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maydes, Cary, Middlemore, Woodhouse, Gargrane, Roper; the sixt is determined, but not come. God send them good fortune, for, as yet, they have no mother."

This maternal appellation was at that time given to some dowager lady of rank, who, with great propriety, was chosen as governess over the maids of honour. A similar appointment existed in the court of France; and the memoirs of Anne of Austria describe the great trouble the lady, who then held the situation, had to protect her charge against the attempted familiarities of Louis XIV. towards the close of his minority. No mother of the maids of honour has been appointed in the English court since the revolution of 1688.

LADY ARABELLA STUART.

THE following pathetic ballad was written on the unfortunate lady, Arabella Stuart, who, on account of her double relation to royalty, excited the jealousy of queen Elizabeth, and fell a victim to the persecutions of her accuser, king James the First:

THE

"True Lover's Knot Untied:

Being the right PATH whereby to advise Princely Virgins how to behave themselves, by the example of the renowned Princess, the Lady ARABELLA, and the second Son of the Lord Seymour, late Earl of Hartfort. To the Tune of Frog's Galliard, &c.

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Licensed and Entered according to Order.

"As I to Ireland did pass,

I saw a ship at anchor lay,

Another ship likewise there was,

Which from fair England took her way.

This ship that sail'd from fair England,
Unknown unto our gracious king,
The lord chief justice did command,

That they to London should her bring.

I drew more near, and saw more plain
Lady Arabella in distress ;

She wrung her hands and wept amain,
Bewailing of her heaviness.

When near fair London Tower she came,
Whereat her landing-place should be,
The king and queen, with all their train,
Did meet this lady gallantly.

"How now, Arabella," then our king Unto this lady straight did say, Who hath first ty'd ye to this thing,

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That you from England took your way?"

"None but myself, my gracious liege,

These ten long years I've been in love
With the lord Seymor's second son,
The earl of Hartford, so we prove:

Though he be not the mightiest man
Öf goods and livings in the land,
Yet I have lands us to maintain,

So much your grace doth understand:

My lands and livings are well known
Unto your book of majesty,
Amount to twelve-score pounds a-week,
Besides what I do give," quoth she.

"In gallant Darbyshire likewise,

I nine-score beadsmen maintain there
With hats and gown, and house-rent free,
And every man five marks a-year.

I never raised rent," said she,
"Nor yet opprest the tennant poor;
I never took no bribes for fines;

For why? I had enough before.

Whom of your nobles will do so,

For to maintain the commonalty?
Such multitude would never grow,
Nor be such store of poverty.

I would I had a milk-maid been,

Or born of some more low degree,
Then I might have loved where I like,

And no man could have hindred me:

Or, would I were some yeoman's child,
For to receive my portion now,

According unto my degree,

As other virgins as I know.

The highest branch that soars aloft

Needs must beshade the myrtle-tree,
Needs, must the shadow of them both
Shadow the third in his degree.

But when the tree is cut and gone,

And from the ground is borne away, The lowest tree that there doth stand,

In time, may grow as high as they.

Once when I thought to have been queen,
But yet that still I do deny,

I knew your grace had right to th' crown
Before Elizabeth did dye.

You of the eldest sister came,
I of the second in degree,
The earl of Hartford of the third-
A man of royal blood was he.

And so good night, my sovereign liege,
Since in the Tower I must lye,
I hope your grace will condescend,
That I may have my liberty."

"Lady Arabella," said our king,

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And so good night, Arabella fair,"
Our king reply'd to her again,
"I will take counsel of my nobility,
That you your freedom may obtain."

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Love is a knot none can unknit,
Fancy a liking of the heart;

Him whom I love I cannot forget,

Though from his presence I must part.

The meanest people enjoy their mates,
For I was born, unhappily,

For being crost by cruel fates,

I want both love and liberty.

But death, I hope, will end the strife;

Farewell, farewell, my love," quoth she: "Once I had thought to have been thy wife, But now am forc'd to part with thee."

At this sad meeting she had cause,

In heart and mind, to grieve full sore;
After that time, Arabella fair

Did never see lord Seymour more.

"London: Printed by and for W. O. and are to be sold by the booksellers of Pye-corner and London-bridge."*

CONNUBIAL LOVE.

O LOVE!-Heaven's sweetest boon, bestow'd,
To cheer our dreary pilgrim road;
That with a changeless fervour glows,
'Midst burning sands, or polar snows;
Without thy soul-enchanting power,
Joyless was Eden's brightest bower;
In vain its roses shed perfume
O'er fields of ever-during bloom:
Every hope was sear'd and blighted,
Every bliss was disunited,
And paradise was half unblest,
'Till infant Love became a guest.
Where angel beauty never smiled,
The fairest spot on earth were wild;
For love alone our home endears,
Love softens e'en the grief of tears,
Like erring creed of Moslem faith,
Whose Houris soothe the pangs of death.

WORCESTER BELLS.

A.

IN the days of popery, bells, when consecrated, received the names of particular saints; but in later times they have been differently appropriated. In St. Helen's church, at Worcester, there is a set of bells cast in the time, of queen Anne, which bear names and inscriptions that record the victories gained during that reign, as follow:

1. Blenheim.

"First is my note, and Blenheim is my name;
For Blenheim's story will be first in fame."

There is a wooden cut, in two parts: one representing some vessel at sea; he other, lady Arabella with a fan in her hand.

2. Barcelona.

"Let me relate how Louis did bemoan

His grandson Philip's flight from Barcelon."
3. Ramilies.

"Deluged in blood, I, Ramilies, advance
Britannia's glory on the fall of France."
4. Menin.

"Let Menin on my sides engraven be;
And Flanders freed from Gallic slavery."

5. Turin.

"When in harmonious peal I roundly go,
Think on Turin, and triumphs on the Po."
6. Eugene.

"With joy I hear illustrious Eugene's name;
Fav'rite of fortune and the boast of fame."

7. Marlborough.

"But I for pride, the greater Marlborough bear;
Terror of tyrants, and the soul of war.

8. Queen Anne.

"Th' immortal praises of queen Anne I sound,
With union blest, and all these glories crown'd."

The inscriptions on these bells are all dated 1706, except that on the seventh, which is dated 1712.

EPIGRAM BY DR. ADAMS.

VENUS, as Vulcan's wife, commands the fire,
As lord of Mars, she hath all weapons by her;
Born of the sea, she doth the sea command;
What mortal man these forces can withstand?
In Venus then all secret mischiefs lurk,
That fire or sword, or raging sea can work.
Harleian MSS. Vol. 4955.

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