{"collection":"Northern European Mythology","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/browse/neu/eng/child/ch166.htm","path":"neu/eng/child/ch166.htm","source_url":"https://sacred-texts.com/neu/eng/child/ch166.htm","text":"166A.1 THROUGHOUT a garden greene and gay,\nA seemlye sight itt was to see\nHow flowers did flourish fresh and gay,\nAnd birds doe sing melodiouslye.\n166A.2 In the midst of a garden there sprange a tree,\nWhich tree was of a mickle price,\nAnd there vppon sprang the rose soe redd,\nThe goodlyest that euer sprange on rise.\n166A.3 This rose was faire, fresh to behold,\nSpringing with many a royall lance;\nA crowned king, with a crowne of gold,\nOuer England, Ireland, and of Ffrance.\n166A.4 Then in came a beast men call a bore,\nAnd he rooted this garden vpp and downe;\nBy the seede of the rose he sett noe store,\nBut afterwards itt wore the crowne.\n166A.5 Hee tooke the branches of this rose away,\nAnd all in sunder did them teare,\nAnd he buryed them vnder a clodd of clay,\nSwore they shold neuer bloome nor beare.\n166A.6 Then came in an egle gleaming gay,\nOf all faire birds well worth the best;\nHe took the branche of the rose away,\nAnd bore itt to Latham to his nest.\n166A.7 But now is this rose out of England exiled,\nThis certaine truth I will not laine;\nBut if itt please you to sitt a while,\nI\u2019le tell you how the rose came in againe.\n166A.8 Att Milford Hauen he entered in;\nTo claime his right, was his delight;\nHe brought the blew bore in with him,\nTo encounter with the bore soe white.\n166A.9 The[n] a messenger the rose did send\nTo the egles nest, and bidd him hye:\n\u2018To my father, the old egle, I doe [me] comend,\nHis aide and helpe I craue speedylye.\u2019\n166A.10 Saies, I desire my father att my cominge\nOf men and mony att my need,\nAnd alsoe my mother of her deer blessing;\nThe better then I hope to speede.\n166A.11 And when the messenger came before thold egle,\nHe kneeled him downe vpon his knee;\nSaith, Well greeteth you my lord the rose,\nHe hath sent you greetings here by me.\n166A.12 Safe from the seas Christ hath him sent,\nNow he is entered England within:\n\u2018Let vs thanke God,\u2019 the old egle did say,\n\u2018He shall be the flower of all his kine.\n166A.13 \u2018Wend away, messenger, with might and maine;\nItt\u2019s hard to know who a man may trust;\nI hope the rose shall flourish againe,\nAnd haue all things att his owne lust.\u2019\n166A.14 Then Sir Rice ap Thomas drawes Wales with him;\nA worthy sight itt was to see,\nHow the Welchmen rose wholy with him,\nAnd shogged them to Shrewsburye.\n166A.15 Att that time was baylye in Shrewsburye\nOne Master Mitton, in the towne;\nThe gates were strong, and he mad them fast,\nAnd the portcullis he lett downe.\n166A.16 And throug a garrett of the walls,\nOuer Severne these words said hee;\n\u2018Att these gates no man enter shall;\u2019\nBut he kept him out a night and a day.\n166A.17 These words Mitton did Erle Richmond tell\n(I am sure the chronicles of this will not lye);\nBut when lettres came from Sir William Stanley of the Holt castle,\nThen the gates were opened presentlye.\n166A.18 Then entred this towne the noble lord,\nThe Erle Richmond, the rose soe redd;\nThe Erle of Oxford, with a sword,\nWold haue smitt of the bailiffes head.\n166A.19 \u2018But hold your hand,\u2019 saies Erle Richmond,\n\u2018Ffor his loue that dyed vpon a tree!\nFfor if wee begin to head so soone,\nIn England wee shall beare no degree.\u2019\n166A.20 \u2018What offence haue I made thee,\u2019 sayd Erle Richmonde,\n\u2018That thou kept me out of my towne?\u2019\n\u2018I know no king,\u2019 sayd Mitton then,\n\u2018But Richard now, that weares the crowne.\u2019\n166A.21 \u2018Why, what wilt thou say,\u2019 said Erle Richmonde,\n\u2018When I haue put King Richard downe?\u2019\n\u2018Why, then Ile be as true to you, my lord,\nAfter the time that I am sworne.\u2019\n166A.22 \u2018Were itt not great pitty,\u2019 sayd Erle Richmond,\n\u2018That such a man as this shold dye,\nSuch loyall service by him done?\n(The cronickles of this will not lye.)\n166A.23 \u2018Thou shalt not be harmed in any case;\u2019\nHe pardone[d] him presentlye;\nThey stayd not past a night and a day,\nBut towards Newport did they hye.\n166A.24 But [at] Attherston these lords did meete;\nA worthy sight itt was to see,\nHow Erle Richmond tooke his hatt in his hand,\nAnd said, Cheshire and Lancashire, welcome to me!\n166A.25 But now is a bird of the egle taken;\nFfrom the white bore he cannot flee;\nTherfore the old egle makes great moane,\nAnd prayes to God most certainly.\n166A.26 \u2018O stedfast God, verament,\u2019 he did say,\n\u2018Thre persons in one god in Trinytye,\nSaue my sonne, the young egle, this day\nFfrom all false craft and trecherye!\u2019\n166A.27 Then the blew bore the vanward had;\nHe was both warry and wise of witt;\nThe right hand of them he tooke,\nThe sunn and wind of them to gett.\n166A.28 Then the egle followed fast vpon his pray,\nWith sore dints he did them smyte;\nThe talbott he bitt wonderous sore,\nSoe well the vnicorne did him quite.\n166A.29 And then came in the harts head;\nA worthy sight itt was to see,\nThe iacketts that were of white and redd,\nHow they laid about them lustilye.\n166A.30 But now is the feirce feeld foughten and ended,\nAnd the white bore there lyeth slaine,\nAnd the young egle is preserued,\nAnd come to his nest againe.\n166A.31 But now this garden flourishes freshly and gay,\nWith fragrant flowers comely of hew,\nAnd gardners itt doth maintaine;\nI hope they will proue iust and true.\n166A.32 Our king, he is the rose soe redd,\nThat now does flourish fresh and gay:\nConfound his foes, Lord, wee beseeche,\nAnd loue His Grace both night and day!","title":"The Child Ballads: 166. The Rose of England","type":"page"}