"If you'll give me no trust, my lord, "Lady, I never loved witchcraft, Of truth and honour, free from guile." "If you'll not come yourselfe, my lorde, James Swynard with that lady went, She showed him through the weme of her ring "And who walkes yonder, my good lady, Alas! he'll doe you drie and teene." "And who beth yonder, thou gay ladye, "How many miles is itt, madàme, Betwixt yond English lords and mee?" "Marry, it is thrice fifty miles, To saile to them upon the sea. I never was on English ground, The Lord Warden of the East marches. 105 110 115 120 125 130 My mother shee was a witch ladye, And of her skille she learned mee; She wold let me see out of Lough-leven What they did in London citie." "But who is yond, thou lady faire, That looketh with sic an austerne face?" "Yonder is Sir John Foster," * quoth shee, "Alas! he'll do ye sore disgrace." He pulled his hatt down over his browe; Those sorrowful tidings him to show. "Now nay, now nay, good James Swynàrd, And they can ne'er prove false to mee. I have now in Lough-leven been The most part of these years three, Therefore I'll to yond shooting wend, He ne'er shall find my promise light." He writhe a gold ring from his finger, In Harley woods where I cold bee." † "And wilt thou goe, thou noble lord? * Warden of the Middle-march. 135 140 145 150 155 160 The wind was faire, the boatmen call'd, Then he cast up a silver wand, Says, "Gentle lady, fare thee well! " And in a dead swoone down shee fell. "Now let us goe back, Douglas," he sayd, If ought befall yond lady but good, Then blamed for ever I shall bee." "Come on, come on, my lord," he sayes; "If you'll not turne yourself, my lord, And wee will return to you againe." "Come on, come on, my lord," he sayes, * When they had sayled fifty myle, 165 170 175 180 185 190 "Faire words," quoth he, "they make fooles faine, 195 There is no navigable stream between Lough-leven and the sea: but a Ballad-maker is not obliged to understand Geography. Jamye his hatt pulled over his browe, He thought his lord then was betray'd; To tell him what the Douglas sayd. "Hold upp thy head, man," quoth his lord; He did it but to prove thy heart, To see if he cold make it quail." When they had other fifty sayld, Lord Percy called to Douglas himselfe, Sayd, "What wilt thou nowe doe with mee?" "Looke that your brydle be wight, my lord, And your horse goe swift as shipp att sea : Looke that your spurres be bright and sharpe, That you may pricke her while she 'll away." "What needeth this, Douglas," he sayth ; "What needest thou to flyte with mee? For I was counted a horseman good Before that ever I mett with thee. A false Hector hath my horse, Who dealt with mee so treacherouslìe : And all the geere belongs to mee." When they had sayled other fifty mile, A deputed laird' landed Lord Percye. Then he at Yorke was doomde to dye, 200 205 210 215 220 225 Ver. 224. Fol. MS. reads "land," and has not the following stanza. V. MY MIND TO ME A KINGDOM IS. THIS excellent philosophical song appears to have been famous in the sixteenth century. It is quoted by Ben Jonson in his play of "Every Man out of his Humour," first acted in 1599, A. i. Sc. i. where an impatient person says, "I am no such pil'd cynique to believe When the lanke hungrie belly barkes for foode." It is here chiefly printed from a thin quarto Music book, intitled, "Psalmes, Sonets, and Songs of sadnes and pietie, made into Musicke of five parts: &c. By William Byrd, one of the Gent. of the Queenes Majesties honorable Chappell.Printed by Thomas East," &c., 4to. no date: but Ames in his Typog. has mentioned another edit. of the same book, dated 1588, which I take to have been later than this. Some improvements, and an additional stanza (sc. the 5th), were had from two other ancient copies; one of them in black letter in the Pepys Collection, thus inscribed, "A sweet and pleasant sonet, intitled, My Minde to me a Kingdom is.' To the tune of In Crete," &c. Some of the stanzas in this poem were printed by Byrd separate from the rest: they are here given in what seemed the most natural order. My minde to me a kingdome is; Though much I want, that most would have, Content I live, this is my stay; I seek no more than may suffice: 5 |