4 ‘O what is thy boon? Come, let me understand.’ ‘’Tis to give me all the poor you have in the land; I’ll take them down to Cheshire, and there I will sow Both hemp-seed and flax-seed, and hang them in a row. 5 ‘It’s better, my liege, they should die a shorter death Than for your Majesty to starve them on earth.’ With that up starts a Dutch lord, as we hear, And he says, ‘Thou proud Jack,’ to my lord Delamere, 6 ‘Thou ought to be stabbed,’ and he turned him about, ‘For affronting the king in the Parliament House.’ Then up got a brave duke, the Duke of Devonshire, Who said, I will fight for my lord Delamere. 7 ‘He is under age, as I’ll make it appear, So I’ll stand in defence of my lord Delamere.’ A stage then was built, and to battle they went, To kill or be killed it was their intent. 8 The very first blow, as we understand, Devonshire’s rapier went back to his hand; Then he mused awhile, but not a word spoke, When against the king’s armour his rapier he broke. 9 O then he stept backward, and backward stept he, And then stept forward my lord Willoughby; He gave him a rapier, and thus he did say; Play low, Devonshire, there’s treachery, I see. 10 He knelt on his knee, and he gave him the wound, With that the Dutch lord fell dead on the ground: The king calld his soldiers, and thus he did say: Call Devonshire down, take the dead man away. 11 He answered, My liege, I’ve killed him like a man, And it is my intent to see what clothing he’s got on. O treachery! O treachery! as I well may say, It was your intent, O king, to take my life away. 12 ‘He fought in your armour, while I fought him bare, And thou, king, shalt win it before thou dost it wear; I neither do curse king, parliament, or throne, But I wish every honest man may enjoy his own. 13 ‘The rich men do flourish with silver and gold, While poor men are starving with hunger and cold; And if they hold on as they have begun, They’ll make little England pay dear for a king.’ * * * * * C Llewellynn Jewitt’s Ballads and Songs of Derbyshire, p. 57. “Another version, which I have in MS., has, besides many minor variations, these verses.” 1 O the Duchess of Devonshire was standing hard by; Upon her dear husband she cast her lovely eye: ‘Oh, fie upon treachery! there’s been treachery I say, It was your full intent to have taen my duke’s life away.’ 2 Then away to the parliament these votes all went again, And there they acted like just and honest men. I neither curse my king, nor kingdom, crown or throne, But I wish every honest man to enjoy but what is his own. * * * * * D