Where pride doth reign within the heart, And wickedness in will, The fear of God quite set apart, Their fruits must needs be ill. Some cannot suffer for to see And know their neighbors thrive, Like to themselves in good degree, But rather seek their lives. And some must be possess'd alone, And such would have no peer, Like to themselves they would have none Dwell nigh them any where. With such like faults was foul infect One sir John Eland, knight;[45] His doings make it much suspect Therein he took delight. Some time there dwelt at Crossland hall, A kind and courteous knight, It was well known that he withal Sir Robert Beaumont[46] hight. At Eland sir John Eland dwelt Within the manor hall, The town his own, the parish held Most part upon him all. The market town was Eland then, The patent hath been seen, Under king Edward's seal certain, The first Edward I ween.[47] But now I blush to sing for dread, Knowing mine own country, So basely stor'd with Cain his seed There springing plenteously. Alack, such store of witty men As now are in these days, Were both unborn, and gotten then, To stay such wicked ways. Some say that Eland sheriff was By Beaumont disobey'd, Which might him make for that trespass With him the worse appaid. He raised the country round about, His friends, and tenants all, And for his purpose picked out Stout, sturdy men and tall. To Quarmby hall they came by night, And there the lord they slew, At that time Hugh of Quarmby hight, Before the country knew. To Lockwood then the self-same night, They came, and there they slew Lockwood of Lockwood, that wily wight, That stirr'd the strife anew.[48] When they had slain thus suddenly Sir Robert Beaumont's aid, To Crossland they came craftily, Of nought they were afraid. The hall was water'd well about, No wight might enter in; Till that the bridge was well laid out, They durst not venture in.[49] Before the house they could invade. In ambush they did lodge; And watch'd a wench, with wily trade, Till she let down the bridge. A siege they set, assault they made, Heinously to the hall; The knight's chamber they did invade, And took the knight withal. And this is for most certainly That slain before he was, He fought against them manfully, Unarmed as he was. His servants rose, and still withstood, And struck with might and main; In his defence they shed their blood, But all this was in vain. The lady cry'd, and shriek'd withal, When as from her they led Her dearest knight into the hall, And there cut off his head. But all in vain, the more pity, For pity had no place, But craft, mischief, and cruelty, These men did most embrace.