GIVEN from two ancient copies, one in black- | print, in the Pepys Collection, the other in the Editor's folio MS. Each of these contained a stanza not found in the other. What seemed the best readings were selected from both.

This song is quoted as very popular in "Walton's Compleat Angler," chap. 2. It is more ancient than the ballad of "Robin Good-Fellow" printed below, which yet is supposed to have been written by Ben Jonson. As at noone Dulcina rested

In her sweete and shady bower,
Came a shepherd, and requested

In her lapp to sleepe an hour.
But from her looke

A wounde he tooke

Soe deepe, that for a further boone

The nymph he prayes.

5

Wherto shee sayes,

Or for the sight

Of lingering night

Foregoe the present joyes of noone?

Though ne'er soe faire

Her speeches were,

35

Forgoe me now, come to mee soone. 40

How, at last, agreed these lovers?

Shee was fayre, and he was young: The tongue may tell what th' eye discovers; Joyes unseene are never sung.

Did shee consent,

Or he relent;

45

Accepts he night, or grants shee noone;

Left he her a mayd,

Or not; she sayd

Forgoe me now, come to me soone. 50

XIV.

THIS ballad is given from an old blackletter copy in the Pepys Collection, collated with another in the British Museum, H. 263, folio. It is there entitled, "The Lady Isabella's Tragedy, or the Step-Mother's Cruelty: being a relation of a lamentable and cruel murther, committed on the body of the Lady Isabella, the only daughter of a noble Duke, &c. To the tune of, The Lady's Fall." To some copies are annexed eight more modern stanzas, entitled, "The Dutchess's and Cook's Lamentation."

This lord he had a daughter deare,
Whose beauty shone so bright,
She was belov'd, both far and neare,
Of many a lord and knight.