There have been many
versions of it. Dr. Rimbault published it from a broadside dated
1656. The version here given is Sir Walter Scott's, from his
"Minstrelsy of the Scottish Border," with a few touches from other
versions given in Professor Francis James Child's noble edition of
"The English and Scottish Popular Ballads," which, when complete, will
be the chief storehouse of our ballad lore.
"King Cophetua and the Beggar Maid" is referred to by Shakespeare in
"Love's Labour's Lost," Act iv. sc I; in "Romeo and Juliet," Act ii.
sc. I; and in "II. Henry IV.," Act iii. sc. 4. It was first printed
in 1612 in Richard Johnson's "Crown Garland of Goulden Roses gathered
out of England's Royall Garden. Being the Lives and Strange Fortunes
of many Great Personages of this Land, set forth in many pleasant new
Songs and Sonnets never before imprinted."
"Take thy Old Cloak about thee," was published in 1719 by Allan Ramsay
in his "Tea-Table Miscellany," and was probably a sixteenth century
piece retouched by him. Iago sings the last stanza but one--"King
Stephen was a worthy peer," etc.--in "Othello," Act ii.
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