“ So, when thou hast, as I
Commanded thee, done blabbing,
Although to give the lye
Deserves no less than stabbing,
Yet stab at thee who will,
No stab the soule can kill.
THE BALLAD OF READING GAOL ”

“ Percy folio manuscript.
THE CHILD OF ELLE
Partly from the Percy folio manuscript, with several additional stanzas
by Percy as the original copy was defective and mutilated.
KING EDWARD IV AND THE TANNER OF TAM WORTH
The text in this ballad is selected from two copies in black-letter. One
in the Bodleian Library, printed at London by John Danter in 1596. The
other copy, without date, is from the Pepys Collection.
SIR PATRICK SPENS
Printed from two manuscript copies transmitted from Scotland. It is
possible that this ballad is founded on historical fact. ”

“ My saddle and bridle also;
For I will into some far countrye,
Where noe man shall me knowe.
O staye, O staye, thou goodlye youthe,
She standeth by thy side;
She is here alive, she is not dead,
And readye to be thy bride. ”

“ KING JOHN AND THE ABBOT OF CANTERBURY
This ballad was abridged and modernized in the time of James I from one
much older, entitled King John and the Bishop of Canterbury. The
version given here is from an ancient black-letter copy. ”

“ With a downe derrie, derrie, derrie, downe, downe
The one of them said to his mate,
"Where shall we our breakefast take?"
"Downe in yonder greene field,
There lies a knight slain vnder his shield.
"His hounds they lie downe at his feete,
So well they can their master keepe. ”