Sing, Bessy Bell an' Mary Gray, They were twa bonnie lasses, Wha' biggit a bower on yon burn-brae, 15 An' theekit it o'er wi' thrashes. THE CHILDREN IN THE WOOD. _The Children in the Wood_ is perhaps the most popular of all English ballads. Its merit is attested by the favor it has enjoyed with so many generations, and was vindicated to a cold and artificial age by the kindly pen of Addison. The editor of the _Reliques_ thought that the subject was taken from an old play, published in 1601, "of a young child murthered in a wood by two ruffins, with the consent of his unkle," but Ritson discovered that the ballad was entered in the Stationers' Registers in 1595. The plot of the play was undoubtedly derived from the Italian, and the author of the ballad may have taken a hint from the same source. Percy's edition, (_Reliques_, iii. 218,) which we have adopted, was printed from two old copies, one of them in black-letter, in the Pepys collection. The full title is, _The Children in the Wood, or, The Norfolk Gentleman's Last Will and Testament_. _To the Tune of Rogero_, &c. Copies slightly varying from Percy's may be seen in _A Collection of Old Ballads_, (1723,) i. 221; Ritson's _Ancient Songs_, ii. 150; _The Book of British Ballads_, p. 13; and Moore's _Pictorial Book of Ancient Ballad Poetry_, p. 263. Now ponder well, you parents deare, These wordes which I shall write; A doleful story you shall heare, In time brought forth to light. A gentleman of good account 5 In Norfolke dwelt of late, Who did in honour far surmount Most men of his estate. Sore sicke he was, and like to dye, No helpe his life could save; 10 His wife by him as sicke did lye, And both possest one grave. No love between these two was lost, Each was to other kinde; In love they liv'd, in love they dyed, 15 And left two babes behinde: The one a fine and pretty boy, Not passing three yeares olde; The other a girl more young than he, And fram'd in beautyes molde. 20 The father left his little son, As plainlye doth appeare, When he to perfect age should come, Three hundred poundes a yeare. And to his little daughter Jane 25 Five hundred poundes in gold, To be paid downe on marriage-day, Which might not be controll'd: But if the children chance to dye, Ere they to age should come, 30 Their uncle should possesse their wealth; For so the wille did run.