"pacience diffembled it, writeth this dittie moft fweete and "jententious, not hiding from all fuch afpiring minds the danger of their ambition and disloyaltie: which after"wards fell out most truly by th' exemplary chastisement of fundry perfons, who in favour of the faid Sc. 2. declining from her majestie, fought to interrupt the quiet of the realme by many evill and undutifull practizes."

This fonnet feems to have been compofed in 1569, not long before the D. of Norfolk, the earls of Pembroke and Arundel, the lord Lumley, fir Nich. Throcmorton, and others, were taken into cuftody. See Hume, Rapin, &c. It was eriginally written in long lines or alexandrines, each of which is here divided into two.

HE doubt of future foes

TH

Exiles my prefent joy,

And wit me warnes to fhun fuch fnares,

As threaten mine annoy.

The

The toppe of hope fuppofed

The roote of ruthe wil be;

And fruteleffe all their graffed guiles,
As fhortly ye fhall fee.

15

Then dazeld eyes with pride,

Which great ambition blindes, Shal be unfeeld by worthy wights, Whofe forefight falfhood finds.

The daughter of debate,

That eke difcord doth fowe,

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

No forreine bannifht wight

Shall ancre in this port ;

Our realme it brookes no strangers force,

Let them elsewhere refort.

Our rufty sworde with rest

Shall first his edge employ,

Shall quickly poll their toppes, that fecke

Such change, and gape for joy.

20

25

30

XVI, KING

XVI.

KING OF SCOTS AND ANDREW BROWNE.

This ballad is a proof of the little intercourfe that was between the Scots and English, before the acceffion of James 1. to the crown of England. The tale which is here fo circumftantially related does not appear to have had the leaft foundation in hiftory, but was probably built upon fome confufed bearfay report of the tumults in Scotland during the minority of that prince, and of the confpiracies formed by different fac tions to get poffeffion of his perfon. It should seem from ver. 102, to have been written during the regency, or at leaft 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 (preferved in the archives of the Antiquarian Society London) is intitled "A new Ballad, declar

ing the great treafon confpired against the young king of "Scots, and how one Andrew Browne an English-man, "which was the king's chamberlaine, prevented the fame. "To the tune of Milfield, or els to Green-fleeves." At the end is fubjoined the name of the author W. ELDERTON. "Imprinted at London for Yarathe James, dwelling in New"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, whofe 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,

bejdes

befides the following, are of his compofing. He is believed to have fallen a martyr to his bottle before the year 1592. His epitaph has been recorded by Camden, and tranflated by Oldys,

Hic fitus eft fitiens, atque ebrius Eldertonus,
Quid dico hic fitus eft? hic potius fitis est,

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

Here he, but not his thirft is laid,

See Stow's Lond. [Guild-ball.]-Biogr. Brit. [DRAYTON, by Oldys, Note B.] Ath. Ox.-Cambd. Remains. --The Exale-tation of Ale, among Beaumont's Poems, 8vo. 1653.

UT alas! what a griefe is this
That princes fubjects cannot be true,

But ftill the devill hath fome of his,
Will play their parts whatsoever enfue;
Forgetting what a grievous thing,
It is to offend the anointed kinge?
Alas for woe, why should it be so,
This makes a forrowful heigh ho.

On Whitfun eve it fo befell,

A poffet was made to give the king,
Whereof his ladie nurse hard tell,
And that it was a poyfoned thing.
She cryed, and called piteouslie :
Now help, or els the king fhall die!
Alas for woc, &c.

One Browne, that was an English man,
And hard the ladies piteous crye,
Out with his fword, and beftir'd him than,

Out of the doores in hafte to flie:

But all the doores were made so fast,
Out of a window he got at last.

Alas for woe, &c.

He met the bishop coming faft,

30

Having the poffet in his hande :

The fight of Browne made him aghaft,
Who bad him ftoutly ftaie and ftand.

With him were two that ranne away,

For feare that Browne would make a fray.

35

Alas for woe, &c.

Bishop, quoth Browne, what haft thou there?
Nothing at all, my friend, fayde he;
But a poffet to make the king good cheere.
Is it for fayd Browne, that will I fee,