‘Christ’s curse light upon my crown,
If e’er my land stand in any jeopardy!’
EARL BOTHWELL
The Text is from the Percy Folio, the spelling being modernised. Percy printed it (with alterations) in the Reliques.
The Story of the ballad represents that Darnley was murdered by way of revenge for his participation in the murder of Riccio; that Mary sent for Darnley to come to Scotland, and that she was finally banished by the Regent. All of these statements, and several minor ones, contain as much truth as may be expected in a ballad of this kind.
Mary escaped from Lochleven Castle on May 2, 1568, and found refuge in England on the 16th. The ballad was doubtless written shortly afterwards. On March 24, 1579, a ‘ballad concerninge the murder of the late Kinge of Scottes’ was licensed to Thomas Gosson, a well-known printer of broadsides.
EARL BOTHWELL
1.
1.2 ‘sleight,’ trick.