As here it doth bid to defpair and to dye,

O willow, &c.

So hang it, friends, ore me in grave where I lye :
O willow, &c.

Sing, O the greene willow shall be my garland.

In grave where I reft mee, hang this to the view
O willow, &c.

Of all that doe knowe her, to blaze her untrue.

O willow, &c.

Sing, O the greene willow, &c.

With thefe words engraven, as epitaph meet,

O willow, &c.

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"Here lyes one, drank poyfon for potion moft fweet."

Cause once well I loved her, and honoured her name:

The name of her sounded so sweete in mine eare,
O willow, &c.

It rays'd my heart lightly, the name of my deare;
O willow, &c.

Sing, O the greene willow shall be my garland.

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.

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Farewell, faire falfe hearted: plaints end with my breath! O willow, willow, willow!

Thou doft loath me, I love thee, though caufe of my

death.

O willow, willow, willow!

O willow, willow, willow!

Sing, O the greene willow fhall be my garland.

55

VII.

SIR LANCELOT DU LAKE,

This ballad is quoted in Shakespeare's fecond Part of HENRY IV. A. 2. f. 4. 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 stand in Ed. 1634. 4to. In the older Editions the Chapters are differently numbered.-This fong is given from a printed copy, corrected in part by the 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 stanza of ROBIN HOOD AND THE PINDAR OF WAKEFIELD.

All this beheard three wighty yeomen,

Twas Robin Hood, Scarlet, and John:
With that they espy'd the jolly Pindàr

As he fate under a thorne,

That ballad may be found on every ftall, and therefore is not here reprinted.

HEN Arthur firft in court began,

WH

And was approved king,

By force of armes great victoryes wanne,

And conquest 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 :

And he had jufts and turnaments,
Wherto were many prest,

Wherein fome knights did then excell

And far furmount the reft.

In play, and game, and sportt,

He said he wold goe prove himselfe

In fome adventrous fort,

He armed rode in forreft wide,

And met a damfell faire,

Who told him of adventures great,
Whereto he gave good eare.

Such wold I find, quoth Lancelott:

For that caufe came I hither.

Thou feemft, quoth fhe, a knight full good,

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Whereas

Wheras a mighty knight doth dwell,

That now is of great fame :

Therfore tell me what wight thou art,

And what may be thy name.

3༠

And four, that he did wound;

Knights of king Arthurs court they be,

And of his table round.

40

She brought him to a river fide,

And alfo to a tree,

Whereon a copper bason hung,

And many fhields to fee.

He ftruck foe hard, the bafon broke;
And Tarquin foon he fpyed:

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Who drove a horfe before him faft,

Whereon a knight lay tyed.

Sir knight, then fayd Sir Lancelòtt,

Bring me that horse-load hither,

50

And lay him downe, and let him reft;

Weel try our force together :

For,