Classic Poem

[Part III.]

thus they p ro uided in the winter time
 their councell to keepe all three.
the Erle wrought by p ro phecye,
 he wold not abyde in London trulye,

but in the suburbs w i thout the Cittye
 an old Inn Chosen hath hee,
& drew an Eagle vpon the entrye
  tha t the westerne men might know where to Lye.

Humphrey stood in a hye tower,
 & looked into the west Countrye;
S i r William Stanley & 7 in greene
 came straight ryding to the Citye.

when he was ware of the Eagle drawne,
 he drew himselfe wonderous nye,
& bade his men goe into the towne,
 & dranke the wine and make merrye.

Into the Inn where the Eagle did hee,
 fforsooth shortlye is hee gone.
Humphray Looked into the west,
 & saw the Lo rd strange & 7 come

ryding in greene into the Cittye.
 when hee was ware of the Eagle drawen,
he drew himselfe wonderous nye,
 & bade his men goe into the towne,

& spare no cost, & where they come
 & drinke the wine & make good cheere;
& hee himselfe drew ffull nye
 into the Inn where his ffather Lay.

Humphrey looked more into the west;
 Six-teene in greene did hee see,
the warden & S i r Edward Stanley
 came ryding both in companye.

there as the Eagle was drawen,
 the gentlemen drew itt nye,
& bade their men goe into the towne,
 & drinke the wine & make merrye;

& went into the same Inn
 there where their ffather Lay.
yett Humphray beholdeth into the west,
 & looked towards the North countrye;

he was ware of S i r Iohn sauage & S i r Gylbert Talbott
 came ryding both in companye.
when they where ware of the Eagle drawen,
 then they drew themselues ffull nye,

& bade their men goe into the towne,
 & drinke the wine & make merry;
& yode themselues into the inne
 where the Erle and Bessye Lay.

when all the Lo rd s together mett,
 among them all was litle Bessye;
w i th goodlye words shee them grett,
 & said, “Lords, will yee doe ffor mee?

“what, will yee releeue yonder Prince
  tha t is exiled beyond the sea?”
the Erle of Darbye came fforth then;
 these be they words he said to Bessye:

“ffourty Pound will I send,
 Bessye, ffor the loue of thee;
& 20000 Eagle ffeette,
 a queene of England to make thee.”

S i r William stanley came fforth then;
 these were the words hee sayd to B ESSYE :
“remember, Bessye, another time,
 who doth the best now ffor thee.

“10000 Cotes tha t beene red,
 in an howers warning ready shalbee.
In England thou shall be a queene,
 or else doubtelesse I will dye.”

S i r Iohn Sauage came fforth then;
 these were the words he said to Bessye:
“1000 marke ffor thy sake
 I will send thy loue beyond the sea.”

the Lord strange Came fforth then;
 these were the words he said to Bessye:
“a litle mony & ffew men
 will bring thy loue ouer the sea;

“Lett vs keepe our gold att home
 for to wage our companye
if wee itt send ouer the sea,
 wee put our gold in Ieopardye.”

Edward Stanley came forth then;
 these were the words he sayd to Bessye:
“remember, B ESSYE , another time,
 he tha t doth now best ffor thee;

“ffor there is no power tha t I haue,
 nor no gold to giue thee;
vnder my ffathers banner will I bee
 either ffor to liue or dye.”

B ESSYE came fforth before the Lo rd s all,
 & vpon her knees then ffalleth shee;
“10000 pound I will send
 to my loue ouer the sea.

“who shall be our messenger
 to bring the gold ouer the sea?
Humphrey Bretton,” said B ESSYE ;
 “I know none soe good as hee”

“alas!” sayd Humphrey, “I dare not take in hand
 to carry the gold ouer the sea;
they Galley shipps beene soe stronge,
 they will me neigh wonderous nighe,

“they will me robb, they will me drowne,
 they will take they gold ffrom mee.”
“hold thy peace, Humphrey,” sayd litle B ESSYE ,
 “thou shalt itt carry w i thout Ieopardye;

“thou shalt haue no baskett nor no male;
 no buchett nor sacke-cloth shall goe w i th thee;
three Mules tha t be stiffe & stronge,
 loded w i th gold shall they bee;
w i th saddles side skirted, I doe thee tell,
 wherin the gold sowed shalbe.

“if any man sayes, ‘who is the shipp
  tha t sayleth fforth vpon the sea?’
Say itt is the Lo rd Liles;
 in England & ffraunce welbeloued is hee.”

then came fforthe the Erle of Darbye;
 these were the words he sayd to B ESSYE ;
he said: “B ESSYE , thou art to blame
 to poynt any shipp vpon the sea!

“I haue a good shipp of my owne
 shall carry Hum phrey & my mules three;
an Eagle shalbe drawen vpon the top mast,
  tha t the out allyants may itt see

“there is no ffreake in all ffrance
  tha t shipp tha t dare come nye.
if any man aske whose is the shipp,
 say ‘itt is the Erle of Darbyes’”

Hum phrey tooke the Mules three;
 into the west wind taketh hee;
att Hippon w i thouten doubt
 there shipping taketh hee;
w i th a ffaire wind & a Coole
 thus he sayleth vpon the sea