{"collection":"Northern European Mythology","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/browse/neu/eng/child/ch174.htm","path":"neu/eng/child/ch174.htm","source_url":"https://sacred-texts.com/neu/eng/child/ch174.htm","text":"174A.1 WOE worth thee, woe worth thee, false Scottlande!\nFfor thou hast euer wrought by a sleight;\nFor the worthyest prince that euer was borne,\nYou hanged vnder a cloud by night.\n174A.2 The Queene of France a letter wrote,\nAnd sealed itt with hart and ringe,\nAnd bade him come Scottland within,\nAnd shee wold marry him and crowne him king.\n174A.3 To be a king, itt is a pleasant thing,\nTo bee a prince vnto a peere;\nBut you haue heard, and so haue I too,\nA man may well by gold to deere.\n174A.4 There was an Italyan in that place,\nWas as wel beloued as euer was hee;\nLord David was his name,\nChamberlaine vnto the queene was hee.\n174A.5 Ffor if the king had risen forth of his place,\nHe wold haue sitt him downe in the cheare,\nAnd tho itt beseemed him not soe well,\nAltho the king had beene present there.\n174A.6 Some lords in Scottland waxed wonderous wroth,\nAnd quarrelld with him for the nonce;\nI shall you tell how itt beffell,\nTwelue daggers were in him all att once.\n174A.7 When this queene see the chamberlaine was slaine,\nFor him her cheeks shee did weete,\nAnd made a vow for a twelue month and a day\nThe king and shee wold not come in one sheete.\n174A.8 Then some of the lords of Scottland waxed wrothe,\nAnd made their vow vehementlye,\n\u2018For death of the queenes chamberlaine\nThe king himselfe he shall dye.\u2019\n174A.9 They strowed his chamber ouer with gunpowder,\nAnd layd greene rushes in his way;\nFfor the traitors thought that night\nThe worthy king for to betray.\n174A.10 To bedd the worthy king made him bowne,\nTo take his rest, that was his desire;\nHe was no sooner cast on sleepe,\nBut his chamber was on a blasing fyer.\n174A.11 Vp he lope, and a glasse window broke,\nHe had thirty foote for to fall;\nLord Bodwell kept a priuy wach\nVnderneath his castle-wall:\n\u2018Who haue wee heere?\u2019 sayd Lord Bodwell;\n\u2018Answer me, now I doe call.\u2019\n174A.12 \u2018King Henery the Eighth my vnckle was;\nSome pitty show for his sweet sake!\nAh, Lord Bodwell, I know thee well;\nSome pitty on me I pray thee take!\u2019\n174A.13 \u2018I\u2019le pitty thee as much,\u2019 he sayd,\n\u2018And as much favor I\u2019le show to thee\nAs thou had on the queene\u2019s chamberlaine\nThat day thou deemedst him to dye.\u2019\n174A.14 Through halls and towers this king they ledd,\nThrough castles and towers that were hye,\nThrough an arbor into an orchard,\nAnd there hanged him in a peare tree.\n174A.15 When the gouernor of Scottland he heard tell\nThat the worthye king he was slaine,\nHe hath banished the queene soe bitterlye\nThat in Scottland shee dare not remaine.\n174A.16 But shee is fled into merry England,\nAnd Scottland to a side hath laine,\nAnd through the Queene of Englands good grace\nNow in England shee doth remaine.","title":"The Child Ballads: 174. Earl Bothwell","type":"page"}