In Scotland is a bonnie kinge, As proper a youth as neede`to be, Well given to every happy thing, That can be in a kinge to fee: Yet that unluckie country still, Hath people given to craftie will. Alas for woe, &c. On Whitfun eve it so befell, A poflet was made to give the king, Whereof his ladie nurfe hard tell, And that it was a poysoned thing: She cryed, and called piteouflie; Now help, or els the king fhall die! Alas for woe, &c. One Browne, that was an English man, Out with his fword, and beftir'd him than, 25 But all the doores were made fo faft, Out of a window he got at last. Alas for woe, &c. He met the bishop coming fast, Having the poffet in his hande: The fight of Browne made him aghaft, 30 With With him were two that ranne awa, For feare that Browne would make a fray. 35 Alas for woe, &c. Bishop, quoth Browne, what hast thou there? Nothing at all, my friend, fayde he; But a poffet to make the king good cheere. Is it fo? fayd Browne, that will I fee, First I will have thy felf begin, Before thou go any further in; Be it weale or woe, it shall be so, The bishop fayde, Browne I doo know, Let me go on, take thou no care. Happe well or woe, it fhall be fo, The bishop dranke, and by and by His belly burst and he fell downe: A just rewarde for his traitery. 55 This was a poffet indeed, quoth Brown! He ferched the bishop, and found the keyes, To come to the kinge when he did please. Alas for woe, &c. As As foon as the king got word of this, To taft of that extremity: For that he did perceive and know, Alas, he faid, unhappie realme, 60 65 70 The king did call his nurse to his grace, 75 And truftie Browne too in like cafe, He knighted him with gallant geere; And gave him 'lands and livings great, For dooing fuch a manly feat, As he did fhowe, to the bishop's woe, 80 V.67. His father was Henry Lord Darnley. His grandfather the old Earl of Lenox, regent of Scotland, and father of Lord Durnley, was murdered at Stirling, Sept. 5, 1571. When all this treason done and past, Tooke not effect of traytery; They fought against his majestie: Alas for woe, &c. "Another time' to fell the king The Earle Mourton told the Douglas then, Obediently in every thing: For his godmother will not fee With any woe; for if it be fo, God graunt all fubjects may be true, 105 Elizabeth. That That no fuch daunger may enfue, In wealth or woe, God graunt it be fo 110 XVII. THE BONNY EARL OF MURRAY. A SCOTTISH SONG. In December 1591, Francis Stewart, Earl of Bothwell, had made an attempt to feize on the perfon of his fovereign James VI. but being disappointed, had retired towards the north. The king unadvisedly gave a commiffion to George Gordon Earl of Huntley, to purfue Bothwell and his followers with fire and fword Huntley, under cover of executing that commiffion took occafion to revenge a private quarrel he had against James Stewart Earl of Murray, a relation of Bothwell's. In the night of Feb. 7, 1592, he befet Murray s houfe, burnt it to the ground, and flew Murray himfelf; a young nobleman of the most promifing virtues, and the very darling of the people. See Robertfon's Hift. The prefent Lord Murray hath now in his poffeffion a picture of his anceflor naked and covered with wounds, which had been carried about, according to the custom of that age, in order to inflame the populace to revenge his death. If this picture did not flatter, he well deferved the name of the BONNY EAR, for he is there reprefented as a tall and comely perfonage. It is a tradition in the family, that Gordon of Bucky gave him a wound in the face: Murray half expiring, P 3 |