8 ‘Well, since you’ll go, may my blessing advance, And carry you safely from Flanders to Spain; And when you’ve conquered that tyrant in France, Then my blessing return you to old England again.’ 9 They had not sailed one hour upon sea, Not one hour passing days two or three, Till up came the bold emperour, The bold emperour of High Germanie. 10 ‘O who is this?’ the bold emperour cries, ‘Who is this that comes sailing to me? I’m sure he’s a knight, or a king of crown, Or I’m sure I am a far better fellow than he.’ 11 ‘I am neither a knight, nor a king of a crown, But here, with my navy, on board I am come; For I am Lord Essex, the Queen’s lieutenant, Who never feard foe in all Christendom.’ 12 Out and spoke the bold emperour’s son, All as they were mounting and hyeing away; ‘O father, lend me your navy of ships, And I’ll go fight with Lord Essex today.’ 13 ‘O son, I’ll lend thee my navy of ships, And they are all of a capable size; But if he be as good as his old father was, Adieu to your honour, and mine likewise.’ 14 O they have fought on at a terrible rate, Until it drew nigh to the cool of the day, And as it fell in young Essex’s lot, The bold emperour’s son he’s taen prisoner away. 15 ‘O give me my son,’ the bold emperour cried, ‘O give me my son thou hast taken from me, And you shall have three keys of gold, And one of them opens High Germanie.’ 16 ‘What value I thy three keys of gold, Or any proud offer thou canst give to me? For up to old England thy son he must go, And stand before our queen’s high majesty.’ 17 ‘’T is I have fifteen ships of the best, And other fifteen distant on sea; Since up to old England my son he must go, Then we’ll all go together for good companie.’ =A.= =a.= Queen Elizabeth’s Champion, or, Great Britain’s Glory, Being a victory obtained by the young Earl of Essex over the old emperor of Germany by a fight at sea in which he took the emperor’s son and brought him a prisoner to Queen Elizabeth. =b.= _omits_ Being _after_ Glory _and_ a _before_ prisoner. =a.= _Burden_ ran do re _in second line after stanza_ 1. tandato _in first line after stanza_ 2. Rederer, _after_ 7. Raderer two _for_ Raderer _in second line after_ 9. 1^4. years. 8^1. Oh. =b.= 1^2. gallant good. 1^4. for this. 4^4. commanders. 5^2. Praying. 5^3. be a. 14^2. hours but. 289 THE MERMAID =A.= ‘The Seamen’s Distress,’ the second piece in The Glasgow Lasses Garland, British Museum, 11621. c. 3 (68). “Newcastle, 1765?” =B. a.= ‘The stormy winds do blow,’ Chappell’s Popular Music of the Olden Time, p. 742. =b.= The same, p. 743. =c.= Notes and Queries, 6th Series, VII, 276.