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Thus, by thy means, I lost a friend;

< Heaven send thee such untimely end!'

When he these lines, full fraught with gall, Perused had, and weigh'd them right, His lofty courage then did fall,

And straight appeared in his sight Queen Dido's ghost, both grim and pale; Which made this gallant soldier quail.

Eneas! (quoth this grisly ghost),

My whole delight while I did live, 'Thee of all men I loved most;

'My fancy and my will did give : For entertainment I thee gave, • Unthankfully thou dig'st my grave.

Therefore, prepare thy fleeting soul
To wander with me in the air;

'Where deadly grief shall make it howl,

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'Because of me thou took'st no care:

Delay no time, thy glass is run,

'Thy day is pass'd, thy death is come!"

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O stay a while, thou lovely sprite;

Be not so hasty to convey

My soul into eternal night,

• Where it shall ne'er behold bright day. "O do not frown,-thy angry look

• Hath made my breath my life forsook.

But, woe to me! it is in vain,

And bootless is my dismal cry ;

'Time will not be recall'd again,

Nor thou surcease before I die :
'O let me live, to make amends
'Unto some of thy dearest friends.

'But, seeing thou obdurate art,

And wilt no pity to me show; 'Because from thee I did depart,

And left unpaid what I did owe; I must content myself to take • What lot thou wilt with me partake.'

And like one being in a trance,
A multitude of ugly fiends
About this woeful prince did dance,
No help he had of any friends;

His body then they took away,
And no man knew his dying day.

BALLAD V.

THE SPANISH LADY'S LOVE.

WILL you hear a Spanish lady,
How she woo'd an English man?
Garments gay as rich as may be,

Deck'd with jewels, had she on :

Of a comely countenance and grace was she, Both by birth and parentage of high degree.

As his prisoner there he kept her,
In his hands her life did lie;

Cupid's bands did tie 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 last there came commandment

For to set all ladies free,
With their jewels still adorned,

None to do them injury.

O, (then said this lady gay) 'full woe is me!
O let me still sustain this kind captivity!

'Gallant captain, show some pity
To a lady in distress ;

Leave me not within this city,

For to die in heaviness :

Thou hast set, this present day, my body free, 'But my heart in prison still remains with thee.'

'How should'st thou, fair lady, love me,
'Whom thou know'st thy country's foe
Thy fair words make me suspect thee
Serpents lie where flowers grow.'-

All the harm I wish on thee, most courteous knight, 'God grant upon my head the same may fully light.

'Blessed be the time and season,

That thou came on Spanish ground;

'If you may our foes be termed,

'Gentle foes we have you found :

With our city, you have won our hearts each one, Then to your country bear away that is your own.'

'Rest you still, most gallant lady;

Rest you still and weep no more;

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'Of fair flowers you have plenty,

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Spain doth yield you wonderous store.'

Spaniards fraught with jealousy we oft do find,

'But Englishmen throughout the world are counted kind.

Leave me not unto a Spaniard,

Thou alone enjoy'st my heart; 'I am lovely, young, and tender,

• Love is likewise my desert:

Still to serve thee day and night my mind is prest;
The wife of every Englishman is counted bless'd.'

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It would be a shame, fair lady,

For to bear a woman hence;

English soldiers never carry

Any such without offence.'.

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

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

'I have neither gold nor silver

To maintain thee in this case;

And to travel is great charges,
As you know in every place.'—

'My chains and jewels every one shall be thy own,

And eke ten thousand pounds in gold that lies unknown.'

On the seas are many dangers,
6 Many storms do there arise,
'Which will be to ladies dreadful,

And force tears from watery eyes.'—

Well in troth I shall endure extremity,

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

Courteous lady, leave this folly,

'Here comes all that breeds the strife;

'I in England have already

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A sweet woman to my wife;

'I will not falsify my vow for gold nor gain,

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

• On

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O how happy is that woman

That enjoys so true a friend!
Many happy days God send her;

And of my suit I'll make an end :

my knees I pardon crave for my offence, Which love and true affection did first commence,

• Commend me to that gallant lady,

Bear to her this chain of gold,

With these bracelets for a token;

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Grieving that I was so bold:

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

'I will spend my days in prayer,
'Love and all her laws defy;

' In a nunnery I will shroud me,
Far from any company:

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

‹ Thus farewel, most gallant captain!

'Farewel to my heart's content!

'Count not Spanish ladies wanton,

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