See Sir W. Temple's Misc. vol. iii. p. 356." Percy.
[178], king he coming.
CONSTANCE OF CLEVELAND.
From Collier's Book of Roxburghe Ballads, p. 163.
"This romantic ballad, in a somewhat plain and unpretending style, relates incidents that may remind the reader of the old story of Titus and Gisippus, which was told in English verse by Edw. Lewicke, as early as 1562: the ballad is not so ancient by, perhaps, thirty or forty years; and the printed copy that has come down to our day is at least fifty years more recent than the date when we believe the ballad to have been first published. The title the broadside ('Printed for F. Coles, J. W., T. Vere, W. Gilbertson,') bears is, 'Constance of Cleveland: A very excellent Sonnet of the most fair Lady Constance of Cleveland, and her disloyal Knight.' We conclude that the incidents are mere invention, but Constance of Rome is the name of a play, by Drayton, Munday and Hathway, mentioned in Henslowe's Diary under the year 1600, (p. 171.) The tune of Crimson Velvet was highly popular in the reigns of Elizabeth and her successor."
To the Tune of Crimson Velvet.
It was a youthfull knight
Lov'd a gallant lady;
Fair she was and bright,
And of vertues rare:
Herself she did behave5
So courteously as may be;
Wedded they were brave;
Joy without compare.
Here began the grief,
Pain without relief:10
Her husband soon her love forsook,
To women lewd of mind,
Being bad inclin'd,
He only lent a pleasant look.
The lady she sate weeping,15
While that he was keeping
Company with others moe:
Her words, "My love, beleeve not,
Come to me, and grieve not;
Wantons will thee overthrow."20