I cannot againft her unkindly exclaim, O willow, &c. Caufe once well I loved her, and honoured her name: O willow, &c. Sing, O the green willow fhall be my garland. The name of her founded so sweete in mine eare, It rays'd my heart lightly, the name of my deare; Sing, O the greene willow, &c. As then 'twas my comfort, it now is my griefe; It now brings me anguish, then brought me reliefe. Sing, O the greene willow, &c. 40 45 50 Farewell, faire falfe hearted: plaints end with my breath! O willow, &c. Thou doft loath me, I love thee, though cause of my death. O willow, willow, willow! O willow, willow, willow! Sing, the greene willow fhall be my garland. 55 VII. SIR VII. SIR LANCELOT DU LAKE. This ballad is quoted in Shakespeare's Second Part of HENRY IV. A. 2. fc. 4. The Jubject 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. ft. as they stand in Ed. 1634. 4to. In the older Editions the Chapters are differently numbered.-This Jong is given from a printed copy, corrected in part by the folio MS. In the fame play of 2 Hen. IV. SILENCE hums a scrap 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 fall, and therefore is not here reprinted. W HEN Arthur first in court began, And was approved king, By force of armes great victoryes wanne, And conqueft home did bring. Then into England ftraight he came With fifty good and able Knights, that resorted unto him, And were of his round table. And many justs and turnaments, Wherein fome knights did then excell. And far furmount the reft. Such wold I find, quoth Lancelott: For that cause came I hither. Thou feemft, quoth fhe, a knight full good, 20 25 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. "My name is Lancelot du Lake." Quoth fhe, it likes me than : 183 30 Here dwelles a knight who never was 35 Yet matcht with any man : Who has in prifon threefcore knights And four, that he did wound; Knights of king Arthurs court they be, And of his table round. She brought him to a river fide, And alfo to a tree, 40 Whereon a copper bason hung, And many shields to fee. He ftruck foe hard, the bafon broke; 45 And Tarquin foon he spyed: Who drove a horse before him fast, Sir knight, then fayd Sir Lancelòtt, Bring me that horfe-load hither, N 4 50 For, That's over much, quoth Lancelott; Defend thee by and by. They fett their speares unto their steeds, 60 They coucht their speares, (their horses ran 65 As though there had been thunder) And strucke them each amidst their shields, Wherewith they broke in funder. Their horfes backes brake under them, The knights were both astound: They tooke them to their fhields full fast, 3 70 75 They |