Название:
Автор:
Жанр:
Серия:
Издательство:
in a window so high; He spake to me full sore weeping— These were the words he said to me: Daughter, as thou wilt have my blessing, Do as I shall councell thee, And to my words give good listening, For one day they may pleasure thee: Here is a book of Reason, keep it well, As you will have the love of me; Neither to any creature do it tell, Nor let no liveing lord it see, Except it be the Lord Stanley, The which I love full heartiley: All the matter to him show you may, For he and his thy help must be; As soon as the truth to him is shown Unto your words he will agree; For their shall never son of my body be gotten That shall be crowned after me, But you shall be queen and wear the crown, So doth expresse the prophecye! He gave me tax and toland, And also diamonds to my degree, To get me a prince when it pleaseth Christ, The world is not as it will be: Therefore, good father Stanley, grant my request For the love of God I desire thee; All is at your commandment down in the west, Both knight and squire and the commentie; You may choose then where you like best, I have enough both of gold and fee; I want nothing but the strength of men, And good captains two or three. Go away, Bessy, the lord said then, To this will I never agree, For women oft time cannot faine, These words they be but vain glory! For and I should treason begin Against King Richard his royalty, In every street within London The Eagle's foot should be pulled down, And as yet in his great favour I am, But then shoud I loose my great renowne! I shoud be called traitor thro' the same Full soon in every markett towne! That were great shame to me and my name, I had rather spend ten thousand pounde. O father Stanley, to you I mak my moane, For the love of God remember thee; It is not three days past and gone, Since my unckle Richard sent after me A batchelor and a bold baron, A Doctor of Divinitye, And bad that I should to his chamber gone, His love and his leman that I should bee; And the queen that was his wedded feere, He would her poyson and putt away; So would he his son and his heir, Christ knoweth he is a proper boy! Yet I had rather burn in a tunne On the Tower Hill that is so high, Or that I would to his chamber come, His love and his leman will I not be! I had rather be drawn with wild horses five, Through every street of that citty, Or that good woman should lose her life, Good father, for the love of mee. I am his brother's daughter dear; He is my uncle, it is no nay; Or ever I would be his wedded feere, With sharp swords I will me slay; At his bidding if I were then, And follow'd also his cruel intent, I were well worthy to suffer pain, And in a fire for to be brent. Therefore, good father Stanley, some pity take On the Earl Richmond and me, And the rather for my father's sake, Which gave thee the Ile of Man so free; He crowned thee with a crown of lead, He holpe the first to that degree; He set thee the crown upon thy head, And made thee the lord of that countrey; That time you promised my father dear, To be to him both true and just, And now you stand in a disweare, Oh! Jesu Christ, who may men trust? O good lady, I say againe Your fair words shall never move my mind; King Richard is my lord and sov'raign, To him I will never be unkind. I will serve him truly till I die, I will him take as I him find; For he hath given to mine and me, His bounteous gifts do me so bind. Yet good father Stanley, remember thee, As I have said so shall it prove, If he of his gift be soe free, It is for fear and not for love; For if he may to his purpose come, You shall not live these years three, For these words to me he did once move In Sandall Castle underneath a tree: He said there shall no branch of the eagle fly Within England, neither far nor nigh; Nor none of the Talbots to run him by, Nor none of their lineage to the ninth degree; But he would them either hang or head, And that he swear full grievously. Therefore help, gentle lord with all speed; For when you would fain it will not be. Your brother dwellith in Holt Castle, A noble knight forsooth is he; All the Welsh-men love him well, He may make a great company. Sir John Savage is your sister's son. He is well beloved within his shire, A great company with him will come, He will be ready at your desire. Gilbert Talbott is a captain pure, He will come with main and might; To you he will be fast and sure, Against my uncle king and knight. Let us raise an host with him to fight, Soon to the ground we shall him ding, For God will stand ever with the right, For he hath no right to be king! Go away, Bessy, the Lord can say; Of these words, Bessy, now lett be; I know king Richard woud not me betray, For all the gold in Christantye. I am his subject, sworn to be true: If I should seek treason to begin, I and all mine full sore should rue, For we were as like to lose as winne. Beside that, it were a deadly sin To refuse my king, and him betray: The child is yet unborne that might moan in time, And think upon that woefull day. Wherefore, good lady, I do you pray, Keep all things close at your hart root; So now farr past it is of the day, To move me more it is no boot. Then from her head she cast her attire, Her colour changed as pale as lead, Her faxe that shoan as the gold wire She tair it of besides her head, And in a swoon down can she swye, She spake not of a certain space! The Lord had never so great pitty As when he saw her in that case, And in his arms he can her embrace; He was full sorry then for her sake. The tears fell from her eyes apace, But at the last these words she spake, She said, to Christ my soul I betake, For my body in Tem'ms drow'nd shall be! For I know my sorrow will never slake, And my bones upon the sands shall lye! The fishes shall feed upon me their fill; This is a dolefulle destinye! And you may remedy this and you will, Therefore the bone of my death I give to thee! And ever she wept as she were woode, The Earle on her had so great pitty, That her tender heart turned his mood. He said, stand up now, Lady Bessye, As you think best I will agree Now I see the matter you do not faine, I have thought in this matter as much as yee: But it is hard to trust women, For many a man is brought into great woe, Through telling to women his privity: I trust you will not serve me so For all the gold in Christantie. No, father, he is my mortall foe, On him fain wrooken woud I bee! He hath put away my brethren two, And I know he would do so by me; But my trust is in the Trinity, Through your help we shall bale to him bring, And such a day on him to see That he and his full sore shall rue! O Lady Bessye, the Lord can say, Betwixt us both forecast we must How we shall letters to Richmond convey, No man to write I dare well trust; For if he list to be unjust And us betray to King Richard, Then you and I are both lost; Therefore of the scribe I am afraid. You shall not need none such to call, Good father Stanley, hearken to me What my father, King Edward, that king royal, Did for my sister, my Lady Wells, and me: He sent for a scrivener to lusty London, He was the best in that citty; He taught us both to write and read full soon, If it please you, full soon you shall see: Lauded be God, I had such speed, That I can write as well as he, And also indite and full well read, And that (Lord) soon shall you see, Both English and alsoe French, And also Spanish, if you had need. The earle said, You are a proper wench, Almighty Jesus be your speed, And give us grace to proceed out, That we may letters soon convey In secrett wise and out of doubt To Richmond, that lyeth beyond the sea. We must depart, lady, the earle said then; Wherefore keep this matter secretly, And this same night, betwixt nine and ten, In your chamber I think to be. Look that you make all things ready, Your maids shall not our councell hear, For I will bring no man with me But Humphrey Brereton, my true esquire. He took his leave of that lady fair, And to her chamber she went full tight, And for all things she did prepare, Both pen and ink, and paper white. The lord unto his study went, Forecasting with all his might To bring to pass all his intent; He took no rest till it was night. And when the stars shone fair and bright, He him disguised in strange mannere, He went unknown of any wyght, No more with him but his esquire. And when he came her chamber near, Full privily there can he stand, To cause the lady to appeare He made a signe with his right hand; And when the lady there him wist, She was as glad as she might be. Char-coals in chimneys there were cast, Candles on sticks standing full high; She opened the wickett and let him in, And said, welcome, lord and knight soe free! A rich chair was set for him, And another for that fair lady. They ate the spice and drank the wine, He had all things at his intent; They rested them as for a time, And to their study then they went. Then that lady so fair and free, With rudd as red as rose in May, She kneeled down upon her knee, And to the lord thus can she say: Good father Stanley, I you pray, Now here is no more but you and I; Let me know what you will say, For pen and paper I have ready. He saith, commend me to my son George Strange, In Latham Castle there he doth lye, When I parted with him his heart did change, From Latham to Manchester he road me by. Upon Salford Bridge I turned my horse againe, My son George by the hand I hent; I held so hard forsooth certaine, That his formast finger out of the joint went: I hurt him sore, he did complain, These words to him then I did say: Son, on my blessing, turne home againe, This shall be a token another day. Bid him come like a merchant of Farnfield, Of Coopland, or of Kendall,
