do ye not resign Homage to your Prince and King They said By Him that us dear bought Into the hall we see him nought Then all the hall they looked round At last him in a chamber found And then they kneeled down in hy Saluting him right reverently And by the hand they have him tane Then marvelled in hall ilk ane The King wondred and eke the Quéen But blyth was Lady Lillian They did enquire how it befell So he the manner did them tell How that he thought him for to drown And in the River cast him down And how his gold from him took he And letters to let him go frée How he made him an oath to take Which will turn to his shame and lack That I a servant so should be To him my Father sent with me The which he could not well deny But granted all right hastily Then Roswall told unto the King All the manner of the Iusting And shewed to him that it was he Who won the Iusting dayes thrée And then they took the Steward soon And hanged him high afternoon Then to the Kirk they passed there And married him and Lillian fair There is no tongue on earth can tell The joy that then had Roswall And wit ye well if he was fain Fainer was Lady Lillian For blyther was not Meledas When as the married Claudias Nor Belfant that most pleasant flower When she got Ronald to paramour As was this Lady Lillian In heart she was right wonder fain They ate the spice and drank the wine And past into their dancing syne The King danced with the Quéen Then Roswall and Lillian sheen Every Lord and gentle Knight Danced with a Lady bright They danced there till supper time Sâ—â—ast unto their supper syne 〈◊〉 was no Knight the truth to tell That at his supper ture so well When that the supper ended was A Bishop rose and said the grace And syne theâ— past to the dancing The Minstrâ—â—s play'd with pleasant spring Roswall danced with the Quéen The King himself with Lillian Then every Lord and gentle Knight Danced with a Lady bright The Minstrels played with good will Till they had danced all their fill They eat the spice they drank the wine Vnto their beds they passed syne Roswall and Lillian glad First are they gone unto their bed But what they did I cannot say I wot they sleeped not till day The Bridall lasted twenty dayes With dancing carols and many playes With Iusting and with Tornament Then for the old wife he sent And to the King the manner told How she did in her house him hold And sent him to School with her son And how the Master treated him How the Steward did him perceive And from the wife did him receive And loved him even as his son In service to remain with him The King did marvell much again To hear thir tidings so certain Then Roswall rewarded soon All that ever him good had done First he gave to the old wife Gold that lasted all her life And then without delay anone He made a Bishop of her son The Master that did him instruâ—â— His own Chapland 〈◊〉 did him make Roswall and Lilâ—â—â—â— free Had five baâ—â—â—â— sickerâ—ie Three sons and two daughters dear Right fair they were withoutten péer The eldest â—on was King of Bealm The second fell to Naples Realm The third son King of Bane was made When that the King thereof was dead The eldest daughter fell a chance Married the Daulphin of France The second on the Prince of Pail We pray to him that vanquisht hell And for us dyed on a trée To grant us heaven Amen say ye FINIS
A PLEASANT HISTORY OF Roswall and Lillian DECLARING The occasion of Roswall his removing from his Native Kingdom to the Kingdom of Bealm and what befell him in his journey from his Sâ—â—ward The entertainment he met with from an aged Wife His Education at School With his fortunate admission to be servant to Lillian the Kings only Daughter with whom she fell deeply in love The reward of the three Lords by whom he attained the honour of the three dayes Justing before the Marriage of the Steward who was knowen to 〈◊〉 a Traitor and therefore justly executed with the renewed wished-for Marriage betwixt Roswall and Lillian His thankfull remembrance of his friends the number of his children and their good fortune all worthy reading EDINBVRGH Printed by I. H. Anno 1663. THE HISTORY OF Roswall and Lillian NOw will ye list a little space And I shall send you to solace You to solace and be blyth Hearken ye shall hear belyve A tale that is of veritie If ye will hearken unto me In Naples lived there a King Had all the lands in Governing Who had a Lady fair and young Whose name was called Lillian This Lady pleasant was and fair Bare him a Son which was his Heir Whose name was called Roswall Of fairer heard I never tell Princes to him could not compare Ulisses nor Gandifere Achilles nor Troyalus Nor yet his Father Priamus The Knight that kept the Parent well Was not so fair as Roswall There lived into that Countrie Worthy noble Lords three That to the King had done treason Therefore he put them in prison And there he held them many a day Till they were aged quite away Aged and quite o'regrown with hair While of their lives they did despair That they knew of no remedie But looked after death daily So it befell upon a day The young Prince he went to play Him to play and to solace And so it happened in that case Toward the Prison he is gone To hear thir Lords making their moan He sate down and a little staid To hearken what thir Lords said They said dear God have mind of us Even for the sake of dear Iesus Who bought us with his precious blood And for us dyed on the rood To help us if thy will it be And of this Prison make us frée The young Prince did hear their moan He heard their mourning and their groan Then to his Chamber he is gone Heavy in heart as sad as stone He sate down and did foresée How best thir Lords might helped be And so he thought upon a wyle The King how he might best beguile A custome then had the Iaylors Who keeped ay the Prisoners After the doors all locked were Vnto the King the keyes to bear The King used them to lay Vnder his bed-head privily The Prince soon perceiving had Where the King the keyes laid And on a night he watch did keep Till that the King was fallen asleep He took the keyes full privilie And to the Prison gone is he Who did deliver thir Lords thrée Bade them passe home to their Countrie And then they swore by sweet Iesus If ever ye mister help of us We shall you help into your néed Glad was he having done the déed The keyes laid under his Fathers head And went and sleept as he were dead The King rose and eke the Queen The Principal and Lords bedeen They went to messe and then to dine The Iaylors all did come in syne Asked from the King the keyes Which to deliver did him please Then to the Prison they went in fear To give the Lords their dinner there But when they came all were away They knew not what to do nor say The Prisoners away were gone How or what way known to none The King was then so dollorous That the three Lords were scaped thus He sayes O Lord how may this be That thir Prisoners hath been made frée Vnder my bed-head lay the keyes None knew thereof as God me ease And here I make a solemn vow Before you all my Lords now Who ere he be hath done the deed He shall be hang'd without remeed Or else so soon as I him see My own two hands his bane shall be It was reported through the Town That the young Prince the deed had done The word throughout the Pallace ran Which made the King a grieved man When he the vow considered And that his Son had done the déed The Queen then far more grieved was She mourn'd and wéeped with her face And quickly to the King went she Who knéeling down upon her knée Thus said for him that sits on hie Let your Sons fault forgiven be That may not be Madam he said For I a faithfull vow have made That assoon as I may him see My own two hands his bane shall be Therefore I pray you day and night To keep him well out of my sight Till I send him to some Countrie Where he may safely keeped be And then in haste down sate the King Wrote letters without tarrying To send his Son to the King of Bealm For to remain in that Realm Still to continue with the King Till he sent for his home-coming Letters in haste then soon wrote he Desiring the King especiallie For to receive his own dear Son Which for most trust was sent to him His furnishing was made ready And he got gold in great plenty The Kings Steward a stalward Knight Was made to keep him day and night And so his servant for to be To keep him well in that Countrie The Queen did look to the Steward And said my love my joy my heart Sir Steward now I do thée pray To keep my Son both night and day And serve him both by foot and hand And thou shalt have both gold and land Or yet of any other thing That thou 'lt seek from me or the King He said Madam that may not be But I will serve him tenderlie She sayes my fair Son Roswall Hearken what I to thee will tell When thou dost come to that Country Carry thy self right honestly Be Courteous Genty kind and frée And use ay in good companie And if thou needest ought to spend Send word to me I shall thee send He took his leave then of the Queen And of her Ladies all bedeen Great mourning and great care they made When that out of the Town they rade The Gracious God mot be his guide So on a time as they did ride Side for side hand for hand rode they None other saw they in the way Only they two in companie Came to a River fair to see The Prince then said unto the Knight My counsell is that here we light For in this place I thirst so sore That further can I ride no more Till of this water I get my fill Wot ye how I may win there till The Knight leapt down deliverlie And drank the water busilie He bade him light and drink also His fill ere he
should further go And on his belly as he lay down To drink the water ready bown The false Knight took him by the féet And vow'd to throw him in the déep Vnlesse that he did swear an oath That he the Gold and letters both Should unto him resign gladly And his servant become truly To serve him well both day and night This oath he made to the false Knight He the Master and he the knave He gave to him what he would crave And then anone withoutten stay They mounted both and went their way While they came to the Land of Bealm And had past much of that Realm The Kings Pallace when they came near Roswall made sorry chear For the Knight did him forbid Further with him for to ride He would fee servants in the Town Abundance of all fashion Away he rode then with his gold Leaving poor Roswall on the mold With not a penny in 's companie To buy his dinner though he should die So to the Town in by he rode And in the Kings Pallace abode In his heart was great rejoycing Presented his letters to the King He read his letters hastily And said Sir welcome mot ye be Ye shall to me be love and dear So long as ye will tarry here Now in the Court we let him dwell And we will speak of Roswall Roswall was mourning on the mold Wanting his letters and his gold He sayes alace and woe is me For lack of food I 'm like to die O that my Mother knew my skaith My Father and my Mother baith For now I wot not what to do Nor what hand to turn me to Neither know I how to call me But I 'm Dissawar what e're befall me As then he making was his moan Beside none but himself alone He lookt a little and did espy A little house none else hard by To himself he sayes quickly To yonder house I will me hy And ask some vittals for this night And harbour while the day be light He stepped forth right sturdily And to the little house went he He knockt a little at the door And then went in upon the floor He found no creature therein Neither to make noise nor din But a silly and aged wife In chastity had led her life He sayes Dame for Saint Iuly This night let me have harbury And al 's some vittals till the morn For him that was in Bethlehem born She sayes to such meat as I have Ye 're welcome part thereof receive She set him down and gave him meat Even of the best that she could get And prayed him to make good chear For you are very welcome here I know ye are of far Countrie For ye are séemly for to sée Tell me your name in charitie And do not it deny to me He sayes Dissawar they call me So was I call'd in my countrie She sayes Dissawar wo is me That is a poor name verilie Yet Dissawar you shall not be For good help you shall have of me I have a son no children mo Who each day to the School doth go If ye will bide still here with me To him full welcome will ye be And dayly you and he together May go to School and learn each other He sayes good Dame God you foryield For here I get of you good bield As he and she was thus talkand In comes her son even at her hand Good Dame he sayes my mother dear Who 's this that ye have gotten here This is a Clark of far Countrie Would fain go to the School with thée He sayes dear welcome mot he be For I have got good companie And then they past to their supper For his sake had the better chear Then Dissawar fair of face After supper said the grace And quickly to their beds went they And sléeped till it was near day And then the morn right airly rose And put upon them all their cloaths They went to School right hastilie By that time they could day-light sée Into the School the Master came And asked at Dissawar his name He sayes Dissawar they call me So was I cal'd in my Countrie The Master said now Dissawar Thou shalt want neither meat nor laire When ever thou needest come to me And I shall make you good supplie Great skill of learning before he had Into the Country where he was bred He had not been a moneth there Into the School even little maire But the Steward unto the King Of Dissawar had perceiving He did set well his courtesie His nature and his great beautie Into his heart he greatly thought In service to have him if he might The Steward to the Wife is gone And sayes God save you fair Madam Where got ye this child so fair That to this Lodging makes repair Sir they do call him Dissawar And ay hes done since he came here He is my joy he is my heart For he and I shall never part He sayes Madam that may not be He must go to the Court with me She sayes Sir it s against my will If ye will let him here stay still The Steward took Dissawar fair of face And brought him to the Kings Grace He had not been a moneth there Into service or little maire But he was lov'd of old and young As he had been a Prince or King The King he had a Daughter fair And no moe bairns she was his Heir She was by name call'd Lillian Of fairer forsooth I read of nane Not the Noble French Quéen Nor yet the Lady Pelicane Nor yet Helen that fair Ladie Nor yet the true Philippie Nor yet the Lady Christaline Was not so fair as Lillian This lusty Lady Lillian Choos'd him to be her Chamberlane Of which the Steward was full wo That he so soon should part him fro Yet would not say nay to Lillian Of which the Lady was right fain And entred him in her service For he was both leill true and wise He brake her bread and made good chear Filled the cup the wine that bare She took such comfort then of him She lov'd him better nor all her kin Aside she call'd him on a day And thus unto him she did say Now tell me Dissawar for charitie Into what Country born was ye He said I'm of a far Countrie My father 's a man of a low degrée I cannot trust said she by the rood But you are come of noble blood For I know by your courtisie And by your wonder fair bodie That ye are come of noble blood This is my reason by the rood Madam by that ye may well ken That I am come of sober men Dissawar my little flower I wish thou were my paramour God sen I had thee to be King That I might wed you with a King In her arms she did him imbrace And kist him thrice into that place He knéeled down upon his knée And thanked that Lady heartilie He said Lady God you foreyéeld That ye should love so poor a child And
I now Lady while I die Love you again most heartilie Within his heart he was right glad And he did think mair then he said Soon after that this Lady fair Said anone to Dissawar Dissawar I do you pray Cast that name from you away Call you Hector or Oliver Ye are so fair without compare Call your self Sir Porteous Or else the worthy Emedus Call you the noble Predicase Who was of fair and comely face Because that I love you so well Let your name be Sir Lion dale Or great Florent of Albanie My heart if ye bear love to me Or call you Lancelot du Lake For your dearest true loves sake Call you the Knight of Arms green For the love of your Lady shéen He sayes Dissawar they must call me While afterward I more do sée If ye will have no other name Call you a Squire to the King Or to his daughter Chamberlan For love of his daughter Lillian She laugh'd and once or twice him kist And to her Ladies then she past And Dissawar was very glad For the joy he of the Lady had So it befell upon a day His Father to his Mother did say I think right long for to hear tell Of my fair son Roswall I think so long I cannot sleep With that the Quéen began to wéep Who said good Sir for charitie Let some be sent him for to sée It is long since he from us went Perchance his Gold is now all spent As the King his Father was to send There came Messengers even at hand With letters from that noble King Which made him glad in every thing But â—hey beguiled were both so That none of them the case did know The King had written on this manner Desiring his Son to his Daughter The King his Father was right glad That such a marriage should be made Therefore he every way consented Even as the King by writ had sent it An answer to him he did send When he the wedding would intend That he might send Lords of that Countrie To bear witnesse to that marriage frée The Messengers went home again And told their King what they had done And then anone without delay Appointed was the Marriage day Who sent word to the noble King And he without more tarrying Sent to solemnize that day An Earle and Lusty Lords tway With them went two lusty Knights And many a gallant Squire wight The King of Bealm caus'd make a cry Three dayes before the marriage day To come and Iust a course of Wier Before me and my Queen full dear To see who best will undertake To Iust then for his Ladies sake But when to Lillian it was told Wit ye well her heart was cold For she lov'd none but Dissawar Who went and told him lesse and mair Said at yon Iusting you must be For to Iust for your Ladie And if ye will not Iust for me Iust for your Love where ere she be He saith Lady by my good fay I nere was â—eed with such a play For I had rather be at hunting Then singing dancing or at Iusting Yet I shall stand by you Lady To sée who bears away the gree And so they parted on that night And on the morn when it was light Dissawar got up his way Went to the Forrest be it was day His hounds leading into his hand Full well triping at his command And when he came to the Forrest He looked East and looked West He looked over the bents brown Where he saw neither house nor town The Myrle and Mavese shouted shrile The Sun blinked on every hill In his heart he had great rejoycing Of the birds full swéet singing He looked down upon the spray When it was nine hours of the day And saw a little space him fra A Knight coming with him no mae Riding on a milk-white stéed And all milk-white was his wéed To Dissawar he came ridand And lighted down even at his hand And said anone my full swéet thing I must be drest in your cloathing Take you my armour and my stéed And dresse you all into my wéed And to you Iusting ye must faire To win you praise and honour mair When ye have done come ye to me Of Vennisoun ye shall have plentie Then Dissawar armed him quickly The Knight him helped that stood by He stoutly lap upon his steed And ran Lances through the Mied Till he came to the Iusting-place He saw his Mistres face to face And he saw many Ladies gay And many Lords in rich array And he saw many a lustie Knight Iusting before him in his sight He rade unto the Iusting place Where Knights encountred face to face And many sadles toom'd he there Both of Knights and many a Squyer All men wondred what he was That of Iusting had such praise The Ladies heart was wonder sair And said alace for Dissawar Why would he not tarry with me This Noble justing for to see And when the Iusting was near done Then he beheld the steward soon His héels turn upward there he made All that him saw were sore afraid Then he unto the Forrest ran As light as ever did a man The King cry'd with voice on hie Go take you Knight bring him to me And whoso brings him to my hand Shall have an Earldome of land But all for nought it was in vain For to the woods he rade again Delivered his Armour and his steed And brest himself in his own weed The Lord had taken him Vennisoun And homeward with them made he bown As for help desired none he Presented them to his Ladie She sayes now wherefore Dissawar Beguil'd ye me in this manner He answered my Lady dear Why say ye that unto me here Wherefore shall I come to Iusting I have no skill of such a thing She sayes a Knight with a white stéed And all milk-white was his wéed He hath born away the grée Of him is spoken great plentie And if ye bide the morn with me Ye peradventure shall him sée I shall do so said he Madam The morn I will not passe from home Then Lillian to her Ladies went Past to their supper incontinent And on the morn right timously He did rise up be he might see And forth unto the Forrest went After the night was fully spent When that he came to those woods gréen The place where he before had béen Vnder the shadow of a trée He laid him down right privatlie The birds did sing with pleasant voice He thought himself in Paradice And to bear part for joy sang he Even for the love of his Ladie How she lov'd him her Paramour And she of all the world the flower For pleasure of the weather fair So clear and pleasant was the air His heart was light on leaf on trée When that he thought on his Lady He looked then over an hill And saw a Knight coming him till Having a red shield and a red spear And all red shined his gear To Dissawar he
came full soon And at his hand he lighted down And said Sir take this horse of mine And all my Armour good and fine To the Iusting in haste ride ye The gracious God your guide be And soon to him he reacht a Spear Which he did take withoutten fear He then did ride forth merrilie And soon his Lady can he sée And she was cloathed all in white To look on her was great delight He made the Lady full gay halsing And then he went to the Iusting And if he Iusted well before Better that day by fifteen score He hunted the Knights here and there Even as the hound doth hunt the Hare And many Knights he bare to ground And some of them got their déeds wound Of the Steward he got a sight And on his arse he made him light And then unto the Forrest ran As light as ever did a man The King cryed with voice on hie Go take yon Knight bring him to me And whoso brings him to my hand Shall have an Earldome of land But all for nought it was in vain For to the Woods he rade again When he came there the Knight he leugh Have I not Vennisoun enough Ye have béen at the field all day And I at hunting and at play Then Dissawar gave him his steed His shield his armour and his weed His steed was all of apple-gray None better was I dare well say Then Dissawar went home quickly With a white Hind to his Lady When he came home as I heard tell She greatly did at him marvell That he came not to the Iusting Lady grive not at such a thing She sayes a Knight with a gray stéed And all red shined his weed This day hath born away the grée Of him is spoken great plentie And I have ever in my thought That it was you the deed hath wrought I pray Madam trust no such thing For I no skill have of Iusting She sayes the morn go not away Because it is the hindmost day But Dissawar full soon the morn Got up and blew his hunting horn And went unto the Forrest soon With hounds and ratches of renown And there he had great comforting Of all the birds full swéet singing And then he looked up full swyth He saw a sight which made him blyth A Knight upon a stalward Steed And glittring Gold was all his wéed His shield was red his armour green Ov'r all the land it might be seen To Dissawar he came full soon And at his hand he lighted down And said Sir take this horse of mine And all my armour good and fine To the Iusting in haste ride ye The Gracious God your guide be And even so soon as he came there He saw his Lady that was so fair And all the weed that she did wear In glittering red gold did appear He at his Lady did cast a King Then past he on to the Iusting He rade among them with such force That he dang down both man and horse Out through the field when that he ran At each stroak he dang down a man Sir Ronald and Sir Oliver In their Iusting made no such steir When he beheld the Steward than He dang him down both horse and man Both horse and man on the ground lay And of his ribs were broken tway Then to the Forrest he rade full soon When that the Iusting was all done As swift as Falcon of his flight Vpon a bird when he doth light The King cryed with voice full shrill Go take you Knight bring him me till And whoso brings him to me here Shall have my land and daughter dear But all for nought it was in vain For to the woods he rade again Delivered his armour and his Stéed And drest himself in his own wéed He thanked him right reverently Then came the other two Knights in hy The same two Knights we spake of aire Who said O blessed Master dear From prison you delivered us Wherefore mot thank you swéet Iesus And this is also most certain We promised to you again If ever you help of us did néed We should perform the same with spéed The morn the marriage should be Of the Steward who beguiled thée But therefore do thou nothing fear The Brides bed he shall not come near They took their leave withoutten mair And he went to his Lady fair And when that they were coming home From the Iusting every one He went unto his Lady gent Saluting her incontinent Are ye Dissawar welcome to me That so oft hath beguiled me But yet I must forgive you soon Of all that ever you have done She sayes a Knight with a stalward stéed And glittering gold was all his wéed This day hath born away the grée Of all the Iusting dayes thrée If to my Father the truth ye tell That it was you Iusted so well Then dare I surely take in hand He 'll give you me and all the land The morn the marriage should be Betwixt you young Prince and me But here I make a solemn vow I never shall have man but you Therefore I heartily do you pray The morn that ye go not away I shall do that my Lady bright I shall not go out of your sight Then she the morn right airly rose And put upon her all her cloaths Vnto the King then is she gone Who kneeled on her knées full soon Then said he Lillian what would ye Declare your mind now unto me If it be lawfull ye require I shall it grant at your desire Grant me my asking for Christs sake That is a Prince to be my maik Ask on he sayes how that may be I have devised one for thée She sayes they call him Dissawar I ask no more at you Father That asking I do tell thée plain Is not befitting for thy train For he is but a Batcheller For ought that I do know or hear We know of none he is become But this man is a great Kings son Therefore ye shall let such things be For it becomes not you nor me That we the Kings son should forbear And match you with a Batcheller To me it were a great defame And alse to you a very shame Therefore I counsell you forbear And wed yon Prince withoutten péer And then she past the Kirk untill And married him sore against her will And when the marriage was done Sâ—e past unto her chamber soon And mourned there till dinner time That she was brought to hall to dine The King was set and eke the Quéen The said Prince and Lillian sheen Then every Lord and gentle Knight Marched with a Lady bright The Courses came abundantlie With bread and wine in great plenty At mid'st of dinner as they sat In came the thrée Lords at the gate They did salute the King and Queen And eke fair Lady Lillian sheen But the Bride-groom that sate near by To him they made no courtesie The King thereat great marvell had That they to him no reverence made And said Why