The KING and the FORESTER.

YOU subjects of England, come listen a while;
Here is a new ditty will make you to smile.
It is of a king and a keeper alio,
Who met in a forest fome winters ago.

O early, O early, all in the morning,
King William rofe early all in the morning,
And a gown of grey ruffet King William put on,
As the he had been fome filly poor man,

The hounds were ready prepar'd for Game,
No nobles attended of honour and fame :
But like a mean fubject, in homely array,
He to his own foreft was taking his way.

Oh, then befpoke Mary, our moft royal queen,
My gracious lord, pray where are you going?
He anfwered, I count him to be no wile man,
That will his counſel tell unto a woman.

The queen, with a modeſt behaviour reply'd,
I wifh that kind providence may be your guide,
To keep you from danger, my lovereign lord,
The which will the greatest of bleſſings afford.

He went to the foreſt fome pleasure to ſpy,
Where the hounds run ſwift; the keeper drew nigh,
How dare you, bold fellow, how dare you come here,
Without the King's leave, to chace his fair deer.

Here are my three hounds, I will give them to you,
And likewife my hawks, as good as e'er flew :
Befides I will give you full forty ſhillings,
If thou wilt not betray me to William our king.

I am one of his ſubjects, I am one of his force,
And I am come hither to run a courſe.
Get you gone, you bold fellow, you run no courſe
Without the leave of King William forbear.

All that I have proffer'd, I pr'ythee now take,
And do thy endeavour my peace to make,
Befides forty ſhillings I will give thee a ring,
If thou wilt not betray me to William our King.

Your three hounds, I tell you, I never will take,
Nor yet your three hawks, your peace to make;
Nor will I be brib'd by your forty ſhillings,
But I will betray you to William our King.

As I am a keeper, I will not be unjust,
Nor for a gold ring will I forfeit my truſt;
I will bring you before him as fure as a gun,
And there you ſhall anſwer for what you have done,

Thou art a bold fellow the King he reply'd,
What doſt thou not fee the ſtar on my ſide?
This foreſt is mine, I would have you to know,
Then what is the season you threaten me ſo?

With then the bold keeper he ſell on his knees,
A trembling fear all his ſpirits did ſeize;
The picture of death appear'd en his ſace;
He knew not at first that the King was in place.

O pardon, O pardon, my ſovering liege,
For your royal pardon I beg and beſeech:
Alas ! my poor heart in my breast is cold;
O let me not ſuffer for being ſo bold.

Get up honest fellow, and ſhake off thy fears;
In the there is nothing of folly appears :
If every one was as faithful as thee,
What a bleſſed prince would king William be!

Because I'd encourage ſuch ſelues as you,
I'll make the my ranger: If that will not do,
Thou ſhalt be a captain by ſea or by land,
And high in my favour thou ever ſhalt stand.

The keeper reply'd, my ſovereing lord,
Sure I am not worthy of ſuch a reward;
Yet nevertheless your true keeper I'll be,
Because I am ſeafull to venture to ſea.

At which the King laugh'd till his ſides he did hold,
And threw him down fifty bright guineas in gold,
And bid him make haſte to Kenſhigon Cour',
Where of this jeſt he would make much ſport.

And when you come there, pray ask for long Jack,
Who wears pomegranates of gold on his back;
Likewise a green pheafant upon his right ſleeve,
I warrant he's a true man, you may him believe.

He's one of my porters who stands my gate,
To let in my nobles both early and late;
And therefore good fellow, come up without fear,
I'll make the my ranger of parks far and near.

S1624-17