XIV.

Kytt hathe lost hur Key.

THE following Ballad possesses a tinge of humour rarely found in the productions of the early part of the sixteenth century. It is preserved among the King's MSS. in the British Museum. (Append. to Royal MSS. No. 58.)

In 1561-2 John Tysdale had a license for printing a Ballad, entitled "Kytt hath loste hyr Keye," which may possibly be the one now given.

KYTT hathe lost hur keye, hur key,
Goode Kytt hath lost hur key,

She is so sorry for the cause,

She wotts not what to say;

She wotts not what to say, goode Kytt,
She wotts not what to say,
Goode Kitt's so sorry for the cause,
She wotts not what to say.

Goode Kytt she wept, I ask'd why so
That she made all this mone?

She sayde, alas! I am so woo,
My key is lost and gone.

Kytt hathe lost, &c.

Kytt, why did ye losse your key,
Fore sothe ye were to blame,
Now ev'y man to you will say,
Kytt Losse Key is your name.

Kytt hathe lost, &c.

Goode Kytt she wept and cry'd, alas !
Hur key she cowde not fynde;

In faythe I trow in bowrs she was,
With sum that were not kinde.

Kytt hathe lost, &c.

Now, farewell, Kytt, I can no more,

I wott not what to say,

But I shall pray to Gode therfore

That you may fynde your key.

Kytt hathe lost, &c.

XV.

Kitt hath lost her Key.

(ANOTHER VERSION.)

We have here an answer or continuation of the preceding Ballad. It is taken from Mr. Collier's Extracts from the Registers of the Stationers' Company, vol. i, p. 55. The learned Editor gives it from a MS.

KIT hath lost her key,
But I have one will fytt
Her locke, if she will try,
And doe not me denie:

I hope she hath more wytte.

My key is bright, not rusty,
It is soe oft applied
To lockes that are not dusty,
Of maydens that are lusty,

And not full fillde with pride.

Then, Kitt, be not too prowde,
But try my readie key,
That still hath bene allowde
By ladyes faire a crowde,

The best that ere they see.

You can but try, and than,
If it fitts not, good bye:
Go to some other man,
And see if anie can

Doe better, Kitt, then I.

But neere come backe to mee,

When you are gone away,

For I shall keepe my key
For others, not for thee:

Soe, either goe or stay.

THIS is one of those Ballads stated by Laneham to have been in the possession of Captain Cox. (See his Letter from Kenilworth, 1575.) It is, however, without any other merit than antiquity, judging from the following version, taken from a MS. temp. Henry VIII, preserved in the British Museum. (Append. to Casley's Cat. of Royal MSS., No. 58.) This Ballad is also noticed, in conjunction with many others, in Wager's curious Interlude, The longer thou livest, the more Foole thou art, printed, without date, in 1569 or 1570. (See Collier's Extracts from the Registers of the Stationers' Company, vol. ii, p. 192.)

By a bancke as I lay

musinge my selfe alone-Hey how!

A byrd's voyce

dyd me rejoyce,

Syngyng before the day,

And methought in her lay

she sayd wynter was past-Hey how!

Dan dyry, cum dan, dan, &c.