A Lamentable BALLAD of the Tragical End of
A Gallant LORD and Virtuous LADY
Together with the Untimely Death of their two Children.

If Rome a citizen, then we
A begin of great fame,
Aster creature never did
Dame nature ever frame;
By whom he had two children fair,
Whole beauty did excel.
They were their parents only joy,
They loved them both to well.
The lord he lov'd to hunt the buck,
The tiger, and the boar,
And fill, for twitnes, always took
With him a blackamoor.
Which blackamoor within the wood
His lord he did offend,
For which he did him then correct,
In hopes he would amend.
The day it grew unto an end,
The day it homewards he did hale,
Where with his lady he did ret,
Until the night was pail.
Then in the morning he did rife,
And did his ferungs call,
A hunting he provides to go,
And they were reach all.
To cease his toll, the lady did

Intrest him not to go.
Alas! good lady, then quoth he,
Why art thou griev'd io?
Content thyself, I will return
With speed to thee again.
Good father, quoth the little baboo,
With us here fill remain.
Farewell, dear children, I will go,
A fine thing tor to buy;
But they therewith nothing content
Aloud began to cry.
The mother takes them by the hand
Saying, Come, go with me
Unto the highest tower, where
Your father you shall see.
The blackamoor perceiving now,
Who then did stay behind,
His lord to be a hunting gone,
Began to call to mind,
My matter he did me correct,
My fault not being great;
Now of this wife I'll be reveng'd,
She shall not me resent.
The place was moared round about,
The bridge he up did draw,

The gates he posted very tall,
Of none he stood in awe.
He up into the tower went,
The lady being there,
Who, when he saw his countenancē grim,
She flait began to fear.
But now my trembling heart it quakes,
To think what I must write,
My tenes às begin to fail,
My teul it doth affright;
Yet muil I make an end of this,
Which here I have begun,
Which will make fad the hardest heart,
Before hat I have done.
This wench unto the lady went,
And her with speed did will,
His butt forthwith to faitish,
His revenge to fuffil,
The lady the amazed was,
To hear the villain speak.
Alas! quoth he, what shall I do,
With grief my heart will break.
With that he took her in his arms,
She draft for help did cry:
Content yourself, lady, he faiſ,

Yow husband is not right:
The bridge is drawn, the gates a re flut,
Theefore come lie with me,
Or else I do pretse and wou
Thy bucher I will be,
The cryet tears run down her face,
Her children cry'd amain,
And thought to help their mother dear,
But all it was in vain.
For that egregious filthy rogues,
Her hands behind her hound,
And then by force with all his might
He threw her on the ground.
With that the thriekes, her children cry'd,
And fach a noile did make,
The towne-folks hearing her lament,
Dau keek their parties so take.
But all in vain, no way was found
To help this lady's need,
Who cry'd to them moft piecously,
O help, O help, with lpeed.
Some run into the forest wide,
Her lord home for so call,
And they that flood did lament
The gallant lady's fall.
With speed her lord came polling home,
He could not enter in.
His lady's cries did piece his heart,
To call he did begin,
O hold thy hand, thouavage Moor,
To hurt he shall be forbit.
Or else before if I do live,
Wild horces shall fall their tear.
With that the rogue ran to the wall,
He having had his will,
And brought one child unto the wall,
His desire blood to spill.
The child ceing his father there,
To him for help did call;
O father, help my mother dear.
We shall be killed all.
Then fell the lord upon his knees,
And did the Moor intrust,
To fave the life of his poor child,
Whole fear was then so great.
But this -le wrench, the little child
By both the heels did take,
And daft'd his brains against the wall,
While parents hearts did ale;
That being, alone away he run,
The other child to fetch,
And pluck'd it from the mother's breast,
Moft like a cruel wrench.
Within one hand a knife he brought,
The child within the other,
And holding it over the wall,
Saying, Thus die shall thy mother,
With sin thesau the throat o'm,
F. Then to the father he did call,
To look how he the feme did cut,
Then down the head did fall.
This done, he threw it down the well,
Into the mome to deep,
Which made tee father wling his hands,
And grievecuolly to weep.
Then to the lady weat this rogue,
Who was near dead with fear.
Yet this vile wrench moft crucial
Did drag her by the hair,
And drew her to the very wall,
Which when her lord did fee,
Then prefently he cried out,
And fell upon his knee.
Quoth he, if they will fave her life,
Whom I do love to dear.
I will forgive thee all is pail,
Though they concern me near.
O fave her life I thee beleech,
O fave her, I then pray.
And I will grant thee what thou wil,
Demand of me this day.
Well, quoth the Moor, I do regard
The moan that thou doft make
H thou will grant me what I ask,
I'll fave her for thy fake.
O fave her life, and then demand
Of me what thing thou wil,
Cut of thy noyle, and not one drop
Of her blood shall be forbit.
With that the lord prefently took
A knife within his hand,
And then his nofe he quite cur off,
In place where he did land.
Now I have bought me lady's life,
Then to the Moor did call
Then take him, quoth this wicked rogue
And down he let her fall.
Which when her gallant lord did fee,
His tenes all did fail:
Yet mone thought to fave his life,
Yet nothing could prevail.
When as the Moor did fee him dead,
Then did he laugh amin
At them who for this gallant lord
And lady did complain.
Oqoth he, I know you'll torture me
I that you can me get,
But all your threats I do not fear
Nor yet regard one whir.
Wild horces will my body tear,
I know it to be true
But I'll prevent you of that palm,
And down himself he neve
Too good a death far such a wrench
A villain void of fear.
And thus doth end as I did a tale
As ever man did hear.