Then faining penitence and feare,

She did invite a parley:

"Sir Knight, if you'll forgive me heare,
Henceforth I'll love you dearly.

160

"False maid, thou canst no more deceive;

165

I scorn the treacherous bait-a;

If thou would'st have me thee believe,

Now open me the gate-a."

"The bridge is drawn, the gate is barr'd;

My father he has the keys, sir;

170

But I have for my love prepar'd

But strait he came tripping over :

The plank was saw'd, it snapping broke,
And sous'd the unhappy lover.

180

XVI.

Why so Pale?

From Sir John Suckling's Poems. This sprightly knight was born in 1613, and cut off by a fever about the 29th year of his age.-See above, Song ix. of this book.

WHY SO pale and wan, fond lover?

Prethee why so pale?

Will, when looking well can't move her,

Looking ill prevail?

Prethee why so pale ?

5

Why so dull and mute, young sinner?
Prethee why so mute?

Will, when speaking well can't win her,
Saying nothing doe't ?

Prethee why so mute ?

Quit, quit for shame; this will not move,

This cannot take her;

If of herself she will not love,

Nothing can make her.

The devil take her!

10

15

XVII.

Old Tom of Bedlam.

MAD SONG THE FIRST.

It is worth attention, that the English have more songs and ballads on the subject of madness, than any of their neighbours. Whether there be any truth in the insinuation, that we are more liable to this calamity than other nations, or that our native gloominess hath peculiarly recommended subjects of this cast to our writers, we certainly do not find the same in the printed collections of French, Italian songs, &c.

Out of a much larger quantity, we have selected half a dozen MAD SONGS for these volumes. The three first are original in their respective kinds the merit of the three last is chiefly that of imitation. They were written at considerable intervals of time; but we have here grouped them together, that the reader may the better examine their comparative merits. He may consider them as so many trials of skill in a peculiar subject, as the contest of so many rivals to shoot in the bow of Ulysses. The two first were probably written about the beginning of the last century; the third about the middle of it; the fourth and sixth towards the end; and the fifth within the eighteenth century.

This is given from the Editor's folio MS. compared with two or three old printed copies.-With regard to the author of this old rhapsody, in Walton's Complete Angler, cap. 3, is a song in praise of angling, which the author says was made at his request "by Mr. William Basse, one that has made the choice songs of the Hunter in his Career, and of Tom of Bedlam, and many others of note," p. 84.-See Sir John Hawkins's curious edition, 8vo, of that excellent old book.

FORTH from my sad and darksome cell,
Or from the deepe abysse of hell,
Mad Tom is come into the world againe
To see if he can cure his distempered braine.

Feares and cares oppresse my soule;
Harke, howe the angrye Fureys houle!
Pluto laughes, and Proserpine is gladd
To see poore naked Tom of Bedlam madd.

Through the world I wander night and day
To seeke my straggling senses;
angrye moode I mett old Time,

In

5

10

Come, Vulcan, with tools and with tackles,
To knocke off my troublesome shackles!
Bid Charles make ready his waine
To fetch me my senses againe.

25

Last night I heard the dog-star bark,
Mars met Venus in the darke;
Limping Vulcan het an iron barr,
And furiouslye made at the god of war.

Mars with his weapon laid about,
But Vulcan's temples had the gout,
For his broad horns did so hang in his light
He could not see to aim his blowes aright:

Eates powder'd beef, turnip and carret ;
But a cup of old Malaga sack

55

Will fire the bushe at his backe.

XVIII.

The Distracted Puritan,

MAD SONG THE SECOND,

was written about the begining of the seventeenth century by the witty Bishop Corbet, and is printed from the third edition of his Poems, 12mo, 1672, compared with a more ancient copy in the Editor's folio MS.

Aм I mad, O noble Festus,

When zeal and godly knowledge

Have put me in hope

To deal with the Pope

As well as the best in the college?

Boldly I preach, hate a cross, hate a surplice,
Mitres, copes, and rochets!

5

Of the beast's ten horns (God bless us !)

25

I have knock'd off three already;

If they let me alone

I'll leave him none;

But they say I am too heady.

Boldly I preach, &c.

When I sack'd the seven-hill'd city

I met the great red dragon;

I kept him aloof

With the armour of proof,

Though here I have never a rag on.
Boldly I preach, &c.

With a fiery sword and target,
There fought I with this monster;

30

1 Emanuel College, Cambridge, was originally a seminary of Puritans.