Page:The lamentable Ditty of Little Mousgroue, and the Lady Barnet (H. Gosson).jpg

The lamentable Ditty of Little Mouſgroue,
and the Lady Barnet.
To an excellent tune.

As it fell on a light Holyday,
 as many more does in the yeere,
Little Mouſgroue would to the Church and pray
 to ſee the faire Ladyes there,
Gallants there were of good degree,
 for beauty exceeding faire,
Moſt wonderous louely to the eie,
 that did to that Church repaire.

Some came downe in red Veluet,
 and others came downe in Pall,
But next came downe my Lady Barnet,
 the faireſt amongſt them all,
She caſt a looke upon Little Mouſgroue,
 as bright as the Summers Sunne,
Full well perceiued then Little Mouſgroue,
 Lady Barnets Loue he had wonne.

Then Lady Barnet moſt meeke and mild,
 ſaluted this Little Mouſgroue,
Who did repay her kinde courteſie,
 with fauour, and Gentle Loue,
I haue a bower in merry Barnet,
 beſtrowed with Cowſlips ſweet,
If that it pleaſe you, Little Mouſgroue,
 in loue me there to meete,

Within my Armes one night to ſleepe,
 for you my heart haue wonne,
You need not feare my ſuſpicious Lord,
 for he from home is gone.
Betide me life, betide me death,
 this night I will ſleepe with thee,
And for thy ſake Ile hazzard my breath,
 ſo deare is my loue to thee.

What ſhall wee doe with our little Foot-Page,
 our Counſell for to keepe,
And watch for feare Lord Barnet comes,
 whileſt wee together doe ſleepe?
Red Gold ſhall be his hier, quoth he,
 and Siluer ſhall be his fee,
If he our Counſell ſafely doe keepe,
 that I may ſleepe with thee.

I will haue none of your Gold, ſaid he,
 nor none of your Siluer fee,
If I ſhould keepe your Counſell, ſir,
 twere great diſloyaltie.
I will not be falſe unto my Lord,
 for houſe nor yet for land,
But if my Lady doe proue untrue,
 Lord Barnet ſhall underſtand.

Then ſwiftly runnes the little Foot-Page,
 unto his Lord with ſpeed,
Who then was feaſting with his deare friends,
 not dreaming of this ill deede:
Moſt ſpeedily the Page did haſte,
 moſt ſwiftly did he runne,
And when he came to the broken Bridge,
 he lay on his breſt and ſwumme.

The Page did make no ſtay at all,
 but went to his Lord with ſpeed,
That he the truth might lay to him,
 concerning this wicked deed.
He found his Lord at ſupper then,
 great merriment there they did keepe.
My Lord, quoth he, this night on my word
 Mouſgroue with your Lady does ſleepe.

The ſecond part; To the ſame tune.

If this be true, my little Foot-Page.
 and true as thou telleſt to me,
My eldeſt daughter Ile giue to thee,
 and wedded ſhalt thou be.
If this be a lye, my little Foot-Page,
 and a lye as thou telleſt to mee:
A new paire of Gallowes ſhall ſtraight be ſet,
 and hanged ſhalt thou be.

If this be a lye, my Lord, ſaid he,
 a lye that you heare from me,
Then neuer ſtay a Gallowes to make,
 but hang me upon the next tree.
Lord Barnet then cald up his merry men,
 away with ſpeed he would goe,
His heart was ſore perplext with griefe,
 the truth of this he muſt know.

Saddle your horſes with ſpeed, quoth he,
 and ſaddle me my white Steed,
If this be true as the Page hath ſaid,
 Mouſgroue ſhall repent this deed.
He charg’d his men no noiſe to make,
 as they rode all along on the way,
Nor winde no hornes, quoth he, on your life,
 leſt our comming it ſhould betray.

But one of the men that Mouſgroue did loue,
 and reſpected his friendſhip moſt deare,
To giue him knowledge Lord Barnet was neere,
 did winde his Bugle moſt cleere,
And euermore as he did blow,
 away Mouſgroue and away:
For if I take thee with my lady,
 then ſlaine thou ſhalt be this day.

O harke, faire Lady, your Lord is neere,
 I heare his little horne blow,
And if he finde me in your Armes thus,
 then ſlaine I ſhall be, I know.
O lye ſtill, lye ſtill, little Mouſgroue,
 and keepe my backe from the cold.
I know it is my Fathers ſhepheard,
 driuing ſheepe to the Pinfold.

Mouſgroue did turne him round about,
 ſweete ſlumber his eyes did greet.
When he did wake, he then eſpied
 Lord Barnet at his beds feete.
O riſe up, riſe up, little Mouſgroue,
 and put thy Clothes on,
It ſhall neuer be ſaid in faire England,
 I ſlew a naked man.

Here’s two good ſwords, Lord Barnet ſaid,
 thy choice Mouſgroue thou ſhalt make,
The beſt of them thy ſelfe ſhalt haue,
 and I the worſt will take;
The firſt good blow that Mouſgroue did ſtrike,
 he wounded Lord Barnet ſore,
The ſecond blow that Lord Barnet gaue,
 Mouſgroue could ſtrike no more.

He tooke his Lady by the white hand,
 all loue to rage did conuert,
That with his ſword in moſt furious ſort,
 he pierſt her tender heart,
A graue, a graue, Lord Barnet cryde,
 prepare to lay us in,
My Lady ſhall lie on the upper ſide,
 ’cauſe ſhe’s of the better kin.

Then ſuddenly he ſlue himſelfe,
 which grieues his friends full ſore:
The deaths of theſe three worthy wights,
 with teares they did deplore.
This ſad miſchance by luſt was wrought.
 Then let us call for grace,
That we may ſhun this wicked uice,
 and mend our liues apace.

Finis.

London Printed for H. Goſſon.