/266, matter, consequence
force, i. 288/455 ; need, necessity
fordoe, i. 157/408, destroy
forefcnd, i.lOO;277, forbid
GAE
forefcndant, i. 150/191, forfend, forbid
forcforc, i.91/33, vanquish ?
forfowhte, iii. , ? see notes, tired out
with fighting
Thus lasted longe that ilke Melle
be-twene hym and Me full Sekerle,
tyl that I was so forfowhte
that non lengere stonden I Mowhte.
Scynt Graal, ii. 208, 1. 765
forlaine, i.464/1369, lain by, violated
forlaine, ii.86/168, lain with, adultered
with
forlore, i. 150/ 194, entirely lost
'formen, i.213/30; i.220/167 ; 369/492,
foemen
forshapen, i. 117/752, misshapen
forth of, i.356/80, from
forth-wise, i.444/714, forthwith
forward, i.229/335, ? advance, attack ;
or, as in note °
forwardes, i.l 14/536, agreements ; A.-S.
foreweard, an agreement
forward, ii. 192/43, foreguard, advance-
guard
fosters, ii. 116/1037; ii.117/1058, for-
esters
fowlc, i.223/231, bird
fox, ii.54/43, make drunk
'fraye, that, i. 365/341, at that seiz^ire
frcake, i. 214/50, warrior
frencd, ii. 385/1201, frained, asked
fronse, iii.366/last line, a sore in a
hawk's mouth
frythes, i. 357/105, fords, passages, Germ.
furth,furt; Scan, fiird; SweA. fdrj.
■ — Brockie. cp. ryding places, i.383/
937. Vadiim a forthe, Bel. Ant. i.9,
col. 1.
furhrished, i. 391/1 192, sorely briiised
^furleij, ii.68;280, wonder
'furlcy, i. 384/974 ; ii.68/275, wondrous
fute, i. 30/51, whistle, cp. Cleveland,
ivhewt, W'^cwi^^f, to whistle; to pipe as
a bird does. — Atkinson
fuiinq, i. 30/54, whistling
fylc, \. 445/727, defile
gables, i.454/1027, gabbiest, talkest stuff
and nonsense
gainest, iii. 65/208, gain, clever, handy,
ready, dextrous.— JoAw^ow.
qallyard, ii. 579/530, a lively dance
'garr, i.91/23 ; ii. 564/1 73, m'ako, cause
garrison, i.484/1998, reinforcement ?
garsowne, ii.474/1607, boy, youth
GLOSSAEY.
555
GAT
gate, ii.206/58, ford
gate, iii.279/38, begat
gates, ii. 229/46, ways, paths
gaide, ii. 306/41, gules, red
gauelocke, i. 489/2138, staif, an iron
crowbar or mace. Gothic gafiack,
weapon, chib. — Brockie
gaynest, iii. 73/412, quickest
getigdU. ii.288/213, gentle folk
gent, i, 160/500, gentle, gracious
gentles, ii. 573/382,38-5, gentlefolk's
gentrise, ii. 559/65, gentlemanlike be-
haviour
gentrr/es, i. 159/461, gentrise, grace
ghcsting, i. 64/66, 68, lodging, entertain-
ment
giffc, i.169/85, if
g\lt, i. 450/907, sinned : A.-S. gyltan, to
make or prove guilty
ginne, i.239/88, trick
girthers, i. 385/995, girding leathers,
straps
gme, i. 5 19/ 81, if
gladcdd, i.357/111, became glad, re-
joiced
glased, ii. 538/326, glanced, struck
glashct, ii, 333/1 37, glanced, sprang
glaue, i. bl\1b, sword
gleads, ii. 568/264, kites
gleed, i.65/113; iii.252/477, live coal
glented, iii. 72/384, glanced
glenten, i. 21 5/71, went quickly
glode, iii.57/28, glided
gloving, i. 217/103, shining
gnew, iii. 334/328, gnawetl
godly, i. 2 15/ 55, goodly, well
godsmen, ii.543/484, almsmen
gods-penny, i.176/20, 179/105, earnest-
money
gogled, i. 16/26, waggled; iii. C-2/147, jog-
gled, wagged, shook
gold chaines, i.509/13, servants who
wore gold chains
gone, ii. 373/859, dead
good, i. 25 1/82, truly
gorgere, ii.478/1726, throat-armour
graine, ii. 323/29, crimson
graine, ilhlYI, fork of a tree. See Mr,
Peacock's note, i., see Notes
graines, ii. 570/319, prongs
gramarye, ii. 604/144, 164; 607 265,
magic
grame, i. 441/614, get angry
grame, ii. 72/386, vexation, ii. 448/893,
torture
GET
granado, ii.41/16, fire grenades into ;
granad(T sb, 1. 20
grange house, i. 338/482
grantesse, ii.3-J6/163, agreement, pkdge?
grasse, iii. 279/64, fat
graunt, i.l 14/531, agreement
greathes, \.'2\blbo, makes ready
greaue, uMl^U ; 440^661, gi-ove
^rcc, i. 380/833; ii.346/154; first place,
prize
grecce, iii. 92/421. ~Fr. graisse,ii\t
greete, i. 58/100, grit ; i.357/109, gravel
green (applied to a man's face), i. 356/ 69
grett, iii.343/579. greeted
griffon, ii.370/776 ; 371/800,805; see
gripe
grill, ii.487/1995, fierce
grinde, ii. 336/25, polish
gripe, i.l48jl05, ypwifi 9>'yps, a griffin.
A gryphe hyghte Griphcs, and is ac-
counted amonge volatiles, Deutero-
nomi, xiiii. And there the Glose
saythe, that the grype is foure
fotedde, and lyke to the egle in heed
and in wj-nges. And is Ij'ke to the
lyon in the other parte of the body,
and dwelleth in those hylles that
ben called Hyperborei, and ben
mooste enemyes to horses and men,
& greueth them moste, and layeth
in his neste a stone that hj'ght Sma-
ragdus agaynste venemous beastes of
the mountayne. — Trevisa's Barthol-
omesus, bk. xii, ch. xix, leaf 171, col.
2, ed. 1535. See Mr. Euskin's con-
trast of the ancient and modern
sculptured grifiin in his Modern
Painters, iii. 106
grise, ii.439/648, horrible
grislye, i.467/1468; 469/1505,1510,
1513, A.-S. grislic, horrible, dreadful
grisse, i. 391/1 179, A.-S. agrysan, fear,
gryre, horror, terror
griste, ii. 540/389, ? power, A.-S. grist,
grinding
grith, i. 230/266, protection
groomes, i.93/85, men; iii.26/204,
60/84
growden, iii. 256/578, ? fighting
grounding, i.57/75, ground, sharpened
gryme, iii. 65/225. ? foregrim, i.e. very
grim ; A.-S. grim, fury, rage ;
gryinetan, to rage
grype, i. 169/73 ; iii.63/173, griffin, see
gripe
556
GLOSSAllT.
GRY
gryse, ii. 448/902, grey fur ?
ffuesfs, i. 232/402, Scotch, quest, ghaist,
English, ghost. — Brockie
g\dlt, i. 172/168,170, gilt
gurdc, i. 21 6/93 ; Se. gird, to move with
expedition and force. — Jamicson
gurding, i. 228/323, letting fly, shooting
gynne, i.480/1854, engine; "i.491/2223,
wile, device
gysarmes, ii. 457/1166, " giiisarme, a
lance with a hook at the side." —
IHanche
hahergion, i.358/128; i.364/309, dim. of
hauberk, the little throat-guard. —
Planche, i.llO
hailow, i.150/173, A.-S. halig, holy
halch, i.110/65; iii. 284/190, salute, O.N.
heilsa, say " hail" to. hayJse, or greete,
je salue. I halse one, I take hym
aboute the neeke, Jaccole. — Palsgrave,
p. 577
^rt/f;^wZ,i.217/98; i. 301/27 ;i.306/146-7;
372/581, saluted
haled, ii. 13/180, drew
handfasted, 1.394/ 1274, betrothed
hansell, ii.192/37. greeting, gift
hafpen, i. 359/146, fall, strike
harbarrowes, ii. 71/342, lodges
harbor, ii.560/78 ; 581/573, lodging,
entertainment
harborrowe, ii. 69/294, 300, lodging
harke, ii.482/1851, hearken to
harllot, i. 152/260, scamp, worthless fel-
low
harlotts, i.445/726,737, loose fellows,
scamps
harold, i.304/106, herald
harrowed, ii. 349/241, broke open and
despoiled
harrowes, ii. 73/414, breaks open and
despoils
hart, tooke his owne to him, i.l 63/606,
took courage
harvenger, i.38/5, harbinger, courier,
" one sent on to prepare harbourage
or lodgment for his employer." — Wedg-
wood
hattell, i.224/237, nobleman
hav)e, ii. 579/530, hay, a winding coimtry
dance, a reel. It was also a winding
in-and-out figure in a round country
dance. — ChappeU
hatvere, i.l 49/ 150, Fr. avoir, possessions
hawibige, i. 92/56, halting?
HTN
he, \A11\\1bl, they
head, give onds horse his, i. 358/1 24
head, iii. 192/ 75, A.-S. hchfdian, to bo-
head
headed, iii.321/8, beheaded
heare, iii.63/158, hair
heate, ii. 305/1 8, a promise
hcathenncst, i.63/66 ; heathinnesse, ii.l84
/1 25; heathyncsse, i.498/3, heathen-
dom
hecke, iii. 285/232, the lower half of a
stable door
hee, i.92/56 ; 147/102, high
heede, iii.24/134, perhaps keep. — P.
heese, iii. 139/63, he will be, or must be
heire, i.97/179, higher
hend, ii.345/120, bid
hend, i.l52 244, gentle
hendlye, i.427/147, gently
AcMi',i.l00/263, seized; i.28/29,35,caught,
took
herrott, i. 230/353, herald
hett, iii.355/877, promise; i.443/666,
671, promised
highinge, ii. 11 0/876, haste
hight, i. 439/558, was named
hind, i.159/463 ; i.162/577, hend, gentle
^is, i.387/1042, i.390/1153, ii.375/921,is
hoe, ii.489/2058, hold, stop
hoglin, ii. 360/529, dear little hog
hold, iii.25/161, to its . . .hold, i.e. held.
—P.
hollcn, i. 109/55, A.-S. holen, holly
holte, iii. 58/55, a wood, a rough place.
Holt (Sax.) a small AVood, or Grove ;
whence the Street call'd Holborn in
liondon had its Name.- — Phillips (by
Kersey). Fr. Touche de bois. A hoult ;
a little thicke groue or tuft of high
trees, especially such a one as is neere
a house, and scrues to beautifie it, or
as a marke for it. — Cofgrave
home, iii. 28/ 258, on whom
homly, i.67/153, homo, close, tight
hony, i. 151/203, love, sweetheart
hore, ii. 473/1585, mud, dirt
hose, i.67/153, cuddle
houed, ii. 383/1 151, iii. 31/358, halted
houzle, sb. i.57/88 ; hoiide, vb. i.l 72/
178, to administer the Sacrament:
A.-S. huselian
hurt, i.67/153, heart
hf/de, i.362/263, a lady's skin
hynd, iii.61/107; /*ywf/c,iii.70/340,hund,
gentle
hyndes, iii. 68/279, servants
GLOSSARY.
557
lAC
iacke, iii. 415/255, leather tunic over
the armour
ierffaucon, ii. 451/977, gerfalcon
iest, ii.549/632, story
ietUd, i.42/71, marched showily
letters, ii. 568/275, stnitters
if, iii.203/174, even if
ilke, i. 56/52, same (time) ; iJSj'ITS
time
Imupetclasze, iii.300/118, qu. MS.— i^.
himpetielaze, comiptly written for
immortalize. — P.
incontinent, i. 286/384, forthwith
i7ide, ii.455/1105, Fr. indi, m. Indico;
light Blue, Blunket, Azure
inestimable, i. 288/461, not to bo esti-
mated or valued
inr/ling, iii.314/15, perhaps jingling
inholder, i. 283/78, innkeeper
inne, ii. 563/1 36, house
insamc, ii. 434/501, together: A.-S. sam,
together
intertalked, ii.35/2
iollye, ii. 295/1 30, pleasure
ioi,inge, i. 230/352, joining
irke, ^.177 1 Hi, angry, A.-S. yr
irke, i.361/232, dread
is, ii.423/188, are
is, i. 155/341, his
is (for the possessive 's) i. 161/548
iskueles, i. 290/513, issueless
ishulese, i. 274/31 ; i. 290/496, issueless
M, iii.45/780, I'll, I shall
isi-, ii.218/2; 219/30; 223/145, I'll
it and itt, as genitives, for its, ii. 248/34
ii. 251/131
ludadye, ii. 258/96, Judasly, traitorously
iumpe, iii.369/13, lust due, right,
even, jumpe, levell, straight. — Cot-
grave. See Othello, A. ii. s. 2.
iuster, ii. 292/62, jouster
I-wis, i.19/10; 333/343, &c. : every /
is hyphened to its wis wherever this
word is printed, under the belief that
it stands for the A.-S. adverb gewis
certainly ; but in the passage where it
is used with as, " as I wis," ii.583
/627, the words are of course separate,
a pronoun and verb
i-wis, i. 146/59, A.-S. getvis, certainly.
But see " as I wis " ii. 583/627
iuiitt, i. 453/981, A.-S. gewiian, under-
stand
iu'^ke, iii.4 15/255, leather tunic over the
armour
jack, i. 31 1/296, a sleeveless tunic
jig, ii.334
jolly, ii 422/155, merry
jorney, iii. 239/88, a day's work
jousts and tournaments, i.85j9, note '
jury, i.196/397
kayred, ii.62/117, passed over
kecre, iii. 74/436, turn
keered, i. 229/333, turned ; A.-S. cerran
kcll, ii.67/255; 502/12; 503/44, a net
for a lady's hair, for Bredbeddle's
wife
kempe, ii. 606/219, kempcrye man, ii.
605/215, magician ?
kempes, ii. 527/5, warriors
kempys, i.90/6, A.-S. kempa, cempa, a
soldier, warrior
ken, iii.62/131, to inform. See Witt,
1. 120
kend, ii.457/1152, taught, showed
kere, i. 229/347, return
kered, i.222/192; iii.61/118, turned
ketherinckcs, i.219/131,135 ; 230/351,
Cateranes, Katheranes, Highland rob-
bers ; Gael, and Ir. caetharnach, a
soldier. — Jamieson. Highland or Irish
soldiers. Gaelic, cath-fJicara, fight-
ing-men, warriors, Scotch caterans,
kerne . — Brockie
kin, ii.233/143, relation
kindle care, ii. 539/360
kirtle, iii. 180/ 100. Kyrtle is not iipper
petticoat, but our modern gown, a
waist and petticoat. A kyrtle and
mantle completed a woman's dress.
— Grit. Rev. Jan. 1795, p. 49
kissed, i 449/857, the whore's euphuism
for having connection with her, cur-
rent in London as well as in the
North. — Atkinson.
kithe, ii.233/143, acquaintance
kithe, iii. 74/436, A.-S. oyS, a region;
cyii^e, a home, native country
kithen, iii. 73/392
knaue, i.438/511, male
knaue, iii.23'97, a boy, a male child;
ii.547/573; page, lad
knoidedge, i. 163/ 685, acknowledge, con-
fess
kut, iii. 130/ 7 7
kyreth, iii. 66/230, A.-S. eyrran, to turn
kylhr, iii. 58/ 17, region, A.-S. ty/S
558
GLOSSARY.
LAB
lahordd, ii. 69/301, worked, travailed
lahiyrcd, ii.8o/13-l, toiled through, pcr-
formed
labored, \.ZQTl\d,b, sailed
lack, iii.69/303 ; lacheth, iii.69/298, A.-S.
IcBccan, gclceccan, to take, catch, seize
Icdnc, iii. 190/26, conceal
lainc, ii. 75/469, concealment
lainc, i.452/970, lay ?
lake, i.300/7, fight
lake, iii.69/302, play, sport. To lake,
to play. — Rays North Country Words,
1674
lake, 1,363/281, fine linen. Laecken is
said to be Flemish for a kind of fine
linen used for shirts, bleached Tory
white, perhaps milk-wliite. The Ger-
man lei-laken, Dan. Icie-lagen {Icie =
bed), Swedish bddd-lakan = bed-
sheet. Dutch and German laken,
cloth in general. — Brockie
lamhcs woole, ii. 152/105, a di-ink of ale
and roast apples
land, ii.226/214, lord, like state, noble
lanke, i.226/269, ? lean, thin, poor (is
their praise)
larqnesse, iii.293/478, largesse
Use, i.461/934, lies
laten ; Cornish dial, lateen, tin, iron
tinned over :
" Well then, down a great shaft goes
the man in lateen,"
the ghost of Hamlet's father in ar-
mour.— Spec, of Cornish Dicdcct, p. 18
lathe, ii.593/896,'barn ; not A.-S. i«S,
Lathe, district or division peculiar to
Kent
lauding, ii.593/895, praise
laueracke, i.383/922, lark
lauge, ii.532/155, laugh
Za?M?c?^.e,ii.427/ 311, lance, thrust; ii.430/
386, rush
launderer, ii. 450/965, washerwoman ;
Fr. lavandicre, a launderesse or wasli-
ing woman
laus, ii.37/5,6, ?
lawnde, iii. 92/419, a clear space in a
forest. — F. Lawne, a plain, untilled
ground. — Bnllokar's Bict. 1656. Not
far from here — ^just on the border of
Shropshire in fact, is a considerable
tract of waste land. It is very rugged
and uneven, with pits or pools here
and there, some containing water.
It is studded with gorso bushes and
other prickly shrubs : a more imlcvcl
place you could scarcely find, yet this
tract is called Oaken Laivn. Oaken
is the name of a village not far off. The
old dictionaries define laund "a piece
of ground that never was tilled," some
add (in a forest). I was much sur-
prised when I first saw the place and
heard its name — nothing more un-
lawnlike in appearance could bo con-
ceived.— Viles
lay, iii. 9/115, law
layeth, iii. 66/228, loathsome, deadly
layine, ii. 436, 675, concealment, reserva-
tion
laykc, i. 231/380, A.-S. lac, play, sport
layne, i. 493/2282, concealment
la-ar, la-er, i. 167/1 1,13, leper
layned, ii.277/139, leaned
lead, i.197/412 ; leade, i.99/239.255,
cauldron, copper ; Gaelic luchd, a
pot, kettle. — Morris
lead, ii.375/921 ; leadc, i.359/162 ; 388/
1069, leaved, left
lead, ii. 528/47, carry as a load
lead, ii. 585/671, swear
leadand, i.393/1253 ; i.397/1362,1372,
leading
leaetcnant, i. 319/27, lieutenant
leake, iii. 67/249, A.-S. Uw, play, sport
leaim, ii.546/546; Icames, 1.228/309,
A.-S. leoma, ray of light, beam, flame
Icane, iii. 214/74, Old Norse leina, to
conceal. Leane is a Cheshire pro-
nunciation for layne, conceal. — Br.
Bobson
learing, i. 182/5, A.-S. lar, lar, lore,
learning ; Iceran, to teach
lease, ii. 504/69, ? leash, thong, cord.
Bowe, arrowes, sworde, bukler, home,
leishe, gloues, stringe, and thy bracer.
( ' Ger e ' t hat ' a Gentylmans Servant ' i s
not to forget. Fitzherberfs Husbandry,
1767, p. 87)
leasinge, i.439/547, iii.96/528, lying,
lies
leath, ii.297/I0, soft, supple
Ice, i. 92/47, ? lea, meadow
leeches, i.361/224, doctors
leeching, iii. 5/38, from the Yxn\\c\\allcger,
to asswage, mitigate, allay, solace
leed, i. 318/10; 319/26; iii. 69/315 ;
leede, i.215/58, A.-S. leod, a man
^ec/c, iii.95/514; Yv.Cher: m.Deare,leefo,
well-beloved
Icetc, i. 149/ 140, let go, lose
leeue, i. 3 70/5 14, dear
GLOSSARY.
559
LEE
leeve, i.56/58, believe
leggs, ii.15-4/158, curtsnys, bows
lemman, i.152/23.) ; ii.299/88, love,
sweetheart; i. 441/713, mistress, con-
cubine
lene, i.305/120, 13-i, conceal; Old Norse
leyna, to hide
lenge, i.3Gl/221, linger, delay
lenging, i.369/463, ? delaying, wanting,
refused
lent, ii.388/1268, ? landed, or remained
lent, iii.64;i88; 239/97, short for
lenged ; thus were lent = aho<\e, dwelt ;
leiid, to dwell, remain, tarry. — Halli-
well
lerd, ii.424/211, learnt; A.-S. l&ran, to
teach, instruct
^cre, iii.63/170, countenance, complexion
lesse, 1.439/058, lies
lett, ii.377/984; iii.24o/256, hinder. I
let, I forbyd, or stoppe one to do a
thinge. Je cohihc. — Palsgrave
lett, i. 359/151, leave; i.365/334, left
letted, i. 158/446, hindered
leuer, i. 94/95, liefer, rather
Udder, iii. 67/249, A.-S. lij'f're, lifter, bad,
wicked
liggand, i.365/334, lying
light, 1.171/ 150, alighted
lightfoote, ii. 151/85 ; 152/89; 156/208,
venison
^(^7«^(%Z,.ii. 283/95, alighted, dismounted
light att a lott, 1.219/ 139, determined by
lot
lightwoman, i.443/660 ; 444/722, prosti-
tute
lightt, ii. 60/54, for Igthe, joint
lin, i. 55/40, cease, A.-S. linnan. If
Wantonis knew this, she will neuer
lin scorning. — Wit and Wisdoinc, p.
30, 1. 30
lin nor light, i.373 597, limb and lith
(joint, and then body ?) lin nor light =
lung nor light. Lungs an' lichts are
a common term in Scotland for what
butchers call the pluck, the other
intestines being comprehended under
gut and ga'. But the true reading
hero appears to have been limb nor
lith. — Brockie
lind, ii.455/1099, lime-trees; Fr. Til:
m. The Line, Linden or Teylet tree.
— Cot grave
line, i. 362/251, linen, petticoat
line, ii. 580/655, linen
LOS
list, i.38/1, A.-S. Uystan; lithe, Icel.
Idyta, to listen
list, iii.57/37, ? for lift, left, left alone
list, i. 149/164, desired ; A.-S. lystan, to
desire, covet, list
lite, i. 212/9, few
lith, i.479, yni and lith, a common ex-
pression in Scotland, in speaking of
full-length statues or portraits, — -
" Of gude free-stane, in limb an' litli.'
It is literally limb and joint = bono
and sinew. From lith come the Eng-
lish words lithe, lither, &c. The root
signifies smooth, supple. — Brockie
lithe, ii.373/872, A.-S. Hie, mild, gentle
lithe, iii. 77/17, attend, hearken, listen
lither, i.249/33, 250/47, wicked
liner, i.l 7/46, and note ', nimble. Qnycke
or delyver of ones lymmes, agil,
deliure. — Palsgrave. I foote a daunce
or morisque, I shewe myselfe to be
delyver of my lymmes in daunsyng. —
Ibid. p. 553, col. 2
Uueranoe, ii. 219/31, pay
liuernes, ii. 532/170, nimbloness
livcrr, i. 432/306, wages, pay, Fr. livree
liuerye, ii. 545/536, allowance of food
liueryes, ii. 580/552, allowances of meat
and drink for the night
Hues, iii.9/115, leeves, i.e. believes
linings, 1.370/508, properties
liuor, ii.219/36; 220/53, deliver
lode, on, ii. 11/123, heavily
lodlri. 1.66/122; lodlye, iii.63/162 ; 283/
182, loathly
Indlyest, i.l 54/324, most loathly or ugly
lome, i.l 68/47, man, object
longe of, iii. 325/116, cp. Cotgrave's "A
toy w'a 2^as tenu. Thou wert no hind-
erance . . it was not long of thee."
longed, i.226/280, iii. 73/394," belonged
longed, 1.144. We talk in Cleveland
thus: not only "a dog belonging his
master," but his master " hlonging,
'longing his dog." " And with him tlie
dog belon(jingh.\m" vronlAha everyday
Cleveland. I believe there is also a
form lenq, tarry, stay. — A.
longed, iii.58/60 62/136, abode, dwelt;
A.-S. lenqian.
loofe, i.229/336, A.-S. lof, praiso
lope, i. 17/43, 44, leapt
losse, i.226/269; iii. 69/305 ; ii.85/132,
443/719, los, praise, fame; ii.416/23,
reputation
560
GLOSSARY.
LOS
losty, iii. 505/99, ? lusty or lofty
lote, i. 471/1567, lighted, alighted
lothdich, iii. 69/303, loathsorao
louge, ii.374/883; lough, ii.384/1163;
loughi, i.190/215, laughed
lout, i.95/142, blow
loved with, for loved by, i.l 53/265
low, i.78/70, hill
lowde and still, ii.114/990
lowe, ii.235/186, hill
lowte,\.102l316, A.-S. hlutan, to bow ;
ii. 75/456, stoop; lowted, uA60lV2i3,
iii. 59/ 70. A capo chino, with head
bending, that is, reverently stooping
or touting . — Florio, p. 4
lowte, i. 375/672, abuse, blackguard
lowtest, i.162/562, most humble
lucett, ii.402/38, ?
lumpryd, i.l 14/555, lolling
lurden, iii. 85/242. Lourdant : m. A sot,
dunce, dullard, grotnoU, jobernoU,
blockhead ; a lowt, lob, lusk, boore,
clown, churle, clusterfist ; a proud,
ignorant, and unmannerly swaine. —
Cot grave
Iyed,\.l51l217, lay
Iyer, ii.448/903, shoulders, body; A.-S.
lira, the flesh, muscles
lynde, iii.90/376. Lynde, trc Tilia.
prompt, parv. — Tilia, a tree bearing
fruit as great as a bean, roimd, and
in which are seeds like to anise seeds.
Borne call it linden or teil-tree. —
Goiddman's Bid. 1664
lyne, a, ii.228/6 ; of Lyne, ii.231/88, of
the line or linden tree
?5/>-e,ii. 493/21 51, 568/255, body
iyte, i. 434/385, little
lythe, listen to, ii. 527/3
lythe, i.480/1860, A.-S. Hi, a limb,
joint
magre, iii. 367/9, Fr. malgre, illwill
maidenhead, ii. 343/74, maiden state
mailes, i.386/1009, plates of mail
onaisterye, ii.382/1104, being the best
j ouster
make, ii. 274/74, 82, mate, match, love
makdes, i.2 14/46, matchless ; A.-S. maca,
a mate
ma/desse, i. 227/292, matchless
mammetts, ii. 466/1 383, images of idols
man, iii.144/213; 238/82, maun, i.e. must
margarett, ii. 449/941, pearl
mangerye, iii. 268/168, eating, feasting
MIS
manhood, i. 450/883, a man ; i.457/1121,
reputation
manner, ii. 585/678 ; 590/802, dwelling-
place
margarett, ii. 449/941, pearl
marx men, i. 233/415, men of the March
or Border
masked, i.2 12/3, ? maked
mastery, i. 99/226, superiority ; or for
mystery, trade, tricks of trade, Fr.
mestier
tnasterye, ii.133/1538, power, sove-
reignty
masteryes, ii. 116/1026, conquering; ii.
232/107, game?
may, ii. 387/1237, A.-S. mceg, son, kins-
man
may, iii. 254/524, me. In and near
Newcastle, Staffordshire, me is to-day
pronounced may. — V.
meane, i. 102/332, make mention, tell
m£anye, iii. 60/98. Fr. Mesnie : f. A
meynie, familie, household, household
company, or serA^ants. — Cotgrave
meate, ii. 545/528, food
meate-fellow, i.393/1256 ; ii.572/347,
companion at table
meaten, ii. 353/328 ; iii. 99/633, measured
meete, iii. 225/242, A.-S. " mivle and
mcBte," great and small
meetter, i. 361/222, more need
mele, ii.86/180, mingling, adultery
mdl, ii. 59/37, meddle, speak
mcny, i.222/194, following, host, army
merke, ii.561/103, dark
merke, i. 93/69, A.-S. mire, darkness
mcrlion, i.169/82 ; 171/128, merlin, the
smallest kind of hawk
mct-yard, i.58/104, measuring-rod
midd, iii.89/343, middle, middst
middlearih, i. 92/40, earth, this world
ilfi7?aJMe, i.359/169, Milan steel and work
min, iii.282/140, mention
mind, i. 227/292, remembrance
mine, i.2 14/ 34, mention
minge, i. 319/23, mention, say
minged, iii. 7/94, mentionedst
minion, i. 63/45, spruce
minned, iii. 71/ 349. The alliteration and
sense both show it should he. nemned.
nem is miswritten min. — Bk.
mint, ii. 130/1444, minded, aimed
mise, iii. 340/493 : Fr. mise, expense, dis-
bursement
misken, ii. 324/39, forget
mis?iurttired, ii. 569/301, ill-bred
GLOSSARY.
561
MIS
tnissaide, i. 446/778, abused (Iht sister
like mad)
miste, i. 76/25, miss, omit
molatt, iii. 279/57, mullet
nwnand, ii. 277/156, moaning
mood, i. 57/85, help
moods, ii.ll;123, for wonde, wild
moone, ii.381/109G, month
more, i.232/398, hill
vwres, iii. 57/40, moors. Mores OTmaiirs,
a word used in the northern parts of
England for high and open places ; in
other parts, it is taken for low and
boggy grounds. — Phillips (by Kersey)
inoresjnkes, iii. 253/493, a large pike.
mote, i.222/199, may
Tnoidd-warpe, i. 303/ 79, mole. See that
there be no mouldye warpes castyng
in the modowes. 1639, Fit^hcrberfs
Surveycnge, chap. xxv. p. 78, ed. 1767
mountenance, i. 373/620, amount, quan-
tity
musters, iii. 68/277, devices, tricks
myn, i.231,295, say; i.328/231, mention
myny, i.386/1025, ? for m«?;^ (and via7iy
for' mail)
n — m, ii.65/note '
naked, iii.432/14, unarmed
narr, ii. 538/ 339, nearer
nay, i.427/142 ; 449/880, ne, not
ncavc, i.30'56, fist, O.N. hnefi
nebb, iii.63/169. The whitish horn-like
knob at the tip of the beak of a duck
or goose is, in Staffordshire, called
the neb. — V.
neere-hand, i. 362/246, nearly, almost.
ha7id is the corruption of an old ter-
mination.— Morris
nerrc hand, i. 359/158, close
nrw-faiKjlr, ii. 306/35
nicked, i. 21 5/53, refused
nillc, ii.402/37, needle
nithing, ii. 593/880, niggardly
7ioble, iii.537/120, nobility
nomeii, i. 362/255, maimed, deprived of
one finger
nohim, iii. 32/399, taken, undertaken, or
taken upon him
nones, iii. 34/443, ffor the nones, made
on purpose for this adventure. — P.
7iotc,uA8ill897, ? for i-ole, 'didcimers or
dowble harpe called a roote, barbiios.'
—Hidoct, 1552, in Hallitoell
PAL
7iicm, 156/363, dazed, stupified, slow;
"a num hand" = a slow, fumbling
workman : '• noo, nu7ii heead, wherestee
gannan ? " = Now, stupid, &c. Cleve-
land dialect. — A.
nu7ne, 1.480,1853; iii.23/110, took; Sax.
nima7i, to take
nursery, ii.450/966
7iurterye, ii. 96/466, nurture, training,
good manners
obaid, i. 149/163. Fr. obe'ir, to yeeld ^mto
submissiuely, to bo subiect vnto.—
Cotgrave.
obo7/d, i.l 62/577 ; i. 163/603, bowed
0/, iii.61/112, by; ii. 422/169, for ; i.l48
/134, ii 267/35, 369/485, on; i.362/
243, off
on, i.387/1049, an, if
071 live, iii. 292/454, alive
opposed, i.437/496; 444/718; 448/848
and note *, apposed, questioned
or, i. 163/590; iii.22/72; iii. 71/367, ere,
before
ordinance, ii.41/21 ; iii. 253/487- Fr.
Artillerie, f., Artillerie, Ordnance. —
Cotgrave
ore, ii.468/1445, mercy
oste, iii. 58/57, host
ostler, i.382/910 ; i.389/1124, ? chamber-
lain, or horse-keeper
other, iii. 6/65 ; iii. 289/361, next.
ouerfrett, ii. 68/272, studded
oy<crArt«</,ii.427/293, upper-hand, victory
ought, iii.391/11, out, i7iterj.
out-i^-out, i. 155/336, extremely
outbraved, ii. 10/81
oiitcept, ii. 563/1 56, except
out-hor7ie, iii. 89/345, ? 7iouthorne, a neat's
horn. Nowt cattle. Wright's Gloss. —
Sk.
outrage, i.422/655, copulation, rape.
Fr. miiiere: Malapert, outragious, euer
doing one mischiefo or other. — Cot-
g7-avc
oidrake, ii.222/129, excursion
outsyde, iii. 143/172, on one side: the
expression is still used in Northamp-
tonshire.— V.
0W7ie, (he is in owue), iii. 373/41, ?
paine, ii. 94/389, pains, endeavour
pale, i. 93/81, pall, hangings. 1^. pallium
VOL. HI.
0 0
562
GLOSSARY.
pallett, ii.582/594 ; 588/750, scull-cap
pane, ii.370/793, skin
panndl, ii. 155/1 74, the treeless pad or
pallet, without cantle, with which an
ass is usually rode. " Pannell to
ryde on, haiz, panneau." Palsgrave.
See Tusser, p. 11. — Halliwcll
paramour, i. 149/142, ii. 60/47, in love,
in affection, as a lover
farlc, i.502/120, parley
part, iii. 292/454, depart
partake, iii. 506/132, to admit, to share:
to extend participation
patten, i. 613/136 ■,patent, 514/153, grant
by letters patent
pattering, ii. 307/82, mumbling
pay, i.66/129; 96/165, pleasure ; ii.476/
1668, satisfaction
payment, ii. 575/428, spiced
paynture, ii.476/1681, painting
pee, i. 81/33, piece
peece, iii.42/700, a cup. I don't like to
be too positive about anything ; but,
with respect to " a piece of wine" I
still believe that " piece " in that con-
nection means — if not a cask (its
proper meaning) — at least a vessel of
greater capacity than what we now
understand by cwp.
" Une piece de viii, a piece — a cask — •
of wine." Tarver's Lexcellent] Diet.
Phraseol., &c.
" Piece, s. for cask, or vessel of wine.
The expression is borrowed from the
Prench, in which language it is still
used in that sense.
' Home, Lance, and strike [i. e. tap] a
fresh piece of wine.' B. and PL Mons.
Thorn. V. 8." Nares's Glossary. — Dyce
peeces, iii. 327/149, cups:
The keruer anon withouten thou^t
Vnkoners j^e cup at he base brou3t .
Into ]pe couertoure wyn he poures owt.
Or into a spare jiecc, withouten doute
Boke of Cortasye, in Babees Book,
p. 325, 1. 792
peere, iii.4/16, peer, equal, mate, match
pecrtly, i.218/126, quickly, readily;
peart, brisk, lively. — HaUitvcIl. It's
not pertly, but boldly, straight-for-
wardly. "A bonny, pawky, peert, lahtle
chap," said a regiilar Yorkshircman
to me one day about my eldest child,
a baby boy of 10 or 12 months, who
crowed, and chuckled, and laughed at
the .speaker's homely good-humourcd-
POT
looking face, " a handsome, lively
bold little fellow," — not afraid of
strangers, in other words. — Atkinson
penman, i. 312/31 6, secretary, scribe
penturchye, iii. 125/12, pentateuch
perish, ii. 460/1247, pierce
pertly e, i.222/198, quickly
pesanye, ii. 478/1726, gorget?
peytrelle, i. 351, horse's breastplate
picke, i.332/316, pitch
picklory, i.36/16, a coloui'
fight, i. 147 /1 02, pitched
pight, i.284/332, planted, fixed
plight, iii. 35/ 458, struck. Porre, to
put, to set, to lay, to place, to
2nght. — Florios Ital. Diet. 1611
pikeforke, ii. 570/319, pitchfork. And
if the grasse be very thycke, it wolde
be shaken with handes, or with a
shorte pykforke. Fi'zherbert's Hus-
bandry, p. 25, ed. 1767
pinder, i. 32/1. And if thy horse breake
his tedure, and go at large in euery
man's corne and grasse, then commeth
the pyndcr, and taketh hym, and
putteth hym in the pynfolde, and
there shall he stande in prison, with-
out any meate, vnto the tyme thoii
hast payde his raunsome to thepyndcr,
and also make amendes to thy neygh-
bours for distroyenge of theyr corne.
Fitsherbert's Husbandry, ed. 1767,
p. 95
pine, ii.297/31 ; 298/51, difficulty, trouble
pinn, i. 249/38; 250|64, boss or knob
^i««,ii.331/98; 297/35; 298/54; 299/93,
? high point, or fancy, humour
pith, i.359/149, strength, vigour
2)lanere, iii.31/363, full
p>lay, i. 150/ 183, copulation
jilay, i.443/683 ; 444/703, fornicate
pleasure, ii. 336/34, give pleasure to
pice, i.386/1025, fold
plewed, m.22S. 195. Fr. ^^irr, to plait,
plie, bend, turne, wrie. — Cotgrave
pockye, ii.45/35, very
polaxis, ii.245, note, col. 2, ? tax-collec-
tors : " And have wynked at the
pollyng and extorcion of liys unmoa-
surable officiors." — Hall' s Union ,\ o4.8 ,
in Halliwdl.
pomell, i. 147/ 103, knob, apple-like or-
nament
posstee, ii. 490/2063, power
jjotewer, ii. 305/21 ; ? bag, ease, or — iii.
47/866 — a pocket or pouch. It may
GLOSSARY.
563
POU
be from pokt\ or folk, both forms of
poiwh. See note in Viers Vloughmaiis
Crede on Poiv>,he\n the glossary. — Sk.
pouthercd, iii.l26/oO, salted
■jjoynf of ti/iie, in, i.387/1060, near time's
up, nearly done for
poyntmcnt, ii.533;200, pledge
praisment, i. 153/289, praise, bragging;
1.162/561, boast
prafy, i. 115/616, very, extremely
present, i. 62/72, present himself to, see
note.*
prest, i. 485/2032, quickly
prestlyc, iii. 64/203, readily
-price, i. 485/2021, ? prize or praise
prick, iii. 97/582, ? the wooden pin in
the centre of the target
prickcs, ii. 232/ 114, long-range targets?
In shooting at buts, or broad arrow
marks, is a mediocrity of exercise of
the lower pai-t of the body and legs
by going a little distance a measm-e-
able pace. At rovers or pricks, it is
at his pleasure that shooteth, how
fast or softly he listeth to go : and
yet is the praise of the shooter neither
more nor less, for as far or nigh the
mark is his arrow when he goeth
softly, as when he runneth. — The
modernised 1834 edition of Sir Thomas
Elyofs Book named the Governour,
1564, A.D. p. 91
prime, ii. 529/61 ; iii. 87/286, four A.M.
in summer, 8 in winter
priuitye, i. 461/1252, secret
prise, ii. 352/299, the call blown when a
hart was killed
proched, i. 228/325, progged, jobbed,
pricked
quarrell, 1.51 1/78, questions
(piell, i. 438/499 ; 453/994, A.-S. cwellan,
to kill
quell, i.472/1601, killed
queme : I queme, I please or I satysfye.
(Chauscr in his Caunterbury tales.)
This wordeis nowe out of use. — Pals-
yravc, 1530 {cd. 1852)
qucrry, ii.8/41, quarry
quest, i. 196/393, jury; iii.86/275,
search ; searchers collectively, also
an impanel'djury. See Johnson. — V.
qnicke, 1.443/659, alive
quillctts, ii. 187/80, quibbles
quintfidl, iii. 62/155, quaint?
REU
quitt, iii. 251/443, quite, requite.
race, i. 231/385, rush ; if it is not a mis-
reading for care
radd, iii. 288/327, furious, 0. Fr. roide,
fierce
nuUye, i. 221/1 79, A.-S. hrwdlice, imme-
diately, speedily
railinge, iii. 72/376, gushing
Haines, i. 36 1/305, fine linen or cloth
made at Eennes in Brittany
raines, i. 384/975, reins
raked, i.221|168, Sc. raik, to move ex-
peditiously.— Jamieson
random, iii. 34/445, precipitation
randome, i. 478/1 8-20, violence
range, i. 381/856, wi'ang, wrung
ranger, i. 338/475
rasen, i.398/1422, overthrew, destroyed
rason, i.364/212, arson, bow (of a
saddle)
ratch, ii.454/1076, 1081, a sporting dog
ra\tght, i. 385/978, reached, handed
rave, iii. 27/219, rathe
rawnke, iii. 2 19/94. (See note.)
rawstye, ii. 236/ 224. ? Sc. rawlie, moist,
damp
rayed, ii.531/145, arrayed
rayled, i.93/8, decked, i. 213/26, adorned,
A.-S. hrcegel, a garment.
To a chamber she led him vp alofte,
Ful wel beseine, there-in a bed ryjt
softe,
Kyclily abouten apparailed
Withe clothe of golde, all the floure
ir ailed
Of the same, bothe in lengthe and
brede.
Tlie Story of Thebes, quoted in Domes-
tic Architecture, v. iii, pt. 1, p. Ill
rayling, Vii. 57/24, decking, glorious
reacheles on, ii. 234/151, careless of
reade, i.232/404, ordered
rebound, ii,108/812, blow, thrust
recreate, ii.564/l61, home
reede, i. 157/411, counsel, A.-S. r<^d
reeme, i. 467/1 466, A.-S. ream, rem, cream
religious, ii. 542/438, monks
renegatoe, ii.45/25, renegade
renisht, ii. 601/29, 30, got ready, har-
nessed, arrayed
repayre, ii. 564/164, dwelling, abode
esse, i. 446/780, rush, violence
rctyrc, i. 51 8/53, retreat
reuartcd, ii.548/605, rocovered
o o 2
564
GLOSSARY.
reward, iii. 366/3 (from bottom), look
ribble, ii. 422/151, a small fiddle played
by a bow
riche, iii. 75/455, ? rule, control. A.-S.
ricsian. Or, riche = rithe, rihte, set
right.— 8k.
ridge, ii. 359/493 ; 367/708, tack
Tiggs, i. 219/143, ? rinckes, men; Scotch
rinks, rings, ranks, Germ, reih-en. —
Brockie
right, i. 389/1103, righted
right-wise, iii. 236/8, rigiiteous, A.-S.
rihtu'is
ring, i. 227/303, man
rise, ii.464/1340; iii. 189/8, branch,
bough, A.-S. hris, the top of a tree,
a thin branch ; iii. 69/66, a twig —
Germ, reis
riiie, ii.460/1231, rife, frequent
riued, i. 62/32, arrived, travelled
rocher, i. 233/41 2, rock
rockett, ii.40/6, outer coat
rokcn, iii. 336/399, revenged
romans, ii.366/684 ; 380/1066, romance
rooke, iii. 290/370, a ruck, a heap
roo^es, i.383/923, reeks, mists, vapours,
Scotch, rooks, thick mists, {Jamieson),
from Dutch, rook, Scotch, rook, reek,
Swedish, rbk, riuk, Danish, rog, ryg,
A.-S., rec, reoc, Icelandic, reik. Germ.
ranch. — Brockie
rote, " An instrument of the harp kind,
resembling in form an ancient lyre.
See one in Pojjular Music, ii. 767."
Chappell
rothe, i.370/ol3, \vroth
roiighe, ii. 560/70, rough, stormy
roitght, ii. 441/701, readied, hit
roitght, ii. 67/236, reached, took in, un-
derstood
wzt^/iT", i.384/966, wrought, ii. 374/878;
iii.66/239
round (bowstrings), iii. 86/270
roundid, i.44/107, whispered, A.-S.
runian, to whisper
rouse, ii. 64/1 60, boast
rowe, iii. 142/139, row, roll
rowe, ii. 548/606, be at peace
rowed, i.391/1181 ; 392/1217, redness,
gore
rowne, ii. 561/99, whisper
rowned, i. 321/77, whispered
rowning, ii. 578/494, 497, 501, whisper-
ing
rowte, ii.583/619, blow, crack: cp. rowte
as a verb :
SCA
Fresly smyte thy strokis by-dene,
And hold wel thy lond that hyt may
be sene ;
Thy rakys, thy rowndis, thy quarters
abowte.
Thy stoppis, thy foynys, lete hem fast
rowte.
On Fencing with the Two-handed
Sword, Eel. Ant. i. 309
rowze, i. 154/304; 155/358, boast
rud, i.361/217 ; 379/795, ruddy cheek
rudd, ii. 306/51 ; iii. 59/66, complexion,
A.-S. rudu, ruddiness
rtidlie, i. 221/172, radlie, quickly
rudlye, i.382/899 ; iii.71/355, radlye,
quickly; ii. 63/147, readily
r^de, i. 155/334, measure, disposition
run, ii. 557/14, round?
ryalte, iii.534/12, royal host, army
ryke, ii. 568/263, kingdom
sacring, i.l 61/526, consecration of the
elements at the mass
sadd, ii.532/168, firm, fixed
sadd att assay, iii. 244/233, stedfast in
trial
saddest, i. 215/59, most stable, trust-
worthy
sadlye, ii.380/1050, firmly; iii. 70/322,
seriously, composed, still. — P.
safteye, iii. 128/32, reward promised
said, ii. 92/336, essayed, tried
saine, iii. 79/74, said : common in Staf-
fordshire, but pronounced more as if
written sen. — V.
sail : were sailed, iovhad sailed, i. 95/1 20
salle, i.385/996, saddle
salt, ii.181/4, salt-cellar
sand, i. 160/518, went
sandall, i.l 46/69, thin silk or linen
sarazen, i. 425/73 ; 479/1829, Saxon
sarke, i.359/174, shirt
sarpendines, iii. 253/489, Fr. serpentine,
the artillerie, called a serpentine or
basiliskoe
saute, iii. 533/6, assault
sawes, i. 109/225, sayings
say, ii.276/128, essay, try
say, iii. 45/774, saw
sayke, iii. 105/75, such
scaciech,\. 221 / 1 70, ? destructi vo, harmful,
but sec i.224/243
scantlye, ii. 197/ 184, scarcely
scarlotts, i.223/210, for 'harlots,' ras-
cals
GLOSSARY.
565
SCA
scarsnesse, i. 307/178, scarcity, want
scattered, i. 224/243 ; see 221/170
scorke, ii.12/143, struck
scrike, iii. 159/81, shriek
scot, i. 242/9, misprinted with a capital
letter for " scot," scat, shot, rate, tax,
tribute, money. " Scot and lot ; "
Matt. xxii. 19, '■' soont mij den schat-
ting-penning." " Show me the tribute
penny." " Pay your shot, gentlemen ! "
BrocJcie
scott, i.l 12/477, witch?
scray, i. 20/14, leafage ? ; scray is scrub =
shrub, A.-S. scrobb, a shrub. There
is a piece of land near here (Brigg,
Lincolnshire) called Corringham
Scrogys : in the 6th Henry VIII. it was
spelt " Scrobsse." In John Leyden's
ballad of L'^ Soulis (Scott's Border
Minst. vol. 4. p. 253) we have
" And May shall choose, if my love she
refuse,
A scroy bush there beside."
schrobbe, a busshe, arbrisseau. — Palsy.
seale, ii. 221/96, sail
sealed, ii.85/142, sailed
sealing, i, 302/56, sailing
seasens, iii.318/40. Beyond all doubt
an error for scazons (the well-known
verses, called also chol-iambks). —
Dyce
securly, i.l 14/520, certainly
seeding, ii. 150/38, boiling
sea, i." 282/264, ? fee
seed, i. 447/8 II, semen
seeye, i.228/313 ; i.220/163, A.-S. seey, a
man
seeye, i. 21 6/84, besiege
seeth, i. 87/56, sith, since
seile, ii. 578/502, bliss
seised, iii. 30/330, put into possession
sekyr, i.l 14/528, sure
sdcamar, i. 351/41; selcamoitre, i. 384/971,
an Indian stuiF; ? serica mori, mul-
berry silk. — Brockie
selcoth, i. 449/875 ; 451/931, strange ; srl-
kougth, iii. 60/96, 8a. seldom known.
Coles s Eny. Diet. 1677
selcothes, iii. 64/181, rarities
selfeer, 1.1771 id, ? seller, cf. 1. 53. Prof.
Child reads " landles feer." See'Sotvs,
vol. i.
sdlcoth, i. 215/72, strange; A.-S. scl-
cui for seld-cu^, seldom known, rare,
wonderful
sensyng, ii. 165, incense-burning
SHO
sent him, i. 240/121, betook himself
sented, i. 355/38, consented
sercote, iii. 41/651, sui'-coat
sermocination, ii.525, col. i.
serrett, iii.11/126, ? closed fist
serued, i. 450/906, deserved
served, ii. 435/547, ? for "greeved"
servclle,\.li)&l^7 , perhaps the OldFrench
eerveller = cut the throat, sever the cer-
vical veins. — Brockie
sett, i. 2 16/ 86, ? for kett, promise
shadding, ii. 31/39, Ipng in the shade
shake, i. 111/441, pace
shales, ii. 227/1 , husks ; not Elyot's shayles.
The good husband, wlien he hath
sown in his ground, setteth up clouts
or threads, which some called shayles,
some blenchars, or other like shews, to
frighten away birds which he foreseeth
ready to devour and hurt his corn. — •
Elyot's Govemour, ed. 1834,^. 75
shame, in, ii.439/646, insame, together
shamdy, ii.456/1158, shamefully
shames, i. 228/320. shalms, a wind in-
strument, from Lat. calamus, a reed.
The Musitians . . At great feasts,when
the Earles service is going to the table,
they are to play upon Shagbute, Cor-
nett, Shalmes, and such other in-
struments going with winde. — R.
Braithwaifs Rules and Orders for the
House of an Earle, ed. 1821, p. 44.
Shalms are now called Clarionets.
See Popular Music, i.35, note b. —
Chappell
share, ii. 540/384, shearing ; A.-S. scear,
sheared
shawes, i.228/322, groves, woods
sheer, iii. 58/59, pure, clear
sheild, ii.576/460, ? a broad piece of
pork or bacon
s/ic/ii', iii. 29/293, marred, spoiled, &e. ;
72/370, destroyed
shiiuercd, iii. 58/59, glimmered ; A.-S.
scymrian, to shine, glitter
shimmer, ii. 108/807, shiver
shire, i.229/330, Cheshire
shivers, went all to, ii. 535/243
shoyys, i. 218/118, moves, goes; Fr.
berser, to rocke, in a cradle ; to shoy, or
swing up and downe. — Cotyrave. To
A-Ao^ is to trot in Staffordshire : "Let
me see her shoy," said the vet. who
came to see my lame mare the other
day. The groom changed her pace
from a walk to a trot. — E. Viles
566
GLOSSARY.
SHO
shagged. iii.l91/o6, moved. See vol. i.
p. 218, note ^
shoiitest, ii. 75/460, fliuchest
shooters, i. 46/141
shoots, i. 332/323, shots (with arrows)
shop, i.57/73, ? shot, with a slip shutter
before it
shope, iii.241/155, shaped
shotten, i.dij'Zo ; 65/39, went quickly
shoure, i. 375/ 665, scold, threaten; Scotch
shore, to threaten. — BrocJcie. ? show
of fight, bravado. — F.
shower, ii. 112/929, A.-S. scur, battle,
fight
showing home, iii. 227/311
shradds, ii. 227/1, twigs
shread, ii. 585/672, cut, crack, hit
shroggs, ii. 232/111, stunted shrubs. See
scray
sib, i.355/45; sibh, ii. 379/1030, related
sibb, iii. 36/508, kin, relations
side, ii. 566/223, broad, or long ; iii. 63
/1 76, long. And also to see mens
seruantes so abused in theyr aray :
theyr cotes be so syde that they be
fayne to tucke them vp whan they
ryde, as women do theyr kyrtels
whan they go to the market or other
places, the whiche is an ynconueni-
ent syght. — FUzherhtrt' s Husbandry,
ed. 1767, p. 96 _
sigh, ii. 323/30, sorry, miserable ?, strain-
ing (cloth), says Mr. Dyce. See Notes
sihed, i.356/60, sighed; ii.68/263, ?
sickened or sighed
siking, i. 363/272, sighing
silly, ii. 283/75, poor
siliien, ii.502/1, silver ; see 503/29
sinne, i. 364/314, since
sirrupps, ii.578/507, s}Tops
sist, i.236/27, sighed
sithe, i.151/228, afterwards; ii.480/1781
? for swithe, cj^uickly
sithe, \AZ%lb2l, either sithe, since, after-
wards, or swithe, quickly
sithe, iii.24/130, time; i.149/162, iii.30|
324, times
sM^, i.116/168, feint; Old Norse skil,
reason ; i. 163/611, reason, cause
skye, i.438/508, 518, cloiid ; Old Norse
sky,{h\xt see Professor Childin Notes) ;
i.470, 471. I feel almost siire it is
connected with or corrupted from scin,
seine, or some cognate word, a phan-
tasm, vision, spectre. — Atkiiison
slade, ii.229/50, an open place
SOW
slake, i. 238/76, assuaging
slauen, ii. 542/ 448, Fr. esclavine, a pil-
grim's cloake or mantle
slanish, ii. 136/12, of slaves
slaivc. iii. 97/562, slain
sleight, i. 366/386, skill, cleverness
slvde, iii. 8/99, slid, went
sloe, ii. 588/754, slow, stupid
slopps, ii. 257/66, breeches
slowe, i.429/203, slain
slowen, i.428/174, slain ; 428/190, slay
smire, i.113/129, ? for swire, neck
smocke, ii. 329/51, chemise: " Neare is
my peticoate, but nearer is my smocke.
Ma chemise, m'cst jAus pres ke ma
robe." — Holybands French Littelton,
1609, p. 76-7
snapped, i. 229/336, for swapped ; iii. 50,
swept oif
snell, ii. 342/34, active ; 546/557, quickly
soft, i. 364/328, soften
s'oine, ii.38/22, ?
sond, i.426/119; 433/337; 439/536,
message
sonde, ii.430/389, attack, blow
sonse, i. 227/286, soul
soonde, 1.154/ 3 14, swoon
sooned, i. 396/ 1347, swooned
soonesffell, iii. 46/833, sansfaile, without
fail, see 1. 841
sooth, iii. 61/120, truth
sore, i. 93/60, A.-S. sorh, sorrow ; 364/
318, pain; 380/821, sorrowful, pained,
grieved
souce, ii. 150/38, pickled pig's head and
trotters
sound, ii. 101/ 624, swoon
sounde, i. 443/679, try, pat, stroke
sounded, i.'iQilj 2^ \, made sound, relieved
soiise, iii.367/1, ? death
souter, i. 362/265, psaltery
sowle-knell, i. 232/409, funeral knell
sowre, i.358/116, sorrel- coloured horse
sowte, iii, 244/222, assault
sowi^fr, i. 381/853, 861; sowtrye, ii.422/
1 49, psaltery. — BePsalierio, ea. cxliiii.
The Sawti-y hyglite Psaltcriiim and
hath that name of psallcndolsingjng:
for the consonant answerethe to the
note therof in syngyng. The harpe
is like to the sawtry in sowne/but
this is the dyuersytee & discord
bytwene the harp & the sawtri : in
the sawtry is an liolowe tree/and of
that same tree the sowne cometh
vppewarde ; And the stringes ben
GLOSSARY.
567
SPA
smytte dou;;ward/and sowneth vp-
warde. And in the harpe the holow-
nes of the tree is bj-neth. . . Sti'inges
for the sawtry ben beste made of
laton, or ells those ben good that
ben made of syluer. — Tremsas IJar-
tholonueus, lib. xix. leaf 383, col. 1,
ed. 1535
sparhawk, i. 160/51 7, sparrow-hawk
sparkdls, ii.459/1223, sparks
sparred, i. 447/815, shut, barred
spartle, ii. 440/675, sparkle, spark
speere, i. 178/80, ? hole in the wall for
enquiries to be made through
sperred, ii. 528/31, enquired
spill, i.236/18, kill
spilt, iii.326/124, ? splent (cf. splinter)
spiritualty, i. 96/160, spiritual or clerical
lords
sfite, i. 77/54, respite, grace
splents, i. 384/959, see note ■
spolc, iii. 415/251, Fr. espaide, a shoulder
spcnisage, i. 442/ 656, wedlock
spousing, i. 443/688, marriage
spowted, i. 374/652, shot, rushed
sprent, ii. 65/194; 532/167, sprang
sprinc/alls, iii. 256/573 : springal, an an-
cient military engine for casting stones
and arrows. — Halliwell
spurred, i. 446/759, sparred, shut
spurred, 1.394/1259, asked
spyrryng, i. 109/223, enquiring; A.-S.
spirian, to enquire
squires, i.229 j '337, f or swyres (cp. sweere,
1. 345), see iii. 11/132 ; not A.-S.
swira, sweora, a neck, but squire
sqiiier, ii. 373/876, baby boy
srow, i. 460/1221, shrew
-st, i. 20/28 {sec note *), shalt, must ;
youst, ii.219/47, you shall. See 1st,
thoust
stackercd, i.388/1076, staggered
stage, i. 376/713, time
stake, ii. 538/ 342, ? stuck, or for strake
staleworth, iii.27/235 ; 60/105, stout,
lusty, strong
states, iii. 251/442, nobles
statuinge, ii.563/155, ordinance
staunche, ii. 427/308, resist, stop
steade, iii.24/142, place
steale, i.l 47/98, stalk
steddle, i.99/238, ? stede, place; stithy
is a smith's anvil
steerc, i. 357/112; i. 363/298, stir, the
move
stent, ii. 475/1654, stint, stop
SWE
stent, ii. 461/1267, portion, property;
stente, or certeyne of valwo, or deede,
and o|>er lyke (of value or dette). —
Taxecio. Promptorium
sterne, iii. 158/49, A.-S. stcor-crn, the
steering-place, the stern
steuen, i. 148/1 35 ; ii. 236/208 ; iii.73/408,
voice, A.-S. stcfn
steuen, i. 395/1310, ? stuffs, garments, &c.
Steven, ii. 232/110, time. See vnsett
stint, i.439/538, stay, stop; A.S. sti7it-
an, to be weary
stond, i.98/201 ; iii.21/45; K.-'S.stund,
a short .space of time ; Du. stond,
Dan. and Sw. stund. Germ, sttinde
stonde, iii. 86/272, time, moment
store, ii. 559/55, Sc. stoor, strong, rough
store, ii.579/536, big
stoure, ii.420/115, space of time
stower, i. 96/ 149, stir, fight
stowre, i.365/352, battle; iii.89/356,
fight, conflict; ii.299/97; 300/107,
hurry, rush
stowre, i.96/151, strong ; A.-S. stor, great
vast; ii.484/1885, strong, fierce
strand, i. 360/187, shore, inet. stream;
i. 367/413, ? the 'riuere' of 1. 415;
ii. 534/209, stream or sea. Strand,
1. a rivulet. — Douglas; 2. a gutter.
— Wallace. Jamieson
stranger, i. 182/13, extraordinarily gifted
person
stray, i. 385/1001, his saddle
strayned on, ii.286/184, sang
strond, i. 426/1 11, land, country
iVrowc?, ii. 85/144, sea. See strand
studd, iii. 370/28, a thorn
sumpter-man, ii. 568/2 71
sunne, iii. 481/ ?
surbat, in. 366^17 . . . siirhoted or riven
of their skin. — Topsdl. Hall'. — sur-
bating, f. a galling or over-heating
the soles of the feet. — Coles's Eng,
Diet. 1677.— r.
swaine, i.l 85/ 100, thread or ornament
swapt, i. 31 1/289, struck
swarned, iii. 413/209, swarmed, i.e.
climbed. — P. MS. may be swarued.
—F.
su'ce, iii. 256/575, qu. perhaps flee. — P.
Sway (and fall).— i*'. In Stafford
and its vicinity ay is continually pro-
nounced like ec, e.g. pee for ^J^y, dee
for day, lee for lay, bull-bceting for
bull-baiting, &i'. At Newcastle, liow-
ever, a f<'W miles off, the very oppo-
>68
GLOSSARY.
SWE
site prevails, may for me, hay for he,
&C.— V.
sweeres, iii.o8,'o4, squires
sweeuens, ii.228, 13, dreams
swelt, iii.70, 337, to die
su'icA-e, ii.537/297; A.-S. swican, to de-
ceive
swilled, i.73/278, shook
su-ire, ii.467, 1432 ; iii. 70,337, neck
stvithe, i. 102, 314, qxiickly
su'iue, i.l30;7. copiilate with
sst, ii.524, scilicet, namely
tables, take up the, iii.97/o69
takells, iii.l2o/23, tackle, qu.
talA-e, iii.6o;22o
tame, 11.417/36, dead
tane, 1.152/253, taken, come
tone su'orne. 1.192/289 (taken) s^vom
tap, 111.297/47, top
taughe, 111.30,320, tough
tedJar stakes, iil.283/185, tethering
stakes
teemed, 111.221/144, A.-S. team, issue,
oiFsprlng, anything following in a
row or team: tcamian, to produce,
propagate
teene, 1.153/274, A.-S. te&na. Injury,
wrong. Insult ; 111.83/192, vexation
teene, li. 471/1524, vex, trouble
teene, 11.92/336, ? for keene, as in 1. 342,
or teen, angry. — Halliwell
teenfid, 111.63/174, full of injury, de-
struction
teenously, 1.321/88, grlevedly
temporaltie, 1,96/161, lay lords
tenants to the booke, i.223/228, ? copy-
holders
tent, 11.208/111, take charge of
tented, 1.363/278, plugged up, dressed
tenting, 1.363/283, plugging, dressing
tenting, i.187/139, tending, taking care
of
tents, 1.363/277, plugs of silk in wounds
tcr, 11.466/1381, tar
thakked, li.l64, thwacked, beat
thee, 11.346/150, thrive
there, 11.424/213, where
therfore, 111.349/712, on that account
thick, lil.106/113, that
thinke, 1.451/928, things, necessaries
thinke, 11.425 238, fume, fret : cp.
thought, anxiety
Mo, 111.28/263; 61/115; 108/175, then
tho, 1.97/195, the, thrive
TOT
thoe. 1.359/119, suffer
tholed. Hi. 56/1, qu. tholedst, sufferedst
thore, iii. 22/68, there
thought, 1.157/425, anxiety
thtnise, 11.324, 54. thou art
thoust, 1.77 59. 81/27. 150/188-9, 168/
52. 187; 130; il.205;24, 11.218/16, 329
/32, 331/102, 291/13-15 (3 times),
thou shalt
thratt, 11.565/181, threatened
thraw, i.92/34, bold
thraw, 11.251/106, throe, pang
threape, 11.324/61, strive
threw, 1.99/251. wriggled about
thrild, 1.249, 38 ; 2o0754, knocked
thringe, iii. 253,494, A.-S. Yringan, to
rush
throe, i.358/144, fierce; 11.75/461; ill.
282/151 ; A.-S. \>ra, bold
throstlecocke, 1.121/19. thrush, merle
MroM', 1.463/ 1328, A.-S. }prah, time, space
throwe, li.72,'364. eager
thrub-chadlcr, 1.66, f23 ; trub-chandler,
1.68/172, a tub or barrel? It may be
tuba ciadlaaigh, Irish, tub used in
giving milk to calves. — Brockie. I
have met with trubchandlers, but have
searched for it now successlessly. I
take it to mean some kind of shallow
tub, from triib, squat (v. Littleton) and
chandler, a kind of vessel used per-
haps by candle-makers, a kind of vat,
but I cannot in any dictionarj' I have
here (about 100) fijid the word chand-
ler thus used. — E. Tiles
thytille, 11.570/322, thwltle, knife
tike, 1.30/66, dog, O.X. tik
tilde)i, 1.216 91, pitched (tents)
tint, 11.490/2066, lost
tinye, 1.192 '272, bit
tipen, 111.64/194, dip
tise, 1.440/587, entice
to, 1.226/276, too
to-brasf, 11.429/362, burst in pieces
tokeln'linge, 1.461/1254, a token
too-too : excessively. See Mr. Halll-
well's collection of examples in
his edition of The Marriage of Wit
and Wisdom (Shakespeare Soc.) p. 71-6
toote, il.535/235, to it. to fight
top (on a 7nast), 1.302,60, and note
topcastle, 111.408, 106. Top>castles, lodg-
ings surrounding the mast head. —
Hal.
toting, ii.53/16 ; tote,to bulge out (Som-
erset), large, fat (Glouc.) — Halliwell
GLOSSARY.
569
TOT
toiorne, i.436/464:, torn up
toward, ii.422/163, going on, that has
happened
townt, ii. 564/178, tone, the one?
trace, ii. 579, 531, ? proper step
traine, i. 447/806, embrvo. Comp. ordi-
nary expr."' put in train " = '• trained
him on," provincial, and other like.
—A.
traine, i. 214/52, harass
traitorye, ii.218 7; 267/43, treachery
tranchled, i. 62/33, went slowly
transpose, ii.60 52, transfigure
trauncell, ii.94/410, travail, childbear-
ing
^ra«/e, iii.133/142?
tree, ii.221/88, suffering
tree, ii.559 54, wood
treene, ii.181/1, wooden
trinde, ii. 117/ 1073, tind, branch of a
deer's antler
trothdesse, ii. 240/45, untrusty
truce, take, ii. 114/972
trurnpetts, ii. 474/1604, trumpeters
truncheon, i. 356/57, a broken shaft (of a
spear)
truse, iii. 56/11, trusse, package
trusse, i.482, 1931, pack
trustUie, i.149/155, faithfully
turke, i.91/14, and note ^, a dwarf
turnamentrye, ii. 342/41, tourneying
turtle, ii. 81/21 ; 84/104, turtle-dove
twatling, ii. 156/215, peddling, pottering
^wiwX-c, iii. 339/461, a wink; see Shak.
7f»i_/5. Act i. Sc. 2.— V.
tydand, iii.217/36; 353^ 880, tidings
tydants, i. 2 32/404, tidings
tyke, ii. 541/407, tick, dog-lotise
type, ii.293/70, ? separate
tyred, i.146/71, attired, dressed, adorned
tyte, i.458;1167, quickly
uglyest, iii.62/lo2, most fright-causing
vmstrode, ii.61/75, bestrode ; iii. 238/68.
Umstrid, astride, astridlands. Ray's
Words not generally used, 1674. — Viles
vnbethought, 1.76/35; 177/62; 236/17,
bethought
vncoth, i./367/405, unknown
vncoutlie, ii. 378/991, strange
vndertane, i. 368/446, undertake
vndernoine, i.477il780, understood, per-
ceived
vndight, i. 150/178-9, undressed
vne, i. 64/66, one
VIS
vnfaine, i. 93/88 unfain, soiTowful
viifdded, i.366/379. closed
vnyracknis, i. 224/246. difficult of access
viiheld, ii. 492/2130, open
vnmackley, iii .1 1 / 1 33, ill-shapen, clumsy
in appearance, unmake like. Broc-
ket's Korth Country Words. — VUes
i vnnethcs, ii.478/1721, hardly, scarcely
i unrid, iii.63/171, large. — Halliwell
I vnryde, 1.468/1501, " unrude, vile." —
I Jamieson
vnseit steuen, ii.386/1230, and note;
ii.232/110; ii. 561,192, unappointed
I time
vnsett, i. 331/292, umsett, surrounded
vnskill, ii.558, 41, senselessly
imskUlfuUye, ii. 560/84, without reason
vnsuugkte, i. 111/435, A.-S. unseht, un-
happy
unsteake, iii. 265/ 73, tmfasten, open
vntiU, i.75/6. unto
vnyeeld, ii.530/106, unwieldy ?, or un-
yielding, stiff
upbraided with (for by), i. 331/308
upon, i. 185 83, to
upon, he, iii. 129/53, cp. our " I'll be down
upon j-ou "
vttered, i.228/324, pulled
vai\r\, you, b^lXI, read " your vaines "
vacand, ii. 545/ 523, empty
valoure, ii.422/168, worth
valours, ii.368, 739, skill, worth
vaward, i.215/68, van, leading division
of an army
venere, i. 106/ 20, deer
venison, iii. 13/ 165, all for his warryson,
i.e. reward. — P.
veniale, ii. 132/1498 ; ventayle, 11.478/
1726, face armour of different shape
and material to the visor. — Planche
venturer, i.308/216
verditt, i.155/351, verdict
verome, i.470;1535, (? randome, see 478
/1820,) pace, rush; ? ^_yrM/«, circuit,
Teering. — Brockie
vew, ii. 324/47, ?
vew-bow, i.58/103, yew-bow
vewe, i.332, note * ; veiire, ii. 230/59 ;
iii. 256/572, yew. — WUbrahavis Che-
shire (Glossary
vice, i. 148 116. devices
vile, ii. 462, 1319. ? for "felc," numerous
vis, iii. 78/51, ? MS., for vus or r.s, us
vised, i.447, taught, advised
570
GLOSSARY.
VTS
visor, ii.47S/1724
vmilye, 111.08/45, fortfe winlyc, i.e. plea-
santly, jiiamde. Lye. — P. ? viewlye.
—F.
V'aches, i. 383/944, M'atchers
tvaile, i. 163/61 5, weal
waitc, ii. 94/388, expected ; waiteth, iii.
67/250, is tised for waitest ; this agrees
with tholcd for tJwledst, in 1. 1 . — Sk.
wake, iii.268/144, A.-S. wwccan, to
watch
waken, ii. 331/96, ? watching or waking
walcth, iii. 69/296, afilictest, A.-S. wcelan,
to afflict, vex
walker, ii. 306/53, fuller, whitener
wallinff, i. 387/1057; ii.592/854, boiling,
passionately. Walling = yelling, howl-
ing, jowling, bellowing.wailing, squall-
ing, squealing. The root forms a com-
ponent part of most languages. —
jBrockie
waits, iii. 69/299, A.-S. wceltan, to roll,
tumble
wanhope, i. 445/739, despair
wappcth, iii.65/217, rusheth, fluttereth
war, iii. 272/6, see note
warder, ii. 241/65, a kind of trtincheon
or staff of command. See Nares
warle, i. 146/59, weariness
warne, ii. 107/779, A.-S. warnian, to
take care of
warned, iii. 67/ 269, forbade
warre, i.427/158, beat, drive
warre, i. 429/207, A.-S. werian, to pro-
tect, defend
warre, ii.633/190, worse
warryson, ii. 589/790, reward
warih, iii. 66/248, to go
wary, iii. 67/255, curse. I warrye, Ibanne
or curse. Je maiddis. This is a farre
northren terme. — Palsgrave
wate, i. 227/287, clever, wise
waward, i. 216/89, vanguard
wawe, ii.458/1184, wall, shelter
way, i.218/114, wight, man
wayes, i. 229/331, men
way-gate, i. 366/380 ; 374/648, by-going,
passage
wayte, iii. 68/287. Qu. wate, Scot. i.e.
wott.— P.
wayted, iii. 58/48, Old Fr. gaiter, to spy
about
wed-bed, i.235/9, marriage-bed
WON
tved, i.384/952 ; wedd, weed, i,367/421
420, A.-S. wed, pledge
tveede, i. 99/234, garment, A.-S. W(^d
wcene, i.454/1024 ; 457/1144, doubt
welded, i. 148/ 112, posses.'^ed
xuddeth, iii. 56/1 3, governeth
wellaway, ii.52/6, lamentation
luemc, ii. 221/82, womb, circle
wend, iii.43/722, go
wend, iii.236/13 ; wende, i.447/812;
wendcn, i. 456/ 1082, thought
wendes, i.462/1280, thinks
whales hone, ii.369/748 ; iii.20/16 ; iii.
268/154, ivory
whall, ii.378/1012, walrus
whcdles-bone, ii. 342/23, ivory
what, ii. 380/1070, why
what devilll ii. 364/625 ; ii. 588/795,
what the devil ! devil take you !
when, iii. 64/196, wan
whether, i.469/1525, weather
whighest, i.2oin, nimblest
white, i.327/216, A.-S. witan, to blame
ivho, i. 230/355, what or whose
who and that, rel. i.376, note *
whom, i. 249/21, home
whore, i. 327/214, hoar
whylye, iii. 364/7, wilye
wiqht, i. 386/1031, 387/1047, quick; i.
331/287; iii.65/217, nimble
wightilye, ii. 65/194, nimbly
wilfull, ii. 231/95, wishful, desirous to
know ?
wilsome, ii.371/802; 558/36, wild, lonely
wince, ii. 580/545, winche, kick
wininge, i. 487/2091, woning, dwelling
winlye, iii. 74/428, A.-S. u<ynlice, joyoMsly
winne, iii. 238/62, A.-S. win, pleasure
winne, iii. 68/293, pleasant; iii. 56/5,
joyful
winne, i. 178/78, get to
winne, iii. 39/590, to go, to depart
wishe, i.481/1904, 482/1943, ii.548/608,
wisse, teach, instruct
withsay, i.373/590, deny, refuse
Witt, i.l 52/238, know
witt, iii.61/120, to tell
Witt, i.226/280, with
witterlye, i. 438/509, A.-S. wiiodlice,
clearly
witterlye, i.447/812, for certain
woe, winne to, iii.62/139 ?
wold, i.218/114, was
won, ii.564/175, wono, dwell
woning, i.l 64/632, dwelling
GLOSSARY.
571
WOO
wood, iii. 81/139, furious
woodhall, 1.383/922, ? Avitwall or golden
ouzle. Loriot (French) a Bird called
a Wit-wal, Wood-pecker, or Green-
finch.—P/h«;>s 1671
woodweete, ii. 228/5, wodewale, bryd idem
quod reynefowle or wodehake (or no-
thac. Picus) et I near. Proiiiptorium.
imtwall, the great spotted woodpecker
woone, i.332/314, dwelling
woone, ii.537/313, win, get
wooncn, i.441/605, dwell
wooninge, iii.26/191 ; 38/567, dwelling
■wore, ii.533/196, worse
worme, ii. 367/694, dragon
worth, i.l22/note, col. 2; ii.89/255 ; 230
/63, be to. A.-S. weor\>an, to become,
be
worthes, iii. 56/9, goes
wracke, i. 101/294, A.-S. wrac, vindictive
punishment, mischief, evil
wrajyp, iii.266/97, wrapper
wrath, i. 485/2032, rathe, early
wreake, iii.44/758, revenge
ivrec/ce, i. 375/673, avenge
wriffht, i.425/94, iii.66/238, right
wrist, i. 15/14, foot. In old Frisian,
hand-wrist and foot- wrist occur, and
the same use is found in Middle High
German, &c. Ger. riester denotes
both wrist and instep. — Child
ZEL
writhe, ii.223/135, twisted, took
wrocken, i. 194/348; wro/tCM, i.358/137 ;
ii.228/12, revenged
wrought, i. 70/205, rought, reached ; i.474
/1 67 2, seized
wrought, iii. 65/21 5, troubled, wretched
Scot, wraik, to vex
wracked, i. 69/ 190, thrown up as wrack
wyttcrly, i. 108/197, certainly
yare, i.452/948 ; 490/2193, ready
yare, i. 95/138, before, A.-S. ar
yarne, ii.432/450 ; 439/631, nimbly,
quickly
yate, i.356/65 ; ii.274/72,80, gate
yrardcd, i. 234/419, earthed, dwelt
yearne, i.231/381, A.-S. georn, eager.
" yearn " is, I rather think, aim = iron,
from the Norse ^'er??. — Brockie
yenders, i. 153/282, afternoon's
yerne, iii.64/185, iron ?
ycrning, ii.l 17/1067, running or yearning
yode, i.158/429; iii.40/619, 343/675,
A.-S. eodon, went
youd, i. 250/46, yode, went away
youst, ii. 219/47, you will
zely, iii. 368/3, A.-Sax. scslig, happy,
lucky, blessed, prosperous. — Bosworih
573
INDEX OF NAMES, SUBJECTS, AND PHIUSES.
TJw Titles of the Ballads are printed in italics. i.20(5 -means vol. 1, page 20, line 5.
A Cnuilere, iii.366
A Jigge, ii.334
A Louer off Late, iii.389
A Propecije, iii.371
Abbot (if St. Austin's, 11.1.52(23
Abell, iii. 70(326
Aberdoiiie, 1.191(2.5.5
Abraham, iii. 70(329 ; 74(423
Abydo.s, iii.296(13
Acctolleii, iii.l71(49
Acliilles, iii. 171(52
Aeon (Acre?), i.284(325-36; the siege and
tdkinjr of, i.283(291
Acteon's liKunds, iii. 12 6(45
Adam, iii.l70(9; 70(326
Adam and Eve, iii. 74(422
Adam Bell, iii. 76(9; 77(27 pas;im
Adam Bell, Came of the Clonghe, and
William off Cldudtslee, iii. 76
Adam Carre, i. 82(52
adder, the, which caused Arthur's last battle
and death, 1.503(145
Adderton, 1.325(169; Atherton
Adland, King, 11.600(18; 601(31, &c.
Adler, ii. 600(5; 601(41. See King Adler
Adlatt's park, ili.216(l
Adventurous Chipel, 11424(206; 428(321
^giptian Queene, the, 11.26
Agincourt, 11.169(65
Aglncourt B;ilia(is, ii. 595(597
Agincourte Biittell, 11.158
Agostes, 11.60(49
Ai^ravaine, Sir, i 145(40; 11.425(259; 426
(274
A'jyana, 1.498(23, Igeme, Anliur's mi>tlier
Alr-fiejuls, i 440(580 to i.447; 45.5(1073
Mnens, 111.261(8,17; 502(7; 504(71,79;
505(103
yEneas and Dido, lil.260
iEoIus, 111 .306(47
Akerson, Sir William, Hi 245(271
Akerstoi), Sir Roger, iii 245(270
Albanack, Kmg, iii. 437(2
Albert, Arciibislmp of Yorkc, Hi. 152(7
Alcides, 111.305(27
Aldingar, Sir, 1.165
ale, women drinking at the, 1.446(771. Cp.
The Good Wife In Bnbtes Book, &c., 39(
73 80
Alexander, King, 1.148(109; 11.451(1001;
ni.70(334
Alexander the mit;htye, iii. 170(25
Alexios, St. ii.518
Alexis, St. 11.525
Alffonso and Gansclo, iii. 507
Allen, Lord of G:illoway, i.290(518
Almaigne, 11 536(29 1 ; 'iii.268( 1 64
Ahnalne, Emperor of, (Maximilian), 1.319(16
Almaigne, Sir Jaines of, 11.107(790
Alphonso, lii.507(4 ; 509(41; 510(81,88;
510(91,94, ;)((SSi/n
Althea, ii.l9(3
Amadls of Gaul, il.404
Amarant, 11.136(13; 138(49, &c.; 139(83;
140(108
anibiiog steed, il.87 208
Ambree, Mary, 1.515
Anibroslus Aurellanus, 1.417
AnHllon, the jolly Island of, 1.164(621;
Avilion, the apple-land. Cornish Aval,
s. m. An apple. It, also signifies all
manner of tree fruit of a similar kind,
as pomum was used by the I{on>ans.
A fallen; s. f. An apple tree. Cornish Vo-
cab. mains. Nans avallen, the valley of
apple trees; nomen loci. W. arallen,
abulkn. Ann. avalen. Cf. nom. loci
in Gaul, Aballone. — Williams's Lexicon
Cornu-Britanuicum
Amintas, Hi. 450
Aininta?, lil.450(l; 451(21,31
Amongst the A/irtles, 11.35
Amyntas, iii.307(60
Analaf, ii.520
Andrew, Young, a Scotch ruffian, 11.327
angels, dropilng, for a wedding portion, ii.
284(104-19
Anguish (Ani;u.s), Earl of, 1.290(512
Anguish, King of Denmark, 1.423(19; 424
(('.9; 426(108,117; 431(267-96; 433
574
INDEX.
ANG
(364; 434(369; 435(410; 473(1648;
474(1689; 475(1713; 478(1803; 479
(1845; 480(1870; 481(1895; 486
(2043-67 his death; 492)2250. King
Antjuis or Ansjuisii of Denmark, whom
Vortiger sent for to come and help him,
may have been a namesake of tiie King
of the Picts, Aonghus, Oongiis, Oengusa,
Onnust, Onius, or Ungust I., of wiiose
numerous wars and victuries Pinkerton
gives a long account. Hist. Scot. I. 304-7.
^onglius was possibly, after all, the re-
doubtable enemy of King Arthur. — Br ic-
kie
Angus, Earl of, ii 192(41
Anne, James I.'s queen, dead, ii.319(198
Antiinye, Mon-senyour, iii.540. note'
apes, lead, in lie]], ii. 47(16; ii.46, note
Apollo, ii 54(53: iii.305(31
Apollos, iii.450(2
Appolloes teeme, iii. 125(19
Aiabian Nigh;s. ii 303
Arehbi>hop of Canterbury, iii. 152(22
Arclibishop of York, the, iii. 152(7
Archduke Le ipold of Austria, i. 285(350
archery, i.8,37
Aiiiine, King, ii. 297(1 6, same as Estmere,
297(11
Are Women Faire, iii. 364
Aigus' eves, ii.325(16
Argvie Castle, iii.220(l]0; 223(186,187;
224(228; 224(229
Argyle, Marqui-; of, i.343
Arinorica, i.403
Armornure, JLidam de, ii. 470(1 508 to 472
(1560
arms, Eglamore's, described, ii. 383(1130-8
Armstrong, ii.225(209
Arnistroni', Hector, of Harlaw, i.294
Armstrong, Lord Jocke, i. 301(9
Arnada, dau<;hter f.f the King of Sattin, ii.
360(517; 363(594: maiTies Degrabell,
ii.388(1275
Aronn, iii.70(327
Arr, ii.533(201, ?
Arradas, King, ii80(9; 84(124; 106(765;
108(810; nO(866; 112(920; 113(938;
114(965; 115(1004; 118(1099; 119
(1124; 120(1156; 123^1252; 132
(1522; 13.3(1534; 134(1.558; &e.
Arragon, ii.95(441; 112(937; 116(1028;
119(1123; 126(1336
ArraL'nn, King of, ii.l06(765 ; 108(810;
112^.920
Arrard of Arden, Sir. ii. 529(79
Arruvde of Arden, Sir, ii. 548(599
Arrndell, L"rd, iii.l37(7; 138(38; 150(374
BAG
Arfhore, Sir, fatlier of Vylett, ii.442(723;
443(742; 445(819
Arthur: a general Introduction to Merline
and Kinge Arthurs Death, discussing
the facts and some of the stories about
Arthur, i.40l
Arthur: Mr. C. H. Pearson's Essay on, i.
401-4; traditions of, and romances about,
i405-16; his ballad history, i.497-507;
mere historians may doubt of him, ii.524
Arthur, i. 59; 105(1; 144(1; 153(275: ii.
58(1,812: 59(37; 62(112; 66(207,
214: 69(299; 77(508,516; 305(15 &c.
ii.416(ll; 417(42,46,55; 418(67;
ii.419(85,103; 424(232; 425(244; 426
(286 ; ii.431(417,428 ; 436(576 ; 443
(746; 453(1042; 462(1312; 466(1394;
475(1634; 497-9; iii.l72(73; 277(12;
278(31; 279(42
Arthur of England, iii.70(338
Arthur, Piince of Wales, ii.3 16(98
Arthur's C<mrt, ii. 61(68; 76(491,497
Arthur's hall, ii. 60(58
Arthur's Law, ii 424(219
Artii,'all, ii. 145(9
Artov.s, ii..341(13; 343(220; 358(467;
36.3(610,628; 369(743; 373(866; 386
(1218; .387(1258
Arundel, Earl of, 1.290(505; iii.483(105
Arundel, Lord, iii. 244(235. See Ai-rndell
As it befell one Saturday, i.241
As yee came from the Holy, iii. 465
a>h, oath by the, 1.251(72
Ashton of Mid.lleton. 1.325(162
A.shton, Sir Ralph, iii.247(323
Ashton-under-line, 1.325(165
Astrea, iii 305(33
Aihelstan,ii.519-20; 528(34,55; 539(347;
542(439; 543(462
Athens, iii.507(7; 508(9,13,30
Attelston, Sir; Loosepain's husband, i. 37 7(
735; 1.381(867; 390(1157
Attherston, iii 193(93
Audley, Lord, iii.244(239: 245(250
Auelocke, king of Denmark, ii. 528(37, 55;
633(185; 539(353; 540(394
Aueragus, iii. 152(19
Augustus, iii. 170(28
Aurora, iii. 306(37
Austrich Duke, i. 282(282
axk'tree, flinging of the, i.90; i.97(192
Ay me : ay me: ii.43
Babington, Sir John of, 111.246(294
Babylon, ill. 273(29
Bacchus, ii.53(24; iii. 126(37
INDEX.
575
BAG
backbone, Sir Geflfron's, crat-ked in jousting,
ii.4r;2(1024
bacon fur supper, ii.563(i39
bag puddings, ii. 151(76
Basjilie, John a, i.243(4
Bagily, in Che-hire. i. 23.3(418
ball, ladies playing at the, ii, 275(88
Ballads of the North of Scotland, by Bu-
chan the forger, ii.269
Baluwe, iii 515
Banbury, ii 40(4: 42(41
Banburye, the tribe off, ii.39
Bandello, ii 303
Baner, Sir, ii.434(507
Banier, Sir, i. 113(120, Bedivere?
Banister, ii.255(21; 257(57; &c; 258(85,
&c.; 259(125
Barathron, iii 73(405
Baibary corsairs, i.298
Baibary, the heathen Soldan at, i. 308(214;
310(250
Barckley, Don, ii 524, col. 2. ? Alex Bar-
clay who writ the Ship of Fools
Bai fleet, 1.278(155
B.rnard Castle, i 293
Barnsdale,ii.229{ 45,47; 233(141 ; 235(181
bare as my hand, iii. 536(88
Birtley, Lord, iii. 244(241
Barton, Sir Andrew. id,405^37 ; iii.407(84;
409(132; 410(151; 411(159, pa-<sim
Barton, Sir John Booth of, i.229(338 ;
326(173
Bartton, John of, iii. 414(235
Bartton, Sir Andrew, iii. 399
Birwiclve side, ii.226(213
Bassett, i.275(64
bastardy no real stain in knightly times,
ii.405, note
Batealde, the, i.294, the debateable land,
Scotch border
t)Uh of herbs, ii.359(508
Battle of the Spurs, i.20l
Bawbener {f>r Buhner), Sir William,
1.220(157
Bawmer, Sir William, iii. 354(854
Beame, the land of, i.354(l ; 375(683
bean bread, ii. 574(387
Beauchainp, tlii' family of, ii.524, col 1
Beaumayns. i.l43, note ^
Beaumont, Sir John, iii.483(115
Beckett, Thomas a, tomb of, iii.48U(14
Bedever, Arthur's butler, 1.504(162,179;
505(196
Bedlam, Tom of, iii. 124(8
Bednall Greene, ii. 283(70
beeffe, pouthered (salted), iii.l 26(50
Bee.ston, i. 328(224, Bidston
Beeston, tlie Castle of, 1.289(479
BOA
begging, a good trade for Scotcbmen in
James I's time, ii.43-5
begin the boid, 11.590(820, take the Ligbest
seat at table
Bell my Wiffe. i.320
Bellefaunt. Lady. ii.393(3
Bellona, iii. 306(36
Bells ringing backwards, iii. 89(346
Belward," William, i.276(98
Belzebub, iii.72(390
Berwick, 1.230(364; iii.238(84; 433(63;
459(3
Berwick Low, iii. 431(1, Berwick Hill
Bessye, Lady, iii 325(14,100. pa.ssim,
343(576; 352(801; 362(1055; 36.3(
1069
Bessie iff Bednall. ii.279
BetheleiM, 111.292(443,455
P.etblem, 11.85(136
Beufise, Ginglaine or Libius called, ii.416(
26; 418(06
Bevis, Sir, ii.509,517
Biauju, Eenals de. author of Li Biaits
Desconneus ii. 406-4 10
Bigeram Abbey, iii.347(661 ; 351(763
BiUez, Robert; his Lai du Corn, ii.301
Bilho blade, iii.l 10(225
Birkhea.i, 1.328(221, Birkenhead
Biron, Sir John, i.2 13(21
Bishop of Ely, James Stanley, i.226(281;
i.23 1(387'
Bishoppe cf Broicn. ii 265
Bittons-borrow, the Castle of, 1.80(3
Blackater, 1.219(129, Boroughmoor, see
1. 203
Blanch ffi.ire, iii.278(35
Blanch Land, Lady of, iii. 279(40
Blanchard my stede, i.l44
Blandamour and Paridal of ' The Faiiy
Queen,' i.293
Blasye, the hermit, 1.445(741 ; 1.448(821 ;
450(892; 451(944; 452(959; 474(
1679
bleared his eye, 11.472(1541
blind bcggar'of Bediiall Green, 11.281
Blondville, Handle, 6th Earl of Che-ter, the
P.iragon of England, 1.281(251; 1.264;
confu-ed with Handle GlanviUe, i. 267(6;
1.283(304; 284(329, &c.
blood, charm for staunching, iii. 147(303
" blow thy borne, good hunter," 1.75(3
Bloyes, ii.288(225, Blois
Blunt, Sir James, 1.213(19
boar, a (Hichaid III.), iii. 190(1 3
lioar, the big, of Sattin, 11. 35.3(347
boar's head that no Cuckold's knife can
carve, 11.310(161
boat's Lead, the lirst dish, ii. 570(459
576
INDEX.
BOD
Bode, Sir, i.326(177
Botlwell, Earle, ii.260
Bodvvell, Li.rd, ii.263(43,45, &c.
Bodwine, Bp., i.96(154
Bodwiiu, Bishop, iii. 277(17; 280(72
Bilincbroke (Henry VII.), i.274(37; ii.
241(73
Bolr.on, Lord Sm.pe of, iii 244(246
Bolton, Sir Robert, i.p.74
bondman, the Name and tlie Class; essay on,
ii.xx.
boniimen, the Kinjr's, ii. 551, 555
book, a French, 11.441(706
book, the, 1,490(2180; 494(2313
book, swearing on a. ii.533(187
book, the great, of Rome, ii.371(821
booke and bell, .swear by, ii.574(4U7
Booker, ii.24(l, an almanuck- maker of
Charles II.'s time
Booth, Sir Jolm, of Barton, 1229(338;
326(173
Bootiie of Dunham. 1.277(124
Bordeaux, iii.407(90
Bordeaux, Huon of, ii'.171(45
B.re, Sir, 1.113(120, Bors
Boroughbridge, i.293
Borron, Robert de, i,411
Bourron, Helie de, 1.411
Bostock, Richard, author of the Earles off
Chester, i.258, and Notes vol. 1.
Bo^tockes daughter, i. 276(83
Bosworth, iii.357(927
Bosworlh ffeilde, iii.233
Boswonh Field, 111.166(93; 355(87.j;
357(929
Boswurth town, i.2 13(24
Boulogne, taking of, i 317
Boulton in Glendower, 1.224(238; ?BoIton
in Gleiidale
bow, good of shooting wlili the, i.21 7, note ^
Bowdrye, Sir Henry, 11.246(277
Bowes, Lord, lii.244(238
Bowes, Sir George, 1.293; 11.215(^125
Bowman, 111.126(47
Bowiiier, Sir Roger 111.245(266
Boy and A f anile, 11.301
Bragas, Erie, 1.334(5; 367(397; 1 374(
633; 396(1324; 397(1378
Brakenbury, Sir Robert, 111.245(276
Brakenburye, 111.257(612
Bramaball More, 1.300(8
Bi umham Moor, i.293
Brampton, Battle of, 1.211
Brancepetli, i.293
Brandon, Sir William, 111.258(619
Brank^toiie, or Flodden, bultle of, i.202,
206, 228-34. Sec Notes to vol. 1.
BUR
brass, an oracular head of, 11.397(128
398(141
Brannche, Sir William de la, 11.427(207; p.
428-32
Bredbeddle, Sir, 167(159; 1.71(242; is the
Green Knight, 1.70(213; 11.59(40; 62(
109 ;65(175, 187, 193, 66(211 ; 67(248
Bremlsh river, 1.225(259, note
Bremor, Syr, thekyngof Spavne, 11.601(46;
602(81; 603(105; 605(198
Brereton, Sir William, 1 277(110; 321(69
Sir Randle, 1.227(116
Bretton, Humphrey, iii. 331(249; 256(263;
333(31 1 ; 336(391 ; 340(502; 342(537 ;
345(623 347(663; 351(764
Bridge ot Peril, 11.424(205; 428(324
BrliKston, 1.23.3(401 ;tl]e vlllageof Biankston
Bristol, ii.l93(63; 111.374(2; 375(25;
380(164; 383(250; iil.482(79; 483(95,
108-120; 484(129
Brlstowe, 1.493(2273, Bristol
Bristow Taylor, as briske as, 11.45(29
Britaine, Little, 1.62(15; 65(91; England
Brittalne, 1.499(27; 111.277(8
Briu.se, Sir Robert, 111.3(7
Bruite, 1.498(1; Brut
Brom.sgrove, the jovial Hunter of, i.p.74
Broninge, Sir, 1.75(18
Brooke, Sail, 11.146(16
Broomefield, 1.281('M4
Broughton, Sir Thomas, iii.247(318
Browne, 111.432(13,17,29 passim
Browne, Klnge James and, 1.135
Brui.se, Robert, 1.290(523
Brunne, Robert of, referred to, 11.406; & In
Bondman essay, vol. ii.
Brute, the colonizer of England, 1.213(18
Buchan, a daring forger, 11.269 note-
Bucktngamhetraydhj Banister, 11.253
Buckingham, Edward. Duke of, 1.324(136;
1.329(255; 330(273; 334(374
Buckingham, tlie Duke of, i.2 15(65
Buckingham, Duke of, 11.255(6; 256(33,
&c.;' 257(61, cS;c.; 258(103, &c.
Buckingham, the Duke of, lil.l63(17;
166(79; 322(35; 323(60; 336(399
Buckle.-,felLlbeny, i. 120(5; 121(13
BuUen, 1.3.39(502, Boulogne
Bullen, Godfiev of, 111.171(41
Buhner, Sir William, 1.203; 220(157
Bun, the princess, 1.401
Burgundy, Duke of, 111.173(85
Burionge, 11.126(1340; 127(1348; 128(
1396; 129(1411, &c.; 130(1442, &c.;
131(1468, &c.; 132(1501
Burlow-Beaiile, the King of Cornwall's
fiend, 1.71(236. This '' lodly feend, with
ills seven hre-brealiiing lieads,was possibly
INDEX.
.577
I?UR
the Horned Gureloiip or werewolf. Bean-
nach is Gaelic and Irish for horned. Beanie
may have been the Cornish." — William
Brockie.
Burton-njJon-Trent, ii. 193(58
Busye Hull,iii.211(2,5; 213(67; 214(79
Butler, 1.326(177
Butler, Ellen,iii.2 12(21,2.5,27.29,33, passim
Butler, Ladv, hi.213(57; 214(81,87,89,
93.97,99 '
Butler, Sir ..'olin, iii.205
Butler, Sir John, iii.211(3
Cade's. Jack, daughter, i.S
Cadiz, ii. 14.5(1; iii.45o(17; 456(53
Cadiz Voyacje, ii.l44
Cadwallo. i.246
Caerleon, ii. 433(492
Cffisar lulyus, iii. 171(59
Calais, i.2 15(71; 339(506; great gun of,
ii.l68(49
Gales, ii.l45(l; iii 455(17; 456(53
Cales Voynye, ii.l44
Cities, Wininge of, iii.453
Callice. i.318(9. Calais
Caluarye, 11.85(137; iii.72(372
Cambridge, 1.510(40
Camden, the historian or antiquarian, i.2 7 7
(140
Came you not from Newcastle, i.253
Camelye, the castle of, i.302(48
Camfewp, Ilery, iii.540(n()te >
candlelight keeps out fiends, 1.446(757
Canterbury, iii. 153(29
Canterbury, archbisliop of, iii. 152(22
Canterbury, bishop of, i. 509(6
Canierbury, the see of, i.285(365
Captain Carre, i.79
Cardigan, ii.446(851; 447(864; 453(1053
Carle of Carlile, iii. 275
Carle of Carlile, iii.280(97; 281(105, 108;
283(169
Carleile, ii.304(2; iii.77(24: 293(488
Carlile, the Countesite (f, ii.456(,1139
Carlile, i.458(1159; iii.77(29 ; 77(38,
passim
Carlisle, i.l05(l ; 107(20; 144(4: ii.61
(85, 89
Carli.sle, Lord of, ii. 196(162; 197(177
Carli.-,le, Sheriff of, his son, i. 140(104
Carnakie (or Carnaby, i.30G(160), John,
of, 1.301(20
Carres in Tividale, the, i.294
Carthage, iii.261(l ; 502(10; 505(89
Castle Flatting, ii.61(86
castle, Vortiger's, that was torn down every
night, i.436(9; 467(71
VOL. III. P P
CIU
Cauentry, i.39(15; Coventry
Cdicline, Sir, iii. I
Cawline, Sir, iii.3(12; 4(17, 30, 33, p.-issim
cent, per cent., ii.l82
Ceres, iii. 306(35
Cestos, iii.296(14
churcnal fire, ii.567(247; 571(331
Charlemagne, i. 59; iii. 172(77
Charlemount, 1.148(111; CharlemaL'ne
Charles, King of France, 11.294(121
Chartley, Lord Ferrers of, iii 244(242
Chaucei-'s rebuke of grasping lords and
stewards, ii.553, 554
Chandos, a knight, 11.453(1037
Cheapside, Standard in, iii. 48.3(89
checkuiate with him, ii. 589(793, right up
to him
Chelt, the river, i.295
Cheshire, 111.248(362
Cheshire and Lancashire, ii. 272(19, 23, 27
Cheshire men at Flodden, 1.225(265
chess, ladies playing at, 11.275(92
Chester Abbey, 1.290(509
Chester, Earl'of, iii. 156(15; 475(2
Chester, Earles off, i.258
Chester Fair, 1.266
Chestre, Thomas, translator of Sir Launful,
i.l42
Chevy Chase, 11.1
Chevy Cha.se, 11.7(4, 13; 15(215; 16(236,
251
Childof Ell, the, 1132; 133(5
Child of EUe, 11.278 note
Chihle Maurice, ii.500
Chilile Waters, 11.269
child's voice; Charles Nevill, Earl of West-
moreland, had one, 1.306(143; 309(246;
311(281
chimney, flinging of the, i.90; 1.98(199,217
chip on his eye (I'roverb), 11.342(68
Chirboroughe', iii.539(172; Clieibourg?
Chorlton, Sir Richard, iii. 246(278 ; 257
(614
Chortley C.istle, i.289(48l
Ciirestien de Troyes, i.2 11
Christabell, ii.342(25,28 ; 345(129; 364
(618; 365(643 663; has a sou, 369
(747; 371(813; marries her .«on Deg-
rabell, 380(1(165, and then her husband
Eglamore, 388(1275
ChriMopher White, 111.494
Christ's Church, iii.3 17(21
Churclikes, or Kiikleys, where Robin Hood
was killed, 1.53(3; 55(41,43; 57(92
churl and noble, the gulf between, i. 248(4;
iii.136
Cinaris, iii.306(43
Ciuill Land, 1.307(173,187
578
INDEX.
CIU
Ciuillee, i.305(122; 307(187 ? Seville or
Cicily
Claraniande, ii.397(138; 398(158
Clarence, Duke of, iii.536(74; 537, note 6;
538(131.142
Chiike, David, 1,276(97
Clarke, Philip, 1.276(101
Clarrett, iii. 126(49
clean, kept, in youth, ii. 544(508
Cleves, i.317
Clifford, Lord, i.22G(272
Chris, ii.21; 22(1; 23(21
Cloudeslee, William of, iii.76(ll; 78(44,
49.68, pa.ssim
Cloudeslee, Younge, iii. 102
Clough, Lord. ii.207(88
Clymm of the Cloughe, iii.76(10; 82(157
Clutton, Sir Robert of, iii. 245(262
Clj'fton, Sir G., iii.246(291
Coliham Lord, i. 33(1(2 79
Cockle, Sir John, ii.l 55(184
Codner, Lord Grey of, iii 244(237
Coeur de Lion, Rifhaid, i.282(278; 283
(301; 284(338; 285(349; iii.l 73(81
Colbrand, ii.533
Colebr.inde, Guy and, ii.509
Colbronde, Lunsford, ii.40(7; 41(17; 42
(39,43
Coleburne, Sir John, iii.247(327
collar, the sign of a gentleman, i. 249(35;
250(61; the sign of knighthood, ii.590
(809
collar: after a collar comes a rope, ii.590
(815
Collen brand, i.68(167; 69(171,179, sword
from Cologne
Come, Come, Come, ii.52
Come my dainty doxeys iii. 313
Come j^retfy Wanton, iii. 385
Comfort, Sir, iii 60(100
Compton, i. 321(77
Confessor, Jldward tlie, his laws, iii.l 55(79
Conqueror, William the, iii. 151
Conscience, ii.l 74
Conscience, ii.l 84(21; 185f38; 186 49,65
Conscience, Court ot, ii.l 87(75
Constable, Cecil's spy, i.294
Constable, Sir Marmaduke, iii. 246(281
Constantine, Emperor of Koine, ii. 368(729
Constantine, king of England, i. 423(14;
die.s, i.424(.53
Conway, Sir Robert, iii. 245(269
Conyers, Sir William, iii.246(283; 257(611
Cooke, ii.41(10
Coplaiide, John of, ii. 198(206
' coq-k-l'ane,' the French, i.241
Coridon, iii. 530
Cornelius Agrippa, ii.525 (col. 1
DAN
Cornewall, Duke of, iii. 438(31
Cornwall, King of, 1.63(54,62
Cornwall, traditions of Arthur in, i.40.3
Cornwayle, the Erl of, one of Arthur's
council, 1.157(399
Corydon, iii.307(64
County Palatine, 1.280(206
court esv, boys sent to school to learn, i,
182(4
courtesy taught to boys, 11.96(468. See
Lord of Learne, &c.
courtiers are jolly and needy, ii. 567(239;
568(275-6
Coventry, 1.40(29; 293; ii.40(5; 193(68;
201(8; 240(59; iii.475(3
Craddockes Lady, the only faithful one in
Arthur's Court, ii.308(99 ; 309(129;
310(171; 311(189
cranes for supper, ii. 576(466
Craven, Skipton in, 1.223(223
Crespy, 1.318
Cressus, iii. 301
Cressus, iii.301(l; 302(11, Cresslda
Cressy, Battle ot, 11.200(255
criticibm, historical, very puor stuff, in John
Dane's opinion, ii.524
Cromwell Thomas Lord, fragment of a
Ballad on, 1.127
cross, keeps fiends out of a hou^e, 1.446
(761; 447(803
cross, headless, fight at tlie, 1.310(254,2 66,
(272
cuckolds' horns, ii.402, note 2
Crumbocke, cow, ii.322(7; 323(17
-cth for-tch, i.23(73, &c.
Culerton, ii.205(36
CuiTibermeare, the Abbey of, i 280(217
Cunninge. Sir, iii. 60(103
Cupid, ii.28(20; lii.305(25; 389('2
curlews for supper, 11.576(465
Curte.sye, Sir, ili.60(103
Cuthheri's banner, St., 1.226(271
Cynthius, 11.54(54
Cyprus lie, 1.283(.302
Cytherea, 111.306(35
d and tli, changes of, ii. 41 1,412 notes
Dacre, Edward, 1.299,300
Dacre, Leonard, i.295
Dacres, Lord, i. 220(152; 229(331; SSI
(371; iii.244(247; 247(313; 36l( 1 (27
Dade, an ahnanack-maker, ii.25(9
Dakers, Lord, 1.306(155 ; 307(169
Damiatte, 1.289(468
Damyatte, 1.288(451
Damietta, siege of, 1.268
Dani astre (Doncaster), Sir Roger of, i.p. .51
INDEX.
79
DAN
flancinp, men, ii.579
Dane, Sir, i.326(185
Danibus, the virlv jryant, i. 499(45
Daniel, 11.532(160'
Danish axe, 1.68(169; 11.512; 540(376
Danish giant Colbrand, ii. 528(40
Danyell, ili.74(424
Darby, Earl of, 1.129(9; 27.5(51 ; 290(506;
319(39; 320(61, &c. See Uerbif
Darby, the dear Earl, 1.215(66
Darbyshire, 1.231(382
Darkesome Cell, ill. 123
Darlington, 1.293
Darnall, i.290(514
D.ivid, Kintr, ill 170(16
Davi.i, 111.70(332; 74(424
David of the Scotch royal line, 1.290(501
David of Scotland, 111.459(2
dead, death, 1.382(885
Death, and Liffe, ill. 49
Degrabell, son of Eglamore and Christabell,
ii.371(801; 377(972; his wedding with
his own mother Christabell, 380(1065,
and then with Ariiada, 11.388(1275
Degree, Sir, ill. 16
Degree, Sir, ili.20(5: 26(212, passim. A
Degarer would no doubt be formed from
a Low-Latin devagari, as degasler from
devastare
Delacreese, the abbey of, i.289(480
Delamere Forest, 11.61(87
Dekmont, Sir, i.218(212. La BIothe-Fe-
nc'lon
Denbigh, 1.282(267
Denise, St., ii.4 18(69
Denmarlce, 1.499(33
Denys, 11.41(10
Derbv, Earl of, i..329(246: 33,5(388; Hi.
322(20 : 35.5(863 ; 357(917 : 358
(931 ; .363(1071 ; 326(128 ; 327(154 ;
328(182; 331(272 ; 339(464 ; 343(576;
346(643. See Darby
Derby, the dear Earl of, 1.212(10
Derbyshire, 11.192(51
DerngUl, wife of John Balli..], 1.290(520
Devonshire, 111 487(6; 489(50
Diana, iii.305(17
Dido,lil.261(1.9, 11,19; 262(21, 29; 502
(11; 503(36; 504(55, 68; 50.5(101
Dieulacres Abbey, 1.265(271 ; 289(480
Dighton, Jame.s, 111.165(61
Dlomede, 111.302(18
Dlsaware, the Lord of Learne's name
changed to, 1.186(115; 189(201; 191
(245
Disconyus, Sir Lybius, 111.278(33
Dodcott, 1.280(225
Dodslcy, llobert, ii.279
EAG
dog and a bell lead a blind beggar, 11.283(74
Dogstarr, 111.125(27
Don John of Austria, 1.296; 304(81;
his arms, and his way of brusiiiiig his
hair, 1.303, note ■•
Dorchester, 11.41(26
Douglas (temp. James VL), 1.137(9
Douelas, 11.193(53; 219(21
Douglas, Earl, li.7( 1 5 ; 8(43,49 ; 9(69 ; 9(79 ;
11(110; 12(137, 143, 151, pas.sini
Douglas, James, ii. 194(103; 195(109, &c.
Douglas, Marv, 11.219(26
Douglas, Wililam, li.l93(73; 194(85; 223
(132, 1.53; 224(178; 225(198, 203
Dove, li.25(9
Dover, 1.215(63
Dover, besieged by the Dauphin Louis, i.
287(408
Dover Castle, 111.152(17
Dractons-Borrow, i.83(80
dragon, near Rome, Eglamore's fight with,
11366-7
dragons, the two under Vortlger's castle, i.
467(1465 to 470(1549
drink, stopping to, iu the middle of a fight,
11 536
driven to a book, 1,155(330; sworn as a
jury
Droivnhg of Eenery I. his children, the,
iil.156
drunk, girl getting at the ale, 1,446(773
Drurye, Sir William, 11.221(91
dryd, 11.533(180; tried?
Dudley, Lord, i. 276(108
Duke Cliarles, 111.173(85
Duke of France, 1.188(161
Duke William, ili.l56(13
Dulake, Sir Lancelot, il.66(218 ; 111.278(23
l)ulake,Sir Lancelott of,iii.l20(4; 121(41.
See Lancelot.
Dulcina, Hi. 172(66
Dun bull, the Nevjlle crest, 1.304(95
Dun lUill.the Karl of Westmoreland's crest,
11.214(118; 216(156
Dun Cow of Dunsmore Heath, 11.201(1 1
DunsMiore Heath, 11.201(9
Durham, 1.254(11; 1.293- 11.195(110, 113;
196(153, 157; 197(170; 200(253
Durham, Bishop of, ii. 196(147; 197(165,
173, 185, 189; 564(178; 111.354(^853
Durham Feilde, li.l90
Dutton, 1.326(185
Duzeper, 11.173(167
Dyaua, Hi. 125(21
eagle of the Stanleys, 1.21 ; 111.340(535
Eagle an (Lord Derby), 111.190(21
P P 2
580
INDEX.
EAR
Eail Douglas, ii.7(15; 8(43, 49; 9(09;
9(79; 11(110: 12(137, 143, 151,
passim
Eiiil of Mars, iii. 21 7(37; 221(151; 222
(159; 223(205; 225(239; 259(261;
228(339,341: 229(349,351,359
Earl Percy, ii.7(6,17; 9(55,74; 10(84,
85,91; 11(129; 12(137,148,149, passim
196(155; 210(13
Earle of Westmorlande, i.292
Earle Bodivell, ii 260
Earles off Chester, i,258
E:iton Water, 1.243(5
Echo, iii.306(42
Edinburt;Ii, i.l39(72; ii.l 5(225: iii.223
(189, 201; 495(13; 496(32, 39, 51
Edinburgh, i. 177(44
P^diiiburgli Castle, ii 220(52
J^dinburgh, Sir Richard of, ii. 193(61
Edniond, King of Sattin, ii. 362(582
Edom o' Gordon or Captaine Carre, i.79
Edward the Confessor's laws, iii. 155(79
Edward I., 1.291(530
Edward I., Longsiianks, ii.557 12; 558
(17; and all through John de Reeue,
ii.557; 594(910
Edw.ird III., ii. 191(5; 569(293; iii.173
(83; 236(26; 459(1
Edward the third, iii. 457
Edward IV,, ii.255(7; iii.l63(2
Edward the ffourth his sonnes, the murther-
ing of, iii. 162
Edward VI., i.l25(2; iii.l67(110
Egace, or Sir Eger, i. 354(24, &c.
Eyer <^ Grine, i.341 (correct Grine to
Grime, see ii.65, note ')
Egerton, descended from Philip Clarke,
i.276(102
Egerton, Sir John of, ii.l4(190
Egerton, Sir Raphe, i.320(.53 ; 321(79;
334(374
Egerton, Sir Rowland, i.337(441-5, 457j
338(473-8
Egil, ii.519
Esrinion ap David, i.276(91
Eglamore, ii.338
Etjiintone, Lord, i.352
Egrabell, Sir, i75(l; 76(37
Egramye or Egranye, Sir, 1.371(554-5;
372(^565
Egypt, King Marmaduke of, ii.372 827;
373(851
Eliai.fewe, Herre', iii. 540, note '
Eldi-rt.ii, the ballad-writer, i.l35
Eidridge hill, iii. 6(62; 9(112
Eidridge, King, the, iii.6(66; 8(102; 9
(116, passim
Elinor, Queen, i. 168(48; 166(5
PES
Elizabeth of Yorkshire, Henrv VII. 's queen,
11313(35
Elizabeth, Queen, i.292; 300(6; 11.317
(127, 134; iii.l67(122
Ell, the Child of, 1.132
Ellen (& Childe Waters), 11.272(13, &c.
Ellen, see Hellen
Elliots, the, i.294
Ely, th» Bishop of, 1.223(213
Emanuell, 111.272(9
Emperor, an, wanted for a correct wedding,
ii. 338(1269, and note
Emperor of Greece, ii. 393(2
Emperor of Rome, 11.367(710
Emyas, Gray-Steele's daughter, marries
Pallya.s, 1.399(1433; and has 3 children,
400(1462
England, formerly Mikle Brittaine, i.425(82
Enylande, the rose of, iii. 187
Erkyin, 1.372(557; Egeking, 1.373(593;
386(1005; Sir Egramye's sword, i.387
(1045
Esau, 111.70(329
Escalberd, Arthur's sword, 1.505(206; is
caught by a hand and an arm, 1.506(228
Essex, Erie of, iii.454(9; 455(33
Estmere, our King, ii 297(11 ; same as Ar-
dlne, 297(16
Estrllde, 111,438(29-37; 439(60, 62; 488
(26, 34, 43
Ethelwold, iii. 490(101
Euphendan, 11.525-6
Eve, 111.70(326; 170(11
Ewaine, Sir, u.425(460; 426(268; iii.278
(25
Exeter, Bishop of, 111.482(83
Exeter, Duke of, 111.534(27; 538(124
eyes, grey, 11.450(949
FaineiDoJde I change, 11.46
faire words make I'ooles faine, ii. 224(1 79;
225(187
Fairfax's Tasso; Lane on, in 1617; 11.525,
col. 2
Fairy Queen, li.303
Full of Princes, the, iii. 1 68
Farnrse, Alexander, i.515
Fawne, Sir Alexander, iii.247(316
Felix, Dame, ii. 530(89
Fellton, Jacke, ii.l 45(8
Felys, Guy's wife, ii.515
fennel hangs green in .June, 11.463(1322
Feragus, King, 11.398(152
Ferdinando, King of Spayne, 11.316(101
Fernlherst, i.294
Ferrers, Lord, 111.257(605; 349(731
Festus, ili.272(l
INDEX.
581
FIE
fiends of the air who can beget children on
women, i.440, 447
finfrer, little, a token of victory, i.75(6;
i.77(43; cut off by the vict .r, i.360(192,
196; 367(422,424; 368(457; 371
(536
Fitton of Gawsworth, i.326(189
Fitzhugb, Lord, iii.244(245^
Fitzbuch, Robert, Baron of Malpas, i.
276(85
Fitz-Nonnan, Robert, i.274(41
Fitzwater, Lord, 1.329(527 ; 230(277
Filzwilliam, at Floddin, 1.229(342
Fitzwilliams, Lords, ii. 196(163; 197(179
Fhinder.s, Earl of, iii. 449(131
Flanders files, ii.208(124
Flatting Castle, ii.61(86
Flint, 1.282(267
Flodden, battle of, i.202, 206, 228-34
Floddtn Fellde, i.313
Flora, iii.l57(25; 306(38
Floriniel, girdle of, 11.303
Foellx.Guy's wife. 11.543(472, 481; 544(492;
546(537; 547(563; 548(590-608
folio, wrongly applied to a leaf of a J\IS.
instead of two pages spread open, i.l4,
note ^
Fontaines abey, i.27(15
Forbidden Country, the. Gray Steele's land,
1.357(102; 347, 350; i.3'83(940
fo:e.-.t, a nicht in the, ii. 437(596-606
Foiest of Delamere, 11.61(87
fornication or adultery; burying alive was
the old English punishment for, i.442
(654-61
Forreat, Miles, 111.165(61
forty days, 1.77(54; i.l 70(93, the lime for
grace
forty days' feast, 11.453(1053; 498, 499
forty days' wedding feast, 11.388(1281
Foster, Sir J..hn, 11.222(107
fowl, the fairest that ever flew; the eagle of
the Stanleys, 1.223(231
Fos, his Murtyres, iii, 272(16
France, boy sent into, to learn languages,
i.l83(40
France, King of, 11.291(8; 393(4; 395
(58; 396(97; iii.350(719
Franciscan friara' short frocks, i.27, note^;
29, note'
French horses, poor ones, ii.293
Frenchmen feareii Henry VII., i.2 14(39,
and Henry VIII., 1.214(51
friendsbi of sworn bretliien, 1.345
Froland, 1.499(43, Fn.llo
fuel scarce, 11.565(194
Full.show, i. 229(317, I think, WaUhuw,
liiockie
GIL
Fundus, King, i. 372(560
Fyenys, 11.41(12
g'.bs made by Charlemagne, &c., l.p.59
Gaines, 111.173(83
Gaion, Sir, 1.14.5(35
Galloway, 1.219(133; 111.70(340
Galloway, Allen, Lord of, 1.290(518
Galloway, traditions of Arthur in, i.403
Gallya, now called France, 1.499(41
Gamor, Sir, 1.492(2256
Ganselo, iii. 508(15,2J; 509(42,61, 510
(87, 95, passim
Gare.-, Erie, 1.377(730, 743; 393(1239;
398(1398
Garrett, Sir, 1.113(121; 1.145(41, Garcth
Gar^ed, Jamie, 1.329(241; 331(303; 333
(335
Girnwicke, 1. 396(1346
Gasconle, iii.l 73(83
Gawaine, i.61(l; 66(136; 67(144; 155
(354; 157(421; dies, 1.500(73; appears
to Arthur, 1.502(103; 11.60(46,64; 61
(70; 64( 164; 65(182, 188, 196; 66(22.'J;
67(236, 245, 254, 2.58; li.68(259, 268;
69(293, 298; 70(321, 338; 71(362; 72
(370, 382; 73^403, 412, 416, 420; 74
(421, 429,433; 75(455,459,461,470; 76
(478 ;76(SOO;77(50y.Lybius, bib bastard,
ii.405; teaches Lybius, ii. 419(94; 423
(194; 425(257; 457(1164, 479(1754j
494(2173; ble.-ses Lybius, his son, ii.
498; iil.70(340; 172(75; 277(7; 278
(28; 279(3S; 280(7 1,83, 281(1 15, 124;
282(133, 155; 285(221; 289(335
Gawaine & the Turke, i.90
Gawaine; Sir K. Lee descended from, i 43(84
Gawaine, the Maniige of, 1.103
Gawsworth, Fitton of, 1.326(189
Geffelett, Sir, ii.472(1566 ; 474(1621;
483(1868
Gefferon, or Gitfron la Fraudens ii. 445(802;
444(782, 792; 445(823 to 453(1035
Genches, D.ime, ii.515
Genlle I/eardsmun, iii. 524
gtntle.-)' blood not to be set with bondmen's,
ii 573(385. See Introduction to Ulas-
£fe;7o«, ii. 247-8; 249(79, & T/wmas of
Fulte
Geoffrey's (Henry the Second's son'.--) widow,
1.282(259; 1.264
Gerard ot Cornwall, or Cornubycnce, ii.51 1,
521, col. 2
Gerrard, Sir Thomas, i. 230(360
Gesta Koiuanoruiii, ii.303
GibcllU'e or Giiyclifft, ii,516
Gilbua, iii. 70^^3'J1
582
INDEX.
GIL
Gildas, i.402, 404
Gildas, Life of, i.402, 404
Gilford Greene, iii 140(90; 142(158; 143
(186; 140(268
pinger, powder of, in vrine, 11.579(522
Ginglairie, Gawaiiie's bastard, ii.416(7, 13,
32; christened Lybius Discunius by-
Arthur. 11,418(80
Ginnyehis Filly, ii.401(12
Giraldus Cainbrensis on Arthur's tomb,
i.402
Gisborne, Giiye of, ii.227
Glanville, Bundle, i.267
Glasenburye, 1.496(2372; 11.417(41, Glas-
tonbury
Glasgerlon. 1. 246
Glendower, Bolton in, 1.224(238
Glenkindie, i.246(3
Gloster, Erleof, 1.279(193; 11.564(179 ; iii.
539(171
Gloucester, li. 146(32
Gloucester, Richard Duke of, lii.l63(5; 164
(41; 105(57
Glyn, John, i.316
go, suck thy dame, ii. 424(230
God before, 11130(304, God going before,
God giving his aid
gods forbott, i.l8(59, see note i; 30(64;
393(1230
Godfrey of BuUen, iii. 171(41
Godiva, Hi. 475(13
gold : Prov. a man may buy gold too dear,
1.187(156
gold wire likened to a giiTs clieeks, 1.148
(131; to her hair, 11.450(94, &c; both
red
Golyas, iii. 170(16
Gordon, 111.413(205, 212, 216
Gordon's Lute-Book, 1.343
Gornordlne, the sowdan, 1.376(691, 700,704
Gorwaine, Sir Terry of, ii.527(26
Gotheland, 1.499(35
Gower's Story of Florent, 1.104(7
grass-green soothing diink, Loosepain's
wonderful one, 1.363(29 1
Gray, Sir John the, 111.245(273
Gray Stell, i.342-3; i.S52
Gray Steele, Sir, 1.36.5(345,356; 377(737;
381(864; 382(890; described 384(953;
hi.s fight with Sir Grime, 1.385 8, & death,
388(1088
Graystocke, Lord, iii 245(257
Great or Proude, iii. 391
Grecian Einperur, 1. 499(39
Grecya, iii. 504(80
Grecyan land, the, li. 393(1
Greekes sea, 1372(561
Green Knight, the; Sir BredbeJJle, i.70
(213, 221; 11.56; 62(109; 6.5(175, 187,
193; 66(211; 67(248; 71(340,361;
73(415; 74(442; 75(451; 77)511; iii.
278(27; 279(38
Greene Chappell. the, 11.64(149; 6.5(198;
67(233; 69(287; 71(343; 75(448; 76
(484; 77(503
Greenham, 111.273(40
Gresley, Johannes, ii.523, col. 1
Griffine, Sir, i. 145(41
Grime, Sir, Lord of Garwicke, i.354(20
Grime, his fight with Sir Gray Steele, i.
385-9
Grissell, 111424(23, 26; 425(55, passim
Groby, Lord Ferrers of, ill. 244(242
Gromer, Sir 1.102(320, 329
Gromersomer, Sir i. 106(62; 107(73
Guenevere, Queen, 1.61(5; 105(3; 1 15(.592;
118(207; desires Lambwell's love, 1.152
(236, 249; 1.59(487; 500(65; 11.59(17;
30,5(15; 300(33; 309(131
Gueiidoline, Queen, ill. 438(25, 41; 439
(55, 64
Guilpin quoted, 1.181
Gunild or Gurder, 1.166(1
Gurnon (or Gernon), L'andulphe, 3rd Earl
of Che.ster, i. 278(1 57
Guye cf Amarnnt, ii. 136
Guy <-f Colebrande, 11.509
Gmj^- Pkillis, 11.201, 608
Guy of Lusignun, 1. 283(287
Guy of Warwick, 11 136(1, &c.; 137(31,
&c.; 138(50, &c.; 139(80; 140(133
141(151, &c. ; 143(194; 231(8.5, &c.
232(115; 2.33(121. &c.; 2.34(139, &c.
235(175, cStc; 111.171(44
Guye of Gisborne, ii.227
Gyfre mv knave, 1.144
Gyle, St.", sworn by, 11.438(618; 445(807
Gyles, Sir, 1.235(12; 239(87,90
Gynye, 1.339(498, Guisnes
Haion, Sir, 1.151(222; 155(254; 160(;->04
hair, like gold wire, 11.450(944
Hale, Archdeacon, his opinion on John de
Reeve, ii. 556-7
Half-moon, the E.irl of Northumberland's
badge, ii 214(122
Halton, Nigel of, 1.274(25
Hambleton, James, lii.4l3(217
Hanibleton, Lord of, ii.l93(C9
hand, holding up the as a pledge, 11.574
(414
Hannibal, iii.l 70(29
Hans, town, 1.339(498
Harbyetowne, iii. 142(1 40
IlarcliiTe, Sir James, ii.l4(192
INDEX
5S3
HAR
Harcliffe, Sir Robert, ii.l4(l'Jl
HarclilTe, Sir UoReT Heuer of, ii. 15(205
Harcliffe, Sir William, ii. 14(131
Hariiiiig or Hawuniin C,i,-,tU", i.27 J(53
Ilarebottle, Sir Kalph, iii.245(258
Harffleete (llarHeur), ii. 107(39
Harlev Woods, ii.223(lo8
Harold, i.273(l
Harrington, Sir James, iii.247(332
Harrington, Sir Robert, i!i.248(333
Harrinijton, Sir William, iii.354(859; 360
(992,1005; 362(1036
Harry, King, i.l3U(4
Harry, King, the wife of Queen Elinor, i.
173(199
Hartlepool, i.294
hart's head, iii. 194(1 13
Harwich, ii.4S2(07
Haryngton, Lord, iii.538(136
Hassall, the hind, 1.330(281
Ha.stings, Henry, i.291(526
Hatieley, Sir Henry, iii. 245(268
Hatters'ey. iii-250(412
Hauforde, 1.229(345, ? Holford
Hawarde, Sir Edniond, i.315
Hawarde, Thomas, Duke of Nortlifolk, at
Flodden, i.208, note '
head-gear, a giil's, ii.330(65
Hearne (Heron) the bastard, 1.220(161
Hector; mere historians may doubt of him,
ii.524
Hector of Trov,ii.225(207; iii.70(338; 170
(33
Jlee is a jfoole, iii. 386
Helen (dMUghter of the King of Hungary).
ii.l02(G48; 107(772; 135(1.587
Hellen, 1)1.299(101
Hcllen, the maiden of the Lady of Sinadone,
11.420(121 ; 422(157; 424(220; 425
(238; 427(297; 433(478; 437(589;
439(658; 443(757; 447(871 ; 448(895;
454(1060; 455(1084; 458(1180; 461
1279; 464(1334; 472(1544; 473(1588;
479(1771
Hellespont, iii. 297(1 7,36 passim
llcnault. Sir John, iii. 481(46
Ihnerij I. his children, the Drowning of, iii.
156
Henry I., iii 156(1
Henry II., ii. 148(1
Henry ill. crowned (at Glo'ster Oct. 28,
1216), 1.287(420
Henry V., ii.l67(27; iii.l73(84; 534(11
Henry V., his sieye of. Rouen, iii. 532
Henry VI., iii.236(20; 323(63
Henry VII., his lamling ut Muf .id, 1.212(7 ;
his reign, 1.214(36; cnwned at Uoswurth,
iii.lG6(l04
HON
Henry \'7I., ii.312; iii.236(8,24; 237(34;
251(428,440,449
Henry VIII., his e.xpedition info Frnnre in
1513, i.200; in 1513 and 1544, i. 317-18
Henry VIII., i. 214(49 ; his invasion of
Fiance and siege of Tuienne, 1.215-16
Henry VIII., il.316(l 15 to 31 7(128; iii.166
(107; 173(91; 263(47; 403(3; 404(8
jiassim
Henry, King of England, 1.41(52; i.43(78,
&c.; 11.16(2.33
Heraud, tutor of Guy's son, ii.520
Hercules, iii. 170(20; 306(51
Hereford, 111.484(127,132,145
Htrefford and Norfolke, 11.238
Hereford, Bp. of, 1.43(85; i.4.5(ll4
Hereford, Duke of, ii.238(5; 239(11, &c.;
240(38, &c.; 241(74, &c.
Herefordshire and Morris-dancers, 1.38
Heremus, 1.418 10; may be Snowdon, or
any other desolate mountain. The word
seems to be Greek: Eremvs, desert. —
B rookie
Herlott. i. 273(7 ; Arlotta, William the Con-
queror's niolher
Hermes, 111.307(79
Heme, Sir Roger, 111.247(331
Hero, 111.297(24,32,37,43, passim
JJero and Leunder, ill 295
Herod, King,iil.l7l(53
herons for supper, ii. 576(466
hert (hart), Twety on the, ii.351, note i
Heuer, Sir Roger, 11.15(205
Hlckathrlft, li.517
High I'eak, ii. 192(51
Hind, Sir, 111.60(101
Hippeau, BI., his edition of Le Bel fnrnnnu,
li.406; of Lyheaus Disconius, i\A\2
Hi[ipon, 111.346(657
historian, the mere, is most malignant to-
ward the Poet historical, ii.524, col. 1-2
Hobby Noble, 11.204(20; 205(24, &c.; 206
(62; 207(96; 208(108, &c.; 209(136,
&c. See Notes to vol. 11.
Ilobkin long, ii 575(422
Hob of the Laih, li.578(512 ; 579(527,
537; 580(542; 583(624; .593(896
Ilodgkln, long, 11.578(512; 583(624; 584
(641,649; 543(896
llolcroft, iii.2 12(41
ilolUiwe me Fancy, 11.30
Holt, Castle of, 111.248(358
Holv Ghost, the inspirer of learning, i.l82
(\-2
Holy Lmd, i.284(.322; 11.376(945; iii.243
(_209; 471(7
hoiiieiiiaile brown, a hood of, 11.569(283
Honor, Sir. iii.G0(l04
584
INDEX.
HOP
Hope, Sir, iii. 60(101
Hope Castle, i.275(53
Hope, the manor of, i.32S
Hopedale, i.328(235
Horn and RimnilJ, ii.303,304
horn, the testing, ii. 301-2
horn that no Cuckold can drink from without
spilling, ii.311(179; ii.301
home and lease, 1.338(470, ? horn and the
lace or cord to it
horns, cuckolds', 11.402(33, note
Horrtton, Sir John, iii.247(310
Horseley, 111.413(211, 224, passim
Horsley, Sir Oliver, iil.24.')(263
Horsley, William, lli.40G(56, 57
Horswood, iii. 492(1 69
Horton, Sir Richard, lii.246(286
How foyre she he, 11.50
Howard, Lord, lii.454(7; 408(97; 409
(117; 411(162, passim
Howard, Lord Charles, iii.405(29, 37; 406
(66; 407(73
Howard, Liird Thomas, leads the van at
Flodden, 1.225(262
Howard, Sir Edmund, 1.225(264; i.205
Howards, the, 1.313
Howbrame town, i:. 209(140
Howbrame Wood, ii.206(64; 209(148
Hugh Spencer, li.290
Hugo, King of Constantinople, i.59,60
Humber, King, 111.437(1,6,10,11
Hume, Lord, i.294; 301(27, 35; 11.220(53
Hungary, 11.94(404; 104(689; 124(1286;
127(1354; 133(1537; 111.263(6
Hungary, King of, 11.102(644
Hunsden, Lord, 11.221(87; 222(123
Hunston, Lord, 1.295
Hunt, Henry, hi.407(77, 81; 408(101,
passim
Hunting of the Gods, iil.303
Huntingdon, Earl of, 1.282(265; ill.539
(169
Huntingdon, Sir John, 111.246(299
Huntley, Lord, i.l26(25
Huon, Sir, i. 145(35; 159(463. See Uaion
lluon of Bordeaux, iii 171(45
Hurlste;m, Sr John, 111.247(330
Hutton Caslli^, 11.76(494
Hymen, 111.305(33
/ am .... iii. 529
/ haue a hue thatgfnire, i.255
/ Hue where I lone, ii.325
Ignobytes, 111.306(49
He dore, ii.464(l336; 465(1377; the
Golden Isle
Jn olde times paste, iii.119
JOH
Iti the Dayes of Olde, ill 441
increase and waning of a knight's strength,
1.382(891-4
Inde, silk of, 1.384(973
Ligleby, Isabel, 1.299
Ingle wood Forest, 1.106(16; 1 109(217
Inn, at a burgess's house, 1.378(763; 1.390
(1136
Innocent III., 1.285(371; 286(382
Ireland, 1.499(33
Irish knife, 11.234(167; 236(219
Iron, or Irowne, 11.481(1804, 1807; 486
(1947 to 491(2091
Ironside, Sir, 1.146(43, 111.278(35, 37; 279
(49
Isabel, Queen, iii.480(9
Isacc, iii.74(423
Isace, 11170(329
Isarell, the King of, 11.370(782; 377(960;
378(993
Iseland, i.499(35
Italian singers, i.l80
Jack or Jill, 11.585 676 .
Jacob, ili.70(328
Jame, St., 11.418(61, 76; 432(442; 439
(643; 442(718
James IV., Lamentation of, 1.211; death
of, 1.208
James IV., i.342; 1.231(373
James V. i.343
James VI. of Scotland and I. of England,
1.135; 1.130(12,15; saved by Browne,
ii.267 ; 11.315(78; 317(149; iii.167
(123
James, King of Scotland, 11.16(229
Jason, 111.171(49
Jehosaphat, V;iliey of, 111.373(46
Jerusalem, 1.283(290; 288(444; 289(466;
11.83(137; 111.72(368; 75(457; 534(16
Jesu, 111.70(345; 72(368; 75(457
Jesus leeve, 11.150(176, by dear Jesus!
Jesus; the Devil's scheme to up.set his re-
demption for man, 1.441
Jew, hard-he:irted, 1.184(64
Jigge, A, il.334: Ital. contadineUa. a yonguc
or pretty country wench. Also country
songes or gigges. Florio
Joan, Pope, 11 402(52
Jockye, Lord, 111.141(122; 142(134
John a Side, 11.203
John-a-Side, ii.204(2, 15,23; 206(71; 207
(98 &c.; 208(1 13 cStc; 209(1. -59 &c.
John De Eeetie, ii.550. See " Bomlm.in "
Essay In vol. 11.
John, King, and the Bishop of Canterbury,
1.508(514
INDEX.
585
JOH
John, King, dies (17 O.t. 1216) i.287
(410
John, Little, i.40(35. See Little John
John of the Scales, i.l75(ll, &c.
John Stewards wiffe,ii.502(9; 503(37; 505
(107; 506(113
Johns reign, Kinsr, 1.285(362 to 287(410
Jonathan, iii.70(331
Joppa, i.2S3(290
Jordan, ii.85(136; 425(251
Joseph, iii. 70(328
Josua, iii.70(328
Josua, Duke, iii.l70(17, 21
Jove, ii.29(27; iii.261(16; 307(78,82
Jowler, iii. 126(47
Juditiuin Dei, the, i. 166(11
Julyus Caesar, iii.l71(59
Julyus i\Iuchabeus, iii.l71(43
Juno, ii. 29(26; iii.306(39
Jury, i.289(468,470, Judaea
Justice Cell, ii. 146(31
Kahames, William of, i.261
Kitherine, Princess of Wales. 11.316(103
Katherine, Piincess, 11.173(169,179
Katlierine, Queen, her letters to Hen. VIII.
and Wolsey after Fludden, i.316,17
Katherine, Queue, i.37
Kay of Kaynes, a Northern Knight, i.376
(707
Kay, Sir. i.91(20; 11.64(154,160; iii.277
(22; 280(71,77; 281(103.119,128; 282
(147; 286(249
Kay, that crabbed Knight, i 145(37
Kay's lady is faithless, ii.307
Keeglye, Sir Henry, 1.230(359
Kelsall Wood, i. 244(25
Kent, iii.l52(15; 153(28
Kent, Earl of, iii.244(227
Ker, Sir Thomas, i.294
kerchers of silke, 11.566(226
Kester (Stewart), iii. 224(221
Keveiocke, Hugh, 5th Earl of Chester, i.
281(238
Ki-hlye, i.325
Killingwortii, ii. 193(58
Kinderton, the Baron of, i. 229(.344; 277
(126, 326(187
A'mf/ Arthur and the. King of Cornwall, i.59
King Arthur, iii. 172(73. See Arthur
King Edgar, 111.487(1,21
King Edward II., iii.480(8; 482(73
King Estmere, ii.200, note; Appeiidi.^ ii.
King Harry's hose, ii. 324(49
Kinge James and Browne, 1.135
King John and Abbot, ii.278, note
King of Man, 1.330(275
LAN
Kinge Adler, ii.296
Kinge and Miller, ii.l47
Kinge Arthur's Death, i.497
Kinge Edgar, iii.485
Kinge James and Browne, i.l35
Kinge John and Bishoppe, 1.508
King's, the, fraternizing with the common-
alty, ii. 147, 550; ill. " The Pore Min and
the Kinge."
Kirion the' Pale, 1.246
kirtie of silk, 11.329(35,37,41
kiss, the Lady of Sinadone's, ii.422, note <■;
493(2150
kiss to make up a quarrel, 11.592(864
knee, to fall upon tlie, before a lord or lady,
1.189(192, note 2
Knight, the Green, iii.278(27
Kiiigliton's Chronicle quoted, ii.512
KuoWbley, 1.327(213
lace of silk, the magic, 11.73(397; 74(427;
76(479
Lacys' name, 1.274(26
ladies' bedchambers, kniglits going to,
11.365(643
ladies cutting silk and sewing, 11.298(72;
299(76
ladies healing the wounded. 11.368(737
ladies, old tests of their frailty, ii. 301-4
lady, Geffron's beautiful one described,
11.449(931-54, Lambwell's, i.l48; Lady-
Life, iii.
Lady Bessye, 111.322(14
Ladye Bessiye, 111.31 9
Lady Butler, iii.213(57
Lady Gray, iii 214(100
Lady JIary, iii.l57(18
Ladye, our, 11 274(64
Ladyes full, ii 246
Lamberd, Sir, 11.47.3(1595; 475(1640 to
483(1861; 490(2207; 497(2237
Lainbeweli, Sir, 1.142. As to his libeiality,
cp. Qui vient est beau, qui apporte encore
plus beau: Pruv. No man's esteemed so
faire as he that comes fulUhauded. — Cot.
For the Oxford fragments of the old
printed edition, see Appendix to VjI. i.
Lambwell, Sir D.ivid, ii. 15(207
Lancashire, ii. 557(8
Lancashire and Ciieshire, i.319(37; 320
(49,57,63; 322(1 lU 1.333(341,349;
tiiey have done the deed, i..334(368-70,
but see, i.207-8; 1.335(391; 1.340(503
Lancashire Soul', i.241
Lancaster, 1.327(205; 111.243(203
Lancelot, 1.112(116; 1.166; 1.501(75;
502(109; 11.451(1002; iii.70(339
586
DEX.
LAN
LTO
Lancelott of Dukike, iii. 120(4; 121(41;
iii.l72(76
Lancelot, the Romance of, ii.303
Lnndreci, i.317
Lane, Jolin, address to the Reader on Guy
of Warwick, ii.521-5
Lan-ton Stephen. 1.285(368; 286(376
Latham, Lord Derby's (ilace, i.325(159;
1.327(209; iii.l90(24; 248(347; 254
(514; 324(70; 334(334,348; 352(805
Lailuim gates, iii.334(350
Latham of Lancasliire, iii. 359(9 74
Laurence, John, of Lancashire, i.230(348
Lauinian, iii. 31 1(1
Luidnian Shore, The, iii. 308
Layamon, i.410
Layston, ii 146(24
Lazarus, ii.532(158
Lealand, tlie lusty, i 330(282
Leander, iii.296(9 31,35,39, passim
Lee, Peeter, iii.2 13(48
Lee, Piers of, iii.2 14(91
Lee, Sir Richard, i.43(81
Leicester, i.214(33; ii.313(23; iii.258(641 ;
352(801; 302(1055
Leo X., i.201, 209
ieo/riCMS, iii. 473; 475(1
Leonades, iii. 70(339
Lcpanto, i.298
Leslie, ii.34(13
Lewis, i.287(429; tl'.e dauphin Louis, in
1217 A.D.
Libiiis Discon'nts, ii.404-499
lice, ii.l51(68, 71
Lichfield, iii.249(390; 250(393, 397, 401;
357(923
Liddesdale, i.294
LifFe, Sir, iii.60(102
Li{;ny, i.317
liking, 1.333(359. spouse, wife
Likinge, Sir, iii.60(102
Liles, Lord, iii.346(641
Lin, the Mayor's dauirliter of, 1.235(5
Lincoln, i.261: 287(426; ii.l93(71; siege
of, 1.279(173
Lincoln, Earl of, 1.282(265; 111.2-14(229
Lincoln green, 1.15(5; 36(15
Liiicohibliire, 11.193(71
Lisle, Lord, 111.349(729
Listen, Jolly Gentlemen, i.l30
Little John, ii.228(13: 229(31; 230(55,
cSdc; 231(81, &c.; 236(207, &c.; 237
(233; 1.40(35'
Little John, the Beggar, cf- the three Palmers,
1.47
Littiebury, 1.275(74
Lo.rin, King, 111.437(4; 438(37
London, i.40(40, lovely Loudon, 1.42(73;
82(64; 319(31; 334(363; cp. Dunbar'a
poem, ' London! thowe arte of townes a
per se,' Reliq. Ant. i. 205; Laing's Suppl.
to Dunbar's Works
London, i.501(78; 11.186(60; 191(23; 192
(25; 194(87; 199(224.225; 211(19
21.5(137; 221(104; .502(13; 503(45
111.152(14; 212(31; 213(57,61; 214(81
322(19; 333(318; 338(435, 449,455,
456; 341(532; 352(807; 408(95; 482
(77, 82: 483(92; 497(53
London gates, 111.333(319
London, Mayor of, iii.483(85
Lonelich, Kerry's, Merlin, 1.419
Longborth, Battle of, 1.401, 407
Loospalne or Looseplne, Lady — first named
at 1.398(1406-7,-1.362(244; 378(772;
379, &c.: 1.391, 394; marries Gryme, 1.
398(1406; has ten children, 1.399(1458;
1.348-50
Lord Barnard cf the little Afitsgrave, i.ll9
Lord Baniett or Barnard, i. 121(17, 31
Lord Gray, 111.164(21
Lord of Learne, i. 1 80
Lord Richard, 111.156(14
Lord Percy, ii.218(16, 20; 225(197; 226
(214
Lord Rivers, ili.l 64(23
Lord Strange, iii.324(69
Lords, setter of the, 111.264(16
Lothaine, Sir Lott of, iu.278(26
Lough Leven, ii.221(103; 222(127; 223
(146, 147; 224(163, 176
Louis, son of Philip of France, invades Eng-
land (21 May, 1216), 1.287(405; quits
it (11 Sept. 1217), 1.287(434
Loue, Sir, iii.60(102
love-sick knight, 11.345(112
Loxley, the river, 1.38
Loxly (Robin Hood), 1.40(34; 43(93, 97
Luciter and tlie fallen Angels, 1.440
Lucifer, 111.73(416
Luciiia, ill. 305(13
Lueyes, the Emperour of Ronnie, i. 499(49
Lukin, Duke of Gloster, 1.504(161; 505
(204; flings Escalberd into the river,
.506(227; dies, 507(247
Lulla: Lulla, lii.387
Lundey, Lord, 1.226(270; for Sir Manna-
duke Constable. 1.205
Lumley, Lord, 111.245(250
Lunsford, Golbronde, 11.40(7; 41(17; 42
(39, 43
Lupus, Hugh, 1.273(17; 278(158
Lydgale's Guy of Warwick, ii.514, 520- 1
Lynet, the damoysel, i.l45, note ^
Lyones, Dame, of the Caste) I'eryllous, 1.145,
note ^
INDEX,
587
MAB
Mabatn, ii.481(1803; 480(1947 to 491
(2083
Mable, the book of, 1.306(141; 309(243
Mabinogion, the, i.407
JIachabeus, Julyus, iii.l71(43
Maclcfeild, Sir Thomas, iii.247(324
Mad Turn, iii. 124(3
JLielgoun, or Mdi;locunus, i. 402
Major, Sir John, 1.510(5
Malador, Sir, 1.492(2261
Milbancke, Hugh, 1.280(215,220
Malbeddinge, Win., Baron of Nantwich, i.
275(57
JIaleore's abstract of the French Arthur
R iinances, 1.412,414
Maligo sacke, iii. 120(51
MalHnere, Sir Richard the, iii.247(309
Mallyneie, Sir Thomas, 111.247*^311
Malpiis, iil.347(G76
Malpas, Baron of, i. 270(86
Mamasse, giant Marrocke'a brother, ii.358
(470
JIan, Isle of; giants in. 1.88
Man, the King of (Earl of Darby), i. 320
(48; 322(96; 95(129
Mancliester, lii.240( 1 1 5 ; 324(7 6 ; 336(384,
385
Mangerton, Lord, ii.204(8; 207(80; 209
(156
Maiigy.s, the giant as bhick as jiitch, li.464
(1342; 465(1378 to 470(1502
Manners, Sir Kichard, 111.245(267
Manf-field, 11.153(126; lli.l03(19; 105(76
Manlie, the Boy and, il.301
Map, Walter, 1.411
Marc, King, 11.304
Mirchalie, Earl, 111.538(132
Margaret, Queen, 11.80(10; 95(440; 134
(1555
Margarett, daughter of Henry VII., ii.317
(115
Margrett, 11.33.5(1
Marke Anthony, 11.28(7,15
Marke More, 111.131(89; 97(113; 132(123,
passim
Marke more ffoole, iii. 127
Markenfield, Thiimas, i.299; or M.irtin-field,
1,301(14; 302(61; 310(205
Marmadiike, Kinj of Egypt, 11.373(851;
378(1008; 379(10^0; 380(1049
Marradas, Sir, 11. 120(1157; 121(1189;
122(1207; 123(1241; 126(1333; 130
(1463
M:.rrHmile.s, Sir, 1.62(26; 71(240,244,2.^0;
72(2.52
Marrocke, Sir, tlie giant whom Eglainnre
kills, il. 349(239 ,351(294 to 353(341 ;
358(409
JIarrocke, Sir (Triamore's steward), 11.81
(13; 82(51 ; 83(70, 79: 84(97; 86(158,
174; 87(196.205; 91(308.323; 92(328;
99(550; 100(569,585; 133(1528
M.irrocke, Sir, 111.277(21
Marrvan, Maid, 1,40(33
Mars^ 11.54(41 ; iii.l25(28-31 ; 111.303
(24
Mirs, the Earl of, 111.217(37; 221(151;
222(159: 22.3(205; 225(239 ; 2.59(261 ;
228(339,341; 229(349 351,359
Maningsd:ile, 111.226(291; 228(324,325
Mary Aumhree, i.515. See Notes to vul. i.
Mary, Queen, 111.167(113
Mary, Queen of Scot.s, 1.292
Mary, Queen of France, and Duchess of Suf-
folk, 11.318(153
Mass iu the morning, ii. 580(556, passim
Massey, Hugh. 1.277(117
Massliiger's ' Picture,' li.303
Matreways, Johan de, iii. 540, note •
Maltrevls, Lord, 111.244(2.34
Maud, Queen, 1.279(166,189
Maudlin, iii.374(2; 37.5(14,.33; 379(121;
379(125; 380(142,153,166; 381(173,
185
Maudline. iii. 374
Maurice, 11.34(23
Maurydden, 1.335(391; ? the nobles, gran-
dees, or presidency, command
Maximilian, 1. 201
]\Iaximu'<, the Emperor, his conquest-s attri-
buted to Arthur i.406
Maxwell, Lord, 1.219(140; 1.222(191; for
Lord Home, 1.203
Maxwell, Lord, 11.15(209
Maya, iii.306(38
Mayd Marryan, iil.l20(7; 121(43
Maijd, the Niitt hrowiie, ill. 174
Meiampu,s, lii.306(49
Meliagraunce, Sir, i.lOO
Melton, Sir John of, iii.240(290
Memerlng, 1. 166(2
Menelauii, King, 11.401(22
aierchantmen going to London, 11.502(13
503(45
Mercury, 11.53(31; iii..305(29; 126(35
Merline, 1.41 7
, English Romances of, i. 419-21
Merlin's personality discussed, i. 417-18
Merlin : how he was begotten and hoin, i.
440-51 ; his life till he was 7 years old,
1,451-9; he Is found by Vortlger's mes-
sengers, and goes to court, 1.460-7 ; tells
Vortiger about his fill- down ca>tle ami
the Dragons, 1. 407-74; is sought for by
rendragou's nu•.s.^engers, 1.181-7; then by
rcndrag'Jii liiuiself, i. 487-90; advices
588
INDEX.
MES
him and Ulher till Pendragon's death, i.
490-6
Meschieffes (or Meschines), Randnlph, 4th
Earl of Chester, 1.278(1 61 ; 281(237
Messene in Cicilee, i. 283(293
Metliasula, iii. 70(327
Jlichaelmas is a well jrond time, i. 36(17
Michall, St., ii.462(1290; 468(1463; 474
(1602
Micliall, the archangel, ii. 546(551
Jlidiileton, Sir Eobert of, iii. 247(326
Midsummer Day, ii. 463(1324
!Mikle Briitaine, the old name of England, i.
425(82
Milan plate, scullcap of, ii.582(595
Milfield, close by Flodden, 1.219(146
Milfird-haven, 'i.212(8; 1.323(127; iii.190
(29; 237(50; 351(781
MiUaine (knife), 1.68(168; 69(180, from
Milan
Miller of the Mills of Dee, i.33S( 166
Millers and mass priests only, left in Eng-
land to oppose James IV., 1.217(109
Million, the King's daughter of, 1.148(114
Minerva, iii 305(34
minstrels' rewards, 1151(210; gifts to, ii.
386(1226
Mirth, the benefit of, ii.557(4
Miithy drales, iii.l71(42
Mutton, Ma.ster. iii.l92(58; 65(79
Moberly, Sir Nichola.s, iii. 245(261
Jlodred, the Scutch harper, i.246
Mulyneux, S r William, i. 230(361
]\lumus, ii. 53(16, 22; iii. 306(48
Monmouth, Geoffrey of. i.409 ; called an im-
pudent liar by Giraldus Cambiensis, i.
402, and Wilfiam of Newburgh, i.410
Montague, Sir William, iii. 459(11
Moateagle, Lord, 1.227(296; 231(370
Montgomery, Sir Thomas of, iii. 245(2 74
Murdred, Arthur's son, 1.500(63; 501(77;
503(133; killed by his father, i.505( 187,
and wounds him to tlie death, 1.505(192
Mordred, iii.278(31
Moresbye, Sir Christopher the. iii.2-)7(314
Morrelf, Sir Charles, ii. 14(203
iiiorris-dancers, i.38
Morte Arthur, i.414
Jlorton, i 294
mother and snn, marriage between, ii.340
Jlnuld, 1.328(236
iAIould Castle, i.275(53
Moulesdale, 1.328(236
Mountfort, young, 11.288(223
MountfTomeryp, Sir Hugh, ii. 1.3(161; 14
(181; 14(202
Mountreali, i.274(42; 275(49, Jlontalt
Mowbray, Thomas, li. 241(75
NOR
Mowswinge, Sir Bernard, ii.95(427; 104
(703, 706, 105(712; 106(743, 757;
107(772; 108(820; 110(869
Moyne, Prince, i.423(28; 424(43; is made
king, 1.424(60; is defeated, 1.426(114,
and killed, 1.429(202; 1.472(1621 ; 477
(1759
Sloyses, iii.70(327
Much, the Miller's Son, 11.207(84 ; 208(1 1 6,
&c.; 209(142, &c.
Mulciber, iii.306(45
Mullenax, 1.325(166, Molynenx
Muikenffeild, Sir George, iii.247(3l7
JIurray, i.294
Murtfiering of Edward the ffonrth his
Sonnes, iii. 162
Mu,sgrave, Sir William, iii.247(315
Musgrave, the Little, i.119
Muslebooroive Fetid. 1.123
Muttrell, 1.339(504, Montreuil in Picardy
Nantwiuh, i.280(211; iii.248(359; 249
(367
Nappy, a hound, 111.306(50
nappy ale, good and stale, ii. 151(77
Narcissus, iii. 306(41
Nash, D.W., quoted, i.407 417
Navarne, Prince of. ii. 107(778
Naworth Castle, i,294
Nebuchadnezzar, iii 170(27
Nennius, 1.402,404,408, his account of
Merlin, i.418
Neptune, iii.305(23
Ni-ro, iii. 172(61
Nevill, Charles, Earl of Westmoreland, i.
296; 301(21 to 312(323
Nevill, Lord, ii. 193(65
Neville, Sir John, 111.247(329
Nevills, the, ever noble, i.226^284
Newark, 1.214(34
Newarke, ii.33
Newarke, 111.259(645
Newcastle, came you not from, i.253
Newcastle, 11.204(4,19; 206(70; 208(126;
iii. 459(4
Newcasile-upon-Tyne, i. 318(7 ; iii 407(80
Newport, 111.193(92
Nilus flood, 1.288(450; the river Nile
Nilus streams, 11.401(7
Noram, 1.222(205, Norliiim in Northuiriber-
land
Norfolk, Duke of, i.292-3; 11.239(9, &c.;
240(44; 241(7.5, &e.; 242(105; iii.
244(225; 111.2.53(481; 257(604, 354
(849; 361(1019
Normandy, iii.268(165
Nuniuuidy, the King's daughter of, i. 249(25
INDEX.
589
NOR
North, the Risinj; in the, ad. 15G9, i.292
North, Sir Thimms, iii.246(293
Nortlj Wales, i.39(14: i.40(28; ii.l94(93
Nortluimijerland, ii. 192(48
Nurthumbei'land betrai/d hj Douglas, ii.
217
North mnberland, Earl of, i.293; i.215(69;
ii.7(9i 8(41; 210(9; 214(121; 218
(8,12; iii. 244(230
Norton, Francis, ii.2 13(85, &c.
Norton, Kester, ii. 211(61, &c.
Norton, Musler. ii.211(43; 212(51, &c.;
214(109; 216(157
Nortons, the four, i.299, or five, i.301
(17-18; 1.306(157
Norway, i.499(33
Nottingham, i. 16(27; i.24(97: i.40, note^;
ii.l49(15; 153(121; 237(227
Nottingham, Earl of, iii.417(31 1
Nottingham, Sheriff of, ii.235(185; 236
(213
Nottinghamshire, 1.282(272
Noiu the Springe is come, iii. 230
Nutt browne Mayd, the, iii. 174. Fr. brune,
f. A browne wench, a lovely nut-browne
woman. Brunette, a nut-browne girle.
Fille brunette est de nature gmje &
nelte. Prov. A nut-browne giile is neat
and blith by nature. — Coigrave
0 Noble Festus, iii.269
oath by oak & ash & thorn, i.251(72
' Old Buskins for new Brooins,' ii. 402(46
Old Rubin of Portingale, 1.235
Olye.s, Erie, 1.370(505
Orgarus, Earle, iii. 488(42
Orkney, Isle of, 1.219(132
Orleans, Duke of, 11.172(149
Orson, 11.396(92; 397(108.121
O.-baston, Sir Alexr., 1.330(283
ostler, arrays Sir Gryme, i.382(910
Othello: ' Bell my Witfe 'quoted In, ii.320
Our Lady's church at Rouen, iii. 536(76
Onaln Fmddu identical with Arthur, i.403
Owen, Sir Christopher, iii.247(319
Oxeiiford. i. 510(40, Oxford
Oxfnrd, iil.316(l
Oxford, Erie, iii. 192(71; 2,53(484, 255
(548; 349(730
Padua, iii.375(26 ; 377(71 ; 378(104 ;
380(144-146
Page, John, author of The Si<ge of Rouen,
ill. 54 1 , note
Painter's Police of Pleasure, ii.303
Palestine, i.284(.324
PHE
Pallyas, or Palyas, Sir Gryme of Garwicke'a
brother, 1.370(523 ; 371(537, &c.; 373
(605; 374(644; 375(656, &c. ; 394
(1288, &c.; 398(1415
Palinerin of England, ii.30,3
Pan, iil.306(46; 530(15,21
Pandarus, iii. 301(5
Pandora, 111.306(37
Papistry put down by Henry VIII., ii.316
(122
Paris, city, li.l73(163,180; iii 350(747
Paris work, armour of, 1. 359(173
Paris, pride of Troy, 11.401(21
passports carried by travellers, ii. 150(48,
51
Patient Grissell, iii. 421
Patrlcke, Robert, i. 276(99
Patrinton, Dicke; Queen Katherine's page, i.
39(24
Pauye, 5 Kings of, 1.499(37
payment, 11.565(199; sjiiced bread?
Pearson, C. H., on the historic Aithur, i.
401
Peeres Payfforall, 11 568(257, Edward I.
Peeres of Lee, iii.2 14(91
Pegasus, 111.305(25
Pegg, — short for Margrett, — ii.335(20
Pembroke, Earl of, 1.28.3(306; 287(416;
268(441 (a.d. 1216)
Pendragon, Constantine's third son, 1.423
(30; 429(24; 430(243,254: 475(1722;
476(1751; 479(1836; 480(1850,1869;
487(2077, &c., to his crowning, 1,492
(2240; and burial, 496(2371
Pepys quoted, 11.280
Perceforest, 11.303
' Perce'val,' of Chrestien de Troyes, ii 302
Percival, Sir, 1.145(38; li.423(194; 425
(257; 426(273; 451(1002; 111278(26
Percy, Bp.: his Life, i. xxvii.; was the sou
of a grocer, i. Appx. vii.; his pcilishing of
the Child of Ell. i.l32; of the Ueir of
Lin, 1.174. See Forewords
Percy, Earl, 11.7(6 17; 8(41; 9(55: 9(74;
10(84,85 91; 11(129; 12(137,148,149,
passim; 196(155; 210(13. See Earl
Percy
Percy, Lord, 11.218(16.20; 22,5(197; 226
(214; iii.354(846: 361(1018
Percy, Sir Henry, iii. 245(265
Percy, Sir Wm., 1.226(273
Perkins's Table, iii. 274(41
Perpoint, Sir Henry, i i 246(292
Persall, Sir Hugh, 'iii 252(460; 255(557
pestilence of 1349, ii.5.52
petticoat, a girl's scarlet, 11.329(43
Pewne.s, Monsennnre, iii 540(177
Phcbu.x, 1.227(308; 383(931; the sun
590
INDEX.
PHE
Phebus, iii.l71(ol
riicnix, Lord, iii.l37(9,13; 138(34, pas-
sim
Pliero, the son of Sesostris, ii.304
riiilip Aucustus, i2G7; 282(281; returns
home, i!284(337
Philip II. of Spain, i.298
Philhs, 11.202(30,40
Pliillis, iii. 307(64
Phillis, hoe! ii, 1.507
Phoebus, iii. 307(78
Phykr, Sir, i 1.109(830
Pilkinton, Sir Thomas, iii. 248(334
Piroiiius, ill. 172(6.5
Pinkie, or Pinkie Cleugh, the battle of, i.
123(7
Plaiin, Claude, his prologue to Ullistoire
de Gi(jlan, ii.414
plovers at Bessie's weddinjr feast, ii. 285(1 47
plucked up his heart, ii.460(1250
Pluto, ii'.124(7
Plymouth, iii. 454(12
Poetry, the divisions of, ii.522, col. 2
Poictiers, ii.l99(240; 200(255
I'onifret, 1.222(209
Pond, ii.24(5
Pontfracte Castle, iii. 164(30
poor palmers fed by Guy's wife, ii. 344(487
Pope Innocent III., 1.285(371; 286(382
Pope Joan, ii.4 02(52
Pope Jolin, ii 146(17
Pore man and the Kinge, iii. 195
Port de Pounte of Kouen, iii.536(75
I'ort Hillary, 111.525(67; iii.540(178
Porte Denys, iii.538(125
Port Martynvace, of Kouen, iii. 539(1 62
porter, a prouii, i. 63-40
}ior!ers, the Kirjg's, i. 591-2
Portingale, Old Robin of, i.235
Portlngall, 11.397(126; 111.410(155
jiossett, a poisoned, ii. 266(10
Pott, Thomas a, iii. 138(25, 26, passim
I'vtte, Thomas of, 111.135
Pount Torncre ii.466(1403
Pountlarge, lii.534(25
jiouthered beeffe, 111.126(50; salted beef
Powis lands, 1.282(267
Powles, 11.402(31, St. Paul's Cathedral
Powtre), Johannes, ii.523, col. 1
Poynlngs, Sir Edward, i. 213(20
Poynton, Warreyn of, 1.277(137
Prester John, ill. 243(197
Pretty Nannie, 1.255
pride, 11.324(55
Princes, the fall of, iii. 168
Prin.si.moure, Karl. 11.341(16; 342(40; 348
(201 ; .358(466; .•504(614; 373(807;
breaks his neck, 388(1264
ROB
Prophecye, A, iii. 371
Proserpine, 111.124(7; 305(18
prostitution, open, in old England, 1.443
(660; 445(726
Proud were the Spencerft, iii. 478
Pulton Abbey, 1.265; founded, 1.281(231
purveyors, the fear of, ii. 552, 555
Pyramus, 111.434(75
Pyrrhus.iii.l 72(65
Ragecrosse, i.316; Rouge Croix
Ralnborne, Guy's son, 11.529(85
R;iines(Rennes), shirts of, i.373(610; 37 8
(779
Randle, Earl of Chester, i.259
Randle II., 1260-3; 278(161
R.indle III., i.264-272; 281(251
Raphe, son of Eglnion ap David, 1.276(92
Ratcllffe, Sir Alex. 1.336(425,429,4.34
Ratcllffe, Sir Richard, lii.247(305 ; 257
(609
Ratcliffe, Sir Thomas, 111.247(308
Ratcllffe, Sir William, 111.247(307
Ratcllffe, the royall, i..33 1(285
Ravengaard, 1.166(2
Read, Captain, i.295; 302(44
Rebbye, Sir Ralph, 11.14(195
Red Roger (of Doncaster), i 57(81
Red Rose (Edward V.), ill. 189(7
Ree, I.-ile of, il. 145(2
Rhenish wine, 1.188(163
Rice ap Thomas, Sir, 1.331(289; iii.3.53
(819; 358(939; 359(955; 301(1015
Richard, Dul<e of Glouster, 111.163(5; 16 4
(41; 165(57
Richard, second Earl of Che.ster, i.278(149
Richard I., 111.173(81
Richard II., 11.244(179; 551-3; his death,
1.213(32
Richard III., 11.256(29, &c.; 257)80;
11.313(21; 111.237(47; 238(74; 321(5;
322(23,25
Riclmumd. Erie of (Henry VII.), 1.214(3 6;
iii.l66(89,101; 192(65; 192(70,73, 77;
193(81, passim; 241(145; 323(43; 324
(90; 328(187; 348(699; 356(898; 3L8
(941
Richmond in Yorkshire, 1.293
Ridley Hall, Cl^sshire, i.33SC483, note
Ridley, Sir Arclilbald, 111.245(260
rings for a tournament, 11.382(1 121
Ringwood, 111.126(47
Ripon, 1.293
Riainge in the Norlhe, ii.210
Rivers, 11.24(6
Rizzio, Lord David, ii. 201(1 5
Robbye, Sir Ralphc, iii 246(279
INDEX.
591
ROB
Robert, Lybius's squire, ii. 408,4 11
Kobin Hood: Introiluctiun to the Ballads,
discussing Lis personality and character,
i.l
Rubin Hood, a Beggar, and the Three
Squires, i.l3
Eobin Hood and the Butcher, i.l 9
Robin Hood and the Pindar of Wdkefidd,
i.32
Robin Hoode and Queene Katherine, i.37
Robin Hoode his death, i.50
Rubine Hood and Fryer Tucke, i.26
Rubin Hood and the Beggar, verses quoted
fruiii, i.l 4, note '
Kobin Hood, ii.228(ll; 229(44; 231(85
&c.; 232(109, &c.; 233(119, &■.; 234
(139, &c.; 235(175, Sec; iii.l20(5; 121
(44
RNcbelle, ii.l45(3
liodger, Sir, ii.88(230; 89(247,257:90(272 ;
90(278; 90(280 289,293; 91(298; 91
(313,322; 92(325, passim
Eodint;bam, i.l 65(9
Roger of Doiitaster, Sir, i.50
Romans, ii.91(316. Romance? No man-
French.
Romance; a knir;bt reading books of in a
window, i 374(627-8
Rume, i.500(57; ii. 146(22; 366(667,685;
ii. 367(712; iii. 170(30; (171(60; 172
(65; iii. 272(19; 507(1; 510(92; 511
(110, 113; 534(13
Rome, no cuckolds in, ii. 402(51
Rome, the Couit of, ii.l99(248
rooks, the blissful noise of, 1.383(923
Rome, tiie great booke of, li 371(821
Ruse of England, the, iii. 187
Ro.se, the (Henry Vll.), iii.l90(30
R(jsebury Castle, iii. 459(5
Roses, White and Red, ii 314
Ros.se, Sir Richard, iii.24fi(287
Roswal and Lillian, refeired to, i.l81
R)therham, i 229(343
Riiuen. the Siege of, iii, 532
Round Table, Arthurs i.61(7; 84(8; 498
(13; ii.58(13; 475(1643; 479(1769;
whence the French Table ronde. Open
hou.se-keeping; also a merrie meeting or
feasting together of friends and allies.
— Cotgrave
Round Table, the Roll of, brought to Gla-
morgan»hire in tlie 12tli century, i.407
Rous, Jolin (Uos.-e, ii.522, col. 1), on Uuy of
Warwick, ii.515
Rowland and Oliver, ii^. 170(35
Rouhind.s, Samuel; his' Guy and Amaiantit,'
ii.l3G, and 'Guy and Cokbraiide,' ii.509,
514
SAT
Rowne, iii. 534(28, Rmien
Royster, iii. 126(47
Royslon downe.s, iii. 31 7(30
Rozamund, Lady, iii. 142(161
Ruisburn, Guy's son, ii 520
Rumfoid, ii.281(22; 283(90
russett gowne, ii. 569(282
russett, gray, ii. 281(14
Rubticien de Pise, i.4ll
Ryalas, Sir, i.74
Ryder, Sir Robert, iii.246(297
Sabrine, iii.439(63; 4-10(70
Sabyn, Dame, ii.515
Saint Andrew's, Ronen, iii. 535(72
St. Andrew's day, iii.2 19(90
St. Andrew's, the Bishop of, i. 141(108
St. Austins, ti e Abbot of, iii. 152(23
St. Barnard's Mount, i.499(47
St. Baitholomew's Hospital, ii. 186(55
St. David's land, iii. 243(209
St. Geruais, abbey of, at Rouen, iii. 536(73
St. Ge Tge, iii. 236(5
St. George's Day, i.41(44, April 23
St. Gyle, sworn by, ii 438(618; 445(807
St. Hillary's church at Rouen, iii. 535(67, 69;
540(178
St. Jame, ii. 562(1 32; 592(860 See Jame
St. John, sworn by, ii.435(536; 558(34;
559(63
St. Jullye, ii.564(170; 581(572
St. Katheriiie's, Kouen, iii. 536(77
St. Leonard, ii. 74(421
St. Marline, ii. 70(325
St. Matthew's, Rouen, iii. 536(79
St. Michael's, Martyivyle, iii.536(82
St. Patrick's Church, iii.219(89; 220(125;
221(129
St. Paul's, Martyrvyle, iii.536(83
St. Swithin's church at Winchester, ii.
541(632. See Notes to vol. ii.
Saladiii, the great Souldan, i.283(285;
284(343; iii. 173(82
Saladiiie, the yEgijitian Souldan, i. 289(465
Salamon, i. 148(1 10; iii.70(333; 127(3;
Sob mon
Salisbury, i.434(385; 436(445; 480
(1849; iii.258(l04; 321(8; 322(40;
3:i6(400
Salisbury, Counte.-.s of, iii.460(32: 461(62
Salisbury, Karl of, 111.539(167; 459(10
Samson, iii. 170(19
Samuel], iii. 70(330
Sandwich, i. 500(69
Sanford, Sir linger, iii. 245(275
S ira.siiis, iii.l 71(.')8
Sathaiis, iii. 73(395
592
INDEX.
SAT
STA
Sattin, or Sydon, tlie country of, ii. 353)345;
354(357; Edinond, kinc^ of, 355(402;
362(582; 382(1118; 387(1242
Savage, Cliiistopher, i. 22 9(347
Savage, Sir Cbristoplier, i.324(144; 326
(181
Savage, Sir Gilbert, i.212
Sauage, Sir Jolm, 1.276(81; iii.252(459;
255(549; 324(77; 330(233; 337(408;
343(569; 344(597; 353(815; 358
(933; 359(953
Sauage, William, iii. 211(11; 213(53;
214(92
Sauyi, Sir Ilenrie, his Tacitus, ii.524, col. 2
Saxons, i.499(29
scarlet coats, ii. 31 5(70
Scarlett, Will, i.l5(23; i.40(32 ; ii.229(51
schoolmasters writing in school, ii.503(19,
49
Scotish Feilde, a short alliterative Chronicle
in honour of the Stanleys, i.l99
Scotland, i.l89(197; 499(32; iii.217(34
219(91
Scott. John, 7th Earl of Chester, i.290
(500, 511
Scotti^h lirand, ii. 330(69
Scotts, a flint; at the, ii.43
Scroope, iii.431(9; 432ri3, 27, pa^^sim
Scroope and Broicne, iii.431
Scroope, Lord, 1.226(279; iii.354(855
Seege of Roime, iii. 532
Setter of the Lords, iii.264(16
Severn, origin of name of, iii. 440(69
Seville, Duke of, ii. 109(830
shanks, men with small, can't charge, ii.
292(55, 62
Sheffield Castle, iii.324(84; 337(419
Shene, James IV. 's body placed there, i.209
shepherd, the next cleverest to David, i.514
(155-66
Sheriff of Nottingham, i. 17(50, &c.; 19(9
— iiis wife, 1.21(37; 2.5(113
Sherwood Forest, i.45(140; ii. 148(4; 152
(95; 157(236; iii.l08(160
Shibbrooke, Guarren Vernon of, i 275(70
shoes, knights to win their, 1177(504; 123
(1232
Shrewbburv, 1.323(130: ii.l93(67; iii. 191
(56; 192(57; 351)784; 353(831; 354
(833; 354(843
Shrewsbury, Earl of, 1.129(10; 215(67;
329(256; 3.30(274; 336(420; iii.243
(203; 244(228; 2.53(482; 337(432
Sidney, Sir Philip, ii.522, col. 1
Sidon, 1283(291
Sillye SHiian, the, iii.419
Simon, iii.41 1(109
Simon, Peter, iii.405(44, 45
Sinadone, the Lady of, ii.442(166; 425
(254; 472( 1562; 480O793; appears as
a worme, 493(2134: turns to a fair
woman, 494(2156; marries Lybius, ii.
497
Sinadowne city, ii.43.3(489; 462(1302;
described, ii.473(1572
Sir A Idingar, i. 1 65
Sir Bredbeddle, ii. 71(340, 361; 73(415;
74(442; 75(451; 77(511 See Green
Knight
Sir Degre, i.344. See Degree
Sir John Bvtler, iii.205; 211(3; 212(38,
40; 214(76, 77
Sir Kay, 11.64(154, 160. See Kay
Sir Lamhewell, i.l42. See Lamheioell
Sir Lancelott of Dulake, i.84. See Lancelot
Sir Lionell, i.74
Sir Otes de Lile, ii.454(1069 to 462(1312
Sir Rice ap Thomas, iii.l91(5-3
Sir Triamore, ii.78
Sirya, the King of, ii.401(13
Si>lye, iii. 103(21,25; passim
Sittinge Late, ii.400
Sis can do more than three, ii.230(76
Skinner, Gregory, Lord Mayor of London in
1451, iii.532
Skipton in Craven, 1.223(223
Smith, Toulmin, his opinion on John de
Reeve, 11.557
smock, shift, of white silk, ii. 329(51
smoke in olden houses, ii. 150(40. See
' charcoal fire '
Smyth, Sir Kalph, 111.245(270
Snuden in Wales, the forrest of i.338(469
Solomon, iii. 131 (90,93 See Salainon
Somnus, 111.306(43
Songs of Shepardes, iii. 303
Sonnes of Edirard the ffourth, murdtring
of the, iii. 162
Siiulhampton, 11.167(35
South warke, 1.325(163
Soyne, i)i.539( 1 53, Seine
Spain, 111.272(19
Spanish Ladies Love, the, iii. 393
Spencer, Hngh, 111.483(104,110; 484(124;
484(130,134,148
Spencer, Sir Hngh, 11.290(4
Spencer, Sir John, 111,245(257
Spencers, 111.479(1; 482(79
Squier, The, 111.263
Staflord, 1.275(75; iii.249(368,370; 356
(889,895,897
Stafford, Sir Humphrey, iii.246(295
Staffordshire, 1.282(272
stale ale good, 11.151(77
Stanley, iii. 214(91; 321(9; 322';25
Staidey family, poems in honour ot, 1.199
INDEX.
593
STA
Stanley, Lord, iii.237(.59; 238(81: 239
(97,107; 248(345; 250(405; 250(413,
420; 251(450; 252(465; 253(498,
258(636
Stiinlev, Sir Edward, 1.223(220; 324(151;
328(230,233
Stanley, Sir Edwil., made Lord Mounteafrlo,
i.33"4(375; iii.250(422; 324(73: 336(
387; 342(559; 344(609; 353(817
Stanley, Sir Humphrey, iii.252(461
Stanley, James, Op. of Ely, i.223(213;
iii. 324(75
Slanlev, Sir .Tolin, i.223(22G; 227(294;
325(155; 334(377
Stanley, Sir William, iii. 192(67; 238(67;
248(357 ; 249(366 ; 250(421 ; 252
(469 ; 256(565 ; 324)65 ; 3.33)309 ;
342(539 ; 344(589 ; .351(777 ; 352
(809 ; 3.5.3(821 ; 355(870 ; 356(890 ;
358(951; 36.3(1072
Stapleton, Sir Bryan of, iii.246(302
StapleiMn, Sir William, iii.246(303
statue, wooden, Christabell likened to, ii,378
(1015
Stephen, Kin?, i.261 ; 279(165
Steven, Sir, 1.112(116
Steward, John, 11.504(63; 505(103; 506
(117
Stewart, John, iii.216(6; 217(33,41,43:
passim
Stewart, Will cf John, ili.215
Stewart, William, 111216(6; 220(111; 221(
137; 222(157, 169; passim
Stewkley the roiiianist, i 296
ktinups of !-ilke of yiid, 11.68(273; of
wood, ii. 559(54; 583(637
Stono, 111.24 9(367, 388; 356(890; 337
(911
stone, to pitch the, 1.332(316; 1.97, note ■»,
a came
Ard when knyghtes went to put the statie,
Twelve fote over thaym everylke ane,
He kest it als a balle. — Sir Isumbras, p.
113, 1. 606-8 (Thornton Romances)
Stony Stratford, iii.l 63(11
Stopport, Nicholas of, 1.277(133
Store, a river called, iii. 439(49
Strance, Lord, 111.239(98; 240(117; 241
(151; 242(189; 2.5.3(499; 254(.505:
329(214; 336(383; 342(548; 344(601;
352(806,807; 355(^865,882; 359(967
Stratford-the-bow, il 281(17
Strawberry Castle, 111.139(54-72 ; 144(206
Strench, Joliannes, 11.523. col. 1
Sturley, Sir R'tbert, 111.246(289
Such a Lover am I, Hi. 542
such more, ii.591(832, such another, another
like it
supper, a villan'.s, 11.563(137-143
suppers: John de Reeue's bad and gooil ones,
il. 574-9. See IJondmaD essay in vol. ii.
Surrey, Earl of, L'ird-Lieutenant of the
Nortii, 1.201, 204; 215(59; 225(260,
226(278
Surrt-v, Earl of, 1.318(3; 335(400,406; iii.
241(226; 3,54(851
Susanna, ii 5-32(161
Swaley, Sir Robert, 111.246(301
Swallow, 11.25(9
swans for supper, ii. 576(464
Swanscomb Hill, 111.153(44
Swethland, 1 499(35; Sweden
swoonintj, knights, 11.375(910
sword, title-deeds left in pledge for the loan
of a, 1.372(586
sworn brethren, i.355(46; 369(489; 388
(1098; 11.516(15
Swynard, James, 11.221(81
Sybil! o tlie side, 11.204(5; 206(76
Syria, i.28.3(299
Syria, Sir Terry of, ii. 109(839
Syria, Sowdan of, iii.243(198
syrops at supper, 11.578(507
Table Round, the, i.498(13. See Round
ruble
Talbott, 1.326(195; lii.l94(lll
Talbott, f-ir Gilbert, ii..255(553; 324(83;
330(2.34; 337(422, 425; 343(569;
351(787; 353(813
Tambnrlaine, Hi. 172(69
Tarn worth, 111.250(411
'I'arqlne, Lancelot's oppoucnt, 1.86(46,
Tarto, 11.145(9
Tasso's Arniiila & Rinaldo, ii.408
Te Deum, 11.542(442
Tearne Wadling, 1.104; 108(33; 'Tarn
Wadllng . . . has been for the last
ten years a wide meadow grazed 6y hun-
dreds of sheep.' — J. S. Glennle, Arthurian
Scotland, in Macm/llan's Mai/., Decem-
ber, 1867, p. 167, col. 2.
Teddelyne, dwarf, 11.421(145; 423(196;
424(226 ; 427(298 ; 433(484 ; Teod-
line, 434(514 ; 4.38(607; 447(883
Tegan Euivron, the wife of Caradog with
the strong arm, ii.302
Tempest, Sir l.'ichard, 111.247(322
Tempest, Sir William, lii.247(32I
tennis, 1.89; 95(140; 96(173
tennis balls sent by the Dauphin to Henry V.
ii. 167(25; il.i61
Termagant, the fiend, 11.467(1409
Teriey of Gorwalne, Sir, 11.527(26
Terouenne, the siege of, 1.201
VOr.. III.
Q Q
594
INDEX.
TEY
Teyneinouth, John of, exuacl from, iii.544
IVynosa, the Bastard of, iii.540(179
Thames, iii.403(4; 405(68; 417(284
The Child of Ell, i.l32
The Emperour tf- Childe (or Valentine and
Orson), ii.390
The Heir of Lin, i.l74
The Kinge enjoyes his rights againe, ii.24
The Marriage of Sir Gawnine, i.l03
The Nutthrowne Mayd, iii.174. See Nutt-
browne
The rose of Englande, iii.187
The Turhe and Gotvin, i.88
Thetis, iii. 306(36
Thi>bye, iii.434(76
Thomas a Pott, iii. 138(25, 26, passim
Thomas Lord Cromioell, i.l27
Thomas of PoUe. iii. 135
Thribald, Sir Percival, iii. 258(625
Thribald, Sir Kobert, iii,246(284
Thyrsis, iii.307(62
Till, the river, i.204-5
Tirrelis, jMuies, iii. 165(59
Tmydale, ii9(53; 205(27
To Oxfforde, iii. 31 5
Tocstaffe Parke, i.328(217; Toxfeth Park
Toni-a- Bedlams, i.241(3
Tom of Bedlam, iii. 124(8
Tournay, i.314i 319(15; taken, i,201-2;
336(417
Towder Saint, i,231(368; see i.226, note 2
Tower of London, iii.323(64; iii. 338(434;
355(883; latalto princes and queens, ii.
318(176-182
Townjey, i.325(161
Trafford, the trustye, i.331(286
Trent, William a, 11.230(70, 71
Tresilian, ii.l46(39
Triamore, Sir, ii.78
Triamore, Sir, ii.96(458; 102(633; 104(
691, &c.; 105(713, &c.; 106(742, &c.;
107(781, &c-.; 108(811, &c.; 109(833,
&c.; 110(852, &c.; 111(855, &c.; 112(
919, &c.; 1 15(1005, &(•.: 1 16)1041 &c. ;
117(1054, &c.; 118(1078, &c.; 119(
1110,&r.; 120(1141, &c.; 121(1177;
122(1208, &c.; 123(1228, 8cc.; 124(
1262, &c.; 125(1292, &c.; 126(1322,
&p.;12:(1351&c ; 128(1378, lS:c.;129(
140;>, &(■.; 130(1444, &c.; 131(1465,
&(•.; 132(1495, &c.; 133(1531; 13.5(
158.5.
Tribe (f Bavhury, the, ii.39
Tristan, the romance of, i.411
Tristram, Sir, i.62(26; 113(122; iii.l72(
74
Troilus, iii. 301(2
Troy, iii.502(l,6; 534(16
VVA
Troy, Hector, of, iii. 170(33
Troylus of Troy, iii. 172(68
Tuck, Fryer, i.26; 40(33
Tun.-,tall,'Sir Robert, iii.252(457
Turkeys bowes, ii.458(1193; Turkisli bows
lurnay, town of, i.339(501
Turwin. town of, i.339(501; i.318(ll; be-
sieged by Henry Vlll., i.216(78
Tutl.iity, i.293
Tiixburye, ii. 193(58
Tweed, 'ii.9(54
twenty-nine pence, why King John was
worth, 1.512)102-6
Tyburn, ii. 146(40
Tyler, Wat; his rebellion, ii. 553, 556
Tyntagil!, the castle of, i. 498(21
Tyranna, 1.283(300
Tyre, 1.283(291
Tyrry, Sir, Guy's sworn brother, ii.516
Tyvidale, ii.205(27
Unicorn, iii.l94(112
Upsall, Lord Scrope of, iii.244(246
Urien, i.401
Vrmounde (Ormonde), Erie of, iii. 538(139
Vrsin, ii.398(149, Orson
Vther, Constantine's 2nd son, i 423(30;
429(211; 430(243 254; 1.475(1723;
477(1768; 480(18.50,1869; 484(1997;
486(2060, &c. 493(2288; to 495(2366;
498(22
Utridge, Sir Robert, iii.246(298
Valentine and Or»in, ii 390
Vaugluin, Earle of, ii.l 92(49
Vaughan, Sir Thomas, iii.l 64(25
Venables, Gilbert, i.277(125
Venables, Peter, i.27 7(129
Venice, li. 244(1 72
venison pasty, ii.l 51 (87
Venus, ii.27(3; 54(46; iii.l25(28
Vernon, i.275(60
Vernon, Guarren, of Shibbrooke, i.275(69
vilians, condition of, in pjUfjland in the 15ih
century, ii. 551-6. See Bondman essay in
Vol. ii.
Vivors, ii.41(10
Vuieiis, Sir, hi. 172(67
Vortiger, Sir, King Constanlinc's steward,!.
424(48 61; 425(87 ; 426(135; is made
King of England, 1.430(236, and rules
till lie is burnt, 1.480(18.58
Vulcan iii.r25(23-29-32
Vulcan's head of horn, ii.402(33
Vyardus, (laughter (if Coiistantine, Emperor
uf Rome, ii.368(736
INDEX.
5d5
Vylett, Sir Arthoie's daughter, ii. 442(724
Wace's Brut, i.410
Wadington, William of, ii.407
Wakefield, the Pindar of, i.32
Wales, ii.3.32(130
Wales, North, ii. 194(93
Wallingford, 1.289(491; ii 529(86
Waloinghain, ii.293(88; iii.471(l; 526(4,5
Walsinghain, our Lady at, i.316
Walter of Exeter, ii.510
Warburtan, Rowland, iii.353(830; 354(837
Warhurtor. of Cheshire, 1.331(287
Ward, Sir Richard, iii. 247(325
Ward, Sir William, iii.24.5(259
Wardley, Sir Man in of tlie, iii. 246(285
Warreyn, Earl of Surrey, 1.277(139
Warrington, iii.211(l
Warwiik,ii.201(21; ii.543(47 1,480, ii.546
(562; 549(624
Warwick Castle, ii 201(6,13. On the Cus-
tody of the " le Guy Warwyke Swerde,"
seeAshmole MS. 1115 (247)
Warwick, Earl of, 1293; 11.215(149; iii.
462(68, 77, 85
Warwick, Guy of, 111.171(44
washing before meals, 11.571(338
Waters, Childe (a beast), ii.271
wediiing-feast, 11.285
Wedili/n(je of Syr Gawen and Dame Rag-
nell, quotations from, i.106-1 12,1 14-15,
117
Werkoppe, Sir William, i.229(341 '
Westchester, 1.39(14; 1.40(28; 328(225
Westchester Monastery, 1.278(146
Westerton town, 1.80(20; 81(36
Westhardin, 1.328(231, Hawaiden?
Westminster, 11.153(122
Westminster hall, ii. 185(30; 187(81
Westmoreland, Earl of, 1.293; ii.2l0(5;
214(117; 216(153; 111.244(231
Wetheisby, 11.214(113
whale's bune, white as, iii. 20(1 6
wliat deviU is that il'or thee? What the
devil Is that to you? 11.588(755
wheat, sold by the King's bondman, ii.563(
144
Whenjirst I sawe, ii.48
When Love with unconfined, ii 17
Whifeild, I'eler a, li.204(l
White, Chiistopher, 111.495(4,23; 496(43,
47; 497(53, 65; 498(83, 92, 95
White Hose and Red, ii.312
Whitehall, 11.25(25
Whit.->ontydc, playcs att, iii.l2l(2,">
Whitworlh, Kattye, 1.243(8
Wickam, li.41(26
Wilbraham, i.275(74
Wilkslyp, 1.280(224
Will Stewart cj- John, iii.215
William, duke of Normandy, 111.152(1
William of Malmesbury on Arthur, 1.402
William the Conqueror, 111.151
Wilhnarley, Sir John, iii.246(300
Wlllowbye, Lord, 1.329(258; 330(278
Wiiiches'ter, 1.279(194; 424(55; 428
(195; 470(1734-52; 477(1772; 501
(79; 11.541(431; 548(616
Winchester, taken by the Dauphin Louis,
1.287(407
windows and doors to be barred against
fiends, 1.446(758
Windsor, 11.581(565; 111.198(34, 37; 199
(44,50,51
Windsor, taken by the Dauphin Luuis, 1.287
(408
Windsor Forest, ii.201(l
Wlnglanye, or Winglayne, tlie Lady, 1.354
(9, &c., 374(647; 396(1-339; 397
(1390; has ten children, 1.399(1452
" Winglayne," Welsh gicynn glain, Gaelic
and Irish, Jionn glati^^nre milk-white,
fair to perfection, thoroughly sincere and
true.-^Brockie
Wininge of Cales (Cadiz), iii. 453
WitheriiiL'ion, 11.10(94, 99; 14(197
Woller, 1.225, note 7
women, the one thing they desire, i.lll
(424; 112(104
women: what are they? 111.529
woodcocke, beware thine eye: Proverb, 1. 44
(104, and note '
woodcocks for supper, ii 576(462
Woosley Bridge, 111.249(391
Worcester, li.l93(57
Worlde is changed, il.37
Wonall, 11.454(1074
' Wright's Chaste Wife,' ii.303
-y, infinitive, il,412
Yalle, or Yale, 1.281(244
yeomen, Enjjlish, the slate of, in 1547, ii.
180
York and Lancaster, li.3 14(45-6
York Castle, 11.215(151
Yoik, the Aichbishoi> of, iii. 152(7
York, Duke of, li. 171(117, 121
York, Lord of, 11.196(161
Youiiye Andrew, 11.327
Tounge Cloudenlee, iii. 102
Zoudi, Lord, 111.244(233
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