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