SIR BARTRAM

Be Gad and sal, both see and talk with her, And when th'hast done, what ere her beauty be, I'll wartant thee her virtues may compare, With the proudest she that uva S upon your Queen. Ho fellow, stay and let me speak with thee. A Gentleman how so? And what of that? Here is overmuch wit in good earnest: But sirrah where is thy Master? Why where is he then? Why whither now I prithee? This is the thing for which I sued so long, This is the lease which I by Guatoes means, Sought to possess by patent from the King: But he injurious man, who lives by crafts, And sells kings favours for who will give most, Hath taken bribes of me, yet covertly Will fell away the thing pertains to me: But I have found a present help I hope, For to prevent his purpose and deceit: Stay gentle friend. Sirrah wilt thou for money and reward, Convey me certain letters out of hand, From out thy masters pocket. How gladly sovereign Princess would I err, And bind my shame to save your royal life: 'Tis Princely in your self to think the best, To hope his grace is guiltless of this crime, But if in endue prevent ionyou default, How blind are you that were forwarnd before. Who sees, and shun not harms, deserve the same: Behold the tenor of this traitorous plot. Here is his warrant under seal and sign, To Jaques born in France to murder you. What needs this long suggestions in this cause? When every circumstance confirmeth truth: First let the hidden mercy from above, Confirm your grace, since by a wondrous means, The practice of your dangers came to light: Next let the tokens of appooued truth, Govern and stay your thoughts, too much seduced, And mark the sooth, and listen the intent, Your highness knows, and these my noble Lords, Can witness this, that whilst your husbands sir In happy peace possessed the Scottish Crown, I was his sworn attendant here in Court, In dangerous fight I never failed my Lord. And since his death, and this your husbands reign, No labour, duty, have I left undone, To testify my zeal unto the Crown: But now my limbs are weak, mine eyes are dim, Mine age unwieldy and unmeet for toil: I came to court in hope for service passed, To gain some lease to keep me being old, There found I all was vpsie turuy turned, My friends displac'ft, the Nobles loath to crave, Then sought I to the minion of the King, Auteukin, who allured by a bribe, Assured me of the lease for which I sought: But see the craft, when he had God the grant, He wrought to fell it to Sir Silvester, In hope of greater earnings from his hands: In brief, I learned his craft, and wrought the means, By one his needy servants for reward, To steal from out his pocket all the briefs, Which he performed, and with reward resigned Them when I read now mark the power of God) I found this warrant sealed among the rest, To kill your grace, whom God long keep alive. Thus in effect, by wonder are you saved, Trifle not then, but seek a speakie flight, God will conduct your steps, and shield the right. The Dwarf says true. By sweet S. Andrew and may sale I swear, As welcome is my honest Dick to me, As morning's sun, or as the watery moon, In merkist night, when we the borders track. I tell thee Dick, thy sighed hath cleerd my thoughts, Of many baneful troubles that there wound. Welcome to sir Bartram as his life: Tell me bonny Dick, hast God a wife? Why man our Countries blithe, our king is well, Our Queen so, so, the Nobles well, and worse And weel are they that were about the king, But better are the Country Gentlemen. And I may tell thee Eustace, in our lives, We old men never saw so wondrous change: But leave this trattle, and tell me what news, In lovely England with our honest friends? I tell thee Eustace, lest mine old eyes daze, This is our Scottish moon and evening's pride: This is the blemish of your English Bride: Who sails by her, are sure of wind at will. Her face is dangerous, her sighed is ill: And yet in sooth sweet Dick, it may be said, The king hath folly, their's virtue in the maid. Is it not Ida the Countess of Arains daughters? Should I be brief & true, the ̄ thus my Dick, All England's grounds yields not a blither Lass. Nor Europe can art her for her gifts, Of virtue, honour, beauty, and the rest: But our foe ̄ worser king not knowing sin in lust, Makes love by endless means and precious gifts, And men that see it dare not sayt my friend, But we may wish that it were otherwise: But I rid thee to view the picture still, For by the persons sights there hangs some ill. O good sir Bartram, you suspect I love, Then were I mad, he whom I never saw, But how so ere, I fear not entisings, Desire will give no place unto a king: I'll see her whom the world admires so much, That I may say with them, there lives none such. Guide bony Dick, my wife will tell thee more, Was never no man in her book before: Be Gad she's blithe, fair lewely, bony, &c. But tell me lovely Eustas as thou lovest me, Among the many pleasures we have passed, Which is the rifest in thy memory, To draw thee over to thine ancient friend? A hundredth pounds. A lifter, what is that? Why fellow hold, here is earnest, Ten pound to assure thee, go dispatch, And bring it me to yonder Tavern thou seest, And assure thy self thou shalt both have Thy skin full of wine, and the rest of thy money.