XX.BRAVE LORD WILLOUGHBEY.

FOOTNOTES:[671]So MS.Serjeant MajorinPC.[672]A peculiar kind of armour, composed of small rings of iron, and worn under the cloaths. It is mentioned by Spencer, who speaks of the Irish Gallowglass or Foot-soldier as "armed in a long Shirt of Mayl." (View of the State of Ireland.)

[671]So MS.Serjeant MajorinPC.

[672]A peculiar kind of armour, composed of small rings of iron, and worn under the cloaths. It is mentioned by Spencer, who speaks of the Irish Gallowglass or Foot-soldier as "armed in a long Shirt of Mayl." (View of the State of Ireland.)

PeregrineBertie, lord Willoughby of Eresby, had, in the year 1586, distinguished himself at the siege of Zutphen, in the Low Countries. He was the year after made general of the English forces in the United Provinces, in room of the earl of Leicester, who was recalled. This gave him an opportunity of signalizing his courage and military skill in several actions against the Spaniards. One of these, greatly exaggerated by popular report, is probably the subject of this old ballad, which, on account of its flattering encomiums on English valour, hath always been a favourite with the people.

"My lord Willoughbie (says a contemporary writer) was one of the queenes best swordsmen: ... he was a great master of the art military ... I have heard it spoken, that had he not slighted the court, but applied himself to the queene, he might have enjoyed a plentifull portion of her grace; and it was his saying, and it did him no good, that he was none of theReptilia; intimating, that he could not creepe on the ground, and that the court was not his element; for indeed, as he was a great souldier, so he was of suitable magnanimitie, and could not brooke the obsequiousnesse and assiduitie of the courte." (Naunton.)

Lord Willoughbie died in 1601.—Both Norris and Turner were famous among the military men of that age.

The subject of this ballad (which is printed from an old black-letter copy, with some conjectural emendations,) may possibly receive illustration from whatChapmansays in the Dedicat. to his version of Homer'sFrogs and Mice, concerning the brave and memorable Retreat of Sir John Norris, with only 1000 men, thro' the whole Spanish army, under the duke of Parma, for three miles together.

[Lord Willoughby was the son of Katherine, daughter of Lord Willoughby of Eresby and widow of Charles Brandon, Duke of Suffolk, and of her second husband, Richard Bertie. They were protestants and were forced to fly from persecution in 1553, taking refuge first in the Low Countries and afterwards in Poland. They called their son in consequence Peregrine, a name that has ever since remained in the family. Mr. Hales has drawn my attention to the fact that Spenser, when in Ireland, named one of his sons Peregrine for a similar reason. A ballad was written entitledTheDuchess of Suffolk's Calamity, which contains these lines:

"A sonne she had in Germanie,Peregrine Bartue cald by name,Surnamde The Good Lord Willobie,Of courage great and worthie fame."

Mr. Chappell informs us that the tune of the following ballad occurs in Lady Neville's Virginal Book (MS. 1591), and in Robinson'sSchool of Music(1603), where it is called "Lord Willobie's Welcome Home."]

The fifteenth day of July,With glistering spear and shield,A famous fight in FlandersWas foughten in the field:The most couragious officers5Were English captains three;But the bravest man in battelWas brave lord Willoughbèy.The next was captain Norris,A valiant man was hee:10The other captain Turner,From field would never flee.With fifteen hundred fighting men,Alas! there were no more,They fought with fourteen thousand then,15Upon the bloody shore.Stand to it noble pikemen,And look you round about:And shoot you right you bow-men,And we will keep them out:20You musquet and calliver[673]men,Do you prove true to me,I'le be the formost man in fight,Says brave lord Willoughbèy.And then the bloody enemy25They fiercely did assail,And fought it out most furiously,Not doubting to prevail;The wounded men on both sides fellMost pitious for to see,30Yet nothing could the courage quellOf brave lord Willoughbèy.For seven hours to all mens viewThis fight endured sore,Until our men so feeble grew35That they could fight no more;And then upon dead horsesFull savourly they eat,And drank the puddle water,They could no better get.40When they had fed so freely,They kneeled on the ground,And praised God devoutlyFor the favour they had found;And beating up their colours,45The fight they did renew,And turning tow'rds the Spaniard,A thousand more they slew.The sharp steel-pointed arrows,And bullets thick did fly;50Then did our valiant soldiersCharge on most furiously;Which made the Spaniards waver,They thought it best to flee,They fear'd the stout behaviour55Of brave lord Willoughbèy.Then quoth the Spanish general,Come let us march away,I fear we shall be spoiled allIf here we longer stay;60For yonder comes lord WilloughbeyWith courage fierce and fell,He will not give one inch of wayFor all the devils in hell.And then the fearful enemy65Was quickly put to flight,Our men persued couragiously,And caught their forces quite;But at last they gave a shout,Which ecchoed through the sky,70God, and St. George for England!The conquerers did cry.This news was brought to EnglandWith all the speed might be,And soon our gracious queen was told75Of this same victory.O this is brave lord Willoughbey,My love that ever won,Of all the lords of honour'Tis he great deeds hath done.80To the souldiers that were maimed,And wounded in the fray,The queen allowed a pensionOf fifteen pence a day;And from all costs and charges85She quit and set them free:And this she did all for the sakeOf brave lord Willoughbèy.Then courage, noble Englishmen,And never be dismaid;90If that we be but one to ten,We will not be afraidTo fight with foraign enemies,And set our nation free.And thus I end the bloody bout95Of brave lord Willoughbèy.

The next was captain Norris,A valiant man was hee:10The other captain Turner,From field would never flee.With fifteen hundred fighting men,Alas! there were no more,They fought with fourteen thousand then,15Upon the bloody shore.

Stand to it noble pikemen,And look you round about:And shoot you right you bow-men,And we will keep them out:20You musquet and calliver[673]men,Do you prove true to me,I'le be the formost man in fight,Says brave lord Willoughbèy.

And then the bloody enemy25They fiercely did assail,And fought it out most furiously,Not doubting to prevail;The wounded men on both sides fellMost pitious for to see,30Yet nothing could the courage quellOf brave lord Willoughbèy.

For seven hours to all mens viewThis fight endured sore,Until our men so feeble grew35That they could fight no more;And then upon dead horsesFull savourly they eat,And drank the puddle water,They could no better get.40

When they had fed so freely,They kneeled on the ground,And praised God devoutlyFor the favour they had found;And beating up their colours,45The fight they did renew,And turning tow'rds the Spaniard,A thousand more they slew.

The sharp steel-pointed arrows,And bullets thick did fly;50Then did our valiant soldiersCharge on most furiously;Which made the Spaniards waver,They thought it best to flee,They fear'd the stout behaviour55Of brave lord Willoughbèy.

Then quoth the Spanish general,Come let us march away,I fear we shall be spoiled allIf here we longer stay;60For yonder comes lord WilloughbeyWith courage fierce and fell,He will not give one inch of wayFor all the devils in hell.

And then the fearful enemy65Was quickly put to flight,Our men persued couragiously,And caught their forces quite;But at last they gave a shout,Which ecchoed through the sky,70God, and St. George for England!The conquerers did cry.

This news was brought to EnglandWith all the speed might be,And soon our gracious queen was told75Of this same victory.O this is brave lord Willoughbey,My love that ever won,Of all the lords of honour'Tis he great deeds hath done.80

To the souldiers that were maimed,And wounded in the fray,The queen allowed a pensionOf fifteen pence a day;And from all costs and charges85She quit and set them free:And this she did all for the sakeOf brave lord Willoughbèy.

Then courage, noble Englishmen,And never be dismaid;90If that we be but one to ten,We will not be afraidTo fight with foraign enemies,And set our nation free.And thus I end the bloody bout95Of brave lord Willoughbèy.

FOOTNOTES:[673][a large pistol or blunderbuss.]

[673][a large pistol or blunderbuss.]

Thislittle moral sonnet hath such a pointed application to the heroes of the foregoing and following ballads, that I cannot help placing it here, tho' the date of its composition is of a much later period. It is extracted fromCupid and Death, a masque by J. S. (James Shirley) presentedMar.26, 1653.London printed 1653, 4to.

[Dr. Rimbault informs us that this masque was represented at the Military Ground in Leicester Fields, with music by Matthew Locke and Dr. Christopher Gibbons. (Musical Illustrations, p. 22.)]

Victorious men of earth, no moreProclaim how wide your empires are;Though you binde in every shore,And your triumphs reach as farAs night or day;5Yet you proud monarchs must obey,And mingle with forgotten ashes, whenDeath calls yee to the croud of common men.Devouring famine, plague, and war,Each able to undo mankind,10Death's servile emissaries are;Nor to these alone confin'd,He hath at willMore quaint and subtle wayes to kill;A smile or kiss, as he will use the art,15Shall have the cunning skill to break a heart.

Devouring famine, plague, and war,Each able to undo mankind,10Death's servile emissaries are;Nor to these alone confin'd,He hath at willMore quaint and subtle wayes to kill;A smile or kiss, as he will use the art,15Shall have the cunning skill to break a heart.

Thesubject of this ballad is the taking of the city ofCadiz, (called by our sailors corruptlyCales) on June 21, 1596, in a descent made on the coast of Spain, under the command of the Lord Howard admiral, and the earl of Essex general.

The valour of Essex was not more distinguished on this occasion than his generosity: the town was carried sword in hand, but he stopt the slaughter as soon as possible, and treated his prisoners with the greatest humanity, and even affability and kindness. The English made a rich plunder in the city, but missed of a much richer, by the resolution which the Duke of Medina, the Spanish admiral, took, of setting fire to the ships, in order to prevent their falling into the hands of the enemy [see v. 27]. It was computed, that the loss which the Spaniards sustained from this enterprize, amounted to twenty millions of ducats. See Hume'sHist.

The Earl of Essex knighted on this occasion not fewer than sixty persons, which gave rise to the following sarcasm:

"A gentleman of Wales, a knight of Cales,And a laird of the North country;But a yeoman of Kent with his yearly rentWill buy them out all three."

The ballad is printed, with some corrections, from the Editor's folio MS. and seems to have been composed by some person, who was concerned in the expedition. Most of the circumstances related in it will be found supported by history.

[Philip II. was meditating the dispatch of a second armada, but before he could set his schemes in motion his strongest fortress was razed to the ground. Macaulay calls this "the most brilliant military exploit that was achieved on the continent by English arms during the long interval which elapsed between the battle of Agincourt and that of Blenheim." No wonder then that the English sang with enthusiasm of the glories of their success. Raleigh and Sir Francis Vere were among the leaders under Essex.It will be seen by the foot notes that Percy follows his MS. original pretty faithfully. Child prints a version from Deloney'sGarland of Goodwillas reprinted by the Percy Society (vol. xxx. p. 113). The earliest notice of the tune (the new Tantara) to which this ballad was to be sung is in the year 1590.]

It will be seen by the foot notes that Percy follows his MS. original pretty faithfully. Child prints a version from Deloney'sGarland of Goodwillas reprinted by the Percy Society (vol. xxx. p. 113). The earliest notice of the tune (the new Tantara) to which this ballad was to be sung is in the year 1590.]

Long the proud Spaniards had vaunted to conquer us,Threatning our country with fyer and sword;Often preparing their navy most sumptuousWith as great plenty as Spain could afford.Dub a dub, dub a dub, thus strike their drums;Tantara, tantara, the Englishman comes.[674]6To the seas presentlye went our lord admiral,With knights couragious and captains full good;The brave Earl of Essex, a prosperous general,With him prepared to pass the salt flood.10Dub a dub, &c.At Plymouth speedilye, took they ship valiantlye,Braver ships never were seen under sayle,With their fair colours spread, and streamers ore their head,Now bragging Spaniards, take heed of your tayle.Dub a dub, &c.15Unto Cales cunninglye, came we most speedilye,Where the kinges navy securelye did ryde;Being upon their backs, piercing their butts of sacks,Ere any Spaniards our coming descryde.20Dub a dub, &c.Great was the crying, the running and ryding,[675]Which at that season was made in that place;The beacons were fyred, as need then required;To hyde their great treasure they had little space.Dub a dub, &c.26There you might see their ships, how they were fyred fast,And how their men drowned themselves in the sea;There might you hear them cry, wayle and weep piteously,When they saw no shift to scape thence away.30Dub a dub, &c.The great St. Phillip, the pryde of the Spaniards,Was burnt to the bottom, and sunk in the sea;But the St. Andrew, and eke the St. Matthew,Wee took in fight manfullye and brought away.[676]35Dub a dub, &c.The Earl of Essex most valiant and hardye,With horsemen and footmen march'd up to the town;[677]The Spanyards, which saw them, were greatly alarmed,Did fly for their savegard, and durst not come down.Dub a dub, &c.41Now, quoth the noble Earl, courage my soldiers all,Fight and be valiant, the spoil you shall have;And bè well rewarded all from the great to the small;[678]But looke that the women and children you save.[679]Dub a dub, &c.46The Spaniards at that sight, thinking it vain to fight,[680]Hung upp flags of truce and yielded the towne;[681]Wee marched in presentlye, decking the walls on hye,With English colours which purchas'd renowne.[682]50Dub a dub, &c.Entering the houses then, of the most richest men,For gold and treasure we searched eche day;In sòme places wè did find, pyes baking left behind,[683]Meate at fire rosting, and folkes run away.[684]55Dub a dub, &c.Full of rich merchandize, every shop catch'd our eyes,[685]Damasks and sattens and velvets full fayre:Wh[i]ch soldiers mèasur'd out by the length of their swords;Of all commodities eche had a share.[686]60Dub a dub, &c.Thus Cales was taken, and our brave generalMarch'd to the market-place, where he did stand:There many prisoners fell to our several shares,[687]Many crav'd mercye, and mercye they fannd.[688]65Dub a dub, &c.When our brave general saw they delayed all,[689]And would not ransome their towne as they said,With their fair wanscots, their presses and bedsteds,Their joint-stools and tables a fire we made;[690]70And when the town burned all in a flame,With tara, tantara, away wee all came.[691]

To the seas presentlye went our lord admiral,With knights couragious and captains full good;The brave Earl of Essex, a prosperous general,With him prepared to pass the salt flood.10Dub a dub, &c.

At Plymouth speedilye, took they ship valiantlye,Braver ships never were seen under sayle,With their fair colours spread, and streamers ore their head,Now bragging Spaniards, take heed of your tayle.Dub a dub, &c.15

Unto Cales cunninglye, came we most speedilye,Where the kinges navy securelye did ryde;Being upon their backs, piercing their butts of sacks,Ere any Spaniards our coming descryde.20Dub a dub, &c.

Great was the crying, the running and ryding,[675]Which at that season was made in that place;The beacons were fyred, as need then required;To hyde their great treasure they had little space.Dub a dub, &c.26

There you might see their ships, how they were fyred fast,And how their men drowned themselves in the sea;There might you hear them cry, wayle and weep piteously,When they saw no shift to scape thence away.30Dub a dub, &c.

The great St. Phillip, the pryde of the Spaniards,Was burnt to the bottom, and sunk in the sea;But the St. Andrew, and eke the St. Matthew,Wee took in fight manfullye and brought away.[676]35Dub a dub, &c.

The Earl of Essex most valiant and hardye,With horsemen and footmen march'd up to the town;[677]The Spanyards, which saw them, were greatly alarmed,Did fly for their savegard, and durst not come down.Dub a dub, &c.41

Now, quoth the noble Earl, courage my soldiers all,Fight and be valiant, the spoil you shall have;And bè well rewarded all from the great to the small;[678]But looke that the women and children you save.[679]Dub a dub, &c.46

The Spaniards at that sight, thinking it vain to fight,[680]Hung upp flags of truce and yielded the towne;[681]Wee marched in presentlye, decking the walls on hye,With English colours which purchas'd renowne.[682]50Dub a dub, &c.

Entering the houses then, of the most richest men,For gold and treasure we searched eche day;In sòme places wè did find, pyes baking left behind,[683]Meate at fire rosting, and folkes run away.[684]55Dub a dub, &c.

Full of rich merchandize, every shop catch'd our eyes,[685]Damasks and sattens and velvets full fayre:Wh[i]ch soldiers mèasur'd out by the length of their swords;Of all commodities eche had a share.[686]60Dub a dub, &c.

Thus Cales was taken, and our brave generalMarch'd to the market-place, where he did stand:There many prisoners fell to our several shares,[687]Many crav'd mercye, and mercye they fannd.[688]65Dub a dub, &c.

When our brave general saw they delayed all,[689]And would not ransome their towne as they said,With their fair wanscots, their presses and bedsteds,Their joint-stools and tables a fire we made;[690]70And when the town burned all in a flame,With tara, tantara, away wee all came.[691]

FOOTNOTES:[674][Ver. 6. tantara, ra-ra, MS.][675][V. 22.thebeforerunningnot in MS.][676][Ver. 35. broughtthemaway, MS.][677][V. 38. marched toward the town.][678][V. 44.allnot in MS.][679][V. 45. nothein MS.][680][V. 47. thought in vaine twas to fight.][681][V. 48.andnot in MS.][682][V. 50. with our English.][683][Ver. 54. baking in the oven.][684][V. 55. meate att the fire rosting & ffolkes ffled away.][685][V. 57. shop wee did see.][686][V. 60. each one.][687][V. 64. prisoners of good account were tooke.][688][V. 65. they found.][689][V. 67. delayed time.][690][V. 70. a ffire were made.][691][V. 72. away wee came.]

[674][Ver. 6. tantara, ra-ra, MS.]

[675][V. 22.thebeforerunningnot in MS.]

[676][Ver. 35. broughtthemaway, MS.]

[677][V. 38. marched toward the town.]

[678][V. 44.allnot in MS.]

[679][V. 45. nothein MS.]

[680][V. 47. thought in vaine twas to fight.]

[681][V. 48.andnot in MS.]

[682][V. 50. with our English.]

[683][Ver. 54. baking in the oven.]

[684][V. 55. meate att the fire rosting & ffolkes ffled away.]

[685][V. 57. shop wee did see.]

[686][V. 60. each one.]

[687][V. 64. prisoners of good account were tooke.]

[688][V. 65. they found.]

[689][V. 67. delayed time.]

[690][V. 70. a ffire were made.]

[691][V. 72. away wee came.]

Thisbeautiful old ballad most probably took its rise from one of these descents made on the Spanish coasts in the time of queen Elizabeth; and in all likelihood from that which is celebrated in the foregoing ballad.

It was a tradition in the West of England, that the person admired by the Spanish lady was a gentleman of the Popham family [Sir John Popham], and that her picture, with the pearl necklace mentioned in the ballad, was not many years ago preserved at Littlecot, near Hungerford, Wilts, the seat of that respectable family.

Another tradition hath pointed out Sir Richard Levison, of Trentham, in Staffordshire, as the subject of this ballad; who married Margaret daughter of Charles Earl of Nottingham; and was eminently distinguished as a naval officer and commander in all the expeditions against the Spaniards in the latter end of Q. Elizabeth's reign, particularly in that to Cadiz in 1596, when he was aged 27. He died in 1605, and has a monument, with his effigy in brass, in Wolverhampton church.

It is printed from an ancient black-letter copy, corrected in part by the Editor's folio MS.

[Sir John Popham and Sir Richard Levison are not the only candidates for the honour of being associated with the Spanish Lady, for strong claims have also been brought forward in favour of Sir Urias Legh of Adlington, Cheshire, and of Sir John Bolle of Thorpe Hall, Lincolnshire. A descendant of the latter worthy wrote a letter in his favour, which appeared in theTimesof May 1, 1846, and from which the following particulars are extracted:—"In Illingworth'sTopographical Account of Scampton, with Anecdotesof the family of Bolles, it is stated, 'the portrait of Sir John, drawn in 1596, at the age of thirty-six years, having on him the gold chain given him by the Spanish Lady, &c., is still in the possession of Captain Birch.' That portrait is now in the possession of Captain Birch's successor, Thomas Bosvile, Esq., of Ravensfield Park, Yorkshire." The writer of the letter signs himself Charles Lee, and dates from Coldrey, Hants. He adds another extract from Illingworth'sScampton, which is as follows: "On Sir John Bolle's departure from Cadiz, the Spanish Lady sent as presents to his wife, a profusion of jewels, and othervaluables, amongst which was her portrait, drawn in green, plate, money, and other treasure. Some articles are still in the possession of the family, though her picture was unfortunately and by accident, disposed of about half a century since. This portrait being drawn in green, gave occasion to her being called in the neighbourhood of Thorpe Hall, the Green Lady, where to this day there is a traditionary superstition among the vulgar that Thorpe Hall was haunted by the Green Lady, who used nightly to take her seat in a particular tree near the mansion."Mr. Chappell points out that this ballad is quoted inCupid'sWhirligig, 1616, and parodied in Rowley'sA Match at Midnight, 1633. It is also quoted in Mrs. Behn's Comedy,The Rovers, orthe banished Cavaliers, and in Richard Brome'sNorthern Lasse.Shenstone was not satisfied with the beautiful simplicity of this charming ballad, and attempted in hisMoral Tale of Love andHonourto place it before his readers "in less grovelling accents than the simple guise of ancient record." The mode he adopted was to spin it out by the frequent introduction ofAh meand'tis true, and addresses to the "generous maid," Elvira, Iberia, &c. Wordsworth acted far differently, when he founded his exquisiteArmenian Lady's Loveupon this ballad:

Mr. Chappell points out that this ballad is quoted inCupid'sWhirligig, 1616, and parodied in Rowley'sA Match at Midnight, 1633. It is also quoted in Mrs. Behn's Comedy,The Rovers, orthe banished Cavaliers, and in Richard Brome'sNorthern Lasse.

Shenstone was not satisfied with the beautiful simplicity of this charming ballad, and attempted in hisMoral Tale of Love andHonourto place it before his readers "in less grovelling accents than the simple guise of ancient record." The mode he adopted was to spin it out by the frequent introduction ofAh meand'tis true, and addresses to the "generous maid," Elvira, Iberia, &c. Wordsworth acted far differently, when he founded his exquisiteArmenian Lady's Loveupon this ballad:

"You have heard of a Spanish Lady,How she wooed an English man;Hear now of a fair Armenian,Daughter of the proud Soldàn."

The copy in the folio MS. (ed. Hales and Furnivall, vol. iii. p. 393) begins with verse 33, the early part having been torn out.]

Will you hear a Spanish lady,How she wooed an English man?Garments gay as rich as may beDecked with jewels she had on.Of a comely countenance and grace was she,5And by birth and parentage of high degree.As his prisoner there he kept her,In his hands her life did lye;Cupid's bands did tye them fasterBy the liking of an eye.10In his courteous company was all her joy,To favour him in any thing she was not coy.But at last there came commandmentFor to set the ladies free,With their jewels still adorned,15None to do them injury.Then said this lady mild, Full woe is me;O let me still sustain this kind captivity!Gallant captain, shew some pityTo a ladye in distresse;20Leave me not within this city,For to dye in heavinesse:Thou hast set this present day my body free,But my heart in prison still remains with thee."How should'st thou, fair lady, love me,25Whom thou knowst thy country's foe?Thy fair wordes make me suspect thee:Serpents lie where flowers grow."All the harm I wishe to thee, most courteous knight,God grant the same upon my head may fully light.30Blessed be the time and season,That you came on Spanish ground;If our foes you may be termed,Gentle foes we have you found:With our city, you have won our hearts eche one,35Then to your country bear away, that is your owne."Rest you still, most gallant lady;Rest you still, and weep no more;Of fair lovers there is plenty,Spain doth yield a wonderous store."40Spaniards fraught with jealousy we often find,But Englishmen through all the world are counted kind.Leave me not unto a Spaniard,You alone enjoy my heart;I am lovely, young, and tender,45Love is likewise my desert:Still to serve thee day and night my mind is prest;The wife of every Englishman is counted blest."It wold be a shame, fair lady,For to bear a woman hence;50English soldiers never carryAny such without offence."I'll quickly change myself, if it be so,And like a page Ile follow thee, where'er thou go.[692]"I have neither gold nor silver55To maintain thee in this case,And to travel is great charges,As you know in every place."My chains and jewels every one shal be thy own,And eke five hundred[693]pounds in gold that lies unknown.60"On the seas are many dangers,Many storms do there arise,Which wil be to ladies dreadful,And force tears from watery eyes."Well in troth I shall endure extremity,[694]65For I could find in heart to lose my life for thee.[695]"Courteous ladye, leave this fancy,Here comes all that breeds the strife;[696]I in England have alreadyA sweet woman to my wife:70I will not falsify my vow for gold nor gain,Nor yet for all the fairest dames that live in Spain."O how happy is that womanThat enjoys so true a friend!Many happy days God send her;[697]75Of my suit I make an end:[698]On my knees I pardon crave for my offence,[699]Which did from love and true affection first commence.[700]Commend me to thy lovely lady,Bear to her this chain of gold;[701]80And these bracelets for a token;Grieving that I was so bold:All my jewels in like sort take thou with thee,[702]For they are fitting for thy wife, but not for me.[703]I will spend my days in prayer,85Love and all her laws[704]defye;In a nunnery will I shroud meeFar from any companye:[705]But ere my prayers have an end, be sure of this,To pray for thee and for thy love I will not miss.90Thus farewell, most gallant captain!Farewell too my heart's content![706]Count not Spanish ladies wanton,Though to thee my love was bent:Joy and true prosperity goe still with thee![707]95"The like fall ever to thy share, most fair ladìe."

As his prisoner there he kept her,In his hands her life did lye;Cupid's bands did tye them fasterBy the liking of an eye.10In his courteous company was all her joy,To favour him in any thing she was not coy.

But at last there came commandmentFor to set the ladies free,With their jewels still adorned,15None to do them injury.Then said this lady mild, Full woe is me;O let me still sustain this kind captivity!

Gallant captain, shew some pityTo a ladye in distresse;20Leave me not within this city,For to dye in heavinesse:Thou hast set this present day my body free,But my heart in prison still remains with thee.

"How should'st thou, fair lady, love me,25Whom thou knowst thy country's foe?Thy fair wordes make me suspect thee:Serpents lie where flowers grow."All the harm I wishe to thee, most courteous knight,God grant the same upon my head may fully light.30

Blessed be the time and season,That you came on Spanish ground;If our foes you may be termed,Gentle foes we have you found:With our city, you have won our hearts eche one,35Then to your country bear away, that is your owne.

"Rest you still, most gallant lady;Rest you still, and weep no more;Of fair lovers there is plenty,Spain doth yield a wonderous store."40Spaniards fraught with jealousy we often find,But Englishmen through all the world are counted kind.Leave me not unto a Spaniard,You alone enjoy my heart;I am lovely, young, and tender,45Love is likewise my desert:Still to serve thee day and night my mind is prest;The wife of every Englishman is counted blest.

"It wold be a shame, fair lady,For to bear a woman hence;50English soldiers never carryAny such without offence."I'll quickly change myself, if it be so,And like a page Ile follow thee, where'er thou go.[692]

"I have neither gold nor silver55To maintain thee in this case,And to travel is great charges,As you know in every place."My chains and jewels every one shal be thy own,And eke five hundred[693]pounds in gold that lies unknown.60

"On the seas are many dangers,Many storms do there arise,Which wil be to ladies dreadful,And force tears from watery eyes."Well in troth I shall endure extremity,[694]65For I could find in heart to lose my life for thee.[695]

"Courteous ladye, leave this fancy,Here comes all that breeds the strife;[696]I in England have alreadyA sweet woman to my wife:70I will not falsify my vow for gold nor gain,Nor yet for all the fairest dames that live in Spain."

O how happy is that womanThat enjoys so true a friend!Many happy days God send her;[697]75Of my suit I make an end:[698]On my knees I pardon crave for my offence,[699]Which did from love and true affection first commence.[700]

Commend me to thy lovely lady,Bear to her this chain of gold;[701]80And these bracelets for a token;Grieving that I was so bold:All my jewels in like sort take thou with thee,[702]For they are fitting for thy wife, but not for me.[703]

I will spend my days in prayer,85Love and all her laws[704]defye;In a nunnery will I shroud meeFar from any companye:[705]But ere my prayers have an end, be sure of this,To pray for thee and for thy love I will not miss.90

Thus farewell, most gallant captain!Farewell too my heart's content![706]Count not Spanish ladies wanton,Though to thee my love was bent:Joy and true prosperity goe still with thee![707]95"The like fall ever to thy share, most fair ladìe."

FOOTNOTES:[692][Ver. 54. whersoere thou go.][693]So the MS., 10,000l.PC.[694]V. 65. Well in worth [I will], MS.[695][V. 66. find my heart.][696][V. 68. that breakes.][697][Ver. 75. many dayes of joy god send you.][698][V. 76. Ile make.][699][V. 77. upon my knees I pardon crave for this offence.][700][V. 78. which love and true affectyon did ffirst commence.][701][V. 80. a chaine.][702][V. 83. take with thee.][703][V. 84. these are ... and not for me.][704]So the folio MS. Other editions readhis laws.[705][V. 88. from other.][706][V. 92. and ffarwell my.][707][V. 95. be still.]

[692][Ver. 54. whersoere thou go.]

[693]So the MS., 10,000l.PC.

[694]V. 65. Well in worth [I will], MS.

[695][V. 66. find my heart.]

[696][V. 68. that breakes.]

[697][Ver. 75. many dayes of joy god send you.]

[698][V. 76. Ile make.]

[699][V. 77. upon my knees I pardon crave for this offence.]

[700][V. 78. which love and true affectyon did ffirst commence.]

[701][V. 80. a chaine.]

[702][V. 83. take with thee.]

[703][V. 84. these are ... and not for me.]

[704]So the folio MS. Other editions readhis laws.

[705][V. 88. from other.]

[706][V. 92. and ffarwell my.]

[707][V. 95. be still.]

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