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REIGNS OF JAMES I. AND CHARLES I. 275 |
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The Maid pretends to be persuaded by his arguments, but stipulates that he shall bring her an angel of money. |
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" Tush, quoth the Friar, we shall agree,
No money shall part my love and me;
Before that I will see thee lack,
I'll pawn my grey gown from my back.
The Maid bethought her of a wile, ■ How she the Friar might beguile; |
While he was gone (the truth to tell), She hung a cloth before the well. The Friar came, as his covenant was, With money to his bonny lass. [quoth he, Good morrow, fair Maid, good morrow, Here is the money I promised thee." |
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The Maid thanks him, and takes the money, but immediately pretends that her father is coming. |
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' Alas! quoth the Friar, where shall I run, To hide myself till he be gone? Behind the cloth run thou, quoth she, And there my father cannot thee see. Behind the cloth the Friar crept, And into the well on a sudden he leapt. Alas! quoth he, I am in the well; No matter, quoth she, if thou wert in Hell : Thou sayst thou couldst sing me out of Hell, Now, prythee, sing thyself out of the well. The Friar sung on with a pitiful sound,
0 help me out! or I shall be drown'd.
1 trow, quoth she, your courage is cool'd; Quoth the Friar, I never was so fool'd;
I never was served so before. [no more; Then take heed, quoth she, thou com'st here |
Quoth he, for sweet St. Francis' sake, On his disciple some pity take; Quoth she, St. Francis never taught His scholars to tempt young maids to naught. The Friar did entreat her still That she would help him out of the well; She heard him make such piteous moan, She help'd him out, and bid him begone. ' Quoth he, shall I have my money again, Which from me thou hast before-hand ta'en ? Good sir, quoth she, there's no such matter, I'll make you pay for fouling the water. The Friar went all along the street, Dropping wet, like a new-wash'd sheep; Both old and young commended the Maid That such a witty prank had play'd." |
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SIR EGLAMORE.
This " merry tune " is another version of The Friar in the Well (see the preceding). The ballad of Sir Eglamore is a satire upon the narratives of deeds of chivalry in old romances. It is contained in The Melancholie Knight, by S[amuel] R[owlands], 1615; in the Antidote to Melancholy, 16G1; in Merry Drollery Complete, 1661; in Dryden's Miscellany Poems, iv. 104; in the Bagford and Roxburghe Collections of Ballads; in Ritson's Ancient Songs; Evans' Old Ballads; &c, &c.
It appears, with music, in part ii. of Playford's Pleasant Musical Companion, 1687; in Pills to purge Melanclwly; in Stafford Smith's Musica Antiqua; and the tune, with other words, in 180 Loyal Songs, &c.
The title of the ballad is, " Courage crowned with Conquest; or A brief relation how that valiant Knight, and heroic Champion, Sir Eglamore, bravely fought with and manfully slew a terrible, huge, great, monstrous Dragon. To a pleasant new tune." There are many variations in the copies from different presses.
The following songs were sung to Sir Eglamore:—
" Sir Eglamore and the Dragon, or a relation how General Monk slew a most cruel Dragon, Feb. 11, 1659." See Loyal Songs written against the Bump Parliament. |
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