in hand, And said, Behold, my lord, and you may see. When the Lord Strange looked the letter upon, The tears trickled downe from his eye: He said, we must come under a cloud, We must never trusted bee; We may sigh and make a great moane, This world is not as it will bee. Have here, Humphrey, pounds three, Better rewarded may thou bee; Commend me to my father dear, His daily blessing he would give me; He said also in that tide, Tell him all thus from me; If I be able to go or ride, This appointment keep will I. When Humphrey received the gold, I say, Straight to Manchester rideth hee. The sun was light up of the day, He was aware of the Warden and Edward Stanley; The one brother said to the other, As they together their matins did say: Behold, he said, my own dear brother, Yonder comes Humphrey Brereton, it is no nay, My father's servant at command, Some hasty tydeings bringeth hee. He took them either a letter in hand, And bad them behold, read and see: They turn'd their backs shortly tho', And read those letters readily. Up they leap and laughed too, And also they made game end glee— Fair fare our father, that noble lord, To stirr and rise now beginneth hee; Buckingham's blood shall be wroken, That was beheaded in Salsbury; Fare fall that countesse, the king's daughter, That fair lady, young Bessye, We trust in Jesus in time hereafter, To bring thy love over the sea. Have here, Humphrey, of either of us shillings ten, Better rewarded may thou bee. He took the gold of the two gentlemen, To sir John Savage then rideth hee; He took him then a letter in hand, And bad him behold, read and see: When sir John Savage looked the letter upon, All blackned the knight's blee; Woman's wisdom is wondrous to hear, loe, My uncle is turned by young Bessye: Whether it turn to waile or woe, At my uncle's bidding will I bee. To Sheffield Castle at that same tide, In all the hast that might bee, Humphrey took his horse and forth could ride To Gilbert Talbot fair and free. He took him a letter in his hand, Behold, said Humphrey, read and see; When he the letter looked upon, A loud laughter laughed hee— Fare fall that Lord in his renowne there, To stirr and rise beginneth hee: Fair fall Bessie that countesse clear, That such councell cou'd give truely; Commend me to my nephew nigh of blood, The young Earle of Shrewsbury, Bid him neither dread for death nor good; In the Tower of London if he bee, I shall make London gates to tremble and quake, But my nephew borrowed shall bee. Commend me to the countess that fair make, King Edward's daughter, young Bessy: Tell her I trust in Jesu that hath no pear, To bring her love over the sea. Commend me to that lord to me so dear, That lately was made the Earle of Darby; And every hair of my head For a man counted might bee, With that lord without any dread, With him will I live and dye. Have here, Humphrey, pounds three, Better rewarded may thou bee: Look to London gates thou ride quickly, In all the hast that may bee; Commend me to that countesse young Bessy, She was King Edward's daughter dear, Such a one she is, I say truely, In all this land she hath no peer. He took his leave at that time, Strait to London rideth he, In all the hast that he could wind, His journey greatly he did apply. But when he came to London, as I weene, It was but a little before the evening, There was he warr, walking in a garden, Both the earle, and Richard the king. When the earle did Humphrey see, When he came before the king, He gave him a privy twink then with his eye, Then down falls Humphrey on his knees kneeling; Welcome, Humphrey, says the lord, I have missed thee weeks three. I have been in the west, my lord, There born and bred was I, For to sport and play me certaine, Among my friends far and nigh. Tell me, Humphrey, said the earle then, How fareth all that same countrey? Of all the countreys I dare well say, They be the flower of chivalry; For they will bycker with their bowes, They will fight and never fly. Tell me, Humphrey, I thee pray, How fareth King Richard his commenty? When King Richard heard him say so, In his heart he was right merry; He with his cap that was so dear, He thanked that lord most courteously: And said, father Stanley, thou art to me near, You are the chief of our poor commenty; Half England shall be thine, It shall be equall between thee and me; I am thine and thou art mine, So two fellows will we bee. I swear by Mary, that mild maiden, I know no more such under the skye; When I am king and wear the crown, then I will be chief of the poor commenty: Task nor mize I will make none, In no countrey farr nor nigh; If their goods I shoud take and pluck them downe, For me they woud fight full faintly: There is no riches to me so rich, As is the love of our poor commenty. When they had ended all their speeches, They take their leave full heartiley; And to his bower King Richard is gone. The earle and Humphrey Brereton To Bessy's bower anon were gone; When Bessy Humphrey did see anon, She took him in her arms and kissed him times three. Welcome, she said, Humphrey Brereton; How hast thou spedd in the West Countrey I pray thee tell me quickly and anon. Into a parlour they went from thence, There were no more but he and shee: Humphrey, said Bessy, tell me e're we go hence Some tideings out of the West Countrey; If I shall send for yonder prince To come over the sea, for the love of me, And if King Richard shoud him convince, Alas! it were great ruthe to see, Or murthered among the Stanley's blood to be, Indeed that were great pitty; That sight on that prince I woud not see, For all the gold in Christantie! Tell me, Humphrey, I thee pray, How hast thou spedd in the West Countrey? What answer of them thou had now say, And what reward they gave to thee. By the third day of May it shall be seen, In London all that they will bee; Thou shalt in England be a queen, Or else doubtless that they will dye. Thus they proceed forth the winter then, Their councell they kept close all three, The earle he wrought by prophecy certaine, In London he would not abide or bee, But in the subburbs without the city An ould inn chosen hath hee. A drew an Eagle foot on the door truely, That the western men might know where he did lye. Humphrey stood on a high tower then, He looked into the West Countrey; Sir William Stanley and seven in green, He was aware of the Eagle drawne; He drew himselfe so wonderous nigh, And bad his men go into the towne, And drink the wine and make merry; Into the same inn he went full prest, Whereas the earle his brother lay. Humphrey full soon into the west Looks over a long lee; He was aware of the Lord Strange and seven in green, Come rideing into the city. When he was aware of the Eagle drawn, He drew himself so wonderously nigh, He bad his men go into the towne certain, And drink the wine and make merry; And he himselfe drew then, Where as his father in the inne lay. Humphrey looked in the west, I say, Sixteen in green then did he see; He was aware of the Warden and Edward Stanley, Come rideing both in one company. When they were aware of the Eagle drawne, The gentlemen they drew it nee; And bad their men go into the towne, And drink the wine and make merry. And did go themselves into the same inn full prest, Where the earle their father lay. Yet Humphrey beholdeth into the west, And looketh towards the north countrey; He was aware of Sir John Savage and Sir Gilbert Talbot, Came rideing both in one company. When they were aware of the Eagle drawn, Themselves drew it full nigh, And bad their men go into the towne, To drink the wine and make merry. They did go themselves into the same inn, Where as the earle and Bessy lye. When all the lords together were, Amongst them all Bessy was full buissy; With goodly words Bessy then said there, Fair lords, what will you do for me? Will you relieve yonder prince, That is exiled beyond the sea? I woud not have King Richard him to convince, For all the gold in Christentye. The Earle of Darby came forth then, These words he said to young Bessye— Ten thousand pounds will I send, Bessy, for the love of thee, And twenty thousand Eagle feet, The Queen of England for to make thee; Then Bessy most lowly the earle did greet, And thankt his honor most heartiley. Sir William Stanley came forth then, These words he said to fair Bessy: Remember, Bessy, another time, Who doth the most, Bessy, for thee; Ten thousand coats, that shall be red certaine, In an hours warning ready shall bee; In England thou shall be our queen, Or doubtlesse I will dye. Sir John Savage came forth then, These words he said to young Bessye— A thousand marks for thy sake certaine, Will I send thy love beyond the sea. Sir Gilbert Talbott came forth then, These were the words he said to Bessy: Ten thousand marks for thy sake certaine, I will send to beyond the sea. The Lord Strange came forth then, These were the words he said to Bessy: A little money and few men, Will bring thy love over the sea; Let us keep our gold at home, said he, For to wage our company; For if we should send it over the sea, We shoud put our gold in jeopartie. Edward Stanley came forth then, These were the words he said to Bessye: Remember, Bessye, another time, Who that now doth the best for thee, For there is no power that I have, Nor no gold for to give thee; I will be under my father's banner, if God me save, There either to live or dye. Bessye came forth before the lords all, And downe she falleth upon her knee; Nineteen thousand pound of gold, I shall Send my love behind the sea, A love letter, and a gold ring, From my heart root rite will I. Who shall be the messenger the same to bring, Both the gold and the writeing over the sea?
