The two constant Lovers in Scotland: OR, A pattern of true Love expressed in this ensuing Dialogue, between an Earls daughter in Scotland, and a poor Serving-man; she refusing to marry the Lord Fenix, which her Father would force her to take, but clave to her first Love Tomey o'th Pots.
To a pleasant new tune.
IN
Scotland there are Ladies fair,
there's Ladies of Honor & high degree,
Hey down, down a down derry:
But one excels above all the rest,
and the Earl of
Arundels daughter is she.
With hey down, derry down,
lang derry down derry.
Both Knights and Lords of great account,
comes thither a wooing for this Ladies sake:
It fell on a day that E.
Arundell said,
daughter which of these lords will you take
Or which of them now likes thee best,
speak truth to me, but do not lie:
Speak truth to me, and do not jest,
who must heir my livings when as I die.
Lord
Fenix is a Lord of high degree,
and hath both Lands and livings free:
I tell thee daughter thou shalt him have,
if thou wilt take any counsell at me.
With that the young lady fell down of her knee,
& trickling tears ran down her eye:
As you are my father, and loves me dear,
my heart is set where it must be.
On a Serving-man which is so poor,
for all he hath is but pounds three:
He was the first Lover that ere I had,
and the last I mean him for to be.
With that her father was sore offended,
and fast he rode at that same tide,
Untill he to the Lord
Fenix came,
and said, take thee my daughter for thy Bride
The yong Ladie cal'd up Jack her foot-boy
I dare trust no man alive but thee:
Thou must go my earand to Strawbery-Castle,
to the place where
Tomy othpotts doth lye.
And carry this Letter in Parchment fair,
that I have sealed with mine own hand:
And when
Tomey looks this Letter upon,
be sure his Countenance thou understand.
And if he either laugh or smile,
he is not sorry at his heart:
I must seek a new love where I will,
for small of
Tomey must be my part.
But if he wax red in the face,
and tricling tears fall from his eyes:
Then let my Father say what he will,
for true to
Tomey Ile be alwayes.
And thou must tell him by word of mouth▪
if this Letter cannot be read at that tyde:
That this day sen night & no longer hence,
I must be lord
William Fenix bride.
The boy took leave of his Lady gay,
and to
Strawbery Castle he did him fast hie:
A Serving-man did guide him the way,
to the place where
Tomey oth Pots did lie
O Christ thee save good
Tomey oth Pots,
and Christ thee save as I thee see,
Come read this Letter
Tomey oth Potts,
as thy true love hath sent to thee.
Then
Tomey he waxed red in the face,
and trickling tears ran down his eyes:
But never a letter could he read,
if he should be hanged on th gallow-tree
Shee bid me tell you by word of mouth,
if this letter could not be read at this tide
That this day sen night & no longer hence
she must be Lord
William Fenix bride.
Now in faith said
Tomey, she is mine own,
as all hereafter shall understand:
Lord
Fenix shall not marry her by night or day,
unless he win her by his own hand
For on
Gilforth green I will her meet,
and if she love me bid her for me pray:
And there I will lose my life so sweet,
or else her wedding I will stay.
He cal'd this boy unto accounts,
think whether he loved this Lady gay:
He gave him forty shilling for his message,
and all he had was but pounds three.
The boy took his leave of
Tomey oth Potts,
fearing that he had staid too late:
The young Lady did wait of his comming,
and met him five miles out of the gate.
O boney boy thou art not of age,
therefore thou canst both mock & scorn:
I will not beleeve what my love hath said,
unlesse thou on this book be sworn.
Now in faith gay lady I will not lye,
and kist the book full soon did he:
One letter he could not read at that time,
if he should have been hang'd at gallo-tree
He said in faith you are his own,
as all hereafter shall understand:
Lord
Fenix shall not marry you by night or day
unlesse he winn you with his own hand.
For on
Gilforth green he will you meet,
& if you love him you must for him pray:
And there he will lose his life so sweet,
or else your wedding he will stay.
Let us leave talking of the boy,
That with his gay Lady is turned home:
Now let us go talk of
Tomey oth Potts,
and how to his master he is gone.
WHen
Tomey came his Master before,
he kneeled down upon his knee,
What tidings hast thou brought my man,
as that thou makes such courtesie.
O Christ you save dear Master he said,
and Christ you save as I you see,
for Gods love Master come read me this Letter,
which my true love hath sent to me.
His Master took this Letter in hand,
and looked ore it with his eye,
In faith I am fain my man he said,
as thou hast a Lady so true to thee.
I have a Lady true to me,
and false to her Ile never be:
But ere this day senninght, and no longer hence,
I must lose my love through povertie.
Lord
Fenix he will her have,
because he hath more wealth then I:
now hold thy tongue my man he said,
for before that day many a one shall die
O
Tomey said he, I love thee well,
and something for thee I will doo,
For
Strawberry Castle shall be thine own
so long as thou dost mean to woo.
One half of my Lands Ile give thee a year,
the which will raise thee many a pound,
Before that thou lose thy bonny sweet-hart,
thou shalt drop angels with him to the ground.
I have thirty Steeds in my Stable, strong,
which any of them is good indeed,
And a bunch of Spears hangs them among,
and a Nag to carry thee swift with speed.
My Sute of Armour thou shalt put on,
so well it becomes thy fair body:
And when thou com'st on
Gilford green
thou'll look more like a Lord then he.
My men shall all rise and with thee go,
and I my self with thee will ride:
And many a bloody wound will we make
before that thou shalt lose thy bride.
Now Christ reward you dear master he said
for the good will you bear to me:
But I trust to God in a little space,
with my own hands to set her free.
Ile none of your horses master he said,
for they cannot well skill of their trade:
None but your gray Nag that hath a cut tail
for heell either, stand or turn again.
One spear Master and no more,
no more with me that I will take:
And if that Spear it will not serve my turn,
Ile suffer death for my true loves sake.
The second part,
To the same tune.
EArly in the morning when day did spring
on
Gilforth green be time was he.
There did he espie Lord
Fenix comming,
and with him a royall company.
Gold Chains about their necks threescore,
full well might seem fine Lords to ride:
The young Lady followed far behind.
sore against her will that she was a bride.
There
Tomey passed this Lady by,
but never a word to her did say:
Then straight to Lord
Fenix he is gone,
and gives him the right time of the day.
O Christ you save Lord
Fenix he said,
And Christ you save as I you see:
Thou art welcome
Tomey oth Potts he said,
a serving man into our company.
O how doth thy Master
Tomey oth Potts,
tell me the truth and do not lye:
My Master is well then
Tomey replide,
I thank my Lord and I thank not thee.
O Christ you save Lord
Fenix he said,
and Christ you save as I you see:
You may have choyce of Ladies enough,
and not take my true love from me.
With that Lord
Fenix was sore offended,
and fast away he rode at that tide:
God forbid Lord
Fenix he said,
a serving man should hold me from my bride
But afterward
Tomey did him meet,
as one that came not thither to flye:
And said Lord
Fenix take thou my love,
for I will not lose her cowardly.
O meet me here to morrow he said,
as thou art a man come but thy self,
And if that
I come any more,
the Divell fetch my soul to hell.
And so this wedding day was staid,
the Lady and Lords they turned home;
The Lady made merry her maidens among
& said
Tomey I wish thou may win thy own.
Early in the morning when day did spring
on
Gilforth green be time was he
He waited long for Lord
Fenix comming,
but Lord
William Fenix he could not see.
We waited long and very long,
untill the Sun waxed very high,
There was he ware of Lord
Fenix coming,
and with him other men three.
Thou art a false thief Lord
Fenix he said,
because thou break'st thy promise with me▪
Thou promisedst me to come by thy self,
and thou hast brought other men three.
But in regard I call thee thief.
because thou hast broken promise with me;
I vow and you were as many more,
forsaken sure you should not be.
These are my men Lord
Fenix said,
that every day do wait on me;
If any of them do strike a stroke,
in faith then hanged he shall be.
They fetcht a race and rode about,
and then they met full eagerly,
Lord
Fenix away by
Tomeys body glow'd,
and he ran him quite thorow the Thigh.
Out of his saddle bore him he did,
and laid his body on the ground,
His Spear he ran thorow
Tomeys Thigh,
in which it made a grievous wound.
But
Tomey quickley start up again,
for as he was a Phisitian good,
He laid his hand upon the wound,
and quickly he did stanch the blood.
Full lightly he leaped to his saddle again,
forth of it long he did not stay:
For he weighed more of the Ladies love,
then of any life he had that day.
They fetched a race and rode about.
the blood in
Tomeys body began to warm
He away by Lord
Fenix body glowde,
and he ran him quite through the arm.
Out of his saddle bore him he hath,
of from his steed that mounted so high:
Now rise and fight Lord
Fenix he said,
or else yeeld the Lady unto me.
Ile yeeld the Lady unto thee,
my arm no more my spear will guide:
It was never better likely to prove,
to hold a poor serving man from his Bride.
But if thou wilt thus deal then with me,
lest of this matter should rise any voice:
That I have gotten the victory,
then thou shalt have another choice.
Yonder is a lane of two miles long,
at either end then stand will we:
Weel set the Lady in the midst,
and whether she come to take her for me.
If thou wilt thus deal said
Fenix then,
thou'll save my credit and honour high.
And whether I win her or go without her,
Ile be willing to give ten pounds to thee.
There was a lane of two miles long,
the Lady was set in the middle that tide
She laught & made merry her maids among
& said
Tomey oth Pots now Ile be thy bride,
Now all you Ladies of high degree,
and maides that married yet would be:
Marry no man for goods or lands,
unlesse you love him faithfully.
For I had a love of my own she said,
at
Strawberrie Castle there lived he:
Ile change his name from
Tomey oth Pots,
and the yong E. of
Arundell now he shall be
FINIS.