The wind was faire, the boatmen call'd, Then he cast up a silver wand, Says, "Gentle lady, fare thee well! " And in a dead swoone down shee fell. "Now let us goe back, Douglas," he sayd, Then blamed for ever I shall bee." "Come on, come on, my lord," he sayes; "If you'll not turne yourself, my lord, And wee will return to you againe." "Come on, come on, my lord," he sayes, A thousand such as you and mee.' When they had sayled * fifty myle, 165 170 175 180 185 190 "Faire words," quoth he, "they make fooles faine, Ere you that shooting reach, I ween." 195 *There is no navigable stream between Lough-leven and the sea: but a Ballad-maker is not obliged to understand Geography. Jamye his hatt pulled over his browe, He thought his lord then was betray'd; To tell him what the Douglas sayd. "Hold upp thy head, man," quoth his lord; He did it but to prove thy heart, When they had other fifty sayld, Lord Percy called to Douglas himselfe, Sayd, "What wilt thou nowe doe with mee?" “Looke that your brydle be wight, my lord, And your horse goe swift as shipp att sea: Looke that your spurres be bright and sharpe, That you may pricke her while she 'll away." "What needeth this, Douglas," he sayth; "What needest thou to flyte with mee? For I was counted a horseman good Before that ever I mett with thee. A false Hector hath my horse, Who dealt with mee so treacherouslìe: When they had sayled other fifty mile, A deputed 'laird' landed Lord Percye. Then he at Yorke was doomde to dye, 200 205 210 215 220 225 Ver. 224. Fol. MS. reads "land," and has not the following stanza. V. MY MIND TO ME A KINGDOM IS. THIS excellent philosophical song appears to have been famous in the sixteenth century. It is quoted by Ben Jonson in his play of " Every Man out of his Humour," first acted in 1599, A. i. Sc. i. where an impatient person says, "I am no such pil'd cynique to believe When the lanke hungrie belly barkes for foode." It is here chiefly printed from a thin quarto Music book, intitled, "Psalmes, Sonets, and Songs of sadnes and pietie, made into Musicke of five parts: &c. By William Byrd, one of the Gent. of the Queenes Majesties honorable Chappell.Printed by Thomas East," &c., 4to. no date: but Ames in his Typog. has mentioned another edit. of the same book, dated 1588, which I take to have been later than this. Some improvements, and an additional stanza (sc. the 5th), were had from two other ancient copies; one of them in black letter in the Pepys Collection, thus inscribed, "A sweet and pleasant sonet, intitled, My Minde to me a Kingdom is.' the tune of In Crete," &c. Το Some of the stanzas in this poem were printed by Byrd separate from the rest: they are here given in what seemed the most natural order. My minde to me a kingdome is; Though much I want, that most would have, Content I live, this is my stay; I seek no more than may suffice: I presse to beare no haughtie sway; I see how plentie surfets oft, And hastie clymbers soonest fall: I see that such as sit aloft Mishap doth threaten most of all: These get with toile, and keep with feare: No princely pompe, nor welthie store, No shape to winne a lovers eye; Some have too much, yet still they crave, I laugh not at anothers losse, I grudge not at anothers gaine I brooke that is anothers bane: I joy not in no earthly blisse; I weigh not Cresus' welth a straw; For care, I care not what it is; I feare not fortunes fatall law : My mind is such as may not move For beautie bright or force of love. I wish but what I have at will; I wander not to seeke for more; 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 I like the plaine, I clime no hill; In greatest stormes I sitte on shore, I kisse not where I wish to kill ; I feigne not love where most I hate; I wayte not at the mighties gate; The court, ne cart, I like, ne loath; Extreames are counted worst of all: Doth surest sit, and fears no fall : My welth is health, and perfect ease; I never seeke by brybes to please, 45 50 55 60 65 VI. THE PATIENT COUNTESS. THE subject of this tale is taken from that entertaining Colloquy of Erasmus, intitled " Uxor Msuyaμos, sive Conjugium:" which has been agreeably modernized by the late Mr. Spence, in his little Miscellaneous Publication, intitled, “ Moralities, &c. by Sir Harry Beaumont," 1753, 8vo, pag. 42. The following stanzas are extracted from an ancient poem intitled "Albion's England," written by W. Warner, a celebrated poet in the reign of Q. Elizabeth, though his name and works |