And carelesly smiles at the sorrowes I prove; "With these words engraven, as epitaph meet, O willow, &c. 'Here lyes one, drank poyson for potion most sweet.' O willow, &c. Sing, O the greene willow, &c. "Though she thus unkindly hath scorned my love, O willow, &c. O willow, &c. Sing, O the greene willow, &c. 30 35 "I cannot against her unkindly exclaim, O willow, &c. Cause once well I loved her, and honoured her name. O willow, &c. 40 Sing, O the greene willow shall be my garland. "The name of her sounded so sweete in mine eare, O willow, &c. It rays'd my heart lightly, the name of my deare; 45 Sing, O the greene willow, &c. "As then 'twas my comfort, it now is my griefe; O willow, &c. It now brings me anguish; 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 garlànd.” 55 VOL I. L 1X. Sir Lancelot du Lake.1 This ballad is quoted in Shakspeare's Second Part of Henry IV. act ii. sc. 4. The subject of it is taken from the ancient romance of King Arthur (commonly called Morte Arthur), being a poetical translation of chap. cviii. cix. cx. in Part 1st, 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 folio MS. In the same Play of 2 Henry IV., Silence hums a scrap of one of the old ballads of Robin Hood. It is taken from the following stanza of Robin Hood and the Pindar of Wakefield. "All this beheard three wighty yeomen, 'Twas Robin Hood, Scarlet, and John: With that they espyd the jolly Pindàr As he sate under a thorne.' That ballad may be found on every stall, and therefore is not here reprinted. WHEN Arthur first in court began, And was approvèd king, By force of armes great victorys wonne, Then into England straight he came Knights that resorted unto him, And were of the Round Table. 5 And many justs and turnaments Wherto were many prest, 10 Wherein some knights did farr excell, But one Sir Lancelot du Lake, Who was approved well, He for his deeds and feates of armes All others did excell. 15 The folio MS. copy of this ballad is so mutilated that we owe more than half the present version to the ingenuity of Percy.-Editor. When he had rested him a while, In play, and game, and sportt, He said he wold goe prove himselfe, He armèd rode in forrest wide, And met a damsell faire, Who told him of adventures great, Whereto he gave good eare. 20 "Why shold I not?" quoth Lancelott tho, 25 "Thou seemst," quoth she, "a knight full good," And I will bring thee thither, "Wheres a mighty knight doth dwell, That now is of great fame; Therfore tell me what knight thou art, "My name is Lancelot du Lake." Here dwelles a knight who never was 35 "Who has in prison threescore knights Knights of King Arthurs court they be, And of his Table Round." 40 Ver. 18, to sportt. MS. old writers for whereas: here it is just the contrary. Ver. 29, where is often used by our "Sir Knight," then sayd Sir Lancelott, Bring me that horse-load hither, And lay him downe, and let him rest; "For, as I understand, thou hast, Soe far as thou art able, "If thou be of the Table Round," وو "That's over much," quoth Lancelott tho, They sett their speares unto their steeds, 50 55 60 They coucht their speares, (their horses ran, 65 And strucke them each immidst their shields, Say on," quoth Lancelot tho. "Thou art," quoth Tarquine, "the best knight That ever I did kno; "And like a knight that I did hate; 85 Soe that thou be not hee, I will deliver all the rest, And eke accord with thee." "That is well sayd," quoth Lancelott tho, "But sith it must be soe, 90 'Thy wish thou hast, but yet unknowne; I am Lancelot du Lake, Now knight of Arthurs Table Round; 100 2 Rashing seems to be the old hunting term to express the stroke made by the wild-boar with his fangs. To rase has apparently a meaning something similar. See Mr. Steevens' Note to King Lear, act iii. sc. 7 (ed. 1793, vol. xiv. p. 193), where the quartos read, "Nor thy fierce sister In his anointed flesh rash boarish fangs." So in King Richard III., act iii. sc. 2 (vol. x., pp. 567, 583), "He dreamt To-night the boar had rased off his helm." |