“ pacience dissembled it, writeth this dittie most sweete and “ jententious, not hiding from all such aspiring minds the

danger of their ambition and disloyaltie : which after“ wards fell out most truly by th' exemplary chastisement of

Jundry persons, who in favour of the said Sc. 2. declining from her majesie, fought to interrupt the quiet of the realme by many evill and undutifull practizes."

This sonnet seems to have been composed in 1569, not long before the D. of Norfolk, the earls of Pembroke and Arundel, the lord Lumley, fir Nich. Throcmorton, and others, evere taken into cuflody. See Hume, Rapin, &c. It was originally written in long lines or alexandrines, each of which is here divided into two.

H E doubt of future foes

Exiles my present joy,
And wit me warnes to sun such snares,
As threaten mine

annoy.

5

For falfhood now doth flow,

And subject faith doth ebbe,
Which would not be if reason ruld,

Or wisdome wev'd the webbe.

10

But clowdes of toyes untried

Do cloake aspiring mindes;
Which turn to raine of late repent,

By course of changed windes. .

The

The toppe of hope supposed

The roote of ruthe wil be;
And fruteleffe all their graffed guiles,

As shortly ye shall fee.

15

Then dazeld eyes with pride,

Which great ambition blindes, Shal be unseeld by worthy wights,

Whose forefight falfhood finds.

20

The daughter of debate,

That eke discord doth sowe, Shal

reape no gaine where former rule Hath taught ftil peace to growe.

25

No forreine bannisht wight

Shall ancre in this port;
Our realme it brookes no strangers force,

Let them elsewhere resort,

30

Our rusty sworde with rest

Shall first his edge employ,
Shall • quickly, poll their toppes, that seeke

Such change, and gape for joy.

XVI, KING

XVI.

KING OF SCOTS AND ANDREW BROWNE.

This ballad is a proof of the little intercourse that was between the Scots and English, before the accession of James I. to the crown of England. The tale which is here so circumftantially related does not appear to have had the least foundation in history, but was probably built upon some confused hearsay report of the tumults in Scotland during the minority of that prince, and of the conspiracies formed by different factions to get poffeffion of his person. It should seem from ver. 102, to have been written during the regency, or at least before the death, of the earl of Morton, who was condemned and executed Jun. 2. 1581; when James was in his 15th year.

The original copy (preserved in the archives of the Antiquarian Society London) is intitled “ A new Ballad, declar' « ing the great treason conspired against the young king of « Scots, and how one Andrew Browne an English-man, “ which was the king's chamberlaine, prevented the jame. “ To the tune of Milfield, or els to Green-sleeves.” At the end is subjoined the name of the author W. ELDERTON.

Imprinted at London for Yarathe James, dwelling in Newe “ gate Market, over against Ch. Church,” in black letter, folio.

This ELDERTON, who had been originally an attorney in the sheriffs courts of London, and afterwards (if we may believe Oldys) a comedian, was a facetious fuddling companion, whose tippling and his rhymes rendered him famous among his contemporaries. He was author of many popular jongs and ballads; and probably other pieces in theje volumes

,

1

besides the following, are of his composing. He is believed to have fallen a martyr to his bottle before the year 1592. His epitaph has been recorded by Camden, and translated by Oldys, Hic fitus eft fitiens, atque ebrias Eldertonus,

Quid dico hiç fitus est? hic potius fitis elt,

Dead drunk here Elderton doth lie ;
Dead as he is, be still is dry:
So of him it may well be said,

Here he, but not his thirft is said, See Stow's Lond. [Guild-hall.] --Biogr. Brit. [DRAYTON, 1: by Oldys, Note B.] Ath. Ox. --Cambd. Remains. --The Ex

ale-tation of Ale, among Beaumont's Poems, 8vo. 1653.

UT alas !' what a griefe is this

That princes subjects cannot be true,
But still the devill hath some of his,

Will play their parts whatsoever ensue;
Forgetting what a grievous thing,
It is to offend the anointed kinge?

Alas for woe, why should it be fo,
This makes a sorrowful heigh ho.

As

In Scotland is a bonnię kinge,

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 ftill,
Hąth people given to craftie. will.

Alas for woe, &c.
VoL, II,

15

N 7

On Whitsun eve it fo befell,

A posiet was made to give the king, Whereof his ladie nurse hard tell,

And that it was a poysoned thing: She cryed, and called piteouslie: Now help, ; or els the king shall die!

Alaş for woe, &c.

20

25

One Browne, that was an English man,

And hard the ladies piteous erye,
Out with his sword, and bestir'd him than,

Out of the doores in haste to Aie :
But all the doores were made so fast,
Out of a window he got at last,

Alas for woe, &c.

30

He met the bishop coming faft,

Having the poffet in his hande :
The fight of Browne made him aghaft,

Who bad him stoutly ftaie and stand.
With him were two that ranne away,
For feare that Browne would make a fray.

Alas for woe, &c.

35

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 so 3 fayd Browne, that will I fee,