Do you see yonders little boye, A toffing of the balle? That is earl marshalls eldest fonne, And I love him the best of all. Do you fee yonders little boye, That is king Henryes youngest fonne, 65 His head is fafhyon'd like a bull; His nofe is like a boare. 70 No matter for that, king Henrye cryd, I love him the better therfore. The king pulled off his fryars coate, And appeared all in redde: She flirieked, and cryd, and wrung her hands, 75 The king lookt over his left shoulder, And a grimme look looked hee, Earl marfhall, he fayd, but for my oathe, Or hanged thou shouldst bee. 80 V. 63, 67. She means that the eldest of these two was by the earl marshall, the youngest by the king. IX. THE 1 IX. THE STURDY ROCK. This poem, fubfcribed M. T. [perhaps invertedly for T. Marfball is preferved in The Paradife of daintie devifes, quoted above in page 138.--The two firft ftanzas may be found accompanied with musical notes in "AB bowres recreation in muficke, &c. by Richard Alifon, Lond. 1606, 4to:" ufually bound up with 3 or 4 sets of " Madrigals fet to mufic by Tho. Weelhes, Lond. 1597, 1600, 1608, 4to." One of thefe madrigals is fo compleat an example of the Bathos, that I cannot forbear prefenting it to the reader. Thule, the period of cofmographie, 66 Doth vaunt of Hecla, whofe fulphureous fire The Andelufian merchant, that returnes Laden with cutchinele and china dishes, Thefe things feeme wondrous, yet more wondrous I Mr. Weelkes feems to have been of opinion with many of his brethren of later times, that nonfenfe was beft adapted to difplay the powers of musical compofure. * Vid. Athen, Oxon. p. 152. 316. THE HE turdy rock for all his ftrength THE By raging feas is rent in twaine : The marble ftone is peart at length, With little drops of drizling rain: The oxe doth yeeld unto the yoke, The steele obeyeth the hammer ftroke. The stately stagge, that seemes fo ftout, Is caught at length in fowlers net: Yea man himselfe, unto whose will Doth fade at length, and fall away. But vertue fits triumphing still Upon the throne of glorious fame: 5 10 15 20 VOL. II. M X. THE X. THE BEGGAR's DAUGHTER OF BEDNALL-GREEN. This popular old Ballad was written in the reign of Elizabeth, as appears not only from ver. 23, where the arms of England are called the "Queenes armes;" but from its tune's being quoted in other old pieces, written in her time. See the Ballad on MARY AMBREE in this volume.-The late Mr. GUTHRIE affured the Editor, that he had formerly feen another old song on the same subject, composed in a different measure from this; which was truly beautiful, if we may judge from the only ftanza he remembered. In this it was faid of the old Beggar, that “ down his neck his reverend lockes In comelye curles did wave; The following Ballad is chiefly given from the Editor's folio MS. compared with two ancient printed copies: the concluding ftanzas, which contain the old Beggar's difcovery of himself, are not however given from any of thefe, being very different from thofe of the vulgar Ballad. Nor yet does the Editor offer them as genuine, but as a modern at· tempt to remove the abfurdities and inconfiftencies, which fo remarkably prevailed in this part of the fong, as it flood before: whereas by the alteration of a few lines, the story is rendered much more affecting, and is reconciled to probability and true history. For this informs us, that at the decifive battle of Evesham, (fought Aug. 4, 1265.) when Simon de Montfort, the great Earl of Leicefter, was flain at the head of the barons, his eldeft fon Henry fell by his fide, and, in confequence of that defeat, his whole family funk for ever, the king beftowing their great honours and poffeffions on his fecond fon Edmund earl of Lancaster. PART THE FIRST. TT was a blind beggar, had long lost his fight, He had a faire daughter of bewty moft bright; And many a gallant brave fuiter had fhee, For none was foe comelye as pretty Beffee. And though thee was of favor most faire, Wherefore in great forrow faire Beffy did fay, S 10 Then Beffy, that was of bewtye foe bright, All cladd in gray ruffett, and late in the night Shee went till fhee came to Stratford-le-Bow; Then knew fhee not whither, nor which way to goe: With teares fhee lamented her hard destinie, So fadd and foe heavy was pretty Beffee. M 2 20 Shee |