But what helps complaining? In vaine I complaine: O willow, etc. A sign of her falsenesse before me doth stand: O willow, etc. I must patiently suffer her scorne and dis- Sing, O the greene willow, etc. Come, all you forsaken, and sit down by So hang it, friends, ore me in grave where me, O willow, etc. I lye : O willow, etc. He that 'plaines of his false love, mine's Sing, O the greene willow shall be my It rays'd my heart lightly, the name of my Sing, O the greene willow shall be my THIS ballad is quoted in Shakespeare's second part of Henry IV. Act ii. The subject of it is taken from the ancient romance of King Arthur (commonly called Morte Arthur), being a poetical translation of chaps. cvii., cix., cx. in Part i., as they stand in ed. 1634, 4to. In the older editions the chapters are differently numbered. This song is given from a printed copy, corrected in part by a fragment in the Editor's folio MS. WHEN Arthur first in court began, And was approved king, By force of armes great victorys wanne, And he had justs and turnaments, Wherto were many prest, But one Sir Lancelot du Lake, He for his deeds and feats of armes When he had rested him a while, He armed rode in a forrest wide, Suche wold I find, quoth Lancelott: For that cause came I hither. Thou seemst, quoth shee, a knight full good, And I will bring thee thither. Wheras a mighty knight doth dwell, That now is of great fame : Therfore tell me what wight thou art, And what may be thy name. "My name is Lancelot du Lake." Quoth she, it likes me than : Who has in prison threescore knights She brought him to a river side, He struck soe hard, the bason broke; And Tarquin soon he spyed: Who drove a horse before him fast, Whereon a knight lay tyed. Sir knight, then sayd Sir Lancelott, Bring me that horse-load hither, And lay him downe, and let him rest; Weel try our force together: For, as I understand, thou hast, Done great despite and shame unto If thou be of the Table Round, I utterly defye. That's over much, quoth Lancelott tho, Defend thee by and by. They sett their speares unto their steeds, And eache att other flie. They coucht theire speares (their horses ran, As though there had been thunder), And strucke them each immidst their shields, Wherewith they broke in sunder. Their horsses backes brake under them, The knights were both astound: To avoyd their horsses they made haste And light upon the ground. They tooke them to their shields full fast, They wounded were, and bled full sore, And tell to me what I shall aske, Say on, quoth Lancelot tho. This soone Sir Lancelot espyde, He leapt upon him then, He pull'd him downe upon his knee, And rushing off his helm, Forthwith he strucke his necke in two, And, when he had soe done, From prison threescore knights and four X.-CORYDON'S FAREWELL TO PHILLIS Is an attempt to paint a lover's irresolution, but so poorly executed, that it would not have been admitted into this collection, if it had not been quoted in Shakespeare's Twelfth Night, Act ii. Sc. iii. Doubtless the Italian THIS ballad, Mr. Warton thinks, gave rise to Shakespeare's Merchant of Venice, though other critics have based it upon a direct Italian source. story, wherein, however, the Christian played the part of Shakespeare's Jew, was known both to the dramatist and to the author of the present ballad. IN Venice towne not long agoe A cruel Jew did dwell, Which lived all on usurie, THE FIRST PART. Gernutus called was the Jew, His life was like a barrow hogge, That liveth many a day, Or like a filthy heap of dung, That lyeth in a whoard; Which never can do any good, Till it be spread abroad. So fares it with the usurer, He cannot sleep in rest, For feare the thiefe will him pursue His heart doth thinke on many a wile, Yet still he gapes for more. His wife must lend a shilling, For every weeke a penny, Yet bring a pledge, that is double worth, And see, likewise, you keepe your day, Her cow she did it call. Within that citie dwelt that time A marchant of great fame, Which being distressed in his need, Unto Gernutus came: Desiring him to stand his friend For twelve month and a day, To lend to him an hundred crownes: And he for it would pay Whatsoever he would demand of him, And pledges he should have. * Ver. 32. Her cow, etc., seems to have suggested to Shakespeare Shylock's argument for usury taken from Jacob's management of Laban's sheep, Act i., to which Antonio replies: "Was this inserted to make interest good? Or are your gold and silver ewes and rams? Shylock. I cannot tell, I make it breed as fast." No (quoth the Jew with flearing lookes), Sir, aske what you will have. No penny for the loane of it For one year you shall pay ; You may doe me as good a turne, Before my dying day. But we will have a merry jeast, For to be talked long : And here is a hundred crownes. With right good will! the marchant says: The marchants ships were all at sea, And money came not in ; With all my heart, Gernutus sayd, He goes his way; the day once past And clapt him on the backe: And layd him into prison strong, |