_Hero of the "Spanish Lady's Love"_ (Vol. ix., p. 305.).--Concerning the
origin of this interesting old ballad, the following communication appeared
in _The Times_ of May 1, 1846. It is dated from Coldrey, Hants, and signed
Charles Lee:
"The hero of this beautiful ballad was my ancestor, Sir John Bolle of
Thorpe Hall, Lincolnshire, of most ancient and loyal family, and father
of that Colonel Bolle who fell in Alton Church, whilst fighting against
the rebels in December, 1643. Of the truth of this I am prepared to
give the curious in these matters the most abundant evidence, but the
space which the subject would occupy would necessarily exclude it from
your columns.
"The writer of the paper in the _Edinburgh_ says:--'Had the necklace
been still extant, the preference would have been due to Littlecot.'
The necklace is still extant, in the possession of a member of my
family, and in the house whence I write. In Illingworth's
_Topographical Account of Scampton, with Anecdotes of the Family of
Bolles_, it is stated: 'The portrait of Sir John, drawn in 1596, at the
age of thirty-six years, having on the gold chain given him by the
Spanish Lady, &c., is still in the possession of his descendant, Capt.
Birch.'
"That portrait is now in the possession of Capt. Birch's successor,
Thomas Bosvile Bosvile, Esq., of Ravensfield Park, Yorkshire, my
brother, and may be seen by any one. I will only add another extract
from Illingworth's _Scampton_:--'On Sir John Bolle's departure from
Cadiz, the Spanish Lady sent as presents to his wife, a profusion of
jewels and other valuables, amongst which was her portrait drawn in
green; plate, money, and other treasure. Some articles are still in
possession of the family; though her picture was unfortunately, and by
accident, disposed of about half a century since. This portrait being
drawn in green, gave occasion to her being called, in the neighbourhood
of Thorpe Hall, the Green Lady; where, to this day, there is a
traditionary superstition among the vulgar, that Thorpe Hall was
haunted by the Green Lady, who used nightly to take her seat in a
particular tree near the mansion.' In Illingworth there is a long and
full account of the Spanish Lady, and the ballad is given at length."