Let nobody blame me, her scornes I do prove ; She was borne to be faire; I, to die for her love. Sing, O the greene willow shall be my garlànd. O that beauty should harbour a heart that's fo hard! My true love rejecting without all regard. O willow, &c. Sing, O the greene willow, &c. Let love no more boast him in palace, or bower; O willow, &c. For women are trothles, and flote in an houre. O willow, &c. Sing, O the greene willow, &c. But what helps complaining? In vaine I complaine : I muft patiently fuffer her fcorne and difdaine. O willow, &c. Sing, O the greene willow, &c. Come, all you forsaken, and fit down by me, O willow, &c. He that 'plaines of his false love, mine's falser than she. O willow, &c. Sing, O the greene willow, &c. 55 The The willow wreath weare I, fince my love did fleet; O willow, &c. A Garland for lovers forfaken most meete. O willow, &c. Sing, O the greene willow shall be my garland! PART THE SECOND. L OWE lay'd by my forrow, begot by disdaine; O willow, willow, willow! Against her too cruell, still still I complaine, O willow, willow, willow! O willow, willow, willow! Sing, O the greene willow fhall be my garland! O love too injurious, to wound my poore heart! To fuffer the triumph, and joy in my smart: Sing, O the greene willow, &c. O willow, willow, willow! the willow garland, A fign of her falfeneffe before me doth stand: Sing, O the greene willow, &c. As here it doth bid to defpair and to dye, O willow, &c. So hang it, friends, ore me in grave where I lye: Sing, O the greene willow fhall be my garland. In grave where I reft mee, hang this to the view Of all that doe knowe her, to blaze her untrue. O willow, &c. Sing, O the greene willow, &c. With these words engraven, as epitaph meet, O willow, &c. 10 25 "Here lyes one, drank poyson for potion most sweet." O'willow, &c. Sing, O the greene willow, &c. Though the thus unkindly hath fcorned my love, O willow, &c. And carelefly finiles at the forrowes I prove; O willow, &c. Sing, O the greene willow, &c. I cannot against her unkindly exclaim, O willow, &c. 30 35 Caufe once well I loved her, and honoured her name: O willow, &c. Sing, O the greene willow, &c. The The name of her founded so sweete in mine eare, O willow, &c. It rays'd my heart lightly, the name of my deare; Sing, O the greene willow fhall be my garland. 45 As then 'twas my comfort, it now is my griefe; It now brings me anguifh, then brought me reliefe. O willow, &c. Sing, O the greene willow, &c. 50 Farewell, faire false hearted: plaints end with my breath! O willow, willow, willow! Thou dost loath me, I love thee, though cause of my death. O willow, willow, willow! O willow, willow, willow! Sing, O the greene willow shall be my garland. 55 IX. SIR LANCELOT DU LAKE. This ballad is quoted in Shakespeare's fecond Part of HENRY IV. A. 2. The fubject of it is taken from the ancient romance of K. Arthur (commonly called MORTE ARTHUR) being a poetical tranflation of Chap. cviii, cix, cx, in Pt. 1ft, as they ftand 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. In the fame play of 2 HEN. IV. SILENCE hums a fcrap of one of the old ballads of Robin Hood. It is taken from the following ftanza of ROBIN HOOD AND THE PINDAR OF WAKEFIELD. All this beheard three wighty yeomen, Twas Robin Hood, Scarlet, and John: As he fate under a thorne. That ballad may be found on every ftall, and therefore is not here reprinted. HEN Arthur first in court began, WHEN And was approved king, By force of armes great victorys wanne, And conqueft home did bring. Then into England ftraight he came With fifty good and able Knights, that reforted unto him, And were of his round table : 5 And |