Then sat she down full heavily, _Follow, my love, come over the strand_; At length two knights came riding by, Two gallant knights of fair England. She fell down humbly on her knee, 125 _Follow, my love, come over the strand_, Saying, "Courteous 'knights,' take pity on me, And I the fair Flower of Northumberland. "I have offended my father dear, _Follow, my love, come over the strand_, 130 And by a false knight, who brought me here From the good Earl of Northumberland." They took her up behind them then _Follow, my love, come over the strand_, And brought her to her father again, 135 And he the good Earl of Northumberland. All you fair maidens be warned by me, _Follow, my love, come over the strand_, Scots never were true, nor never will be, To lord, nor lady, nor fair England. 140 GENTLE HERDSMAN, TELL TO ME. From _Reliques of Ancient English Poetry_, ii. 82. "The scene of this beautiful old ballad is laid near Walsingham, in Norfolk, where was anciently an image of the Virgin Mary, famous over all Europe for the numerous pilgrimages made to it, and the great riches it possessed. Erasmus has given a very exact and humorous description of the superstitions practised there in his time. See his account of the Virgo Parathalassia, in his colloquy entitled, _Peregrinatio Religionis Ergo_. He tells us, the rich offerings in silver, gold, and precious stones that were there shown him were incredible, there being scarce a person of any note in England, but what some time or other paid a visit or sent a present to Our Lady of Walsingham. At the dissolution of the monasteries in 1538, this splendid image, with another from Ipswich, was carried to Chelsea, and there burnt in the presence of commissioners; who, we trust, did not burn the jewels and the finery. "This poem is printed from a copy in the Editor's folio MS. which had greatly suffered by the hand of time; but vestiges of several of the lines remaining, some conjectural supplements have been attempted, which, for greater exactness, are in this one ballad distinguished by italics." PERCY. Gentle heardsman, tell to me, Of curtesy I thee pray, Unto the towne of Walsingham Which is the right and ready way. "Unto the towne of Walsingham 5 The way is hard for to be gon; And verry crooked are those pathes For you to find out all alone." Weere the miles doubled thrise, And the way never soe ill, 10 Itt were not enough for mine offence, Itt is soe grievous and soe ill.