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EBBA 31315

British Library - Roxburghe
Ballad XSLT Template
LEAPING OF THE LORDS

Of all the Lords in merry England,
and Gallants both blith and Gay,
There is a Lancashire Lord amongst them all,
Must still have the praise of me,
Brave William of Derby a Man of Renown
and he is Related to Englands Crown
and sing O brave Gallants and brave,
For the Honour of Englands Crown.

Once three Scotch Lords a proud Challenge
did make,
and upon the English Ground,
For to leap with any stout English Lord
for seven Good thousand Pounds,
a boon cryd Southampton, and fell upon his Knee,
My Liege i desire you will grant it to me
and sing O brave, etc.

O no, O no, then said our King
Southampton that may not be,
there is far better Lords in merry England,
Liker to take up this Challenge than thee,
it is not a boon my Liege, it is but a fee,
and Ill go the Wager myself every penny,
and sing O brave, etc.

Brave Derby hearing him say so
was present upon the Ground
Southampton this boon shall be Given to thee,
if it were for ten thousand pound,
Our Majesty said if it goes by degree
Well then Cousin DerbyIll give it to thee,
and sing O brave, etc.

Then came forth our young Prince Charles
a Glittering Prince to be seen,
With silver Hasps and Golden Lace
his Scarf was black and Green,
But amongst them all he made such a Reproof,
that all the whole Country did him belove,
and sing O brave, etc.

Stout Southampton he said I have ten thousand pound
to venture on thee this Day
and before thou shalt Out-brayed be
a thousand more I will say,
I thank you my Prince Southampton he said,
seven thousand of my own I will leap for to day
and sing O brave, etc.

Southampton he lighted from off his Horse,
and he jumpt upon the Ground
He bid his Men bring forth bags of Gold,
Of seven Good thousand pound,
The bags they were brought and set on the
Ground.
The brave Earl of Derby caused Trumpet to sound
and sing O brave etc.

O then came forth our Saint Lawrence,
and he Leapd with his Might and main
He Leapt four Yards and full two inch
and he Jumpt off the Ground again
Well leapt Sir Lawrence said our King
Methinks thou dost Leap with muckle Good spring
and I fain would have thee the Wager to win,
and sing O brave, etc.

Then came forth our Southampton,
and he Leapt with a bigger Might,
He Leapt six Yards and full two foot,
before that ever he did light,
Well Southampton thou hast in thy Power,
thou Leapt a far Greater Deap,
when thou Leapt out of the Tower,
and sing O brave etc.

And so did your self and like your Grace
sald Derby that stood on the Ground,
You leapt a Greater Leap over Scotland Gates,
to wear our English Crown,
but eer before we Go hence
we will prove ourselves Right Good
Or else on the Ground well lose our hearts blood
and sing O brave, etc.

Theres never a proud Scot in all Scotland,
if he were never of such a high Renown,
if he be but Scotchman bred and born
I think I can pull him down
But then bespoke King James so free,
and said I am Scot and thou pulls not down me
and sing O brave etc.

Brave Derby hearing him say so
this answer he made to him again,
My Liege, he said, we needs must own
You are a Prince of worthy Fame
but if in Scotland you had been bred and born,
Our English Crown you should never have worn
and sing O brave, etc

But I[]ll a proud Offer said Derbys Earl,
to make all the Scots abound,
half a Yard for England Given shall be
for seven Good thousand Pound
and Ill take thy Part said young Charles so free,
and a whole Yard for England Given shall be,
and sing O brave, etc.

There was Essex Earl and Brookes me Lord,
and my brave Lord Willoughby,
There was southampton and Piercys Earl
and the Earl of shrewsbury
But of all the Lords that in England does dwell
Brave William of Derby now bears the Bell,
And sing O brave Gallants and brave
for the Honour of Englands Crown.

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