rich offerings in filver, gold, and precious stones, that were there shewn him, were incredible, there being Scarce a perfon of any note in England, but what some time or other paid a vifit, or sent a present to OUR LADY OF WALSINGHAM. At the diffolution of the monasteries in 1538, this Splendid image, with another from Ipfwich, was car ried to Chelsea, and there burnt in the presence of commiffioners; who, we trust, did not burn the jewels and the finery.

This poem is printed from a copy in the Editor's folio MS, which had greatly Suffered by the hand of time; but veftiges of several of the lines remaining, Some conjectural Supplements have been attempted, which, for greater exactnes are in this one ballad diftinguished by italicks.

Gentle herdfman, tell to me,

Of curtesy I thee pray,

Unto the towne of Walfingham
Which is the right and ready way.

Unto the towne of Walfingham
"The way is hard for to be gone;
"And verry crooked are thofe pathes
"For you to find out all alone. >>

Were the miles doubled thrife,
And the way never foe ill,

Itt were not enough for mine offence;
"Itt is foe grievous and foe ill.

"Thy yeares are young, thy face is faire,

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"Thy witts are weake, thy thoughts are greene; "Time hath not given thee leave, as yett,

"For to committ fo great a finne.,

Yes,

Yes, herdfman, yes, foe woldft thou say,
If thou kneweft foe much as I;

My witts, and thoughts, and all the reft,
Have well deferved for to dye.

I am not what I feeme to bee

My clothes, and fexe doe differ farr,

I am a woman, woe is me!

Born to greeffe and irkfome care.

For my beloved, and well-beloved,

My wayward cruelty could kill:

And though my teares will nought avail,
Moft dearely I bewail him still.

He was the flower of noble wights,
None ever more fincere colde bee;
Of comelye mien and Shape he was,
And tenderlye bee loved mee.

When thus I Saw he loved me well,
I grewe So proude his paine to fee,
That I, who did not know myselfe,

Thought scorne of such a youth as hee.

And grew foe coy and nice to please,
As womens lookes are often foe,
He might not kifes, nor hand forfooth,
Unleffe I willed him foe to doe.

Thus being wearyed with delayes,
To fee I pityed not his greeffe,

He gott him to a fecrett place,
And there hee dyed without releeffe.

20

25

30

35

"Now goe thy wayes, and God before!
"For he must ever guide thee ftill;
"Turne downe that dale, the right hand path,
"And foe, faire Pilgrim, fare thee well!,,

45

50

55

60

XIV.

K. EDWARD IV. AND TANNER OF TAMWORTH.

The

Was a story of great fame among our ancestors. author of the ART OF ENGLISH POESIE, 1589, 4to,

Seems to Speak of it, as a real fact. Defcribing that vicious mode of Speech, which the Greeks called ACYRON, i. e. "When we use a dark and obfcure word, utterly re<< pugnant to that we would express ; be adds, "Such <c manner of uncouth Speech did the Tanner of Tamworth ufe to king Edward the fourth; which Tanner, having a $$ great while mistaken him, and used very broad talke with

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" him, at length, perceiving by his traine that it was the "king, was afraide he Should be punished for it, [and] "faid thus, with a certaine rude repentance,

"I hope I fhall be hanged to-morrow,

cc for [I feare me] I fhall be hanged, whereat the king "laughed a good, not only to See the Tanners vaine feare, "but also to heare his illfhapen terme; and gave him for recompence of his good Sport, the inheritance of Plumptonparke. I AM AFFRAID concludes this fagacious wri

«ter,

P. 214.

The

cc THE POETS OF OUR TIME, THAT SPEAKE cc MORE FINELY AND CORRECTEDLY, WILL COME TOO cc SHORT OF SUCH A REWARD, " phrafe, here referred to, is not found in this bullad at prefent, but occurs with some variation in the older poem, intitled JOHN THE REEVE, defcribed in the former volume, P. 179, viz.

"Nay, Sayd John, by Gods grace,
"And Edward wer in this place,
"Hee Jhold not touch this tonne :
"Hee wold be wroth with John
"Therefore I befhrew the Soupe,

HOPE,

"That in his mouth fhold come. „

Pt. 2. ft. 24..

Amer

The following text is selected from two copies in black letter. The one in the Bodleyan library, intitled, "rie, pleasant, and delectable biftorie betweene K. Edward “the fourth, and a Tanner of Tamworth, &c. printed cc at London, by John Danter, 1596.., This copy, ancient as it now is, appears to have been modernized and altered at the time it was published; but many vestiges of the more ancient readings were recovered from another copy, (tho' more recently printed,) in one Sheet folio, without date, in the Pepys collection.

IN fummer time, when leaves grow greene,

And bloffoms bedecke the tree,

King Edward wolde a hunting ryde,

Some paftime for to fee.

With hawke and hounde he made him bowne

With horne, and cke with bowe;

To Drayton Baffet he tooke his waye,

With all his lordes a rowe.

And he had ridden ore dale and downe

By eight of clocke in the day, When he was ware of a bold tannèr

Come ryding along the waye.

A fayre ruffet coat the tanner had on

Faft buttoned under his chin,

And under him a good cow - hide,

And a mare of four fhilling.

Nowe ftand you ftill, my good lordes all,

Under the grene wood spraye;

And I will wend to yonder fellowe,

To weet what he will faye.

God speede, God fpeede thee, faid our king.
Thou art welcome, fir, fayd hee.

“The readyest waye to Drayton Basset

I praye thee to fhewe to mee. „

"To Drayton Baffet woldst thou goe,
Fro the place where thou doft stand?
The next payre of gallowes thou comeft unto,
Turne in upon thy right hand,

That