XV.
THE BAFFLED KNIGHT, OR LADY'S POLICY.
Given (with some corrections) from a MS. copy, and collated with two printed ones in Roman character in the Pepys collection.
[There are several versions of this story, but the earliest known to Mr. Chappell is the one printed by Ritson in his Ancient Songs (vol. ii. ed. 1829, p. 54), beginning—
"Yonder comes a courteous knight,"
with the burden, Then she sang Downe a downe, hey downe derry. It is from Deuteromelia, or the second part of Musicks melodie or melodious Musicke, London, 1609. Others are in Pills to purge Melancholy (iii. 1707, or v. 1719), and in A Complete Collection of old and new English and Scotch Songs, 8vo., 1735. The copy in the Roxburghe collection is entitled The Politick Maid, beginning "There was a knight was wine dronke." Ritson says, "Bp. Percy found the subject worthy of his best improvements.">[