[An excellent ballad, of a Prince of Englands courtship to the King of Frances Daughter, and
how the Prince was disasterously Slain; and how the aforesaid Princess was afterwards mar-
ried to a Forrester.] To the Tune of Crimson Velvet.
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IN the days of old
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when Fair France did Flourish,
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Stories plainly told
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Lovers felt annoy?
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The King a Daughter had
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beautious, fair, and lovely
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Which made her Father glad,
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she was his only Joy.
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A Prince of England came
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Whose Deeds did merrit Fame
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he wood her long and loe at last
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Look what he did require.
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She granted his desire
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their hearts in one was linked fast
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Which when her Father proved
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Lord how he was moved,
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and tormented in his mind
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He sought for to prevent them
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And to discontent them,
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Fortune crossed lovers kind.
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When these Princes twain,
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were thus bard of pleasure,
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Through the Kings Disdain,
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which their Joys withstood.
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The Lady lockt up close,
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her Jewels and her Treasure
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Having no remorse
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of State and Royal Blood:
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[I]n homely poor Array,
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[S]he went from Court away,
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to meet her love and hearts delight
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Who in a Forrest great,
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Had taken up his seat,
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to wait her coming in the Night.
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But loe what sudden Danger,
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To this Princely Stranger,
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chanced as he sat alone.
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By Outlaws he was robbed,
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And with a Poniard stabbed
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uttering many a dying groan
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The Princess armed by him,
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and by true Desire
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Wandring all that Night,
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without dread at all:
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Still unknown she past,
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in her strange Attire,
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Coming at the last
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within Ecchos call,
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You fair wood, quoth she,
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Honoured may you be,
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harbouring my Hearts Delight,
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Which doth incompass here
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My Joy and only Dear,
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my trusty Friend and comely Knight
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Sweet I come unto thee
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Sweet I come to Wooe thee,
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that thou mayst not angry be,
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For my long delaying,
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And thy courteous staying.
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amends for all Ill make to thee.
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Passing thus alone;
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through the silent Forrest
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Many a grievous groan,
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sounded in her ear,
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Where she heard a Man
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to lament the forest,
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Chance that ever came,
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forcd by deadly strife:
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Farewel. my Dear, quoth he,
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Whom I shall never see,
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for why my life is at an end
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For thy sweet sake I dye,
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Through Villains cruelty.
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to show I am a Faithful Friend
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Here I lye a bleeding,
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While my thoughts are feeding,
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on the rarest Beauty found
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O hard hap that may be,
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Little knows my Lady,
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my heart blood lies on the ground
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With that he gave a groan
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that did break asunder
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All the tender strings
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of his gentle Heart,
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She who knew his voice,
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at his tale did wonder
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All her former joys
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did to grief convert,
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Straight she ran to see,
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who this Man should be,
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That so like her Love did speak,
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and found when as she came
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Her lovely Lord lay slain,
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smeard in Blood, which life did break
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Which when that she espyd
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Lord how sore she cryed,
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her sorrows could not counted be,
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Her eyes like fountains running,
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While she cryd out my Darling
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would God that I had dyd for thee
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His pale lips, alas,
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twenty times she kissed,
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And his face did wash
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with her brinish tears;
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Every bleeding wound,
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her fair Face bedewed,
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Wiping of the Blood,
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with her Golden Hair:
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Speak my Love (quoth she)
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Speak fair Prince to me,
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one sweet word of comfort give
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Lift up thy fair Eyes,
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Listen to my cries,
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think in what great grief I live
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All in vain she sued,
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All in vain she wooed,
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the Princes life was fled and gone
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There stood she still mourning.
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Till the Suns approaching
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and bright Day was coming on
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[In this great Distress,]
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quoth this Royal Lady,
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Who can now express
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what will become of me;
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To my Fathers Court
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never will I wander,
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But some Service seek
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where I may placed be
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Whilst she thus made her moan,
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weeping all alone
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In this deep and deadly fear,
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a Forrester all in green,
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most comely to be seen,
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Ranging the Wood did find her there
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Round beset with sorrow
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Maid (quoth he) good morrow;
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what hard hap hath brought you here
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Harder hap did never
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Chance to a Maiden ever,
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here lies slain my Brother dear
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Where might I be placd
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gentle Forrester tell me
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Where might I procure
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a Service in my need
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Pains will I not spare
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but will do my Duty,
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Ease me of my Care.
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help my extream need.
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The Forrester all amazed,
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On her Beauty gazed
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till his Heart was set on Fire:
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If fair Maid (puoth he)
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You will go with me,
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you shall have your hearts desire
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He brought her to his Mother,
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And above all other,
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he set forth this Maidens praise;
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Long was his Heart inflamed,
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At length her Love he gained,
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so Fortune did his Glory raise
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Thus unknown he matchd,
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with the Kings fair Daughter,
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Children seven he had,
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eer she to him was known:
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But when he understood
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she was a Royal Princes,
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By this means at last
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he shewed forth her fame.
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He cloathed his Children then,
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Not like to other Men,
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[in party colours strange to see]
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The right side cloth of gold,
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The left side to behold,
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of Woolen Cloth still framed he
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Men thereat did wonder,
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Golden Fame did Thunder,
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this strange deed in every place
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The King of France came thither
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Being pleasant Weather,
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in these woods the Hart to chase
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The Children there did stand,
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as their Mother willed:
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Where the Royal King
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must of force come by
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Their Mother richly clad
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in fair Crimson Velvet
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Their Father all in Green,
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most comely to be seen
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When this famous King,
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Noting every thing,
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did ask how he durst be so bold,
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To let his Wife to wear;
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And deck his Children there
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in costly robes of Pearl and Gold;
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The Forrester bold replyd
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And the cause descryd;
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and to the King he thus did say
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Well may they by their Mother.
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Wear rich Cloaths with other,
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being by Birth a Princes gay.
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The King upon these words,
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more headfully beheld them
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Till a Crimson Blush,
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his conceit did cross
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The more I look (quoth he)
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upon thy Wife and Children
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The more I call to mind,
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my Daughter whom I lost
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I am that Child (quoth she)
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Falling on her knee,
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pardon me my Sovereign Liege.
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The King perceiving this,
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His Daughter dear did kiss,
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till joyful tears did stop his speech
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With his Train he turned,
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And with her sojourned,
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straight he dubd her Husband Knight.
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He made him Earl of Flanders,
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One of his chief Commanders
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thus was their sorrow put to flight
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