Three excellent old songs/King William and his forrester

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KING WILLIAM & His FORRESTER.

You ſubjects of Britain come liſten a while,
Here is a new ditty will make you to ſmile,
It is of the King and the Keeper alſo,
Who met in the foreſt but lately ago.

O early, O early, into a morning,
King William roſe early in a morning;
And a gown of grey ruſſet King William put on,
As tho' he had been but a ſilly poor man.
The hounds were made ready, prepar’d for the game,
The Nobles attending, of honour and fame;
But, like a mean ſubject, in humble array,
He to his own foreſt was taking his way.

O then beſpoke Mary, our royal Queen,
My gracious King William where are you going?
He anſwer'd her quickly, I count him no man
That telleth his counſel unto a woman.
The Queen, with a modeſt behaviour, reply'd,
I with kind Providence may be thy guide,
And keep thee from danger. my ſovereign Lord,
The which will the greateſt of comfort afford.

He went to the foreſt ſome pleaſure to ſpy,
The grey-hound run fwift,and the keeper drew nigh,
Who cry'd, You bold fellow, how dare you come here,
Without the King's leave,to chace his fair deer?
Here are my three hounds I'll give them to you
And likewiſe my hawks, they're as good as e'er flew;
Beſides I will give thee full forty ſhillings,
If you'll not betray me to William our king.

All that I have offer'd, I pray thee now take,
And do thy endeavour my peace for to make;
Beſides forty ſhillings, I'll give thee a ring,
If you'll not betray me to William our king.
Your three hounds, I tell you, I never will take,
Nor yet your three hawks, your peace for to make;
Nor will I be brib'd with your money and ring,
But I will diſcloſe you to William our king.

⁠As I'm a true keeper, I'll not be unjuſt,
Nor, for a gold ring, will I forfeit my truſt;
I'll bring you before him as ſure as a gun,
And there you shall anſwer for what you have done.
Thou art a bold féllow, King William reply'd;
Why, doſt thou not fee the ſtar at any ſide;
The foreſt is mine, I let thee to know,
Then what is the reaſon you threaten me so?

⁠With that the bold keeper fell down on his knees,
A trembling fear his ſpirits did ſeize;
The picture of death did appear in his face,
He knew not at firſt the king was in place.
O pardon! O pardon! my ſovereign liege,
For your royal pardon I humbly beſeech,
Alas! my poor heart in my brean it is cold!
O let me not ſuffer for being ſo bold.

⁠Get up, honeſt Keeper, and ſhake off thy fears,
In thee there is nothing of folly appears:
O that ev'ry one were as faithful as thee,
What a bleſt prince King William would be!
Becauſe I encourage fuch perſons as you,
I'll make you my ranger, and if that won't do,
I'll make thee a captain, by ſea or by land;
And high in my favour you ever ſhall ſtand.

⁠The Keeper replied, My ſovereign Lord,
Sure I am not worthy of ſuch a reward;
Yet nevertheleſs your true Keeper I'll be,
'Cauſe I was ne'er bred to the army nor ſea.
With that the King laugh'd, till his ſides he did hold,
And threw him down fiftybright guineas of gold
And bid him haſte to the Kenſington-Court,
Where of this true jeſt he would make ſome ſport.

⁠And when you come thare, ſee you aſk for long Jack,
Who wears a pageant of gold at his back,
And a great fazon of gold at his right ſleeve,
For he's a true man, you may him believe.
He's one of my porters, that ſtands at my gate,
To let in my Nobles, both early and late;
And therefore good fellow, come up without fear,
I'll make thee my ranger of parks far and near.