A doleful Ditty, or sorrowful Sonnet of the Lord Darly, sometime King of Scots.  
nephew to the Noble and worthy King, King Henry the eight,  
and is to be song to the tune of black and yellow.  

MY hand and pen proceed to writ,  
A woeful tale to tell:  
My pen it cannot half indite,  
Alas how it befell.  
woe worth the man that Treason first  
This thing did take in hand,  
Of all men's mouths they may be cursed,  
Throughout this English land.  
woe worth woe worth woe worth them all  
woe worth to them I say:  
woe worth woe worth woe worth them all  
woe worth to them always.   

¶ As it befell to Lord Darly,  
Whose friends they may all rue,  
That ever he on Scotland ground,  
Or any place thereof kn●w.  
The Queen of Scots a letter sent,  
With it a heart and Ring,  
Desiring him to come to her,  
And she would make him king.  
woe worth. etc.   

¶ He thought it was a Courteous deed,  
So noble a Queen as she,  
Would marry him, and make him king,  
Whereto he did agreed.  
When first in Scotland that he went,  
He was discreet and sage:  
And when in hand he took to rule,  
But twenty years of age.  
woe worth. etc.   

¶ The guard of Sco●lande he did lead,  
With all his noble train▪  
And ruled Scotland virtuously,  
While life he did sustain.  
But listen now and give good ●are,  
To hear what chance befell.  
For as the proverb old doth go  
Gold may be bought to well.  
woe worth. etc.   

¶ So did this noble Lord Darly,  
When England he forsook:  
Wh●n that in Scotland first he went,  
The rule thereof he took.  
There dwelled a stranger in the court,  
Signior David called by name,  
He was the first that went about,  
This Treason vile to frame.  
woe worth. etc.   

¶ And chamberlain he was to the Queen,  
Who preferred him wondrous well,  
As all the Lords in Court beheld,  
Which caused their hearts to swell,  
Against this David grudged the king,  
A quarrel was picked for the nonce,  
Within the chamber there was drawn,  
Twelve Daggers all at once.  
woe worth. etc.   

Some of the Lords took the king's part  
And some took his certain,  
Two Daggers he had at his heart,  
And so David was slain.  
And when the Queen hard of this news  
she sore began to weep,  
And made a vow and oath certain,  
That she did mean to keep.  
woe worth. etc.   

¶ That in a twelvemonth and a day,  
She would not pleased be:  
Because that David so was slain,  
With such great cruelty.  
The twelve month and a day expired,  
A meeting there should be,  
By all the Lords it was agreed,  
with great solemnity.  
woe worth. &c   

¶ At Rocksborow Castle there,  
this king and Queen should meet,  
And be made friends as erst they were  
Some Lords the same did seek.  
Three wights conspired the king's death  
Whose names are all well known.  
For which alas the people in  
The country made great moan.  
woe worth. etc.   

The wights which this treason began,  
for to destroy the king,  
They took with them gunpowder then,  
the chamber they w●nt in.  
And to them close they shut the door,  
For fear of being spied,  
They strawed the powder round about,  
Full thick on every side.  
woe worth. etc.   

¶ And thereon strewed rushes green,  
to hide the powder withal,  
Because they would not have it seen,  
Nor nothing smelled at all.  
The banquet then prepared is,  
They sup and drink the wine,  
The king (alas) knew not of this,  
The which was wrought that time.  
woe worth. etc.   

¶ And after supper they did talk,  
to pass away the time,  
And every man his fancy spoke,  
As best did please his mind,  
Some men with Siniour David healed,  
The king then in a rage:  
Up to his chamber went strait way,  
none with him but a page.  
woe worth.   

¶ And when he came the Chamber in,  
the Page began to tell:  
You are betrayed O noble king,  
for powder I do smell.  
O flee from hence haste you away,  
and I on you will weight,  
The king that hearing presently,  
Leapt out the window strait.  
woe worth. etc.   

¶ One of them stood under the window  
and took him in his arm,  
Saying who art thou, O man fear not,  
For thou shalt have no harm,  
I am an English man quoth he,  
Of Scotland I am king,  
King Henry once mine Uncle was,  
Which was of England King,  
woe worth. etc.   

¶ I know thee well quoth one of them,  
For that thou shalt far the worse,  
That ever thou slewest the Chamberlain,  
that day thou sure shalt curse,  
For look what friendship thou didst show  
the Chamberlain unto:  
The like also to thee I am,  
Now minded for to do. woe worth. &c   

Two of them took the king strait way  
And bond him foot and hand,  
On a pearetree in the orchard,  
this noble king they hanged,  
And when the Queen hard of this news.  
She sore weapt for the king,  
Peace Madame quoth the Lord jamie,  
you do but fain this thing, woe worth.   

¶ For why quoth she though he were young,  
none was more meet than he,  
To have worn the crown for his lineage  
He came of high degree.  
But now I wish my chamberlain,  
Had hanged in his room:  
So that the king alive had been,  
For to have worn the Crown.  
woe worth. etc.   

¶ Thus hath this noble king alas,  
His life lost as you hear:  
Therefore I say and will do still,  
He did buy Gold to dear.  
God grant good Lord with heart I pray  
Our noble Queen to guide,  
And grant that never traitors false,  
about her highness bide.  
woe worth woe worth woe worth them all  
woe worth to them I say:  
woe worth woe worth woe worth them all  
woe worth to them always. Finis. H. C.    

¶ Imprinted at London by Thomas Gosson dwelling in Paternoster row, next to the sign of the Castle.