I have only the words (no title) quoted by C. V. Wedgwood in her book, "Montrose." In the fall of 1643, Montrose, having been approached by the Covenant party about leading their forces in an invasion of England with the purpose of overthrowing the King (Charles I), refused to make a clear decision. He then secretly left for England where he tried to warn Charles that a plot was afoot to overthrow him in favor of "King Campbell" (Argyll). The King would not heed.

During Montrose's stay in Oxford, his wife in Kincardine, Scotland, fearing that his actions might endanger her and other members of the family, began to withdraw from Montrose's friends into the shelter from her own family. Montrose was no doubt hurt and worried by his wife's distancing herself from him. Wedgwood says that she believes it was at this time that Montrose wrote "the famous love song." She observes, "He was only following the literary fashion of the time when he took his similies from current politics, yet he may have had his wife's political estrangement in mind when he accuses her, in these pretty and gallant verses, of holding a synod in her heart, as the meetings of Calvinist devines were called." She then quotes the poem (four stanzas of eight lines each), the last four lines of which are the lines used by Steeleye Span in their song.

"My dear and only love, I pray, That little world of thee Be governed by no other sway Than purest monarchy. For if confusion have a part, Which virtuous souls abhor, And hold a Synod in thine heart, I'll never love thee more.

Like Alexander I will reign, And I will reign alone; My thoughts did ever more disdain A rival on my throne. He either fears his fate too much, Or his deserts are small, That dares not put it to the touch, To gain or lose it all.

And in the Empire of thine heart, Where I should solely be, If others do pretend a part Or dare to vie with me, Or Committees if thou erect And go on such a score, I'll laugh and sing at thy neglect, And never love thee more.

But if thou wilt prove faithful then, And constant of thy word, I'll make thee glorious by my pen, And famous by my sword. I'll serve thee in such noble ways Was never heard before; I'll crown and deck thee all with bays And love thee more and more."

I have no knowledge whether the melody which they use for these lines is one of their own making, or whether it was a traditional melody used with the Montrose poem. Any information anyone can shed on these lines as a song, not just a poem, will be most appreciated. I've always assumed that Steeleye Span used traditional melodies in their epic song, but that the song itself was their creation, but perhaps I'm wrong. Does anyone have any information on this?