Her true love seeing this,

105

Did fetch a grievous groane,

As tho' his heart would burst in twaine, .

And thus he made his moane.

XIV.

Dulcina.

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. ii. 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,

Where lipps invite,

And eyes delight,

15

And cheekes, as fresh as rose in june,
Persuade delay;

What boots, she say,

Forgoe me now, come to me soone?

20

He demands what time for pleasure
Can there be more fit than now:

She sayes, night gives love that leysure,
Which the day can not allow.
He sayes, the sight
'Improves delight.

'Which she denies: Nights mirkie noone
In Venus' playes

Makes bold, shee sayes:

Forgoe me now, come to mee soone.

But what promise or profession

From his hands could purchase scope?
Who would sell the sweet possession
Of suche beautye for a hope?
Or for the sight

Of lingering night

Foregoe the present joyes of noone?
Though ne'er soe faire
Her speeches were,

Forgoe me now, come to me soone.

discovers;

How, at last, agreed these lovers?
Shee was fayre, and he was young:
The tongue may tell what th' eye
Joyes unseene are never sung.
Did shee consent,

The Lady Isabella's Tragedy.

THIS ballad is given from an old black-letter 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."

Go home, sweet daughter, I thee praye,
Go hasten presentlie:

And tell unto the master-cook

These wordes that I tell thee.

And bid him dresse to dinner streight
That faire and milk-white doe,
That in the park doth shine so bright,
There's none so faire to showe.

This ladye fearing of no harme,
Obey'd her mothers will;
And presentlye she hasted home,
Her pleasure to fulfill.

She streight into the kitchen went,
Her message for to tell;

And there she spied the master-cook,
Who did with malice swell.

Nowe, master-cook, it must be soe,

Do that which I thee tell:

40

You needes must dresse the milk-white doe,

Which you do knowe full well.

3385

30

25