A pretty Ballad of the Lord of Lorn, and the False Steward.  
The Tune is, Green Sleeves  
 
IT was a worthy Lord of Lorn,  
he was a Lord of high degree,  
He sent his son unto the School,  
to learn some civility.  
He learned more in one day,  
than other Children did in three,  
And then bespoke the Schoolmaster,  
unto him tenderly.  
In faith thou art the honestest boy,  
that e'er I blinkt on with mine eye:  
I hope thou art some Easterling born,  
the Holy Ghost is with thee:  
He said he was no EasterIing born,  
the child thus answered courteously,  
My Father is the Lord of Lorn,  
and I his Son perdy.  
The School master turned round about,  
his angry Mood he could not suage:  
He marvelled the Child could speak so wise,  
he being of so tender age.  
He girt the Saddle to the Steed,  
the Bridle of best gold shown,  
He took his leave of his fellows all,  
and quickly he was gone.  
And when he came to his Father dear,  
he kneeled down upon his knee,  
I am come to you father, he said,  
God's blessing give you me:  
Thou art welcome my son, he said,  
God's blessing I thee give:  
What tidings hast thou brought my Son,  
being come so hastily,  
I have brought tidings Father, he said,  
and so liked it may be:  
There's ne'er a book in all Scotland,  
but I can read it truly:  
And there's ne'er a Doctor in all the Realm,  
for all he goes in rich array,  
I can write him a Lesson soon,  
to learn in seven years' day:  
That is good tidings, said the Lord,  
all in the place where I do stand,  
My Son thou shalt into France go,  
to learn the speeches of each land:  
Who shall go with him, said the Lady?  
husband we have none but he:  
Madam, he said, my head Steward,  
he hath been true to me.  
She called the Steward to an account,  
a thousand pound she gave him anon,  
Says, good sir-Steward be good to my child  
when he is far from home:  
If I be false unto my young Lord,  
than God be like unto me indeed.  
And now to France they both are gone,  
and God be their good speed:  
They had not bee● in France in Land,  
not three weeks to an end,  
But meat nor drink the child got none,  
nor money in Purse to spend.  
The child runs to the River's side,  
he was fain to drink water then,  
And after followed the false Steward  
to put the Child therein:  
But nay marry, said the Child,  
be asked mercy pitifully,  
Good steward let me have my life,  
what  bet●e my body.  
Now put off thy fair clothing,  
and give it meanon,  
So put thee off thy silken shirt,  
with many a golden seam.  
But when the child was stripped naked,  
his body white as the lifly flower,  
He might have been seen for his body,  
a Princess Paramour,  
He put him on an old Kelter Coat,  
and hose of the same above the Knee,  
He bid him go to the Shepherd's house,  
to keep sheep on a love lovely:  
The child said, what shall be my name,  
good Steward tell to me,  
Thy name shall be poor dost thou wear,  
that thy name shall be.  
The child came to the Shepherd's house,  
and asked mercy pitifully,  
Says, good Shepherd take me in,  
to keep sheep on a lo●o lovely,  
But when the Shepherd saw the child,  
he was so pleasant in the eye,  
I have no child, I'll make thee my heir,  
thou shalt have my goods perdy.  
And then bespoke the Shepherd's wife,  
unto the Child so tenderly,  
Thou must take the sheep & go to the field,  
and get them on a love lovely:  
Now let us leave talk of the child,  
that is keeping sheep on a love lovely,  
And we'll talk more of the false Steward,  
and of his false treachery;  
He bought himself three suits of apparel  
that any Lord might a seemed to worn,  
He went a wooing to the Duke's daughter  
and called himself the Lord of Lorn.  
The Duke he welcomes the young Lord,  
with three ●a●ed stags anon,  
If he had witted his the false Steward,  
to the devil he should have gone:  
But when they were at supper set,  
with dainty de●cates that were there,  
The D. said, if th● wilt wed my daughter  
I'll give thee thousand pound a year:  
The Lady woul● se● the red buck run,  
and also for ●o ●nt the Do,  
And with a hundrd lusty men,  
the Lady did shunting go.  
The Lady is a h●ting gone,  
over Feansel cat is so high,  
There was she ●are of a shepherd's boy,  
with sheep on● love love●y:  
And ever he sig● and made moan,  
and cried out ittyfully,  
My Father is the Lord of Lorn  
and knows not what's become of me.  
And then bespoke the Lady gay,  
and to her mad she spoke anon,  
Go fetch me hithr the Shepherd's boy,  
why maketh h● all this moan?  
But when he ca●e before the Lady,  
he was not to earn his courtesy,  
Where waste tho● born thou bonny child,  
for whose sake nakst thou all this moan?  
My dearest-friend, Lady he said.  
is dead many years agone.  
Tell thou to me thou bonny child,  
tell me the truth and do not lie,  
knowst thou not the young Lord of Lorn?  
he is come a wooing unto me:  
Yes forsooth, said the child,  
I know the Lord then verily:  
The young Lord is a valiant Lord,  
at home in his own Country.  
Wilt leave thy sheep thou bonny child,  
and come in service unto me,  
Yes forsooth then said the Child,  
at your bidding will I be.  
When the Steward looked upon the Child,  
he be wailed him villainously,  
Where wast thou born thou Vagabond,  
or where is thy Country?  
Ha' down ba down said the Lady,  
she called the Steward then presently,  
Without you ●ear him more good will,  
you get no love of me:  
Then bespoke the false Steward,  
unto the Lady hastily:  
At Abardine beyond the Sea,  
his Father rob thousands three.  
 
But then bespoke the Lady gay,  
unto her Father courteously,  
Saying, I have found a bonny child,  
my Chamberlain to be:  
Not so, not so, then said the Duke;  
for so it may not be,  
For the young Lord of Lorn the comes a wooing,  
will think no good of thee and me.  
When the Duke had looked upon the child,  
he seemed so pleasant to the eye:  
Child, because thou lovest Horses well,  
my Groom of Stable thou shalt be.  
The Child plied the Horses well,  
a twelve month to an end,  
He was so courteous and so true,  
every man becomes his friend:  
He led a fair Gelding to the water,  
where he may drink verily,  
The Gelding up with his head  
and hit the Child above the eye:  
woe worth the Horse, than said the Child  
that ever Mare fole thee,  
Thou little know'st what thou hast done,  
thou hast stricken a Lord of high degree.  
The Ds. daughter was in her garden green  
she heard the Child make great moan,  
She ran to the child all weeping,  
and left her Maidens all alone.  
Sing on thy song thou bonny child,  
I will release thee of thy pain,  
I have made an oath Lady, he said,  
I dare not tell my tale again  
Tell the horse thy tale thou bonny child,  
and so thy oath-shall saved be,  
But when he told the horse his tale,  
the Lady wept most tenderly.  
I'll do for thee my bonny child,  
in faith I will do more for thee,  
And for thy sake my bonny child,  
I'll put my wedding off months three,  
The Lady did write a Letter then,  
full pitifully with her own hand:  
She sent it to the Lord of Lorn,  
whereas he dwelled in fair Scotland:  
But when the Lord had read the letter,  
his Lady wept most tenderly,  
I knew what would become of my Child,  
in such a far Country.  
The old Lord called up his merry men,  
and all that he gave Cloth and Fee,  
With seven Lords by his side,  
and into France rides he;  
The wind served, and they did fail,  
so far into France Land:  
They were wear of the Lord of Lorn,  
with a Porter's staff in his hand:  
The Lords they moved hat and hand,  
the Servingmen fell on their knee,  
What folks be yonder said the steward,  
that make the Porter courtesy:  
Thou art a false thief, quoth the L. of Lorn,  
no longer might I bear with thee:  
By the Law of France thou shalt be judged,  
whither it be to live or die.  
A Quest of Lords there chosen was,  
to bench they came hastily:  
But when the Quest ended was,  
the false steward must die.  
First they did him half hang,  
and then they took him down anon,  
And then put him in boiling lead  
and then was sodden breast and bone:  
And then bespoke the Lord of Lorn,  
with many other Lords more,  
Sir Duke if you be as willing as we,  
we'll have a Marriage before we go:  
These Children both they did rejoice  
to hear the Lord his tale so ended,  
They had rather to day then to morrow,  
so he would not be offended.  
But when the wedding ended was,  
their was delicate dainty cheer,  
I'll tell you how long the wedding did last  
full three quarters of a year.  
Such a banquet there was wrought,  
the like was never seen,  
The K. of France brought with him then  
a hundred Tun of good red wine:  
Five set of Mustians were to be seen,  
that never rested night nor day,  
Also Italians there did sing,  
full pleasantly with great joy.  
Thus have you heard what troubles great  
unto successive joys did turn,  
And happy news amongst the rest,  
unto the worthy Lord of Lorn.  
Let Rebels therefore warned be,  
how mischief once they do pretend,  
For God may suffer for a time,  
but will disclose it in the end.  
FINIS.   

London, Printed for F. Coles, T. Vere, and 〈◊〉