  INow list and lithe, you gentlemen, And I’st tell you the veretye, How they have dealt with a banish’d man, Driven out of his owne countrye. IIWhen as he came on Scottish ground, As woe and wonder be them amonge! Full much was there traitorye They wrought the Erle of Northumberland. IIIWhen they were at the supper set, Before many goodly gentlemen, They fell a flouting and mocking both, And said to the Erle of Northumberland: IV‘What makes you be soe sad, my lord, And in your mind soe sorrowfullye? In the north to-morrow there is a shooting, And thither thou’st goe, my Lord Percye. V‘The buttes are sett, and the shooting is made, And there is like to be great royaltye, And I am sworne into my bill Thither to bring my Lord Percye.’ VI‘I’le give thee my hand, Douglas,’ he says, ‘And by the faith in my bodye, If that thou wilt ryde to the worldis end, Then I’le ryde in thy companye.’ VIIAnd then bespake the good ladye, Mary a Douglas was her name: ‘You shall byde here, good English lord; My brother is a traitorous man. VIII‘He is a traitor stout and stronge, As I’st tell you the veretye; For he hath ta’en ’liverance of the Erle, And into England he will ‘liver thee.’— IX‘Now hold thy tongue, thou goodly ladye, Now all this talking let a-bee; For all the gold that’s in Lough Leven, William wo’ld not ’liver mee. X‘It wo’ld breake truce betweene England and Scottland, And freinds againe they wo’ld never bee, If he sho’ld ‘liver a banisht erle, Was driven out of his owne countrye.’— XI‘Hold your tounge, my lord,’ she sayes, ‘There is much falsehood them amonge; Soone they will part them freinds againe, When you are dead, then they are done. XII‘If you will give me any trust, my lord, I’le tell you how you best may bee; You’st let my brother ryde his wayes, And tell those English lords, trulye, XIII‘How that you cannot with them ryde, Because you are in an isle of the sea; Then, ere my brother come againe, To Edenborrow castle I’le carry thee. XIV‘I’le ’liver you unto the Lord Hume, And you know a trew Scothe lord is hee, For he hath lost both land and goods In ayding of your good bodye.’— XV‘Marry, I am woe, woman,’ he sayes, ‘That any friend fares worse for me; For where one saith it is a true tale, Then two will say it is a lee. XVI‘When that I was at home in my realme, Amonge my tennants all trulye, In my time of losse, wherin my need stoode, They came to ayd me honestlye. XVII‘Therefore I left a many a child fatherlese, And many a widdow to looke wanne; Therefore do thou blame nothing, ladye, But the woeffull warres which I began.’— XVIII‘If you will give me noe trust, my lord, Nor noe credence you will give mee, An you’le come hither to my right hand, Indeed, my lord, I’le let you see,’— XIXSays, ‘I never loved noe witchcraft, Nor never dealt with treacherye, But evermore held the hye way; Alas, that may be seene by mee!’— XX‘If you will not come your selfe, my lord, You’le lett your chamberlaine goe with me, Three words that I may to him speake, And soone he shall come againe to thee.’ XXIWhen James Swynard came that lady before, She let him see thro’ the weme How many there was of English lords To wayte XXII‘But who beene yonder, my good ladye, That walkes soe royallye on yond greene?’— ‘Yond is Lord Hunsden, Jamye,’ she sayd, ‘Alas, he’le doe you both tree and teene XXIII‘And who beene yonder, thou gay ladye, That walkes soe royallye him beside?’— ‘Yond’s Sir William Drurye, Jamye,’ she sayd, ‘And a keene captain he is, and tryde.’— XXIV‘How many miles is’t, thou |
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