UT alas!' what a griefe is this

OUT

That princes fubjects cannot be true,
But ftill the devill hath fome of his,
Will play their parts whatsoever enfue;
Forgetting what a grievous thing,
It is to offend the anointed kinge?
Alas for woe, why fhould it be fo,
This makes a forrowful heigh ho.

One Browne, that was an English man,
And hard the ladies piteous crye,

Out with his fword, and beftir'd him than,

Out of the doores in hafte to flie:

L

But all the doores were made so fast,

Out of a window he got at last.

Alas for woe, &c.

Bifhop, quoth Browne, what haft thou there?
Nothing at all, my friend, fayde he;

But a poffet to make the king good cheere.
Is it fo? fayd Browne, that will I fee,
First I will have thyself begin,

Before thou goe any further in;

Be it weale or woe it fhall be fo,
This makes a forrowful heigh ho.

The bifhop fayde, Browne I, doo know,
Thou art a young man poore and bare;

Livings on thee I will beftowe:

Let me go on take thee no care.

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45

To come to the kinge when he did please.

Alas for woe, &c.

As

As foon as the king got word of this,
He humbly fell uppon his knee,
And prayfed God that he did misse

To taft of that extremity;

For that he did perceave and know,
His clergie would betray him so:

Alas for woe, &c.

Alas, he faid, unhappie realme,
My father and godfather flaine :
My mother banifhed, O extreame;
Unhappy fate and bitter bayne!

And now like treafon wrought for me,
What more unhappie realme can be!

Alas for woe, &c.

The king did call his nurfe to his grace,

And gave her twenty poundes a yéere;

And truftie Browne too in like cafe,

He knighted him, with gallant geere;
And gave him 'lands and livings great,
For dooing fuch a manly feat,

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65

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75

V. 67. His father was Henry lord Darnley. His godfathers were the duke of Savoy: and Charles IX. king of France, but neither of these were murdered.

How they might make their kinge away:
By a privie banket on a daye.

Alas for woe, &c.

'Another time' to fell the king

Beyonde the feas they had decreede:
Three noble earles heard of this thing,

And did prevent the fame with speede.

For a letter came, with fuch a charme,

90

That they fhould doo their king no harme:
For further woe, if they did foe,
Would make a forrowful heigh hoe.

The earle Mourton told the Douglas then,
Take heede you do not offend the king;
But fhew yourselves like honeft men

Obediently in every thing:

For his godmother will not fee

Her noble childe mifus'd to be

With any woe; for if it be fo
She will make, &c.

God graunt all fubjects may be true,
In England, Scotland, every where:
That no fuch daunger may enfue,

To put the prince or ftate in feare:
That God the highest king may see

Obedience as it ought to be.

In wealth or woe, God graunt it be fo

To avoide the forrowful heigh ho.

* 2. Elizabeth.

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XVII.

THE BONNY EARL OF MURRAY.

A SCOTTISH SONG.

In December 1591, Francis Stewart earl of Bothwell had made an attempt to Seize on the person of his sovereign James VI. but being disappointed, had retired towards the north. The king unadvifedly gave a commiffion to George Gordon earl of Huntley, to perfue Bothwell and his followers with fire and fwoord. Huntley, under cover of executing that commission, took occafion to revenge a private quarrel he had against James Stewart earl of Murray, a relation of Bothwell's. In the night of Feb. 7. 1592, he beset Murray's house, burnt it to the ground, and flew Murray himSelf; a young nobleman of the most promising virtues, and the very darling of the people. See Robertfon's Hift.

The prefent lord Murray hath now in his possession a pi-. cture of his ancestor naked and covered with wounds, which had been carried about, according to the custom of that age, in order to inflame the populace to revenge his death. If this picture did not flatter, he well deserved the name of the BONNY EARL, for he is there reprefented as a tall and comely perfonage. It is a tradition in the family, that Gordon of Bucky gave him a wound in the face: Murray half expiring said, "You hae Spilt a better face than your awin. Upon this Bucky pointing his dagger at Huntley's breast, Swore, "You Shall be as deep as Is, and forced him to pierce the poor defenceleß body.

James did not fufficiently exert himself in punishing the murderers, but I know not any reason for Suppofing he was jealous of Murray with his queen.