XV.

LORD THOMAS AND FAIR ELLINOR.

From an ancient copy in black letter, in the Pepys collection, intitled, “A tragical ballad on the unfortunate "love of lord Thomas and fair Ellinor, together with the "downfall of the browne girl."-In the fame collection may be feen an attempt to modernize this old fong, and reduce it to a different measure. A proof of it's popularity.

L

ORD Thomas he was a bold forrestèr,

And a chafer of the kings deere ;

Faire Ellinor was a fine woman,

And lord Thomas he loved her deare.

Come riddle my riddle, dear mother, he fayd, 5

And riddle us both as one ;

Whether I shall marrye with faire Ellinòr,
And let the browne girl alone?

The browne girl fhe has got houfes and lands,

Faire Ellinor fhe has got none,

And therefore I charge thee on my blessing,

To bring me the browne girl home.

10

And

And as it befelle on a high holidaye,

As many there are befide,

Lord Thomas he went to fáire Ellinor,
That fhould have been his bride.

15

And when he came to faire Ellinors bower,
He knocked there at the ring,

And who was fo readye as faire Ellinor,

To lett lord Thomas withinn.

20

What newes, what newes, lord Thomas, fhe fayd?

What newes doft thou bring to mee?

I am come to bid thee to my wedding,
And that is bad newes for thee.

O God forbid, lord Thomas, she fayd,
That fuch a thing should be done;

I thought to have been thy bride my selfe,
And thou to have been the bridegrome.

Come riddle my riddle, dear mother, fhe fayd,

And riddle it all in one;

25

30

Whether I fhall goe to lord Thomas his wedding,

Or whether shall tarry at home?

There are manye

that are your friendes, daughtèr,

And manye that are your foe,

Therefore I charge you on my bleffing,

To lord Thomas his wedding don't goe.

3

35

There

There are manye that are my friendes, mother;
But if thousands there were my foe,
Betide me life, betide me death,

To lord Thomas his wedding Ild goe.

She cloathed herself in gallant attire,
And her merrye men all in greene,
And as they rid through everye towne,
They took her to be fome queene.

40

But when she came to lord Thomas his gate, 45

She knocked there at the ring;

And who was fo readye as lord Thomàs,

To lett faire Ellinor in.

Is this your bride, faire Ellinor fayd?

Methinks fhe looks wonderous browne;

50

Thou mightest have had as faire a woman,
As ever trod on the grounde.

Defpife her not, fair Ellin, he fayd,

Defpife her not unto mee;

For better I love thy little finger,

Than all her whole bodèe.

This browne bride had a little penknife,

That was both long and fharpe,

And betwixt the fhort ribs and the long,

She prickd faire Ellinor's harte.

55

60

O Chrift

O Chrift thee fave, lord Thomas hee fayd,

Methinks thou lookft wonderous wan; Thou ufedft to look with as fresh a colour, As ever the fun fhone on.

Oh, art thou blind, lord Thomas? the fayd,
Or canst thou not very well fee ?

65

Oh! doft thou not fee my owne hearts bloode
Run trickling down my knee.

Lord Thomas he had a fword by his fide;

As he walked about the halle,

He cut off his brides head from her fhoulders,
And threw it against the walle.

He fet the hilte against the grounde,
And the point against his harte.

7༠

There never three lovers together did meetë, 75.

That fooner againe did parte.

The reader will find a Scottish fong on a fimilar fubject to this, towards the end of this volume, intitled "LORD THOMAS AND LADY ANNET."

VOL. III.

G

XVI. CÚPID