Note 246 — 173 MARY HAMILTON

History of the Reformation, Knox’s Works, ed. Laing, II, 415 f. Knox continues: “But yet was not the court purged of whores and whoredom, which was the fountain of such enormities; for it was well known that shame hasted marriage betwix John Semple, called the Dancer, and Mary Livingston, surnamed the Lusty. What bruit the Maries and the rest of the dancers of the court had, the ballads of that age did witness, which we for modesty’s sake omit.” This Mary Livingston is one of the Four Marys, but, as already said, is mentioned in version F only of our ballad.