And who was so readye as faire Ellinòr,
To lett Lord Thomas withinn.

20

"What newes, what newes, lord Thomas," she sayd?
"What newes dost thou bring to mee?
"I am come to bid thee to my wedding,
And that is bad newes for thee."

"O God forbid, lord Thomas," she said,
"That such a thing should be done;
I thought to have been the bride my selfe,
And thou to have been the bridegrome."

25

30

"Come riddle my riddle, dear mother," she sayd,
"And riddle it all in one;
Whether I shall goe to lord Thomas his wedding,
Or whether shall tarry at home?"

"There are manye that are your friendes, daughtèr,
And manye a one your foe,

Therefore I charge you on my blessing,

To lord Thomas his wedding don't goe."

35

"There are manye that are my friendes, mothér; But were every one my foe,

Betide me life, betide me death,

To lord Thomas his wedding I'ld goe."

She cloathed herself in gallant attire,
And her merrye men all in greene;
And as they rid through every towne,
They took her to be some queene.

But when she came to Lord Thomas his gate,
She knocked there at the ring;

And who was so readye as lord Thomàs,
To lett faire Ellinor in.

40

45

"Is this your bride ?" fair Ellinor sayd,
"Methinks she looks wonderous browne;

50

Ver. 29. It should probably be, "Reade me, read," &c. i. e. Advise me, advise.

Thou mightest have had as faire a womàn,
As ever trod on the grounde."

"Despise her not, fair Ellin," he sayd,
"Despise her not unto mee;

For better I love thy little finger,

Than all her whole bodèe.

This browne bride had a little penknife,
That was both long and sharpe,

And betwixt the short ribs and the long,
She prickd faire Ellinor's harte.

"O, Christ thee save," lord Thomas, hee sayd,
"Methinks thou lookst wonderous wan;

Thou usedst to look with as fresh a colòur,
As ever the sun shone on."

55

60

"Oh, art thou blind, lord Thomas ?" she sayd, 65
"Or canst thou not very well see ?

Oh! dost thou not see my owne hearts bloode
Run trickling down my knee."

As he walked about the halle,

Lord Thomas he had a sword by his side;

70

He cut off his brides head from her shouldèrs,

And threw it against the walle.

He set the hilte against the grounde,

And the point against his harte.

There never three lovers together did meete,
That sooner againe did parte.

75

The reader will find a Scottish song on a similar subject to

this, towards the end of this volume, intitled, "Lord Thomas

and Fair Annet."

XVI.

CUPID AND CAMPASPE.

THIS elegant little sonnet is found in the third act of an old play intitled, "Alexander and Campaspe," written by John Lilye, a celebrated writer in the time of queen Elizabeth. That play was first printed in 1591: but this copy is given from a later edition.

CUPID and my Campaspe playd

At cardes for kisses; Cupid payd :
He stakes his quiver, bow and arrows,
His mothers doves, and teame of sparrows;
Loses them too; then down he throws
The coral of his lippe, the rose

Growing on's cheek (but none knows how)
With these, the crystal of his browe,
And then the dimple on his chinne;
All these did my Campaspe winne.
At last he set her both his eyes,
She won, and Cupid blind did rise.
O Love! has she done this to thee?
What shall, alas! become of mee?

XVII.

THE LADY TURNED SERVING-MAN,

-is given from a written copy, containing some improvements (perhaps modern ones), upon the popular ballad, intitled, "The famous flower of Serving-men: or the Lady turned Serving-man."

You beauteous ladyes, great and small,
I write unto you one and all,
Whereby that you may understand
What I have suffered in the land.

I was by birth a lady faire,
An ancient barons only heire,
And when my good old father dyed,
Then I became a young knightes bride.

And there my love built me a bower,
Bedeck'd with many a fragrant flower;
A braver bower you ne'er did see
Then my true-love did build for me.
And there I livde a ladye gay,
Till fortune wrought our loves decay;
For there came foes so fierce a band,
That soon they over-run the land.

They came upon us in the night,

And brent my bower, and slew my knight;
And trembling hid in mans array,
I scant with life escap'd away.

In the midst of this extremitìe,
My servants all did from me flee :
Thus was I left myself alone,
With heart more cold than any stone.

Yet though my heart was full of care,
Heaven would not suffer me to dispaire,
Wherefore in haste I chang'd my name
From faire Elise, to sweet Williame :

And therewithall I cut my haire,
Resolv'd my man's attire to weare;
And in my beaver, hose and band,
I travell❜d far through many a land,

At length all wearied with my toil,
I sate me downe to rest awhile;
My heart it was so fill'd with woe,

10

15

20

25

30

35

That downe my cheeke the teares did flow.

It chanc'd the king of that same place
With all his lords a hunting was,
And seeing me weepe, upon the same
Askt "who I was, and whence I came ?"

Then to his grace I did replye,

I am a poore and friendlesse boye,
Though nobly borne, nowe forc'd to bee
A serving-man of lowe degree.

"Stand up, faire youth," the king reply'd,
"For thee a service I'll provyde:

But tell me first what thou canst do;
Thou shalt be fitted thereunto.

Wilt thou be usher of my hall,
To wait upon my nobles all?
Or wilt be taster of my wine,

To 'tend on me when I shall dine ?

Or wilt thou be my chamberlaine,
About my person to remaine?
Or wilt thou be one of my guard,
And I will give thee great reward?

Chuse, gentle youth," said he, "thy place."
Then I reply'd, "If it please your grace
To shew such favour unto mee,

Your chamberlaine I faine would bee."

The king then smiling gave consent,
And straitwaye to his court I went ;
Where I behavde so faithfullìe,
That hee great favour showd too mee.

Now marke what fortune did provide ;
The king he would a hunting ride
With all his lords and noble traine,
Sweet William must at home remaine.
Thus being left alone behind,
My former state came in my mind:
I wept to see my mans array;
No longer now a ladye gay.