The Lamentable ditty of Little Mousgrove, and the Lady Barnet to an excellent tune.

The lamentable Ditty of Little Mousgroue, and the Lady Barnet.

To an excellent tune.

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AS it fell on a light Holyday, as many more does in the yéere, Little Mousgroue would to the Church and pray to sée the faire Ladyes there, Gaallants there were of good degrée, for beauty excéeding faire, Most wonderous louely to the eie, that did to that Church repaire.

Some came dawne in red Ueluet, and others came dawne in Pall, But next came downe my Lady Barnet, the fairest amongst them all, She cast a looke vpon Little Mousgroue, as bright as the Summers Sunne, Full well perceiued then Little Mousgroue, Lady Barnets Loue he had wonne.

Then Lady Barnet most méeke and mild, saluted this Little Mousgroue, Who did repay her kinde courtesie, with fauour, and Gentle Loue, I haue a bower in merry Barnet, bestrowed with Cowslips swéet, If that it please you, Little Mousgroue, in loue me there to méete,

Within my Armes one night to sléepe, for you my heart haue wanne, You néed not feare my suspicious Lord, for he from home is gene. Betide me life, betide me death, this night I will Sléepe with thée, And for thy sake Ile hazzard my breath, so deare is my loue to thée,

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What shall wée doe with our little Foot-Page, our Counsell for to kéepe, And watch for feare Lord Barnet comes, whil••st wée together doe sléepe? Red Gold shall be his hier, quoth he, and Siluer shall be his fée. If he our Counsell safely doe kéepe, that I may sléepe with thée.

I will haue none of your Gold, said he, nor none of your Siluer fée, If I should kéepe your Counsell, sir, twere great disloyaltie. I will not be false vnto my Lord, for house nor yet for land, But if my Lady dos proue vntrue, Lord Barnet shall vnderstand.

Then swiftly runnes the little Foot-Page, vnto his Lord with spéed, Who then was feasting with his deare friends, not dreaming of this ill déede: Most spéedily the Page did haste, most swiftly did he runne, And when hs came to the broken Bridge, he lay on his brest and swumme.

The Page did make no stay at all, but went to his Lord with spéed, That he the truth might lay to him, concerning this wicked déed. He found his Lord at supper then, great merriment there they did kéepe. My Lord, quoth he, this night on my word Mousgroue with your Lady does sléepe.

The second part;

To the same tune.

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If this be true, my little Foot-Page. and true as thou tellest to me, My eldest daughter Ile giue to thée, and wedded shall thou be. It this be a lye, my little Foot-Page, and a lye as then tellest to mée: A new paire of Gallowes shall straight be set, and hanged shalt thou be.

If this be a lye, my Lord, said he, a lye that you heare from me, Then neuer stay a Gallowes to make, but hang me vpon the next trée. Lord Barnet then cald vp his merry men, away with spéed he would goe, His heart was sore perplext with griefe, the truth of this he must know.

Saddle your horses with spéed, quoth he, and saddle me my white Stéed, If this be true as the Page hath said, Mousgroue shall repent this déed. He charg'd his men no noise to make, as they rode all along on the way, Nor winde no hornes, quoth he, on your life, lest our comming it should betray.

But one of the men that Mousgroue did loue, and respected his friendship most deare, To giue him knowledge Lord Barnet was neere, did winde his Bugle most cléere, And euermore as he did blow, away Mousgroue and away: For if I take thée with my Lady, then slaine thou shalt be this day.

O harke, faire Lady, your Lord is néere, I heare his little horne blow, And if he finde me in your Armes thus, then slaine I shall be, I know.

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O lye still, lye still, little Mousgroue, and kéepe my backe from the cold▪ I know it is my Fathers shepheard, driuing shéepe to the Pinfold.

Mousgroue did turne him round about, swéete slumber his eyes did gréet. When he did wake, he then espied Lord Barnet at his beds féete. O rise vp, rise vp, little Mousgroue, and put thy Clothes on, It shall neuer be said in faire England, I slew a naked man.

Here's two good swords, Lord Barnet said, thy choice Mousgroue thou shalt make, The best of them thy selfe shalt haue, and I the worst will take, The first good blow that Mousgroue did strike, he wounded Lord Barnet sore, The second blow that Lord Barnet gaue, Mousgroue could strike no more.

He tooke his Lady by the white hand, all loue to rage did conuert, That with his sword in most furious sort, he pierst her tender heart, A graue, a graue, Lord Barnet cryde, prepare to lay vs in, My Lady shall lie on the vpper side, cause she's of the better kin.

Then suddenly he slue himselfe, which grieued his friends full sore The deaths of those thrée worthy wights with teares they did deplore. This sad mischance by full 〈◊◊〉〈◊◊〉 Then let vs call for grace, That we may shun this wicked déed, and mend our liues apace.

FINIS.