Classic Poem

Now list & lithe you gentlemen,
& Ist tell you the veretye,
how they haue delt w i th a banished man,
driuen out of his countrye.

when as hee came on Scottish ground,
as woe & wonder be them amonge,
ffull much was there traitorye
the wrought the Erle of Northumberland.

when they were att the supp er sett,
beffore many goodly gentlemen
the ffell a fflouting & Mocking both,
& said to the Erle of Northumberland,

" what makes you be soe sad, my Lord,
& in yo u r mind soe sorrowffullye?
in the North of Scottland to-morrow theres a shooting,
& thither thoust goe, my Lo rd Percye.

" the buttes are sett, & the shooting is made,
& there is like to be great royaltye,
& I am sworne into my bill
thither to bring my Lord Pearcy "

" Ile giue thee my Land, Douglas, " he sayes,
& be the faith in my bodye,
if tha t thou wilt ryde to the worlds end,
Ile ryde in thy companye. "

& then bespake the good Ladye, —
Marry a Douglas was her name, —
" you shall byde here, good English Lo rd ;
my brother is a traiterous man;

" he is a traitor stout & stronge,
as Ist tell you the veretye,
for he hath tane liuerance of the Erle,
& into England he will liuor thee. "

" now hold thy tounge, thou goodlye Ladye,
& let all this talking bee;
ffor all the gold tha ts in Loug Leuen,
william wold not Liuor mee!

" it wold breake truce betweene England & Scottland,
& freinds againe they wold neu er bee
if he shold liuor a bani[s]ht Erle
was driuen out of his owne countrye. "

" hold yo u r tounge, my Lo rd , " shee sayes,
" there is much ffalsehood them amonge;
when you are dead, then they are done,
soone they will part them freinds againe.

" if you will giue me any trust, my Lord,
Ile tell you how you best may bee;
youst lett my brother ryde his wayes,
& tell those English Lords trulye

" how tha t you cannot w i th them ryde
because you are in an Ile of the sea;
then, ere my Brother come againe,
to Edenborrow castle Ile carry thee,

" Ile liuor you vnto the Lo rd H UME ,
& you know a trew Scothe Lo rd is hee,
for he hath lost both Land & goods
in ayding of yo ur good bodye "

" marry! I am woe! woman, " he sayes,
" tha t any freind fares worse for mee;
for where one saith " it is a true tale,"
then 2 will say it is a Lye.

" when I was att home in my [realme,]
amonge my tennants all trulye,
in my time of losse, wherin my need stoode,
they came to ayd me honestlye;

" therfore I left many a child ffatherlese,
& many a widdow to looke wanne;
& therfore blame nothing, Ladye,
but the woeffull warres w hi ch I began "

" If you will giue me noe trust, my Lo rd ,
nor noe credence you will give mee,
& youle come hither to my right hand,
indeed, my Lord, Ile lett you see. "

saies, " I neuer loued noe witchcraft,
nor neu er dealt w i th treacherye,
but euermore held the hye way;
alas! tha t may be seene by mee! "

" if you will not come yo u r selfe, my Lo rd ,
youle lett yo u r chamberlaine goe w i th mee,
3 words tha t I may to him speake,
& soone he shall come againe to thee "

when Iames Swynard came tha t Lady before,
shee let him see thorrow the weme of her ring
how many there was of English lords
to wayte there for his M aster and him.

" but who beene yonder, my good Ladye,
tha t walkes soe royallye on yonder greene? "
" yonder is Lo rd Hunsden, Iamye, " she saye;
" alas! heele doe you both tree & teene! "

" & who beene yonder, thou gay Ladye,
tha t walkes soe royallye him beside? "
" yond is S i r w illia m Drurye, Iamy, " shee sayd,
" & a keene Capt ain hee is, and tryde. "

" how many miles is itt, thou good Ladye,
betwixt yond English Lord and mee? "
" marry, 3 50 mile, Iamy, " shee sayd,
" & euen to seale & by the sea:

" I neu er was on English ground,
nor neu er see itt w i th mine eye,
but as my witt & wisedome serues,
and as [the] booke it telleth mee.

" my mother, shee was a witch woman,
and p ar t of itt shee learned mee;
shee wold let me see out of Lough Leuen
what they dyd in London Cytye. "

" but who is yond, thou good Layde,
tha t comes yonder w i th an Osterne fface? "
" yonds S i r Iohn fforster, Iamye, " shee sayd;
" methinkes thou sholdest better know him then I. "
" Euen soe I doe, my goodlye Ladye,
& eu er alas, soe woe am I! "

he pulled his hatt ouer his eyes,
&, lord, he wept soe tenderlye!
he is gone to his M aster againe,
& euen to tell him the veretye.

" Now hast thou beene w i th Marry, Iamy, " he sayd,
" Euen as thy tounge will tell to mee;
but if thou trust in any womans words,
thou must refraine good companye. "

" It is noe words, my Lord, " he sayes,
" yonder the men shee letts me see,
how many English Lords there is
is wayting there for you & mee;

" yonder I see the Lo rd Hunsden,
& hee & you is of the 3 degree;
a greater enemye, indeed, my Lord,
in England none haue yee, "

" & I haue beene in Lough Leven
the most p ar t of these yeeres 3:
yett had I neuer noe out-rake,
nor good games tha t I cold see;

" & I am thus bidden to yonder shooting
by william Douglas all trulye;
therfore speake neu er a word out of thy mouth
That thou thinkes will hinder mee.

then he writhe the gold ring of his ffingar
& gaue itt to tha t Ladye gay;
sayes, " tha t was a legacye left vnto mee
in Harley woods where I cold bee. "

" then ffarewell hart, & farewell hand,
and ffarwell all good companye!
tha t woman shall neuer beare a sonne
shall know soe much of yo u r priuitye. "

" now hold thy tounge, Ladye, " hee sayde,
" & make not all this dole for mee,
for I may well drinke, but Ist neu er eate,
till againe in Lough Leuen I bee. "

he tooke his boate att the Lough Leuen
for to sayle now ou er the sea,
& he hath cast vpp a siluer wand,
saies " fare thou well, my good Ladye! "

the Ladye looked ouer her left sholder;
in a dead swoone there fell shee.
" goe backe againe, Douglas! " he sayd,
" & I will goe in thy companye,

for sudden sicknesse yonder Lady has tane,
and euer, alas, shee will but dye!
" if ought come to yonder Ladye but good,
then blamed fore tha t I shall bee,

because a banished man I am,
& driuen out of my owne countrye "
" come on, come on, my Lord, " he sayes,
" & lett all such talking bee;

theres Ladyes enow in Lough Leuen,
& for to cheere yonder gay Ladye. "
" & you will not goe yo u r selfe, my lord,
you will lett my chamberlaine goe w i th mee;

wee shall now take our boate againe,
& soone wee shall ou er take thee. "
" come on, come on, my Lord, " he sayes,
" & lett now all this talking bee!

ffor my sister is craftye enoughe
for to beguile thousands such as you & mee. "
When they had sayled 50: myle,
now 50 mile vpon the sea,

hee had fforgotten a message tha t hee
shold doe in lough Leuen trulye:
hee asked " how ffarr it was to tha t shooting.
tha t w illia m Douglas p ro mised mee."

now faire words makes fooles faine;
& tha t may be seene by thy M aster & thee;
ffor you may happen think itt soone enoughe
when-eu er you tha t shooting see. "

Iamye pulled his hatt now ou er his browe;
I wott the teares fell in his eye;
& he is to his M aster againe,
& ffor to tell him the veretye:

" he sayes, fayre words makes fooles faine,
& tha t may be seene by you and mee,
ffor wee may happen thinke itt soone enoughe
when-eu er wee tha t shooting see. "

" hold vpp thy head, Iamye, " the Erle sayd,
& neu er lett thy hart fayle thee;
he did itt but to proue thee w ith ,
& see how thow wold take w i th death trulye. "

when they had sayled other 50 mile,
other 50 mile vpon the sea,
Lo rd Peercy called to him, himselfe,
& sayd, " Douglas what wilt thou doe w i th mee? "

" looke tha t yo u r brydle be wight, my Lord,
tha t you may goe as a shipp att sea;
looke tha t yo u r spurres be bright & sharpe,
tha t you may pricke her while sheele awaye. "

" what needeth this, Douglas, " he sayth
" tha t thou needest to ffloute mee?
for I was counted a horsseman good
before tha t eu er I mett w i th thee.

" A ffalse Hector hath my horsse;
& eu er an euill death may hee dye!
& willye Armestronge hath my spurres
& all the geere belongs to mee. "

when the had sayled other 50 mile,
other 50 mile vpon the sea,
the landed low by Barwicke side;
a deputed land Landed Lo rd Percye.