XXIII.

THE SPANISH LADY's LOVE.

This beautiful old ballad moft probably took its rife from one of thefe defcents made on the Spanish coafts in the time of Elizabeth, and in all likelihood from that which is celebrated in the foregoing ballad.

queen

It was a tradition in the Weft of England, that the perfon admired by the Spanish lady was a gentleman of the Popham family, and that her picture, with the pearl necklace mentioned in the bal ad, was not many years ago preferved at Littleco, near Hungerford, Wilts, the feat of that refpectable family

Another tradition hath pointed out Sir Richard Levifon, of Trentham, in Staffordshire, as the subject of this ballad; who married Margaret daughter of Charles Earl of Nottingham; and was eminently diftinguished as a naval officer and commander in all the expeditions against the Spaniards in the latter end of 2 Elizabeth's reign, particularly in that to Cadiz in 1596, when he was aged 27. He died in 1605, and has a monument, with his effigy in brafs, in Wolverhampton church.

It is printed from an ancient black-letter copy, corrected in part by the Editor's folio MS.

WILL you hear a Spanish lady,

WILL

How the wooed an English man?

Garments gay as rich as may be

As his prisoner there he kept her,
In his hands her life did lye ;
Cupid's bands did tye them faster
By the liking of an eye.

In his courteous company was all her joy,
To favour him in any thing she was not coy.

But at laft there came commandment

For to fet the ladies free,

With their jewels ftill adorned,

None to do them injury.

Then faid this lady mild, Full woe is me;
O let me still fuftain this kind captivity!

Gallant captain, fhew fome pity

To a ladye in diftreffe;

Leave me not within this city,

For to dye in heavineffe:

Thou haft fet this prefent day my body free,
But my heart in prifon still remains with thee.

"How fhould't thou, fair lady, love me, Whom thou knowft thy country's foe?

Thy fair wordes make me suspect thee:

Serpents lie where flowers grow."

All the harm I wishe to thee, most courteous knight, God grant the fame upon my head may fully light. 30

Bleffed

Bleffed be the time and season,

That you came on Spanish ground;

If our foes you may be termed,

Gentle foes we have you found :

With our city, you have won our hearts eche one, 35 Then to your country bear away, that is

"Reft you fill, moft gallant lady;

your owne.

you

Reft still,

and weep no more;

Of fair lovers there is plenty,

Spain doth yield a wonderous ftore."

Spaniards fraught with jealoufy we often find,

But Englishmen through all the world are counted kind.

Leave me not unto a Spaniard,

You alone enjoy my heart;

I am lovely, young, and tender,

Love is likewife my defert:

Still to ferve thee day and night my mind is preft;
The wife of every Englifliman is counted bleft.

"It wold be a fhame, fair lady,

For to bear a woman hence;

English foldiers never carry

Any fuch without offence."

I'll quickly change myself, if it be so,

And like a page Ile follow thee, where'er thou go.

"I have

"I have neither gold nor filver

55

To maintain thee in this cafe,

And to travel is great charges,

As you know in every place."

My chains and jewels every one fhal be thy own,

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And eke five hundred * pounds in gold that lies unknown.

"On the feas are many dangers,

Many ftorms do there arife,

Which wil be to ladies dreadful,

And force tears from watery eyes."

Well in troth I fhall endure extremity,

For I could find in heart to lofe my life for thee.

"Courteous ladye, leave this fancy,

Here comes all that breeds the ftrife;

I in England have already

A fweet woman to my wife:

I will not falfify my vow for gold nor gain,

Nor yet for all the fairest dames that live in Spain.”

O how happy is that woman

That enjoys fo true a friend!

Many happy days God fend her;

Of my fuit I make an end:

On my knees I pardon crave for my offence,

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70

75

Which did from love and true affection first commence.

So the MS. 10,000!. PC.

V. 65. Well in worth. MS.
Com-

Commend me to thy lovely lady,

Bear to her this chain of gold;

And thefe bracelets for a token;

Grieving that I was fo bold:

All my jewels in like fort take thou with thee,
For they are fitting for thy wife, but not for me.

I will spend my days in prayer,

Love and ali her laws defye; In a nunnery will I shroud mee

Far from any companye:

But ere my prayers have an end, be fure of this, for thee and for thy love I will not miss.

To

pray

Thus farewell, most gallant captain!

Farewell too my heart's content!

Count not Spanish ladies wanton,

Though to thee my love was bent:

Joy and true profperity goe ftill with thee!
"The like fall ever to thy flare, moft fair ladie."

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XXIV.

ARGENTILE AND CURAN,

-Is extracted from an ancient hiftorical poem in XIII. Books, intitled, ALBION'S ENGLAND, by WILLIAM WARNER: "An author Jays a former editor,) only unhappy in "the choice of his fubject, and measure of his verse. His poem is an epitome of the British hiftory, and written "with great learning, fenfe, and fpirit. In fome places fine "to an extraordinary degree, as I think will eminently appear