He said, "Ride on, my lady fair, May goodness be your guide; For I'm sae sick an' weary that No farther can I ride." 20 Now ben did come his father dear, Wearing a golden band; Says, "Is there nae leech in Edinburgh, Can cure my son from wrang?" "O leech is come, an' leech is gane, 25 Yet, father, I'm aye waur; There's not a leech in Edinbro' Can death from me debar. "But be a friend to my wife, father, Restore to her her own; 30 Restore to her my morning gift, Strathboggie and Aboyne. "It had been gude for my wife, father, To me she'd born a son; He would have got my land an' rents, 35 Where they lie out an' in. "It had been gude for my wife, father, To me she'd born an heir; He would have got my land an' rents, Where they lie fine an' fair." 40 The steeds they strave into their stables, The boys could'nt get them bound; The hounds lay howling on the leech, 'Cause their master was behind. "I dreamed a dream since late yestreen, 45 I wish it may be good, That our chamber was full of swine, An' our bed full of blood. "I saw a woman come from the West, Full sore wringing her hands, 50 And aye she cried, 'Ohon alas! My good lord's broken bands.' "As she came by my good lord's bower, Saw mony black steeds an' brown; I'm feared it be mony unco lords 55 Havin' my love from town." As she came by my gude lord's bower, Saw mony black steeds an' grey; "I'm feared its mony unco lords Havin' my love to the clay." 60 THE SPANISH VIRGIN. From Percy's _Reliques_, iii. 316. The three following pieces are here inserted merely as specimens of a class of tales, horrible in their incidents but feeble in their execution, of which whole dreary volumes were printed and read about two centuries ago. They were all of them, probably, founded on Italian novels. "The subject of this ballad is taken from a folio collection of tragical stories, entitled, _The Theatre of God's Judgments, by Dr. Beard and Dr. Taylor_, 1642. Pt. 2, p. 89. The text is given (with corrections) from two copies; one of them in black-letter in the Pepys Collection. In this every stanza is accompanied with the following distich by way of burden: Oh jealousie! thou art nurst in hell: Depart from hence, and therein dwell." All tender hearts, that ake to hear Of those that suffer wrong; All you that never shed a tear, Give heed unto my song. Fair Isabella's tragedy 5 My tale doth far exceed: Alas, that so much cruelty In female hearts should breed!