Glen Collection of printed music > Printed text > Popular music of the olden time > Volume 1

REIGNS OP JAMES I. AND CHARLES I. 275
The Maid pretends to be persuaded by his arguments, but stipulates that he shall
bring her an angel of money.
"Tush, quoth the Friar, we shall agree, While he was gone (the truth to tell),
No money shall part my love and me ; She hung a cloth before the well.
Before that I will see thee lack, The Friar came, as his covenant was,
I'll pawn my grey gown from my back. With money to his bonny lass. [quoth he.
The Maid bethought her of a wile. Good morrow, fair Maid, good morrow,
How she the Friar might beguile ; Here is the money I promised thee."
The Maid thanks him, and takes the money, but immediately pretends that her
father is coming.
" Alas ! quoth the Friar, where shall I run. Quoth he, for sweet St. Francis' sake,
To hide myself till he be gone ? On his disciple some pity take ;
Behind the cloth run thou, quoth she, Quoth she, St. Francis never taught
And there my father cannot thee see. His scholars to tempt young maids to naught.
Behind the cloth the Friar crept. The Friar did entreat her still
And into the well on a sudden he leapt. That she would help him out of the well ;
Alas! quoth he, I am in the well ; She heard him make such piteous moan.
No matter, quoth she, if thou wert in Hell : She help'd him out, and bid him begone.
Thou sayst thou couldst sing me out of Hell, Quoth he, shall I have my money again.
Now, prythee, sing thyself out of the well. Which from me thou hast before-hand ta'en?
The Friar sung on with a pitiful sound. Good sir, quoth she, there's no such matter,
help me out! or I shall be drown'd. I'll make you pay for fouling the water.
1 trow, quoth she, your courage is cool'd ; The Friar went all along the street.
Quoth the Friar, I never was so fool'd; Dropping wet, like a new-wash'd sheep;
I never was served so before. [no more ; Both old and young commended the Maid
Then take heed, quoth she, thou com'st here That such a witty prank had play'd."
SIE EGLAMORE.
This " merry tune " is another version of The Friar in the Well (see the pre-
ceding). The ballad of Sir Eglamore is a sath-e upon the narratives of deeds
of chivalry in old romances. It is contained in Tlie Melancholie Knight, by
S[amuel] R[owlands], 1615 ; in the Antidote to Melancholy, 1661; 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 Melancholy; 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 rela-
tion 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 Loijcd Songs written against the Rump
Parliament.