'And bringing money, thou shalt be
"Always my chiefest guest.

For say thou should'st pursued be
With twenty hues and cries,
' And with a warrant searched for
'With Argus' hundred eyes:

'Yet in my house thou shalt be safe;
'Such privy ways there be,

That if they sought an hundred years,

And so carousing in their cups,

Their pleasures to content,
George Barnwel had in little space

His money wholly spent.

Which being done, to Ludlow then
He did provide to go,
To rob his wealthy uncle then ;

His minion would it so.

And once or twice he thought to take

His father by the way;

But that he thought his master had
Took order for his stay.*

Directly to his uncle then

He rode with might and main

;

Where with welcome and good cheer

He did him entertain.

* i. e. For stopping and apprehending him at his father's. Percy.

A se'nnight's space he stayed there,

Until it chanced so,

His uncle with his cattle did

Unto a market go.

His kinsman needs must ride with him;
And when he saw right plain,
Great store of money he had took ;
In coming home again,

Most suddenly, within a wood,
He struck his uncle down,
And beat his brains out of his head;
So sore he crack'd his crown.

And fourscore pound, in ready coin,
Out of his purse he took,
And coming in to London town,
The country quite forsook.

To Sarah Milwood then he came,
Showing his store of gold;
And how he had his uncle slain

To her he plainly told.

Tush, it's no matter, George, (quoth she)

So we the money have,

To have good cheer in jolly sort,

And deck us fine and brave.'

And thus they lived in filthy sort,
Till all his store was gone :

And means to get them any more,
I wis, poor George had none.

VOL. II.

X

And therefore now, in railing sort,
She thrust him out of door :
Which is the just reward they get,
That spend upon a whore.

Oh! do me not this foul disgrace,
In this my need;' quoth he.
She call'd him ' thief and murderer,'
With all despite might be.

And to the constable she went,
To have him apprehended;
And show'd in each degree how far
He had the law offended.

When Barnwell saw her drift,

To sea he got straightway;

Where fear, and dread, and conscience' sting, Upon himself doth stay.

Unto the mayor of London then

He did a letter write,"
Wherein his own and Sarah's faults
He did at large recite.

Whereby she apprehended was,

And then to Ludlow sent:

Where she was judg'd, condemn'd, and hang'd, For murder, incontinent.

And there this gallant quean did die,

This was her greatest gains :

For murder, in Polonia

Was Barnwell hang'd in chains.

Lo! here's the end of wilful youth,

That after harlots haunt ;

Who, in the spoil of other men,
About the streets do flaunt.

BALLAD XV.

KING HENRY THE SECOND AND THE MILLER OF MANSFIELD.

HENRY our royal king, would ride a hunting,
To the green forest, so pleasant and fair;
To have the hart chased, and dainty does tripping;
Untò merry Sherwood his nobles repair :
Hawk and hound was unbound, all things prepar'd
For the same, to the game, with good regard.

All a long summer's day rode the king pleasantly,
With all his princes and nobles each one;
Chasing the hart and hind, and the buck gallantly,
Till the dark evening enforc'd them turn home.
Then at last, riding fast, he had lost quite
All his lords in the wood, late in dark night.

Wand'ring thus wearily, all alone, up and down,
With a rude miller he met at the last;

Asking the ready way unto fair Nottingham,

Sir, (quoth the miller) your way you have lost :

'Yet I think, what I think, truth for to say,

You do not likely ride out of your way.'

Why, what dost thou think of me? (quoth our king

merrily,)

Passing thy judgment upon me so brief?"

'Good faith, (quoth the miller,) I mean not to flatter

thee:

6 I guess thee to be but some gentleman-thief: Stand thee back, in the dark; light thee not down, 'Lest that I presently crack thy knave's crown.'

Thou dost abuse me much, (quoth our king,) saying thus :

'I am a gentleman, and lodging I lack.'

Thou hast not, (quoth the miller,) one groat in thy

purse;

All thy inheritance hangs on thy back.'— 'I have gold to discharge all that I call;

If it be forty pence, I will pay all.'

If thou beest a true man, (then said the miller,)

I swear by my toll-dish, I'll lodge thee all night.' Here's my hand, (quoth the king,) that was I

ever.'

Nay, soft, (quoth the miller,) thou may'st be a sprite :

• Better I'll know thee, erę hands I do take;

With none but honest men hands will I shake.'

Thus they went all along unto the miller's house, Where they were seething of puddings and souse: The miller first enter'd in, then after him the king; Never came he in so smoky a house.

Now, (quoth he,) let me see what you are.'

Quoth our king, Look your fill, and do not spare.'