present ballad, which is the oldest I have met with on the subject. It is printed from Rich. Johnson's "Crown Garland of Goulden Roses," 1612, 12mo. (where it is intitled simply "A Song of a Beggar and a King ":) corrected by another copy. I READ that once in Affrica But did them all disdaine. But, marke, what hapned on a day, The which did cause his paine. The blinded boy, that shootes so trim, He drew a dart and shot at him, In place where he did lye : Which soone did pierse him to the quicke, Which in his tender heart did sticke, He looketh as he would dye. "What sudden chance is this," quoth he, But still did it defie?" 10 5 15 20 Then from the window he did come, 25 A thousand heapes of care did runne For now he meanes to crave her love, And now he seekes which way to proove And not this beggar wed. 30 But Cupid had him so in snare, Or els he would be dead. 35 And, as he musing thus did lye, He thought for to devise How he might have her companye, That so did 'maze his eyes. "In thee," quoth he, "doth rest my life; For surely thou shalt be my wife, Or else this hand with bloody knife "The gods preserve your majesty," The king to them his pursse did cast, That after them did hye. The king he cal'd her back againe, For thou," quoth he, "shalt be my wife, Our wedding shall appointed be, What is thy name, faire maid?" quoth he. "Penelophon,* O king," quoth she: Thus hand in hand along they walke The king with courteous comly talke The begger blusheth scarlet red, She was in such amaze. 70 75 80 At last she spake with trembling voyce, And said, "O king, I doe rejoyce That you wil take me for your choyce, And when the wedding day was come, The noblemen both all and some Which she did weare of late. Here you may read, Cophetua, 85 90 95 100 * Shakespeare (who alludes to this ballad in his "Love's Labour lost" Act iv. sc. i.) gives the Beggar's name "Zenelophon," according to all the old editions: but this seems to be a corruption; for "Penelophon," in the text, sounds more like the name of a woman.-The story of "the King and the Beggar " is also alluded to in "K. Rich. II." Act v. sc. iii. Ver. 90. i. e. tramped the streets, He that did lovers lookes disdaine, And thus they led a quiet life During their princely raigne ; Their death to them was paine, Their fame did sound so passingly, 105 110 115 120 VII. TAKE THY OLD CLOAK ABOUT THEE, -is supposed to have been originally a Scotch Ballad. The reader here has an ancient copy in the English idiom, with an additional stanza (the 2d.) never before printed. This curiosity is preserved in the editor's folio MS. but not without corruptions, which are here removed by the assistance of the Scottish Edit. Shakespeare, in his "Othello," A. ii. has quoted one stanza, with some variations, which are here adopted: the old MS. readings of that stanza are however given in the margin. * An ingenious friend thinks the two last stanzas should change place. Ver. 105. Here the poet addresses himself to his mistress. Ver. 112. "Sheweth" was anciently the plur, numb. THIS winters weather itt waxeth cold, "Rise up, and save cow Crumbockes liffe, HE. O Bell, why dost thou flyte and scorne'? Itt is soe bare and overworne A cricke he theron cannot renn : SHE. Cow Crumbocke is a very good cowe, Shee has helpt us to butter and cheese, I trow, I wold be loth to see her pine, Good husband, councell take of mee, It is not for us to go soe fine, Man, take thine old cloake about thee. HE. My cloake it was a verry good cloake, I have had it four and forty yeere: "Tis now but a sigh clout as you may see, It will neither hold out winde nor raine; And Ile have a new cloake about mee. SHE. It is four and fortye yeeres agoe Since the one of us the other did ken, 5 10 15 20 25 30 |