Reliques of ancient English poetry: consisting of old heroic ballads ...

AND BALLADS. «7
He bare his clubbe upon his backe,
Hee floode bothe flifFe and ftronge ; 130
And, when he had the letters reade,
Awaye the lettres flunge.
Nowe yielde thee, Arthur, and thy lands,
All forfeit unto mee ;
For this is not thy paye, fir king, 135
Nor may thy ranfome bee.
Yet hold thy hand, thou proude barone,
I praye thee hold thy hand ;
And give mee leave to fpeake once moe
In refkewe of my land. 140
This morne, as I came over a more,
I faw a ladye fette
Betwene an oke, and a greene holleye,
All clad in red fcarlette.
Shee fayes, all women will have their wille, 145
This is their chief defyre ;
Now yield, as thou art a barone true,
That I have payd mine hyre.
An earlye vengeaunce light on her !
The carlilh baron fwore : 150
Shee was my filler tolde thee this,
And fhee's a mifhapen whore,
Vol. III. C But