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-The Project Gutenberg EBook of English and Scottish Ballads Volume VIII
-(of 8), by Various
-
-This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with
-almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or
-re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included
-with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org
-
-
-Title: English and Scottish Ballads Volume VIII (of 8)
-
-Author: Various
-
-Editor: Francis James Child
-
-Release Date: September 28, 2013 [EBook #43825]
-
-Language: English
-
-Character set encoding: ASCII
-
-*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK ENGLISH, SCOTTISH BALLADS, VOL VIII ***
-
-
-
-
-Produced by Simon Gardner, Dianna Adair, Louise Davies and
-the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at
-http://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from images
-generously made available by the Digital & Multimedia
-Center, Michigan State University Libraries.)
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-Transcriber's Notes
-
-In this plain text version of the e-book, symbols from the Latin-1
-character set are used. The following substitutions have been made for
-non-ASCII characters:
-
- [Asterism] represents an asterism (three stars).
- [Pointing hand] denotes the symbol of a right pointing hand.
-
- [AE], [ae] for ae-ligature.
- [oa] for Swedish letter "a-ring".
- ['e] for acute accent (or syllabic / metrical stress).
- [a'], [e'], [i'], [o'], [u'] for grave accent (or metrical stress).
- [:a], [:o], [:u] for umlaut.
- [^e] for Greek letter eta.
- [^i] for circumflex accent.
- [^o] for Greek letter omega.
- [gh] for letter "yogh".
- [~n] for n with tilde.
-
-Italic typeface is represented by _underscores_; small caps typeface by
-ALL CAPS.
-
-Notes on the ballads are presented at the end of each ballad. The
-presence of a note is indicated byt a an anchor at the end of the line
-(not in the original text), of the style [Lxx] where xx is the line
-number.
-
-Minor changes to regularise ballad line numbering and indentation have
-been made without comment.
-
-Any other changes to the text are listed at the end of the book.
-
- * * * * *
-
-
-
-
- ENGLISH AND SCOTTISH
- BALLADS.
-
- EDITED BY
- FRANCIS JAMES CHILD.
-
- VOLUME VIII.
-
- BOSTON:
- LITTLE, BROWN AND COMPANY.
- M.DCCC.LX.
-
-Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1858, by LITTLE, BROWN
-AND COMPANY, in the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the District
-of Massachusetts.
-
- RIVERSIDE, CAMBRIDGE:
- STEREOTYPED AND PRINTED BY
- H. O. HOUGHTON AND COMPANY.
-
-
-CONTENTS OF VOLUME EIGHTH.
-
-BOOK VIII.
-
- Page
-
- 1. King John and the Abbot of Canterbury 3
-
- 2. Captain Wedderburn's Courtship 11
-
- 3. Lay the Bent to the Bonny Broom 18
-
- 4. King Edward Fourth and the Tanner of Tamworth 21
-
- 5. The King and the Miller of Mansfield 32
-
- 6. Gernutus, the Jew of Venice 45
-
- 7. The Frolicksome Duke, or, The Tinker's Good Fortune 54
-
- 8 a. The Heir of Linne. [Percy.] 60
-
- 8 b. The Heir of Linne. [Traditional version] 70
-
- 9. The Wandering Jew 76
-
- 10. Proud Lady Margaret 83
-
- 11. Reedisdale and Wise William 87
-
- 12 a. Geordie. [Musical Museum.] 92
-
- 12 b. Geordie. [Kinloch.] 96
-
- 13. The Gaberlunzie Man 98
-
- 14. The Turnament of Totenham 101
-
- 15. The Wyf of Auchtirmuchty 116
-
- 16. The Friar in the Well 122
-
- 17. Get up and bar the Door 125
-
- 18. The Dragon of Wantley 128
-
-
-APPENDIX.
-
- Kempy Kaye. [Sharpe.] 139
-
- Kempy Kaye. [Kinloch.] 141
-
- The Jovial Hunter of Bromsgrove 144
-
- The Bludy Serk 147
-
- The Wanton Wife of Bath 152
-
- The Gentleman in Thracia 158
-
- Sir Richard Whittington's Advancement 165
-
- Catskin's Garland, or, The Wandering young Gentlewoman 172
-
- The Taming of a Shrew 182
-
- Titus Andronicus's Complaint 188
-
- John Dory 194
-
- Sir Eglamore 196
-
- Jephthah, Judge of Israel 198
-
- Samson 201
-
- Queen Dido, or, The Wandering Prince of Troy 207
-
- George Barnwell 213
-
- The Duke of Athol's Nurse. [Buchan.] 228
-
- The Duke of Athol's Nourice. [Kinloch.] 231
-
- The Hireman Chiel 233
-
- Armstrong and Musgrave 243
-
- Fair Margaret of Craignargat 249
-
- Richie Storie 255
-
- The Farmer's Old Wife 257
-
- The Duel of Wharton and Stuart 259
-
- Saddle to Rags 265
-
- The Fause Knight upon the Road 269
-
- Gifts from over Sea 271
-
- The Courteous Knight 272
-
- The Northern Lord and Cruel Jew 277
-
- Gight's Lady 285
-
-
- GLOSSARY 293
-
-
- INDEX 303
-
-
-
-
-BOOK VIII.
-
-
-
-
-KING JOHN AND THE ABBOT OF CANTERBURY.
-
-
-Stories resembling that contained in the following ballad are to be met
-with in the literature of most of the nations of Europe; for example, in
-the _Gesta Romanorum_, (No. XIX. and [XXXV.] of Madden's _Old English
-Versions_,) in the amusing German tale _Der Phaffe Amis_, 98-180, in
-_Eulenspiegel_, (Marbach, p. 28,) and the English _Owlglass_ (31st
-Adventure in the recent edition), in the Grimm's _Kinder-und-Haus-marchen_,
-No. 152, in Sacchetti's _Novels_, No. 4, the _Patra[~n]uelo_ of Juan
-Timoneda, Alcala, 1576 (Ritson, _Anc. Songs_, ii. 183), the _Contes [a']
-rire_, i. 182, (_Gent. Mag._ 65, i. 35,) etc., etc. _King John and the
-Abbot_, says Grundtvig (ii. 650), is universally known in Denmark in the
-form of a prose tale; and a copy is printed in _Gamle danske Minder_
-(1854) No. 111, _The King and the Miller_.
-
-Wynken de Worde, printed in 1511, a little collection of riddles,
-translated from the French, like those propounded by King John to the
-Abbot, with the title _Demaundes Joyous_. By this link the present
-ballad is connected with a curious class of compositions, peculiar to
-the Middle Ages--the Disputations, or Wit-Combats, of which the
-dialogues of Salomon and Marcolf (existing in many languages) are the
-most familiar, and those of Salomon and Saturn (in Anglo-Saxon) the
-oldest preserved specimens. These dialogues, in their earlier shape
-grave contests for superiority in knowledge and wisdom, underwent a
-change about the twelfth century, by which they became essentially
-comic. The serious element, represented by Salomon, was retained after
-this, merely to afford material, or contrast, for the coarse humor of
-Marcolf, whose part it is, under the character of a rude and clownish
-person, "facie deformis et turpissimus," to turn the sententious
-observations of the royal sage into ludicrous parodies.[1]
-
-The hint, and possibly a model, for these disputations may have been
-found in Jewish tradition. We learn from Josephus, (_Antiquities_, Book
-VIII. ch. v.) that Hiram of Tyre and Solomon sent one another
-sophistical puzzles and enigmas to be solved, on condition of forfeiting
-large sums of money in case of failure, and that Solomon's riddles were
-all guessed by Abd[ae]mon of Tyre, or by Abdimus, his son, for authorities
-differ. This account coincides with what we read in _Chronicles_, (Book
-II. ch. ii. 13, 14,) of the man sent by Hiram to Solomon, who, besides a
-universal knowledge of the arts, was skilful "to find out every device
-that might be put to him" by cunning men--that is, apparently, "hard
-questions," such as the Queen of Sheba came to prove Solomon with, (1
-Kings, x. i.) some account of which is given in the _Talmud_.--See, on
-the whole subject, Kemble's masterly essay on _Salomon and Saturn_,
-printed by the [AE]lfric Society: also Gr[:a]sse, _Sagenkreise des
-Mittelalters_, p. 406-471; the Grimms' _Kinder-und-Hausm[:a]rchen_, vol.
-iii. p. 236, ed. 1856; F. W. V. Schmidt, _Taschenbuch deutscher
-Romanzen_, p. 82.
-
-Examples of the riddle-song pure and simple will be found under _Captain
-Wedderburn's Courtship_.
-
-[1] Among those nations who originated and developed the character of
-Marcolf (the German and the French) his fame has declined, but in Italy,
-where the legend was first introduced towards the end of the sixteenth
-century, his shrewd sayings, like the kindred jests of the
-_Eulenspiegel_ in Germany, have an undiminished popularity, and his
-story, both in the form of a chap-book and of a satirical epic, (the
-_Bertoldo_,) is circulated throughout the length and breadth of the
-country, whence it has also been transplanted into Greece.
-
-This ballad is taken from Percy's _Reliques_, ii. 329. The copy in
-Durfey's _Pills to Purge Melancholy_, iv. 29, or _A Collection of Old
-Ballads_, ii. 49, is vastly inferior to the present.
-
-"The common popular ballad of _King John and the Abbot_," says Percy,
-"seems to have been abridged and modernized about the time of James I.,
-from one much older, entitled _King John and the Bishop of Canterbury_.
-The Editor's folio MS. contains a copy of this last, but in too corrupt
-a state to be reprinted; it however afforded many lines worth reviving,
-which will be found inserted in the ensuing stanzas.
-
-"The archness of the following questions and answers hath been much
-admired by our old ballad-makers; for besides the two copies above
-mentioned, there is extant another ballad on the same subject, (but of
-no great antiquity or merit,) entitled _King Olfrey and the Abbot_.
-[_Old Ball._ ii. 55.] Lastly, about the time of the civil wars, when the
-cry ran against the bishops, some puritan worked up the same story into
-a very doleful ditty, to a solemn tune, concerning _King Henry and a
-Bishop_; with this stinging moral:
-
- 'Unlearned men hard matters out can find,
- When learned bishops princes eyes do blind.'
-
-"The following is chiefly printed from an ancient black-letter copy, to
-the tune of _Derry-down_."
-
- An ancient story Ile tell you anon
- Of a notable prince, that was called King John;
- And he ruled England with maine and with might,
- For he did great wrong, and maintein'd little right.
-
- And Ile tell you a story, a story so merrye, 5
- Concerning the Abbott of Canterb[u']rye;
- How for his house-keeping and high renowne,
- They rode poste for him to fair London towne.
-
- An hundred men, the king did heare say,
- The abbot kept in his house every day; 10
- And fifty golde chaynes, without any doubt,
- In velvet coates waited the abbot about.
-
- "How now, father abbot, I heare it of thee,
- Thou keepest a farre better house than mee;
- And for thy house-keeping and high renowne, 15
- I feare thou work'st treason against my crown."
-
- "My liege," quo' the abbot, "I would it were knowne
- I never spend nothing, but what is my owne;
- And I trust your grace will doe me no deere,
- For spending of my owne true-gotten geere." 20
-
- "Yes, yes, father abbot, thy fault it is highe,
- And now for the same thou needest must dye;
- For except thou canst answer me questions three,
- Thy head shall be smitten from thy bod[i']e.
-
- "And first," quo' the king, "when I'm in this stead, 25
- With my crowne of golde so faire on my head,
- Among all my liege-men so noble of birthe,
- Thou must tell me to one penny what I am worthe.
-
- "Secondlye, tell me, without any doubt,
- How soone I may ride the whole world about; 30
- And at the third question thou must not shrink,
- But tell me here truly what I do think."
-
- "O these are hard questions for my shallow witt,
- Nor I cannot answer your grace as yet:
- But if you will give me but three weekes space, 35
- Ile do my endeavour to answer your grace."
-
- "Now three weeks space to thee will I give,
- And that is the longest time thou hast to live;
- For if thou dost not answer my questions three,
- Thy lands and thy livings are forfeit to mee." 40
-
- Away rode the abbot all sad at that word,
- And he rode to Cambridge, and Oxenford;
- But never a doctor there was so wise,
- That could with his learning an answer devise.
-
- Then home rode the abbot of comfort so cold, 45
- And he mett his shepheard a going to fold:
- "How now, my lord abbot, you are welcome home;
- What newes do you bring us from good King John?"
-
- "Sad newes, sad newes, shepheard, I must give,
- That I have but three days more to live; 50
- For if I do not answer him questions three,
- My head will be smitten from my bod[i']i']e.
-
- "The first is to tell him there in that stead,
- With his crowne of golde so fair on his head,
- Among all his liege men so noble of birth, 55
- To within one penny of what he is worth.
-
- "The seconde, to tell him, without any doubt,
- How soone he may ride this whole world about:
- And at the third question I must not shrinke,
- But tell him there truly what he does thinke." 60
-
- "Now cheare up, sire abbot, did you never hear yet,
- That a fool he may learne a wise man witt?
- Lend me horse, and serving men, and your apparel,
- And Ile ride to London to answere your quarrel.
-
- "Nay frowne not, if it hath bin told unto mee, 65
- I am like your lordship, as ever may bee;
- And if you will but lend me your gowne,
- There is none shall knowe us at fair London towne."
-
- "Now horses and serving-men thou shalt have,
- With sumptuous array most gallant and brave, 70
- With crozier, and miter, and rochet, and cope,
- Fit to appear 'fore our fader the pope."
-
- "Now, welcome, sire abbot," the king he did say,
- "Tis well thou'rt come back to keepe thy day:
- For and if thou canst answer my questions three, 75
- Thy life and thy living both saved shall bee.
-
- "And first, when thou seest me here in this stead,
- With my crowne of golde so fair on my head,
- Among all my liege-men so noble of birthe,
- Tell me to one penny what I am worth." 80
-
- "For thirty pence our Saviour was sold
- Among the false Jewes, as I have bin told:
- And twenty-nine is the worth of thee,
- For I thinke thou art one penny worser than hee."
-
- The king he laughed, and swore by St. Bittel,[L85] 85
- "I did not think I had been worth so littel!
- --Now secondly tell me, without any doubt,
- How soone I may ride this whole world about."
-
- "You must rise with the sun, and ride with the same
- Until the next morning he riseth againe; 90
- And then your grace need not make any doubt
- But in twenty-four hours you'll ride it about."
-
- The king he laughed, and swore by St. Jone,
- "I did not think it could be gone so soone!
- --Now from the third question thou must not shrinke, 95
- But tell me here truly what I do thinke."
-
- "Yea, that shall I do, and make your grace merry;
- You thinke I'm the abbot of Canterbury;
- But I'm his poor shepheard, as plain you may see,
- That am come to beg pardon for him and for mee." 100
-
- The king he laughed, and swore by the masse,
- "Ile make thee lord abbot this day in his place!"
- "Now naye, my liege, be not in such speede,
- For alacke I can neither write ne reade."
-
- "Four nobles a week, then I will give thee, 105
- For this merry jest thou hast showne unto mee;
- And tell the old abbot when thou comest home,
- Thou hast brought him a pardon from good King John."
-
-85, Meaning probably St. Botolph.
-
-
-
-
-CAPTAIN WEDDERBURN'S COURTSHIP.
-
-The two following ballads, in connection with the foregoing, will serve
-as specimens of the anciently highly-popular class of riddle songs. No
-ballad, says Motherwell, is even now more frequently met with on the
-stalls than _Captain Wedderburn's Courtship_. It was first published in
-_The New British Songster_, Falkirk, 1785, and afterwards in Jamieson's
-_Popular Ballads_, ii. 154, from which the present copy is taken.
-Chambers gives a few different readings from a copy furnished by Mr.
-Kinloch--_Scottish Ballads_, p. 331.
-
-A fragment of this piece is given in _Minstrelsy of the English Border_,
-p. 230, under the title of _The Laird of Roslin's Daughter_. Riddles
-like those in the following ballads are found in _Proud Lady Margaret_,
-p. 83 of this volume, _The Courteous Knight_, in the Appendix, and _The
-Bonny Hind Squire_, in _Scottish Traditional Versions of Ancient
-Ballads_, p. 42, Percy Society, vol. xvii.--three varieties of one
-original: and in _Gifts from over Sea_, Appendix, p. 290. Also, in
-several of the ancient Norse poems; in the ancient Danish ballad _Svend
-Vonved_, Grundtvig, No. 18; in _Sven Svanehvit, Svenska F. V._, No. 45;
-Hammershaimb's _F[ae]r[:o]iske Kv[ae]der_, ii. No. 4; Landstad's _Norske
-Folkeviser_, p. 369; Erk's _Liederhort_, No. 153; Uhland, No. 1, 2, 3;
-Erlach, iii. 37; _Wunderhorn_, ii. 407; Tschischka and Schottky,
-_Oesterreichische Volksl._ p. 28; Haupt and Schmaler, _Volksl. der
-Wenden_, i. No. 150, ii. No. 74; Talvj, _Volksl. der Serben_, ii. 77;
-Goetze, _Stimmen des russischen Volkes_, p. 163; etc., etc. See
-especially Grundtvig, i. 237, ii. 648, from whom we have borrowed some
-of these references.
-
-"The following copy was furnished from Mr. Herd's MS. by the editor of
-the Border Minstrelsy, and the present writer has supplied a few
-readings of small importance from his own recollection, as it was quite
-familiar to him in his early youth." JAMIESON.
-
- The Lord of Roslin's daughter
- Walk'd thro' the wood her lane,
- And by came Captain Wedderburn,
- A servant to the king.
- He said unto his serving men, 5
- "Were't not against the law,
- I would tak her to my ain bed,
- And lay her neist the wa'."
-
- "I am walking here alone," she says,
- "Amang my father's trees; 10
- And you must let me walk alane,
- Kind sir, now, if you please;
- The supper bell it will be rung,
- And I'll be mist awa';
- Sae I winna lie in your bed, 15
- Either at stock or wa'."
-
- He says, "My pretty lady,
- I pray lend me your hand,
- And you shall hae drums and trumpets
- Always at your command; 20
- And fifty men to guard you with,
- That well their swords can draw;
- Sae we'se baith lie in ae bed,
- And ye'se lie neist the wa'."
-
- "Haud awa frae me," she said, 25
- "And pray lat gae my hand;
- The supper bell it will be rung,
- I can nae langer stand;
- My father he will angry be,
- Gin I be miss'd awa; 30
- Sae I'll nae lie in your bed,
- Either at stock or wa'."
-
- Then said the pretty lady,
- "I pray tell me your name:"
- "My name is Captain Wedderburn, 35
- A servant to the king.
- Tho' thy father and his men were here,
- Of them I'd have nae awe;
- But tak you to my ain bed,
- And lay you neist the wa'." 40
-
- He lighted aff his milk-white steed,
- And set this lady on,
- And held her by the milk-white hand,
- Even as they rade along;
- He held her by the middle jimp, 45
- For fear that she should fa',
- To tak her to his ain bed,
- And lay her neist the wa'.
-
- He took her to his lodging-house;
- His landlady look'd ben; 50
- Says, "Mony a pretty lady
- In Edenbruch I've seen,
- But sic a lovely face as thine
- In it I never saw;
- Gae mak her down a down-bed, 55
- And lay her neist the wa'."
-
- "O haud awa' frae me," she says,
- "I pray ye lat me be;
- I winna gang into your bed,
- Till ye dress me dishes three: 60
- Dishes three ye maun dress to me,
- Gin I should eat them a',
- Afore that I lie in your bed,
- Either at stock or wa'.
-
- "Its ye maun get to my supper 65
- A cherry without a stane;
- And ye maun get to my supper
- A chicken without a bane;
- And ye maun get to my supper
- A bird without a ga'; 70
- Or I winna lie in your bed,
- Either at stock or wa'."
-
- "Its whan the cherry is in the flirry,
- I'm sure it has nae stane;
- And whan the chicken's in the egg, 75
- I'm sure it has nae bane;
- And sin the flood o' Noah,
- The dow she had nae ga';[L78]
- Sae we'll baith lie in ae bed,
- And ye'se lie neist the wa'." 80
-
- "O haud your tongue, young man," she says,
- "Nor that gait me perplex;
- For ye maun tell me questions yet,
- And that is questions six:
- Questions six ye tell to me, 85
- And that is three times twa,
- Afore I lie in your bed,
- Either at stock or wa'.
-
- "What's greener than the greenest grass?
- What hicher than the trees? 90
- What's war nor an ill woman's wish?
- What's deeper than the seas?
- What bird sings first? and whareupon
- The dew doth first down fa'?
- Ye sall tell afore I lay me down 95
- Between you and the wa'."
-
- "Vergris is greener than the grass;
- Heaven's hicher than the trees;
- The deil's warse nor a woman's wish;
- Hell's deeper than the seas; 100
- The cock craws first; on cedar top
- The dew down first doth fa';
- And we'll lie baith in ae bed,
- And ye'se lie neist the wa'."
-
- "O haud your tongue, young man," she says, 105
- "And gi'e your fleechin' o'er,
- Unless you'll find me ferlies,
- And that is ferlies four;
- Ferlies four ye maun find me,
- And that is twa and twa; 110
- Or I'll never lie in your bed,
- Either at stock or wa'.
-
- "And ye maun get to me a plumb
- That in December grew;
- And get to me a silk mantel, 115
- That waft was ne'er ca'd thro';
- A sparrow's horn; a priest unborn,
- This night to join us twa;
- Or I'll nae lie in your bed,
- Either at stock or wa'." 120
-
- "My father he has winter fruit
- That in December grew;
- My mither has an Indian gown,
- That waft was ne'er ca'd thro';
- A sparrow's horn is quickly found; 125
- There's ane on every claw;
- There's ane upon the neb o' him;
- Perhaps there may be twa.
-
- "The priest he's standing at the door,
- Just ready to come in; 130
- Nae man can say that he was born,
- To lie it were a sin;
- A wild bore tore his mither's side,
- He out o' it did fa';
- Then we'll baith lie in ae bed, 135
- And thou's lie neist the wa'."
-
- Little kend Girzy Sinclair
- That morning whan she raise,
- That this wad be the hindermaist
- O' a' her maiden days; 140
- But now there's nae within the realm,
- I think, a blyther twa;
- And they baith lie in ae bed,
- And she lies neist the wa'.
-
-78. The peasants in Scotland say that the dove that was sent out of the
-Ark by Noah flew till she burst her gall, and that no dove since that
-time ever had a gall. J.
-
-
-
-
-LAY THE BENT TO THE BONNY BROOM.
-
-
-From Durfey's _Pills to Purge Melancholy_, iv. 129, with the title _A
-Riddle wittily expounded_. The same in Jamieson's _Popular Ballads_, ii.
-155, and in The Borderer's Table Book, vii. 83. A fragment of this
-ballad, called _The Three Sisters_, is printed in Gilbert's _Ancient
-Christmas Carols_, (2d ed.) p. 65, and has a different burden. It begins
-
- There were three sisters fair and bright,
- _Jennifer gentle and Rosemaree_,
- And they three loved one valiant knight,
- _As the dew flies over the mulberry tree_.
-
- * * * * *
-
- There was a lady in the North-country,
- _Lay the bent to the bonny broom_,
- And she had lovely daughters three,
- _Fa, la la la, fa, la la la ra re_.
-
- There was a knight of noble worth,
- Which also lived at the North.
-
- The knight, of courage stout and brave, 5
- A wife he did desire to have.
-
- He knocked at the lady's gate,
- One evening when it was late.
-
- The eldest sister let him in,[L9]
- And pinn'd the door with a silver pin. 10
-
- The second sister, she made his bed,
- And laid soft pillows under his head.
-
- The youngest [sister] that same night,
- She went to bed to this young knight.
-
- And in the morning when it was day, 15
- These words unto him she did say.
-
- "Now you have had your will," quoth she,
- "I pray, Sir Knight, you marry me."
-
- This young brave knight to her reply'd.
- "Thy suit, fair maid, shall not be deny'd, 20
-
- "If thou canst answer me questions three,
- This very day will I marry thee."
-
- "Kind sir, in love, O then," quoth she,
- "Tell me what your three questions be."
-
- "O what is longer than the way?[L25] 25
- Or what is deeper than the sea?
-
- "Or what is louder than a horn?
- Or what is sharper than a thorn?
-
- "Or what is greener than the grass?
- Or what is worse than a woman was?" 30
-
- "O love is longer than the way,
- And hell is deeper than the sea.
-
- "And thunder's louder than the horn,
- And hunger's sharper than a thorn.
-
- "And poyson's greener than the grass,[L35] 35
- And the devil's worse than the woman was."
-
- When she these questions answered had,
- The knight became exceeding glad.
-
- And having truly try'd her wit,
- He much commended her for it. 40
-
- And after, as 'tis verified,
- He made of her his lovely bride.
-
- So now, fair maidens all, adieu;
- This song I dedicate to you.
-
- I wish that you may constant prove 45
- Unto the man that you do love.
-
-9. youngest.
-
-25. i.e. the milky way.
-
-35. "_Vergris_ is greener than the grass." _C. W.'s Courtship_, v. 97.
-
-
-
-
-KING EDWARD FOURTH AND THE TANNER OF TAMWORTH.
-
-
-The next two ballads belong to a class of tales extremely numerous in
-England, in which the sovereign is represented as conversing on terms of
-good fellowship with one of his humbler subjects who is unacquainted
-with the royal person. In several of the best of these stories, the
-monarch is benighted in the forest, and obliged to demand hospitality of
-the first man he meets. He is at first viewed with suspicion and treated
-with rudeness, but soon wins favor by his affability and good humor, and
-is invited to partake of a liberal supper, composed in part of his own
-venison. In due time the king reveals his true character to his
-astonished and mortified host, who looks to be punished alike for his
-familiarity and for deer-stealing, but is pardoned for both, and even
-handsomely rewarded for his entertainment.
-
-The earliest of these stories seems to be that of King Alfred and the
-Neatherd, in which the herdsman's wife plays the offending part, and the
-peasant himself is made Bishop of Winchester. Others of very
-considerable antiquity are the tales of Henry II. and the Cistercian
-Abbot in the _Speculum Ecclesi[ae]_ of Giraldus Cambrensis, (an. 1220,)
-printed in _Reliqui[ae] Antiqu[ae]_, i. 147; _King Edward and the
-Shepherd_, and _The King_ [Edward] _and the Hermit_, in Hartshorne's
-_Metrical Tales_, (p. 35, p. 293, the latter previously in _The British
-Bibliographer_, iv. 81;) _Rauf Coilzear, how he harbreit King Charlis_,
-in Laing's _Select Remains; John the Reeve_, an unprinted piece in the
-Percy MS., founded on an adventure between King Edward I. and one of his
-bailiffs, which is highly commended by Dr. Percy "for its genuine humor,
-diverting incidents, and faithful picture of rustic manners;" and _The
-King and the Barker_, the original of the present ballad. (See also the
-seventh and eighth fits of the _Little Gest of Robin Hood_.) More recent
-specimens are the two pieces here given, and others mentioned by Percy:
-_King Henry and the Soldier_, _King Henry VIII. and the Cobbler_, _King
-James I. and the Tinker_, _King William and the Forester, &c._ It is
-obvious that a legend of immemorial antiquity has been transferred by
-successive minstrels or story-tellers to the reigning monarch of their
-own times. An anecdote of the same character is related by Mr. Wright of
-Prince George of Denmark, and a poor artisan of Bristol, (_Essays_, ii.
-172.)
-
-The meeting of King Richard with Friar Tuck in Ivanhoe, was suggested by
-the tale of _King Edward and the Hermit_. "The general tone of the
-story," says Scott, "belongs to all ranks and to all countries, which
-emulate each other in describing the rambles of a disguised sovereign,
-who, going in search of information or amusement into the lower ranks of
-life, meets with adventures diverting to the reader or hearer, from the
-contrast betwixt the monarch's outward appearance and his real
-character. The Eastern tale-teller has for his theme the disguised
-expeditions of Haroun Alraschid, with his faithful attendants Mesrour
-and Giafar, through the midnight streets of Bagdad, and Scottish
-tradition dwells upon the similar exploits of James V., distinguished
-during such excursions by the travelling name of the Goodman of
-Ballengeigh, as the Commander of the Faithful, when he desired to be
-_incognito_, was known by that of Il Bondocani."
-
-_The King and the Barker_ is printed in Ritson's _Anc. Pop. Poetry_, p.
-61; the modern ballad of _King Alfred and the Shepherd_, in _Old
-Ballads_, i. 41; _King James and the Tinkler_, in Richardson's
-_Borderer's Table Book_, vii. 8, and in the Percy Soc. Publications,
-vol. xvii., _Ancient Poems, &c._ p. 109.
-
-"The following text is selected (with such other corrections as
-occurred) from two copies in black letter. The one in the Bodleian
-library, entitled _A merrie, pleasant, and delectable historie betweene
-King Edward the Fourth, and a Tanner of Tamworth, &c._, printed at
-London by John Danter, 1596. This copy, ancient as it now is, appears to
-have been modernized and altered at the time it was published; and many
-vestiges of the more ancient readings were recovered from another copy
-(though more recently printed) in one sheet folio, without date, in the
-Pepys collection." PERCY'S _Reliques_, ii. 87.
-
-The old copies, according to Ritson, contain a great many stanzas which
-Percy "has not injudiciously suppressed." _King_ Henry _the Fourth and
-the Tanner of Tamworth_ stands in the _Registers of the Stationers'
-Company_, as licensed in 1564-5. The Tanner of Tamworth is introduced
-into the First Part of Heywood's play of _Edward the Fourth_.
-
- In summer time, when leaves grow greene,
- And blossoms bedecke the tree,
- King Edward wolde a hunting ryde,
- Some pastime for to see.
-
- With hawke and hounde he made him bowne, 5
- With horne, and eke with bowe;
- To Drayton Basset he tooke his waye,
- With all his lordes a rowe.
-
- And he had ridden ore dale and downe
- By eight of clocke in the day, 10
- When he was ware of a bold tann[e']r,
- Come ryding along the waye.
-
- A fayre russet coat the tanner had on,
- Fast buttoned under his chin,
- And under him a good cow-hide, 15
- And a mare of four shilling.[L16]
-
- "Nowe stande you still, my good lordes all,
- Under the grene wood spraye;
- And I will wend to yonder fellowe,
- To weet what he will saye. 20
-
- "God speede, God speede thee," sayd our king,
- "Thou art welcome, sir," sayd hee;
- "The readyest waye to Drayton Basset
- I praye thee to shewe to mee."
-
- "To Drayton Basset woldst thou goe 25
- Fro the place where thou dost stand,
- The next payre of gallowes thou comest unto,
- Turne in upon thy right hand."
-
- "That is an unreadye waye," sayd our king,
- "Thou doest but jest I see; 30
- Nowe shewe me out the nearest waye,
- And I pray thee wend with mee."
-
- "Awaye with a vengeance!" quoth the tanner:
- "I hold thee out of thy witt:
- All daye have I rydden on Brocke my mare, 35
- And I am fasting yett."
-
- "Go with me downe to Drayton Basset,
- No daynties we will spare;
- All daye shalt thou eate and drinke of the best,
- And I will paye thy fare." 40
-
- "Gramercye for nothing," the tanner replyde,
- "Thou payest no fare of mine:
- I trowe I've more nobles in my purse,
- Than thou hast pence in thine."
-
- "God give thee joy of them," sayd the king, 45
- "And send them well to priefe;"
- The tanner wolde faine have beene away,
- For he weende he had beene a thiefe.
-
- "What art thou," hee sayde, "thou fine fell[o']we?
- Of thee I am in great feare; 50
- For the cloathes thou wearest upon thy backe
- Might beseeme a lord to weare."
-
- "I never stole them," quoth our king,
- "I tell you, sir, by the roode;"
- "Then thou playest, as many an unthrift doth, 55
- And standest in midds of thy goode."[L56]
-
- "What tydinges heare you," sayd the kynge,
- "As you ryde farre and neare?"
- "I heare no tydinges, sir, by the masse,
- But that cowe-hides are deare." 60
-
- "Cowe-hides! cowe-hides! what things are those?
- I marvell what they bee?"
- "What, art thou a foole?" the tanner reply'd;
- "I carry one under mee."
-
- "What craftsman art thou?" sayd the king; 65
- "I praye thee tell me trowe:"
- "l am a barker, sir, by my trade;
- Nowe tell me what art thou?"
-
- "I am a poore courtier, sir," quoth he,
- "That am forth of service worne; 70
- And faine I wolde thy prentise bee,
- Thy cunninge for to learne."
-
- "Marrye heaven forfend," the tanner replyde,
- "That thou my prentise were;
- Thou woldst spend more good than I shold winne
- By fortye shilling a yere." 76
-
- "Yet one thinge wolde I," sayd our king,
- "If thou wilt not seeme strange;
- Thoughe my horse be better than thy mare,
- Yet with thee I faine wold change." 80
-
- "Why if with me thou faine wilt change,
- As change full well maye wee,
- By the faith of my bodye, thou proude fell[o']we,
- I will have some boot of thee."
-
- "That were against reason," sayd the king, 85
- "I sweare, so mote I thee;
- My horse is better than thy mare,
- And that thou well mayst see."
-
- "Yea, sir, but Brocke is gentle and mild,
- And softly she will fare; 90
- Thy horse is unrulye and wild, i-wiss,
- Aye skipping here and theare."
-
- "What boote wilt thou have?" our king reply'd;
- "Now tell me in this stound;"
- "Noe pence, nor half-pence, by my faye, 95
- But a noble in gold so round."
-
- "Here's twentye groates of white money[e'],
- Sith thou wilt have it of mee;"
- "I would have sworne now," quoth the tanner,
- "Thou hadst not had one penni[e']. 100
-
- "But since we two have made a change,
- A change we must abide;
- Although thou hast gotten Brocke my mare,
- Thou gettest not my cowe-hide."
-
- "I will not have it," sayd the kynge, 105
- "I sweare, so mought I thee;
- Thy foule cowe-hide I wolde not beare,
- If thou woldst give it to mee."
-
- The tanner hee tooke his good cowe-hide,
- That of the cow was hilt, 110
- And threwe it upon the king's sad[e']lle,
- That was soe fayrelye gilte.
-
- "Now help me up, thou fine fell[o']we,
- 'Tis time that I were gone;
- When I come home to Gyllian my wife, 115
- Sheel say I am a gentilmon."
-
- The king he tooke him up by the legge,
- The tanner a f** lett fall;
- "Nowe marrye, good fellowe," sayd the kyng,
- "Thy courtesye is but small." 120
-
- When the tanner he was in the kinges sad[e']lle,
- And his foote in his stirrup was,
- He marvelled greatlye in his minde,
- Whether it were golde or brass.
-
- But when his steede saw the cows taile wagge, 125
- And eke the blacke cowe-horne,
- He stamped, and stared, and awaye he ranne,
- As the devill had him borne.
-
- The tanner he pulld, the tanner he sweat,
- And held by the pummil fast; 130
- At length the tanner came tumbling downe,
- His necke he had well-nye brast.
-
- "Take thy horse again with a vengeance," he sayd,
- "With mee he shall not byde;"
- "My horse wolde have borne thee well enoughe, 135
- But he knewe not of thy cowe-hide.
-
- "Yet if againe thou faine woldst change,
- As change full well may wee,
- By the faith of my bodye, thou jolly tann[e']r,
- I will have some boote of thee." 140
-
- "What boote wilt thou have?" the tanner replyd,
- "Nowe tell me in this stounde;
- "Noe pence nor half-pence, sir, by my faye,
- But I will have twentye pound."
-
- "Here's twentye groates out of my purse, 145
- And twentye I have of thine;
- And I have one more, which we will spend
- Together at the wine."
-
- The king set a bugle horne to his mouthe,
- And blewe both loude and shrille; 150
- And soone came lords, and soone came knights,
- Fast ryding over the hille.
-
- "Nowe, out alas," the tanner he cryde,
- "That ever I sawe this daye!
- Thou art a strong thiefe; yon come thy fellowes 155
- Will beare my cowe-hide away."
-
- "They are no thieves," the king replyde,
- "I sweare, soe mote I thee;
- But they are lords of the north country,
- Here come to hunt with mee." 160
-
- And soone before our king they came,
- And knelt downe on the grounde;
- Then might the tanner have beene awaye,
- He had lever than twentye pounde.
-
- "A coller, a coller, here," sayd the king, 165
- "A coller," he loud gan crye;
- Then woulde he lever then twentye pound,
- He had not beene so nighe.
-
- "A coller! a coller!" the tanner he sayd,
- "I trowe it will breed sorrowe; 170
- After a coller commeth a halter;
- I trow I shall be hang'd to-morrowe."
-
- "Be not afraid, tanner," said our king;
- "I tell thee, so mought I thee,
- Lo here I make thee the best esquire 175
- That is in the North countrie.[L176]
-
- "For Plumpton-parke I will give thee,
- With tenements faire beside,--
- 'Tis worth three hundred markes by the yeare,--
- To maintaine thy good cow-hide." 180
-
- "Gramercye, my liege," the tanner replyde;
- "For the favour thou hast me showne,
- If ever thou comest to merry Tamw[o']rth,
- Neates leather shall clout thy shoen."
-
-16. In the reign of Edward IV. Dame Cecill, lady of Torboke, in her will
-dated March 7, A.D. 1466, among many other bequests, has this: "Also I
-will that my sonne Thomas of Torboke have 13_s._ 4_d._ to buy him an
-horse." Vide Harleian Catalogue, 2176, 27.--Now if 13_s._ 4_d._ would
-purchase a steed fit for a person of quality, a tanner's horse might
-reasonably be valued at four or five shillings.--PERCY.
-
-56. i. e. hast no other wealth, but what thou carriest about
-thee.--PERCY.
-
-176. This stanza is restored from a quotation of this ballad in Selden's
-_Titles of Honour_, who produces it as a good authority to prove, that
-one mode of creating Esquires at that time, was by the imposition of a
-collar. His words are, "Nor is that old pamphlet of the Tanner of
-Tamworth and King Edward the Fourth so contemptible, but that wee may
-thence note also an observable passage, wherein the use of making
-Esquires, by giving collars, is expressed." (Sub. Tit. Esquire; & vide
-in Spelmanni _Glossar. Armiger._) This form of creating Esquires
-actually exists at this day among the Sergeants at Arms, who are
-invested with a collar (which they wear on Collar Days) by the King
-himself.
-
-This information I owe to Samuel Pegge, Esq., to whom the public is
-indebted for that curious work, the _Curialia_, 4to.--PERCY.
-
-
-
-
-THE KING AND MILLER OF MANSFIELD.
-
-
-"The following is printed, with corrections from the Editor's folio MS.
-collated with an old black-letter copy in the Pepys collection, entitled
-_A pleasant ballad of King Henry II. and the Miller of Mansfield,
-&c._"--PERCY's _Reliques_, iii. 22.
-
-Other copies, slightly different, in _A Collection of Old Ballads_, i.
-53, and Ritson's _Ancient Songs_, ii. 173.
-
-
-PART THE FIRST.
-
- Henry, our royall king, would ride a hunting
- To the greene forest so pleasant and faire;
- To see the harts skipping, and dainty does tripping,
- Unto merry Sherwood his nobles repaire:
- Hawke and hound were unbound, all things prepar'd 5
- For the game, in the same, with good regard.
-
- All a long summers day rode the king pleasantlye,
- With all his princes and nobles eche one;
- Chasing the hart and hind, and the bucke gallantlye,
- Till the dark evening forc'd all to turne home. 10
- Then at last, riding fast, he had lost quite
- All his lords in the wood, late in the night.
-
- Wandering thus wearilye, all alone, up and downe,
- With a rude miller he mett at the last;
- Asking the ready way unto faire Nottingham, 15
- "Sir," quoth the miller, "I meane not to jest,
- Yet I thinke, what I thinke, sooth for to say;
- You doe not lightlye ride out of your way."
-
- "Why, what dost thou think of me," quoth our king merrily,
- "Passing thy judgment upon me so briefe?" 20
- "Good faith," sayd the miller, "I mean not to flatter thee,
- I guess thee to bee but some gentleman thiefe;
- Stand thee backe, in the darke; light not adowne,
- Lest that I presentlye crack thy knaves crowne."
-
- "Thou dost abuse me much," quoth the king, "saying thus; 25
- I am a gentleman; lodging I lacke."
- "Thou hast not," quoth th' miller, "one groat in thy purse;
- All thy inheritance hanges on thy backe."
- "I have gold to discharge all that I call;
- If it be forty pence, I will pay all." 30
-
- "If thou beest a true man," then quoth the miller,
- "I sweare by my toll-dish, I'll lodge thee all night."
- "Here's my hand," quoth the king; "that was I ever."
- "Nay, soft," quoth the miller, "thou may'st be a sprite.
- Better I'll know thee, ere hands we will shake; 35
- With none but honest men hands will I take."
-
- Thus they went all along unto the millers house,
- Where they were seething of puddings and souse;
- The miller first enter'd in, after him went the king;
- Never came hee in soe smoakye a house. 40
- "Now," quoth hee, "let me see here what you are:"
- Quoth the king, "Looke your fill, and doe not spare."
-
- "I like well thy countenance, thou hast an honest face:
- With my son Richard this night thou shalt lye."
- Quoth his wife, "By my troth, it is a handsome youth, 45
- Yet it's best, husband, to deal warilye.
- Art thou no run-away, prythee, youth, tell?
- Shew me thy passport, and all shal be well."
-
- Then our king presentlye, making lowe courtesye,
- With his hatt in his hand, thus he did say; 50
- "I have no passport, nor never was servitor,
- But a poor courtyer, rode out of my way:
- And for your kindness here offered to mee,
- I will requite you in everye degree."
-
- Then to the miller his wife whisper'd secretlye, 55
- Saying, "It seemeth, this youth's of good kin,
- Both by his apparel, and eke by his manners;
- To turne him out, certainlye were a great sin."
- "Yea," quoth hee, "you may see he hath some grace,
- When he doth speake to his betters in place." 60
-
- "Well," quo' the millers wife, "young man, ye're welcome here;
- And, though I say it, well lodged shall be:
- Fresh straw will I have laid on thy bed so brave,
- And good brown hempen sheets likewise," quoth shee.
- "Aye," quoth the good man; "and when that is done, 65
- Thou shalt lye with no worse than our own sonne."
-
- "Nay, first," quoth Richard, "good-fellowe, tell me true,
- Hast thou noe creepers within thy gay hose?
- Or art thou not troubled with the scabbado?"
- "I pray," quoth the king, "what creatures are those?" 70
- "Art thou not lowsy nor scabby?" quoth he:
- "If thou beest, surely thou lyest not with mee."
-
- This caus'd the king, suddenlye, to laugh most heartilye,
- Till the teares trickled fast downe from his eyes.
- Then to their supper were they set orderlye, 75
- With hot bag-puddings, and good apple-pyes;
- Nappy ale, good and stale, in a browne bowle,
- Which did about the board merrilye trowle.
-
- "Here," quoth the miller, "good fellowe, I drinke to thee,
- And to all courtnalls that courteous be." 80
- "I pledge thee," quoth our king, "and thanke thee heartilye
- For my good welcome in everye degree:
- And here, in like manner, I drinke to thy sonne."
- "Do then," quoth Richard, "and quicke let it come."
-
- "Wife," quoth the miller, "fetch me forth lightfoote, 85
- And of his sweetnesse a little we'll taste."
- A fair ven'son pastye brought she out presentlye,
- "Eate," quoth the miller, "but, sir, make no waste.
- Here's dainty lightfoote!" "In faith," sayd the king,
- "I never before eat so daintye a thing." 90
-
- "I-wis," quoth Richard, "no daintye at all it is,
- For we doe eate of it everye day."
- "In what place," sayd our king, "may be bought like to this?"
- "We never pay pennye for itt, by my fay:
- From merry Sherwood we fetch it home here; 95
- Now and then we make bold with our kings deer."
-
- "Then I thinke," sayd our king, "that it is venison."
- "Eche foole," quoth Richard, "full well may know that:
- Never are wee without two or three in the roof,
- Very well fleshed, and excellent fat: 100
- But, prythee, say nothing wherever thou goe;
- We would not, for two pence, the king should it knowe."
-
- "Doubt not," then sayd the king, "my promist secresye;
- The king shall never know more on't for mee:"
- A cupp of lambs-wool they dranke unto him then, 105
- And to their bedds they past presentlie.
- The nobles, next morning, went all up and down,
- For to seeke out the king in everye towne.
-
- At last, at the millers 'cott,' soone they espy'd him out,
- As he was mounting upon his faire steede; 110
- To whom they came presently, falling down on their knee;
- Which made the millers heart wofully bleede;
- Shaking and quaking, before him he stood,
- Thinking he should have been hang'd, by the rood.
-
- The king perceiving him fearfully trembling, 115
- Drew forth his sword, but nothing he sed:
- The miller downe did fall, crying before them all,
- Doubting the king would have cut off his head.
- But he his kind courtesye for to requite,
- Gave him great living, and dubb'd him a knight. 120
-
-
-PART THE SECONDE.
-
- When as our royall king came home from Nottingham,
- And with his nobles at Westminster lay,
- Recounting the sports and pastimes they had taken,
- In this late progress along on the way,
- Of them all, great and small, he did protest, 5
- The miller of Mansfields sport liked him best.
-
- "And now, my lords," quoth the king, "I am determined
- Against St. Georges next sumptuous feast,
- That this old miller, our new confirm'd knight,
- With his son Richard, shall here be my guest: 10
- For, in this merryment, 'tis my desire
- To talke with the jolly knight, and the young squire."
-
- When as the noble lords saw the kinges pleasantness,
- They were right joyfull and glad in their hearts:
- A pursuivant there was sent straighte on the business, 15
- The which had often-times been in those parts.
- When he came to the place where they did dwell,
- His message orderlye then 'gan he tell.
-
- "God save your worshippe," then said the messenger,
- "And grant your ladye her own hearts desire; 20
- And to your sonne Richard good fortune and happiness,
- That sweet, gentle, and gallant young squire.
- Our king greets you well, and thus he doth say,
- You must come to the court on St. George's day.
-
- "Therefore, in any case, faile not to be in place." 25
- "I-wis," quoth the miller, "this is an odd jest:
- What should we doe there? faith, I am halfe afraid."
- "I doubt," quoth Richard, "to be hang'd at the least."
- "Nay," quoth the messenger, "you doe mistake;
- Our king he provides a great feast for your sake." 30
-
- Then sayd the miller, "By my troth, messenger,
- Thou hast contented my worshippe full well:
- Hold, here are three farthings, to quite thy gentleness,
- For these happy tydings which thou dost tell.
- Let me see, hear thou mee; tell to our king, 35
- We'll wayt on his mastershipp in everye thing."
-
- The pursuivant smiled at their simplicitye,
- And making many leggs, tooke their reward,
- And his leave taking with great humilitye,
- To the kings court againe he repair'd; 40
- Shewing unto his grace, merry and free,
- The knightes most liberall gift and bountie.
-
- When he was gone away, thus gan the miller say:
- "Here come expences and charges indeed;
- Now must we needs be brave, tho' we spend all we have, 45
- For of new garments we have great need.
- Of horses and serving-men we must have store,
- With bridles and saddles, and twentye things more."
-
- "Tushe, Sir John," quoth his wife, "why should you frett or frowne?
- You shall ne'er be att no charges for mee; 50
- For I will turne and trim up my old russet gowne,
- With everye thing else as fine as may bee;
- And on our mill-horses swift we will ride,
- With pillowes and pannells, as we shall provide."
-
- In this most statelye sort, rode they unto the court; 55
- Their jolly sonne Richard rode foremost of all,
- Who set up, for good hap, a cocks feather in his cap,[L57]
- And so they jetted downe to the kings hall;
- The merry old miller with hands on his side;
- His wife like maid Marian did mince at that tide.[L60] 60
-
- The king and his nobles, that heard of their coming,
- Meeting this gallant knight with his brave traine,
- "Welcome, sir knight," quoth he, "with your gay lady;
- Good Sir John Cockle, once welcome againe;
- And so is the squire of courage soe free." 65
- Quoth Dicke, "A bots on you! do you know mee?"
-
- Quoth our king gentlye, "How should I forget thee?
- That wast my owne bed-fellowe, well it I wot."
- "Yea, sir," quoth Richard, "and by the same token,
- Thou with thy farting didst make the bed hot." 70
- "Thou whore-son unhappy knave," then quoth the knight,
- "Speake cleanly to our king, or else go sh***."
-
- The king and his courtiers laugh at this heartily,
- While the king taketh them both by the hand;
- With the court-dames and maids, like to the queen of spades, 75
- The millers wife did soe orderly stand,
- A milk-maids courtesye at every word;
- And downe all the folkes were set to the board.
-
- There the king royally, in princelye majestye,
- Sate at his dinner with joy and delight; 80
- When they had eaten well, then he to jesting fell,
- And in a bowle of wine dranke to the knight:
- "Here's to you both, in wine, ale, and beer;
- Thanking you heartilye for my good cheer."
-
- Quoth Sir John Cockle, "I'll pledge you a pottle, 85
- Were it the best ale in Nottinghamshire:"
- But then said our king, "Now I think of a thing;
- Some of your lightfoote I would we had here."
- "Ho! ho!" quoth Richard, "full well I may say it
- 'Tis knavery to eate it, and then to betray it." 90
-
- "Why art thou angry?" quoth our king merrilye;
- "In faith, I take it now very unkind:
- I thought thou wouldst pledge me in ale and wine heartily."
- Quoth Dicke, "You are like to stay till I have din'd:
- You feed us with twatling dishes soe small; 95
- Zounds, a blacke-pudding is better than all."
-
- "Aye, marry," quoth our king, "that were a daintye thing,
- Could a man get but one here for to eate:"
- With that Dicke straite arose, and pluckt one from his hose,
- Which with heat of his breech gan to sweate.
- The king made a proffer to snatch it away:-- 100
- "'Tis meat for your master: good sir, you must stay."
-
- Thus in great merriment was the time wholly spent,
- And then the ladyes prepared to dance:
- Old Sir John Cockle, and Richard, incontinent 105
- Unto their places the king did advance.
- Here with the ladyes such sport they did make,
- The nobles with laughing did make their sides ake.
-
- Many thankes for their paines did the king give them,
- Asking young Richard then, if he would wed; 110
- "Among these ladyes free, tell me which liketh thee?"
- Quoth he, "Jugg Grumball, Sir, with the red head,
- She's my love, she's my life, her will I wed;
- She hath sworn I shall have her maidenhead."
-
- Then Sir John Cockle the king call'd unto him, 115
- And of merry Sherwood made him o'erseer,
- And gave him out of hand three hundred pound yearlye:
- "Take heed now you steele no more of my deer;
- And once a quarter let's here have your view;
- And now, Sir John Cockle, I bid you adieu." 120
-
-57. for good hap: i. e. for good luck; they were going on a hazardous
-expedition. P.
-
-60. Maid Marian in the Morris dance, was represented by a man in woman's
-clothes, who was to take short steps in order to sustain the female
-character. P.
-
-
-
-
-GERNUTUS THE JEW OF VENICE.
-
-Percy's _Reliques_, i. 224.
-
-
-In Douce's _Illustrations of Shakespeare_, (i. 278,) and Malone's
-_Shakespeare_, (v. 3, 154, ed. 1821,) we are referred to a great many
-stories resembling that of the present ballad. Two or three of these are
-found in the Persian, and there can be no doubt that the original tale
-is of eastern invention. The oldest European forms of the story are in
-the _Gesta Romanorum_, (Wright's _Latin Stories_, Percy Soc. viii. 114,
-Madden's _Old English Versions_, p. 130,) the French romance of
-_Dolopathos_ (v. 7096, _et seq._), and the _Pecorone_ of Ser Giovanni
-Fiorentino, written in 1378, but not printed till 1558.
-
-Shakespeare's _Merchant of Venice_ is known to have been played before
-1598, and there is some reason to believe that it was produced as early
-as 1594. The resemblance in many particulars between the play and the
-narrative in the _Pecorone_ is conclusive to the fact that Shakespeare
-was acquainted with the Italian novel, directly or by a translation. In
-Gosson's _School of Abuse_, (1579,) mention is made of a play called
-_The Jew_, in which was represented "the greediness of worldly choosers,
-and bloody minds of usurers." It is possible that Shakespeare may have
-made use of the incidents of this forgotten piece in the construction of
-his plot, but as our knowledge of the older play amounts literally to
-the description of it given by Gosson, nothing positive is to be said on
-that point. Silvayn's _Orator_, translated from the French by Anthony
-Munday in 1596, affords the earliest discovered _printed_ notice, in
-English, of the bond and forfeiture, in a "Declamation, Of a Jew, who
-would for his debt have a pound of flesh of a Christian;" and a striking
-coincidence between the Jew's plea for the execution of the contract,
-and the reasoning of Shylock before the Senate, may be regarded by some
-as of weight sufficient to offset the evidence presented to show that
-the _Merchant of Venice_ was on the stage in 1594.
-
-No dated copy of the ballad of _Gernutus_ is known. It is on the whole
-more likely that the ballad is older than Shakespeare's comedy, but it
-_may_ have been called forth by the popularity of that very piece. To
-judge by the first stanza alone, the writer had derived his materials
-from an Italian novel.
-
-We give in the Appendix another ballad, presenting considerable
-diversity in the incidents, which we presume to be the one mentioned by
-Douce under the title of _The Cruel Jews Garland_.
-
-In 1664, we are informed by Mr. Collier, Thomas Jordan made a ballad out
-of the story of the Merchant of Venice, in his _Royal Arbor of Loyal
-Poesie_, taking some liberties with the original plot.
-
-The following was printed from an ancient black-letter copy in the Pepys
-collection, (compared with the Ashmole copy,) entitled,
-
- "A new Song, shewing the crueltie of 'Gernutus, a Jewe,' who, lending
- to a merchant an hundred crowns, would have a pound of his fleshe,
- because he could not pay him at the time appointed. To the tune of
- _Black and Yellow_."
-
-
-THE FIRST PART.
-
- In Venice towne not long agoe
- A cruel Jew did dwell,
- Which lived all on usurie,
- As Italian writers tell.
-
- Gernutus called was the Jew, 5
- Which never thought to dye,
- Nor ever yet did any good
- To them in streets that lie.
-
- His life was like a barrow hogge,
- That liveth many a day, 10
- Yet never once doth any good,
- Until men will him slay.
-
- Or like a filthy heap of dung,
- That lyeth in a whoard;
- Which never can do any good, 15
- Till it be spread abroad.
-
- So fares it with the usurer,
- He cannot sleep in rest
- For feare the thiefe will him pursue,
- To plucke him from his nest. 20
-
- His heart doth thinke on many a wile
- How to deceive the poore;
- His mouth is almost ful of mucke,
- Yet still he gapes for more.
-
- His wife must lend a shilling, 25
- For every weeke a penny;
- Yet bring a pledge that is double worth,
- If that you will have any.
-
- And see, likewise, you keepe your day,
- Or else you loose it all: 30
- This was the living of the wife,
- Her cow she did it call.
-
- Within that citie dwelt that time
- A marchant of great fame,
- Which being distressed in his need, 35
- Unto Gernutus came:
-
- Desiring him to stand his friend
- For twelvemonth and a day;
- To lend to him an hundred crownes;
- And he for it would pay 40
-
- Whatsoever he would demand of him,
- And pledges he should have:
- "No," quoth the Jew, with flearing lookes,
- "Sir, aske what you will have.
-
- "No penny for the loane of it 45
- For one year you shall pay;
- You may doe me as good a turne,
- Before my dying day.
-
- "But we will have a merry jeast,
- For to be talked long: 50
- You shall make me a bond," quoth he,
- "That shall be large and strong.
-
- "And this shall be the forfeyture,--
- Of your owne fleshe a pound:
- If you agree, make you the bond, 55
- And here is a hundred crownes."
-
- "With right good will," the marchant he says,
- And so the bond was made.
- When twelve month and a day drew on,
- That backe it should be payd, 60
-
- The marchants ships were all at sea,
- And money came not in;
- Which way to take, or what to doe,
- To thinke he doth begin.
-
- And to Gernutus strait he comes, 65
- With cap and bended knee;
- And sayde to him, "Of curtesie,
- I pray you beare with mee.
-
- "My day is come, and I have not
- The money for to pay; 70
- And little good the forfeyture
- Will doe you, I dare say."
-
- "With all my heart," Gernutus sayd,
- "Commaund it to your minde:
- In thinges of bigger waight then this 75
- You shall me ready finde."
-
- He goes his way; the day once past,
- Gernutus doth not slacke
- To get a sergiant presently,
- And clapt him on the backe. 80
-
- And layd him into prison strong,
- And sued his bond withall;
- And when the judgement day was come,
- For judgement he did call.
-
- The marchants friends came thither fast, 85
- With many a weeping eye,
- For other means they could not find,
- But he that day must dye.
-
-
-THE SECOND PART.
-
- Of the Jews crueltie; setting foorth the mercifulnesse of the Judge
- towards the Marchant. To the tune of _Black and Yellow_.
-
- Some offered for his hundred crownes
- Five hundred for to pay;
- And some a thousand, two or three,
- Yet still he did denay.
-
- And at the last ten thousand crownes 5
- They offered, him to save:
- Gernutus sayd, "I will no gold,
- My forfeite I will have.
-
- "A pound of fleshe is my demand,
- And that shall be my hire." 10
- Then sayd the judge, "Yet, good my friend,
- Let me of you desire
-
- "To take the fleshe from such a place,
- As yet you let him live:
- Do so, and lo! an hundred crownes 15
- To thee here will I give."
-
- "No, no," quoth he, "no, judgement here;
- For this it shall be tride;
- For I will have my pound of fleshe
- From under his right side." 20
-
- It grieved all the companie
- His crueltie to see,
- For neither friend nor foe could helpe
- But he must spoyled bee.
-
- The bloudie Jew now ready is 25
- With whetted blade in hand,
- To spoyle the bloud of innocent,
- By forfeit of his bond.
-
- And as he was about to strike
- In him the deadly blow, 30
- "Stay," quoth the judge, "thy crueltie;
- I charge thee to do so.
-
- "Sith needs thou wilt thy forfeit have,
- Which is of flesh a pound,
- See that thou shed no drop of bloud, 35
- Nor yet the man confound.
-
- "For if thou doe, like murderer
- Thou here shalt hanged be:
- Likewise of flesh see that thou cut
- No more than longes to thee. 40
-
- "For if thou take either more or lesse,
- To the value of a mite,
- Thou shalt be hanged presently,
- As is both law and right."
-
- Gernutus now waxt franticke mad, 45
- And wotes not what to say;
- Quoth he at last, "Ten thousand crownes
- I will that he shall pay;
-
- "And so I graunt to set him free."
- The judge doth answere make; 50
- "You shall not have a penny given;
- Your forfeyture now take."
-
- At the last he doth demaund
- But for to have his owne:
- "No," quoth the judge, "doe as you list, 55
- Thy judgement shall be showne.
-
- "Either take your pound of flesh," quoth he,
- "Or cancell me your bond:"
- "O cruell judge," then quoth the Jew,
- "That doth against me stand!" 60
-
- And so with griping grieved mind[L61]
- He biddeth them fare-well:
- Then all the people prays'd the Lord,
- That ever this heard tell.
-
- Good people, that doe heare this song, 65
- For trueth I dare well say,
- That many a wretch as ill as hee
- Doth live now at this day;
-
- That seeketh nothing but the spoyle
- Of many a wealthy man, 70
- And for to trap the innocent
- Deviseth what they can.
-
- From whome the Lord deliver me,
- And every Christian too,
- And send to them like sentence eke 75
- That meaneth so to do.
-
-61. griped, Ashmole copy.
-
-
-
-
-THE FROLICKSOME DUKE; OR THE TINKER'S GOOD FORTUNE.
-
- Percy's _Reliques_, i. 255.
-
-
-The story of this ballad, like that of the preceding, was probably
-derived from the east. It is the same as the tale of _The Sleeper
-Awakened_ in the _Arabian Nights_, and a like incident is found also in
-the tale of _Xailoun_ in the _Continuation of the Arabian Nights_.
-Interpolations from European sources are said to have been made by the
-translators both of the _Arabian Nights_ and of the _Continuation_, and
-it has been suggested that _The Sleeper Awakened_ is one of these.
-(_Gent. Mag._ 64, I. 527.) It is even true that this story does not
-occur in the manuscript used by Galland. It _is_ found, however, in one
-manuscript, and is accordingly admitted into the recent version.--Marco
-Polo relates that Ala-eddin, "the Old Man of the Mountain," was
-accustomed to employ a device resembling that of the ballad, to persuade
-his youthful votaries of his power to transport them to Paradise. (Chap.
-xxi. of Marsden's translation.) A similar anecdote is told as
-historically true by the Arabic writer El-Is-hakee, who printed his work
-in the early part of the 17th century (Lane's _Thousand and One
-Nights_, ii. 376), while in Europe the story is related of Philip the
-Good, Duke of Burgundy, by Heuterus, _Rerum Burgund._ lib. iv.; of the
-Emperor Charles the Fifth, by Sir Richard Barckley, in _A Discourse on
-the Felicitie of Man_, 1598; and of the Marquess of Worcester, in _The
-Apothegms of King James, King Charles, the Marquess of Worcester, &c._
-1658. Warton had seen among Collins's books a collection of prose tales
-in black-letter, dated 1570, among which was this story. It was until
-lately, and no doubt is still, found in the stalls, under the title of
-_The Frolicksome Courtier and the Jovial Tinker_. (See Douce's
-_Illustrations_, and Malone's _Shakespeare_.)
-
-Which of the many forms of the story was known to the author of the old
-play of _The Taming of a Shrew_, on which Shakespeare's comedy is
-founded, it would be more difficult than important to determine. Mr.
-Halliwell mentions a Dutch comedy, called _Dronkken Hansje_, (1657,)
-having the plot of the Induction to these plays.
-
-This ballad was given from a black-letter copy in the Pepys collection.
-
- Now as fame does report, a young duke keeps a court,
- One that pleases his fancy with frolicksome sport:
- But amongst all the rest, here is one I protest,
- Which will make you to smile when you hear the true jest:
- A poor tinker he found, lying drunk on the ground, 5
- As secure in sleep as if laid in a swound.
-
- The duke said to his men, "William, Richard, and Ben,
- Take him home to my palace, we'll sport with him then."
- O'er a horse he was laid, and with care soon convey'd
- To the palace, altho' he was poorly arrai'd: 10
- Then they stript off his cloaths, both his shirt, shoes, and hose,
- And they put him to bed for to take his repose.
-
- Having pull'd off his shirt, which was all over durt,
- They did give him clean holland, this was no great hurt:
- On a bed of soft down, like a lord of renown, 15
- They did lay him to sleep the drink out of his crown.
- In the morning, when day, then admiring he lay,
- For to see the rich chamber, both gaudy and gay.
-
- Now he lay something late, in his rich bed of state,
- Till at last knights and squires they on him did wait; 20
- And the chamberlain bare, then did likewise declare,
- He desired to know what apparel he'd ware:
- The poor tinker amaz'd, on the gentleman gaz'd,
- And admired how he to this honour was rais'd.
-
- Tho' he seem'd something mute, yet he chose a rich suit, 25
- Which he straitways put on without longer dispute,
- With a star on his side, which the tinker offt ey'd,
- And it seem'd for to swell him 'no' little with pride;
- For he said to himself, "Where is Joan my sweet wife?
- Sure she never did see me so fine in her life." 30
-
- From a convenient place, the right duke, his good grace,
- Did observe his behaviour in every case.
- To a garden of state, on the tinker they wait,
- Trumpets sounding before him: thought he, this is great:
- Where an hour or two, pleasant walks he did view, 35
- With commanders and squires in scarlet and blew.
-
- A fine dinner was drest, both for him and his guests;
- He was plac'd at the table above all the rest,
- In a rich chair 'or bed,' lin'd with fine crimson red,
- With a rich golden canopy over his head: 40
- As he sat at his meat, the musick play'd sweet,
- With the choicest of singing his joys to compleat.
-
- While the tinker did dine, he had plenty of wine,
- Rich canary, with sherry and tent superfine.
- Like a right honest soul, faith, he took off his bowl, 45
- Till at last he began for to tumble and roul
- From his chair to the floor, where he sleeping did snore,
- Being seven times drunker than ever before.
-
- Then the duke did ordain, they should strip him amain,
- And restore him his old leather garments again: 50
- 'Twas a point next the worst, yet perform it they must,
- And they carry'd him strait, where they found him at first,
- Then he slept all the night, as indeed well he might;
- But when he did waken, his joys took their flight.
-
- For his glory 'to him' so pleasant did seem, 55
- That he thought it to be but a meer golden dream;
- Till at length he was brought to the duke, where he sought
- For a pardon, as fearing he had set him at nought.
- But his highness he said, "Thou'rt a jolly bold blade:
- Such a frolick before I think never was plaid." 60
-
- Then his highness bespoke him a new suit and cloak,
- Which he gave for the sake of this frolicksome joak,
- Nay, and five hundred pound, with ten acres of ground:
- "Thou shalt never," said he, "range the counteries round,
- Crying old brass to mend, for I'll be thy good friend, 65
- Nay, and Joan thy sweet wife shall my duchess attend."
-
- Then the tinker reply'd, "What! must Joan my sweet bride
- Be a lady in chariots of pleasure to ride?
- Must we have gold and land ev'ry day at command?
- Then I shall be a squire, I well understand. 70
- Well I thank your good grace, and your love I embrace;
- I was never before in so happy a case."
-
-
-
-
-THE HEIR OF LINNE.
-
- Percy's _Reliques_, ii. 135.
-
-
-"The original of this ballad," says Percy, "is found in the Editor's
-folio MS., the breaches and defects in which, rendered the insertion of
-supplemental stanzas necessary. These it is hoped the reader will
-pardon, as indeed the completion of the story was suggested by a modern
-ballad on a similar subject. From the Scottish phrases here and there
-discernible in this poem, it would seem to have been originally composed
-beyond the Tweed."
-
-The modern ballad here mentioned is probably _The Drunkards Legacy_,
-printed from an old chap-book, in _Ancient Poems, Ballads_, and _Songs_,
-p. 151, Percy Society, vol. xvii. The Scottish version of the _Heir of
-Linne_ is annexed to the present in the only form in which it is now to
-be obtained.
-
-The incident by which the hidden treasure is discovered in this ballad,
-occurs (as observes a writer in the _British Bibliographer_, iv. 182) in
-a story of Cinthio's, _Heccatomithi_, Dec. ix. nov. 8: but the argument
-of that story is in other respects different, being in fact the
-following epigram:
-
- [Greek: Chryson an[^e]r heur[^o]n elipe brochon; autar ho chryson,
- hon lipen, ouch heur[^o]n, [^e]psen hon eure brochon.]
-
- Brunck's _Anthologia_, vol. i. p. 106.
-
-
-PART THE FIRST.
-
- Lithe and listen, gentlemen,
- To sing a song I will beginne:
- It is of a lord of faire Scotl[a']nd,
- Which was the unthrifty heire of Linne.
-
- His father was a right good lord, 5
- His mother a lady of high degree;
- But they, alas! were dead him froe,
- And he lov'd keeping companie.
-
- To spend the daye with merry cheare,
- To drinke and revell every night, 10
- To card and dice from eve to morne,
- It was, I ween, his hearts delighte.
-
- To ride, to runne, to rant, to roare,
- To alwaye spend and never spare,
- I wott, an' it were the king himselfe, 15
- Of gold and fee he mote be bare.
-
- Soe fares the unthrifty lord of Linne
- Till all his gold is gone and spent;
- And he maun sell his landes so broad,
- His house, and landes, and all his rent. 20
-
- His father had a keen stew[a']rde,
- And John o' the Scales was called hee:
- But John is become a gentel-man,
- And John has gott both gold and fee.
-
- Sayes, "Welcome, welcome, Lord of Linne, 25
- Let nought disturb thy merry cheere;
- Iff thou wilt sell thy landes soe broad,
- Good store of gold Ile give thee heere."
-
- "My gold is gone, my money is spent;
- My lande nowe take it unto thee: 30
- Give me the golde, good John o' the Scales,
- And thine for aye my lande shall bee."
-
- Then John he did him to record draw,
- And John he cast him a gods-pennie;[L34]
- But for every pounde that John agreed, 35
- The lande, i-wis, was well worth three.
-
- He told him the gold upon the borde,
- He was right glad his land to winne;
- "The gold is thine, the land is mine,
- And now Ile be the lord of Linne." 40
-
- Thus he hath sold his land soe broad,
- Both hill and holt, and moore and fenne,
- All but a poore and lonesome lodge,
- That stood far off in a lonely glenne.
-
- For soe he to his father hight. 45
- "My sonne, when I am gonne," sayd hee,
- "Then thou wilt spend thy lande so broad,
- And thou wilt spend thy gold so free.
-
- "But sweare me nowe upon the roode,
- That lonesome lodge thou'lt never spend; 50
- For when all the world doth frown on thee,
- Thou there shalt find a faithful friend."
-
- The heire of Linne is full of golde:
- "And come with me, my friends," sayd hee,
- "Let's drinke, and rant, and merry make, 55
- And he that spares, ne'er mote he thee."
-
- They ranted, drank, and merry made,
- Till all his gold it waxed thinne;
- And then his friendes they slunk away;
- They left the unthrifty heire of Linne. 60
-
- He had never a penny left in his purse,
- Never a penny left but three,
- And one was brass, another was lead,
- And another it was white mon[e']y.
-
- "Nowe well-aday," sayd the heire of Linne, 65
- "Nowe well-aday, and woe is mee,
- For when I was the lord of Linne,
- I never wanted gold nor fee.
-
- "But many a trustye friend have I,
- And why shold I feel dole or care? 70
- Ile borrow of them all by turnes,
- Soe need I not be never bare."
-
- But one, i-wis, was not at home;
- Another had payd his gold away;
- Another call'd him thriftless loone, 75
- And bade him sharpely wend his way.
-
- "Now well-aday," sayd the heire of Linne,
- "Now well-aday, and woe is me;
- For when I had my landes so broad,
- On me they liv'd right merrilee. 80
-
- "To beg my bread from door to door,
- I-wis, it were a brenning shame;
- To rob and steal it were a sinne;
- To worke, my limbs I cannot frame.
-
- "Now Ile away to [the] lonesome lodge, 85
- For there my father bade me wend:
- When all the world should frown on mee
- I there shold find a trusty friend."
-
-34. i. e. earnest-money; from the French _denier [a'] Dieu_. At this day,
-when application is made to the Dean and Chapter of Carlisle to accept
-an exchange of the tenant under one of their leases, a piece of silver
-is presented, by the new tenant, which is still called a God's-penny.
-PERCY.
-
-
-PART THE SECOND.
-
- Away then hyed the heire of Linne,
- Oer hill and holt, and moor and fenne,
- Untill he came to [the] lonesome lodge,
- That stood so lowe in a lonely glenne.
-
- He looked up, he looked downe, 5
- In hope some comfort for to winne;
- But bare and lothly were the walles;
- "Here's sorry cheare," quo' the heire of Linne.
-
- The little windowe, dim and darke,
- Was hung with ivy, brere, and yewe; 10
- No shimmering sunn here ever shone,
- No halesome breeze here ever blew.
-
- No chair, ne table he mote spye,
- No chearful hearth, ne welcome bed,
- Nought save a rope with renning noose, 15
- That dangling hung up o'er his head.
-
- And over it in broad lett[e']rs,
- These words were written so plain to see:
- "Ah! gracelesse wretch, hast spent thine all,
- And brought thyselfe to penurie? 20
-
- "All this my boding mind misgave,
- I therefore left this trusty friend:
- Let it now sheeld thy foule disgrace,
- And all thy shame and sorrows end."
-
- Sorely shent wi' this rebuke, 25
- Sorely shent was the heire of Linne;
- His heart, i-wis, was near to-brast
- With guilt and sorrowe, shame and sinne.
-
- Never a word spake the heire of Linne,
- Never a word he spake but three: 30
- "This is a trusty friend indeed,
- And is right welcome unto mee."
-
- Then round his necke the corde he drewe,
- And sprang aloft with his bod[i']e,
- When lo! the ceiling burst in twaine, 35
- And to the ground come tumbling hee.
-
- Astonyed lay the heire of Linne,
- Ne knewe if he were live or dead:
- At length he looked, and sawe a bille,
- And in it a key of gold so redd. 40
-
- He took the bill, and lookt it on,
- Strait good comfort found he there:
- Itt told him of a hole in the wall,
- In which there stood three chests in-fere.
-
- Two were full of the beaten golde, 45
- The third was full of white mon[e']y;
- And over them in broad lett[e']rs
- These words were written so plaine to see.
-
- "Once more, my sonne, I sette thee clere;
- Amend thy life and follies past; 50
- For but thou amend thee of thy life,
- That rope must be thy end at last."
-
- "And let it bee," sayd the heire of Linne,
- "And let it bee, but if I amend:
- For here I will make mine avow, 55
- This reade shall guide me to the end."
-
- Away then went with a merry cheare,
- Away then went the heire of Linne;
- I-wis, he neither ceas'd ne blanne,
- Till John o' the Scales house he did winne. 60
-
- And when he came to John o' the Scales,
- Upp at the speere then looked hee;
- There sate three lords upon a rowe,
- Were drinking of the wine so free.
-
- And John himselfe sate at the bord-head, 65
- Because now lord of Linne was hee;
- "I pray thee," he said, "good John o' the Scales,
- "One forty pence for to lend mee."
-
- "Away, away, thou thriftless loone;
- Away, away, this may not bee: 70
- For Christs curse on my head," he sayd,
- "If ever I trust thee one pennie."
-
- Then bespake the heire of Linne,
- To John o' the Scales wife then spake he:
- "Madame, some almes on me bestowe, 75
- I pray for sweet saint Charitie."
-
- "Away, away, thou thriftless loone,
- I sweare thou gettest no almes of mee;
- For if we should hang any losel heere,
- The first we wold begin with thee." 80
-
- Then bespake a good fell[o']we,
- Which sat at John o' the Scales his bord;
- Sayd, "Turn againe, thou heir of Linne;
- Some time thou wast a well good lord.
-
- "Some time a good fellow thou hast been, 85
- And sparedst not thy gold and fee;
- Therefore Ile lend thee forty pence,
- And other forty if need bee.
-
- "And ever I pray thee, John o' the Scales,
- To let him sit in thy companie: 90
- For well I wot thou hadst his land,
- And a good bargain it was to thee."
-
- Up then spake him John o' the Scales,
- All wood he answer'd him againe:
- "Now Christs curse on my head," he sayd, 95
- "But I did lose by that barg[a']ine.
-
- "And here I proffer thee, heire of Linne,
- Before these lords so faire and free,
- Thou shalt have it backe again better cheape
- By a hundred markes than I had it of thee."
-
- "I drawe you to record, lords," he said, 100
- With that he cast him a gods-pennie:
- "Now by my fay," sayd the heire of Linne,
- "And here, good John, is thy mon[e']y."
-
- And he pull'd forth three bagges of gold, 105
- And layd them down upon the bord;
- All woe begone was John o' the Scales,
- Soe shent he cold say never a word.
-
- He told him forth the good red gold.
- He told it forth [with] mickle dinne. 110
- "The gold is thine, the land is mine,
- And now Ime againe the lord of Linne."
-
- Sayes, "Have thou here, thou good fell[o']we,
- Forty pence thou didst lend mee:
- Now I am againe the lord of Linne, 115
- And forty pounds I will give thee.
-
- "Ile make thee keeper of my forrest,
- Both of the wild deere and the tame;
- For but I reward thy bounteous heart,
- I-wis, good fellowe, I were to blame." 120
-
- "Now welladay!" sayth Joan o' the Scales;
- "Now welladay, and woe is my life!
- Yesterday I was lady of Linne,
- Now Ime but John o' the Scales his wife."
-
- "Now fare thee well," sayd the heire of Linne, 125
- "Farewell now, John o' the Scales," said hee:
- "Christs curse light on mee, if ever again
- I bring my lands in jeopardy."
-
-
-
-
-THE HEIR OF LINNE.
-
- From _Scottish Traditional Versions of Ancient Ballads_, p. 30,
- Percy Society, vol. xvii.
-
-
- The bonny heir, and the weel-faur'd heir,
- And the wearie heir o' Linne,
- Yonder he stands at his father's yetts,
- An naebody bids him come in.
-
- O see for he gangs, an' see for he stands, 5
- The wearie heir o' Linne;
- O see for he stands on the cauld casey,
- And nae an' bids him come in.
-
- But if he had been his father's heir,
- Or yet the heir o' Linne, 10
- He wou'dna stand on the cauld casey,
- Some an' wad taen him in.
-
- "Sing ower again that sang, nourice,
- The sang ye sang just noo;"
- "I never sang a sang i' my life, 15
- But I wad sing ower to you."
-
- O see for he gangs, an' see for he stands,
- The wearie heir o' Linne;
- O see for he stands on the cauld casey,
- An' nae an' bids him come in. 20
-
- But if he had been his father's heir,
- Or yet the heir o' Linne,
- He wadna stand on the cauld casye,
- Some ane wad taen him in.
-
- When his father's lands a sellin' were, 25
- His claise lay weel in fauld,
- But now he wanders on the shore,
- Baith hungry, weet, and cauld.
-
- As Willie he gaed down the toun,
- The gentlemen were drinkin'; 30
- Some bade gie Willie a glass, a glass,
- And some bade him gae nane;
- Some bade gie Willie a glass, a glass,
- The weary heir o' Linne.
-
- As Willie he cam' up the toun, 35
- The fishers were a sittin';
- Some bade gie Willie a fish, a fish,
- Some bade gie him a fin;
- Some bade gie him a fish, a fish,
- And lat the palmer gang. 40
-
- He turned him richt and roun' about,
- As will as a woman's son,
- And taen his cane into his hand,
- And on his way to Linne.
-
- His nourice at her window look'd, 45
- Beholding dale and doun,
- And she beheld this distress'd young man
- Come walkin' to the town.
-
- "Come here, come here, Willie," she said,
- "And set yoursel' wi me; 50
- I hae seen you i' better days,
- And in jovial companie."
-
- "Gie me a sheave o' your bread, nourice,
- And a bottle o' your wine,
- And I'll pay you it a' ower again, 55
- When I'm the laird o' Linne."
-
- "Ye'se got a sheave o' my bread, Willie,
- "And a bottle o' my wine,[L58]
- An' ye'll pay me when the seas gang dry,
- But ye'll ne'er be heir o' Linne." 60
-
- Then he turn'd him richt and roun' about,
- As will as woman's son;
- And aff he set, and bent his way,
- And straightway came to Linne.
-
- But when he cam to that castle, 65
- They were set doun to dine;
- A score o' nobles there he saw,
- Sat drinkin' at the wine.
-
- Then some bad' gie him beef, the beef,
- And some bad' gie him the bane; 70
- And some bad' gie him naething at a',
- But lat the palmer gang.
-
- Then out it speaks the new come laird,
- A saucie word spak' hee;
- "Put roun' the cup, gie my rival a sup, 75
- Lat him fare on his way."
-
- Then out it speaks Sir Ned Magnew,
- Ane o' young Willie's kin;
- "This youth was ance a sprightlie boy
- As ever lived in Linne." 80
-
- He turned him richt and roun' about,
- As will as woman's son;
- Then minded him on a little wee key,
- That his mither left to him.
-
- His mither left him this little wee key 85
- A little before she deed;
- And bad him keep this little wee key
- Till he was in maist need.
-
- Then forth he went, an' these nobles left,
- A' drinkin' in the room; 90
- Wi' walkin' rod intill his hand,
- He walked the castle roun'.
-
- There he found out a little door,
- For there the wee key slippit in,
- An' there he got as muckle red gowd 95
- As freed the lands o' Linne.
-
- Back through the nobles then he went,
- A saucie man was then;
- "I'll tak' the cup frae this new-come laird,
- For he ne'er bad me sit doun." 100
-
- Then out it speaks the new-come laird,
- He spak' wi' mock an' jeer;
- "I'd gie a seat to the laird o' Linne,
- Sae be that he were here.
-
- "When the lands o' Linne a sellin' were, 105
- A' men said they were free;
- This lad shall hae them frae me this day,
- If he'll gie the third pennie."
-
- "I tak' ye witness, nobles a',
- Gude witnesses ye'll be; 110
- I'm promis'd the lands o' Linne this day,
- If I gie the third pennie."
-
- "Ye've taen us witnesses, Willie," they said,
- "Gude witnesses we'll be;
- Buy the lands o' Linne who likes, 115
- They'll ne'er be bought by thee."
-
- He's done him to a gamin' table,
- For it stood fair and clean;
- There he tauld doun as much rich gowd
- As freed the lands o' Linne. 120
-
- Thus having done, he turn'd about,
- A saucie man was he;
- "Tak' up your monie, my lad," he says,
- "Tak' up your third pennie.
-
- "Aft hae I gane wi' barefeet cauld, 125
- Likewise wi' legs fu' bare,
- And mony day walk'd at these yetts
- Wi' muckle dool an' care.
-
- "But now my sorrow's past and gane,
- And joy's returned to me; 130
- And here I've gowd enough forbye,
- Ahin this third pennie."
-
- As Willie he gaed doun the toun,
- There he craw'd wonderous crouse;
- He ca'd the may afore them a', 135
- The nourice o' the house.
-
- "Come here, come here, my nurse," he says,
- "I'll pay your bread and wine;
- Seas ebb and flow as they wont to do,
- Yet I'm the laird o' Linne." 140
-
- An' he gaed up the Gallowgate port,
- His hose aboon his shoon;
- But lang ere he cam down again
- Was convoyed by lords fifteen.
-
-58. your wine.
-
-
-
-
-THE WANDERING JEW.
-
-
-In the year 1228, we are informed by Matthew Paris, an Armenian
-archbishop visited England, with letters from the Pope, to make the tour
-of the holy places. During a sojourn at the monastery of St. Albans, he
-was asked by one of the brethren if he knew anything of the famous
-Joseph, so much spoken of, who had been present at the crucifixion, and
-was still living as a witness to the truth of the Christian faith. The
-archbishop responded that the fact was indeed as reported, and one of
-his retinue added, that his master had personally known this
-extraordinary character, and had admitted him to his table only a short
-time before setting out for the West; that he had been porter to Pontius
-Pilate, and was named Cartaphilus; that when the Jews were dragging
-Christ from the judgment-hall, he had struck him in the back with his
-fist, saying, "Go faster, Jesus: why dost thou tarry?"--whereupon Christ
-turned to him and said, "I go, but thou shalt tarry till my coming."
-After the death of Jesus, Cartaphilus had been converted, and baptized
-by Ananias, under the name of Joseph. Still the sentence pronounced upon
-him by the Saviour was not revoked, and he remained in the world,
-awaiting the Lord's second advent, living in Armenia, or some other
-country of the East. Whenever he reached the age of a hundred, he fell
-into a trance, and when he revived, found himself again about thirty
-years old, as he had been at the epoch of Christ's suffering.
-
-This story Matthew Paris heard at St. Albans, of which monastery he was
-himself a brother, a few years after the memorable visit of the Armenian
-prelate. His contemporary, Philippe Mouskes, Bishop of Tournay, has
-incorporated the substance of his narrative into his rhymed chronicle,
-edited by the Baron de Reiffenberg, v. 25524, et seq. We hear nothing
-more of the Wandering Jew from this time until the middle of the 16th
-century, when he presents himself at Hamburgh, (in 1547,) calling
-himself Ahasuerus, who had been a shoemaker at Jerusalem. The ballad
-which follows is founded upon some narrative of this event, many of
-which were published. It will be noticed that in the second form of the
-legend, the punishment of perpetual existence, which gives rise to the
-old names, _Jud[ae]us non mortalis_, _Ewiger Jude_, is aggravated by a
-condemnation to incessant change of place, which is indicated by a
-corresponding name, _Wandering Jew_, _Juif Errant_, etc.
-
-It is unnecessary, and would be impossible, to specify the various times
-and places at which the Wandering Jew has successively reappeared. The
-legend being firmly believed by the vulgar throughout Christendom, an
-opportunity for imposture was afforded which could not fail to be
-improved. The last recorded apparition was at Brussels, in April, 1774,
-and on this occasion the wanderer had again changed his name to Isaac
-Laquedem. Of the origin of the tradition we know nothing. M. Lacroix has
-suggested that it took its rise in a grand and beautiful allegory in
-which the Hebrew race were personified under the figure of the
-Everlasting Wanderer. See Calmet's _Bible Dictionary_, Gr[:a]sse, _Die
-Sage vom Ewigen Juden_, Dresden and Leipsic, 1844, Paul Lacroix's
-Bibliographical Preface to Dor['e]'s Designs, _La L['e]gende du Juif
-Errant, etc._ Paris, 1856.
-
-This ballad is taken from Percy's _Reliques_, ii. 317, and was from a
-black-letter copy in the Pepys collection.
-
- When as in faire Jerusalem
- Our Saviour Christ did live,
- And for the sins of all the worlde
- His own deare life did give,
- The wicked Jewes with scoffes and scornes 5
- Did dailye him molest,
- That never till he left his life,
- Our Saviour could not rest.
-
- When they had crown'd his head with thornes,
- And scourg'd him to disgrace, 10
- In scornfull sort they led him forthe
- Unto his dying place,
- Where thousand thousands in the streete
- Beheld him passe along,
- Yet not one gentle heart was there, 15
- That pityed this his wrong.
-
- Both old and young reviled him,
- As in the streete he wente,
- And nought he found but churlish tauntes,
- By every ones consente: 20
- His owne deare cross he bore himselfe,
- A burthen far too great,
- Which made him in the streete to fainte,
- With blood and water sweat.
-
- Being weary thus, he sought for rest, 25
- To ease his burthened soule,
- Upon a stone; the which a wretch
- Did churlishly controule;
- And sayd, "Awaye, thou King of Jewes,
- Thou shalt not rest thee here; 30
- Pass on; thy execution place
- Thou seest nowe draweth neare."
-
- And thereupon he thrust him thence;
- At which our Saviour sayd,
- "I sure will rest, but thou shalt walke, 35
- And have no journey stayed."
- With that this cursed shoemaker,
- For offering Christ this wrong,
- Left wife and children, house and all,
- And went from thence along. 40
-
- Where after he had seene the bloude
- Of Jesus Christ thus shed,
- And to the crosse his bodye nail'd,
- Awaye with speed he fled,
- Without returning backe againe 45
- Unto his dwelling place,
- And wandred up and downe the worlde,
- A runnagate most base.
-
- No resting could he finde at all,
- No ease, nor hearts content; 50
- No house, nor home, nor biding place;
- But wandring forth he went
- From towne to towne in foreigne landes,
- With grieved conscience still,
- Repenting for the heinous guilt 55
- Of his fore-passed ill.
-
- Thus after some fewe ages past
- In wandring up and downe,
- He much again desired to see
- Jerusalems renowne. 60
- But finding it all quite destroyd,
- He wandred thence with woe,
- Our Saviours wordes, which he had spoke,
- To verifie and showe.
-
- "I'll rest," sayd hee, "but thou shalt walke;" 65
- So doth this wandring Jew,
- From place to place, but cannot rest
- For seeing countries newe;
- Declaring still the power of him,
- Whereas he comes or goes; 70
- And of all things done in the east,
- Since Christ his death, he showes.
-
- The world he hath still compast round
- And seene those nations strange,
- That hearing of the name of Christ, 75
- Their idol gods doe change:
- To whom he hath told wondrous thinges
- Of time forepast and gone,
- And to the princes of the worlde
- Declares his cause of moane: 80
-
- Desiring still to be dissolv'd,
- And yeild his mortal breath;
- But, if the Lord hath thus decreed,
- He shall not yet see death.
- For neither lookes he old nor young, 85
- But as he did those times,
- When Christ did suffer on the crosse
- For mortall sinners crimes.
-
- He hath past through many a foreigne place,
- Arabia, Egypt, Africa, 90
- Grecia, Syria, and great Thrace,
- And throughout all Hungaria:
- Where Paul and Peter preached Christ,
- Those blest apostles deare,
- There he hath told our Saviours wordes, 95
- In countries far and neare.
-
- And lately in Bohemia,
- With many a German towne,
- And now in Flanders, as 'tis thought,
- He wandreth up and downe: 100
- Where learned men with him conferre
- Of those his lingering dayes,
- And wonder much to heare him tell
- His journeyes and his wayes.
-
- If people give this Jew an almes, 105
- The most that he will take
- Is not above a groat a time:
- Which he, for Jesus' sake,
- Will kindlye give unto the poore,
- And thereof make no spare, 110
- Affirming still that Jesus Christ
- Of him hath dailye care.
-
- He ne'er was seene to laugh nor smile,
- But weepe and make great moane;
- Lamenting still his miseries, 115
- And dayes forepast and gone.
- If he heare any one blaspheme,
- Or take God's name in vaine,
- He telles them that they crucifie
- Their Saviour Christe againe. 120
-
- "If you had seene his death," saith he,
- "As these mine eyes have done,
- Ten thousand thousand times would yee
- His torments think upon,
- And suffer for his sake all paine 125
- Of torments, and all woes:"
- These are his wordes, and eke his life,
- Whereas he comes or goes.
-
-
-
-
-PROUD LADY MARGARET.
-
-
-From _Minstrelsy of the Scotish Border_, iii. 32. This copy of the
-ballad is imperfect. A complete version is inserted in the Appendix from
-Buchan's _Ballads of the North of Scotland_, i. 91. There is another,
-also defective, called _The Bonny Hind Squire_, in _Scottish Traditional
-Versions of Ancient Ballads_, p. 42, Percy Soc. vol. xvii.
-
- 'Twas on a night, an evening bright,
- When the dew began to fa',
- Lady Margaret was walking up and down,
- Looking o'er her castle wa'.
-
- She looked east, and she looked west, 5
- To see what she could spy,
- When a gallant knight came in her sight,
- And to the gate drew nigh.
-
- "You seem to be no gentleman,
- You wear your boots so wide; 10
- But you seem to be some cunning hunter,
- You wear the horn so syde."
-
- "I am no cunning hunter," he said,
- "Nor ne'er intend to be;
- But I am come to this castle 15
- To seek the love of thee;
- And if you do not grant me love,
- This night for thee I'll die."
-
- "If you should die for me, sir knight,
- There's few for you will mane, 20
- For mony a better has died for me
- Whose graves are growing green.
-
- "But ye maun read my riddle," she said,
- "And answer me questions three;
- And but ye read them right," she said, 25
- "Gae stretch ye out and die.
-
- "Now what is the flower, the ae first flower,
- Springs either on moor or dale?
- And what is the bird, the bonnie bonnie bird,
- Sings on the evening gale?" 30
-
- "The primrose is the ae first flower
- Springs either on moor or dale;
- And the thristlecock is the bonniest bird
- Sings on the evening gale."
-
- "But what's the little coin," she said, 35
- "Wald buy my castle bound?
- And what's the little boat," she said,
- "Can sail the world all round?"
-
- "O hey, how mony small pennies
- Make thrice three thousand pound? 40
- Or hey, how mony small fishes
- Swim a' the salt sea round?"
-
- "I think ye maun be my match," she said,
- "My match and something mair;
- You are the first e'er got the grant 45
- Of love frae my father's heir.
-
- "My father was lord of nine castles,
- My mother lady of three;
- My father was lord of nine castles,
- And there's nane to heir but me. 50
-
- "And round about a' thae castles,
- You may baith plow and saw,
- And on the fifteenth day of May
- The meadows they will maw."
-
- "O hald your tongue, Lady Margaret," he said, 55
- "For loud I hear you lie!
- Your father was lord of nine castles,
- Your mother was lady of three;
- Your father was lord of nine castles,
- But ye fa' heir to but three. 60
-
- "And round about a' thae castles,
- You may baith plow and saw,
- But on the fifteenth day of May
- The meadows will not maw.
-
- "I am your brother Willie," he said, 65
- "I trow ye ken na me;
- I came to humble your haughty heart,
- Has gar'd sae mony die."
-
- "If ye be my brother Willie," she said;
- "As I trow weel ye be, 70
- This night I'll neither eat nor drink,
- But gae alang wi' thee."
-
- "O hald your tongue, Lady Margaret," he said,
- "Again I hear you lie;
- For ye've unwashen hands, and ye've unwashen feet, 75
- To gae to clay wi' me.[L76]
-
- "For the wee worms are my bedfellows,
- And cauld clay is my sheets,
- And when the stormy winds do blow,
- My body lies and sleeps." 80
-
-
-
-
-REEDISDALE AND WISE WILLIAM.
-
-MOTHERWELL's _Minstrelsy_, p. 298, and Buchan's _Ballads of the North of
-Scotland_, ii. 70: from recitation.
-
- When Reedisdale and Wise William
- Was drinking at the wine,
- There fell a roosing them amang,
- On one unruly time.
-
- For some of them has roosed their hawks, 5
- And other some their hounds;
- And other some their ladies fair,
- And their bow'rs whare they walk'd in.
-
- When out it spak him Reedisdale,
- And a rash word spake he: 10
- Says, "There is not a lady fair,
- In bower wherever she be,
- But I could aye her favour win,
- With one blink of my e'e."
-
- Then out it spak him Wise William, 15
- And a rash word spak he:
- Says, "I have a sister of my own,
- In bower wherever she be,
- And ye will not her favour win,
- With three blinks of your e'e." 20
-
- "What will you wager, Wise William?
- My lands I'll wad with thee:"
- "I'll wad my head against your land,
- Till I get more monie."
-
- Then Reedisdale took Wise William, 25
- Laid him in prison strang;
- That he might neither gang nor ride,
- Nor no word to her send.
-
- But he has written a braid letter,
- Between the night and day, 30
- And sent it to his own sister,
- By dun feather and gray.
-
- When she had read Wise William's letter,
- She smiled and she leuch:
- Said, "Very weel, my dear brother, 35
- Of this I have eneuch."
-
- She looked out at her west window,
- To see what she could see,
- And there she spied him Reedisdale,
- Come riding o'er the lea. 40
-
- Says, "Come to me, my maidens all,
- Come hitherward to me;
- For here it comes him Reedisdale,
- Who comes a-courting me."
-
- "Come down, come down, my lady fair, 45
- A sight of you give me:"
- "Go from my yetts now, Reedisdale,
- For me you will not see."
-
- "Come down, come down, my lady fair,
- A sight of you give me; 50
- And bonnie is the gowns of silk
- That I will give to thee."
-
- "If you have bonnie gowns of silk,
- O mine is bonnie tee;
- Go from my yetts now, Reedisdale, 55
- For me you shall not see."
-
- "Come down, come down, my lady fair,
- A sight of you I'll see;
- And bonnie jewels, broaches, rings,
- I will give unto thee." 60
-
- "If you have bonnie broaches, rings,
- O mine are bonnie tee;
- Go from my yetts now, Reedisdale,
- For me you shall not see."
-
- "Come down, come down, my lady fair, 65
- One sight of you I'll see;
- And bonnie is the halls and bowers
- That I will give to thee."
-
- "If you have bonnie halls and bowers,
- O mine is bonnie tee; 70
- Go from my yetts now, Reedisdale,
- For me you shall not see."
-
- "Come down, come down, my lady fair,
- A sight of you I'll see;
- And bonnie is my lands so broad 75
- That I will give to thee."
-
- "If you have bonnie lands so broad,
- O mine is bonnie tee;
- Go from my yetts now, Reedisdale,
- For me you will not see." 80
-
- "Come down, come down, my lady fair
- A sight of you I'll see;
- And bonnie is the bags of gold
- That I will give to thee."
-
- "If you have bonnie bags of gold, 85
- I have bags of the same;
- Go from my yetts now, Reedisdale,
- For down I will not come."
-
- "Come down, come down, my lady fair,
- One sight of you I'll see; 90
- Or else I'll set your house on fire,
- If better cannot be."
-
- Then he has set the house on fire,
- And all the rest it took;
- He turned his wight horse head about, 95
- Said, "Alas! they'll ne'er get out."
-
- "Look out, look out, my maidens fair,
- And see what I do see;
- How Reedisdale has fired our house,
- And now rides o'er the lea. 100
-
- "Come hitherward, my maidens fair,
- Come hither unto me;
- For through this reek, and through this smeek,
- O through it we must be."
-
- They took wet mantles them about, 105
- Their coffers by the band;
- And through the reek, and through the flame,
- Alive they all have wan.
-
- When they had got out through the fire,
- And able all to stand, 110
- She sent a maid to Wise William,
- To bruik Reedisdale's land.
-
- "Your lands is mine, now, Reedisdale,
- For I have won them free:"
- "If there is a good woman in the world, 115
- Your one sister is she."
-
-76. _Unwashen hands and unwashen feet._--Alluding to the custom of
-washing and dressing dead bodies. S.
-
-
-
-
-GEORDIE.
-
-From the _Musical Museum_, p. 357.
-
-
-"Geordie, an old Ballad," was first printed in Johnson's _Museum_, from
-a copy furnished by Burns. The occasion of the ballad has not been
-satisfactorily determined. In the opinion of Mr. Kinloch, it is to be
-found in the factions of the family of Huntly during the reign of Queen
-Mary. George Gordon, Earl of Huntly, having been sent by the Queen to
-apprehend a notorious robber, was thought not to have been faithful to
-his trust. He returned without accomplishing the object of his
-expedition, and was committed to prison because of his failure. Some of
-the Queen's council were in favor of banishing him to France, others of
-putting him to death, but he was released, on condition of paying a fine
-and performing certain other stipulations. Motherwell states that there
-is much variation in the recited copies of this piece, and mentions one
-styled _Geordie Luklie_. Kinloch prints a version not materially
-different from that of the _Museum_. Allan Cunningham has reprinted the
-Museum copy with less change than is customary with him; _Songs of
-Scotland_, ii. 186. We give in the Appendix a ballad from Buchan, called
-_Gight's Lady_, which contains a story widely diverse from that which
-follows. In Ritson's _Northumberland Garland_, p. 43, there is a
-"lamentable ditty" on the death of one George Stoole, which appears to
-be an imitation of the Scottish ballad.
-
- There was a battle in the north,
- And nobles there was many,
- And they hae kill'd Sir Charlie Hay,
- And they laid the wyte on Geordie.
-
- O he has written a lang letter, 5
- He sent it to his lady;
- "Ye maun cum up to Enbrugh town,
- To see what word's o' Geordie."
-
- When first she look'd the letter on
- She was baith red and rosy, 10
- But she had na read a word but twa,
- Till she wallow't like a lily.
-
- "Gar get to me my gude grey steed,
- My menzie a' gae wi' me,
- For I shall neither eat nor drink, 15
- Till Enbrugh town shall see me."
-
- And she has mountit her gude grey steed
- Her menzie a' gaed wi' her;
- And she did neither eat nor drink,
- Till Enbrugh town did see her.[L20] 20
-
- And first appear'd the fatal block,
- And syne the aix to head him,
- And Geordie cumin down the stair,
- And bands o' airn upon him.
-
- But tho' he was chain'd in fetters strang, 25
- O' airn and steel sae heavy,
- There was na ane in a' the court,
- Sae bra' a man as Geordie.
-
- O she's down on her bended knee,
- I wat she's pale and weary,-- 30
- "O pardon, pardon, noble king,
- And gie me back my dearie.
-
- "I hae born seven sons to my Geordie dear,
- The seventh ne'er saw his daddie;
- O pardon, pardon, noble king, 35
- Pity a waefu' lady!"
-
- "Gar bid the headin-man mak haste,"
- Our king reply'd fu' lordly;--
- "O noble king, tak a' that's mine,
- But gie me back my Geordie." 40
-
- The Gordons cam, and the Gordons ran,
- And they were stark and steady;
- And ay the word amang them a',
- Was, "Gordons, keep you ready."
-
- An aged lord at the king's right hand, 45
- Says, "Noble king, but hear me;
- Gar her tell down five thousand pound,
- And gie her back her dearie."
-
- Some gae her marks, some gae her crowns,
- Some gae her dollars many; 50
- And she's tell'd down five thousand pound,
- And she's gotten again her dearie.
-
- She blinkit blythe in her Geordie's face,
- Says, "Dear I've bought thee, Geordie;
- But there sud been bluidy bouks on the green, 55
- Or I had tint my laddie."
-
- He claspit her by the middle sma',
- And he kist her lips sae rosy;
- "The fairest flower o' woman-kind,
- Is my sweet, bonnie lady!" 60
-
-20. Cunningham here inserts a stanza "from the recitation of Mrs.
-Cunningham," which is not in the other printed copies:
-
- And soon she came to the water broad,
- Nor boat nor barge was ready;
- She turned her horse's head to the flood,
- And swam through at Queensferry.
-
-
-
-
-GEORDIE.
-
-Kinloch's _Ancient Scottish Ballads_, p. 192.
-
-
- There was a battle in the North,
- And rebels there were monie;
- And monie ane got broken heads,
- And taken was my Geordie.
-
- _My Geordie O, my Geordie O,_ 5
- _O the love I bear to Geordie;_
- _For the very grund I walk upon,_
- _Bears witness I loe Geordie._
-
- As she gaed up the tolbooth stair,
- The cripples there stood monie; 10
- And she dealt the red gowd them among,
- To pray for her love Geordie.
-
- And whan she cam into the hall,
- The nobles there stood monie;
- And ilka ane stood hat on head, 15
- But hat in hand stood Geordie.
-
- Up bespak a Norlan lord,
- I wat he spak na bonnie,--
- "If ye'll stay here a little while,
- Ye'll see Geordie hangit shortly." 20
-
- Then up bespak a baron bold,
- And O but he spak bonnie,--
- "If ye'll pay doun five hundred crowns,
- Ye'se get your true-love Geordie."
-
- Some lent her guineas, some lent her crowns, 25
- Some lent her shillings monie;
- And she's paid doun five hundred crowns,
- And she's gotten her bonnie love Geordie.
-
- When she was mounted on her hie steed,
- And on ahint her Geordie, 30
- Nae bird on the brier e'er sang sae clear,
- As the young knight and his ladie.
-
- _"My Geordie O, my Geordie O,_
- _O the love I bear to Geordie;_
- _The very stars in the firmament_ 35
- _Bear tokens I loe Geordie."_
-
-
-
-
-THE GABERLUNZIE-MAN.
-
- Tea-Table Miscellany, i. 104; _Old Ballads_, iii. 259.
-
-It is tradition that King James the Fifth of Scotland was in the habit
-of wandering about his dominions in disguise, and engaging in amours
-with country girls. One of these is thought to be described in the witty
-ballad of _The Jolly Beggar_, (Herd's _Scotish Songs_, ii. 164, Ritson's
-_Scotish Songs_, i. 168,) and another in _The Gaberlunzie-Man_, both of
-which are universally attributed (though without evidence) to James's
-pen. The character of James V., it has been remarked (_Gent. Mag._ Oct.
-1794, p. 913,) resembled both in licentiousness and genius, that of the
-troubadour sovereign, William the Ninth, Count of Poitiers, who appears
-to have had the same vagrant habits.
-
-With _The Jolly Beggar_ may be compared _Der Bettelmann_, in Hoffmann's
-_Schlesische Volkslieder_, p. 45.
-
- The pawky auld carle came o'er the lee,
- Wi' many goode'ens and days to me,
- Saying, "Goodwife, for your courtesie,
- "Will you lodge a silly poor man?"
- The night was cauld, the carle was wat, 5
- And down ayont the ingle he sat;
- My daughters shoulders he gan to clap,
- And cadgily ranted and sang.
-
- "O wow!" quo' he, "were I as free,
- As first when I saw this country, 10
- How blyth and merry wad I be,
- And I wad never think lang."
- He grew canty, and she grew fain,
- But little did her auld minny ken,
- What thir slee twa togither were say'ng, 15
- When wooing they were sae thrang.
-
- "And O!" quo' he, "ann ye were as black,
- As e'er the crown of my dady's hat,
- 'Tis I wad lay thee by my back,
- And awa' wi' me thou shou'd gang." 20
- "And O!" quo' she, "ann I were as white,
- As e'er the snaw lay on the dyke,
- I'd clead me braw, and lady-like,
- And awa with thee I'd gang."
-
- Between the twa was made a plot; 25
- They raise a wee before the cock,
- And wilily they shot the lock,
- And fast to the bent are they gane.
- Up the morn the auld wife raise,
- And at her leisure pat on her claise; 30
- Syne to the servant's bed she gaes,
- To speer for the silly poor man.
-
- She gaed to the bed where the beggar lay,
- The strae was cauld, he was away;
- She clapt her hands, cry'd "Waladay! 35
- For some of our gear will be gane."
- Some ran to coffers, and some to kists,
- But nought was stown that cou'd be mist:
- She danc'd her lane, cry'd, "Praise be blest!
- I have lodg'd a leal poor man. 40
-
- "Since nathing's awa', as we can learn,
- The kirn's to kirn, and milk to earn;
- Gae butt the house, lass, and waken my bairn,
- And bid her come quickly ben."
- The servant gade where the daughter lay, 45
- The sheets was cauld, she was away;
- And fast to her goodwife can say,
- "She's aff with the gaberlunzie-man."
-
- "O fy gar ride, and fy gar rin,
- And haste ye, find these traytors again; 50
- For she's be burnt, and he's be slain,
- The wearifu' gaberlunzie-man."
- Some rade upo' horse, some ran a-fit,
- The wife was wood, and out o' her wit;
- She cou'd na gang, nor yet cou'd she sit, 55
- But ay she curs'd and she ban'd.
-
- Mean time far hind out o'er the lee,
- Fu' snug in a glen, where nane cou'd see,
- The twa, with kindly sport and glee,
- Cut frae a new cheese a whang. 60
- The priving was good, it pleas'd them baith;
- To lo'e her for aye he gae her his aith;
- Quo' she, "To leave thee, I will be laith,
- My winsome gaberlunzie-man.
-
- "O kend my minny I were wi' you, 65
- Illfardly wad she crook her mou;
- Sic a poor man she'd never trow,
- After the gaberlunzie-man."
- "My dear," quo' he, "ye're yet o'er young,
- And ha' na lear'd the beggars tongue, 70
- To follow me frae town to town,
- And carry the gaberlunzie on.
-
- "Wi' cauk and keel, I'll win your bread,
- And spindles and whorles for them wha need,
- Whilk is a gentil trade indeed, 75
- To carry the gaberlunzie, O.
- I'll bow my leg, and crook my knee,
- And draw a black clout o'er my eye;
- A cripple or blind they will ca' me,
- While we shall be merry and sing."
-
-
-
-
-THE TURNAMENT OF TOTENHAM.
-
-
-_The Turnament of Totenham_ was first printed in the _History of
-Totenham_, (1631,) by the Rev. Wilhelm Bedwell, rector of the parish,
-who, says Percy, "so little entered into the spirit of the poem he was
-publishing, that he contends for its being a serious narrative of a real
-event, and thinks it must have been written before the time of Edward
-III., because turnaments were prohibited in that reign." The simple
-parson derived his copy from a manuscript lent him by George Withers.
-In the first edition of the _Reliques_, Percy reprinted Bedwell's text,
-with some conjectural emendations, but for the revised edition he
-employed a manuscript in the Harleian collection (No. 5396), pointed out
-to him by Tyrwhitt. This manuscript is thought to have been written in
-the reign of Henry VI. Since the publication of the Harleian text, the
-manuscript used by Bedwell has been found in the Public Library of the
-University of Cambridge, (Ff. 5, 48,) and a correct copy published by
-Mr. Wright in a miniature volume. We have given this last text, as on
-the whole the best, though in places it requires emendation from the
-Harleian copy. The Cambridge manuscript (the same as that which contains
-the ballad of _Robin Hood and the Monk_,) Mr. Wright believes to have
-been written as early as the reign of Edward II. In this MS. there is
-subjoined to the _Turnament_ an extravagantly burlesque account of the
-feast mentioned in the last stanzas.
-
-Percy's copy will be found in the _Reliques_, ii. 13. Ritson's (_Ancient
-English Songs_, i. 85,) is nearly identical.
-
-This ballad, it has been observed, appears to be "a burlesque upon the
-old feudal custom of marrying an heiress to the knight who should
-vanquish all his opponents, at a solemn assembly holden for that
-purpose." See the remarks in the _Gentleman's Magazine_ for July, 1794,
-p. 613.
-
- Of alle these kene conqueroures to carpe is oure kynde;
- Off fel feghtyng folke ferly we fynde;
- The turnament of Totenham have I in mynde;
- Hit were harme sich hardynesse were holdyn behynde,
- In story as we rede 5
- Off Hawkyn, of Harry,
- Off Tymkyn, of Tyrry,
- Off thaym that were duzty
- And hardy in dede.
-
- Hit befel in Totenham on a dere day, 10
- Ther was made a shurtyng be the hye way;
- Thider come alle the men of that contray,
- Off Hisselton, of Hygate, and of Hakenay,
- And alle the swete swynkers:
- Ther hoppyd Hawkyn, 15
- Ther dawnsid Dawkyn,
- Ther trumpyd Tymkyn,
- And [all] were true drynkers.[L18]
-
- Tille the day was gon and evesong paste,
- That thai shulde reckyn thaire skot and thaire counts caste: 20
- Perkyn the potter in to the prees paste,
- And seid, "Rondill the refe, a dozter thu haste,
- Tibbe thi dere.
- Therfor fayne wete wolde I,[L24-27]
- Whether these felows or I, 25
- Or which of alle this bachelery,
- Were the best worthy to wed hir to his fere."
-
- Upsterte the gadlyngs with thaire lang staves,
- And seid, "Rondyll the refe, lo, this lad raves;
- How prudly among us thy dozter he craves; 30
- And we ar richer men then he, and more gode haves,
- Off catell and of corne."
- Then seid Perkyn, "To Tibbe I have hyzt,
- That I will be alle wey redy in my rizt,
- With a fleyle for to fyght, this day seven nyzt,[L35-36] 35
- And thouz hit were to morne."[L36]
-
- Then seid Rondill the refe, "Ever be he waryd
- That aboute this carpyng lenger wolde be taryd:
- I wolde not my dozter that she were myskaryd,
- But at hir moost worship I wolde she were maryd. 40
- [Ther]ffor the turnament shalle begynne[L41]
- This day seven nyzt,
- With a flayle for to fyzt:
- And he that is moste of myzt
- Shalle brok hir with wynne. 45
-
- "He that berys hym best in the turnament,
- Him shal be grauntid the gre be the comyn assent,[L47]
- Ffor to wynne my dozter with duztynesse of dent,
- And Coppull, my brode hen, that was brozt out of Kent,
- And my donned cow. 50
- Ffor no spence will I spare,
- Ffor no catell wille I care;
- He shalle have my gray mare,
- And my spottyd sowe."
-
- Ther was mony a bolde lad theire bodys to bede: 55
- Than thei toke theire leve and hamwarde thei zede,
- And alle the weke afterward thei graythed her wede,
- Tille hit come to the day that thei shulde do thaire dede.
- Thei armyd theym in mattes,
- Thei sett on theire nolles 60
- Gode blake bolles,
- Ffor to kepe theire pollis
- Ffor batteryng of battes.
-
- Thei sewed hem in schepe skynnes, for thei shuld not brest,
- And everilkon of hem a blac hatte in stidde of a crest,[L65] 65
- A baskett or a panyer before on thaire brest,
- And a flayle in theire honde; for to fyzt prest,
- Forth con thei fare.
- Ther was kid mycull fors,
- Who shulde best fend his cors; 70
- He that hade no gode hors,
- Borowyd hym a mare.[L72]
-
- Sich another clothyng have I not sene ofte,[L73]
- When alle the gret cumpany come ridand to the crofte;
- Tibbe on a gray mare was sett up on lofte; 75
- Upon a secke full of senvye, for she shuld sitt softe,
- And ledde tille the gappe:
- Fforther wold she not than,[L78-81]
- For the luf of no man,
- Tille Coppull, hir brode hen, 80
- Were brozt in to hir lappe.
-
- A gay gyrdull Tibbe hade [on], borowed for the nones,[L82]
- And a garland on hir hed, full of ruell bones,
- And a broch on hir brest, full of saphre stones,
- The holy rode tokynyng was writon for the nones:[L85] 85
- For no spendyng they [had] spare[d].[L86]
- When joly Jeynken wist hir thare,
- He gurde so fast his gray mare,
- That she lete a fowkyn fare
- At the rerewarde. 90
-
- "I make a vow," quod Tibbe, "Coppull is comyn of kynde;[L91-99]
- I shalle falle fyve in the felde, and I my flayle fynde."
- "I make a vow," quod Hudde, "I shalle not leve behynde;
- May I mete with Lyarde, or Bayarde the blynde,
- I wot I schalle theym greve." 95
- "I make a vow," quod Haukyn,
- "May I mete with Daukyn,
- Ffor alle his rich kyn,
- His flayle I shalle hym reve."
-
- "I make a vow," quod Gregge, "Tib, [son] thu shal se 100
- Which of alle the bachelery grauntid is the gre.
- I shalle skomfet hem alle, for the luf of th['e],
- In what place that I come, thei shall have dout of me.
- Ffor I am armyd at the fole;[L104-108]
- In myn armys I ber well 105
- A doz troz and a pele,
- A sadull withowt panele,
- With a flece of wole."
-
- "Now go down," quod Dudman, "and bere me bet abowte:[L109-117]
- I make a vow thei shall abye that I fynde owte. 110
- Have I twyse or thrise riden thruz the rowte,
- In what place that I come, of me thei shall ha[ve] doute.
- Myn armys bene so clere:
- I bar a ridell and a rake,
- Poudurt with the brenyng drake, 115
- And thre cantels of a cake
- In ilke a cornere."
-
- "I make a vow," quod Tirry, "and swere be my crede,
- Saw thu never yong boy forther his body bede:
- Ffor when thei fyzt fastest, and most er in drede, 120
- I shalle take Tib be the hond and away hir lede.
- Then byn myn armys best:[L122-126]
- I ber a pilch of ermyn,
- Poudert with a catt skyn;
- The chefe is of pechmyn, 125
- That stondis on the creste."
-
- "I make a vow," quod Dudman, "and swere be the stra,
- Whils me ys left my mer, thu gets hir not swa.[L128]
- For she is wel shapyn, as lizt as a ra;
- Ther is no capull in this myle before her will ga. 130
- She wil me not begyle;
- I dar sothely say,[L132-3]
- She will be[re me] on Monday
- Ffro Hissiltoun to Haknay,
- Nozt other halfe myle." 135
-
- "I make a vow," quod Perkyn, "thu carpis of cold rost.
- I wil wyrke wiselier without any boost.
- Ffyve of the best capuls that ar in this host,
- I will hem lede away be another coost:"
- And then lowz Tibbe. 140
- "Weloo, boyes, here is he[L141]
- That will fyzt and not fle:
- Ffor I am in my jolyt['e]:
- I go forth, Tibbe."[L144]
-
- When thai had thaire othes made, forth can thei hie,[L145] 145
- With flayles and harnys and trumpis made of tre.
- Ther were all the bachilers of that contre:
- Thei were dizt in aray, as thaim self wolde be.
- Theire baner was ful bryzt,
- Off an olde raton fell;[L150-151] 150
- The chefe was of a ploo-mell,
- And the schadow of a bell,
- Quarterd with the mone lizt.[L153]
-
- I wot it was no childer gamme when thei to geder mett,
- When ilke a freke in the felde on his felow bette, 155
- And leid on stifly--for no thyng wold thei lett--
- And fozt ferly fast, til theyre hors swett.
- And few wordis were spokyn.
- Ther were flayles al to-flaterde,[L159-161]
- Ther were scheldis al to-claterde, 160
- Bolles and disshis al to-baterde,
- And mony hedis ther were brokyn.
-
- Ther was clenkyng of cart sadils, and clatering of cannes;
- Off fel frekis in the feeld brokyn were thaire fannes;
- Off sum were the hedis brokyn, of sum the brayn pannes, 165
- And evel were they besene er they went thannes,
- With swippyng of swipylles.
- The laddis were so wery forfozt,
- That thai myzt fyzt no more on loft,
- But creppid aboute in the crofte, 170
- As thei were crokid crypils.
-
- Perkyn was so wery that he began to lowte:
- "Helpe, Hudde, I am ded in this ilke rowte;
- An hors, for forty penys, a gode and a stoute,
- That I may liztly cum of my [noye] owte.[L175] 175
- Ffor no cost wil I spare."
- He stert up as a snayle,
- And hent a capull be the tayle,
- And rauzt of Daukyn his flayle,
- And wan hym a mare. 180
-
- "Perkyn wan fyve, and Hudde wan twa.
- Glad and blith thai were that thei had don sa;
- Thai wolde have thaim to Tibbe, and present hir with tha;
- The capuls were so wery that thei myzt not ga,
- But stille can thei stonde. 185
- "Alas!" quod Hud, "my joye I lese:
- Me had lever then a ston of chese
- That dere Tibbe had alle these,
- And wist hit were my sonde."
-
- Perkyn turnyd hym aboute in that ilke throng; 190
- He fouzt fresshly, for he had rest hym long.[L191-194]
- He was war of Tirry take Tib be the hond,
- And wold have lad hir away with a luf-song;
- And Perkyn after ran,
- And of his capull he hym drowe, 195
- And gaf hym of his flayle inowe.
- Then "Te he," quod Tib, and lowe:
- "Ze ar a duzty man."
-
- Thus thai tuggat and thei ruggat, til hit was ny nyzt.
- Alle the wyves of Totenham come to se that sizt, 200
- To fech home thaire husbondis that were thaym trouthe-plizt,[L201-207]
- With wispys and kexis, that was a rich lizt,
- Her husbondis home to fech.
- And sum they had in armys,
- That were febull wreches, 205
- And sum on whelebarowes,
- And sum on criches.
-
- They gedurt Perkyn aboute on every side,
- And graunt hym ther the gre, the more was his pride.
- Tib and he with gret myrth hamward can ride, 210
- And were al nyzt togedur til the morow tide.
- And to chirch thay went.[L212]
- So wel his nedis he hase spedde,
- That dere Tibbe he shall wedde;
- The chefe men that hir thider ledde[L215] 215
- Were of the turnament.
-
- To that rich fest come mony for the nonys;
- Sum come hiphalt, and sum trippande thither on the stonys;
- Sum with a staffe in his honde, and sum too at onys;
- Of sum were the hedis brokyn, of sum the schulder bonys. 220
- With sorow come they thidur.
- Woo was Hawkyn, wo was Harry,
- Woo was Tomkyn, woo was Tirry,
- And so was al the company,[L224-225]
- But zet thei come togeder. 225
-
- At that fest were thei servyd in a rich aray:[L226]
- Every fyve and fyve had a cokeney.
- And so they sate in jolite al the long daye;
- Tibbe at nyzt, I trow, hade a sympull aray.[L229]
- Micull myrth was thaym among: 230
- In every corner of the howse
- Was melodye deliciouse,
- Ffor to here preciouse,
- Off six mennys song.
-
-18. _sic_ MS. Harl. according to Percy.
-
-24-27. MS. Harl.
-
- Therfor faine wyt wold I,
- Whych of all thys bachelery
- Were best worthye
- To wed hur to hys fere.
-
-v. 27 should be divided into two.
-
-35-36. MS. Harl.
-
- If that it schuld be thys day sevenyzt,
- Or elles zet to morn.
-
-36. Wright. tomorowe.
-
-41. _sic_ MS. Harl.
-
-47. Wright, He.
-
-65. MS. Harl. Ilk on toke a blak hat.
-
-72. MS. Harl. He gat hym a mare.
-
-73. MS. Harl. gadryng.
-
-78-81. MS. Harl.
-
- For cryeng of the men,
- Forther wold not Tyb then,
- Tyl scho had hur brode hen,
- Set in hur lap.
-
-82. on. MS. Harl.
-
-85. MS. Harl. With the holy, &c. wrotyn.
-
-86. Wolde they spare. Wright.
-
-v. 91-99. Stands thus in MS. Harl.
-
- "I wow to God," quoth Herry, "I schal not lefe behynde,
- May I mete wyth Bernard on Bayard the blynde.
- Ich man kepe hym out of my wynde,
- For whatsoever that he be before me I fynde,
- I wot I schall hym greve."
- "Wele sayd," quoth Hawkyn,
- "And I wow," quoth Dawkyn,
- "May I mete wyth Tomkyn,
- Hys flayle I schal hym reve."
-
-104-108. Here stand vs. 113-117 in MS. Harl.
-
-109-117. This stanza is written as follows in MS. Harl.:
-
- "I vow to God," quoth Hawkyn, "Yf he have the gowt,
- Al that I fynde in the felde thrustand here aboute,
- Have I twyes or thryes redyn thrugh the route,
- In ych a stede ther thay me se, of me thay schal have doute.
- When I begyn to play,
- I make a vowe that I ne schall,
- But yf Tybbe wyl me call,
- Or I be thryes don fall,
- Ryzt onys com away.
-
-122-126. Here stand v. 104-108 in MS. Harl.
-
-128. Whyls me ys left my merth. MS. Harl. Whil I am most mery. Wright.
-
-We must obviously read "mer," i. e. mare, with Percy and Ritson;
-otherwise the rest of the stanza is nonsense. The _th_ which is added in
-the MS. Harl., was caught from the _thou_ following.
-
-132-3. MS. Harl.
-
- Sche wyl me bere, I dar say,
- On a lang-somerys day.
-
-141. MS. H. wele.
-
- 144. MS. H. Wyth so forth, Gybbe.
- Wright. Joo forth.
-
- 145. hie, MS. Harl.
- te, Wright.
-
-150-151. MS. H.
-
- Of an old rotten fell,
- The cheveron of a plow-mell.
-
-153. MS. H. Poudred.
-
-159-161. MS. H. slatred--flatred--schatred.
-
- 175. my noye. MS. H.
- myn one. Wright.
-
-191-194. MS. Harl.
-
- Among those wery boyes he wrest and he wrang,
- He threw tham doun to the erth, and thrast them amang,
- When he saw Tyrry away wyth Tyb fang,
- And after hym ran.
-
-201-207. Here evidently corrupted. In MS. Harl. as follows:
-
- Wyth wyspes, and kexis, and ryschys there lyzt,
- To fetch hom ther husbandes that were tham trouth-plyzt.
- And sum brozt gret harwos
- Ther husbandes hom to fetch,
- Sum on dores, and sum on hech,
- Sum on hyrdyllys, and sum on crech,
- And sum on whele-barows.
-
-212. MS. H. And thay ifere assent.
-
-215. MS. H. The prayse-folk that hur led.
-
-224-5. MS. H.
-
- And so was all the bachelary,
- When thay met togedyr.
-
-226. MS. H. with a ryche aray.
-
-229. MS. H.
-
- And at the last thay went to bed with ful gret deray.
-
-N. B. The letter z in our reprint of this poem often represents the old
-character [gh], which has generally the force of gh (aspirated g),
-sometimes of y.
-
-
-
-
-THE WYF OF AUCHTIRMUCHTY.
-
-
-This ballad has been handed down, through manuscript and oral tradition,
-in several forms. The oldest copy is furnished by the Bannatyne MS., and
-this has been often printed, with more or less correctness: as in
-Ramsay's _Evergreen_, ii. 137; Lord Hailes's _Ancient Scotish Poems,
-&c._ p. 215; Herd's _Scotish Songs_, ii. 237; Pinkerton's _Select
-Scottish Ballads_, ii. 97. Our text is that of Laing, _Select Remains,
-&c._, which professes to be carefully given from the manuscript. Mr.
-Laing has added in the margin the most important variations of other
-editions. Allan Ramsay altered several verses and added others.
-
-In the Bannatyne MS. this piece is subscribed with the name of "Mofat,"
-and on this ground the authorship has been attributed to Sir John
-Moffat, who is supposed to have lived in the earlier part of the 16th
-century.
-
-Ritson, who intended to insert the _Wife of Auchtermuchty_ in a
-projected volume of _Select Scotish Poems_, says in a manuscript note,
-"The subject of this poem seems to be borrowed from the first part of a
-story in the _Silva Sermonum Jucundissimorum_, Basil. 1568, 8vo. p. 116,
-though certainly from a more ancient authority." (Laing.) This story is
-cited at the end of the volume from which we print. In Wright and
-Halliwell's _Reliqui[ae] Antiqu[ae]_, ii. 195, is the first _fit_ of an
-English ballad on the same subject, "from a MS. on paper, of the reign
-of Henry VII," (_Ballad of a Tyrannical Husband_.) _John Grumlie_ in
-Cunningham's _Songs of Scotland_, ii. 123, is another variety. See also
-_Nursery Rhymes of England_, p. 32, Per. Soc. vol. iv. In 1803, there
-appeared at Edinburgh a translation of Ramsay's ballad into Latin rhyme.
-
- In Auchtirmuchty thair dwelt ane man,
- An husband, as I hard it tauld,
- Quha weill could tippill owt a can,
- And naithir luvit hungir nor cauld.
- Quhill anis it fell upoun a day, 5
- He yokkit his pluch upoun the plane;
- Gif it be trew as I hard say,
- The day was foull for wind and rane.
-
- He lowsit the pluche at the landis end,
- And draif his oxin hame at evin; 10
- Quhen he come in he lukit bend,
- And saw the wyf baith dry and clene,
- And sittand at ane fyre, beik and bauld,
- With ane fat soup, as I hard say;
- The man being verry weit and cauld, 15
- Betwene thay twa it was na play.
-
- Quoth he, "Quhair is my horsis corne?
- My ox hes naithir hay nor stray;
- Dame, ye mon to the pluch to morne;
- I salbe hussy, gif I may." 20
- "Husband," quoth scho, "content am I
- To tak the pluche my day about,
- Sa ye will reull baith kavis and ky,
- And all the house baith in and owt.
-
- "But sen that ye will husyskep ken, 25
- First ye sall sift and syne sall kned;
- And ay as ye gang but and ben,
- Luk that the bairnis dryt not the bed.
- Yeis lay ane soft wisp to the kill;
- We haif ane deir ferme on o[u]r heid; 30
- And ay as ye gang furth and in,
- Keip weill the gaislingis fra the gled."
-
- The wyf was up richt late at evin,
- I pray God gif her evill to fair!
- Scho kyrnd the kyrne, and skumd it clene, 35
- And left the gudeman bot the bledoch bair.
- Than in the mornyng up scho gatt,
- And on hir hairt laid hir disjune;
- Scho put als mekle in hir lap,
- As micht haif ser[v]d them baith at nune. 40
-
- Sayis, "Jok, will thou be maister of wark,
- And thou sall had, and I sall kall;
- Ise promise th['e] ane gude new sark,
- Athir of round claith or of small."
- Scho lousit oxin aucht or nyne, 45
- And hynt ane gad-staff in hir hand;
- And the gudman raiss eftir syne,
- And saw the wyf had done command.
-
- And caud the gaislingis furth to feid;
- Thair was bot sevensum of thame all; 50
- And by thair cumis the gredy gled,
- And likkit up five, left him bot twa.
- Than out he ran in all his mane,
- How sune he hard the gaislingis cry;
- Bot than or he come in agane, 55
- The calfis brak louss and sowkit the ky.
-
- The calvis and ky being met in the lone,
- The man ran with ane rung to red;
- Than by thair cumis ane ill-willy cow,
- And brodit his buttok quhill that it bled. 60
- Than hame he ran to an rok of tow,
- And he satt doun to say the spynning;
- I trow he lowtit our neir the low,
- Quoth he, "This wark hes ill begynning."
-
- Than to the kyrn that he did stoure, 65
- And jumlit at it quhill he swatt:
- Quhen he had jumlit a full lang houre,
- The sorrow crap of butter he gatt.
- Albeit na butter he could gett,
- Yit he wes cummerit with the kyrne, 70
- And syne he het the milk our hett,
- And sorrow a spark of it wald yirne.
-
- Than ben thair come ane gredy sow,
- I trow he cund hir littil thank;
- For in scho schot hir mekle mow, 75
- And ay scho winkit and scho drank.
- He cleikit up ane crukit club,
- And thocht to hitt the sow ane rout;
- The twa gaislingis the gled had left,
- That straik dang baith thair harnis out. 80
-
- [He gat his foot upon the spyre,[L81-88]
- To have gotten the flesche doune to the pat;
- He fell backward into the fyre,
- And brack his head on the keming stock.
- Yit he gat the mekle pat upon the fyre, 85
- And gat twa cannes, and ran to the spout;
- Er he came in, quhat thought ye of that?
- The fyre brunt aw the pat-a... out.]
-
- Than he beur kendling to the kill,
- But scho start all up in ane low; 90
- Quhat evir he hard, quhat evir he saw,
- That day he had na will to mow.
- Then he yeid to tak up the bairnis,
- Thocht to haif fund thame fair and clene;
- The first that he gat in his armis 95
- Was all bedirtin to the ene.
-
- The first that he gat in his armis,
- It was all dirt up to the eine;
- "The devill cut of thair handes," quoth he,
- "That fild you all sa fow this strene." 100
- He trailit foull scheitis doun the gait,
- Thought to haif wescht thame on ane stane;
- The burne wes rissin grit of spait,
- Away fra him the scheitis hes tane.
-
- Then up he gat on ane know heid, 105
- On hir to cry, on hir to schout;[L106]
- Scho hard him, and scho hard him not,
- Bot stoutly steird the stottis about.
- Scho draif the day unto the night,
- Scho lousit the pluch, and syne come hame; 110
- Scho fand all wrang that sould bene richt,
- I trow the man thought richt grit schame.
-
- Quoth he, "My office I forsaik,
- For all the dayis of my lyf,
- For I wald put ane house to wraik, 115
- Had I bene twenty dayis gudwyf."
- Quoth scho, "Weill mote ye bruke your place,
- For trewlie I will never excep it:"
- Quoth he, "Feind fall the lyaris face,
- Bot yit ye may be blyth to get it." 120
-
- Than up scho gat ane mekle rung,
- And the gudman maid to the doir;[L122]
- Quoth he, "Dame, I sall hald my tung,
- For and we fecht I'ill get the woir."
- Quoth he, "Quhen I forsuk my pluche, 125
- I trow I but forsuk my seill;
- And I will to my pluch agane,
- Ffor I and this howse will nevir do weill."
-
-81-88. This stanza, which does not occur in the Bannatyne MS., or in the
-ordinary printed copies, is given by Laing from a MS. "written in a hand
-not much later than the year 1600."
-
-106. MS. cray.
-
-122. MS. dur.
-
-
-
-
-THE FRIAR IN THE WELL.
-
-
-An old story, often referred to, e. g. in Skelton's _Colyn Cloute_, v.
-879. The ballad is found in various collections in the British Museum,
-and is cited in part from one of these, in Dyce's note to the passage in
-Skelton. There is a Scottish version in Kinloch's _Ballad Book_, p. 25.
-The following is from Durfey's _Pills to Purge Melancholy_, iii. 325
-(_The Fryer and the Maid_), but as that copy is abridged, we have
-supplied the omitted stanzas from Chappell's _Popular Music_, p. 273.
-
- As I lay musing all alone,
- A merry tale I thought upon;
- Now listen a while, and I will you tell
- Of a fryer that loved a bonny lass well.
-
- He came to her when she was going to bed, 5
- Desiring to have her maidenhead;
- But she denyed his desire,
- And said that she did fear hell-fire.
-
- "Tush, tush," quoth the fryer, "thou needst not doubt,
- If thou wert in hell, I could sing thee out:" 10
- "Why then," quoth the maid, "thou shalt have thy request;"
- The fryer was as glad as a fox in his nest.
-
- "But one thing more I must require,[L13]
- More than to sing me out of hell-fire;
- That is, for doing of the thing, 15
- An angel of money you must me bring."
-
- "Tush, tush," quoth the fryer, "we two shall agree;
- No money shall part thee, [my love,] and me;
- Before thy company I will lack,
- I'll pawn the grey gown off my back." 20
-
- The maid bethought her on a wile,
- How she might this fryer beguile.
- When he was gone, the truth to tell,
- She hung a cloth before a well.
-
- The fryer came, as his bargain was, 25
- With money unto his bonny lass;
- "Good morrow, fair maid;" "Good morrow," quoth she;
- "Here is the money I promis'd thee."
-
- She thank'd him, and she took the money:
- "Now lets go to't, my own dear honey:" 30
- "Nay, stay awhile, some respite make;
- If my master should come, he would us take."
-
- "Alas!" quoth the maid, "my master doth come."
- "Alas!" quoth the fryer, "where shall I run?"
- "Behind yon cloth run thou," quoth she, 35
- "For there my master cannot see."
-
- Behind the cloth the fryer went,
- And was in the well incontinent.
- "Alas!" quoth he, "I'm in the well;"
- "No matter," quoth she, "if thou wert in hell. 40
-
- "Thou saidst thou could sing me out of hell:
- I prithee sing thyself out of the well.
- Sing out," quoth she, "with all thy might,
- Or else thou'rt like to sing there all night."
-
- The fryer sang out with a pitiful sound, 45
- "O help me out, or I shall be drown'd."
- ["I trow," quoth she, "your courage is cool'd;"
- Quoth the fryer, "I never was so fool'd.
- "I never was served so before;"
- "Then take heed," quoth she, "thou com'st here no more." 50
-
- Quoth he, "For sweet St. Francis sake,
- On his disciple some pity take:"
- Quoth she, "St. Francis never taught
- His scholars to tempt young maids to naught."
-
- The friar did entreat her still 55
- That she would help him out of the well:
- She heard him make such piteous moan,
- She help'd him out, and bid him begone.
-
- Quoth he, "Shall I have my money again,
- Which from me thou hast before-hand ta'en?" 60
- "Good sir," quoth she, "there's no such matter;
- I'll make you pay for fouling the water."
-
- The friar went along the street,
- Dropping wet, like a new-wash'd sheep;
- Both old and young commended the maid 65
- That such a witty prank had play'd.]
-
-13. request.
-
-
-
-
-GET UP AND BAR THE DOOR.
-
-Herd's _Scottish Songs_, ii. 63.
-
-
-First printed by Herd in a slightly different form, ed. 1776, ii. 159;
-also Johnson's _Museum_, p. 310, and Ritson's _Scottish Songs_, i. 226.
-The hero of this story is traditionally known as one Johnie Blunt, who
-lived on Crawford Moor. Several versions of a song called by his name
-are current among the Scottish peasantry, one of which is given in
-Johnson's _Museum_, p. 376.--This ballad, says Stenhouse, furnished
-Prince Hoare with one of the principal scenes in his musical
-entertainment of _No Song, no Supper_, "acted at Drury Lane in 1790, and
-since throughout the United Kingdom with great success."
-
- It fell about the Martinmas time,
- And a gay time it was than,
- That our gudewife had puddings to mak,
- And she boil'd them in the pan.
-
- The wind blew cauld frae east and north, 5
- And blew into the floor;
- Quoth our gudeman to our gudewife,
- "Get up and bar the door."
-
- "My hand is in my hussyskep,
- Goodman, as ye may see; 10
- An' it shou'dna be barr'd this hunder year,
- It's ne'er be barr'd by me."
-
- They made a paction 'tween them twa,
- They made it firm and sure,
- That the first word whaever spak, 15
- Should rise and bar the door.
-
- Than by there came twa gentlemen,
- At twelve o'clock at night,
- Whan they can see na ither house,
- And at the door they light. 20
-
- "Now whether is this a rich man's house,
- Or whether is it a poor?"
- But ne'er a word wad ane o' them speak,
- For barring of the door.
-
- And first they ate the white puddings, 25
- And syne they ate the black:
- Muckle thought the gudewife to hersell,
- Yet ne'er a word she spak.
-
- Then ane unto the ither said,
- "Here, man, tak ye my knife; 30
- Do ye tak aff the auld man's beard,
- And I'll kiss the gudewife."
-
- "But there's na water in the house,
- And what shall we do than?"
- "What ails ye at the pudding bree 35
- That boils into the pan?"
-
- O up then started our gudeman,
- An angry man was he;
- "Will ye kiss my wife before my een,
- And scald me wi' pudding bree?"
-
- O up then started our gudewife, 40
- Gied three skips on the floor;
- "Gudeman, you have spak the first word;
- Get up and bar the door."
-
-
-
-
-THE DRAGON OF WANTLEY.
-
-Percy's _Reliques_, iii. 350. _Old Ballads_, i. 37.
-
-
-This in its way most admirable ballad is clearly a parody of some
-ancient _K[oe]mpevise_. The armor studded with spikes connects this
-story with the legend of the _Worm of Lambton_ (see vol. i. p. 281, and
-_post_, p. 136), which, we are inclined to think with Grundtvig (i.
-346), may have some radical connection with Regner Lodbrog's fight with
-the snake that guarded Thora's bower. The well in v. 100 corresponds to
-the pit in which the hero stands in _Ormekampen_, Grundtvig, i.
-342.--Printed by Percy from a copy in Roman letter, in the Pepys
-Collection, "collated with such others as could be procured." PERCY.
-
- Old stories tell how Hercules
- A dragon slew at Lerna,
- With seven heads, and fourteen eyes,
- To see and well discerne-a:
- But he had a club, this dragon to drub, 5
- Or he had ne'er done it, I warrant ye:
- But More of More-Hall, with nothing at all,
- He slew the dragon of Wantley.
-
- This dragon had two furious wings,
- Each one upon each shoulder; 10
- With a sting in his tayl, as long as a flayl,
- Which made him bolder and bolder.
- He had long claws, and in his jaws
- Four and forty teeth of iron;
- With a hide as tough as any buff, 15
- Which did him round environ.
-
- Have you not heard how the Trojan horse
- Held seventy men in his belly?
- This dragon was not quite so big,
- But very near, I'll tell ye. 20
- Devoured he poor children three,
- That could not with him grapple;
- And at one sup he eat them up,
- As one would eat an apple.
-
- All sorts of cattle this dragon did eat; 25
- Some say he ate up trees,
- And that the forests sure he would
- Devour up by degrees;
- For houses and churches were to him geese and turkies;[L29]
- He ate all, and left none behind, 30
- But some stones, dear Jack, that he could not crack,
- Which on the hills you will find.
-
- In Yorkshire, near fair Rotherham,
- The place I know it well,
- Some two or three miles, or thereabouts, 35
- I vow I cannot tell;
- But there is a hedge, just on the hill edge,
- And Matthew's house hard by it;
- O there and then was this dragon's den,
- You could not chuse but spy it. 40
-
- Some say, this dragon was a witch;
- Some say, he was a devil;
- For from his nose a smoke arose,
- And with it burning snivel;
- Which he cast off, when he did cough, 45
- In a well that he did stand by,
- Which made it look just like a brook
- Running with burning brandy.
-
- Hard by a furious knight there dwelt,
- Of whom all towns did ring, 50
- For he could wrestle, play at quarter-staff, kick, cuff and huff,
- Call son of a w...., do any kind of thing.
- By the tail and the main, with his hands twain,
- He swung a horse till he was dead;
- And that which is stranger, he for very anger 55
- Eat him all up but his head.
-
- These children, as I told, being eat,
- Men, women, girls, and boys,
- Sighing and sobbing, came to his lodging,
- And made a hideous noise; 60
- "O save us all, More of More-Hall,
- Thou peerless knight of these woods;
- Do but slay this dragon, who won't leave us a rag on,
- We'll give thee all our goods."
-
- "Tut, tut," quoth he, "no goods I want: 65
- But I want, I want, in sooth,
- A fair maid of sixteen, that's brisk and keen,
- With smiles about the mouth,
- Hair black as sloe, skin white as snow,
- With blushes her cheeks adorning, 70
- To anoynt me o'er night, ere I go to fight,
- And to dress me in the morning."
-
- This being done, he did engage
- To hew the dragon down;
- But first he went, new armour to 75
- Bespeak at Sheffield town;
- With spikes all about, not within but without,
- Of steel so sharp and strong,
- Both behind and before, arms, legs, and all o'er,
- Some five or six inches long. 80
-
- Had you but seen him in this dress,
- How fierce he look'd and how big,
- You would have thought him for to be
- Some Egyptian porcupig.
- He frighted all, cats, dogs, and all, 85
- Each cow, each horse, and each hog:
- For fear they did flee, for they took him to be
- Some strange outlandish hedge-hog.
-
- To see this fight, all people then
- Got up on trees and houses; 90
- On churches some, and chimneys too;
- But these put on their trowses,
- Not to spoil their hose. As soon as he rose,
- To make him strong and mighty,
- He drank by the tale, six pots of ale, 95
- And a quart of aqua-vit[ae].
-
- It is not strength that always wins,
- For wit doth strength excell;
- Which made our cunning champion
- Creep down into a well, 100
- Where he did think, this dragon would drink,
- And so he did in truth;
- And as he stoop'd low, he rose up and cry'd, "Boh!"
- And hit him in the mouth.
-
- "Oh," quoth the dragon, "pox take thee, come out! 105
- Thou disturb'st me in my drink:"
- And then he turn'd, and s... at him;
- Good lack how he did stink!
- "Beshrew thy soul, thy body's foul,
- Thy dung smells not like balsam; 110
- Thou son of a w...., thou stink'st so sore,
- Sure thy diet is unwholesome."
-
- Our politick knight, on the other side,
- Crept out upon the brink,
- And gave the dragon such a douse, 115
- He knew not what to think:
- "By cock," quoth he, "say you so, do you see?"
- And then at him he let fly
- With hand and with foot, and so they went to't;
- And the word it was, Hey boys, hey! 120
-
- "Your words," quoth the dragon, "I don't understand";
- Then to it they fell at all,
- Like two wild boars so fierce, if I may
- Compare great things with small.
- Two days and a night, with this dragon did fight 125
- Our champion on the ground;
- Though their strength it was great, their skill it was neat,
- They never had one wound.
-
- At length the hard earth began to quake,
- The dragon gave him a knock, 130
- Which made him to reel, and straitway he thought,
- To lift him as high as a rock,
- And thence let him fall. But More of More-Hall,
- Like a valiant son of Mars,
- As he came like a lout, so he turn'd him about,
- And hit him a kick on the a... 136
-
- "Oh," quoth the dragon, with a deep sigh,
- And turn'd six times together,
- Sobbing and tearing, cursing and swearing,
- Out of his throat of leather; 140
-
- "More of More-Hall! O thou rasc[a']l!
- Would I had seen thee never;
- With the thing at thy foot, thou hast prick'd my a... gut,
- And I am quite undone forever."
-
- "Murder, murder," the dragon cry'd, 145
- "Alack, alack, for grief;
- Had you but mist that place, you could
- Have done me no mischief."
- Then his head he shaked, trembled and quaked,
- And down he laid and cry'd; 150
- First on one knee, then on back tumbled he,
- So groan'd, kickt, s..., and dy'd.
-
-29, were to him gorse and birches. Other copies.
-
- * * * * *
-
-[Asterism] In the improved edition of the _Reliques_, a most
-extraordinary attempt to explain the foregoing burlesque as an allegory
-(!) is made in a "Key" appended to the ballad, and said to be
-"communicated by Godfrey Bosville, Esq., of Thorp, near Malton, in
-Yorkshire."
-
-"Warncliff Lodge, and Warncliff Wood (vulgarly pronounced Wantley), are
-in the parish of Penniston, in Yorkshire. The rectory of Penniston was
-part of the dissolved monastery of St. Stephen's, Westminster; and was
-granted to the Duke of Norfolk's family: who therewith endowed an
-hospital, which he built at Sheffield, for women. The trustees let the
-impropriation of the great tithes of Penniston to the Wortley family,
-who got a great deal by it, and wanted to get still more: for Mr.
-Nicholas Wortley attempted to take the tithes in kind, but Mr. Francis
-Bosville opposed him, and there was a decree in favour of the modus in
-37th Eliz. The vicarage of Penniston did not go along with the rectory,
-but with the copyhold rents, and was part of a large purchase made by
-Ralph Bosville, Esq., from Queen Elizabeth, in the 2d year of her reign:
-and that part he sold in 12th Eliz. to his elder brother Godfrey, the
-father of Francis; who left it, with the rest of his estate, to his
-wife, for her life, and then to Ralph, third son of his uncle Ralph. The
-widow married Lyonel Rowlestone, lived eighteen years, and survived
-Ralph.
-
-"This premised, the ballad apparently relates to the lawsuit carried on
-concerning this claim of tithes made by the Wortley family. 'Houses and
-churches were to him geese and turkeys:' which are titheable things, the
-Dragon chose to live on. Sir Francis Wortley, the son of Nicholas,
-attempted again to take the tithes in kind: but the parishioners
-subscribed an agreement to defend their modus. And at the head of the
-agreement was Lyonel Rowlestone, who is supposed to be one of 'the
-stones, dear Jack, which the Dragon could not crack.' The agreement is
-still preserved in a large sheet of parchment, dated 1st of James I.,
-and is full of names and seals, which might be meant by the coat of
-armour, "with spikes all about, both within and without." More of
-More-hall was either the attorney, or counsellor, who conducted the
-suit. He is not distinctly remembered, but More-hall is still extant at
-the very bottom of Wantley [Warncliff] Wood, and lies so low, that it
-might be said to be in a well: as the Dragon's den [Warncliff Lodge] was
-at the top of the wood 'with Matthew's house hard by it.' The keepers
-belonging to the Wortley family were named, for many generations,
-Matthew Northall: the last of them left this lodge, within memory, to be
-keeper to the Duke of Norfolk. The present owner of More-hall still
-attends Mr. Bosville's Manor Court at Oxspring, and pays a rose a year.
-'More of More-Hall, with nothing at all, slew the Dragon of Wantley.' He
-gave him, instead of tithes, so small a modus, that it was in effect,
-nothing at all, and was slaying him with a vengeance. 'The poor children
-three,' &c., cannot surely mean the three sisters of Francis Bosville,
-who would have been coheiresses, had he made no will? The late Mr.
-Bosville had a contest with the descendants of two of them, the late Sir
-George Saville's father, and Mr. Copley, about the presentation to
-Penniston, they supposing Francis had not the power to give this part of
-the estate from the heirs at law; but it was decided against them. The
-Dragon (Sir Francis Wortley) succeeded better with his cousin
-Wordesworth, the freehold lord of the manor, (for it is the copyhold
-manor that belongs to Mr. Bosville,) having persuaded him not to join
-the refractory parishioners, under a promise that he would let him his
-tithes cheap: and now the estates of Wortley and Wordesworth are the
-only lands that pay tithes in the parish.
-
-"N. B. The 'two days and a night,' mentioned in ver. 125, as the
-duration of the combat, was probably that of the trial at law."
-
- * * * * *
-
-NOTE to p. 128, and p. 131, v. 75-80. Grundtvig, ii. 653, refers to a
-B[oe]otian legend in Pausanias ix. 26, 5, for an instance of a similar
-contrivance. The story goes, that one Menestratus, to save a friend who
-was about to be exposed in due course to a dragon, made himself a brazen
-breastplate, which had on every scale a hook with the point bent
-upwards. Armed in this, he went voluntarily to meet the monster, and
-destroyed him, though at the expense of his own life.
-
-
-
-
-APPENDIX.
-
-
-
-
-KEMPY KAYE.
-
-From Sharpe's _Ballad Book_, p. 81.
-
-
-There is a resemblance in two points between this ballad and the Danish
-_Greve Genselin_ (Grundtvig, No. 16, translated by Jamieson,
-_Illustrations_, p. 310). The characters in both are giants: the
-smallest kemp that danced at Genselin's bridal was "fifteen ells to his
-knee." Secondly, the bridal in the one ballad and the wooing in the
-other are described in a style of extravagant parody; more gross in the
-English, however, than in the Danish, where it is confined to the
-bride's enormous appetite. This portion of _Greve Genselin_ occurs also
-in _Tord af Havsgaard_ (Grundtvig, No. 1), which ballad is founded upon
-the story of Thor's Hammer in the _Edda_.
-
- Kempy Kaye's a wooing gane,
- Far far ayont the sea,
- An' he has met with an auld auld man,
- His gudefather to be.
-
- "Gae scrape yeersel, and gae scart yeersel, 5
- And mak your bruchty face clean,[L7, 8]
- For the wooers are to be here the nicht,
- And yeer body's to be seen.
-
- "What's the matter wi' you, my fair maiden,
- You luk so pale and wan? 10
- I'm sure you was once the fairest maiden
- That ever the sun shined on."
-
- Sae they scrapit her, and they scartit her,
- Like the face of an assy pan,
- And in cam Kempy Kaye himself, 15
- A clever and tall young man.[L16-20]
-
- His teeth they were like tether sticks,
- His nose was three feet lang;
- Between his shouthers was ells three,
- Between his een a span. 20
-
- "I'm coming to court your dochter dear,
- An' some pairt of your gear:"
- "An' by my sooth," quo' Bengoleer,
- "She'll sair a man o' weir.
-
- "My dochter she's a thrifty lass; 25
- She span seven year to me;
- An' if it war weil counted up,
- Full ten wobs it would be."
-
- He led his dochter by the han',
- His dochter ben brought he; 30
- "O is she not the fairest lass
- That's in great Christendye?"
-
- Ilka hair intil her head
- Was like a heather cow,
- And ilka louse aninder it 35
- Was like a lintseed bow.[L36]
-
- She had lauchty teeth, an' kaily lips,
- An' wide lugs fu' o' hair;
- Her pouches fu' o' pease-meal daigh,
- War hinging down her spare. 40
-
- Ilka ee intil her head
- Was like a rotten ploom,
- An' down down browit was the quean,
- An' sairly did she gloom.
-
- Ilka nail upon her hand 45
- Was like an iron rake,
- An' ilka teeth into her head
- Was like a tether stake.
-
- She gied to him a gay gravat
- O' the auld horse's sheet, 50
- And he gied her a gay gold ring
- O' the auld couple reet.
-
-7, 8. _Var_.
-
- For Kempy Kaye's to be here the nicht,
- Or else the morn at een.
-
-16-20. See _King Henry_, v. 21,22, vol. i. p. 148, and _The Wee Wee
-Man_, vol. i. p. 126, note. Also _Carle of Carlile_, v. 177-188 in
-Madden's _Syr Gawayne_, p. 256.
-
-36. _Var._ Was like a brucket yowe.
-
-
-
-
-KEMPY KAYE.
-
-From Kinloch's _Ballad Book_, p. 41.
-
-
- Kempy Kaye is a wooing gane
- Far far ayont the sea,
- And there he met wi' auld Goling,
- His gudefather to be, be,
- His gudefather to be. 5
-
- "Whar are ye gaun, O Kempy Kaye,
- Whar are ye gaun sa sune?"
- "O I am gaun to court a wife,
- And think na ye that's weel dune, dune,
- And think na ye that's weel dune?" 10
-
- "And ye be gaun to court a wife,
- As ye do tell to me,
- 'Tis ye sall hae my Fusome Fug,
- Your ae wife for to be, be,
- Your ae wife for to be." 15
-
- "Rise up, rise up my Fusome Fug,
- And mak your foul face clean,
- For the brawest wooer that ere ye saw
- Is come develling doun the green, green,
- Is come develling doun the green." 20
-
- Up then raise the Fusome Fug,
- To mak her foul face clean;
- And aye she curs'd her mither
- She had na water in, in,
- She had na water in. 25
-
- She rampit out, and she rampit in,
- She rampit but and ben;
- The tittles and tattles that hang frae her tail
- Wad muck an acre o' land, land,
- Wad muck an acre o' land. 30
-
- She had a neis upon her face
- Was like an auld pat-fit;
- Atween her neis bot and her mou
- Was inch thick deep o' dirt, dirt,
- Was inch thick deep o' dirt. 35
-
- She had twa een intil her head
- War like twa rotten plooms;
- The heavy brows hung down her face,
- And O I vow she glooms, glooms!
- And O I vow she glooms! 40
-
- Ilka hair that was on her head
- Was like a heather cow,
- And ilka louse that lookit out
- Was like a lintseed bow, bow,
- Was like a lintseed bow. 45
-
- When Kempy Kaye cam to the house,
- He lookit thro' a hole,
- And there he saw the dirty drab
- Just whisking oure the coal, coal,
- Just whisking oure the coal. 50
-
- He gied to her a braw silk napkin,
- Was made o' an auld horse brat;
- "I ne'er wore a silk napkin a' my life,
- But weel I wat Is'e wear that, that,
- But weel I wat Is'e wear that. 55
-
- "He gied to her a braw gowd ring,
- Was made frae an auld brass pan,
- "I ne'er wore a gowd ring in a' my life,
- But now I wat I'se wear ane, ane,
- But now I wat Is'e wear ane." 60
-
- Whan thir twa loves had met thegither,
- O kissing to tak their fill,
- The slaver that hang atween their twa gabs
- Wad hae tether'd a ten year auld bill, bill,
- Wad hae tether'd a ten year auld bill. 65
-
-
-
-
-THE JOVIAL HUNTER OF BROMSGROVE.
-
-
-From _Ancient Poems, Ballads, and Songs of the Peasantry of England_,
-edited by Robert Bell, p. 124. This ballad, says the editor, "has long
-been popular in Worcestershire and some of the adjoining counties. It
-was printed for the first time by Mr. Allies of Worcester, under the
-title of _The Jovial Hunter of Bromsgrove_; but amongst the peasantry of
-that county, and the adjoining county of Warwick, it has always been
-called _The Old Man and his Three Sons_--the name given to a fragment of
-the ballad still used as a nursery song in the north of England, the
-chorus of which slightly varies from that of the ballad: (see p. 250 of
-the same publication.)" Mr. Bell imagines that there is an allusion to
-this ballad in _As You Like It_, i. 2, where Le Beau says
-
- "There comes an old man and his three sons,"
-
-and Celia replies,
-
- "I could match this beginning with an old tale."
-
- * * * * *
-
- Old Sir Robert Bolton had three sons,
- _Wind well thy horn, good hunter_;
- And one of them was Sir Ryalas,
- _For he was a jovial hunter_.
-
- He ranged all round down by the wood side, 5
- _Wind well thy horn, good hunter_,
- Till in a tree-top a gay lady he spied,
- _For he was a jovial hunter_.
-
- "O, what dost thee mean, fair lady?" said he,
- _Wind well thy horn, good hunter_; 10
- "The wild boar's killed my lord, and has thirty men gored,
- _And thou beest a jovial hunter_.
-
- "O what shall I do this wild boar for to see?"
- _Wind well thy horn, good hunter_;
- "O, thee blow a blast, and he'll come unto thee, 15
- _As thou beest a jovial hunter_.
-
- Then he blowed a blast, full north, east, west and south,
- _Wind well thy horn, good hunter_;
- And the wild boar then heard him full in his den,
- _As he was a jovial hunter_. 20
-
- Then he made the best of his speed unto him,
- _Wind well thy horn, good hunter_;
- [Swift flew the boar, with his tusks smeared with gore,][L23]
- _To Sir Ryalas, the jovial hunter_.
-
- Then the wild boar, being so stout and so strong, 25
- _Wind well thy horn, good hunter_;
- Thrashed down the trees as he ramped him along,
- _To Sir Ryalas, the jovial hunter_.
-
- "O what dost thee want of me?" wild boar, said he,
- _Wind well thy horn, good hunter_; 30
- "O I think in my heart I can do enough for thee,
- _For I am the jovial hunter_."
-
- Then they fought four hours in a long summer day,
- _Wind well thy horn, good hunter_;
- Till the wild boar fain would have got him away 35
- _From Sir Ryalas, the jovial hunter_.
-
- Then Sir Ryalas drawed his broad sword with might,
- _Wind well thy horn, good hunter_;
- And he fairly cut the boar's head off quite,
- _For he was a jovial hunter_. 40
-
- Then out of the wood the wild woman flew,
- _Wind well thy horn, good hunter_;
- "O my pretty spotted pig thou hast slew,
- _For thou beest a jovial hunter_.
-
- "There are three things, I demand them of thee, 45
- _Wind well thy horn, good hunter_;
- "It's thy horn, and thy hound, and thy gay lady,
- _As thou beest a jovial hunter_."
-
- "If these three things thou dost ask of me,"
- _Wind well thy horn, good hunter_; 50
- It's just as my sword and thy neck can agree,
- _For I am a jovial hunter_."
-
- Then into his long locks the wild woman flew,
- _Wind well thy horn, good hunter_;
- Till she thought in her heart to tear him through, 55
- _Though he was a jovial hunter_.
-
- Then Sir Ryalas drawed his broad sword again,
- _Wind well thy horn, good hunter_;
- And he fairly split her head into twain,
- _For he was a jovial hunter_. 60
-
- In Bromsgrove church, the knight he doth lie,
- _Wind well thy horn, good hunter_;
- And the wild boar's head is pictured thereby,
- _Sir Ryalas, the jovial hunter_.
-
-23. Inserted by Bell.
-
-
-
-
-THE BLUDY SERK.
-
-
-_The Bludy Serk_, both story and morality, is taken from the _Gesta
-Romanorum_; see two forms of the tale in Madden's _Old English
-Versions_, &c. p. 22, p. 404.
-
-This poem is preserved in the Bannatyne Manuscript, and has been several
-times printed. The present copy is from Laing's _Select Remains of the
-Ancient Popular Poetry of Scotland_. The author is Robert Henryson,
-whose ballad of _Robene and Makyne_ has been given in the fourth volume
-of this collection.
-
- This hindir yeir I hard be tald,
- Thair was a worthy king;
- Dukis, erlis, and barronis bald,
- He had at his bidding.
- The lord was anceane and ald, 5
- And sexty yeiris cowth ring;
- He had a dochter, fair to fald,
- A lusty lady ying.
-
- Off all fairheid scho bur the flour,
- And eik hir faderis air; 10
- Off lusty laitis and he honour;
- Meik, bot and debonair.
- Scho wynnit in a bigly bour;
- On fold wes none so fair;
- Princes luvit hir, paramour, 15
- In cuntries our all quhair.
-
- Thair dwelt a lyt besyde the king
- A fowll gyane of ane;
- Stollin he hes the lady ying,
- Away with hir is gane; 20
- And kest hir in his dungering,
- Quhair licht scho micht se nane;
- Hungir and cauld and grit thristing
- Scho fand in to hir wame.
-
- He wes the laithliest on to luk 25
- That on the grund mycht gang;
- His nailis wes lyk ane hellis cruk,
- Thairwith fyve quarteris lang.
- Thair wes nane that he ourtuk,
- In rycht or yit in wrang, 30
- But all in schondir he thame schuke,
- The gyane wes so strang.
-
- He held the lady day and nycht
- Within his deip dungeoun;
- He wald nocht gif of hir a sicht 35
- For gold nor yit ransoun,
- Bot gife the king mycht get a knycht
- To fecht with his persoun,
- To fecht with him, both day and nycht,
- Quhill ane wer dungin doun. 40
-
- The king gart seik baith fer and neir,
- Beth be se and land,
- Off any knycht gife he micht heir,
- Wald fecht with that gyand.
- A worthy prince, that had no peir, 45
- Hes tane the deid on hand,
- For the luve of the lady cleir,
- And held full trewe cunnand.
-
- That prince come prowdly to the toun,
- Of that gyane to heir, 50
- And fawcht with him, his awin persoun,
- And tuke him presonier,
- And kest him in his awin dungeoun,
- Allane withouttin feir,
- With hungir, cawld, and confusioun, 55
- As full weill worthy weir;
-
- Syne brak the bour, had hame the bricht,
- Vnto hir fadir he;[L58]
- Sa evil wondit was the knycht,
- That he behuvit to de. 60
- Unlusum was his likame dicht,
- His sark was all bludy;
- In all the warld was thair a wicht
- So petyouse for to se!
-
- The lady murnyt, and maid grit mone, 65
- With all her mekle micht:
- "I lufit nevir lufe, bot one,
- That dulfully now is dicht!
- God sen my lyfe wer fra me tone,
- Or I had sene yone sicht; 70
- Or ellis in begging evir to gone,
- Furth with yone curtass knycht!"
-
- He said, "Fair lady, now mone I
- De, trestly ye me trow:
- Tak ye my sark that is bludy, 75
- And hing it forrow yow:
- First think on it, and syne on me,
- Quhen men cumis yow to wow."
- The lady said, "Be Mary fre,
- Thairto I mak a wow." 80
-
- Quhen that scho lukit to the serk,
- Scho thocht on the persoun,
- And prayit for him with all hir harte,
- That lowsd hir of bandoun,
- Quhair scho was wont to sit full merk, 85
- In that deip dung['e]oun;
- And ever quhill scho wes in quert,
- That wass hir a lessoun.
-
- Sa weill the lady luvit the knycht,
- That no man wald scho tak: 90
- Sa suld we do our God of micht
- That did all for us mak;
- Quhilk full['e]ly to deid was dicht,
- For sinfull manis saik;
- Sa suld we do both day and nycht, 95
- With prayaris to him mak.
-
-
-MORALITAS.
-
- This king is lyk the trinitie,
- Baith in hevin and heir:
- The manis saule to the lady,
- The gyane to Lucefeir: 100
- The knycht to Chryst, that deit on tre,
- And coft our synnis deir:
- The pit to hell, with panis fell,
- The syn to the woweir.
-
- The lady was wowd, but scho said nay, 105
- With men that wald hir wed;
- Sa suld we wryth all syn away,
- That in our breistis bred.
- I pray to Jesu Chryst verrey
- For us his blud that bled, 110
- To be our help on domysday,
- Quhair lawis ar straitly led.
-
- The saule is Godis dochtir deir,
- And eik his handewerk,
- That was betrasit with Lucifeir, 115
- Quha sittis in hell full merk.
- Borrowit with Chrystis angell cleir,
- Hend men, will ye nocht herk?
- For his lufe that bocht us deir,
- Think on the Bludy Serk! 120
-
-58. MS. deir.
-
-
-
-
-THE WANTON WIFE OF BATH.
-
-Evans's _Old Ballads_, i. 277; Collection of 1723, ii. 173.
-
-
-This excellent ballad, to adopt the encomium of Addison, (_Spectator_,
-No. 247,) was admitted by Percy into the earlier editions of the
-_Reliques_, (iii. 146, 1st ed.) though excluded from the revised edition
-of 1794. The same story circulates among the peasantry of England and
-Scotland in the form of a penny tract or chap-book; _Notices of Popular
-Histories_, p. 16, Percy Soc. vol. xxiii., _Notes and Queries_, New
-Series, vol. iii. p. 49. The jest is an old one. Mr. Halliwell refers to
-a _fabliau_ in Barbazan's collection, which contains the groundwork of
-this piece; _Du Vilain qui conquist Paradis par Plait_, Meon's ed. iv.
-114.
-
- In Bath a wanton wife did dwell,
- As Chaucer he doth write,
- Who did in pleasure spend her days,
- In many a fond delight.
-
- Upon a time love sick she was, 5
- And at the length did die;
- Her soul at last at Heaven's gate
- Did knock most mightily.
-
- Then Adam came unto the gate:
- "Who knocketh there?" quoth he: 10
- "I am the Wife of Bath," she said,
- "And fain would come to thee."
-
- "Thou art a sinner," Adam said,
- "And here no place shall have;"
- "And so art thou, I trow," quoth she, 15
- "And gip, a doting knave!
-
- "I will come in in spite," she said,
- "Of all such churls as thee;
- Thou wert the causer of our woe,
- Our pain and misery; 20
-
- "And first broke God's commandments,
- In pleasure of thy wife:"
- When Adam heard her tell this tale,
- He run away for life.
-
- Then down came Jacob at the gate, 25
- And bids her pack to hell:
- "Thou false deceiver, why?" said she;--
- "Thou mayst be there as well.
-
- "For thou deceiv'dst thy father dear,
- And thine own brother too:" 30
- Away slunk Jacob presently,
- And made no more ado.
-
- She knocks again with might and main,
- And Lot he chides her straight:
- "Why then," quoth she, "thou drunken ass, 35
- Who bid thee here to prate?
-
- "With thy two daughters thou didst lie,
- On them two bastards got:"
- And thus most tauntingly she chaft
- Against poor silly Lot. 40
-
- "Who calleth there," quoth Judith then,
- "With such shrill sounding notes?"
- "This fine minks surely came not here,"
- Quoth she, "for cutting throats!"
-
- Good Lord, how Judith blush'd for shame, 45
- When she heard her say so!
- King David hearing of the same,
- He to the gate did go.
-
- Quoth David, "Who knocks there so loud,
- And maketh all this strife?" 50
- "You were more kind good sir," she said,
- "Unto Uriah's wife.
-
- "And when thy servant thou didst cause
- In battle to be slain,
- Thou causedst then more strife than I, 55
- Who would come here so fain."
-
- "The woman's mad," said Solomon,
- "That thus doth taunt a king;"
- "Not half so mad as you," she said,
- "I trow, in many a thing. 60
-
- "Thou hadst seven hundred wives at once,
- For whom thou didst provide,
- And yet three hundred wh...., God wot,
- Thou didst maintain beside.
-
- "And those made thee forsake thy God, 65
- And worship stocks and stones;
- Besides the charge they put thee to
- In breeding of young bones.
-
- "Hadst thou not been besides thy wits,
- Thou wouldst not thus have ventur'd; 70
- And therefor I do marvel much
- How thou this place hast entered."
-
- "I never heard," quoth Jonas then,
- "So vile a scold as this;"
- "Thou wh...son runaway," quoth she, 75
- "Thou diddest more amiss."
-
- "They say," quoth Thomas, "women's tongues
- Of aspen leaves are made;"
- "Thou unbelieving wretch," quoth she,
- "All is not true that's said." 80
-
- When Mary Magdalen heard her then,
- She came unto the gate;
- Quoth she, "Good woman, you must think
- Upon your former state."
-
- "No sinner enters in this place," 85
- Quoth Mary Magdalen then;
- "'Twere ill for you, fair mistress mild,"
- She answered her again.
-
- "You for your honesty," quoth she,
- "Had once been ston'd to death, 90
- Had not our Saviour Christ come by,
- And written on the earth.
-
- "It was not by your occupation
- You are become divine;
- I hope my soul, by Christ's passion, 95
- Shall be as safe as thine."
-
- Then rose the good apostle Paul;
- Unto this wife he cried,
- "Except thou shake thy sins away,
- Thou here shalt be denied." 100
-
- "Remember, Paul, what thou hast done
- All thro' a lewd desire,
- How thou didst persecute God's church
- With wrath as hot as fire."
-
- Then up starts Peter at the last, 105
- And to the gate he hies;
- "Fond fool," quoth he, "knock not so fast;
- Thou weariest Christ with cries."
-
- "Peter," said she, "content thyself,
- For mercy may be won; 110
- I never did deny my Christ
- As thou thyself hast done."
-
- When as our Saviour Christ heard this,
- With heavenly angels bright,
- He comes unto this sinful soul, 115
- Who trembled at his sight.
-
- Of him for mercy she did crave;
- Quoth he, "Thou hast refused
- My proffer'd grace and mercy both,
- And much my name abused." 120
-
- "Sore have I sinn'd, O Lord," she said,
- "And spent my time in vain;
- But bring me, like a wand'ring sheep,
- Into thy fold again.
-
- "O Lord my God, I will amend 125
- My former wicked vice;
- The thief for one poor silly word
- Past into Paradise."
-
- "My laws and my commandments,"
- Saith Christ, "were known to thee; 130
- But of the same, in any wise,
- Not yet one word did ye."
-
- "I grant the same, O Lord," quoth she;
- "Most lewdly did I live;
- But yet the loving father did 135
- His prodigal son forgive."
-
- "So I forgive thy soul," he said,
- "Through thy repenting cry;
- Come you therefore into my joy,
- I will not thee deny." 140
-
-
-
-
-THE GENTLEMAN IN THRACIA.
-
-From Collier's _Roxburghe Ballads_, p. 17.
-
-
-This ballad is founded on a tale in the _Gesta Romanorum_, (_Old English
-Versions_, &c. p. 140.) Nearly the same story occurs in Barbazan's
-_Fabliaux_, ii. 440, and also, says Madden, in the _Contes Tartares_ of
-Gueulette, iii. 157, and many other places. The model for all these is
-of course the Judgment of Solomon, in _1 Kings_, iii. 16-27. See Douce,
-ii. 385.
-
-Mr. Collier remarks that this ballad is without date, but was
-undoubtedly written late in the sixteenth, or early in the seventeenth,
-century.
-
- In searching ancient chronicles,
- It was my chance to finde
- A story worth the writing out,
- In my conceit and mind.
- It is an admonition good 5
- That children ought to have,
- With reverence for to thinke upon
- Their parents laid in grave.
-
- In Thracia liv'd a gentleman,
- Of noble progeny, 10
- Who rul'd his household with great fame,
- And true integrity.
- This gentleman did take to wife
- A neat and gallant dame,
- Whose outward shew and beauty bright 15
- Did many hearts inflame.
-
- The luster that came from her lookes,
- Her carriage and her grace,
- Like beauteous Cynthia did outshine
- Each lady in that place. 20
- And being puffed up in pride,
- With ease and jollity,
- Her husband could not her content;
- She other men must try.
-
- Lasciviously long time she liv'd, 25
- Yet bore it cunningly;
- For she had those that watch'd so well,
- That he could nought espy.
- With bribes and gifts she so bewitch'd
- The hearts of some were neere, 30
- That they conceal'd her wickednesse,
- And kept it from her deare.
-
- Thus spending of her time away
- In extreme wantonesse,
- Her private friends, when she did please, 35
- Unto her had accesse.
- But the all-seeing eye of heaven
- Such sinnes will not conceale,
- And by some meanes at last will he
- The truth of all reveale. 40
-
- Upon a time sore sicke she fell,
- Yea to the very death,
- And her physician told her plaine
- She must resigne her breath.
- Divines did likewise visit her, 45
- And holy counsell gave,
- And bade her call upon the Lord,
- That he her soule might save.
-
- Amongst the rest, she did desire
- They would her husband bring; 50
- "I have a secret to reveale,"
- She said, "my heart doth sting."
- Then he came posting presently
- Unto her where she lay,
- And weeping then he did desire, 55
- What she to him would say.
-
- She did intreat that all might voyd
- The roome, and he would stay;
- "Your pardon, husband, I beseech,"
- Unto him she did say: 60
- "For I have wrong'd your marriage-bed,
- And plaid the wanton wife;
- To you the truth I will reveale,
- Ere I depart this life.
-
- "Foure hopefull sonnes you think you have; 65
- To me it best is knowne,
- And three of them are none of yours;
- Of foure but one's your owne,
- And by your selfe on me begot,
- Which hath a wanton beene; 70
- These dying teares forgivenesse beg;
- Let mercy then be seene."
-
- This strooke her husband in a dump,
- His heart was almost dead;
- But rouzing of his spirits up, 75
- These words to her he said.
- "I doe forgive thee with my heart,
- So thou the truth wilt tell,
- Which of the foure is my owne sonne,
- And all things shall be well." 80
-
- "O pardon me, my husband deare,"
- Unto him she did say;
- "They are my children every one,"
- And so she went away.
- Away he goes with heavy heart; 85
- His griefes he did conceale,
- And like a wise and prudent man,
- To none did it reveale.
-
- Not knowing which to be his owne,
- Each of his love did share, 90
- And to be train'd in vertues paths
- Of them he had a care.
- In learning great and gentle grace
- They were brought up and taught,
- Such deare affection in the hearts 95
- Of parents God hath wrought.
-
- They now were growne to mens estates,
- And liv'd most gallantly;
- Each had his horse, his hawke, his hound,
- And did their manhood try. 100
- The ancient man did joy thereat,
- But yet he did not know
- Which was his sonne amongst the foure;
- That bred in him much woe.
-
- At length his glasse of life was run, 105
- The fates doe so decree;
- For poore and rich they all must dye,
- And death will take no fee.
- Unto some judges he did send,
- And counsell that were grave, 110
- Who presently to him did come
- To know what he would have.
-
- They coming then to his beds side,
- Unto them he did say:
- "I know you all to be my friends, 115
- Most faithfull every way;
- And now, before I leave the world,
- I beg this at your hands,
- To have a care which of my sonnes
- Shall have my goods and lands." 120
-
- And to them all he did relate
- What things his wife had done.
- "There is but one amongst the foure
- That is my native sonne;
- And to your judgement I commit, 125
- When I am laid in grave,
- Which is my sonne, and which is fit
- My lands and goods to have."
-
- He dying, they in councill sate
- What best were to be done; 130
- For 'twas a taske of great import
- To judge which was his sonne.
- The brothers likewise were at strife,
- Which should the living have,
- When as the ancient man was dead, 135
- And buried in his grave.
-
- The judges must decide the cause,
- And thus they did decree:
- The dead man's body up to take,
- And tye it to a tree; 140
- A bow each brother he must have,
- And eke an arrow take,
- To shoot at their dead fathers corps,
- As if he were a stake.
-
- And he whose arrow nearest hit 145
- His heart, as he did stand,
- They'd judge him for to be right heire,
- And fit to have the land.
- On this they all did straight agree,
- And to the field they went; 150
- Each had a man his shaft to beare,
- And bow already bent.
-
- "Now," quoth the judges, "try your skill
- Upon your father there,
- That we may quickly know who shall 155
- Unto the land be heire."
- The oldest took his bow in hand,
- And shaft, where as he stood,
- Which pierc'd so deep the dead mans brest,
- That it did run with blood. 160
-
- The second brother then must shoot,
- Who straight did take his aime,
- And with his arrow made a wound,
- That blood came from the same.
- The third likewise must try his skill 165
- The matter to decide;
- Whose shaft did make a wound most deep
- Into the dead man's side.
-
- Unto the fourth and youngest, then,
- A bow and shaft were brought; 170
- Who said, "D'ee thinke that ere my heart
- Could harbour such a thought,
- To shoot at my dear father's heart,
- Although that he be dead,
- For all the kingdomes in the world 175
- That farre and wide are spread?"
-
- And turning of him round about,
- The teares ran downe amaine:
- He flung his bow upon the ground,
- And broke his shaft in twaine. 180
- The judges seeing his remorse,
- They then concluded all
- He was the right, the other three
- They were unnaturall.
-
- And so he straight possest the lands, 185
- Being made the heire of all,
- And heaven by nature in this kind
- Unto his heart did call.
- His brothers they did envy him,
- But yet he need not care, 190
- And of his wealth, in portions large,
- Unto them he did share.
-
-
-
-
-SIR RICHARD WHITTINGTON'S ADVANCEMENT.
-
-
-This ballad is taken from _The Crowne-Garland of Golden Roses_, p. 20,
-Percy Society, vol. vi. Another copy is in _A Collection of Old
-Ballads_, i. 130. A play called _The History of Whittington_ was entered
-on the Stationers' books in Feb. 1604, and the "famous fable of
-Whittington and his puss" is mentioned in _Eastward Hoe_, 1605. (Weber
-and Halliwell.)
-
-"There is something so fabulous," (says the editor of _Old Ballads_,
-following Grafton and Stow,) "or at least, that has such a romantic
-appearance, in the history of Whittington, that I shall not choose to
-relate it; but refer my credulous readers to common tradition, or to the
-penny histories. Certain it is that there was such a man; a citizen of
-London, by trade a mercer, and one who has left public edifices and
-charitable works enow behind him, to transmit his name to posterity.
-Amongst others, he founded a house of prayer; with an allowance for a
-master, fellows, choristers, clerks, &c., and an almshouse for thirteen
-poor men, called Whittington College. He entirely rebuilt the loathsome
-prison, which then was standing at the west gate of the city, and called
-it Newgate. He built the better half of St. Bartholomew's Hospital, in
-West-Smithfield, and the fine library in Grey-Fryars, now called
-Christ's Hospital: as also great part of the east end of Guildhall, with
-a chapel, and a library in which the records of the city might be
-kept.... 'Tis said of him, that he advanced a very considerable sum of
-money towards carrying on the war in France, under this last monarch. He
-married Alice, the daughter of Hugh and Molde Fitzwarren: at whose
-house, traditions say, Whittington lived a servant, when he got his
-immense riches by venturing his cat in one of his master's ships.
-However, if we may give credit to his own will, he was a knight's son;
-and more obliged to an English king and prince, than to any African
-monarch, for his riches. For when he founded Whittington College, and
-left a maintenance for so many people, as above related, they were, as
-Stow records it, for this maintenance bound to pray for the good estate
-of Richard Whittington, and Alice his wife, their founders; and for Sir
-William Whittington, and Dame Joan his wife; and for Hugh Fitzwarren,
-and Dame Molde his wife; the fathers and mothers of the said Richard
-Whittington and Alice his wife; for King Richard the Second, and Thomas
-of Woodstock, Duke of Gloucester, special lords and promoters of the
-said Richard Whittington, &c."
-
-Richard Whittington was Sheriff of London in the 18th year of Richard
-the Second, 1394, was then knighted, and chosen Mayor in the 22d year of
-the same reign, 1398. He was again Mayor in the 9th year of Henry the
-Fourth, 1407, and the 8th of Henry the Fifth, 1420.
-
-Keightley has devoted a chapter of his _Tales and Popular Fictions_ (the
-seventh) to the legend of Whittington and his Cat. He cites two similar
-stories from Thiele's _Danish Popular Traditions_, another from the
-letters of Count Magalotti, a Florentine of the latter half of the 17th
-century, another from the _Facezie_ of Arlotto, a Tuscan humorist of the
-15th century, another, of Venetian origin, from a German chronicle of
-the 13th century, and finally one from the Persian _Tarikh al Wasaf_, a
-work said to have been composed at the end of the 13th or the beginning
-of the 14th century. Mr. Halliwell adds one more of a Portuguese wrecked
-on the coast of Guinea, from the _Description of Guinea_, 1665.
-
- Here must I tell the praise
- Of worthy Whittington,
- Known to be in his dayes
- Thrice Maior of London.
- But of poor parentage, 5
- Borne was he, as we heare,
- And in his tender age
- Bred up in Lancashire.
-
- Poorely to London than
- Came up this simple lad, 10
- Where, with a marchant-man,
- Soone he a dwelling had;
- And in a kitchen plast,
- A scullion for to be,
- Whereas long time he past 15
- In labour drudgingly.
-
- His daily service was
- Turning spitts at the fire;
- And to scour pots of brasse,
- For a poore scullions hire. 20
- Meat and drinke all his pay,
- Of coyne he had no store;
- Therefore to run away,
- In secret thought he bore.
-
- So from this marchant-man, 25
- Whittington secretly
- Towards his country ran,
- To purchase liberty.
- But as he went along,
- In a fair summer's morne, 30
- Londons bells sweetly rung,
- "Whittington, back return!"
-
- Evermore sounding so,
- "Turn againe, Whittington;
- For thou in time shall grow 35
- Lord-Maior of London."
- Whereupon back againe
- Whittington came with speed,
- A prentise to remaine,
- As the Lord had decreed. 40
-
- "Still blessed be the bells;
- (This was his daily song)
- They my good fortune tells,
- Most sweetly have they rung.
- If God so favour me, 45
- I will not proove unkind;
- London my love shall see,
- And my great bounties find."
-
- But see his happy chance!
- This scullion had a cat, 50
- Which did his state advance,
- And by it wealth he gat.
- His maister ventred forth,
- To a land far unknowne,
- With marchandize of worth, 55
- As is in stories showne.
-
- Whittington had no more
- But this poor cat as than,
- Which to the ship he bore,
- Like a brave marchant-man. 60
- "Vent'ring the same," quoth he,
- "I may get store of golde,
- And Maior of London be,
- As the bells have me told."
-
- Whittington's marchandise, 65
- Carried was to a land
- Troubled with rats and mice,
- As they did understand.
- The king of that country there,
- As he at dinner sat, 70
- Daily remain'd in fear
- Of many a mouse and rat.
-
- Meat that in trenchers lay,
- No way they could keepe safe;
- But by rats borne away, 75
- Fearing no wand or staff.
- Whereupon, soone they brought
- Whittingtons nimble cat;
- Which by the king was bought;
- Heapes of gold giv'n for that. 80
-
- Home againe came these men
- With their ships loaden so,
- Whittingtons wealth began
- By this cat thus to grow.
- Scullions life he forsooke 85
- To be a marchant good,
- And soon began to looke
- How well his credit stood.
-
- After that he was chose
- Shriefe of the citty heere, 90
- And then full quickly rose
- Higher, as did appeare.
- For to this cities praise,
- Sir Richard Whittington
- Came to be in his dayes 95
- Thrise Maior of London.
-
- More his fame to advance,
- Thousands he lent his king,
- To maintaine warres in France,
- Glory from thence to bring. 100
- And after, at a feast
- Which he the king did make,
- He burnt the bonds all in jeast,
- And would no money take.
-
- Ten thousand pound he gave 105
- To his prince willingly,
- And would not one penny have;
- This in kind curtesie.
- God did thus make him great,[L109]
- So would he daily see 110
- Poor people fed with meat,
- To shew his charity.
-
- Prisoners poore cherish'd were,
- Widdowes sweet comfort found;
- Good deeds, both far and neere, 115
- Of him do still resound.
- Whittington Colledge is
- One of his charities;
- Records reporteth this
- To lasting memories. 120
-
- Newgate he builded faire,
- For prisoners to live in;
- Christs-Church he did repaire,
- Christian love for to win.
- Many more such like deedes 125
- Were done by Whittington;
- Which joy and comfort breedes,
- To such as looke thereon.
-
- Lancashire, thou hast bred
- This flower of charity: 130
- Though he be gon and dead
- Yet lives he lastingly.
- Those bells that call'd him so,
- "Turne again, Whittington,"
- Call you back many moe 135
- To live so in London.
-
-109. made.
-
-
-
-
-CATSKIN'S GARLAND, OR, THE WANDERING YOUNG GENTLEWOMAN.
-
-Moore's _Pictorial Book of Ancient Ballad Poetry_, p. 596.
-
-
-Only in a very debased form is this enchanting tale preserved by English
-tradition. The following ballad is given, in the collection cited above,
-from a modern broadside, but has here received a few improvements from
-two other copies cited by the editor. Mr. Halliwell has printed another
-version of Catskin in _The Nursery Rhymes of England_, p. 48, Percy
-Society, vol. iv. The story is possessed by almost every nation in
-Europe. It is found not only among the Northern races, but among the
-Hungarians, Servians, Wallachians, Welsh, Italians, and French. In
-Germany it is current in a great variety of forms, the two most
-noteworthy of which are _Aschenputtel_, to which correspond
-_Cennerentola_ in the _Pentamerone_ (i. 6), the _Cendrillon_ of
-Perrault, and the _Finette Cendron_ of Madame d'Aulnoy; and
-_Allerlei-Rauh_, which is the same as the _Peau d'Ane_ of Perrault, the
-_She-Bear_ of the _Pentamerone_ (ii. 6), and the _Doralice_ of
-Straparola (i. 4).--See the Grimms' _Kinder-und-Haus-M[:a]rchen_, No. 21,
-65, and notes in vol. iii.; also the Swedish story of _The Little Gold
-Shoe_, and _The Girl clad in Mouse-skin_, from the Danish, in Thorpe's
-_Yule Tide Stories_, pp. vii. 112, 375.
-
-
-PART I.
-
- You fathers and mothers, and children also,
- Come near unto me, and soon you shall know
- The sense of my ditty, for I dare to say,
- The like hasn't been heard of this many long day.
-
- This subject which to you I am to relate, 5
- It is of a 'squire who had a large estate;
- And the first dear infant his wife she did bare,
- Was a young daughter, a beauty most fair.
-
- He said to his wife, "Had this but been a boy,
- It would please me better, and increase my joy; 10
- If the next be of the same sort, I declare,
- Of what I am possessed it shall have no share."
-
- In twelve months after, this woman, we hear,
- Had another daughter, of beauty most clear;
- And when her father knew 'twas a female, 15
- Into a bitter passion he presently fell.
-
- Saying, "Since this is of the same sort as the first,
- In my habitation she shall not be nurs'd;
- Pray let it be sent into the country,
- For where I am, truly this child shall not be." 20
-
- With tears his dear wife unto him did say,
- "My dear, be contented, I'll send her away."
- Then into the country this child she did send,
- For to be brought up by an intimate friend.
-
- Altho' that her father hated her so, 25
- He good education on her did bestow,
- And with a gold locket, and robes of the best,
- This slighted young damsel was commonly drest.
-
- But when unto stature this damsel was grown,
- And found from her father she had no love shewn, 30
- She cried, "Before I will lie under his frown,
- I am fully resolv'd to range the world round."
-
-
-PART II.
-
- But now mark, good people, the cream of the jest,
- In what a strange manner this female was drest:
- Catskins into a garment she made, I declare, 35
- The which for her clothing she daily did wear.
-
- Her own rich attire, and jewels beside,
- They up in a bundle together were ty'd;
- And to seek her fortune she wander'd away,
- And when she had wander'd a cold winter's day, 40
-
- In the evening-tide she came to a town,
- Where at a knight's door she sat herself down,
- For to rest herself, who was weary for sure.
- This noble knight's lady then came to the door,
-
- And seeing this creature in such sort of dress, 45
- The lady unto her these words did express,
- "From whence came you, or what will you have?"
- She said, "A night's rest in your stable I crave."
-
- The lady said to her, "I grant thy desire,
- Come into the kitchen, and stand by the fire;" 50
- Then she thank'd the lady, and went in with haste,
- Where she was gaz'd on from biggest to the least.
-
- And, being warm'd, her hunger was great,
- They gave her a plate of good food for to eat;
- And then to an outhouse this damsel was led, 55
- Where with fresh straw she soon made her a bed.
-
- And when in the morning the day-light she saw,
- Her rich robes and jewels she hid in the straw;
- And being very cold, she then did retire,
- And went into the kitchen, and stood by the fire. 60
-
- The cook said, "My lady promis'd that thou[L61]
- Shouldest be a scullion to wait on me now:[L62]
- What say'st thou, girl, art thou willing to bide?"
- "With all my heart," then she to her reply'd.
-
- To work at her needle she could very well, 65
- And [for] raising of paste few could her excel;
- She being so handy, the cook's heart did win,
- And then she was call'd by the name of Catskin.
-
-
-
-PART III.
-
- This knight had a son both comely and tall,
- Who often-times used to be at a ball, 70
- A mile out of town, and one evening-tide,
- To see a fine dancing away he did ride.
-
- Catskin said to his mother, "Madam, let me
- Go after your son, this ball for to see."
- With that, in a passion this lady she grew, 75
- And struck her with a ladle, and broke it in two.
-
- Being thus served, she then got away,
- And in her rich garments herself did array;
- Then to see this ball she then did retire,
- Where she danced so fine all did her admire. 80
-
- The sport being done, this young squire did say,
- "Young lady, where do you live, tell me, I pray?"
- Her answer to him was, "Sir, that I will tell;
- At the sign of the Broken Ladle I dwell."
-
- She being very nimble, got home first, 'tis said, 85
- And with her catskin robes she soon was arrayed;
- Then into the kitchen again she did go,
- But where she had been none of them did know.
-
- Next night the young 'squire, himself to content,
- To see the ball acted, away then he went. 90
- She said, "Let me go this ball for to view;"
- She struck her with a skimmer, and broke it in two.
-
- Then out of doors she ran, being full of heaviness,
- And with her rich garments herself she did dress;
- For to see this ball she ran away with speed, 95
- And to see her dancing all wonder'd indeed.
-
- The ball being ended, the 'squire said then,
- "Pray where do you live?" She answered again,[L98]
- "Sir, because you ask me, account I will give;
- At the sign of the Broken Skimmer I live." 100
-
- Being dark, she left him, and home[ward] did hie,
- And in her catskin robes she was drest presently,
- And into the kitchen among them she went,
- But where she had been they were all innocent.
-
- [When] the 'squire came home and found Catskin there, 105
- He was in amaze, and began for to swear,
- "For two nights at the ball has been a lady,
- The sweetest of beauties that e'er I did see.
-
- "She was the best dancer in all the whole place,
- And very much like our Catskin in the face; 110
- Had she not been drest in that costly degree,
- I would have sworn it was Catskin's body."
-
- Next night he went to see this ball once more;
- Then she ask'd his mother to go as before;
- Who having a bason of water in hand, 115
- She threw it at Catskin, as I understand.
-
- Shaking her wet ears, out of doors she did run,
- And dressed herself when this thing she had done;
- To see this ball acted she then run her ways,
- To see her fine dancing all gave her the praise. 120
-
- And having concluded, the young squire he
- Said, "From whence do you come, pray now tell me?"
- Her answer was, "Sir, you shall know the same,
- From the sign of the Bason of Water I came."
-
- Then homeward she hurried, as fast as might be. 125
- This young 'squire then was resolved to see
- Whereto she belong'd, then follow'd Catskin:
- Into an old straw-house he saw her creep in.
-
- He said, "O brave Catskin, I find it is thee,
- Who these three nights together has so charmed me; 130
- Thou'rt the sweetest creature my eyes e'er beheld;
- With joy and comfort my heart it is fill'd.
-
- "Thou art the cook's scullion, but as I have life,
- Grant me [but] thy love, and I'll make thee my wife,
- And you shall have maids to wait at your call." 135
- "Sir, that cannot be; I've no portion at all."
-
- "Thy beauty is portion, my joy and my dear;
- I prize it far better than thousands a year;
- And to gain my friends' consent, I've got a trick;
- I'll go to my bed and feign myself sick. 140
-
- "There's none shall attend me but thee, I profess,[L141]
- And some day or other in thy richest dress
- Thou shalt be drest; if my parents come nigh,
- I'll tell them that for thee sick I do lie."
-
-
-PART IV.
-
- Having thus consulted, this couple part[e']d. 145
- Next day this young 'squire took to his bed.
- When his dear parents this thing perceiv'd,
- For fear of his death they were heartily griev'd.
-
- To tend him they sent for a nurse presently:
- He said, "None but Catskin my nurse now shall be." 150
- His parents said, "No." He said, "But she shall,
- Or else I'll have none for to nurse me at all."
-
- His parents both wonder'd to hear him say thus,
- That no one but Catskin must be his nurse;
- So then his dear parents their son to content, 155
- Up into the chamber poor Catskin they sent.
-
- Sweet cordials and other rich things were prepar'd,
- Which betwixt this young couple was equally shar'd;
- And when all alone, they in each other's arms
- Enjoy'd one another in love's pleasant charms. 160
-
- At length on a time poor Catskin, 'tis said,
- In her rich attire she then was array'd;
- And when his mother the chamber drew near,
- Then much like a goddess did Catskin appear.
-
- Which caus'd her to startle, and thus she did say; 165
- "What young lady's this, son, tell me I pray?"
- He said, "It is Catskin, for whom I sick lie,
- And without I have her with speed I shall die."
-
- His mother ran down for to call the old knight,
- Who ran up to see this amazing great sight; 170
- He said, "Is this Catskin we hold so in scorn?
- I ne'er saw a finer dame since I was born."
-
- The old knight said to her, "I pry'thee tell me,
- From whence dost thou come, and of what family."
- Then who was her parents she gave them to know, 175
- And what was the cause of her wandering so.
-
- The young 'squire said, "If you will save my life,
- Pray grant this young creature may be my wife."
- His father reply'd, "Your life for to save,
- If you are agreed, my consent you shall have." 180
-
- Next day, with great triumph and joy, as we hear,
- There were many coaches came far and near;
- She much like a goddess drest in great array,
- Catskin to the 'squire was married that day.
-
- For several days this great wedding did last, 185
- Where was many topping and gallant rich guests;
- And for joy the bells rung all over the town,
- And bottles of claret went merrily round.
-
- When Catskin was married, her fame to raise,
- To see her modest carriage all gave her the praise; 190
- Thus her charming beauty the squire did win,
- And who lives so great as he and Catskin?
-
-
-PART V.
-
- Now in the fifth part I'll endeavour to shew,
- How things with her parents and sister did go;
- Her mother and sister of life [are] bereft, 195
- And all alone the old knight he was left.
-
- And hearing his daughter being married so brave,
- He said, "In my noddle a fancy I have;
- Drest like a poor man a journey I'll make,
- And see if on me some pity she'll take. 200
-
- Then drest like a beggar he goes to the gate,
- Where stood his daughter, who appear'd very great;
- He said, "Noble lady, a poor man I be,
- And am now forced to crave charity."
-
- With a blush she asked him from whence he came, 205
- With that then he told her, and also his name;
- She said, "I'm your daughter, whom you slighted so,
- Yet, nevertheless, to you kindness I'll shew.
-
- "Thro' mercy the Lord hath provided for me.
- Now, father, come in and sit down," then said she. 210
- Then the best of provisions the house could afford,
- For to make him welcome was set on the board.
-
- She said, "Thou art welcome; feed hearty, I pray;
- And, if you are willing, with me you shall stay
- So long as you live." Then he made this reply; 215
- "I am only come thy love for to try.
-
- "Thro' mercy, my child, I am rich, and not poor;
- I have gold and silver enough now in store;
- And for the love that at thy house I have found,
- For a portion I'll give thee ten thousand pounds." 220
-
- So in a few days after, as I understand,
- This man he went home and sold off his land;
- And ten thousand pounds to his daughter did give,
- And now altogether in love they do live.
-
-61. thee.
-
-62. upon me.
-
-98. answered him.
-
-141. protest.
-
-
-
-
-THE TAMING OF A SHREW.
-
-
-Ritson's _Ancient Songs and Ballads_, ii. 242. "From one of the Sloan
-MSS. in the Museum, No. 1489. The writing of Charles the First's time."
-A far superior poem on the very popular subject of the disciplining of
-wives is that of _The Wife Lapped in Morels Skin_, printed in Utterson's
-_Select Pieces of Early Popular Poetry_, ii. 173, and as an appendix to
-the Shakespeare Society's edition of the old _Taming of a Shrew_. As a
-counterpart to these pieces may be mentioned the amusing poem called
-_Ane Ballad of Matrymonie_, in Laing's _Select Remains_, or, _The
-Honeymoon_, Aytoun's _Ballads of Scotland_, i. 284.
-
- Al you that are assembled heere,
- Come listen to my song,
- But first a pardon I must crave,
- For feare of further wrong;
- I must entreat thes good wyves al 5
- They wil not angrye be,
- And I will sing a merrye song,
- If they thereto agree.
-
- Because the song I mean to sing
- Doth touch them most of all, 10
- And loth I were that any one
- With me shold chide and brawle.
- I have anough of that at home,
- At boarde, and eake in bed;
- And once for singing this same song 15
- My wyfe did breake my head.
-
- But if thes good wyves all be pleasd,
- And pleased be the men,
- Ile venture one more broken pate,
- To sing it once agayne. 20
- But first Ile tell you what it's cald,
- For feare you heare no more;
- 'Tis calde the Taming of a Shrew,
- Not often sung before.
-
- And if I then shall sing the rest, 25
- A signe I needs must have;
- Hold but your finger up to me,
- Or hem,--that's al I crave--
- Then wil I sing it with a harte,
- And to it roundelye goe; 30
- You know my mynde, now let me see
- Whether I shal sing't or no. _Hem._
-
- Well then, I see you willing are
- That I shall sing the reste;
- To pleasure al thes good wyves heire 35
- I meane to do my best.
- For I do see even by their lookes
- No hurte to me they thinke,
- And thus it chancte upon a tyme,
- (But first give me a drinke.) 40
-
- Not long agoe a lustye lad
- Did woe a livelye lasse,
- And long it was before he cold
- His purpose bring to passe;
- Yet at the lenth it thus fell out, 45
- She granted his petition,
- That she would be his wedded wyfe,
- But yet on this condicion.
-
- That she shold weare the breeches on
- For one yeare and a day, 50
- And not to be controld of him
- Whatsoere she'd do or say.[L52]
- She rulde, shee raignd, she had hir wil
- Even as she wold require;
- But marke what fell out afterwards, 55
- Good wyves I you desyre.
-
- She made him weary of his lyfe;
- He wisht that death wold come,
- And end his myserye at once,
- Ere that the yeare was run; 60
- He thought it was the longest yeare
- That was since he was borne,
- But he cold not the matter mend,
- For he was thereto sworne.
-
- Yet hath the longest day his date; 65
- For this we al do know,
- Although the day be neer soe long,
- To even soone wil it goe.
- So fell it out with hir at lenth,
- The yeare was now come out; 70
- The sun, and moone, and all the starres,
- Their race had run about.
-
- Then he began to rouse himselfe,
- And to his wyfe he saide,
- "Since that your raigne is at an end, 75
- Now know me for your heade."
- But she that had borne swaye so long
- Wold not be under brought,
- But stil hir tounge on pattens ran,
- Though many blowes she caught. 80
-
- He bet hir backe, he bet hir syde,
- He bet hir blacke and blew;
- But for all this she wolde not mend,
- But worse and worse she grew.
- When that he saw she wolde not mend, 85
- Another way wrought hee;
- He mewde hir up as men mew hawkes,
- Where noe light she cold see.
-
- And kept hir without meate or drinke
- For four dayes space and more; 90
- Yet for all this she was as ill
- As ere she was before.
- When that he saw she wold not mend,
- Nor that she wold be quiet,
- Neither for stroakes nor locking up, 95
- Nor yet for want of dyet,
-
- He was almost at his wits end,
- He knew not what to doe;
- So that with gentlenes againe
- He gane his wyfe to woo. 100
- But she soone bad him holde his peace,
- And sware it was his best,
- But then he thought him of a wyle
- Which made him be at rest.
-
- He told a frend or two of his 105
- What he had in his mynde;
- Who went with him into his house,
- And when they all had dynde,
- "Good wyfe," quoth he, "thes frends of myne
- Come hither for your good; 110
- There lyes a vayne under your toung,
- Must now be letten blood."
-
- Then she began to use hir tearmes,
- And rayl['e]d at them fast;
- Yet bound they hir for al hir strenth 115
- Unto a poaste at laste,
- And let hir blood under the toung,
- And tho she bled full sore,
- Yet did she rayle at them as fast
- As ere she raylde before. 120
-
- "Wel then," quoth he, "the faulte I see,
- She hath it from her mother;
- It is hir teeth infects hir toung,
- And it can be noe other;
- And since I now doe know the cause, 125
- Whatsoever to me befall,
- Ile plucke hir teeth out of hir toung,
- Perhaps hir toung and all."
-
- And with a payre of pinsers strong
- He pluckt a great tooth out, 130
- And for to plucke another thence,
- He quicklye went about.
- But then she held up both her hands,
- And did for mercye pray,
- Protesting that against his will, 135
- She wold not doe nor saye.
-
- Whereat hir husband was right glad,
- That she had changde hir mynde,
- For from that tyme unto hir death
- She proved both good and kynde. 140
- Then did he take hir from the poast,
- And did unbind hir then;
- I wold al shrews were served thus;
- Al good wyves say Amen.
-
-52. she did or said.
-
-
-
-
-TITUS ANDRONICUS'S COMPLAINT.
-
-
-On the 6th of February, 1593-4, _A noble Roman Historye of Tytus
-Andronicus_, was entered in the Stationers' Registers, to John Danter,
-and also "the ballad thereof." The earliest known edition of
-Shakespeare's play was in 1600. The differences between this play and
-the ballad are thus stated by Percy.
-
-"In the ballad is no mention of the contest for the empire between the
-two brothers, the composing of which makes the ungrateful treatment of
-Titus afterwards the more flagrant: neither is there any notice taken of
-his sacrificing one of Tamora's sons, which the tragic poet has assigned
-as the original cause of all her cruelties. In the play, Titus loses
-twenty-one of his sons in war, and kills another for assisting Bassianus
-to carry off Lavinia; the reader will find it different in the ballad.
-In the latter she is betrothed to the Emperor's son: in the play to his
-brother. In the tragedy, only two of his sons fall into the pit, and the
-third, being banished, returns to Rome with a victorious army, to avenge
-the wrongs of his house: in the ballad, all three are entrapped, and
-suffer death. In the scene, the Emperor kills Titus, and is in return
-stabbed by Titus's surviving son. Here Titus kills the Emperor, and
-afterwards himself." * * * * *
-
-"The following is given from a copy in _The Golden Garland_, entitled as
-above; compared with three others, two of them in black letter in the
-Pepys collection, entitled _The Lamentable and Tragical History of
-Titus Andronicus_, &c. To the Tune of _Fortune_. Printed for E.
-Wright.--Unluckily, none of these have any dates." Percy's _Reliques_,
-i. 238.
-
- You noble minds, and famous martiall wights,
- That in defence of native country fights,
- Give eare to me, that ten yeeres fought for Rome,
- Yet reapt disgrace at my returning home.
-
- In Rome I lived in fame fulle threescore yeeres, 5
- My name beloved was of all my peeres;
- Fulle five-and-twenty valiant sonnes I had,
- Whose forwarde vertues made their father glad.
-
- For when Romes foes their warlike forces bent,
- Against them stille my sonnes and I were sent; 10
- Against the Goths full ten yeeres weary warre
- We spent, receiving many a bloudy scarre.
-
- Just two-and-twenty of my sonnes were slaine
- Before we did returne to Rome againe:
- Of five-and-twenty sonnes, I brought but three 15
- Alive, the stately towers of Rome to see.
-
- When wars were done, I conquest home did bring,
- And did present my prisoners to the king,
- The queene of Goths, her sons, and eke a Moore,
- Which did such murders, like was nere before. 20
-
- The emperour did make this queene his wife,
- Which bred in Rome debate and deadly strife;
- The Moore, with her two sonnes, did growe soe proud,
- That none like them in Rome might bee allowd.
-
- The Moore soe pleas'd this new-made empress' eie, 25
- That she consented to him secretlye
- For to abuse her husbands marriage bed,
- And soe in time a blackamore she bred.
-
- Then she, whose thoughts to murder were inclinde,
- Consented with the Moore of bloody minde, 30
- Against myselfe, my kin, and all my friendes,
- In cruell sort to bring them to their endes.
-
- Soe when in age I thought to live in peace,
- Both care and griefe began then to increase:
- Amongst my sonnes I had one daughter bright, 35
- Which joy'd and pleased best my aged sight.
-
- My deare Lavinia was betrothed than
- To Cesars sonne, a young and noble man:
- Who, in a hunting, by the emperours wife,
- And her two sonnes, bereaved was of life. 40
-
- He, being slaine, was cast in cruel wise
- Into a darksome den from light of skies:
- The cruell Moore did come that way as then
- With my three sonnes, who fell into the den.
-
- The Moore then fetcht the emperour with speed, 45
- For to accuse them of that murderous deed;
- And when my sonnes within the den were found,
- In wrongfull prison they were cast and bound.
-
- But nowe behold what wounded most my mind:
- The empresses two sonnes, of savage kind, 50
- My daughter ravished without remorse,
- And took away her honour, quite perforce.
-
- When they had tasted of soe sweete a flowre,
- Fearing this sweete should shortly turne to sowre,
- They cutt her tongue, whereby she could not tell 55
- How that dishonoure unto her befell.
-
- Then both her hands they basely cutt off quite,
- Whereby their wickednesse she could not write,
- Nor with her needle on her sampler sowe
- The bloudye workers of her direfull woe. 60
-
- My brother Marcus found her in the wood,
- Staining the grassie ground with purple bloud,
- That trickled from her stumpes, and bloudlesse armes:
- Noe tongue at all she had to tell her harmes.
-
- But when I sawe her in that woefull case, 65
- With teares of bloud I wet mine aged face:
- For my Lavinia I lamented more
- Then for my two-and-twenty sonnes before.
-
- When as I sawe she could not write nor speake,
- With grief mine aged heart began to breake; 70
- We spred an heape of sand upon the ground,
- Whereby those bloudy tyrants out we found.
-
- For with a staffe, without the helpe of hand,
- She writt these wordes upon the plat of sand:
- "The lustfull sonnes of the proud emperesse 75
- Are doers of this hateful wickednesse."
-
- I tore the milk-white hairs from off mine head,
- I curst the houre wherein I first was bred;
- I wisht this hand, that fought for countries fame,
- In cradle rockt, had first been stroken lame. 80
-
- The Moore, delighting still in villainy,
- Did say, to sett my sonnes from prison free,
- I should unto the king my right hand give,
- And then my three imprisoned sonnes should live.
-
- The Moore I caus'd to strike it off with speede, 85
- Whereat I grieved not to see it bleed,
- But for my sonnes would willingly impart,
- And for their ransome send my bleeding heart.
-
- But as my life did linger thus in paine,
- They sent to me my bootlesse hand againe, 90
- And therewithal the heades of my three sonnes,
- Which filled my dying heart with fresher moanes.
-
- Then past reliefe, I upp and downe did goe,
- And with my teares writ in the dust my woe:
- I shot my arrowes towards heaven hie, 95
- And for revenge to hell often did crye.
-
- The empresse then, thinking that I was mad,
- Like Furies she and both her sonnes were clad,
- (She nam'd Revenge, and Rape and Murder they)
- To undermine and heare what I would say. 100
-
- I fed their foolish veines a certaine space,[L101]
- Untill my friendes did find a secret place,
- Where both her sonnes unto a post were bound,
- And just revenge in cruell sort was found.
-
- I cut their throates, my daughter held the pan 105
- Betwixt her stumpes, wherein the bloud it ran:
- And then I ground their bones to powder small,
- And made a paste for pyes streight therewithall.
-
- Then with their fleshe I made two mighty pyes,
- And at a banquet, served in stately wise, 110
- Before the empresse set this loathsome meat;
- So of her sonnes own flesh she well did eat.
-
- Myselfe bereav'd my daughter then of life,
- The empresse then I slewe with bloudy knife,
- And stabb'd the emperour immediatelie, 115
- And then myself: even soe did Titus die.
-
- Then this revenge against the Moore was found;
- Alive they sett him halfe in the ground,
- Whereas he stood untill such time he starv'd:
- And soe God send all murderers may be serv'd. 120
-
-101. i. e. encouraged them in their foolish humours, or fancies. P.
-
-
-
-
-JOHN DORY.
-
-
-This ballad, formerly a very great favorite, and continually alluded to
-in works of the 16th and 17th centuries, is found among the "Freemen's
-Songs of three voices" in _Deuteromelia_, 1609; also in Playford's
-_Musical Companion_, 1687, and for one voice in _Wit and Mirth, or Pills
-to Purge Melancholy_, vol. i. 1698 and 1707. It is, however, much older
-than any of these books.
-
-Carew, in his _Survey of Cornwall_, 1602, p. 135, writes: "Moreover, the
-prowess of one Nicholas, son to a widow near Foy, is descanted upon in
-an old three-man's song, namely, how he fought bravely at sea with John
-Dory, (a Genowey, as I conjecture,) set forth by John, the French King,
-and, after much bloodshed on both sides, took, and slew him, in revenge
-of the great ravine and cruelty which he had fore committed upon the
-Englishmen's goods and bodies." The only King John that could be meant
-here is of course John II. the Good, (see v. 10,) who was taken prisoner
-at Poitiers, and died in 1364. No John Doria is mentioned as being in
-the service of John the Good.--Ritson's _Ancient Songs_, ii. 57, and
-Chappell's _Popular Music_, p. 67.
-
- As it fell on a holy-day,
- And upon 'a' holy-tide-a,
- John Dory bought him an ambling nag,
- To Paris for to ride-a.
-
- And when John Dory to Paris was come, 5
- A little before the gate-a,
- John Dory was fitted, the porter was witted,
- To let him in thereat-a.
-
- The first man that John Dory did meet,
- Was good king John of France-a; 10
- John Dory could well of his courtesie,
- But fell downe in a trance-a.
-
- "A pardon, a pardon, my liege and my king,
- For my merie men and for me-a;
- And all the churles in merie England, 15
- Ile bring them all bound to thee-a."
-
- And Nicholl was then a Cornish man,
- A little beside Bohide-a,
- And he mande forth a good blacke barke,
- With fifty good oares on a side-a. 20
-
- "Run up, my boy, unto the maine top,
- And looke what thou canst spie-a:"
- "Who ho! who ho! a goodly ship I do see,
- I trow it be John Dory-a."
-
- They hoist their sailes, both top and top, 25
- The meisseine and all was tride-a;
- And every man stood to his lot,
- Whatever should betide-a.
-
- The roring cannons then were plide,
- And dub-a-dub went the drumme-a; 30
- The braying trumpets lowd they cride,
- To courage both all and some-a.
-
- The grapling-hooks were brought at length,
- The browne bill and the sword-a;
- John Dory at length, for all his strength, 35
- Was clapt fast under board-a.
-
-
-
-
-SIR EGLAMORE.
-
- Courage Crowned with Conquest: Or, a brief relation how that valiant
- knight and heroick champion, Sir Eglamore, bravely fought with, and
- manfully slew, a terrible huge great monstrous dragon. To a pleasant
- new tune.
-
-
-This ballad is found in _The Melancholie Knight_, by Samuel Rowlands,
-1615; in the _Antidote to Melancholy_, 1661; in _Merry Drollery
-Complete_, 1661; in Dryden's _Miscellany Poems_, iv. 104; in the
-"Bagford and Roxburghe collections of Ballads," &c. (Chappell.) The
-various editions differ considerably. The following is from Ritson's
-_Ancient Songs_, (ed. 1790,) p. 211, where it was reprinted from a
-black-letter copy dated 1672.
-
- Sir Eglamore, that valiant knight,
- _With his fa, la, lanctre down dilie_,
- He fetcht his sword and he went to fight,
- _With his fa, la, lanctre, &c._
- As he went over hill and dale,
- All cloathed in his coat of male,
- _With his fa, la, lanctre, &c._
-
- A huge great dragon leapt out of his den, 5
- Which had killed the Lord knows how many men;
- But when he saw Sir Eglamore,
- Good lack had ye seen how this dragon did roare!
-
- This dragon he had a plaguy hide,
- Which could both sword and spear abide; 10
- He could not enter with hacks and cuts,
- Which vext the knight to the very hearts blood and guts.
-
- All the trees in the wood did shake,
- Stars did tremble, and men did quake;
- But had ye seen how the birds lay peeping, 15
- 'Twould have made a mans heart to fall a-weeping.
-
- But it was too late to fear,
- For now it was come to fight dog, fight bear;
- And as a yawning he did fall,
- He thrust his sword in, hilt and all. 20
-
- But now as the knight in choler did burn,
- He owed the dragon a shrewd good turn:
- In at his mouth his sword he bent,
- The hilt appeared at his fundament.
-
- Then the dragon, like a coward, began to fly 25
- Unto his den, that was hard by;
- And there he laid him down and roar'd;
- The knight was vexed for his sword.
-
- "The sword, that was a right good blade,
- As ever Turk or Spaniard made, 30
- I for my part do forsake it,
- And he that will fetch it, let him take it."
-
- When all this was done, to the ale-house he went,
- And by and by his two pence he spent;
- For he was so hot with tugging with the dragon, 35
- That nothing would quench him but a whole flaggon.
-
- Now God preserve our King and Queen,
- And eke in London may be seen
- As many knights, and as many more,
- And all so good as Sir Eglamore. 40
-
-
-
-
-JEPHTHAH, JUDGE OF ISRAEL.
-
-
-We have thought it necessary to include in this collection one or two
-specimens of ballads founded on stories in the Jewish Scriptures.
-Besides those here selected, it may be well to refer to the following:
-_The Constancy of Susanna_, (cited in _Twelfth Night_,) Evans, i. 11;
-_David and Bathsheba_, _id._ p. 291; _Tobias_, _Old Ballads_, ii. 158;
-_Holofernes_, _The Garland of Goodwill_, p. 85, and _Old Ballads_, ii.
-166.
-
-Every one will remember that the ballad of _Jephthah_ is quoted in
-_Hamlet_ (Act II. sc. 2). Percy published an imperfect copy of this
-piece, written down from the recollection of a lady (_Reliques_, i.
-193). The following is from a black-letter copy reprinted in Evans, i.
-7, which was entitled "_Jepha, Judge of Israel_."
-
- I have read that many years agoe,
- When Jeph[th]a, judge of Israel,
- Had one fair daughter and no moe,[L3]
- Whom he loved passing well.
- And as by lot, God wot, 5
- It came to passe, most like it was,
- Great warrs there should be,
- And who should be the chiefe but he, but he.
-
- When Jeph[th]a was appointed now
- Chiefe captain of the company, 10
- To God the Lord he made a vow,
- If he might have the victory,
- At his return, to burn,
- For his offering, the first quick thing,
- Should meet with him then, 15
- From his house when he came agen, agen.
-
- It chanced so these warrs were done,
- And home he came with victory;
- His daughter out of doors did run
- To meet her father speedily: 20
- And all the way did play
- To taber and pipe, and many a stripe,
- And notes full high,
- For joy that he was so nigh, so nigh.
-
- When Jeph[th]a did perceive and see 25
- His daughter firm and formostly,
- He rent his cloths, and tore his haire,
- And shrieked out most piteously:
- "For thou art she," quoth he,
- "Hath brought me low--alas, for woe! 30
- And troubled me so,
- That I cannot tell what to doe, to doe.
-
- "For I have made a vow," quoth he,
- Which must not be diminish['e]d;
- A sacrifice to God on high; 35
- My promise must be finish['e]d."
- "As ye have spoke, provoke
- No further care, but to prepare
- Your will to fulfill,
- According to God's will, God's will. 40
-
- "For sithence God has given you might
- To overcome your enemies,
- Let one be offer'd up, as right,
- For to perform all promises.
- And this let be," quoth she, 45
- "As thou hast said; be not afraid;
- Although it be I,
- Keep promise with God on high, on high.
-
- "But father, do so much for me
- As let me go to wildernesse, 50
- There to bewaile my virginity,
- Three months to bemoan my heavinesse.
- And let there go some moe,
- Like maids with me." "Content," quoth he,
- And sent her away, 55
- To mourn till her latter day, her day.
-
- And when that time was come and gone
- That she should sacrificed be,
- This virgin sacrificed was,
- For to fulfill all promises. 60
- As some say, for aye
- The virgins there, three times a year,
- Like sorrow fulfill
- For the daughter of Jeph[th]a still, still, still.
-
-3. more
-
-
-
-
-SAMSON.
-
-Evans's _Old Ballads_, i. 283, from a black-letter copy.
-
-
- When Samson was a tall young man,
- His power and strength increased then,
- And in the host and tribe of Dan
- The Lord did bless him still.
- It chanced so upon a day, 5
- As he was walking on his way,
- He saw a maiden fresh and gay
- In Timnath.
-
- With whom he fell so sore in love,
- That he his fancy could not move; 10
- His parents therefore he did prove,
- And craved their good wills:
- "I have found out a wife," quoth he;
- "I pray ye, father, give her me;
- Though she a stranger's daughter be, 15
- I pass not."
-
- Then did bespeak his parents dear,
- "Have we not many maidens here,
- Of country and acquaintance near,
- For thee to love and like?" 20
- "O no," quoth Samson presently,
- "Not one so pleasant in my eye,
- Whom I could find so faithfully
- To fancy."
-
- At length they granted their consent, 25
- And so with Samson forth they went;
- To see the maid was their intent,
- Which was so fair and bright.
- But as they were a-going there,
- A lion put them in great fear, 30
- Whom Samson presently did tear
- In pieces.
-
- When they were come unto the place,
- They were agreed in the case;
- The wedding day appointed was, 35
- And when the time was come,
- As Samson went for beauty's fees,
- The lion's carcass there he sees,
- Wherein a sort of honey bees
- Had swarmed. 40
-
- Then closely Samson went his way,
- And not a word thereof did say,
- Untill the merry feasting-day,
- Unto the company.
- "A riddle I will shew," quoth he; 45
- "The meaning if you tell to me,
- Within seven days I will give ye
- Great riches.
-
- "But if the meaning you do miss,
- And cannot shew me what it is, 50
- Then shall you give to me i-wiss
- So much as I have said."
- "Put forth the riddle then," quoth they,
- "And we will tell it by our day,
- Or we will lose, as thou dost say, 55
- The wager."
-
- "Then make," quoth he, "the total sum.
- Out of the eater meat did come,
- And from the strong did sweetness run;
- Declare it, if you can." 60
- And when they heard the riddle told,
- Their hearts within them waxed cold,
- For none of them could then unfold
- The meaning.
-
- Then unto Samson's wife went they, 65
- And threatened her, without delay,
- If she would not the thing bewray,
- To burn her father's house.
- Then Samson's wife, with grief and woe,
- Desired him the same to shew,
- And when she knew, she straight did go, 70
- To tell them.
-
- Then were they all full glad of this;
- To tell the thing they did not miss;
- "What stronger beast than a lion is? 75
- What sweeter meat than honey?"
- Then Samson answered them full round,
- "If my heifer had not ploughed the ground,
- So easily you had not found
- My riddle. 80
-
- Then Samson did his losses pay,
- And to his father went his way:
- But while with them he there did stay,[L83]
- His wife forsook him quite,
- And took another to her love, 85
- Which Samson's anger much did move:
- To plague them therefore he did prove
- His cunning.
-
- A subtle thought he then had found,
- To burn their corn upon the ground; 90
- Their vineyards he destroyed round,
- Which made them fret and fume.
- But when they knew that Samson he
- Had done them all this injury,
- Because his wife did him deny, 95
- They killed her.
-
- And afterward they had decreed
- To murder Samson for that deed;
- Three thousand men they sent with speed,
- To bring him bound to them. 100
- But he did break his cords apace,
- And with the jaw-bone of an ass
- A thousand men, ere he did pass,
- He killed.
-
- When all his foes were laid in dust, 105
- Then Samson was full sore athirst;
- In God therefore was all his trust,
- To help his fainting heart:
- For liquor thereabout was none:
- The Lord therefore from the jaw-bone 110
- Did make fresh water spring, alone
- To help him.
-
- Then Samson had a joyfull spright,
- And in a city lay that night,
- Whereas his foes, with deadly spite, 115
- Did seek his life to spill:
- But he at midnight then awakes,
- And tearing down the city gates,
- With him away the same he takes
- Most stoutly. 120
-
- Then on Delilah, fair and bright,
- Did Samson set his whole delight,
- Whom he did love both day and night,
- Which wrought his overthrow.
- For she with sweet words did entreat, 125
- That for her sake he would repeat
- Wherein his strength, that was so great,
- Consisted.
-
- At length, unto his bitter fall,
- And through her suit, which was not small, 130
- He did not let to show her all
- The secrets of his heart.
- "If that my hair be cut," quoth he,
- "Which now so fair and long you see,
- Like other men then shall I be 135
- In weakness."
-
- Then through deceit which was so deep,
- She lulled Samson fast asleep;
- A man she call'd, which she did keep,
- To cut off all his hair. 140
- Then did she call his hateful foes,
- Ere Samson from her lap arose,
- Who could not then withstand their blows,
- For weakness.
-
- To bind him fast they did devise, 145
- Then did they put out both his eyes;
- In prison wofully he lies,
- And there he grinds the mill.
- But God remembered all his pain,
- And did restore his strength again, 150
- Although that bound he did remain
- In prison.
-
- The Philistines now were glad of this;
- For joy they made a feast i-wiss,
- And all their princes did not miss 155
- To come unto the same.
- And being merry bent that day,
- For Samson they did send straightway,
- That they might laugh to see him play
- Among them. 160
-
- Then to the house was Samson led,
- And when he had their fancies fed,
- He pluck'd the house upon their head,
- And down they tumbled all.
- So that with grief and deadly pain, 165
- Three thousand persons there were slain;
- Thus Samson then, with all his train,
- Was brained.
-
-83. But wisht.
-
-
-
-
-QUEEN DIDO, OR, THE WANDERING PRINCE OF TROY.
-
-Percy's _Reliques_, iii. 240, and Ritson's _Ancient Songs and Ballads_,
-ii. 101.
-
-
-"Such is the title given in the Editor's folio MS. to this excellent old
-ballad, which, in the common printed copies, is inscribed, _Eneas,
-wandering Prince of Troy_. It is here given from that MS. collated with
-two different printed copies, both in black-letter, in the Pepys
-Collection." PERCY.
-
-As other ballads on classical subjects, may be mentioned _Constant
-Penelope, Reliques_, iii. 324; _Pyramus and Thisbe_, in _A Handfull of
-Pleasant Delites_, p. 42 (Park's _Heliconia_, vol. ii.); and _Hero and
-Leander_ in Collier's _Roxburghe Ballads_, p. 227, from which was formed
-the song, or ballad, in the _Tea-Table Miscellany_, ii. 138, Ritson's
-_Scotish Songs_, ii. 198, &c.
-
- When Troy towne had, for ten yeeres 'past,'[L1]
- Withstood the Greekes in manfull wise,
- Then did their foes encrease soe fast,
- That to resist none could suffice:
- Wast lye those walls, that were soe good, 5
- And corne now growes where Troy towne stoode.
-
- [AE]neas, wandering prince of Troy,
- When he for land long time had sought,
- At length arriving with great joy,
- To mighty Carthage walls was brought; 10
- Where Dido queene, with sumptuous feast,
- Did entertaine that wandering guest.
-
- And, as in hall at meate they sate,
- The queene, desirous newes to heare,
- Says, "Of thy Troys unhappy fate, 15
- Declare to me, thou Trojan deare:
- The heavy hap and chance soe bad,
- That thou, poore wandering prince, hast had."
-
- And then anon this comelye knight,
- With words demure, as he cold well, 20
- Of his unhappy ten yeares 'fight,'[L21]
- Soe true a tale began to tell,
- With wordes soe sweete, and sighes soe deepe,
- That oft he made them all to weepe.
-
- And then a thousand sighes he fet, 25
- And every sigh brought teares amaine;
- That where he sate the place was wett,
- As though he had seene those warrs againe:
- Soe that the queene, with ruth therfore,
- Said, "Worthy prince, enough, no more." 30
-
- And then the darksome night drew on,
- And twinkling starres the skye bespred,
- When he his dolefull tale had done,
- And every one was layd in bedd:
- Where they full sweetly tooke their rest, 35
- Save only Dido's boyling brest.
-
- This silly woman never slept,
- But in her chamber, all alone,
- As one unhappye, alwayes wept,
- And to the walls shee made her mone; 40
- That she shold still desire in vaine
- The thing she never must obtaine.
-
- And thus in grieffe she spent the night,
- Till twinkling starres the skye were fled,
- And Ph[oe]bus, with his glistering light, 45
- Through misty cloudes appeared red;
- Then tidings came to her anon,
- That all the Trojan shipps were gone.
-
- And then the queene with bloody knife
- Did arme, her hart as hard as stone; 50
- Yet, something loth to loose her life,
- In woefull wise she made her mone;
- And, rowling on her carefull bed,
- With sighes and sobbes, these words shee sayd:
-
- "O wretched Dido queene!" quoth shee, 55
- "I see thy end approacheth neare;
- For hee is fled away from thee,
- Whom thou didst love and hold so deare:
- What, is he gone, and passed by?
- O hart, prepare thyselfe to dye. 60
-
- "Though reason says thou shouldst forbeare,
- And stay thy hand from bloudy stroke,
- Yet fancy bids thee not to fear,
- Which fetter'd thee in Cupids yoke.
- Come death," quoth shee, "resolve my smart!"-- 65
- And with those words shee peerced her hart.
-
- When death had pierced the tender hart
- Of Dido, Carthaginian queene,
- Whose bloudy knife did end the smart,
- Which shee sustain'd in mournfull teene, 70
- [AE]neas being shipt and gone,
- Whose flattery caused all her mone,
-
- Her funerall most costly made,
- And all things finisht mournfullye,
- Her body fine in mold was laid, 75
- Where itt consumed speedilye:
- Her sisters teares her tombe bestrewde,
- Her subjects griefe their kindnesse shewed.
-
- Then was [AE]neas in an ile
- In Grecya, where he stayd long space, 80
- Whereas her sister in short while
- Writt to him to his vile disgrace;
- In speeches bitter to his mind
- Shee told him plaine he was unkind.
-
- "False-harted wretch," quoth shee, "thou art; 85
- And traiterouslye thou hast betraid
- Unto thy lure a gentle hart,
- Which unto thee much welcome made;
- My sister deare, and Carthage' joy,
- Whose folly bred her deere annoy. 90
-
- "Yett on her death-bed when shee lay,
- Shee prayd for thy prosperitye,
- Beseeching God, that every day
- Might breed thy great felicitye:
- Thus by thy meanes I lost a friend; 95
- Heaven send thee such untimely end."
-
- When he these lines, full fraught with gall,
- Perused had, and wayed them right,
- His lofty courage then did fall;
- And straight appeared in his sight 100
- Queene Dido's ghost, both grim and pale;
- Which made this valliant souldier quaile.
-
- "[AE]neas," quoth this ghastly ghost,
- "My whole delight, when I did live,
- Thee of all men I loved most; 105
- My fancy and my will did give;
- For entertainment I thee gave,
- Unthankefully thou didst me grave.
-
- "Therfore prepare thy flitting soule
- To wander with me in the aire, 110
- Where deadlye griefe shall make it howle,
- Because of me thou tookst no care:
- Delay not time, thy glasse is run,
- Thy date is past, thy life is done."
-
- "O stay a while, thou lovely sprite; 115
- Be not soe hasty to convay
- My soule into eternall night,
- Where itt shall ne're behold bright day:
- O doe not frowne; thy angry looke
- Hath made my breath my life forsooke. 120
-
- "But, woe is me! all is in vaine,
- And bootless is my dismall crye;
- Time will not be recalled againe,
- Nor thou surcease before I dye.
- O lett me live, and make amends 125
- To some of thy most dearest friends.
-
- "But seeing thou obdurate art,
- And wilt no pittye on me show,
- Because from thee I did depart,
- And left unpaid what I did owe, 130
- I must content myselfe to take
- What lott to me thou wilt partake."
-
- And thus, as one being in a trance,
- A multitude of uglye feinds
- About this woffull prince did dance: 135
- He had no helpe of any friends:
- His body then they tooke away,
- And no man knew his dying day.
-
-1, 21. war. MS. and pr. cop.
-
-
-
-
-GEORGE BARNWELL.
-
-Percy's _Reliques_, iii. 297.
-
-
-"The subject of this ballad is sufficiently popular from the modern play
-which is founded upon it. This was written by George Lillo, a jeweller
-of London, and first acted about 1730.--As for the ballad, it was
-printed at least as early as the middle of the last century.
-
-"It is here given from three old printed copies, which exhibit a strange
-intermixture of Roman and black-letter. It is also collated with another
-copy in the Ashmole Collection at Oxford, which is thus entitled: "_An
-excellent ballad of George Barnwell, an apprentice of London, who ...
-thrice robbed his master, and murdered his uncle in Ludlow_. The tune is
-_The Merchant_."
-
-There is another copy in Ritson's _Ancient Songs_, ii. 156. Throughout
-the Second Part, the first line of each stanza has, in the old editions,
-two superfluous syllables, which Percy ejected; and Ritson has adopted
-the emendation.
-
-
-THE FIRST PART.
-
- All youths of fair Engl[a']nd
- That dwell both far and near,
- Regard my story that I tell,
- And to my song give ear.
-
- A London lad I was, 5
- A merchant's prentice bound;
- My name George Barnwell; that did spend
- My master many a pound.
-
- Take heed of harlots then,
- And their enticing trains; 10
- For by that means I have been brought
- To hang alive in chains.
-
- As I upon a day
- Was walking through the street,
- About my master's business, 15
- A wanton I did meet.
-
- A gallant dainty dame
- And sumptuous in attire;
- With smiling look she greeted me,
- And did my name require. 20
-
- Which when I had declar'd,
- She gave me then a kiss,
- And said, if I would come to her
- I should have more than this.
-
- "Fair mistress," then quoth I, 25
- "If I the place may know,
- This evening I will be with you;
- For I abroad must go,
-
- "To gather monies in,
- That are my master's due: 30
- And ere that I do home return
- I'll come and visit you."
-
- "Good Barnwell," then quoth she,
- "Do thou to Shoreditch come,
- And ask for Mrs. Milwood's house, 35
- Next door unto the Gun.
-
- "And trust me on my truth,
- If thou keep touch with me,
- My dearest friend, as my own heart
- Thou shalt right welcome be." 40
-
- Thus parted we in peace,
- And home I passed right;
- Then went abroad, and gathered in,
- By six o'clock at night,
-
- An hundred pound and one: 45
- With bag under my arm
- I went to Mrs. Millwood's house,
- And thought on little harm.
-
- And knocking at the door,
- Straightway herself came down; 50
- Rustling in most brave attire,
- With hood and silken gown.
-
- Who, through her beauty bright,
- So gloriously did shine,
- That she amaz'd my dazzling eyes, 55
- She seemed so divine.
-
- She took me by the hand,
- And with a modest grace,
- "Welcome, sweet Barnwell," then quoth she,
- "Unto this homely place. 60
-
- "And since I have thee found
- As good as thy word to be,
- A homely supper, ere we part,
- Thou shalt take here with me."
-
- "O pardon me," quoth I, 65
- "Fair mistress, I you pray;
- For why, out of my master's house
- So long I dare not stay."
-
- "Alas, good sir," she said,
- "Are you so strictly ty'd, 70
- You may not with your dearest friend
- One hour or two abide?
-
- "Faith, then the case is hard;
- If it be so," quoth she,
- "I would I were a prentice bound, 75
- To live along with thee.
-
- "Therefore, my dearest George,
- List well what I shall say,
- And do not blame a woman much,
- Her fancy to bewray. 80
-
- "Let not affection's force
- Be counted lewd desire;
- Nor think it not immodesty,
- I should thy love require."
-
- With that she turn'd aside, 85
- And with a blushing red,
- A mournful motion she bewray'd
- By hanging down her head.
-
- A handkerchief she had,
- All wrought with silk and gold, 90
- Which she, to stay her trickling tears,
- Before her eyes did hold.
-
- This thing unto my sight
- Was wondrous rare and strange,
- And in my soul and inward thought 95
- It wrought a sudden change:
-
- That I so hardy grew
- To take her by the hand,
- Saying, "Sweet mistress, why do you
- So dull and pensive stand?" 100
-
- "Call me no mistress now,
- But Sarah, thy true friend,
- Thy servant, Milwood, honouring thee,
- Until her life hath end.
-
- "If thou wouldst here alledge 105
- Thou art in years a boy;
- So was Adonis, yet was he
- Fair Venus' only joy."
-
- Thus I, who ne'er before
- Of woman found such grace, 110
- But seeing now so fair a dame
- Give me a kind embrace,
-
- I supt with her that night,
- With joys that did abound;
- And for the same paid presently, 115
- In mony twice three pound.
-
- An hundred kisses then,
- For my farewel she gave;
- Crying, "Sweet Barnwell, when shall I
- Again thy company have? 120
-
- "O stay not hence too long;
- Sweet George, have me in mind:"
- Her words bewicht my childishness,
- She uttered them so kind.
-
- So that I made a vow, 125
- Next Sunday, without fail,
- With my sweet Sarah once again
- To tell some pleasant tale.
-
- When she heard me say so,
- The tears fell from her eye; 130
- "O George," quoth she, "if thou dost fail,
- Thy Sarah sure will dye."
-
- Though long, yet loe! at last,
- The appointed day was come,
- That I must with my Sarah meet; 135
- Having a mighty sum[L136]
-
- Of money in my hand,
- Unto her house went I,
- Whereas my love upon her bed
- In saddest sort did lye. 140
-
- "What ails my heart's delight,
- My Sarah dear?" quoth I;
- "Let not my love lament and grieve,
- Nor sighing pine and die.
-
- "But tell me, dearest friend, 145
- What may thy woes amend,
- And thou shalt lack no means of help,
- Though forty pound I spend."
-
- With that she turn'd her head,
- And sickly thus did say: 150
- "Oh me, sweet George, my grief is great;
- Ten pound I have to pay
-
- Unto a cruel wretch;
- And God he knows," quoth she,
- "I have it not." "Tush, rise," I said, 155
- "And take it here of me.
-
- "Ten pounds, nor ten times ten,
- Shall make my love decay;"
- Then from my bag into her lap,
- I cast ten pound straightway. 160
-
- All blithe and pleasant then,
- To banqueting we go;
- She proffered me to lye with her,
- And said it should be so.
-
- And after that same time, 165
- I gave her store of coyn,
- Yea, sometimes fifty pound at once;
- All which I did purloyn.
-
- And thus I did pass on;
- Until my master then 170
- Did call to have his reckoning in
- Cast up among his men.
-
- The which when as I heard,
- I knew not what to say:
- For well I knew that I was out 175
- Two hundred pound that day.
-
- Then from my master straight
- I ran in secret sort;
- And unto Sarah Milwood there
- My case I did report. 180
-
- _But how she used this youth,
- In this his care and woe,
- And all a strumpet's wiley ways,
- The second part may showe._
-
-136. The having a sum of money with him on Sunday, &c., shows this
-narrative to have been penned before the civil wars: the strict
-observance of the Sabbath was owing to the change of manners at that
-period. PERCY.
-
-
-THE SECOND PART.
-
- "Young Barnwell comes to thee,
- Sweet Sarah, my delight;
- I am undone, unless thou stand
- My faithful friend this night.
-
- "Our master to accompts 5
- Hath just occasion found;
- And I am caught behind the hand
- Above two hundred pound.
-
- "And now his wrath to 'scape,
- My love, I fly to thee, 10
- Hoping some time I may remaine
- In safety here with thee."
-
- With that she knit her brows,
- And looking all aquoy,
- Quoth she, "What should I have to do 15
- With any prentice boy?
-
- "And seeing you have purloyn'd
- Your master's goods away,
- The case is bad, and therefore here
- You shall no longer stay." 20
-
- "Why, dear, thou know'st," I said,
- "How all which I could get,
- "I gave it, and did spend it all
- Upon thee every whit."
-
- Quoth she, "Thou art a knave, 25
- To charge me in this sort,
- Being a woman of credit fair,
- And known of good report.
-
- "Therefore I tell thee flat,
- Be packing with good speed; 30
- I do defie thee from my heart,
- And scorn thy filthy deed."
-
- "Is this the friendship, that
- You did to me protest?
- Is this the great affection, which 35
- You so to me exprest?
-
- "Now fie on subtle shrews!
- The best is, I may speed
- To get a lodging any where
- For money in my need. 40
-
- "False woman, now farewell;
- Whilst twenty pound doth last,
- My anchor in some other haven
- With freedom I will cast."
-
- When she perceiv'd by this, 45
- I had store of money there,
- "Stay, George," quoth she, "thou art too quick:
- Why, man, I did but jeer.
-
- "Dost think for all my speech,
- That I would let thee go? 50
- Faith, no," said she, "my love to thee
- I-wiss is more than so."
-
- "You scorne a prentice boy,
- I heard you just now swear:
- Wherefore I will not trouble you:" 55
- "Nay, George, hark in thine ear;
-
- "Thou shalt not go to-night,
- What chance soe're befall;
- But man, we'll have a bed for thee,
- Or else the devil take all." 60
-
- So I by wiles bewitcht,
- And snar'd with fancy still,
- Had then no power to 'get' away,
- Or to withstand her will.
-
- For wine on wine I call'd, 65
- And cheer upon good cheer;
- And nothing in the world I thought
- For Sarah's love too dear.
-
- Whilst in her company,
- I had such merriment, 70
- All, all too little I did think,
- That I upon her spent.
-
- "A fig for care and thought!
- When all my gold is gone,
- In faith, my girl, we will have more, 75
- Whoever I light upon.
-
- "My father's rich; why then
- Should I want store of gold?"
- "Nay, with a father, sure," quoth she,
- "A son may well make bold." 80
-
- "I've a sister richly wed;
- I'll rob her ere I'll want."
- "Nay then," quoth Sarah, "they may well
- Consider of your scant."
-
- "Nay, I an uncle have; 85
- At Ludlow he doth dwell;
- He is a grazier, which in wealth
- Doth all the rest excell.
-
- "Ere I will live in lack,
- And have no coyn for thee, 90
- I'll rob his house, and murder him."
- "Why should you not?" quoth she.
-
- "Was I a man, ere I
- Would live in poor estate,
- On father, friends, and all my kin, 95
- I would my talons grate.
-
- "For without money, George,
- A man is but a beast:
- But bringing money, thou shalt be
- Always my welcome guest. 100
-
- "For shouldst thou be pursued
- With twenty hues and cryes,
- And with a warrant searched for
- With Argus' hundred eyes,
-
- "Yet here thou shalt be safe; 105
- Such privy wayes there be,
- That if they sought an hundred years,
- They could not find out thee."
-
- And so carousing both
- Their pleasures to content, 110
- George Barnwell had in little space
- His money wholly spent.
-
- Which done, to Ludlow straight
- He did provide to go,
- To rob his wealthy uncle there; 115
- His minion would it so.
-
- And once he thought to take
- His father by the way,
- But that he fear'd his master had
- Took order for his stay.[L120] 120
-
- Unto his uncle then
- He rode with might and main,
- Who with a welcome and good cheer
- Did Barnwell entertain.
-
- One fortnight's space he stayed, 125
- Until it chanced so,
- His uncle with his cattle did
- Unto a market go.
-
- His kinsman rode with him,
- Where he did see right plain, 130
- Great store of money he had took:
- When, coming home again,
-
- Sudden within a wood,
- He struck his uncle down,
- And beat his brains out of his head; 135
- So sore he crackt his crown.
-
- Then seizing fourscore pound,
- To London straight he hyed,
- And unto Sarah Millwood all
- The cruell fact descryed. 140
-
- "Tush, 'tis no matter, George,
- So we the money have
- To have good cheer in jolly sort,
- And deck us fine and brave."
-
- Thus lived in filthy sort, 145
- Until their store was gone:
- When means to get them any more,
- I-wis poor George had none.
-
- Therefore in railing sort,
- She thrust him out of door; 150
- Which is the just reward of those,
- Who spend upon a whore.
-
- "O do me not disgrace
- In this my need," quoth he:
- She called him thief and murderer, 155
- With all the spight might be.
-
- To the constable she sent,
- To have him apprehended;
- And shewed how far, in each degree,
- He had the laws offended. 160
-
- When Barnwell saw her drift,
- To sea he got straightway;
- Where fear and sting of conscience
- Continually on him lay.
-
- Unto the lord mayor then, 165
- He did a letter write,
- In which his own and Sarah's fault
- He did at large recite.
-
- Whereby she seized was,
- And then to Ludlow sent, 170
- Where she was judg'd, condemn'd, and hang'd,
- For murder incontinent.
-
- There dyed this gallant quean,
- Such was her greatest gains;
- For murder in Polonia, 175
- Was Barnwell hang'd in chains.
-
- Lo! here's the end of youth
- That after harlots haunt,
- Who in the spoil of other men
- About the streets do flaunt. 180
-
-120. i.e. for stopping and apprehending him at his father's. P.
-
-
-
-
-THE DUKE OF ATHOL'S NURSE.
-
-
-From Buchan's _Ballads of the North of Scotland_, ii. 23. Annexed is a
-less perfect copy from Kinloch's collection. A fragment of this piece is
-printed in Cromek's _Select Scottish Songs by R. Burns_, (ii. 196,) with
-some stanzas of _Willy's drowned in Yarrow_, (vol. ii. p. 181, of this
-collection.) Mr. Aytoun has made up a very good ballad from several
-copies; _Ballads of Scotland_, 2, 236.
-
- As I gaed in yon greenwood side,
- I heard a fair maid singing;
- Her voice was sweet, she sang sae complete,
- That all the woods were ringing.
-
- "O I'm the Duke o' Athole's nurse, 5
- My post is well becoming;
- But I wou'd gie a' my half-year's fee,
- For ae sight o' my leman."
-
- "Ye say, ye're the Duke o' Athole's nurse,
- Your post is well becoming; 10
- Keep well, keep well your half-year's fee,
- Ye'se hae twa sights o' your leman."
-
- He lean'd him ower his saddle bow,
- And cannilie kiss'd his dearie;
- "Ohon, and alake! anither has my heart, 15
- And I darena mair come near thee!"
-
- "Ohon, and alake! if anither hae your heart,
- These words hae fairly undone me;
- But let us set a time, tryst to meet again,
- Then in gude friends you will twine me!" 20
-
- "Ye will do you down to yon tavern house,
- And drink till the day be dawing;
- And, as sure as I ance had a love for you,
- I'll come there and clear your lawing.
-
- "Ye'll spare not the wine, altho' it be fine, 25
- Nae Malago, tho' it be rarely;
- But ye'll aye drink the bonnie lassie's health
- That's to clear your lawing fairly."
-
- Then he's done him down to yon tavern house,
- And drank till day was dawing; 30
- And aye he drank the bonny lassie's health
- That was coming to clear his lawing.
-
- And aye as he birled, and aye as he drank
- The gude beer and the brandy,
- He spar'd not the wine, altho' it was fine, 35
- The sack nor the sugar candy.
-
- "It's a wonder to me," the knight he did say,
- "My bonnie lassie's sae delaying;
- She promis'd, as sure as she loved me ance,
- She wou'd be here by the dawing." 40
-
- He's done him to a shott window,
- A little before the dawing,
- And there he spied her nine brothers bauld,
- Were coming to betray him.
-
- "Where shall I rin, where shall I gang, 45
- Or where shall I gang hide me?
- She that was to meet me in friendship this day,
- Has sent nine men to slay me!"
-
- He's gane to the landlady o' the house,
- Says, "O can you supply me? 50
- For she that was to meet me in friendship this day,
- Has sent nine men to slay me!
-
- She gae him a suit o' her ain female claise,
- And set him to the baking;
- The bird never sang mair sweet on the bush, 55
- Nor the knight sung at the baking.
-
- As they came in at the ha' door,
- Sae loudly as they rappit,
- And when they came upon the floor,
- Sae loudly as they chappit! 60
-
- "O had ye a stranger here last night,
- Who drank till the day was dawing?
- Come, show us the chamber where he lyes in,
- We'll shortly clear his lawing."
-
- "I had nae stranger here last night, 65
- That drank till the day was dawing;
- But ane that took a pint, and paid it ere he went,
- And there's naething to clear o' his lawing."
-
- A lad amang the rest, being o' a merry mood,
- To the young knight fell a-talking; 70
- The wife took her foot, and gae him a kick,
- Says, "Be busy, ye jilt, at your baking."
-
- They stabbed the house, baith but and ben,
- The curtains they spared nae riving,
- And for a' that they did search and ca', 75
- For a kiss o' the knight they were striving.
-
-
-
-
-THE DUKE OF ATHOL'S NOURICE.
-
-Kinloch's _Ancient Scottish Ballads_, p. 127.
-
-
- As I cam in by Athol's yetts,
- I heard a fair maid singing;
- "I am the Duke o' Athol's nourice,
- And I wat it weel does set me;
- And I wad gie a' my half-year's fee, 5
- For ae sicht o' my Johnie."
-
- "Keep weel, keep weel, your half-year's fee,
- For ye'll soon get a sicht o' your Johnie;
- But anither woman has my heart,
- And I am sorry for to leave ye." 10
-
- "Ye'll dow ye doun to yon change-house,
- And drink till the day be dawing;
- At ilka pint's end ye'll drink the lass' health,
- That's coming to pay the lawing."
-
- He hied him doun to yon change-house, 15
- And he drank till the day was dawing;
- And at ilka pint's end he drank the lass' health,
- That was coming to pay for his lawing.
-
- Aye he ranted, and aye he sang,
- And drank till the day was dawing; 20
- And aye he drank the bonnie lass' health,
- That was coming to pay the lawing.
-
- He spared na the sack, though it was dear,
- The wine, nor the sugar-candy;
- * * * *
- * * *
-
- He has dune him to the shot-window, 25
- To see gin she war coming;
- There he saw the duke and a' his merry men,
- That oure the hill cam rinning.
-
- He has dune him to the landlady,
- To see gin she wad protect him; 30
- She buskit him up into woman's claise,
- And set him till a baking.
-
- Sae loudlie as they rappit at the yett,
- Sae loudlie as they war calling;
- "Had ye a young man here yestreen, 35
- That drank till the day was dawing?"
-
- "He drank but ae pint, and he paid it or he went,
- And ye've na mair to do wi' the lawing."
- They searchit the house a' round and round,
- And they spared na the curtains to tear them; 40
-
- While the landlady stood upo' the stair-head,
- Crying, "Maid, be busy at your baking;"
- They gaed as they cam, and left a' undone,
- And left the bonnie maid at her baking.
-
-
-
-
-THE HIREMAN CHIEL.
-
-From _Scarce Ancient Ballads_, p. 17. The same in Buchan, ii. 109, _The
-Baron turned Ploughman_.
-
-
- There was a knight, a barone bright,
- A bauld barone was he,
- And he had only but one son,
- A comely youth to see.
-
- He's brought him at schools nine, 5
- So has he at schools ten,
- But the boy learn'd to haud the plow
- Among his father's men.
-
- But it fell ance upon a day
- The bauld barone did say, 10
- "My son you maun gae court a wife,
- And ane o high degree.
-
- "Ye have lands, woods, rents, and bouirs,
- Castels and touirs three;
- Then go my son and seek some dame 15
- To share that gift wi' thee."
-
- "Yes, I have lands and woods, father,
- Castels and touirs three;
- But what if she like my lands and rents
- Far more than she loves me? 20
-
- "But I will go and seek a wife
- That weel can please mine ee,
- And I sall fairly try her love
- Before she gang wi me."
-
- He then took off the scarlet coat, 25
- Bedeck'd wi shinin' gold,
- And has put on the hireman's coat,
- To keip him frae the cold.
-
- He then laid past the studded sword,
- That he could bravely draw, 30
- And he's gone skipping down the stair,
- Swift as the bird that flaw.
-
- He took a stick into his hand,
- Which he could bravely wiel,
- And he's gane whistling o'er the lan', 35
- Like a young hireman chiel.
-
- And he gaed up yon high high hill,[L37]
- And low down i the glen,
- And there he saw a gay castell,
- Wi turrets nine or ten. 40
-
- And he has gone on, and farther on,
- Till to the yett drew he,
- And there he saw a lady fair,
- That pleas'd the young man's ee.
-
- He went streight to the greave's chamber, 45
- And with humilitie,
- Said, "Have ye any kind of work
- For a hireman chiel like me?"
-
- "What is the work that ye intend,
- Or how can we agree? 50
- Can ye plow, reap, and sow the corn,
- And a' for meat and fee?"
-
- "Yes, I can plow, and reap, and mow,
- And sow the corn too;
- I can weel manage horse and cow, 55
- And a' for meat and fee."
-
- "If ye can haud the plow right weel,
- And sow the corn too,
- By faith and troth, my hireman chiel,
- We shall not part for fee." 60
-
- He['s] put his hand in his pocket,
- And taen out shillings nine;
- Says, "Take ye that, my hireman chiel,
- And turn in here and dine."
-
- He acted all he took in hand, 65
- His master lov'd him weel,
- And the young lady of the land
- Fell in love wi the hireman chiel.
-
- How oft she tried to drown the flame,
- And oft wept bitterlie; 70
- But still she lov'd the hireman chiel,
- So well's he pleas'd her ee.
-
- She has written a broad letter,
- And seal'd it wi' her hand,
- And dropt it at the stable door, 75
- Where the young man did stand.
-
- "I am in love, my hireman chiel,
- I'm deip in love wi thee;
- And if ye think me worth your love,
- I' the garden green meet me." 80
-
- When he had read the letter o'er,
- A loud loud laugh gae he;
- Said, "If I manage my business well,
- I'm sure to get my fee."
-
- At night they met behind a tree, 85
- Low in the garden green,
- To tell their tale among the flowers,
- And view the e'ening scene.
-
- Next morning by the rising sun,
- She, with her maries fair, 90
- Walk'd to the fields to see the plow,
- And meet the hireman there.
-
- "Good morn, good morn, my lady gay,
- I wonder much at you,
- To rise so early in the morn, 95
- While fields are wet wi dew,
- To hear the linnets on the thorn,
- And see the plow-boy plow."
-
- "But I wonder much at you, young man,
- I wonder much at you, 100
- That ye no other station have
- Than hold my father's plow."
-
- "I love as weel to rise each morn
- As ye can your maries fair;
- I love as weel to hold the plow 105
- As I were your father's heir.
-
- "If ye love me, as ye protest,
- And I trust weel ye do,
- The morn's night at eight o'clock,
- In gude green wood meet me." 110
-
- "Yes, I love you, my hireman chiel,
- And that most tenderlie,
- But when my virgin honor's gone,
- I soon will slighted be."
-
- "Take ye no dread, my lady gay, 115
- Lat a your folly be;
- If ye com a maiden to green wood,
- You'll return the same for me."
-
- The lady she went home again
- Wi a mary on every hand; 120
- She was so very sick in love,
- She could not sit nor stand.
-
- It was a dark and cloudy night,
- No stars beam'd o'er the lea,
- When the lady and the hireman met 125
- Beneath a spreading tree.
-
- He took the lady in his arms,
- Embraced her tenderlie,
- And thrice he kiss'd her rosy lips
- Under the green wood tree. 130
-
- "Hold off your hands, young man, I pray;
- I wonder much at thee;
- The man that holds my father's plow,
- To lay his hands on me."
-
- "No harm I mean, my winsome dame, 135
- No impudence at a';
- I never laid a hand on you
- Till your libertie I saw."
-
- "It is a dark and dismal night, 140
- The dew is falling down;
- I will go home, least I should spoil
- My cap and satin gown."
-
- "If you are wearied so soon,
- Why did ye tryst me here?" 145
- "I would not weary with you, my dear,
- Tho this night were a year."
-
- When morning beams began to peep
- Among the branches green,
- The lovers rose, and part to meet, 150
- And tell their tale again.
-
- "Ye will go home unto the plow,
- Where often ye hae been;
- I'll tak my mantle folded up,
- And walk i the garden green. 155
-
- "The barone and my mother dear
- Will wonder what I mean;
- They'll think I've been disturbed sair,
- When I am up so soon."
-
- But this pass'd on, and farther on, 160
- For two months and a day,
- Till word came to the bauld barone,
- And an angry man was he.
-
- The barone swore a solemn oath,
- An angry man was he, 165
- "The morn, before I eat or drink,
- High hanged shall he be."
-
- "Farewell, my lovely maiden fair,
- A long adieu to thee;
- Your father's sworn a solemn swear 170
- That hanged I shall be."
-
- "O woe's me," the lady said,
- "Yet do not troubled be;
- If e'er they touch the hair on thy head,
- They'll get no good of me." 175
-
- He turn'd him right and round about,
- And a loud loud laugh gae he;
- "That man stood never in the court
- That dare this day hang me."
-
- The lady spake from her bouir door, 180
- An angry woman was she;
- "What insolence in you to tryst
- Her to the green wood tree."
-
- "If she had not given her consent,
- She had not gone wi me; 185
- If she came a maiden to green wood,
- She return'd again for me."
-
- He turn'd him right and round about,
- And a loud loud laugh gae he;
- "Ye may wed your daughter whan ye will, 190
- She's none the worse for me."
-
- He has gone whistling o'er the knowe,
- Swift as the bird that flaw;
- The lady stood in her bouir door,
- And lout the salt tears fa. 195
-
- But this pass'd on, and further on,
- A twelve month and a day,
- Till there came a knight and a barone bright
- To woo this lady gay.
-
- He soon gain'd the baronne's will, 200
- Likewise the mother gay;
- He woo'd and won the lady's love,
- But by a slow degree.
-
- "O weel befa' you, daughter dear,
- And happy may ye be, 205
- To lay your love on the grand knight,
- And let the hireman be."
-
- "O haud your tongue, my father dear,
- And speak not so to me;
- Far more I love the hireman chiel 210
- Than a' the knights I see.
-
- The morn was come, and bells were rung,
- And all to church repair;
- But like the rose among the throng
- Was the lady and her maries fair. 215
-
- But as they walked o'er the field,
- Among the flowers fair,
- Beneath a tree stood on the plain,
- The hireman chiel was there.
-
- "I wish you joy, my gay madam, 220
- And aye well may ye be;
- There is a ring, a pledge of love,
- That ance I got from thee."
-
- "O wae befa' ye, you hireman chiel,
- Some ill death may ye die; 225
- Ye might hae tauld to me your name,
- Your hame, or what countrie."
-
- "If ye luve me, my lady gay,
- As ye protest ye do,
- Then turn your love from this gay knight, 230
- And reach your hand to me."
-
- Then out spake the gay baronne,
- And an angry man was he;
- "If I had known she was belov'd,
- She had never been lov'd by me." 235
-
- When she was set on high horse-back,
- And riding thro' the glen,
- They saw her father posting quick,
- With fifty armed men.
-
- "Do for yourself, my hireman lad, 240
- And for your safety flee;
- My father he will take me back,
- But married I'll never be."
-
- When they were up yon rising hill,
- There low down i' the glen, 245
- He saw his father's gilded coach,
- Wi' five hundred gentlemen.
-
- "Come back, turn back, my hireman chiel,
- Turn back and speak wi' me;
- Ye've serv'd me lang for the lady's sake, 250
- Come back, and get your fee."
-
- "Your blessing give us instantly,
- Is all we crave o' thee;
- These seven years I've serv'd for her sake,
- But now I'm paid my fee." 255
-
-37. As.
-
-
-
-
-ARMSTRONG AND MUSGRAVE.
-
-From _A Collection of Old Ballads_, i. 175.
-
-
-The story of this ballad seems to be the same as that of _Lord
-Livingston_, in the third volume of this collection (p. 343). The whole
-title is as follows:
-
- A pleasant ballad shewing how two valiant knights, Sir John Armstrong
- and Sir Michael Musgrave, fell in love with the beautiful daughter
- of the Lady Dacres in the North; and of the great strife that
- happen'd between them for her, and how they wrought the death of one
- hundred men.
-
- As it fell out one Whitsunday,
- The blith time of the year,
- When every tree was clad with green,
- And pretty birds sing clear,
- The Lady Dacres took her way 5
- Unto the church that pleasant day,
- With her fair daughter fresh and gay,
- A bright and bonny lass.
-
- Sir Michael Musgrave, in like sort,
- To church repaired then, 10
- And so did Sir John Armstrong too,
- With all his merry men.
- Two greater friends there could not be,
- Nor braver knights for chivalry,
- Both batchelors of high degree, 15
- Fit for a bonny lass.
-
- They sat them down upon one seat,
- Like loving brethren dear,
- With hearts and minds devoutly bent
- God's service for to hear; 20
- But rising from their prayers tho,
- Their eyes a ranging strait did go,
- Which wrought their utter overthrow,
- All for one bonny lass.
-
- Quoth Musgrave unto Armstrong then, 25
- "Yon sits the sweetest dame,
- That ever for her fair beauty
- Within this country came."
- "In sooth," quoth Armstrong presently,
- "Your judgment I must verify, 30
- There never came unto my eye
- A braver bonny lass."
-
- "I swear," said Musgrave, "by this sword,
- Which did my knighthood win,
- To steal away so sweet a dame, 35
- Could be no ghostly sin."
- "That deed," quoth Armstrong, "would be ill,
- Except you had her right good will,
- That your desire she would fulfil,
- And be thy bonny lass." 40
-
- By this the service quite was done,
- And home the people past;
- They wish'd a blister on his tongue
- That made thereof such haste.
- At the church door the knights did meet, 45
- The Lady Dacres for to greet,
- But most of all her daughter sweet,
- That beauteous bonny lass.
-
- Said Armstrong to the lady fair,
- "We both have made a vow 50
- At dinner for to be your guests,
- If you will it allow."
- With that bespoke the lady free,
- "Sir knights, right welcome shall you be;"
- "The happier men therefore are we, 55
- For love of this bonny lass."
-
- Thus were the knights both prick'd in love,
- Both in one moment thrall'd,
- And both with one fair lady gay,
- Fair Isabella call'd. 60
- With humble thanks they went away,
- Like wounded harts chas'd all the day,
- One would not to the other say,
- They lov'd this bonny lass.
-
- Fair Isabel, on the other side, 65
- As far in love was found;
- So long brave Armstrong she had ey'd,
- Till love her heart did wound;
- "Brave Armstrong is my joy," quoth she,
- "Would Christ he were alone with me, 70
- To talk an hour, two, or three,
- With his fair bonny lass."
-
- But as these knights together rode,
- And homeward did repair,
- Their talk and eke their countenance shew'd 75
- Their hearts were clogg'd with care.
- "Fair Isabel," the one did say,
- "Thou hast subdu'd my heart this day;"
- "But she's my joy," did Musgrave say,
- "My bright and bonny lass." 80
-
- With that these friends incontinent
- Became most deadly foes;
- For love of beauteous Isabel,
- Great strife betwixt them rose:
- Quoth Armstrong, "She shall be my wife, 85
- Although for her I lose my life;"
- And thus began a deadly strife,
- And for one bonny lass.
-
- Thus two years long this grudge did grow
- These gallant knights between, 90
- While they a-wooing both did go,
- Unto this beauteous queen;
- And she who did their furies prove,
- To neither would bewray her love,
- The deadly quarrel to remove 95
- About this bonny lass.
-
- But neither, for her fair intreats,
- Nor yet her sharp dispute,
- Would they appease their raging ire,
- Nor yet give o'er their suit. 100
- The gentlemen of the North Country
- At last did make this good decree,
- All for a perfect unity
- About this bonny lass.
-
- The love-sick knights should be set 105
- Within one hall so wide,
- Each of them in a gallant sort
- Even at a several tide;
- And 'twixt them both for certainty
- Fair Isabel should placed be, 110
- Of them to take her choice full free,
- Most like a bonny lass.
-
- And as she like an angel bright
- Betwixt them mildly stood,
- She turn'd unto each several knight 115
- With pale and changed blood;
- "Now am I at liberty
- To make and take my choice?" quoth she:
- "Yea," quoth the knights, "we do agree;
- Then chuse, thou bonny lass." 120
-
- "O Musgrave, thou art all too hot
- To be a lady's love,"
- Quoth she, "and Armstrong seems a sot,
- Where love binds him to prove.
- Of courage great is Musgrave still, 125
- And sith to chuse I have my will,
- Sweet Armstrong shall my joys fulfil,
- And I his bonny lass."
-
- The nobles and the gentles both
- That were in present place, 130
- Rejoiced at this sweet record;
- But Musgrave, in disgrace,
- Out of the hall did take his way,
- And Armstrong marryed was next day
- With Isabel his lady gay, 135
- A bright and bonny lass.
-
- But Musgrave on the wedding-day,
- Like to a Scotchman dight,
- In secret sort allured out
- The bridegroom for the fight; 140
- And he, that will not outbraved be,
- Unto his challenge did agree,
- Where he was slain most suddenly
- For his fair bonny lass.
-
- The news whereof was quickly brought 145
- Unto the lovely bride;
- And many of young Armstrong's kin
- Did after Musgrave ride.
- They hew'd him when they had him got,
- As small as flesh into the pot; 150
- Lo! thus befel a heavy lot
- About this bonny lass.
-
- The lady young, which did lament
- This cruel cursed strife,
- For very grief dyed that day, 155
- A maiden and a wife.
- An hundred men that hapless day
- Did lose their lives in that same fray,
- And 'twixt those names, as many say,
- Is deadly strife still biding. 160
-
-
-
-
-FAIR MARGARET OF CRAIGNARGAT.
-
-
-"Craignargat is a promontory in the Bay of Luce. Though almost
-surrounded by the Barony of Mochrum, it was long possessed by a branch
-of the family of Macdowall, which was probably our heroine's
-surname.--On the head of Fair Margaret's lovers, it may be remarked,
-that the Agnews of Lochnaw are a very ancient family, and hereditary
-sheriffs of Wigton. The Gordon mentioned was probably Gordon of
-Craighlaw, whose castle was situated about five miles from Craignargat,
-in the parish of Kirkcowan, considered so remote before the formation of
-military roads, that the local proverb says,--'Out of the world, and
-into Kirkcowan.' The Hays of Park dwell on the coast, about six miles
-from Craignargat; but it is singular that the lady is not complimented
-with a Dunbar as her lover, the Place of Mochrum, as the old town is
-called, being only two miles from her reputed residence." Sharpe's
-_Ballad Book_, p. 71.
-
- Fair Marg'ret of Craignargat
- Was the flow'r of all her kin,
- And she's fallen in love with a false young man,
- Her ruin to begin.
-
- The more she lov'd, the more it prov'd 5
- Her fatal destiny,
- And he that sought her overthrow
- Shar'd of her misery.
-
- Before that lady she was born,
- Her mother, as we find, 10
- She dreamt she had a daughter fair,
- That was both dumb and blind.
-
- But as she sat in her bow'r door,
- A-viewing of her charms,
- There came a raven from the south, 15
- And pluck'd her from her arms.
-
- Three times on end she dreamt this dream,
- Which troubled sore her mind,
- That from that very night and hour
- She could no comfort find. 20
-
- Now she has sent for a wise woman,
- Liv'd nigh unto the port,
- Who being call'd, instantly came,
- That lady to comfort.
-
- To her she told her dreary dream, 25
- With salt tears in her eye,
- Hoping that she would read the same,
- Her mind to satisfy.
-
- "Set not your heart on children young,
- Whate'er their fortune be, 30
- And if I tell what shall befal,
- Lay not the blame on me.
-
- "The raven which ye dreamed of,
- He is a false young man,
- With subtile heart and flatt'ring tongue, 35
- Your daughter to trepan.
-
- "Both night and day, 'tis you I pray
- For to be on your guard,
- For many are the subtile wyles
- By which youth are ensnar'd." 40
-
- When she had read the dreary dream,
- It vex'd her more and more,
- For Craignargat, of birth and state,
- Liv'd nigh unto the shore.
-
- But as in age her daughter wax'd, 45
- Her beauty did excel
- All the ladies far and near
- That in that land did dwell.
-
- The Gordon, Hay, and brave Agnew,
- Three knights of high degree, 50
- Unto the dame a-courting came,
- All for her fair beauty.
-
- Which of these men, they ask'd her then,
- That should her husband be;
- But scornfully she did reply, 55
- "I'll wed none of the three."
-
- "Since it is so, where shall we go
- A match for thee to find,
- That art so fair and beautiful,
- That none can suit thy mind?" 60
-
- With scorn and pride she answer made,
- "You'll ne'er choice one for me,
- Nor will I wed against my mind,
- For all their high degree."
-
- The brave Agnew, whose heart was true, 65
- A solemn vow did make,
- Never to love a woman more
- All for that lady's sake.
-
- To counsel this lady was deaf,
- To judgement she was blind, 70
- Which griev'd her tender parents dear,
- And troubled sore their mind.
-
- From the Isle of Man a courter came,
- And a false young man was he,
- With subtile heart and flatt'ring tongue, 75
- To court this fair lady.
-
- This young man was a bold outlaw,
- A robber and a thief,
- But soon he gain'd this lady's heart,
- Which caused all their grief. 80
-
- "O will you wed," her mother said,
- "A man you do not know,
- For to break your parents' heart,
- With shame but and with woe?"
-
- "Yes, I will go with him," she said, 85
- "Either by land or sea;
- For he's the man I've pitch['e]d on
- My husband for to be."
-
- "O let her go," her father said,
- "For she shall have her will; 90
- My curse and mallison she's got,
- For to pursue her still."
-
- "Your curse, father, I don't regard,
- Your blessing I'll ne'er crave;
- To the man I love I'll constant prove, 95
- And never him deceive."
-
- On board with him fair Margaret's gone,
- In hopes his bride to be;
- But mark ye well, and I shall tell
- Of their sad destiny. 100
-
- They had not sail'd a league but five,
- Till the storm began to rise;
- The swelling seas ran mountains high,
- And dismal were the skies.
-
- In deep despair that lady fair 105
- For help aloud she cries,
- While crystal tears like fountains ran
- Down from her lovely eyes.
-
- "O I have got my father's curse
- My pride for to subdue! 110
- With sorrows great my heart will break,
- Alas what shall I do!
-
- "O were I at my father's house,
- His blessing to receive,
- Then on my bended knees I'd fall, 115
- His pardon for to crave!
-
- "To aid my grief, there's no relief,
- To speak it is in vain;
- Likewise my loving parents dear
- I ne'er shall see again." 120
-
- The winds and waves did both conspire
- Their lives for to devour;
- That gallant ship that night was lost,
- And never was seen more.
-
- When tidings to Craignargat came, 125
- Of their sad overthrow,
- It griev'd her tender parent's heart;
- Afresh began their woe.
-
- Of the dreary dream that she had seen,
- And often thought upon,-- 130
- "O fatal news," her mother cries,
- "My darling, she is gone!
-
- "O fair Marg'ret, I little thought
- The seas should be thy grave,
- When first thou left thy father's house, 135
- Without thy parent's leave."
-
- May this tragedy a warning be
- To children while they live,
- That they may love their parents dear,
- Their blessing to receive. 140
-
-
-
-
-RICHIE STORIE.
-
-
-"John, third Earl of Wigton, had six sons, and three daughters. The
-second, Lady Lillias Fleming, was so indiscreet as to marry a footman,
-by whom she had issue. She and her husband assigned her provision to
-Lieutenant-Colonel John Fleming, who discharged her renunciation, dated
-in October, 1673." Sharpe's _Ballad Book_, p. 95.
-
- The Earl o' Wigton had three daughters,
- O braw wallie, but they were bonnie!
- The youngest o' them, and the bonniest too,
- Has fallen in love wi' Richie Storie.
-
- "Here's a letter for ye, madame, 5
- Here's a letter for ye, madame;
- The Erle o' Home wad fain presume
- To be a suitor to ye, madame."
-
- "I'll hae nane o' your letters, Richie;
- I'll hae nane o' your letters, Richie; 10
- For I've made a vow, and I'll keep it true,
- That I'll have nane but you, Richie."
-
- "O do not say so, madame;
- O do not say so, madame;
- For I have neither land nor rent, 15
- For to maintain you o', madame.
-
- "Ribands ye maun wear, madame,
- Ribands ye maun wear, madame;
- With the bands about your neck
- O' the goud that shines sae clear, madame." 20
-
- "I'll lie ayont a dyke, Richie,
- I'll lie ayont a dyke, Richie;
- And I'll be aye at your command
- And bidding, whan ye like, Richie."
-
- O he's gane on the braid braid road, 25
- And she's gane through the broom sae bonnie,
- Her silken robes down to her heels,
- And she's awa' wi' Richie Storie.
-
- This lady gaed up the Parliament stair,
- Wi' pendles in her lugs sae bonnie; 30
- Mony a lord lifted his hat,
- But little did they ken she was Richie's lady.
-
- Up then spak the Erle o' Home's lady;
- "Was na ye richt sorrie, Annie,
- To leave the lands o' bonnie Cumbernauld, 35
- And follow Richie Storie, Annie?"
-
- "O what need I be sorrie, madame,
- O what need I be sorrie, madame?
- For I've got them that I like best,
- And was ordained for me, madame." 40
-
- "Cumbernauld is mine, Annie,
- Cumbernauld is mine, Annie;
- And a' that's mine, it shall be thine,
- As we sit at the wine, Annie."
-
-
-
-
-THE FARMER'S OLD WIFE.
-
-
-_The Carl of Kellyburn Braes_, composed by Burns for Johnson's _Museum_,
-(p. 392,) was founded, he says, "on the old traditionary verses." These
-we have met with in no other form but the following, which is taken from
-_Ancient Poems, Ballads, and Songs of the Peasantry of England_, edited
-by Robert Bell, p. 204. What is styled the original of _The Carle of
-Kellyburn Braes_, in Cromek's _Remains of Nithsdale and Galloway Song_,
-p. 83, is, like many of the pieces in that volume, for the most part a
-fabrication. The place of the burden is supplied in Sussex, says Mr.
-Bell, by a whistling chorus.
-
-Of the same tenor is the ballad of _The Devil and the Scold_, Collier's
-_Roxburghe Ballads_, p. 35.
-
-We subjoin the first stanza of Burns's ballad for the sake of the
-burden, which is said to be old.
-
- There lived a carl on Kellyburn braes,
- _Hey, and the rue grows bonnie wi' thyme_,
- And he had a wife was the plague o' his days,
- _And the thyme it is wither'd, and the rue is in prime_.
-
- * * * * *
-
- There was an old farmer in Sussex did dwell,
- And he had a bad wife, as many knew well.
-
- Then Satan came to the old man at the plough,--
- "One of your family I must have now.
-
- "It is not your eldest son that I crave, 5
- But it is your old wife, and she I will have."
-
- "O welcome, good Satan, with all my heart!
- I hope you and she will never more part."
-
- Now Satan has got the old wife on his back,
- And he lugged her along like a pedlar's pack. 10
-
- He trudged away till they came to his hall-gate:
- Says he, "Here, take in an old Sussex chap's mate.
-
- O then she did kick the young imps about,--
- Says one to the other, "Let's try turn her out."
-
- She spied thirteen imps all dancing in chains, 15
- She up with her pattens, and beat out their brains.
-
- She knocked the old Satan against the wall,--
- "Let's try turn her out, or she'll murder us all."
-
- Now he's bundled her up on his back amain,
- And to her old husband he took her again. 20
-
- "I have been a tormentor the whole of my life,
- But I ne'er was tormented till I met with your wife."
-
-
-
-
-THE DUEL OF WHARTON AND STUART.
-
-_Minstrelsy of the Scottish Border_, iii. 77.
-
-
-The unhappy event upon which the following ballad is founded took place
-under the reign of James the VI.
-
-"The sufferers in this melancholy affair were both men of high birth,
-the heirs-apparent of two noble families, and youths of the most
-promising expectation. Sir James Stuart was a knight of the Bath, and
-eldest son of Walter, first Lord Blantyre, by Nicholas, daughter of Sir
-James Somerville of Cambusnethan. Sir George Wharton was also a knight
-of the Bath, and eldest son of Philip, Lord Wharton, by Frances,
-daughter of Henry Clifford, Earl of Cumberland. He married Anne,
-daughter of the Earl of Rutland, but left no issue." SCOTT.
-
-This ballad was printed in the first edition of Ritson's _Ancient
-Songs_, p. 199, from a black-letter copy in Major Pearson's collection,
-(afterwards part of the Roxburghe.) Scott's version appears to have been
-obtained from James Hogg. "Two verses have been added," says Sir Walter,
-"and one considerably improved, from Mr. Ritson's edition. These three
-stanzas are the fifth and ninth of Part First, and the penult verse of
-Part Second. I am thus particular, that the reader may be able, if he
-pleases, to compare the traditional ballad with the original edition. It
-furnishes striking evidence, that 'without characters, fame lives long.'
-The difference chiefly to be remarked betwixt the copies, lies in the
-dialect, and in some modifications applicable to Scotland; as, using the
-words "our Scottish Knight." The black-letter ballad, in like manner,
-terms Wharton "our English Knight."
-
-In this connection we may mention another ballad founded on a duel--_Sir
-Niel and Mac Van_, in Buchan's larger collection, ii. 16. A stall copy
-is called _Sir Neil and Glengyle_.
-
-
-PART FIRST.
-
- It grieveth me to tell you o'
- Near London late what did befall,
- 'Twixt two young gallant gentlemen;
- It grieveth me, and ever shall.
-
- One of them was Sir George Wharton, 5
- My good Lord Wharton's son and heir;
- The other, James Stuart, a Scottish knight,
- One that a valiant heart did bear.
-
- When first to court these nobles came,
- One night, a-gaming, fell to words,[L10] 10
- And in their fury grew so hot,
- That they did both try their keen swords.
-
- No manner of treating, nor advice,
- Could hold from striking in that place;
- For, in the height and heat of blood, 15
- James struck George Wharton on the face.
-
- "What doth this mean," George Wharton said,
- "To strike in such unmanly sort?
- But, that I take it at thy hands,
- The tongue of man shall ne'er report!" 20
-
- "But do thy worst, then," said Sir James,
- "Now do thy worst, appoint a day!
- There's not a lord in England breathes
- Shall gar me give an inch of way."
-
- "Ye brag right weel," George Wharton said; 25
- "Let our brave lords at large alane,
- And speak of me, that am thy foe,
- For you shall find enough o' ane."
-
- "I'll interchange my glove wi' thine;
- I'll show it on the bed of death; 30
- I mean the place where we shall fight;
- There ane or both maun lose life and breath!"
-
- "We'll meet near Waltham," said Sir James;
- "To-morrow, that shall be the day.
- We'll either take a single man, 35
- And try who bears the bell away."
-
- Then down together hands they shook,
- Without any envious sign;
- Then went to Ludgate, where they lay,
- And each man drank his pint of wine. 40
-
- No kind of envy could be seen,
- No kind of malice they did betray;
- But a' was clear and calm as death,
- Whatever in their bosoms lay:
-
- Till parting time; and then, indeed, 45
- They show'd some rancour in their heart;
- "Next time we meet," says George Wharton,
- "Not half sae soundly we shall part!"
-
- So they have parted, firmly bent
- Their valiant minds equal to try: 50
- The second part shall clearly show,
- Both how they meet, and how they die.
-
-
-PART SECOND.
-
- George Wharton was the first ae man
- Came to the appointed place that day,
- Where he espyed our Scots lord coming, 55
- As fast as he could post away.
-
- They met, shook hands; their cheeks were pale;
- Then to George Wharton James did say,
- "I dinna like your doublet, George,
- It stands sae weel on you this day. 60
-
- "Say, have you got no armour on?
- Have you no under robe of steel?
- I never saw an Englishman
- Become his doublet half sae weel."
-
- "Fy no! fy no!" George Wharton said, 65
- "For that's the thing that mauna be,
- That I should come wi' armour on,
- And you a naked man truly."
-
- "Our men shall search our doublets, George,
- And see if one of us do lie; 70
- Then will we prove, wi' weapons sharp,
- Ourselves true gallants for to be."
-
- Then they threw off their doublets both,
- And stood up in their sarks of lawn;
- "Now, take my counsel," said Sir James, 75
- "Wharton, to thee I'll make it knawn:
-
- "So as we stand, so will we fight,
- Thus naked in our sarks," said he;
- "Fy no! fy no!" George Wharton says,
- "That is the thing that must not be. 80
-
- "We're neither drinkers, quarrellers,
- Nor men that cares na for oursell,
- Nor minds na what we're gaun about,
- Or if we're gaun to heav'n or hell.
-
- "Let us to God bequeath our souls, 85
- Our bodies to the dust and clay:"
- With that he drew his deadly sword,
- The first was drawn on field that day.
-
- Se'en bouts and turns these heroes had,
- Or e'er a drop o' blood was drawn; 90
- Our Scotch lord, wond'ring, quickly cry'd,
- "Stout Wharton, thou still hauds thy awn!"
-
- The first stroke that George Wharton gae,
- He struck him thro' the shoulder-bane;
- The neist was thro' the thick o' the thigh; 95
- He thought our Scotch lord had been slain.
-
- "O ever alack!" George Wharton cry'd,
- "Art thou a living man, tell me?
- If there's a surgeon living can,
- He's cure thy wounds right speedily." 100
-
- "No more of that," James Stuart said;
- "Speak not of curing wounds to me!
- For one of us must yield our breath,
- Ere off the field one foot we flee."
-
- They looked oure their shoulders both, 105
- To see what company was there:
- They both had grievous marks of death,
- But frae the other nane wad steer.
-
- George Wharton was the first that fell,
- Our Scotch lord fell immediately; 110
- They both did cry to Him above
- To save their souls, for they boud die.
-
-
-10. Sir George Wharton was quarrelsome at cards; a temper which he
-exhibited so disagreeably when playing with the Earl of Pembroke, that
-the Earl told him, "Sir George, I have loved you long; but by your
-manner in playing, you lay it upon me either to leave to love you, or to
-leave to play with you; wherefore choosing to love you still, I will
-never play with you any more."--LODGE'S _Illustrations_, vol. iii. p.
-350. SCOTT.
-
-
-
-
-SADDLE TO RAGS.
-
-
-From _Ancient Poems, Ballads, and Songs of the Peasantry of England_,
-Percy Society, vol. xvii. p. 126. The editor took this piece down from
-the recitation of a Yorkshire yeoman. Other ballads are popular with
-nearly the same plot, one of them called _The Crafty Ploughboy, or the
-Highwayman outwitted_. Another of a similar description is _Jock the Leg
-and the Merry Merchant_, (Buchan's _Ballads of the North of Scotland_,
-ii. 165,) formed on the model of some Robin Hood ballad.
-
- This story I'm going to sing,
- I hope it will give you content,
- Concerning a silly old man
- That was going to pay his rent.
-
- As he was a-riding along, 5
- Along all on the highway,
- A gentleman-thief overtook him,
- And thus unto him did say.
-
- "O well overtaken, old man,
- O well overtaken," said he; 10
- "Thank you kindly, sir," says the old man,
- "If you be for my companie."
-
- "How far are you going this way?"
- It made the old man to smile;
- "To tell you the truth, kind sir, 15
- I'm just a-going twa mile.
-
- "I am but a silly old man,
- Who farms a piece of ground;
- My half-year rent, kind sir,
- Just comes to forty pound. 20
-
- "But my landlord's not been at hame,--
- I've not seen him twelve month or more;
- It makes my rent to be large,
- I've just to pay him fourscore."
-
- "You should not have told any body, 25
- For thieves there are ganging many;
- If they were to light upon you,
- They would rob you of every penny."
-
- "O never mind," says the old man,
- "Thieves I fear on no side; 30
- My money is safe in my bags,
- In the saddle on which I ride."
-
- As they were a-riding along,
- And riding a-down a ghyll,
- The thief pulled out a pist[o']l, 35
- And bade the old man stand still.
-
- The old man was crafty and false,
- As in this world are many;
- He flung his old saddle o'er t' hedge,
- And said, "Fetch it, if thou'lt have any." 40
-
- This thief got off his horse,
- With courage stout and bold,
- To search this old man's bags,
- And gave him his horse to hold.
-
- The old man put foot in stirrup, 45
- And he got on astride,
- He set the thief's horse in a gallop,--
- You need not bid th' old man ride!
-
- "O stay! O stay!" says the thief,
- "And thou half my share shalt have:" 50
- "Nay, marry, not I," quoth the old man,
- "For once I've bitten a knave!"
-
- This thief he was not content;
- He thought these must be bags;
- So he up with his rusty sword, 55
- And chopped the old saddle to rags.
-
- The old man gallop'd and rode
- Until he was almost spent,
- Till he came to his landlord's house,
- And paid him his whole year's rent. 60
-
- He opened this rogue's portmantle;
- It was glorious for to behold;
- There was five hundred pound in money,
- And other five hundred in gold.
-
- His landlord it made him to stare, 65
- When he did the sight behold;
- "Where did thou get the white money,
- And where get the yellow gold?"
-
- "I met a fond fool by the way,
- I swapped horses, and gave him no boot; 70
- But never mind," says the old man,
- "I got a fond fool by the foot."
-
- "But now you're grown cramped and old,
- Nor fit for to travel about;"
- "O never mind," says the old man, 75
- "I can give these old bones a root!"
-
- As he was a-riding hame,
- And a-down a narrow lane,
- He spied his mare tied to a tree,
- And said, "Tib, thou'lt now gae hame." 80
-
- And when that he got hame,
- And told his old wife what he'd done,
- She rose and she donned her clothes,
- And about the house did run.
-
- She sung, and she danced, and sung, 85
- And she sung with a merry devotion,
- "If ever our daughter gets wed,
- It will help to enlarge her portion!"
-
-
-
-
-THE FAUSE KNIGHT UPON THE ROAD.
-
-Motherwell's _Minstrelsy_, p. lxxiv.
-
-
- "O whare are ye gaun?"
- Quo' the fause knicht upon the road;
- "I'm gaun to the scule,"
- Quo' the wee boy, and still he stude.
-
- "What is that upon your back?" 5
- Quo' the fause knicht upon the road;
- "Atweel it is my bukes,"
- Quo' the wee boy, and still he stude.
-
- "What's that ye've got on your arm?"
- Quo' the fause knicht, &c. 10
- "Atweel it is my peit,"
- Quo' the wee boy, &c.
-
- "Wha's aucht they sheep?"
- Quo' the fause knicht, &c.
- "They are mine and my mither's," 15
- Quo' the wee boy, &c.
-
- "How monie o' them are mine?"
- Quo' the fause knicht, &c.
- "A' they that hae blue tails,"
- Quo' the wee boy, &c. 20
-
- "I wiss ye were on yon tree,"
- Quo' the fause knicht, &c.
- "And a gude ladder under me,"
- Quo' the wee boy, &c.
-
- "And the ladder for to break," 25
- Quo' the fause knicht, &c.
- "And you for to fa' doun,"
- Quo' the wee boy, &c.
-
- "I wiss ye were in yon sie,"
- Quo' the fause knicht, &c. 30
- "And a gude bottom under me,"
- Quo' the wee boy, &c.
-
- "And the bottom for to break,"
- Quo' the fause knicht upon the road;
- "And ye to be drowned," 35
- Quo' the wee boy, and still he stude.
-
-
-
-
-GIFTS FROM OVER SEA. Appendix to p. 11.
-
-Wright's _Songs and Carols, printed from a MS. in the Sloane
-Collection_, No. 8.
-
-
- I have a zong suster fer bezondyn the se,
- Many be the drowryis that [s]che sente me.
- [S]che sente me the cherye withoutyn ony ston,
- And so [s]che dede [the] dowe withoutyn ony bon:
- Sche sente me the brere withoutyn ony rynde,
- Sche bad me love my lemman withoute longgyng.
-
- How xuld ony cherye be withoute ston?
- And how xuld ony dowe ben withoute bon?
- How xuld any brere ben withoute rynde?
- How xuld I love myn lemman without longyng?
-
- Quan the cherye was a flour, than hadde it non ston:
- Quan the dowe was an ey, than hadde it non bon:
- Quan the brere was on-bred, than hadde it non rynd:
- Quan the mayden hazt that [s]che louth, [s]che is without longyng.
-
-
-
-
-THE COURTEOUS KNIGHT.
-
-Appendix to p. 11, p. 83.
-
-From _Buchan's Ballads of the North of Scotland_, i. 91.
-
-
- There was a knight, in a summer's night,
- Appear'd in a lady's hall,
- As she was walking up and down,
- Looking o'er her castle wall.
-
- "God make you safe and free, fair maid, 5
- God make you safe and free!"
- "O sae fa' you, ye courteous knight;
- What are your wills wi' me?
-
- "My wills wi' you are not sma', lady,
- My wills wi' you nae sma'; 10
- And since there's nane your bower within,
- Ye'se ha'e my secrets a'.
-
- "For here am I a courtier,
- A courtier come to thee;
- And if ye winna grant your love, 15
- All for your sake I'll dee."
-
- "If that ye dee for me, sir knight,
- Few for you will make meen;
- For mony gude lord's done the same,
- Their graves are growing green." 20
-
- "O winna ye pity me, fair maid,
- O winna ye pity me?
- O winna ye pity a courteous knight,
- Whose love is laid on thee?"
-
- "Ye say ye are a courteous knight, 25
- But I think ye are nane;
- I think ye're but a millar bred,
- By the color o' your claithing.
-
- "You seem to be some false young man,
- You wear your hat sae wide; 30
- You seem to be some false young man,
- You wear your boots sae side."
-
- "Indeed I am a courteous knight,
- And of great pedigree;
- Nae knight did mair for a lady bright 35
- Than I will do for thee.
-
- "O I'll put smiths in your smithy,
- To shoe for you a steed;
- And I'll put tailors in your bower,
- To make you for a weed. 40
-
- "I will put cooks in your kitchen,
- And butlers in your ha';
- And on the tap o' your father's castle,
- I'll big gude corn and saw."
-
- "If ye be a courteous knight, 45
- As I trust not ye be,
- Ye'll answer some o' the sma' questions
- That I will ask at thee.
-
- "What is the fairest flower, tell me,
- That grows in muir or dale?[L50] 50
- Likewise, which is the sweetest bird
- Sings next the nightingale?
- Or what's the finest thing," she says,
- "That king or queen can wale?[L54]
-
- "The primrose is the fairest flower 55
- That grows in muir or dale;[L56]
- The mavis is the sweetest bird
- Next to the nightingale;
- And yellow gowd's the finest thing
- That king or queen can wale. 60
-
- "Ye ha'e asked many questions, lady,
- I've you as many told;"
- "But, how many pennies round
- Make a hundred pounds in gold?
-
- "How many of the small fishes, 65
- Do swim the salt seas round?
- Or, what's the seemliest sight you'll see
- Into a May morning?"
-
- "Berry-brown ale, and a birken speal,
- And wine in a horn green; 70
- A milk-white lace in a fair maid's dress,
- Looks gay in a May morning."
-
- "Mony's the questions I've ask'd at thee,
- And ye've answer'd them a';
- Ye are mine, and I am thine, 75
- Amo' the sheets sae sma'."
-
- "You may be my match, kind sir,
- You may be my match and more;
- There ne'er was ane came sic a length,
- Wi' my father's heir before. 80
-
- "My father's lord o' nine castles,
- My mother she's lady ower three,
- And there is nane to heir them all,
- No never a ane but me;
- Unless it be Willie, my ae brother, 85
- But he's far ayont the sea."
-
- "If your father's laird o' nine castles,
- Your mother lady ower three;
- I am Willie your ae brother,
- Was far beyond the sea." 90
-
- "If ye be Willie, my ae brother,
- As I doubt sair ye be;
- But if it's true ye tell me now,
- This night I'll gang wi' thee."
-
- "Ye've ower ill washen feet, Janet, 95
- And ower ill washen hands,
- And ower coarse robes on your body,
- Alang wi' me to gang.
-
- "The worms they are my bed-fellows,
- And the cauld clay my sheet; 100
- And the higher that the wind does blaw,
- The sounder I do sleep.
-
- "My body's buried in Dumfermline,
- And far beyond the sea;
- But day nor night, nae rest cou'd get, 105
- All for the pride o' thee.
-
- "Leave aff your pride, jelly Janet," he says,
- "Use it not ony mair;
- Or when ye come where I hae been,
- You will repent it sair. 110
-
- "Cast aff, cast aff, sister," he says,
- "The gowd lace fray your crown;
- For if ye gang where I ha'e been,
- Ye'll wear it laigher down.
-
- "When ye're in the gude church set, 115
- The gowd pins in your hair,
- Ye take mair delight in your feckless dress
- Than ye do in your morning prayer.
-
- "And when ye walk in the church-yard,
- And in your dress are seen, 120
- There is nae lady that sees your face
- But wishes your grave were green.
-
- "You're straight and tall, handsome withall,
- But your pride owergoes your wit;
- But if ye do not your ways refrain, 125
- In Pirie's chair ye'll sit.
-
- "In Pirie's chair you'll sit, I say,
- The lowest seat o' hell;
- If ye do not amend your ways,
- It's there that ye must dwell." 130
-
- Wi' that he vanish'd frae her sight,
- Wi' the twinkling o' an eye;
- Naething mair the lady saw,
- But the gloomy clouds and sky.
-
-50, 56, mire.
-
-54, wile.
-
-
-
-
-THE NORTHERN LORD AND CRUEL JEW.
-
-Appendix to p. 46.
-
-
-This ballad, which has some features of resemblance to _Cymbeline_, as
-well as to the _Merchant of Venice_, is taken from Buchan's _Gleanings
-of Scotch, English, and Irish scarce old Ballads_, p. 105. Another copy
-is in Mr. Halliwell's _New Boke about Shakspeare_, p. 19.
-
- A noble lord of high renown,
- Two daughters had, the eldest brown,
- The youngest beautiful and fair:
- By chance a noble knight came there.
-
- Her father said, "Kind sir, I have 5
- Two daughters: which do you crave?"
- "One that is beautiful," he cried;
- The noble knight he then replied:
-
- "She's young, she's beautiful and gay,
- And is not to be given away, 10
- But as jewels are bought and sold;
- She shall bring me her weight in gold.
-
- "The price I think ye need not grudge,
- Since I will freely give as much
- With her one sister, if I can 15
- Find out some other nobleman."
-
- With that bespoke the noble knight,
- "I'd sooner have the beauty bright,
- At that vast rate, renown[e']d lord,
- Than the other with a vast reward." 20
-
- So then the bargain it was made;
- But ere the money could be paid,
- He had it of a wealthy Jew;
- The sum so large, the writings drew
-
- That if he failed, or miss'd the day, 25
- So many ounces he should pay
- Of his own flesh, instead of gold;
- All was agreed, the sum was told.
-
- So he returned immediately
- Unto the lord, where he did buy 30
- His daughter fine, I do declare,
- And paid him down the money there.
-
- He bought her there, it is well known
- Unto mankind; she was his own;
- By her a son he did enjoy, 35
- A sweet and comely handsome boy.
-
- At length the time of pay drew near,
- When the knight did begin to fear;
- He dreaded much the cruel Jew,
- Because the money it was due. 40
-
- His lady asked him why he grieved:
- He said, "My jewel, I received
- Such sum of money of a Jew,
- And now the money it is due.
-
- "And now the day of payment's come, 45
- I'm sure I cannot pay the sum;
- He'll have my flesh, weight for weight,
- Which makes my grief and sorrow great."
-
- "Hush, never fear him," she replied;
- "We'll cross the raging ocean wide, 50
- And so secure you from the fate:"
- To her request he yielded straight.
-
- Then having pass'd the raging seas,
- They travelled on, till by degrees
- Unto the German court they came, 55
- The knight, his son, and comely dame.
-
- Unto the Emperor he told
- His story of the sum of gold
- That he had borrowed of a Jew,
- And that for fear of death he flew. 60
-
- The Emperor he did erect
- A court for them, and show'd respect
- Unto his guests, because they came
- From Britain, that blest land of fame.
-
- As here he lived in delight, 65
- A Dutch lord told our English knight,
- That he a ton of gold would lay,
- He could enjoy his lady gay.
-
- From her, the lord he was to bring
- A rich and costly diamond ring, 70
- That was to prove and testify
- How he did with his lady lie.
-
- He tries, but never could obtain
- Her favour, but with high disdain
- She did defy his base intent; 75
- So to her chambermaid he went,
-
- And told her if she would but steal
- Her lady's ring, and to conceal
- The same, and bring it to him straight,
- She should enjoy a fine estate. 80
-
- In hopes of such a fine reward,
- The ring she stole; then the Dutch lord
- Did take it to the noble knight,
- Who almost swooned at the sight.
-
- Home he goes to the lady straight; 85
- Meeting her at the palace gate,
- He flung her headlong into the mote,
- And left her there to sink or float.
-
- Soon after that, in clothes of green,
- She like a warlike knight was seen, 90
- And in most gallant gay deport
- She rode unto the Emperor's court.
-
- Now when the Emperor beheld
- Her brave deportment, he was fill'd
- With admiration at the sight, 95
- Who call'd herself an English knight.
-
- The Emperor then did reply,
- "We have an English knight to die
- For drowning of his lady gay;"
- Quoth she, "I'd see him, if I may." 100
-
- 'Twas granted; so to him she came,
- And calling of him by his name,
- She said, "Kind sir, be of good cheer;
- Your friend I'll be, you need not fear."
-
- She to the Emperor did ride, 105
- And said, "Now let this cause be tried
- Once more, for I've a mind to save
- This noble gallant from the grave."
-
- It being done, the court was set;
- The Dutch lord came, seeming to fret, 110
- About the ring seeming to fear,
- How truth would make his shame appear.
-
- And so it did, and soon they call
- The maid, who on her knees did fall
- Before the court, and did confess 115
- The Dutch lord's unworthiness.
-
- The court repli['e]d, "Is it so?
- The lady, too, for ought we know,
- May be alive; therefore we'll stay
- The sentence till another day." 120
-
- Now the Dutch lord gave him a ton
- Of gold, which he had justly won,
- And so he did with shame and grief,
- And thus the knight obtain'd relief.
-
- The Dutch lord to revenge the spite 125
- Upon our noble English knight,
- Did send a letter out of hand,
- And so the Jew did understand,
-
- How he was in a German court;
- So here upon this good report, 130
- The Jew has cross'd the ocean wide,
- Resolving to be satisfied.
-
- Soon as e'er he fixed his eyes,
- Unto the knight in wrath he cries,
- "Your hand and seal I pray behold; 135
- Your flesh I'll have instead of gold."
-
- [Then] said the noble knight in green,
- "May not your articles be seen?"
- "Yes, that they may," replied the Jew,
- "And I'm resolved to have my due." 140
-
- So then the knight began to read;
- At length she said, "I find, indeed,
- Nothing but flesh you are to have;"
- Answers the Jew, "That's all I crave."
-
- The poor distressed knight was brought; 145
- The bloody-minded Jew he thought
- That day to be reveng'd on him,
- And part his flesh from every limb.
-
- The knight in green said, "Mr. Jew,
- There's nothing else but flesh your due; 150
- Then see no drop of blood you shed,
- For if you do, off goes your head.
-
- "Pray take your due, with all my heart,
- But with his blood I will not part."
- With that the Jew sneaked away, 155
- And had not one word more to say.
-
- No sooner were these troubles past,
- But his wife's father came at last,
- Resolving for to have his life,
- For drowning his beloved wife. 160
-
- Over the seas her father brought
- Many brave horses; one was bought
- By the pretended knight in green,
- Which was the best that e'er was seen.
-
- So to the German court he came, 165
- Declaring, such a one by name
- Had drowned his fair daughter dear,
- And ought to die a death severe.
-
- They brought him from the prison then,
- Guarded by many armed men, 170
- Unto the place where he must die,
- And the young knight was standing by.
-
- Then from her side her sword she drew,
- And run her gelding through and through.
- Her father said, "Why do you so?" 175
- "I may; it is my own, you know.
-
- "You sold your gelding, 'tis well known;
- I bought it, making it my own,
- And may do what I please with it;"
- And then to her he did submit. 180
-
- "Here is a man arraign'd and cast,
- And brought to suffer death at last,
- Because your daughter dear he slew;
- Which if he did, what's that to you?
-
- "You had your money, when you sold 185
- Your daughter for her weight in gold;
- Wherefore he might, it is well known,
- Do what he pleased with his own."
-
- So having chang'd her garments green,
- And dress'd herself like a fair queen, 190
- Her father and her husband straight
- Both knew her, and their joys were great.
-
- Soon they did carry the report
- Unto the famous German court,
- How the renowned English knight 195
- Had found his charming lady bright.
-
- So the Emperor and the lords of fame,
- With cheerful hearts they did proclaim
- An universal joy, to see
- His lady's life at liberty.
-
-
-
-
-GIGHT'S LADY. Appendix to p. 93.
-
-From Buchan's _Ballads of the North of Scotland_, i. 133.
-
-
-Buchan complains that all other editions of this ballad "have been
-deprived of their original beauty and catastrophe" by officious and
-sacrilegious hands, and adds that his copy "is quite at variance with
-all its printed predecessors." In this last remark he is certainly
-correct, but as for his affirmation that the ballad "recounts an affair
-which actually took place in the reign, or rather minority, of King
-James VI.," we ask for some authority beyond his note to the ballad.
-
-In another copy mentioned by Motherwell, Geordie, from jealousy,
-ungratefully drowns his deliverer in the sea.
-
- "First I was lady o' Black Riggs,
- And then into Kincraigie;
- Now I am the Lady o' Gight,
- And my love he's ca'd Geordie.
-
- "I was the mistress o' Pitfan, 5
- And madam o' Kincraigie;
- But now my name is Lady Anne,
- And I am Gight's own lady.
-
- "We courted in the woods o' Gight,
- Where birks and flow'rs spring bonny; 10
- But pleasures I had never one,
- But sorrows thick and mony.
-
- "He never own'd me as his wife,
- Nor honour'd me as his lady,
- But day by day he saddles the grey, 15
- And rides to Bignet's lady."
-
- When Bignet he got word of that,
- That Gight lay wi' his lady,
- He's casten him in prison strong,
- To ly till lords were ready. 20
-
- "Where will I get a little wee boy,
- That is baith true and steady,
- That will run on to bonny Gight,
- And bring to me my lady?"
-
- "O here am I, a little wee boy, 25
- That is baith true and steady,
- That will run to the yates o' Gight,
- And bring to you your lady."
-
- "Ye'll bid her saddle the grey, the grey,
- The brown rode ne'er so smartly; 30
- Ye'll bid her come to Edinbro' town,
- A' for the life of Geordie."
-
- The night was fair, the moon was clear,
- And he rode by Bevany,
- And stopped at the yates o' Gight, 35
- Where leaves were thick and mony.
-
- The lady look'd o'er castle wa',
- And dear but she was sorry!
- "Here comes a page frae Edinbro' town;
- A' is nae well wi' Geordie. 40
-
- "What news, what news, my little boy?
- Come tell me soon and shortly;"
- "Bad news, bad news, my lady," he said,
- "They're going to hang your Geordie."
-
- "Ye'll saddle to me the grey, the grey, 45
- The brown rade ne'er so smartly;
- And I'll awa' to Edinbro' town,
- Borrow the life o' Geordie."
-
- When she came near to Edinbro' town,
- I wyte she didna tarry; 50
- But she has mounted her grey steed,
- And ridden the queen's berry.
-
- When she came to the boat of Leith,
- I wat she didna tarry;
- She gae the boatman a guinea o' gowd, 55
- To boat her ower the ferry.
-
- When she came to the pier o' Leith,
- The poor they were sae many;
- She dealt the gowd right liberallie,
- And bade them pray for Geordie. 60
-
- When she gaed up the tolbooth stair,
- The nobles there were many:
- And ilka ane stood hat on head,
- But hat in hand stood Geordie.
-
- She gae a blink out ower them a', 65
- And three blinks to her Geordie;
- But when she saw his een fast bound,
- A swoon fell in this lady.
-
- "Whom has he robb'd? What has he stole?
- Or has he killed ony? 70
- Or what's the crime that he has done,
- His foes they are sae mony?"
-
- "He hasna brunt, he hasna slain,
- He hasna robbed ony;
- But he has done another crime, 75
- For which he will pay dearly."
-
- Then out it speaks Lord Montague,
- (O wae be to his body!)
- "The day we hang'd young Charles Hay,
- The morn we'll head your Geordie." 80
-
- Then out it speaks the king himsell,
- Vow, but he spake bonny!
- "Come here, young Gight, confess your sins,
- Let's hear if they be mony.
-
- "Come here, young Gight, confess your sins, 85
- See ye be true and steady;
- And if your sins they be but sma',
- Then ye'se win wi' your lady."
-
- "Nane have I robb'd, nought have I stown,
- Nor have I killed ony; 90
- But ane o' the king's best brave steeds,
- I sold him in Bevany."
-
- Then out it speaks the king again,
- Dear, but he spake bonny!
- "That crime's nae great; for your lady's sake, 95
- Put on your hat now, Geordie."
-
- Then out it speaks Lord Montague,
- O wae be to his body!
- "There's guilt appears in Gight's ain face,
- Ye'll cross examine Geordie." 100
-
- "Now since it all I must confess,
- My crime's baith great and mony:
- A woman abused, five orphan babes,
- I kill'd them for their money."
-
- Out it speaks the king again, 105
- And dear but he was sorry!
- "Your confession brings confusion,
- Take aff your hat now, Geordie."
-
- Then out it speaks the lady hersell,
- Vow, but she was sorry! 110
- "Now all my life I'll wear the black,
- Mourn for the death o' Geordie."
-
- Lord Huntly then he did speak out,
- O fair mot fa' his body!
- "I there will fight doublet alane, 115
- Or ony thing ails Geordie."
-
- Then out it speaks the king again,
- Vow, but he spake bonny!
- "If ye'll tell down ten thousand crowns,
- Ye'll buy the life o' Geordie." 120
-
- She spread her mantle on the ground,
- Dear, but she spread it bonny!
- Some gae her crowns, some ducadoons,
- And some gae dollars mony.
- Then she tauld down ten thousand crowns,-- 125
- "Put on your hat, my Geordie."
-
- Then out it speaks Lord Montague,
- Wae be to his body!
- "I wisht that Gight wanted the head;
- I might enjoy'd his lady." 130
-
- Out it speaks the lady hersell,
- "Ye need ne'er wish my body;
- O ill befa' your wizzen'd snout!
- Wou'd ye compare wi' Geordie?"
-
- When she was in her saddle set, 135
- Riding the leys sae bonny,
- The fiddle and fleet play'd ne'er sae sweet,
- As she behind her Geordie.
-
- "O Geordie, Geordie, I love you well,
- Nae jealousie cou'd move me; 140
- The birds in air, that fly in pairs,
- Can witness how I love you.
-
- "Ye'll call for one, the best o' clerks,
- Ye'll call him soon and shortly;
- As he may write what I indite, 145
- A' this I've done for Geordie."
-
- He turn'd him right and round about,
- And high, high looked Geordie;
- "A finger o' Bignet's lady's hand
- Is worth a' your fair body." 150
-
- "My lands may a' be masterless,
- My babes may want their mother;
- But I've made a vow, will keep it true,
- I'll be bound to no other."
-
- These words they caus'd a great dispute, 155
- And proud and fierce grew Geordie;
- A sharp dagger he pulled out,
- And pierc'd the heart o's lady.
-
- The lady's dead, and Gight he's fled,
- And left his lands behind him; 160
- Altho' they searched south and north,
- There were nane there cou'd find him.
-
- Now a' that liv'd into Black Riggs,
- And likewise in Kincraigie,
- For seven years were clad in black, 165
- To mourn for Gight's own lady.
-
-
-
-
-GLOSSARY.
-
-[Pointing hand] Figures placed after words denote the pages in which
-they occur.
-
-
- aboon, _above_.
-
- abye, _pay a penalty for_, _suffer_.
-
- ae, _one_.
-
- a-fit, _afoot_.
-
- ahin, ahint, _behind_, _besides_.
-
- airn, _iron_.
-
- anceane, _ancient_, _aged_.
-
- ane, 148?
-
- aneath, _beneath_.
-
- angel, _a coin worth from 6s. 8d. to 10s._
-
- aninder, _under_.
-
- anis, _once_.
-
- aquoy, _coy_, _averse._
-
- a-rowe, _in a row_.
-
- assy-pan, 140, _ash-pan_.
-
- astonyd, _confounded_.
-
- athir, _either_.
-
- atweel, _well_, _very well_.
-
- atween, _between_.
-
- avow, _vow_.
-
- aw, _all_.
-
- ayont, _beyond_, _on the other side of_.
-
-
- ban'd, _execrated_.
-
- bandoun, 150, _captivity_.
-
- barker, _tanner_, from the bark used in his business.
-
- barrow-hogge, 47, _a gelded hog_.
-
- battes, _cudgels_, or _blows_.
-
- bauld, 117, _bold_, _self-complacent_.
-
- bayarde, _bay-horse_, _horse in general_: "blind Bayard" was a proverb.
-
- be, _by_.
-
- bede, 105, _put forward_, _offer_.
-
- behuvit, _behoved_, _must_.
-
- beik, 117, _warm_.
-
- ben, bend, _in_.
-
- bent, _coarse grass_, _field_.
-
- berry, 285, corrupt?
-
- besene, wel, _appearing well_, _well dressed_, _&c._
-
- bet, _beat_.
-
- bet, _better_.
-
- beth, _both_.
-
- betrasit, _betrayed_.
-
- beur, _bore_.
-
- big, 279, _cultivate_.
-
- bigly, _spacious_, _commodious_.
-
- bill, _bull_.
-
- bill, _halbert_.
-
- birk, _birch_.
-
- birled, _poured out drink_, _drank_.
-
- blanne, _stopped_.
-
- bledoch, _buttermilk_.
-
- blink, _smile_;
- blinkit, 95, _looked kindly_.
-
- bolles, _bowls_.
-
- borrow, borrowit, _ransom_, _ransomed_.
-
- bot and, _but also_.
-
- boud, 264, _behoved_, _must needs_.
-
- bouks, _bodies_.
-
- bour, bower, _chamber_, _dwelling_.
-
- bowne, _ready_.
-
- brast, _burst_.
-
- brat, _cloth_.
-
- bra', braw, _brave_, _handsome_;
- braw wallie, _fair fortune_, exclamation of pleasure or admiration.
-
- brayn-pannes, _skulls_.
-
- bred, _breed_.
-
- bree, _soup_, _broth_.
-
- brenning, _burning_;
- brenyng drake, _fire-drake_, _fiery dragon_.
-
- brest, _burst_.
-
- bricht, the, 149, _the fair one_.
-
- brode-hen, 105, _brood-hen_, _sitting-hen_?
-
- brodit, _pierced_.
-
- brok, bruik, bruke, _have possession of_, _enjoy_, _keep_.
-
- bruchty, _spotted_, or _streaked_ with dirt;
- brucket yowe, 140, _speckled ewe_.
-
- brunt, _burnt_.
-
- bur, _bore_.
-
- burne, _brook_.
-
- buskit, _dressed_.
-
- but and ben, _out and in_.
-
-
- ca'd, _called_;
- 16, _driven_.
-
- cadgily, _merrily_.
-
- can, could, used as auxiliaries to form the perfect and pluperfect
- tenses.
-
- cannilie, _softly_.
-
- cantels, _pieces_.
-
- canty, _merry_.
-
- capull, _horse_.
-
- carle, _fellow_.
-
- carpe, _to talk_, _discourse_, _tell stories_.
-
- casey, _causeway_.
-
- caud, _called_.
-
- cauk, _chalk_.
-
- chappit, _tapped_, _knocked_.
-
- cheape, _bargain_.
-
- chefe, cheveron, _upper part of the escutcheon_.
-
- chiel, _young man_, _servant_.
-
- childer-gamme, _children's game_.
-
- choice, _choose_.
-
- Christendye, _Christendom_.
-
- claise, _clothes_.
-
- clead, _clad_.
-
- cleikit, _caught_.
-
- cleir, _bright_.
-
- clenkyng, _clinking_.
-
- coffer, _head-dress_, _cap_.
-
- coft, _bought_, _redeemed_.
-
- cokeney, 115, "seems to be a diminutive for cook," says Percy. The
- word more probably denotes some kind of _lean or common meat_. See
- Wright's note.
-
- cold, _could_.
-
- comyn, _come_.
-
- con, see can.
-
- confound, _destroy_.
-
- coost, 110, _region_, _direction_.
-
- could of courtesie, _knew what was good manners_.
-
- cors, _body_.
-
- couple, _rafter_.
-
- courtnalls, a disrespectful (?) name for _courtiers_.
-
- cow, _twig_.
-
- cowth ring, 148, _had reigned_;
- see can.
-
- crap, _crop_, _yield_.
-
- crech, _creek_, _crutch_.
-
- creppid, _crept_.
-
- crook (my knee), _make lame_. They say in the North, "the horse
- crooks," _i. e._ goes lame. Percy.
-
- crouse, _brisk_, _merry_.
-
- cummerit, _vexed_, _bothered_.
-
- cund hir thank, _gave her thanks_.
-
- cunnand, _covenant_, _engagement_.
-
- curtass, _courteous_.
-
-
- daigh, _dough_.
-
- dang, _knocked_.
-
- dawing, _dawning_.
-
- de, dee, _die_;
- deed, _died_.
-
- denay, _refuse_.
-
- dent, _blow_.
-
- deport, 274, _array_.
-
- deray, _ruin_, _confusion_.
-
- descryed, _described_, _related_.
-
- develling, 142, _sauntering_.
-
- dicht, 150, _circumstanced_:
- dicht to deid, 151, _done_ or _put to death_.
-
- disjune, _breakfast_.
-
- dizt, (dight), _dressed_.
-
- do, dow, you down, _take yourself down_.
-
- dole, dool, _grief_.
-
- donned, 105, _dun_.
-
- douse, _blow_.
-
- doute, _fear_.
-
- dow, _dove_.
-
- down-browit, _scowling_.
-
- doz troz, _dough trough_.
-
- drake, _dragon_.
-
- drowryis, _love-gifts_.
-
- dryt, _dirt_.
-
- ducadoons, _ducats_. (?)
-
- dulfully, _dolefully_, _sadly_.
-
- dun feather and gray, by, 88, _by a carrier pigeon_.
-
- dungin down, _beat down_, _overcame_.
-
- duzty, _doughty_;
- duztynesse, _doughtiness_.
-
- dyke, _ditch_ or _wall_.
-
-
- earn, 100, _curdle_.
-
- ee, ene, _eye_, _eyes_.
-
- eftir syne, _afterwards_.
-
- eneuch, _enough_.
-
- ey, _egg_.
-
-
- fa', _fall_, _befall_.
-
- fain, _glad_, _pleased_, _enamored_.
-
- fairheid, _beauty_.
-
- fald, 148, _fold_, _embrace_.
-
- falle, _fell_.
-
- fancy, _love_.
-
- fand, _found_.
-
- fang, _grasp_ (_and carry off_).
-
- fannes, 111, _winnowing fans_.
-
- fare, _go_.
-
- fauld, _fold_.
-
- fay, _faith_.
-
- fecht, _fight_.
-
- feckless, 282, _poor_, _miserable_.
-
- fee, _property_.
-
- feind fall, _the devil take_.
-
- fel, 102, 111, _many_. (?)
-
- fell, _hide_.
-
- fere, _mate_.
-
- ferly, _wonder_, _miracle_;
- _wonderfully_.
-
- fet, _fetched_.
-
- ffor, 105, _from_, _against_.
-
- firm, 199, _first_? Qy. corrupt?
-
- firstae, _first one_, _first_.
-
- fitted, 195, _disposed_?
-
- flatred, _flattened_, _broken_?
-
- fleechin, _wheedling_.
-
- fleet, _flute_.
-
- flirry, _blossom_.
-
- fold, 148, _ground_, _world_.
-
- fole, _full_.
-
- fond, _foolish_.
-
- forbye, _over and above_.
-
- forfend, _forbid_.
-
- forfozt, _worn out with fighting_.
-
- forrow, _before_.
-
- fow, _full_.
-
- fowkyn, _crepitus ventris_. Percy.
-
- fre, _free_, _noble_.
-
- freke, _man_, _fellow_.
-
- fullily, _foully_.
-
- fusome, _fulsome_.
-
-
- ga, _go_.
-
- ga', _gall_.
-
- gaberlunzie, _a wallet_;
- gaberlunzie-man, _a man that carries a wallet_, _beggar_.
-
- gabs, _mouths_.
-
- gadlyngs, _idle lads_.
-
- gait, _path_, _way_.
-
- gane, _gone_.
-
- gappe, 106, _entrance of the lists_.
-
- gar, _cause_, _make_.
-
- gaun, _going_.
-
- gear, geere, _property_.
-
- gedurt, _gathered_.
-
- gife, gin, _if_.
-
- gip, 153, like gup, _get up_, _be off_, _&c._
-
- gled, _kite_.
-
- gloamin', _twilight_.
-
- gloom, _frown_.
-
- goud, _gold_.
-
- gowt, 108, v. 109, MS. Harl., should perhaps be, "_yf I_ have," &c.
-
- grate, _scratch_.
-
- gravat, _cravat_.
-
- graythid, _made ready_.
-
- gre, 105, _prize_.
-
- greave, _manager of a farm_.
-
- grit, _great_.
-
- gudefather, _father-in-law_.
-
- gurde, _struck_.
-
- gyand, gyane, _giant_.
-
-
- had, _hold_.
-
- hairt, _heart_.
-
- hard, _heard_.
-
- harnis, _brains_.
-
- harnys, 110, _horns_.
-
- harwos, _harrows_.
-
- haud, _hold_, _keep_.
-
- he, _high_, _noble_.
-
- heck, _hatch_, _small-door_.
-
- heid, _head_.
-
- hellis-cruk, 148, _a crook by which vessels are hung over the fire_.
-
- hend, 152, _gentle_;
- Aytoun reads, "hain'd," _spared_, _saved_.
-
- hent, _took_.
-
- het, _heated_.
-
- hicher, _higher_.
-
- hight, _promised_.
-
- hilt, _taken_.
-
- hindir, 148, _hundred_.
-
- hiphalt, _lame in the hip_.
-
- hireman chiel, _man-servant_.
-
- hit, _it_.
-
- holt, _grove_;
- sometimes, _hill_.
-
- horse-brat, _horse-cloth_.
-
- husband, _husbandman_.
-
- hussy, _housewife_;
- husyskep, _housekeeping_.
-
- hynt, _took_.
-
- hyzt, _promised_.
-
-
- ifere, _together_.
-
- ilka, _each_.
-
- ill-fardly, _ill-favoredly_, _uglily_.
-
- ill-willy, _ill-natured_.
-
- in-fere, _together_.
-
- ingle, _fire_.
-
- intil, _in_.
-
- i-wiss, _surely_, _for a certainty_;
- sometimes seems to be ignorantly employed for I wot, _I know_.
-
-
- jetted, 41, _went proudly_.
-
- jimp, _slender_.
-
- jumlit, 119, _stirred rapidly_, used of the motion of churning.
-
-
- kaily, _cabbage-like_.
-
- kall, _drive_.
-
- kavis, _calves_.
-
- keel, _red ochre_.
-
- keming-stock, _back of a chimney grate_.
-
- kest, _cast_.
-
- kexis, _dried stalks of hemlock_.
-
- kid, _displayed_.
-
- kill, _kiln_.
-
- kind, _nature_.
-
- kirn, _churn_.
-
- kists, _chests_.
-
- kned, _kneed_.
-
- know, _knoll_.
-
- ky, _cows_.
-
- kynde, _nature_, _habit_;
- comyn of kynde, 107, _come of a good strain_?
-
- kyrne, _churn_;
- kyrnd, _churned_.
-
-
- laigher, _lower_.
-
- laith, _loath_;
- laithliest, _loathsomest_.
-
- laitis, lusty, _pleasant manners_.
-
- lambs-wool, _a beverage made of ale and roasted apples_.
-
- lane, her, _alone by herself_.
-
- lauchty, 141, _pale_, _white_?
-
- lawing, _scot_, _tavern-reckoning_.
-
- leal, _honest_.
-
- lear'd, _learned_.
-
- led, 151, (of laws) _carried out_. (?)
-
- lenth, _length_.
-
- lese, _lose_.
-
- let, _desist_, _omit_.
-
- leuch, _laughed_.
-
- lever, _rather_.
-
- leys, _leas_.
-
- lightlye, _without good reason_.
-
- likame, _body_.
-
- lintseed bow, _the globule which contains the seed of flax_.
-
- lizt, _light_.
-
- lone, in the, 119, "_an opening between fields of corn, for driving
- the cattle homeward, or milking cows_."
-
- losel, _worthless fellow_.
-
- lout, _let_.
-
- louz, lowe, _laughed_.
-
- low, _flame_.
-
- lowte, _bow_;
- lowtit, _bent_.
-
- lugs, _ears_.
-
- lyarde, _gray horse_, _horse in general_.
-
- lyt, _little_, _a little while_.
-
-
- mane, _moan_.
-
- maries, _maid-servants_.
-
- maun, _must_.
-
- mavis, _song-thrush_.
-
- may, _maid_.
-
- meen, _moan_.
-
- meisseine, 195, _mizzen-sail_.
-
- mekle, _much_.
-
- menzie, _many_, _retinue_.
-
- merk, _dark_, _sad_.
-
- micht, _might_.
-
- micull, _great_.
-
- minny, _mother_.
-
- moe, _more_.
-
- mone, _man_.
-
- mot, mought, _may_.
-
- mou, mow, _mouth_.
-
- muckle, _much_.
-
- muir, _moor_.
-
- myskaryd, 104, _miscarried_, _disadvantageously disposed of_.
-
-
- nappy (of ale), _strong_.
-
- native, 162, _true-born_.
-
- neb, _nose_, _beak_.
-
- nedis hase spedde, _succeeded in what he wanted_.
-
- neis, _nose_.
-
- neist, _next_.
-
- nolles, _heads_.
-
- nones, _nonce_.
-
- nourice, _nurse_.
-
- nozt, _nought_.
-
-
- ohon, _alas_.
-
- on loft, 112, _aloft_, i. e. _standing up_, or _on horseback_.
-
- onys, _once_.
-
- other, 110, _or_?
-
- our, ower, _over_, _too_;
- our all quhair, 148, _everywhere_.
-
- ourtuk, _overtook_.
-
-
- pairt, _part_.
-
- palmer, _pilgrim_, _vagabond_.
-
- panis, _pains_.
-
- pannell, panele, 41, 108, _a rustic saddle_, _a pad_, _without frame
- or bow_.
-
- paramour, 148, _passionately_.
-
- partake, 212, _impart_, _assign_.
-
- pass, _care_.
-
- pat-fit, _pot-foot_.
-
- pawky, _sly_.
-
- pechmyn, _parchment_.
-
- peit, 269, _whip_.
-
- pele, _long-handled baker's shovel_.
-
- pendles, _ear-rings_.
-
- Pirie's chair, 282?
-
- ploo-mell, plow-mell, _"a small wooden hammer occasionally fixed to
- the plough_." Percy.
-
- ploom, _plum_.
-
- pluch, _plough_.
-
- pollis, _polls_.
-
- porcupig, _porcupine_.
-
- poudurt, _powdered_.
-
- prayse-folk, 114?
-
- prees, _press_, _crowd_.
-
- prest, _ready_, _eager_.
-
- priefe, _prove_.
-
- priving, _proof_.
-
- progeny, 158, _descent_.
-
-
- quert, 150, _high spirits_, _hilarity_.
-
- quha, _&c. who_, _&c._
-
- quhill, _till_.
-
-
- ra, _roe_.
-
- ramped, rampit, _rushed violently_, _pranced about in bad humor_.
-
- rant, _make merry_, _riot_.
-
- rarely, 229, _dear_.
-
- raton, _rat_.
-
- rauzt, _reft_, _took away_.
-
- reade, _advice_.
-
- record, 247, _avowal_;
- draw to record, _take to witness_.
-
- red, 119, to part (them).
-
- reet, 141, _root_.
-
- refe, _steward_, _bailiff_.
-
- remorse, 164, _tenderness of feeling_.
-
- renning, _running_.
-
- reve, _take from_.
-
- richt, _right_.
-
- ridand, _riding_.
-
- ring, 148, _reign_.
-
- rok, _distaff_.
-
- roose, 87, _boast of_, _commend_.
-
- root, 268, rout, i. e. _stretch_, or _tramp_?
-
- rost, thu carpis of cold, 110, (proverb), _thou speakest to no purpose_?
-
- round claith and small, 118?
-
- rout, _blow_.
-
- rowte, _crowd_.
-
- rowe, a-, upon a row, _in a row_.
-
- ruell bones, see Gloss. to vol. i.
-
- ruggut, _pulled violently_.
-
- rung, _cudgel_, _staff_.
-
- ryschys, _rushes_.
-
- ryzt, _right_.
-
-
- sa, _so_.
-
- sair, _suit_, _satisfy_.
-
- sark, _shirt_.
-
- say, _essay_.
-
- scart, _scratch_.
-
- scho, _she_.
-
- schondir, in, _asunder_.
-
- se'en, _seven_.
-
- sen, _since_.
-
- sen, _send_, _grant_.
-
- senvye, _mustard-seed_.
-
- serk, _shirt_.
-
- set, _suit_.
-
- sevensum, _seven_.
-
- sheave, _slice_.
-
- shent, 66, _shamed_.
-
- shott-window, _projecting window_.
-
- shouthers, _shoulders_.
-
- shriefe, _sheriff_.
-
- shurtyng, 103, _sport_, _pastime_.
-
- sic, siccan, _such_.
-
- sicht, _sight_.
-
- side, _long_.
-
- sith, sithence, _since_.
-
- six-mennys song, _song for six voices_.
-
- skomfet, _discomfit_.
-
- skumd, _skimmed_.
-
- slatred, _broken_, _cracked_.
-
- slee, _sly_.
-
- smeek, _smoke_.
-
- sonde, _sending_.
-
- sooth, _truth_, _troth_.
-
- sorrow, _devil a bit_.
-
- sort, _style_;
- _company_, _swarm_ (of bees).
-
- sot, 247, _fool_.
-
- sould, _should_.
-
- sowkit, _sucked_.
-
- spait, _flood_, _freshet_.
-
- spare, 141, _opening in a gown or petticoat_.
-
- speal, 280, _chip_ or _shaving_. The sense?
-
- speer, _ask for_.
-
- speere, 67, "an aperture in the wall, shot-window." Aytoun. (?)
-
- spence, _expense_.
-
- spright, sprite, _spirit_.
-
- spyre, _a post or pillar, supporting a shelf on which victuals are
- put_. See _Gloss._ to Jamieson's _Pop. Ball._
-
- stark, _stiff_, _strong_.
-
- sted, stede, _place_.
-
- steer, _stir_.
-
- stert, _started_.
-
- stock, _the forepart of a bed further from the wall_.
-
- stollin, _stolen_.
-
- stondis, _stands_.
-
- stottis, _oxen_.
-
- stound, _time_.
-
- stoure, 119, _hurry_.
-
- stown, _stolen_.
-
- strae, _straw_.
-
- strene, this, 120, _yesternight_.
-
- stripe, 199, _measure_.
-
- swa, _so_.
-
- swear, _oath_.
-
- swete, 103, qy. swet['e], _sweaty?_
-
- swippyng, _striking fast_, as in threshing.
-
- swipylles, 112; "a swepyl is _that staff of the flail with which the
- corn is beaten out_, vulgarly a supple," Percy: _swingle_.
-
- swynkers, _laborers_.
-
- syde, _long_.
-
- syne, _then_.
-
-
- tald, _told_.
-
- tee, _too_.
-
- teene, _sorrow_, _suffering_.
-
- tent, 58, "_a kind of Alicant, a general name for Spanish wines,
- except white_." Halliwell.
-
- tha, _then_.
-
- than, _then_.
-
- thannes, _thence_.
-
- thee, _thrive_.
-
- then, _than_.
-
- think lang, _suffer from ennui_.
-
- thir, _these_.
-
- tho, _then_.
-
- thouz, _though_.
-
- thrang, _close_.
-
- thristing, _thirsting_.
-
- thristlecock, _throstle_, _thrush_.
-
- thrustand, _thrusting_, _pressing_.
-
- tide, _time_.
-
- tint, _lost_.
-
- tittles and tattles, "_clots of dirt such as hang on a cow's tail_."
-
- to-brast, _burst in pieces_.
-
- to-claterde, 111, _beaten in_ (with noise)?
-
- to-flaterde, 111, _broken to pieces?_
-
- tokynyng, 107, _token_, _sign_.
-
- tolbooth, _prison_.
-
- tone, _taken_.
-
- trestly, _truly_, _confidently_.
-
- trippande, _tripping_.
-
- tryst, _an appointment to meet_;
- _to make such an appointment_.
-
- tuggut, _tugged_.
-
- twatling, 43, _small_, _piddling_.
-
- twine, _part_ (_from_).
-
-
- unhappy, 42, _ill-conditioned_.
-
- unlusum, _unlovely_, _revolting_;
- was his likame dicht, 150, _unlovely was the condition into which
- his body was brought_.
-
- up, _upon_;
- upon lofte, _on high_.
-
-
- verrey, _very_, _true_.
-
- vow, _exclamation of admiration_.
-
-
- wa', _wall_.
-
- wad, _would_.
-
- wad, _wager_.
-
- waft, _weft_, _woof_.
-
- wale, _choose_.
-
- wallow't, _became pale_.
-
- wame, _belly_, _stomach_.
-
- wan, 91, _come_, _got_.
-
- war, _worse_.
-
- ware, _aware_.
-
- waryd, _cursed_.
-
- wat, _know_.
-
- wearifu', _causing pain or trouble_.
-
- wede, _dress_.
-
- weel-faurd, _well-favored_, _fair_.
-
- weet, _know_.
-
- weir, _war_.
-
- weir, 149, _were_.
-
- weloo, interjection of grief.
-
- we'se, _we shall or will_.
-
- wha's aucht, _who is it owns?_
-
- whang, _slice_.
-
- whereas, _where that_, _where_.
-
- white moneye, _silver_.
-
- whoard, _hoard_, _keep_.
-
- whorles and spindles, 101, "_instruments used in Scotland for spinning
- instead of spinning-wheels_." Percy.
-
- wicht, _wight_, _creature_.
-
- wiel, _wield_.
-
- wight, _quick_.
-
- will, _uncertain how to proceed_, _distracted_.
-
- win, _go_.
-
- winna, _will not_.
-
- winsome, _gay_, _comely_, _pleasant_.
-
- withouttin, _without_.
-
- witted, 195, _endowed with wit?_
- wo, woo, _sad_.
-
- wobs, _webs_.
-
- woir, _worse_.
-
- wood, _frantic_.
-
- wow, _woe_.
-
- wow, _vow_;
- exclamation of admiration.
-
- woweir, _wooer_, _suitor_.
-
- wraik, _wreck_.
-
- wrest and wrang, 113, _writhed and twisted_.
-
- wryth away, _put aside_.
-
- wynne, _joy_.
-
- wynnit, _dwelt_.
-
- wyspys, _wisps_.
-
- wyte, _blame_.
-
- wyte, for wot, _know_.
-
-
- yates, _gates_.
-
- ycha, _every_.
-
- yeersel, _yourself_.
-
- yeid, _went_.
-
- ye'se, _you shall or will_.
-
- yestreen, _yesterday_.
-
- yetts, _gates_.
-
- ying, _young_.
-
- yirne, _curdle_.
-
-
- ze, _ye_.
-
- zede, _went_.
-
- zet, _yet_.
-
- zong, _young_.
-
-
-
-
-INDEX.
-
-
-The titles by which ballads are designated in this collection are here
-printed in Roman letters; other titles, whether of ballads included in
-this collection, or not, and in general, all other references, in
-Italic.
-
-In looking for a title, the articles, both the definite and the
-indefinite, are to be dropped. "O. B." denotes the often-referred-to
-Collection of 1723: "P. S." Percy Society Publications: = signifies that
-two pieces are equivalent.
-
- * * * * *
-
- _Aage og Else_, Danish bal. 2, 145.
-
- Adam Bel, Clym of the Cloughe, and Wyllyam of Cloudesl['e]. 5, 124, 1.
-
- _Adam Gordon_ (the freebooter). 6, 149: 5, xix.
-
- _Adventures of Faravla_, &c., Irish Fairy tale. 8, 284.
-
- _Agnete og Havmanden_, Danish ballad. 1, 179.
-
- Alison Gross. 1, 168.
-
- Allerlei-Rauh, German tale. 8, 172.
-
- _Alphonso and Ganselo_ (or, _Faithful Friendship_), Garl. G. Will,
- p. 60, P. S. xxx: O. B. 2, 145: Evans, 1, 354.
-
- Als y yod on ay Mounday. 1, 273, 126.
-
- _Amadis._ 1, 5, 6.
-
- Andrew Lammie. 2, 190.
-
- Annan Water. 2, 186.
-
- _Apuleius, Metam._ 1, 162.
-
- _Arabian Nights._ 1, 5; 8, 54.
-
- Archie of Ca'field. 6, 88, 81.
-
- _Arden of Feversham._ Evans, 3, 217.
-
- _Armenian Lady's Love_, Wordsworth's. 4, 202.
-
- Armstrong's Good-Night. 6, 40.
-
- Armstrong and Musgrave. 8, 243.
-
- _Art[e']mire_, Voltaire's. 3, 242.
-
- As I came from Walsingham. 4, 191.
-
- _As I was walking under a grove_. 1, 128.
-
- _As You Like It_. 5, xxv: 8, 144.
-
- _Aschenputtel_, German tale. 8, 172.
-
- _Audam and Doorkhaunee_, Afghan tale. 2, 120.
-
- Auld Maitland. 6, 217.
-
- _Ausgleichung_, German ballad. 1, 5.
-
-
- _Babe Nourice_. 2, 40.
-
- Babylon, or, The Bonnie Banks o' Fordie. 2, 277.
-
- _Baffled Knight_. Percy, 2, 362: = _Too Courteous Knight_, Ritson,
- Anc. Songs, 2, 54: Durfey, 3, 37: = _The Shepherd's Son_, Herd, 2,
- 267: = _Jock Sheep_, Kinloch, Ballad Book, p. 17: = _Blow the
- Winds, Heigh Ho_, Anc. Poems, &c., p. 123, P. S. xvii. Bell, _id._
- p. 82.
-
- Bailiff's Daughter of Islington. 4, 158.
-
- _Ballad of Matrymonie_. 8, 182.
-
- _Bandello_. 3, 242, 370; 6, 209.
-
- Barbara Allen's Cruelty. 2, 158.
-
- Barbara Livingston. 4, 270.
-
- _Baron (or Laird) o' Leys_. Buchan, 2, 144; Kinloch, B. B. 74.
-
- Baron of Brackley. 6, 188, 192.
-
- _Baron turned Ploughman_. 8, 233.
-
- _Bateman's Tragedy_. O. B. 1, 261. Ritson, Anc. Songs, 2, 95.
-
- Battle of Alford. 7, 238.
-
- Battle of Balrinnes. 7, 214.
-
- Battle of Bothwell Bridge. 7, 148, 149.
-
- Battle of Corichie. 7, 210.
-
- Battle of Glenlivet. 7, 214.
-
- Battle of Harlaw. 7, 181, 317.
-
- Battle of Killiecrankie. 7, 152.
-
- Battle of Loudon Hill. 7, 144.
-
- Battle of Otterbourne. 7, 3, 19, 29, 177.
-
- Battle of Pentland Hills. 7, 240.
-
- Battle of Philiphaugh. 7, 131.
-
- Battle of _Sherramoor_ (Burns). 6, 157.
-
- Battle of Sheriff-Muir. 7, 156, 260.
-
- Battle of _Strath-aven_. 7, 214, 217.
-
- Battle of Tranent-Muir, or Preston-Pans. 7, 167.
-
- _Beautiful Lady of Kent_. Bal. of Peasantry, P. S. xvii. 130; Bell,
- _id._ 84.
-
- _Bent Sae Brown_. 2, 57.
-
- _Bergkonungen_, Swedish bal. 1, 179.
-
- _Berkshire Lady's Garland_. Bal. of Peasantry, P. S. xvii. 138; Moore,
- 456.
-
- Bessie Bell and Mary Gray. 3, 126.
-
- _Betrayed Lady_. 4, 180.
-
- _Bettelman_, German bal. 8, 98.
-
- Billie Archie. 6, 94.
-
- _Binnorie_. 2, 231.
-
- Birth of Robin Hood. 5, 170, 392.
-
- [_de la_] _Blanca Ni[~n]a_, Spanish ballad. ii. 319.
-
- Blancheflour and Jellyflorice. 4, 295.
-
- Blind Beggar's Daughter of Bednall Green. 4, 161.
-
- Blood-Stained Son (_Der blutige Sohn_, translated). 2, 350.
-
- _Blow the Winds, Heigh Ho = Baffled Knight_.
-
- Bludy Serk. 8, 147.
-
- _Blue Beard_, 2, 272.
-
- _Blue Bird_, fairy tale. 1, 171.
-
- _Bold Burnett's Daughter = Bonny Hynd_.
-
- Bold Pedlar and Robin Hood. 5, 248.
-
- _Bold Rankin_. 3, 95.
-
- Bondsey and Maisry. 2, 379, 298.
-
- Bonnie Annie. 3, 47.
-
- Bonnie Banks o' Fordie. 2, 277.
-
- Bonnie George Campbell. 3, 92.
-
- Bonnie House o' Airly. 6, 183, 186.
-
- _Bonnie Lass of Anglesey_. Herd, 2, 190: Buchan, 2, 63.
-
- _Bonnie Susie Cleland_. 2, 78.
-
- Bonny Baby Livingston. 4, 38.
-
- Bonny Barbara Allan. 2, 155.
-
- Bonny Bee-Ho'm. 3, 57: 2, 215.
-
- _Bonny Birdy_. 2, 22.
-
- Bonny Bows o' London. 2, 360.
-
- Bonny Earl of Murray. 7, 119, 121: 3, 88.
-
- _Bonny Hind Squire_. 8, 11, 83.
-
- _Bonny Hynd_. Scott's _Minstrelsy_, 3, 307: = _Lizie Wan_, Herd, ed.
- 1776, 1, 91: = The _Broom blooms bonnie_, &c. Motherwell, lxxxiv.
- 189: = _Castle Ha's Daughter_, Buchan, 1, 241. Also called _Lady
- Jean_, Motherwell, Appendix, p. xxi., and _Bold Burnett's
- Daughter_, Buchan, 1, 315.
-
- Bonny John Seton. 7, 230.
-
- _Bonny May_. 4, 45.
-
- Bothwell. 1, 158, 152.
-
- _Bothwell Lines_. 7, 149.
-
- Boy and the Mantle. 1, 3.
-
- Boyne Water. 7, 253.
-
- Braes o' Yarrow. 3, 69: Logan's, 2, 182.
-
- Brave Earl Brand and the King of England's Daughter. 2, 388, 114.
-
- Brave Lord Willoughby. 7, 114.
-
- Bride's Testament = Cruel Brother.
-
- _Broom blooms bonnie_, &c. = _Bonny Hynd_.
-
- Broom of Cowdenknows. 4, 45.
-
- Broomfield Hill. 1, 131.
-
- Brown Adam. 4, 60.
-
- _Brown Robin._ 2, 9. Buchan, 2, 299.
-
- _Brume_, _brume on hil_. 1, 131.
-
- Burd Ellen. 3, 213, 205, 269.
-
- Burd Ellen and Young Tamlane. 1, 271.
-
- _Burd Helen._ 3, 192.
-
- Burning of Auchindown, see Willie Mackintosh.
-
- By Landsdale hey ho. 5, 431.
-
-
- _Camille, ou la Mani[e']re de filer le parfait Amour._ 1, 5.
-
- Captain Car. 6, 147.
-
- Captain Wedderburn's Courtship. 8, 11, 5.
-
- _Carl of Kellyburn Braes._ 8, 257.
-
- _Carle of Carlile._ 8, 140.
-
- _Carnal and the Crane._ 1, 315.
-
- _Castle Ha's Daughter_ = _Bonny Hynd_.
-
- Catherine Johnstone. 4, 34.
-
- Catskin's Garland, (or, The Wandering Young Gentlewoman.) 8, 172.
-
- _Ce qui pla[^i]t aux Dames_, Voltaire's. 1, 29.
-
- _Cendrillon_, _Cennerentola_. 8, 172.
-
- _[du] Chevalier qui fist sa Fame confesse, fabliau_. 6, 209.
-
- Chevy-Chace. 7, 43, 25.
-
- Chil Ether. 4, 299.
-
- _Child Brenton._ 1, 152.
-
- Child Noryce. 2, 40.
-
- Child of Elle. 3, 224, 220;
- 2, 114.
-
- Child Rowland and Burd Ellen. 1, 245.
-
- Child Waters. 3, 205, 269.
-
- Childe Maurice, _Chield Morice_. 2, 313, 30.
-
- Childe Vyet. 2, 72.
-
- Children in the Wood. 3, 128.
-
- Child's Last Will. 2, 366.
-
- _Cinthio's Heccatomithi._ 8, 60.
-
- Clerk Colvill. 1, 192;
- 2, 271.
-
- _Clerk of Oxenford's Tale_, Chaucer's. 4, 207.
-
- Clerk Saunders. 2, 45, 318, 53, 57, 82.
-
- Clerk's Twa Sons o' Owsenford. 2, 63;
- 1, 214.
-
- Clerk Tamas. 3, 349.
-
- _Cokwolds Daunce._ 1, 17.
-
- _Conde de Barcelona y la Emperatriz de Alemania._ 3, 242.
-
- Constance of Cleveland. 4, 225.
-
- _Constancy of Susanna._ 8, 198.
-
- _Constant Penelope._ 8, 207.
-
- Constantine and Aret['e]. 1, 304, 307, 217.
-
- _Contes [a'] rire._ 8, 3.
-
- _Corn, lai du._ 1, 3.
-
- Cospatrick. 1, 152.
-
- _Countess of Errol_, see _Errol_.
-
- _Coupe Enchant['e]e._ 1, 4.
-
- _Court Mantel._ 1, 4.
-
- _Courteous King Jamie._ 1, 147.
-
- Courteous Knight. 8, 272, 11.
-
- _Covering Blue_ = _Keach in the Creel_.
-
- _Crafty Lover, or, The Lawyer outwitted._ Bell, Ball. of Peasantry, 110.
-
- _Crafty Ploughboy, or, The Highwayman outwitted_. 8, 265.
-
- Croodlin Doo. 2, 363.
-
- Cruel Black. 3, 370.
-
- Cruel Brother, or, The Bride's Testament. 2, 251, 257, 265.
-
- _Cruel Brother_, Swedish bal. 2, 46.
-
- _Cruel Jew's Garland._ 8, 46.
-
- _Cruel Knight._ 2, 291.
-
- Cruel Mother. 2, 267, 269, 372, 257.
-
- Cruel Sister. 2, 231.
-
- _Cunning Clerk_ = _Keach in the Creel_.
-
- _Cymbeline._ 8, 277.
-
-
- D[ae]mon Lover. 1, 201, 302.
-
- _David and Bathsheba._ 8, 198.
-
- _Dead Man's Song of Heaven and Hell._ Evans, 1, 297;
- Ritson, Anc. Songs, old ed., p. 286;
- Brit. Bibliog. 2, 136, &c.
-
- _Death of John Seton._ 7, 230.
-
- _Death of Keeldar._ 6, 140.
-
- Death of Parcy Reed. 6, 179.
-
- Death of Queen Jane. 7, 77.
-
- _Decameron._ 2, 382;
- 4, 207;
- 6, 209.
-
- _Demaundes Joyous._ 8, 3.
-
- _Devil and the Scold._ 8, 257.
-
- Dialogue between Will Lick-Ladle and Tom Clean-Cogue. 7, 260, 157.
-
- Dick o' the Cow. 6, 67.
-
- _Dolopathos._ 8, 45.
-
- _Donald of the Isles._ 4, 68, 76.
-
- _Doralice._ 8, 172.
-
- _Douglas_, Home's. 2, 28.
-
- Douglas Tragedy. 2, 114;
- 3, 220, 223;
- 5, 334.
-
- _Dowie Den._ 3, 65.
-
- Dowie Dens of Yarrow. 3, 63.
-
- Dragon of Wantley. 8, 128.
-
- _Dronken Hansje._ 8, 55.
-
- Drowned Lovers. 2, 175.
-
- _Drunkard's Legacy._ 8, 60.
-
- Duchess of Suffolk's Calamity. 7, 298, 115.
-
- Duel of Wharton and Stuart. 8, 259.
-
- _Duke Hamilton._ Smith's Scot. Mins., 2, 58.
-
- _Duke of Argyle's Courtship._ Buchan, 2, 148.
-
- Duke of Athol. 4, 94.
-
- Duke of Athol's Nurse. 8, 228, 231.
-
- Duke of Gordon's Daughter. 4, 102.
-
- Duke of Perth's Three Daughters. 2, 281.
-
- _Dumb Wife of Aberdour._ Aytoun, 2, 185.
-
- _Durham Garland._ Ritson, Bish. Gar. p. 1.
-
- _Dysmal._ 2, 382.
-
-
- _Earl Crawford._ Buchan, 1, 61.
-
- _Earl Lithgow._ 3, 260.
-
- _Earl Marshal._ 6, 209.
-
- _Earl of Errol_, see _Errol_.
-
- Earl of Mar's Daughter. 1, 171.
-
- Earl Richard (A). 3, 3, 10, 293.
-
- Earl Richard (B). 3, 266, 395.
-
- Earl Robert. 3, 26.
-
- _Edda._ 1, 213;
- 8, 139.
-
- Edom o' Gordon. 6, 147, 154;
- 7, 216.
-
- Edward. 2, 225, 219, 251.
-
- _Edwin and Emma_, Goldsmith's. 4, 189.
-
- _Eitle Dinge_, German ballads. 1, 128.
-
- _Elfer Hill._ 1, 298.
-
- Elfin Knight. 1, 128, 277.
-
- _Elfrida and Sir James of Perth._ 3, 73.
-
- _Elf-Woman and Sir Olof_, Swedish bal. 1, 298.
-
- _Ellen Irwin_, Wordsworth's. 2, 208.
-
- _Elveskud_, Danish bal. 1, 298.
-
- Enchanted Ring. 3, 53.
-
- Eppie Morie. 6, 260, 203.
-
- _Erle of Tolous._ 3, 242.
-
- Erlinton. 3, 220;
- 2, 114.
-
- _Errol_, _Earl of Errol, &c._ Sharpe, B. B., p. 89: = Kinloch, B. B.,
- p. 31: = _Countess of Errol_, Buchan, 2, 176, and Gleanings,
- p. 158: = _Errol's Place_, Maidment's N. C. G., p. 31.
-
- _Eulenspiegel._ 8, 3, 4.
-
- Execution of Sir Simeon Fraser. 6, 274.
-
-
- _Facezie_ of Arlotto. 8, 167.
-
- _Factor's Garland._ O. B. 3, 221: = Sheldon, p. 274.
-
- _F[oe]stemanden i Graven_, Danish ballad. 2, 145.
-
- Fair Annie. 3, 191, 198.
-
- Fair Annie of Lochroyan. 2, 98.
-
- Fair Flower of Northumberland. 4, 180.
-
- Fair Helen of Kirconnell. 2, 207.
-
- Fair Janet. 2, 86, 80, 120.
-
- _Fair Mabel of Wallington_ (= _The Mild Mary_): Ritson,
- Northumb. Garl. p. 38.
-
- Fair Margaret and Sweet William. 2, 140, 162.
-
- Fair Margaret of Craignargat. 8, 249.
-
- _Fair Midel and Kirsten Lyle_, Danish bal. 2, 342.
-
- Fair Rosamond. 7, 283.
-
- _Fairy Queen._ 1, 5.
-
- _Faithful Friendship_, see _Alphonso and Ganselo_.
-
- False Sir John. 2, 271.
-
- [_den_] _Falske Riddaren_, Swedish bal. 2, 272.
-
- Famous Flower of Serving-Men. 4, 174;
- 3, 86.
-
- Farmer's Old Wife. 8, 257.
-
- Fause Foodrage. 3, 40, 159.
-
- Fause Knight upon the Road. 8, 269.
-
- Fause Lover. 4, 89.
-
- _Felon Sowe of Rokeby._ Ev. 3, 270;
- Moore, 187;
- Scott, Notes to Rokeby;
- Robson, Metr. Romances, p. 105, Camden Soc., No. 18, etc.
-
- _Fine Flowers i' the Valley._ 2, 257.
-
- Fine Flowers in the Valley. 2, 265.
-
- _Finette Cendron._ 8, 172.
-
- Fire of Frendraught. 6, 173.
-
- _Fischer_, Goethe's. 1, 298.
-
- _Fitchers Vogel_, German tale., 2, 272.
-
- Flemish Insurrection. 6, 269.
-
- Flodden Field. 7, 71.
-
- _Florent and the King of Sicily's Daughter_, Gower's tale., 1, 29.
-
- _Florice and Blancheflour._ 4, 295.
-
- _Flourence de Romme, Le Dit de._ 3, 159.
-
- Fray of Suport. 6, 115.
-
- _Frennet Hall._ 6, 177.
-
- _Fr[e']re de Lait_, Breton bal. 1, 217.
-
- Friar in the Well. 8, 122.
-
- _Frolicksome Courtier and Jovial Tinker._ 8, 55.
-
- Frolicksome Duke, or, The Tinker's Good Fortune. 8, 54.
-
- From Bogie Side, or, The Marquis's Raide. 7, 267, 156.
-
- _Fryer and the Maid._ 8, 122.
-
-
- Gaberlunzie Man. 8, 98.
-
- _Galien Rethor['e]._ 1, 231.
-
- Gallant Grahams. 7, 137.
-
- _Gamelyn, Cook's Tale of._ 5, xxv. 38.
-
- Gardener. 4, 92.
-
- Gay Goss-Hawk. 3, 277;
- 2, 10.
-
- Gentle Herdsman, tell to me. 4, 187.
-
- Gentleman in Thracia. 8, 158.
-
- Geordie, _Geordie Luklie._ 8, 92, 96, 93.
-
- George Barnwell. 8, 213.
-
- _Georgics._ 1, 125.
-
- Gernutus the Jew of Venice. 8, 45.
-
- _Gesta Romanorum._ 1, 5, 7, 276;
- 8, 3, 45, 147, 158.
-
- Get up and bar the door. 8, 125.
-
- Gifts from over Sea. 8, 271, 11.
-
- Gight's Lady. 8, 285, 93.
-
- Gilderoy. 6, 196.
-
- Gil Morrice. 2, 28.
-
- _Girl clad in Mouse-skin_, Swedish tale. 8, 173.
-
- Glasgerion. 2, 3.
-
- Glasgow Peggy. 4, 76.
-
- Glenkindie. 2, 3.
-
- Glenlogie. 4, 80.
-
- _Godiva. How Coventry was made free by Godina_ (sic), _Countess of
- Chester._ Evans, 2, 29.
-
- _Golden Glove, or, The Squire of Tamworth._ Ball. of Peas. P. S. xvii.
- 106;
- Bell, _id._ 70.
-
- _Golden Legend._ 1, 70.
-
- _Gowans sae gay._ 1, 195.
-
- Graeme and Bewick. 3, 77.
-
- _Graf Hans von Holstein und seine Schwester Annchristine_, German bal.
- 2, 78.
-
- _Grandmother Adder-Cook_, German bal. 2, 364.
-
- [_der_] _Grausame Bruder_, German bal. 2, 79.
-
- _Green Broom-Field._ 1, 136.
-
- Greensleeves. 4, 240.
-
- _Greve Genselin_, Danish ballad., 8, 139.
-
- _Grey Cock._ Herd, 2, 278.
-
- [_der_] _Grobe Bruder_, German bal. 2, 79.
-
- [_den_] _Grymma Brodern_, Swedish bal. 2, 319.
-
- Gude Wallace. 6, 232.
-
- _Guy of Warwick._ 1, 62.
-
- Gypsie Laddie. 4, 114.
-
-
- _Hakon Borkenbart_, Swedish saga. 4, 207.
-
- _Hardyknute._ 3, 40, 148.
-
- _Harpans Kraft_, Swedish and Danish bal. 2, 8.
-
- _Haughs o' Yarrow._ 3, 65.
-
- Haws of Cromdale. 7, 234.
-
- Hawthorn Tree. 1, 311.
-
- [_der_] _Heilige Georg_, German legend. 1, 70.
-
- Heir of Linne. 8, 60, 70.
-
- _Helgakvitha Hundingsbana_, II., 1, 213.
-
- _Henry and Emma_, Prior's. 4, 143.
-
- _Hero and Leander._ 8, 207.
-
- _Herodotus._ 1, 6.
-
- _Herr Aester ok Fr[:o]ken Sissa_, Swedish bal. 1, 152.
-
- _Herr Halewyn_, Dutch bal. 2, 272.
-
- _Herr Malmstens Dr[:o]m_, Swedish bal. 2, 141.
-
- _Herr Medelvold_, Danish bal., 2, 342.
-
- _Herr Peder och Liten Kerstin_, Swedish bal. 2, 125.
-
- _Herr Peders Sj[:o]resa_, Swedish bal. 3, 47.
-
- _Herr Redevall_, Swedish bal., 2, 342.
-
- _Herr Sallemand_, Danish bal., 2, 120.
-
- _Herr Truels's D[:o]ttre_, Danish bal. 2, 277.
-
- _Hertig Fr[:o]jdenborg och Fr[:o]ken Adelin_, Swedish bal. 2, 120.
-
- _Hertig Nils_, Swedish bal. 2, 120.
-
- _Hierarchie of the Blessed Angels._ 1, 163.
-
- _Highwayman Outwitted_, see _Crafty Ploughboy._
-
- _Hildebrand og Hilde_, Danish bal. 2, 115, 388.
-
- _Hilla Lilla_, Swedish bal. 2, 120.
-
- Hireman Chiel. 8, 233.
-
- Hirlanda. 3, 243.
-
- _Histoire de la Comtesse de Savoie._ 3, 242.
-
- _Histoire de Palanus, Comte de Lyon._ 3, 242.
-
- _Historia de Catalu[~n]a._ 3, 242.
-
- Hobie Noble. 6, 97, 67.
-
- _Holofernes._ 8, 198.
-
- _Honeymoon._ 8, 182.
-
- _Honour of a London Prentice._ O. B. 1, 199:
- Ritson, Ancient Songs, 2, 199.
-
- _Horn and Rimnild, Horn et Rimenhild._ 1, 6;
- 4, 17.
-
- Horn of King Arthur. 1, 17, 4.
-
- _House Carpenter._ 1, 209.
-
- Hugh of Lincoln. 3, 136.
-
- Hughie Graham (Hughie the Graeme). 6, 51, 55, 247.
-
- Hunting of the Cheviot. 7, 25, 43.
-
- [_det_] _Hurtige Svar_, Danish bal. 2, 319.
-
- _Hustru og Mands Moder_, Danish bal. 1, 162.
-
- Hynd Horn. 4, 17, 25.
-
- Hynde Etin. 1, 294, 179;
- 2, 271.
-
-
- _I'll wager, I'll wager._ 1, 131.
-
- _Ill May-Day, Story of._ Garl. Good Will, p. 39, P. S. xv: O. B. 3,
- 54: Evans, 3, 76.
-
- In Sherwood livde stout Robin Hood. 5, 433.
-
- _Ingefred og Gudrune_, Danish bal. 1, 152.
-
-
- _Jack Horner, Tale of._ Halliwell's Nursery Rhymes, p. 165, P. S. iv.
- James Herries. 1, 205.
-
- Jamie Douglas. 4, 287.
-
- Jamie Telfer of the Fair Dodhead., 6, 105.
-
- Jane Shore. 7, 194.
-
- _Jean o' Bethelnie's Love for Sir G. Gordon._ 4, 80.
-
- _Jelitza and her Brothers_, Servian bal. 1, 217.
-
- Jellon Grame. 2, 285.
-
- Jephthah, Judge of Israel. 8, 198.
-
- _Jesus Barnet, Stefan, og Herodes_, Danish bal. 1, 315.
-
- Jew's Daughter. 3, 144, 331.
-
- _Jock o' Hazeldean, Jock o' Hazelgreen._ 4, 83.
-
- Jock o' the Side. 6, 80, 67, 88.
-
- _Jock Sheep_ = _Baffled Knight._ _Jock the Leg and the Merry Merchant._
- 8, 265.
-
- John Dory. 8, 194.
-
- _John Grumlie._ 8, 116.
-
- John o' Hazelgreen. 4, 83.
-
- _John the Reeve._ 8, 21.
-
- John Thomson and the Turk., 3, 352.
-
- Johnie Armstrang. 6, 37, 45, 251.
-
- _Johnie Blunt._ 8, 125.
-
- Johnie _of Braidisbank_, or of Breadislee. 6, 12, 11.
-
- Johnie of Cocklesmuir, or _of Cockielaw_. 6, 16, 11.
-
- Johnie Cope. 7, 274, 168.
-
- Johnie Faa and the Countess o' Cassilis. 4, 283.
-
- Johnie Scot. 4, 50.
-
- Johny Cock, or _Johny Cox_.
-
- 6, 243, 245, 11, 12.
-
- _Jolly Beggar._ 8, 98.
-
- Jolly Goshawk. 3, 285.
-
- _Jolly Harper._ 6, 3.
-
- Jolly Pinder of Wakefield, with Robin Hood, Scarlet, and John. 5, 204.
-
- _Jomfruen i Linden_, Danish bal. 1, 311.
-
- _Jomfruen i Ormeham_, Danish ballad. 1, 138, 168.
-
- _Jomfruen og Dv[ae]rgekongen_ (_Maid and the Dwarfking_), Danish ballad.
- 1, 179.
-
- _Jon Rimaards[:o]ns Skriftemaal_, Danish ballad. 3, 47.
-
- Jovial Hunter of Bromsgrove. 8, 144.
-
- _Jugement de Salemon, fabliau._ 8, 158.
-
- _J[:u]rg Drachent[:o]dter_, German ballad. 1, 70.
-
-
- Katharine Janfarie. 4, 29.
-
- _Keach in the Creel._ Anc. Poems, &c. p. 112, P. S. xvii: = _Covering
- Blue_, Kinloch, B. B., p. 61: = _Cunning Clerk_, Buchan, 1, 278.
-
- Kempion, Kemp Owyne. 1, 137, 143, 281.
-
- Kempy Kaye. 8, 139, 141.
-
- _Kertonha'._ 1, 114.
-
- _Killiecrankie._ 7, 153.
-
- _Kinder-u.-Haus-M[:a]rchen._ 1, 201;
- 2, 231, 272;
- 8, 3, 5, 173.
-
- _Kindesm[:o]rderin_, German ballads. 2, 262.
-
- _King and a Poore Northerne Man._ P. S. vol. i: Moore, p. 376.
-
- _King and the Barker._ 8, 22.
-
- _King Alfred and the Neatherd_, 8, 21;
- _K. A. and the Shepherd_, 5, 238;
- 8, 23.
-
- _King and the Hermit._ 8, 21, 22.
-
- _King and the Miller_, Danish tale. 8, 3.
-
- King and the Miller of Mansfield. 8, 32.
-
- King Arthur, and the King of Cornwall, 1, 231, 183;
- Legend of, 1, 50;
- K. A.'s Death, 1, 40.
-
- King Cophetua and the Beggar Maid. 4, 195.
-
- _King Edward and Jane Shore._ 7, 194.
-
- _King Edward and the Hermit_, 5, xxiii: _K. E. and the Shepherd_, 5,
- xxiii;
- 8, 21.
-
- King Edward the Fourth and the Tanner of Tamworth. 8, 21;
- 5, xxiv.
-
- _King Edward the Third and the Fair Countess of Salisbury._ O. B. 2, 68.
-
- King Estmere. 3, 159;
- 1, 183.
-
- King Henrie the Fifth's Conquest. 7, 190.
-
- King Henry. 1, 147, 29: 8, 140.
-
- _King Henry and a Bishop_, 8, 5: _K. H. and the Soldier_, 8, 22.
-
- _King Henry the Eighth and the Cobbler._ 8, 22.
-
- _King Henry the Second and the Cistercian Abbot._ 8, 21.
-
- _King Horn._ 4, 17.
-
- _King James the First and the Tinker._ 8, 22, 23.
-
- King John and the Abbot of Canterbury, 8, 3: _K. J. and the Bishop of
- Canterbury_, 8, 5.
-
- _King Lear._ 1, 245.
-
- King Leir and his Three Daughters. 7, 276.
-
- King Malcolm and Sir Colvin. 3, 378, 173.
-
- King of France's Daughter. 4, 216.
-
- King of Scots and Andrew Browne. 7, 103.
-
- _King Olfrey and the Abbot._ 8, 5.
-
- King's Disguise and Friendship with Robin Hood. 5, 376.
-
- _King Waldemar and his Sister_, Danish bal. 2, 78, 86.
-
- _King William and the Forester._ 8, 22.
-
- Kinmont Willie. 6, 58, 81.
-
- Knight and Shepherd's Daughter. 3, 260.
-
- _Knight of the Swan._ 3, 159.
-
- Knight's Ghost. 1, 210.
-
- _Kong Diderik og hans K[oe]mper_, Danish ballad. 3, 159.
-
- _Kong Valdemar og hans S[:o]ster_, Danish bal. 2, 78, 251.
-
- _Krist' Lilla och Herr Tideman_, Swedish bal. 2, 342.
-
- _Krone der K[:o]nigin von Afion_. 1, 16: _K. of Heinrich vom T[:u]rlein_,
- 1, 4.
-
-
- _Ladies of Finsbury, Life and Death of the._ Crown Garland G. Roses,
- p. 44, P. S. xv;
- Evans, 3, 318.
-
- Lads of Wamphray. 6, 168.
-
- _Lady Alice._ 2, 162.
-
- Lady Anne. 2, 262.
-
- Lady Anne Bothwell's Lament. 4, 123, 129.
-
- _Lady Daisy._ 2, 382.
-
- Lady Diamond. 2, 382.
-
- Lady Elspat. 4, 308.
-
- Lady Isabel and the Elf-Knight. 1, 195;
- 2, 271.
-
- Lady Isabella's Tragedy. 3, 366.
-
- _Lady Jane._ 3, 192.
-
- _Lady Jean_ = _Bonny Hynd._
-
- Lady Maisry. 2, 78, 319.
-
- Lady Margaret. 3, 390, 205.
-
- Lady Marjorie. 2, 338.
-
- _Lady's Fall, Lamentable Ballad of._ O. B. 1, 244;
- Percy, 3, 182;
- Ritson, Anc. Songs, 2, 110.
-
- _Lai du Corn._ 1, 3.
-
- _Lai le Frein._ 3, 191.
-
- Laidley Worm of Spindleston-Heugh. 1, 281, 137.
-
- _Laird o' Leys_ = _Baron o' Leys_.
-
- Laird o' Logie. 4, 109.
-
- Laird of Blackwood. 4, 290, 135.
-
- Laird of Drum. 4, 118.
-
- _Laird of Laminton._ 4, 29.
-
- _Laird of Lochnie._ 4, 45.
-
- _Laird of Ochiltree._ 4, 45.
-
- _Laird of Roslin's Daughter._ 8, 11.
-
- Laird of Waristoun. 3, 107, 110, 316.
-
- Lambert Linkin. 3, 100, 94.
-
- _Lambton Worm of Durham._ 1, 281.
-
- Lament of the Border Widow. 3, 86; 4, 174.
-
- _Lamentable Fall of the Duchess of Gloucester_. Garl. of Goodwill,
- p. 271, P. S. xv; O. B. 2, 90.
-
- _Lamentation of Shore's Wife_. 7, 194.
-
- Lamkin, Lammikin. 3, 94, 307.
-
- _Lancelot_. 1, 6.
-
- Lang Johnny Moir. 4, 272.
-
- Lass of Lochroyan. 2, 106.
-
- _Last Guid Night_. 6, 40.
-
- _Lawyer Outwitted_, see _Crafty Lover_.
-
- Lay the Bent to the Bonny Broom. 8, 18.
-
- _Leander on the Bay_. 2, 177.
-
- Leesome Brand. 2, 342.
-
- Lenore, B[:u]rger's. 1, 217.
-
- _Liebesprobe_, Ger. bal. 4, 144.
-
- Life and Death of Sir Hugh of the Grime. 6, 247.
-
- Life and Death of Thomas Stukely. 7, 305.
-
- _Lilla Rosa_, Swedish bal. 2, 120.
-
- [_den_] _Lillas Testamente_, Swedish bal. 2, 366, 251.
-
- _Lind im Thale_, German bal. 4, 144.
-
- _Linden_, Swedish bal. 1, 311.
-
- _Lindormen_, Danish ballad. 1, 138, 168.
-
- _Liten Kerstins F[:o]rtrollning_. 1, 162.
-
- _Liten Kerstin och Fru Sofia_, Swedish bal. 2, 78.
-
- _Liten Kerstin Stalldr[:a]ng_, Swedish bal. 4, 174.
-
- Little Gest of Robin Hood. 5, 42, 18, 376, 383; 8, 22.
-
- _Little Gold Shoe_, Swedish tale. 8, 173.
-
- Little John and the Four Beggars. 5, 325.
-
- Little Musgrave and the Lady Barnard. 2, 15.
-
- Lizae Baillie. 4, 73, 280.
-
- Lizie Lindsay. 4, 63, 68, 73.
-
- _Lizie Wan = Bonny Hynd_.
-
- _Lochinvar_. 4, 29.
-
- Lochmaben Harper. 6, 3, 7.
-
- Long Lonkin. 3, 313, 94.
-
- _Lord Aboyne_. 4, 97.
-
- Lord Barnaby. 2, 307.
-
- _Lord Bateman_. 4, 1, 2.
-
- Lord Beichan and Susie Pye. 4, 253.
-
- Lord Delaware. 7, 313.
-
- Lord Derwentwater. 7, 164: _L. D.'s Goodnight_, 7, 165.
-
- Lord Dingwall. 1, 288, 152.
-
- Lord Donald. 2, 244, 251.
-
- Lord Jamie Douglas. 4, 135, 287.
-
- Lord John. 1, 42, 134.
-
- _Lord John's Murder_. 2, 292.
-
- Lord Livingston. 3, 343; 8, 243.
-
- Lord Lovel. 2, 162, 141.
-
- _Lord Lundy_. 4, 261.
-
- Lord Maxwell's Goodnight. 6, 162.
-
- _Lord Nann and the Korrigan_, Breton bal. 1, 298;
- 2, 120.
-
- Lord Randal (A), 2, 22: (B), 2, 248, 244.
-
- _Lord Ronald._ 2, 248.
-
- Lord Salton and Auchanachie. 2, 165, 167.
-
- Lord Thomas and Fair Annet. 2, 125, 120, 131.
-
- Lord Thomas and Fair Ellinor. 2, 121.
-
- Lord Thomas of Winesberry and the King's Daughter. 4, 305.
-
- Lord Thomas Stuart. 3, 357.
-
- Lord Wa'yates and Auld Ingram. 2, 326.
-
- Lord William. 3, 18, 3. _Lord William._ 4, 261.
-
- Loudoun Castle. 6, 254.
-
- _Love Gregory._ 2, 98,
-
- _Lover's Complaint being forsaken of his Love._ 4, 234.
-
- Lovers Quarrel. 4, 311.
-
- Lowlands of Holland. 2, 213.
-
- Lytell Geste of Robyn Hode. 5, 42, 18, 376, 383;
- 8, 22.
-
-
- _Mackintosh was a soldier brave._ 7, 165.
-
- Macpherson's Rant (or _Lament_), 6, 263: his _Farewell_, by Burns, 6,
- 266.
-
- _M[:a]dchen und der Sagebaum, M[:a]dchen und die Hasel_, German bal. 1,
- 311.
-
- _Maid and the Dwarf-King_, Danish ballad. 1, 179.
-
- _Maledizione Materna_, Italian ballad. 2, 171.
-
- _Mantel_, _Mantel Mautaill['e]_, _Court Mantel_, &c. 1, 3, 4.
-
- _Marchioness of Douglass._ 4, 135.
-
- _Margaret's Ghost._ 2, 141.
-
- _Mari Confesseur_, La Fontaine's. 6, 209.
-
- Marquis of Huntley's Retreat, (or _The Marquis's Raide_). 7, 267, 156.
-
- Marriage of Sir Gawaine. 1, 28, 147.
-
- _Martial._ 2, 177.
-
- Mary Ambree. 7, 108, 257.
-
- Mary Hamilton. 3, 120, 324, 329.
-
- _Maudlin, the Merchant's Daughter._ 4, 328.
-
- _May-a-Row._ 2, 286.
-
- May Colvin. 2, 271;
- 1, 195, 198.
-
- _Memorables of the Montgomeries._ Evans, 2, 41;
- Bal. and Songs of Ayrshire, 1, 60.
-
- _Merchant of Venice._ 8, 45, 46, 277.
-
- Merchant's Daughter of Bristow. 4, 328.
-
- _Merchant's Garland_, see _Factor's Garland_.
-
- Mermaid (or Clerk Colvill). 1, 192.
-
- _Merman and Marstig's Daughter_, Danish bal. 1, 298.
-
- _Mery Ballet of the Hathorn Tre._ 1, 311.
-
- _Mild Mary_, see _Fair Mabel of Wallington_.
-
- Miller and the King's Daughter. 2, 357, 231.
-
- Minister's Dochter o' Newark (or _of New York_). 2, 376.
-
- _M[:o]en paa Baalet_, Danish ballad. 2, 251.
-
- _Moral Tale of Love and Honour_, Shenstone's. 4, 202.
-
- _Morte Arthure._ 1, 4, 40, 50, 55.
-
- _Mothers Malison._ 2, 171.
-
- _Moyen de Parvenir._ 5, 187.
-
- Murder of the King of Scots. 7, 78.
-
- _Murning Maidin._ Sibbald, 1, 201.
-
-
- _Nattergalen_, Danish ballad. 1, 125.
-
- _New Notborune Mayd._ 4, 144.
-
- _No Song, no Supper._ 8, 125.
-
- Noble Fisherman, or, Robin Hood's Preferment. 5, 329.
-
- _Nobleman's Generous Kindness._ Bal. of Peas. p. 148, P. S. xvii:
- Bell, id. 98.
-
- N[:o]kkens Svig, Danish ballad. 1, 195, 198.
-
- Northern Lass, Brome's. 4, 123.
-
- Northern Lord and Cruel Jew. 8, 277.
-
- Northumberland betrayed by Douglas. 7, 92: 6, 124.
-
- _Numbers._ 1, 6.
-
- Nutbrowne Maide. 4, 143.
-
-
- _O heard ye e'er of a silly blind Harper._ 6, 3.
-
- _Odyssey_, i. 125.
-
- _Of a Knight and a Faire Virgin._ 1, 29.
-
- _Of Wakefylde and a Grene._ 5, 204.
-
- _Old Abbot and King Alfred._ O. B. 2, 55.
-
- _Old Man and his Three Sons._ 8, 144.
-
- Old Robin of Portingale. 3, 34.
-
- [_den_] _Onde Svigermoder_, Danish bal. 2, 251.
-
- _Orlando Furioso_, 1, 4: _O. Inamorato_, 1, 137.
-
- _Ormekampen_, Danish ballad. 1, 281;
- 8, 128.
-
- _Our gudeman came home at e'en._ 2, 319.
-
- _Outlandish Knight._ 2, 272.
-
- _Owen of Carron_, Langhorne's. 2, 28.
-
- _Owlglass._ 8, 3.
-
-
- _Palace of Pleasure_, Painter's. 1, 5.
-
- _Palmerin of England._ 1, 5.
-
- _Patient Countess_, 4, 208;
- Patient Grissel, 4, 207.
-
- _Patra[~n]uelo_ of Timoneda. 8, 3.
-
- _Pausanias_, a dragon story in. 8, 136.
-
- _Peau d'Ane._ 8, 172.
-
- _Pecorone._ 8, 45.
-
- _Peele's Chronicle Hist. of Ed. I._ 6, 209.
-
- _Pennyworth of Wit._ O. B. 2, 215.
-
- _Perceforest._ 1, 5.
-
- _Perceval._ 1, 4.
-
- _Pfalzgraf am Rhein_, German bal. 2, 79.
-
- _Phaffe Amis._ 8, 3.
-
- _Picture_, Massinger's. 1, 5.
-
- _Pilgrim to Compostella_, Southey's. 1, 315.
-
- _Prince Edward and Adam Gordon._ 5, 149.
-
- Prince Robert. 3, 22;
- 2, 120.
-
- Pr[oe]lium Gillicrankianum. 7, 251.
-
- Proud Lady Margaret. 8, 83, 11;
- 2, 319.
-
- _Proud Margaret_, Swedish bal. 1, 179.
-
- Provost's Dochter. 4, 292, 180.
-
- _Pyramus and Thisbe._ 8, 207.
-
-
- Queen Dido. 8, 207.
-
- Queen Eleanor's Confession. 6, 209, 213;
- 7, 292.
-
- Queen Eleanor's Fall. 7, 291;
- 6, 209.
-
- Queen Jeanie. 7, 74, 77.
-
- Queen's Marie. 3, 113.
-
-
- _R[:a]thsellieder_, German. 8, 12.
-
- Raid of the Reidswire. 6, 129.
-
- Rantin Laddie. 4, 97.
-
- Rare Willy drown'd in Yarrow. 2, 181.
-
- _Rauf Coilzear._ 8, 21.
-
- _Ravengaard og Memering_, Danish bal. 3, 234, 241.
-
- Reading Skirmish. 7, 243.
-
- _Red Etin_, tale of. 1, 245.
-
- Reedisdale and Wise William. 8, 87.
-
- _Ribolt og Guldborg_, Danish bal. 2, 114.
-
- Richie Storie. 8, 255.
-
- _Riddar Olle_, (or _Olof_,) Swedish bal. 1, 152.
-
- _Ridderen i Fugleham_, Danish bal. 1, 171.
-
- Rising in the North. 7, 82;
- 6, 124.
-
- _Ritter Golmi mit der Herzogin auss Britanien_, Hans Sachs's. 3, 242.
-
- _Ritter St. Georg_, German legend. 1, 70.
-
- _Ritter und das M[:a]gdlein_, German bal. 2, 141.
-
- Rob Roy. 6, 202, 257, 258.
-
- Robene and Makyne. 4, 245.
-
- ROBIN HOOD and Allin-a-Dale. 5, 278.
-
- Robin Hood and Guy of Gisborne. 5, 159, 428.
- Robin Hood and his Huntesmen, song. 5, 434.
- Robin Hood and Little John. 5, 216.
- Robin Hood and Maid Marian. 5, 372.
- Robin Hood and Queen Katherine. 5, 312.
- Robin Hood and the Beggar. 5, 187, 251, 255, 404, 17.
- Robin Hood and the Bishop. 5, 298.
- Robin Hood and the Bishop of Hereford. 5, 294.
- Robin Hood and the Butcher. 5, 33, 17.
- Robin Hood and the Curtall Fryer. 5, 271, 420.
- Robin Hood and the Golden Arrow. 5, 383.
- Robin Hood and the Monk. 5, 1, 128.
- Robin Hood and the Old Man. 5, 257.
- Robin Hood and the Peddlers. 5, 243.
- Robin Hood and the Potter. 5, 17, 33, 43, 188, 420.
- Robin Hood and the Ranger. 5, 207.
- Robin Hood and the Scotchman. 5, 418.
- Robin Hood and the Shepherd. 5, 238.
- Robin Hood and the Stranger. 5, 404, 39, 188, 418.
- Robin Hood and the Tanner. 5, 223.
- Robin Hood and the Tanner's Daughter. 5, 334.
- Robin Hood and the Tinker. 5, 230.
- Robin Hood and the Valiant Knight. 5, 338, 308, 382.
-
- Robin Hood, Birth of. 5, 392, 170.
- Robin Hood, _Essay on._ 5, vii.
- Robin Hood, Lytell Geste of. 5, 42.
- Robin Hood, Playe of. 5, 420, 428.
- Robin Hood, rescuing the Three Squires. 5, 267.
- Robin Hood, rescuing the Widow's Three Sons. 5, 261.
-
- Robin Hood's Birth, Breeding, Valour, and Marriage. 5, 343, 125.
- Robin Hood's Chase. 5, 320.
- Robin Hood's Death and Burial. 5, 308.
- Robin Hood's Delight. 5, 211.
- Robin Hood's Golden Prize. 5, 303.
- Robin Hood's Preferment. 5, 329.
- Robin Hood's Progress to Nottingham. 5, 290.
- Robin Hood's Rescuing Will Stutley. 5, 283.
-
- Robin Hood, True Tale of. 5, 353.
- Robin Hood, Wedding of, and Little John. 5, 184.
- Robin Hood, Will Scadlock, and Little John. 5, 409.
-
- Robyn and Gandelyn. 5, 38.
-
- _Robin's Tesment._ 1, 128.
-
- _R[:o]fvaren Brun, R. Rymer_, Swedish bal. 2, 272.
-
- Rookhope Ryde. 6, 121.
-
- _Roman Charity._ O. B. 2, 137;
- Evans, 3, 296.
-
- _Rosamonds Overthrow_, see _Unfortunate Concubine_.
-
- _Rose, Lay of the._ 1, 5.
-
- Rose the Red and White Lilly. 5, 173, 396.
-
- _Rosmer Hafmand_, Danish bal. 1, 253, 245.
-
-
- _Sacchetti's Novels._ 8, 3.
-
- Saddle to Rags. 8, 265.
-
- _Salomon and Saturn_ (or _Marcolf_). 8, 3.
-
- Samson. 8, 201.
-
- _St. Cunigund_, legend of. 3, 238.
-
- St. George and the Dragon. 1, 69.
-
- St. Stephen and Herod. 1, 315.
-
- Sang of the Outlaw Murray. 6, 20.
-
- _Schloss in Oesterreich_, German bal. 2, 63.
-
- _Sch[:o]n Ulrich u. Rautendelein, S. U. u. Roth-Aennchen_, German bal.
- 2, 272.
-
- _Sch[:o]ne Hannele_, German bal. 1, 179.
-
- _Scottish Squire._ 3, 277.
-
- Seven Champions of Christendom. 1, 83.
-
- _Shepherd's Son_ = _Baffled Knight_.
-
- _Silva Sermonum Jucundissimorum._ 8, 116.
-
- [_der_] _Singende Knochen_, German tale. 2, 231.
-
- Sir Aldingar. 3, 234.
-
- Sir Andrew Barton. 7, 55, 201.
-
- Sir Cauline. 3, 173.
-
- Sir Eglamore. 8, 196.
-
- Sir Guy, Legend of. 1, 61.
-
- Sir Hugh. 3, 142, 331, 335.
-
- Sir Hugh le Blond. 3, 234, 253.
-
- Sir James the Rose. 3, 73.
-
- Sir John Suckling's Campaign. 7, 128.
-
- Sir Lancelot du Lake. 1, 55.
-
- _Sir Niel and Mac Van_ (or _Glengyle_). 8, 260.
-
- _Sir Olof in the Elve-Dance_, Swedish bal. 1, 298.
-
- Sir Oluf and the Elf-King's Daughter, Danish bal. 1, 298, 192.
-
- Sir Patrick Spens. 3, 147, 152, 338.
-
- _Sir Peter of Stauffenbergh and the Mermaid._ 1, 298.
-
- Sir Richard Whittington's Advancement. 8, 165.
-
- Sir Roland. 1, 223.
-
- _Sir Stig and Lady Torelild_, Danish bal. 1, 162.
-
- _Sir Wal and Lisa Lyle_, Swedish bal. 2, 342.
-
- Sir William Wallace. 6, 237.
-
- _Skj[oe]n Anna_, Danish bal. 3, 383, 192.
-
- _Sleeper Awakened_, tale of. 8, 54.
-
- Snake-Cook, German bal. 2, 364.
-
- Son Davie. 2, 228, 219.
-
- _Song of a Beggar and a King._ 4, 195.
-
- _Sorgens Magt_, Swedish bal. 2, 145;
- 1, 213.
-
- _S[:o]vnerunerne_, Danish bal. 1, 131.
-
- Spanish Lady's Love. 4, 201.
-
- Spanish Virgin. 3, 360.
-
- _Speculum Ecclesi[ae]._ 8, 21.
-
- _Speculum Historiale._ 1, 70, 315.
-
- _Squire of Tamworth_, see _Golden Glove_.
-
- _Staffans Visa_, Swedish carol. 1, 315.
-
- _Stepmother_, German bal. 2, 364.
-
- _Stolt Ingeborgs Forkl[ae]dning_, Danish bal. 4, 174.
-
- _Stolts Botelid Stalldr[:a]ng_, Swedish bal. 4, 174.
-
- _Stout Cripple of Cornwall._ Evans, 1, 97.
-
- Stukely, Life and Death of Thomas. 7, 305.
-
- _S[:u]deli_, German bal. 3, 191.
-
- Suffolk Miracle. 1, 217.
-
- _Sven i Roseng[oa]rd_, Swedish bal. 2, 347, 219.
-
- _Sven Svanehvit_, Swedish bal. 8, 12.
-
- _Svend Vonved_, Danish bal. 3, 159; 8, 11.
-
- _Sweet Song of an English Merchant._ Evans, 1, 28.
-
- Sweet William. 4, 261, 29.
-
- Sweet William and May Margaret. 2, 152, 45.
-
- Sweet William's Ghost. 2, 145, 45.
-
- Sweet Willie (a), 2, 93, 86;
- (b), 4, 174.
-
- Sweet Willie and Fair Annie. 2, 131.
-
- Sweet Willie and Fair Maisry. 2, 332, 86.
-
- Sweet Willie and Lady Margerie. 2, 53.
-
-
- [_den_] _Talende Strengeleg_, Danish bal. 2, 231.
-
- _Tarikh al Wasaf._ 8, 167.
-
- Tam-a-Line. 1, 258.
-
- Taming of a Shrew. 8, 182, 55.
-
- _Tancred and Ghismonda._ 2, 382.
-
- _Tancr[e']de_, Voltaire's. 3, 242.
-
- _Thom of Lyn._ 1, 114.
-
- Thomas of Ersseldoune. 1, 95, 120, 273.
-
- Thomas the Rhymer. 1, 109, 120.
-
- _Thore och hans Syster_, Swedish bal. 2, 319.
-
- _Thorkil Troneson_, Swedish bal. 1, 152.
-
- _Three Brothers._ 6, 94.
-
- Three Knights. 2, 368.
-
- Three Ravens. 3, 59.
-
- _Three Sisters._ 8, 18.
-
- Tinker's Good Fortune, see Frolicksome Duke.
-
- _Titus and Gisippus._ 4, 225.
-
- Titus Andronicus's Complaint. 8, 188.
-
- _Tobias._ 8, 198.
-
- [_der_] _Todte Freier_, German bal. 2, 145.
-
- _Todtenhemdchen_, German tale. 1, 213.
-
- Tom Linn. 1, 267.
-
- _Tom Thumbe, Life and Death of._ Ritson's Anc. Pop. Poetry, p. 111.
-
- _Too Courteous Knight_ = _Baffled Knight_.
-
- _Tord af Havsgaard_, Danish bal. 8, 139.
-
- _Torkild Trundes[:o]n_, Danish and Swedish bal. 1, 152.
-
- _Tristan._ 1, 4, 152; 2, 119.
-
- _Trooper and Fair Maid._ 1, 128.
-
- True Tale of Robin Hood. 5, 353.
-
- Trumpeter of Fyvie. 2, 201.
-
- Turnament of Totenham. 8, 101.
-
- Twa Brothers. 2, 219, 353.
-
- Twa Corbies. 3, 61.
-
- Twa Sisters. 2, 238.
-
- _Tyrannical Husband, Ballad of a._ 8, 116.
-
-
- _Ulinger_, German bal. 2, 272.
-
- _Ulrich und Aennchen_, German bal. 2, 272.
-
- Undaunted Londonderry. 7, 247.
-
- _Unfortunate Concubine, or, Rosamond's Overthrow._ 7, 284.
-
- Up and war them a' Willie. 7, 264, 156.
-
-
- _Valentine and Ursine_, tale of. Percy, 3, 330.
-
- _Vendicatrice_, Italian bal. 2, 392.
-
- _Vilain qui conquist Paradis par Plait, fabliau du._ 8, 152.
-
- _Von eitel unm[:o]glichen Dingen_, German ballads. 1, 128.
-
- _Vorwirth._ German bal. 1, 213.
-
-
- [_die_] _Wahrsagenden Nachtigallen_, Danish bal. 2, 342.
-
- _Wallace and his Leman._ 6, 232.
-
- Waly, waly, but love be bonny. 4, 132.
-
- Wandering Jew. 8, 76.
-
- Wandering Prince of Troy. 8, 207.
-
- _Wandering Young Gentlewoman_, see _Catskin's Garland_.
-
- Wanton Wife of Bath. 8, 152.
-
- _Warenston and the Duke of York's Daughter._ 3, 113.
-
- Water o' Wearie's Well. 1, 198;
- 2, 271.
-
- _We were Sisters, we were Seven._ 1, 152.
-
- Weary Coble o' Cargill. 3, 30;
- 2, 216.
-
- Wedding of Robin Hood and Little John. 5, 184.
-
- _Weddynge of Syr Gawen and Dame Ragnell._ 1, 29.
-
- Wee, wee Man. 1, 126, 273;
- 8, 140.
-
- West Country Damosel's Complaint. 2, 384.
-
- _West Country Wager._ 1, 131.
-
- _Wha will bake my bridal bread._ 3, 191.
-
- _White Doe of Rylstone_, Wordsworth's. 7, 84.
-
- _Widow of Westmoreland._ Kinloch, Bal. Book, p. 1.
-
- _Wiedergefundene K[:o]nigstochter_, German bal. 3, 191.
-
- _Wife Lapped in Morel's Skin._ 8, 182.
-
- Wife of Auchtirmuchty. 8, 116.
-
- _Wife of Bath's Tale._ 1, 29.
-
- Wife of Usher's Well. 1, 213;
- 2, 63.
-
- _Wilkinasaga._ 5, 128.
-
- William and Marjorie. 2, 149, 45.
-
- William Guiseman. 3, 50.
-
- _Willie and Annet._ 2, 79, 86.
-
- Willie and Lady Maisry. 2, 57.
-
- Willie and May Margaret. 2, 171.
-
- Willie Mackintosh, or, The Burning of Auchindown. 6, 159.
-
- Willie Wallace. 6, 231, 237.
-
- Willie's drowned in Gamery. 2, 181.
-
- Willie's Ladye. 1, 162.
-
- Willow, Willow, Willow. 4, 234.
-
- _Willy's drowned in Yarrow._ 8, 228.
-
- _Wind hath blown my plaid away._ 1, 277.
-
- Winning of Cales. 7, 123.
-
- _Wolfdietrich._ 2, 346.
-
- Woman Warrior. 7, 257.
-
- _Wood o' Warslin._ 2, 220.
-
- _Worm of Lambton, Worm of Linton._ 1, 281;
- 8, 128.
-
- _Wylie Wife of the hie Town hie._ Struthers's British Minstrel, 1, xxv.
-
-
- _Xailoun_, tale of. 8, 54.
-
-
- _Young Airly._ 6, 184.
-
- Young Akin. 1, 179.
-
- _Young Allan_ (taken from Sir Patrick Spens). Buchan, 2, 11.
-
- Young Bearwell. 4, 302.
-
- Young Beichan and Susie Pye. 4, 1, 253;
- 1, 282.
-
- Young Bekie. 4, 10.
-
- Young Benjie. 2, 298.
-
- _Young Bondwell._ 4, 2.
-
- Young Child Dyring, Danish bal. 4, 265.
-
- _Young Cloudeslee._ 5, 124.
-
- Young Hastings the Groom. 1, 189;
- 2, 271.
-
- Young Hunting. 3, 295, 3.
-
- Young Johnstone. 2, 291.
-
- _Young Laird of Ochiltrie._ 4, 109.
-
- _Young Prince James._ 2, 78.
-
- _Young Ratcliffe._ 7, 165.
-
- Young Redin. 3, 13.
-
- Young Tamlane. 1, 114.
-
- Young Waters. 3, 88, 301;
- 1, 282;
- 7, 120.
-
- Youth of Rosengord, Swedish bal. 2, 347, 219.
-
-
- _Zauberbecher, Sage vom._ 1, 4.
-
- _Zeyn Alasman and the King of the Genii_, tale of. 1, 5.
-
- * * * * *
-
-
-Transcriber's Notes
-
- [Asterism] represents an asterism (three stars).
- [gh] represents letter "yogh".
- [Pointing hand] denotes the symbol of a right pointing hand.
-
-Minor changes to regularise ballad line numbering and indentation have
-been made without comment.
-
-The following changes have been made to the text where typographical
-errors have been corrected.
-
-Page iv (Index): corrected "Gentleman" to "Gentlewoman" (The Wandering
-young Gentlewoman)
-
-Page 123 note to line 13: changed "12" to "13" (13. request.)
-
-Page 123 Line 30: changed single to double close quotation mark ("Now
-lets go to't, my own dear honey:")
-
-Page 133 Line 121: added missing close quotation mark ("Your words,"
-quoth the dragon, "I don't understand";)
-
-Page 144: added closing quotation mark (p. 250 of the same
-publication.)")
-
-Page 153 Line 11: changed single to double opening qoutation mark ("I am
-the Wife of Bath," she said,)
-
-Page 157 Line 112: deleted extraneous closing single quotation mark (As
-thou thyself hast done.")
-
-Page 167 Line 2: changed "Whitttington" to "Whittington" (Of worthy
-Whittington,)
-
-Page 196: deleted unmatched open quotation marks before "in" (This
-ballad is found in _The Melancholie Knight_)
-
-Page 261 Line 28: changed single to double closing quotation mark (For
-you shall find enough o' ane.")
-
-Page 264 Line 100: changed single to double closing quotation mark (He's
-cure thy wounds right speedily.")
-
-Page 270 Line 32: changed "Que'" to "Quo'" (Quo' the wee boy, &c.)
-
-Page 279 Line 50: added opening quotation mark ("We'll cross the raging
-ocean wide,)
-
-Page 301: changed "confidentyl" to "confidently" (trestly, _truly_,
-_confidently_.)
-
-Page 306: changed comma to full stop after "Sheriff-Muir" ([Battle of]
-Sheriff-Muir. 7, 156, 260.)
-
-Page 308: changed "rown" to "Brown" (_Brown Robin._ 2, 9. Buchan, 2,
-299.)
-
-Page 308: added comma after volume number (Constance of Cleveland. 4,
-225.)
-
-Page 312: changed full stop to comma after ballad name (_Herr Aester ok
-Fr[:o]ken Sissa_, Swedish bal. 1, 152.)
-
-Page 315: changed comma to full stop after ballad name (_Krone der
-K[:o]nigin von Afion_. 1, 16)
-
-
-
-
-
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