180KING JAMES AND BROWN

‘Kinge James and Browne,’ Percy MS., p. 58; Hales and Furnivall, I, 135.

As the minstrel is walking by himself, he hears a young prince lamenting. The prince says to him, Yonder comes a Scot who will do me wrong. Douglas comes with armed men, who beset the king with swords and spears. Are you lords of Scotland, come for council, asks the king, or are you traitors, come for my blood? They say that they are traitors, come for his blood. Fie on you, false Scots! exclaims the king; you have slain my grandfather, caused my mother to flee, and hanged my father. [About nine stanzas are lost here.] Douglas offers Brown his daughter in marriage to betray the king; Brown will never be a traitor. Douglas is making off fast, but Brown takes him prisoner and conducts him to the king. Douglas prays for pardon. The king replies that Douglas has sought to kill him ever since he was born. Douglas swears to be a true subject if pardoned. The king pardons him freely, and all traitors in Scotland, great and small. Douglas mutters to himself (we may suppose), If I live a twelvemonth you shall die, and I will burn Edinburgh to-morrow. This irredeemable traitor hies to Edinburgh with his men, but the people shut the gates against him. Brown is always where he is wanted, and takes Douglas prisoner again; the report that Douglas is secured goes to the king, who demands his taker to be brought into his presence, and promises him a thousand pound a year. So they call Brown; we may imagine that the distance is no greater than Holyrood. How often hast thou fought for me, Brown? asks James. Brown’s first service was in Edinburgh; had he not stood stoutly there, James had never been king. The second was his killing the sheriff of Carlisle’s son, who was on the point of slaying his Grace. The third was when he killed the Bishop of St Andrews, who had undertaken to poison the king. James had already made the faithful Englishman (for such he is) knight; now he makes him an earl, with professions of fidelity to the English queen.

This third service of Brown is the subject of a poem by William Elderton, here given in an appendix. The bishop is about to give the king (then a child) a poisoned posset. The lady nurse calls for aid. Brown, an Englishman, hears, goes to help, meets the bishop hurrying off with the posset in his hand, and forces him to drink it, though the bishop makes him handsome offers not to interfere. The venom works swiftly, the bishop’s belly bursts. The king knights Brown, and gives him lands and livings.

John Hamilton, Archbishop of St Andrews, must be the person whom Brown slays in the ballad for an attempt to poison the young king. He was, however, hanged by his political enemies, April 7, 1571. This prelate was credited with being an accomplice to the murder of Darnley and to that of the Regent Murray. His elder brother was heir to the throne after the progeny of Mary Stuart, and both of these persons were more or less in the way. Mary Stuart’s son was a step on which the Hamiltons must “fall down or else oerleap,” and the archbishop is said to have sneered at the Duke of Chatelheraut for letting an infant live between him and the throne. A report that the archbishop had undertaken to poison this infant would readily be believed. Sir WilliamDrury thought it worth his while to write to Cecil that Queen Mary had done the same before her son was a year old.[287]

Of Browne’s two previous performances, his standing stoutly for the king at Edinburgh, st. 26, and his killing the son of the sheriff of Carlisle, st. 27, we are permitted to know only that, since these preceded the killing of the bishop, they occurred at some time before James was five years old. The epoch of the adventure with Douglas, which is the principal subject of the ballad, could be determined beyond question if we could ascertain when Brown was made an earl. It falls after the murder of the Regent Lennox, 81, that is, later than September, 1571, and the king is old enough to know something of the unhappy occurrences in his family, to forget and forgive, and to make knights and earls. There are correspondences between the ballad and the proceedings by which the Earl of Morton, after his resignation of the regency, obtained possession of the young king’s person and virtually reëstablished himself in his former power. This was in April, 1578, when James was not quite twelve years old. Morton was living at Lochleven “for policie, devysing the situation of a fayre gardene with allayis, to remove all suspicion of his consavit treason.” James was in the keeping of Alexander Erskine, his guardian, at Stirling Castle, of which Erskine was governor; and the young Earl of Mar, nephew of the governor, was residing there. This young man became persuaded, perhaps through Morton’s representations, that he himself was entitled to the custody of the castle, and incidentally of the king. Early in the morning of the 26th of April, before the garrison were astir, Mar (who was risen under pretence of a hunting-party), supported by two Abbot Erskines, his uncles, and a retinue of his own, demanded the castle-keys of the governor. An affray followed, in which a son of Alexander Erskine lost his life. The young king, wakened by the noise, rushed in terror from his chamber, tearing his hair. Mar overpowered resistance and seized the keys. Shortly after this, he and his uncle the governor came to terms at the instance of the king, Mar retaining Stirling Castle and the wardenship of the king, and the uncle being made keeper of the castle of Edinburgh. Morton was received into Stirling Castle, and resumed his sway. All this did not pass without opposition. The citizens of Edinburgh rose in arms against Morton (cf. sts 21, 22), and large forces collected from other parts of the country for the liberation of the king. A civil war was imminent, and was avoided, it would seem, chiefly through the influence of the English minister, Bowes, who offered himself as peacemaker, in the name of his queen (cf. sts 31, 32).[288]

The Douglas of this ballad is clearly William Douglas of Lochleven, who joined Mar at Stirling as Morton’s intermediary. He was afterwards engaged in the Raid of Ruthven.

It may be added that Robert Brown, a servant of the king’s, played a very humble part, for the defence of his master, in the Gowrie Conspiracy, but that was nearly twenty years after Andrew Brown was celebrated by Elderton, and when James was no young prince, but in his thirty-fifth year.

1As I did walke my selfe alone,And by one garden greene,I heard a yonge prince make great moane,Which did turne my hart to teene.2‘O Lord!’ he then said vntou me,‘Why haue I liued soe long?For yonder comes a cruell Scott,’Quoth hee, ‘that will doe me some ronge.’

1As I did walke my selfe alone,And by one garden greene,I heard a yonge prince make great moane,Which did turne my hart to teene.

As I did walke my selfe alone,

And by one garden greene,

I heard a yonge prince make great moane,

Which did turne my hart to teene.

2‘O Lord!’ he then said vntou me,‘Why haue I liued soe long?For yonder comes a cruell Scott,’Quoth hee, ‘that will doe me some ronge.’

‘O Lord!’ he then said vntou me,

‘Why haue I liued soe long?

For yonder comes a cruell Scott,’

Quoth hee, ‘that will doe me some ronge.’

3And then came traitor Douglas there,He came for to betray his king;Some they brought bills, and some they brought bowes,And some the brought other things.4The king was aboue in a gallery,With a heauy heart;Vnto his body was sett aboutWith swords and speares soe sharpe.5‘Be you the lordes of Scotland,’ he said,‘That hither for councell seeke to me?Or bee yoe traitors to my crowne,My bloodthat you wold see?’6‘Wee are the lords of Scottland,’ they said,‘Nothing we come to craue of thee;But wee be traitors to thy crowne,Thy blood that wee will see.’7‘O fye vpon you, you false Scotts!For you neuer all trew wilbe;My grandfather you haue slaine,And caused my mother to flee.8‘My grandfather you haue slaine,And my owne father you hanged on a tree;And now,’ quoth he, ‘the like treasonYou haue now wrought for me.9‘Ffarwell hart, and farwell hand!Farwell all pleasures alsoe!Farwell th . . . my head. . . . . . .10. . . . . . .. . . . . . .‘If thou wilt . . . .And soe goe away with mee.’11‘Goe marry thy daughter to whome thou wilt,’Quoth Browne; ‘thou marrys none to me;For I’le not be a traitor,’ quoth Browne,‘For all the gold that euer I see.’12This Douglas, hearing Browne soe say,Began to flee away full fast;‘But tarry a while,’ saies lusty Browne,‘I’le make you to pay before you passe.’13He hath taken the Douglas prisoner,And hath brought him before the king;He kneeled low vpon his knee,For pardon there prainge.14‘How shold I pardon thee,’ saith the king,‘And thou’le remaine a traitor still?For euer since that I was borne,’Quoth he, ‘thou hast sought my blood to spill.’15‘For if you will grant me my pardon,’ he said,‘Out of this place soe free,I wilbe sworne before your GraceA trew subiect to bee.’16‘God for-gaue his death,’ said the king,‘When he was nayled vpon a tree;And as free as euer God forgaue his death,Douglas,’ quoth he, ‘I’le forgiue thee.17‘And all the traitors in Scottland,’Quoth he, ‘both great and small;As free as euer God forgaue his death,Soe free I will forgiue them all.’18‘I thanke you for your pardon, king,That you haue granted forth soe plaine;If I liue a twelue month to an end,You shall not aliue remaine.19‘Tomorrow yet, or ere I dine,I meane to doo thee one good turne;For Edenborrow, that is thine owne,’Quoth he, ‘I will both h[arry] and [burne].’20Thus Douglas hied towards Edenborrow,And many of his men were gone beffore;And after him on euery side,With him there went some twenty score.21But when that they did see him come,They cryed lowd with voices, saying,‘Yonder comes a false traitor,That wold haue slaine our king.’22They chaynd vp the gates of Edenborrow,And there the made them wonderous fast,And there Browne sett on Douglas againe,And quicklye did him ouer cast.23But worde came backe againe to the king,With all the speed that euer might bee,That traitor Douglas there was taken,And his body was there to see.24‘Bring me his taker,’ quoth the king,‘Come, quickly bring him vnto me!I’le giue a thousand pound a yeere,What man soeuer he bee.’25But then they called lusty Browne;Sayes, ‘Browne, come thou hither to mee.How oft hast thou foughten for my sake,And alwayes woone the victory?’26‘The first time that I fought for you,It was in Edenborrow, king;If there I had not stoutly stood,My leege, you neuer had beene king.27‘The second time I fought for you,Here I will tell you in this place;I killd the sheriffs sonne of Carlile,’Quoth he, ‘that wold haue slaine your Grace.28‘The third time that I fought for you,Here for to let you vnderstand,I slew the Bishopp of StAndrew[s],’Quoth he, ‘with a possat in [his hand].’29. . . . . quoth hee,‘That euer my manhood I did trye;I’le make a vow for Englands sakeThat I will neuer battell flee.’30‘God amercy, Browne,’ then said the king,‘And God amercy heartilye!Before I made thee but a knight,But now an earle I will make thee.31‘God saue the queene of England,’ he said,‘For her blood is verry neshe;As neere vnto her I amAs a colloppe shorne from the fleshe.32‘If I be false to England,’ he said,‘Either in earnest or in iest,I might be likened to a bird,’Quoth he, ‘that did defile it nest.’

3And then came traitor Douglas there,He came for to betray his king;Some they brought bills, and some they brought bowes,And some the brought other things.

And then came traitor Douglas there,

He came for to betray his king;

Some they brought bills, and some they brought bowes,

And some the brought other things.

4The king was aboue in a gallery,With a heauy heart;Vnto his body was sett aboutWith swords and speares soe sharpe.

The king was aboue in a gallery,

With a heauy heart;

Vnto his body was sett about

With swords and speares soe sharpe.

5‘Be you the lordes of Scotland,’ he said,‘That hither for councell seeke to me?Or bee yoe traitors to my crowne,My bloodthat you wold see?’

‘Be you the lordes of Scotland,’ he said,

‘That hither for councell seeke to me?

Or bee yoe traitors to my crowne,

My bloodthat you wold see?’

6‘Wee are the lords of Scottland,’ they said,‘Nothing we come to craue of thee;But wee be traitors to thy crowne,Thy blood that wee will see.’

‘Wee are the lords of Scottland,’ they said,

‘Nothing we come to craue of thee;

But wee be traitors to thy crowne,

Thy blood that wee will see.’

7‘O fye vpon you, you false Scotts!For you neuer all trew wilbe;My grandfather you haue slaine,And caused my mother to flee.

‘O fye vpon you, you false Scotts!

For you neuer all trew wilbe;

My grandfather you haue slaine,

And caused my mother to flee.

8‘My grandfather you haue slaine,And my owne father you hanged on a tree;And now,’ quoth he, ‘the like treasonYou haue now wrought for me.

‘My grandfather you haue slaine,

And my owne father you hanged on a tree;

And now,’ quoth he, ‘the like treason

You haue now wrought for me.

9‘Ffarwell hart, and farwell hand!Farwell all pleasures alsoe!Farwell th . . . my head. . . . . . .

‘Ffarwell hart, and farwell hand!

Farwell all pleasures alsoe!

Farwell th . . . my head

. . . . . . .

10. . . . . . .. . . . . . .‘If thou wilt . . . .And soe goe away with mee.’

. . . . . . .

‘If thou wilt . . . .

And soe goe away with mee.’

11‘Goe marry thy daughter to whome thou wilt,’Quoth Browne; ‘thou marrys none to me;For I’le not be a traitor,’ quoth Browne,‘For all the gold that euer I see.’

‘Goe marry thy daughter to whome thou wilt,’

Quoth Browne; ‘thou marrys none to me;

For I’le not be a traitor,’ quoth Browne,

‘For all the gold that euer I see.’

12This Douglas, hearing Browne soe say,Began to flee away full fast;‘But tarry a while,’ saies lusty Browne,‘I’le make you to pay before you passe.’

This Douglas, hearing Browne soe say,

Began to flee away full fast;

‘But tarry a while,’ saies lusty Browne,

‘I’le make you to pay before you passe.’

13He hath taken the Douglas prisoner,And hath brought him before the king;He kneeled low vpon his knee,For pardon there prainge.

He hath taken the Douglas prisoner,

And hath brought him before the king;

He kneeled low vpon his knee,

For pardon there prainge.

14‘How shold I pardon thee,’ saith the king,‘And thou’le remaine a traitor still?For euer since that I was borne,’Quoth he, ‘thou hast sought my blood to spill.’

‘How shold I pardon thee,’ saith the king,

‘And thou’le remaine a traitor still?

For euer since that I was borne,’

Quoth he, ‘thou hast sought my blood to spill.’

15‘For if you will grant me my pardon,’ he said,‘Out of this place soe free,I wilbe sworne before your GraceA trew subiect to bee.’

‘For if you will grant me my pardon,’ he said,

‘Out of this place soe free,

I wilbe sworne before your Grace

A trew subiect to bee.’

16‘God for-gaue his death,’ said the king,‘When he was nayled vpon a tree;And as free as euer God forgaue his death,Douglas,’ quoth he, ‘I’le forgiue thee.

‘God for-gaue his death,’ said the king,

‘When he was nayled vpon a tree;

And as free as euer God forgaue his death,

Douglas,’ quoth he, ‘I’le forgiue thee.

17‘And all the traitors in Scottland,’Quoth he, ‘both great and small;As free as euer God forgaue his death,Soe free I will forgiue them all.’

‘And all the traitors in Scottland,’

Quoth he, ‘both great and small;

As free as euer God forgaue his death,

Soe free I will forgiue them all.’

18‘I thanke you for your pardon, king,That you haue granted forth soe plaine;If I liue a twelue month to an end,You shall not aliue remaine.

‘I thanke you for your pardon, king,

That you haue granted forth soe plaine;

If I liue a twelue month to an end,

You shall not aliue remaine.

19‘Tomorrow yet, or ere I dine,I meane to doo thee one good turne;For Edenborrow, that is thine owne,’Quoth he, ‘I will both h[arry] and [burne].’

‘Tomorrow yet, or ere I dine,

I meane to doo thee one good turne;

For Edenborrow, that is thine owne,’

Quoth he, ‘I will both h[arry] and [burne].’

20Thus Douglas hied towards Edenborrow,And many of his men were gone beffore;And after him on euery side,With him there went some twenty score.

Thus Douglas hied towards Edenborrow,

And many of his men were gone beffore;

And after him on euery side,

With him there went some twenty score.

21But when that they did see him come,They cryed lowd with voices, saying,‘Yonder comes a false traitor,That wold haue slaine our king.’

But when that they did see him come,

They cryed lowd with voices, saying,

‘Yonder comes a false traitor,

That wold haue slaine our king.’

22They chaynd vp the gates of Edenborrow,And there the made them wonderous fast,And there Browne sett on Douglas againe,And quicklye did him ouer cast.

They chaynd vp the gates of Edenborrow,

And there the made them wonderous fast,

And there Browne sett on Douglas againe,

And quicklye did him ouer cast.

23But worde came backe againe to the king,With all the speed that euer might bee,That traitor Douglas there was taken,And his body was there to see.

But worde came backe againe to the king,

With all the speed that euer might bee,

That traitor Douglas there was taken,

And his body was there to see.

24‘Bring me his taker,’ quoth the king,‘Come, quickly bring him vnto me!I’le giue a thousand pound a yeere,What man soeuer he bee.’

‘Bring me his taker,’ quoth the king,

‘Come, quickly bring him vnto me!

I’le giue a thousand pound a yeere,

What man soeuer he bee.’

25But then they called lusty Browne;Sayes, ‘Browne, come thou hither to mee.How oft hast thou foughten for my sake,And alwayes woone the victory?’

But then they called lusty Browne;

Sayes, ‘Browne, come thou hither to mee.

How oft hast thou foughten for my sake,

And alwayes woone the victory?’

26‘The first time that I fought for you,It was in Edenborrow, king;If there I had not stoutly stood,My leege, you neuer had beene king.

‘The first time that I fought for you,

It was in Edenborrow, king;

If there I had not stoutly stood,

My leege, you neuer had beene king.

27‘The second time I fought for you,Here I will tell you in this place;I killd the sheriffs sonne of Carlile,’Quoth he, ‘that wold haue slaine your Grace.

‘The second time I fought for you,

Here I will tell you in this place;

I killd the sheriffs sonne of Carlile,’

Quoth he, ‘that wold haue slaine your Grace.

28‘The third time that I fought for you,Here for to let you vnderstand,I slew the Bishopp of StAndrew[s],’Quoth he, ‘with a possat in [his hand].’

‘The third time that I fought for you,

Here for to let you vnderstand,

I slew the Bishopp of StAndrew[s],’

Quoth he, ‘with a possat in [his hand].’

29. . . . . quoth hee,‘That euer my manhood I did trye;I’le make a vow for Englands sakeThat I will neuer battell flee.’

. . . . . quoth hee,

‘That euer my manhood I did trye;

I’le make a vow for Englands sake

That I will neuer battell flee.’

30‘God amercy, Browne,’ then said the king,‘And God amercy heartilye!Before I made thee but a knight,But now an earle I will make thee.

‘God amercy, Browne,’ then said the king,

‘And God amercy heartilye!

Before I made thee but a knight,

But now an earle I will make thee.

31‘God saue the queene of England,’ he said,‘For her blood is verry neshe;As neere vnto her I amAs a colloppe shorne from the fleshe.

‘God saue the queene of England,’ he said,

‘For her blood is verry neshe;

As neere vnto her I am

As a colloppe shorne from the fleshe.

32‘If I be false to England,’ he said,‘Either in earnest or in iest,I might be likened to a bird,’Quoth he, ‘that did defile it nest.’

‘If I be false to England,’ he said,

‘Either in earnest or in iest,

I might be likened to a bird,’

Quoth he, ‘that did defile it nest.’

53. yoe bee.

54. by my:cf.64.

61. are they.

82. motherforfather.

94.Half a page torn away.

183. a 12.

204. 20 score.

243. a 1000.

281. the 3d:.

284. possat? MS.rubbed:Hales.

A new Ballad, declaring the great treason conspired against the young King of Scots, and how one Andrew Browne, an Englishman, which was the king’s chamberlaine, preuented the same. To the tune of Milfield, or els to Greenesleeues.

This piece, which is contained in a collection of ballads and proclamations in the library of the Society of Antiquaries, London, is signed W. Elderton, and was “imprinted at London for Yarathe Iames, dvvelling in Nevvgate Market, ouer against Christes Church.” It was licensed to James, May 30, 1581: Arber II, 393. Reprinted by Percy, Reliques, 1765, II, 204; here from the original. There is an imperfect and incorrect copy in the Percy MS., p. 273; Hales and Furnivall, II, 265.

Morton was beheaded only three days after these verses were licensed, and had been in durance for several months before at the castle of Edinburgh. Elderton cannot be supposed to have the last news from Scotland, and he was not a man to keep his compositions by him nine years. The exhortation of Morton to his confederate, Douglas, in the last stanza but one is divertingly misplaced. The fictions of the privie banket and the selling of the king beyond seas are of the same mint as those in the ballad.

Jesus, God! what a griefe is this,That princes subiects cannot be true,But still the deuill hath some of hisWill play their parts, whatsoeuer ensue;Forgetting what a greeuous thingIt is to offend the annointed kinge.Alas for woe! why should it be so?This makes a sorowfull heigh ho.In Scotland is a bonie kinge,As proper a youthe as neede to be,Well giuen to euery happy thingThat can be in a kinge to see;Yet that vnluckie countrie stillHath people giuen to craftie will.Alas for woe! etc.On Whitson eue it so befellA posset was made to give the kinge,Whereof his ladie-nurse hard tell,And that it was a poysoned thing.She cryed, and called piteouslie,‘Now helpe, or els the king shall die!’Alas for woe! etc.One Browne, that was an English man,And hard the ladies piteous crye,Out with his sword, and besturd him thanOut of the doores in haste to flie;But all the doores were made so fast,Out of a window he got at last.Alas for woe! etc.He met the bishop comming fast,Hauing the posset in his hande;The sight of Browne made him agast,Who bad him stoutly staie and stand.With him were two that ranne away,For feare that Browne would make a fray.Alas for woe! etc.‘Bishop,’ quoth Browne, ‘what hast thou there?’‘Nothing at all, my freend,’ sayde he,‘But a posset to make the king good cheere.’‘Is it so?’ sayd Browne, ‘that will I see.First I will haue thy selfe begin,Before thou goe any further in;Be it weale or woe, it shall be so.’This makes a sorrowfull heigh ho.The bishop saide, Browne, I doo knowThou art a young man poore and bare;Liuings on thee I will bestowe;Let me go on, take thee no care.‘No, no,’ quoth Browne, ‘I will not beA traitour for all Christiantie.Happe weal or woe, it shall be so:Drinke now, with a sorrowfull heigh ho.’The bishop dranke, and by and byHis belly burst and he fell downe:A iust reward for his traytery.‘This was a posset in deede!’ quoth Browne.He serched the bishop, and found the keyesTo come to the kinge when he did please.Alas for woe! etc.As soone as the king gat word of this,He humbly fell vppon his knee,And praysed God that he did misseTo tast of that extremity:For that he did perceaue and knowHis clergie would betray him so.Alas for woe! etc.‘Alas,’ he said, ‘vnhappy realme!My father and godfather slaine,My mother banished, O extreameVnhappy fate, and bitter bayne!And now like treason wrought for me.What more vnhappy realme can be!’Alas for woe! etc.The king did call his nurse to his grace,And gave her twentie pound a yeere;And trustie Browne to, in like case,He knighted him, with gallant geere,And gaue him . . . liuings great,For dooing such a manly featAs he did sho[w]e, to the bishops woe,Which made, etc.When all this treason don and pastTooke not effect of traytery,Another treason at the lastThey sought against his Maiestie;How they might make their kinge awayBy a priuie banket on a daye.Alas for woe! etc.Wherat they ment to sell the kingBeyonde the seas, it was decreede:Three noble earles heard of this thing,And did preuent the same with speede.For a letter came, with such a charme,That they should doo they[r] king no harme,For further woe, if they did so;Which made a sorrowfull heigh ho.The Earle Mourton told the Douglas then,‘Take heede you doo not offend the kinge:But shew your selues like honest men,Obediently in euery thing;For his godmother will not seeHer noble childe misvsde to beWith any woe; for if it be so,She will make a sorrowfull heigh ho’God graunt all subiects may be true,In England, Scotland, and euerie where,That no such daunger may ensue,To put the prince or state in feare;That God, the highest king, may seeObedience as it ought to be.In wealth or woe, God graunt it be so!To auoide the sorrowfull heigh ho.

Jesus, God! what a griefe is this,

That princes subiects cannot be true,

But still the deuill hath some of his

Will play their parts, whatsoeuer ensue;

Forgetting what a greeuous thing

It is to offend the annointed kinge.

Alas for woe! why should it be so?

This makes a sorowfull heigh ho.

In Scotland is a bonie kinge,As proper a youthe as neede to be,Well giuen to euery happy thingThat can be in a kinge to see;Yet that vnluckie countrie stillHath people giuen to craftie will.Alas for woe! etc.

In Scotland is a bonie kinge,

As proper a youthe as neede to be,

Well giuen to euery happy thing

That can be in a kinge to see;

Yet that vnluckie countrie still

Hath people giuen to craftie will.

Alas for woe! etc.

On Whitson eue it so befellA posset was made to give the kinge,Whereof his ladie-nurse hard tell,And that it was a poysoned thing.She cryed, and called piteouslie,‘Now helpe, or els the king shall die!’Alas for woe! etc.

On Whitson eue it so befell

A posset was made to give the kinge,

Whereof his ladie-nurse hard tell,

And that it was a poysoned thing.

She cryed, and called piteouslie,

‘Now helpe, or els the king shall die!’

Alas for woe! etc.

One Browne, that was an English man,And hard the ladies piteous crye,Out with his sword, and besturd him thanOut of the doores in haste to flie;But all the doores were made so fast,Out of a window he got at last.Alas for woe! etc.

One Browne, that was an English man,

And hard the ladies piteous crye,

Out with his sword, and besturd him than

Out of the doores in haste to flie;

But all the doores were made so fast,

Out of a window he got at last.

Alas for woe! etc.

He met the bishop comming fast,Hauing the posset in his hande;The sight of Browne made him agast,Who bad him stoutly staie and stand.With him were two that ranne away,For feare that Browne would make a fray.Alas for woe! etc.

He met the bishop comming fast,

Hauing the posset in his hande;

The sight of Browne made him agast,

Who bad him stoutly staie and stand.

With him were two that ranne away,

For feare that Browne would make a fray.

Alas for woe! etc.

‘Bishop,’ quoth Browne, ‘what hast thou there?’‘Nothing at all, my freend,’ sayde he,‘But a posset to make the king good cheere.’‘Is it so?’ sayd Browne, ‘that will I see.First I will haue thy selfe begin,Before thou goe any further in;Be it weale or woe, it shall be so.’This makes a sorrowfull heigh ho.

‘Bishop,’ quoth Browne, ‘what hast thou there?’

‘Nothing at all, my freend,’ sayde he,

‘But a posset to make the king good cheere.’

‘Is it so?’ sayd Browne, ‘that will I see.

First I will haue thy selfe begin,

Before thou goe any further in;

Be it weale or woe, it shall be so.’

This makes a sorrowfull heigh ho.

The bishop saide, Browne, I doo knowThou art a young man poore and bare;Liuings on thee I will bestowe;Let me go on, take thee no care.‘No, no,’ quoth Browne, ‘I will not beA traitour for all Christiantie.Happe weal or woe, it shall be so:Drinke now, with a sorrowfull heigh ho.’

The bishop saide, Browne, I doo know

Thou art a young man poore and bare;

Liuings on thee I will bestowe;

Let me go on, take thee no care.

‘No, no,’ quoth Browne, ‘I will not be

A traitour for all Christiantie.

Happe weal or woe, it shall be so:

Drinke now, with a sorrowfull heigh ho.’

The bishop dranke, and by and byHis belly burst and he fell downe:A iust reward for his traytery.‘This was a posset in deede!’ quoth Browne.He serched the bishop, and found the keyesTo come to the kinge when he did please.Alas for woe! etc.

The bishop dranke, and by and by

His belly burst and he fell downe:

A iust reward for his traytery.

‘This was a posset in deede!’ quoth Browne.

He serched the bishop, and found the keyes

To come to the kinge when he did please.

Alas for woe! etc.

As soone as the king gat word of this,He humbly fell vppon his knee,And praysed God that he did misseTo tast of that extremity:For that he did perceaue and knowHis clergie would betray him so.Alas for woe! etc.

As soone as the king gat word of this,

He humbly fell vppon his knee,

And praysed God that he did misse

To tast of that extremity:

For that he did perceaue and know

His clergie would betray him so.

Alas for woe! etc.

‘Alas,’ he said, ‘vnhappy realme!My father and godfather slaine,My mother banished, O extreameVnhappy fate, and bitter bayne!And now like treason wrought for me.What more vnhappy realme can be!’Alas for woe! etc.

‘Alas,’ he said, ‘vnhappy realme!

My father and godfather slaine,

My mother banished, O extreame

Vnhappy fate, and bitter bayne!

And now like treason wrought for me.

What more vnhappy realme can be!’

Alas for woe! etc.

The king did call his nurse to his grace,And gave her twentie pound a yeere;And trustie Browne to, in like case,He knighted him, with gallant geere,And gaue him . . . liuings great,For dooing such a manly featAs he did sho[w]e, to the bishops woe,Which made, etc.

The king did call his nurse to his grace,

And gave her twentie pound a yeere;

And trustie Browne to, in like case,

He knighted him, with gallant geere,

And gaue him . . . liuings great,

For dooing such a manly feat

As he did sho[w]e, to the bishops woe,

Which made, etc.

When all this treason don and pastTooke not effect of traytery,Another treason at the lastThey sought against his Maiestie;How they might make their kinge awayBy a priuie banket on a daye.Alas for woe! etc.

When all this treason don and past

Tooke not effect of traytery,

Another treason at the last

They sought against his Maiestie;

How they might make their kinge away

By a priuie banket on a daye.

Alas for woe! etc.

Wherat they ment to sell the kingBeyonde the seas, it was decreede:Three noble earles heard of this thing,And did preuent the same with speede.For a letter came, with such a charme,That they should doo they[r] king no harme,For further woe, if they did so;Which made a sorrowfull heigh ho.

Wherat they ment to sell the king

Beyonde the seas, it was decreede:

Three noble earles heard of this thing,

And did preuent the same with speede.

For a letter came, with such a charme,

That they should doo they[r] king no harme,

For further woe, if they did so;

Which made a sorrowfull heigh ho.

The Earle Mourton told the Douglas then,‘Take heede you doo not offend the kinge:But shew your selues like honest men,Obediently in euery thing;For his godmother will not seeHer noble childe misvsde to beWith any woe; for if it be so,She will make a sorrowfull heigh ho’

The Earle Mourton told the Douglas then,

‘Take heede you doo not offend the kinge:

But shew your selues like honest men,

Obediently in euery thing;

For his godmother will not see

Her noble childe misvsde to be

With any woe; for if it be so,

She will make a sorrowfull heigh ho’

God graunt all subiects may be true,In England, Scotland, and euerie where,That no such daunger may ensue,To put the prince or state in feare;That God, the highest king, may seeObedience as it ought to be.In wealth or woe, God graunt it be so!To auoide the sorrowfull heigh ho.

God graunt all subiects may be true,

In England, Scotland, and euerie where,

That no such daunger may ensue,

To put the prince or state in feare;

That God, the highest king, may see

Obedience as it ought to be.

In wealth or woe, God graunt it be so!

To auoide the sorrowfull heigh ho.

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