FAIR HELEN.
PART SECOND.
I wish I were where Helen lies,
Night and day on me she cries;
O that I were where Helen lies,
On fair Kirconnell Lee!
Curst be the heart that thought the thought,5
And curst the hand that fired the shot,
When in my arms burd Helen dropt,
And died to succour me!
O think na ye my heart was sair,
When my love dropt down and spak nae mair!10
There did she swoon wi' meikle care,
On fair Kirconnell Lee.
As I went down the water side,
None but my foe to be my guide,
None but my foe to be my guide,15
On fair Kirconnell Lee;
I lighted down my sword to draw,
I hacked him in pieces sma',
I hacked him in pieces sma',
For her sake that died for me.20
O Helen fair, beyond compare!
I'll make a garland of thy hair,
Shall bind my heart for evermair,
Until the day I die.
O that I were where Helen lies!25
Night and day on me she cries;
Out of my bed she bids me rise,
Says, "Haste and come to me!"—
O Helen fair! O Helen chaste!
If I were with thee, I were blest,30
Where thou lies low, and takes thy rest,
On fair Kirconnell Lee.
I wish my grave were growing green,
A winding-sheet drawn ower my een,
And I in Helen's arms lying,35
On fair Kirconnell Lee.
I wish I were where Helen lies!
Night and day on me she cries;
And I am weary of the skies,
For her sake that died for me.40
THE LOWLANDS OF HOLLAND.
Mr. Stenhouse was informed that this ballad was composed, about the beginning of the last century, by a young widow in Galloway, whose husband was drowned on a voyage to Holland. (Musical Museum, ed. 1853, iv. 115.) But some of the verses appear to be old, and one stanza will be remarked to be of common occurrence in ballad poetry.
A fragment of this piece was published in Herd's collection, (ii. 49.) Our copy is from Johnson's Museum, p. 118, with the omission, however, of one spurious and absurd stanza, while another, not printed by Johnson, is supplied from the note above cited to the new edition. Cunningham makes sense of the interpolated verses and retains them; otherwise his version is nearly the same as the present. (Songs of Scotland, ii. 181.)
"The love that I have chosen,
I'll therewith be content,
The saut sea shall be frozen
Before that I repent;
Repent it shall I never,5
Until the day I die,
But the lowlands of Holland
Hae twinn'd my love and me.
"My love lies in the saut sea,
And I am on the side,10
Enough to break a young thing's heart,
Wha lately was a bride;
Wha lately was a bonnie bride,
And pleasure in her e'e,
But the lowlands of Holland15
Hae twinn'd my love and me.
"My love he built a bonnie ship,
And set her to the sea,
Wi' seven score brave mariners
To bear her companie;20
Threescore gaed to the bottom,
And threescore died at sea,
And the lowlands of Holland
Hae twinn'd my love and me.
"My love has built another ship25
And set her to the main;
He had but twenty mariners,
And all to bring her hame;
The stormy winds did roar again,
The raging waves did rout,30
And my love and his bonnie ship
Turn'd widdershins about.
["There shall nae mantle cross my back,]
Nor kame gae in my hair,
Neither shall coal nor candle light35
Shine in my bower mair;
Nor shall I chuse anither love,
Until the day I die,
Since the lowlands of Holland
Hae twinn'd my love and me."40
"O haud your tongue, my daughter dear,
Be still, and be content;
There are mair lads in Galloway,
Ye need nae sair lament."
["O there is nane in Galloway,]45
There's nane at a' for me;
For I never loved a lad but ane,
And he's drowned in the sea."
[33]-36, [45]-48. With the conclusion of this piece may be compared a passage from Bonny Bee-Ho'm, vol. iii. p. 57.
"Ohon, alas! what shall I do,
Tormented night and day!
I never loved a love but ane,
And now he's gone away.
"But I will do for my true love
What ladies would think sair;
For seven years shall come and gae,
Ere a kaime gae in my hair.
"There shall neither a shoe gae on my foot,
Nor a kaime gae in my hair,
Nor ever a coal or candle light
Shine in my bower nae mair."
See also The Weary Coble o' Cargill.
BOOK III.
THE TWA BROTHERS.
From Jamieson's Popular Ballads, i. 59.
The ballad of the Twa Brothers, like many of the domestic tragedies with which it is grouped in this volume, is by no means the peculiar property of the island of Great Britain. It finds an exact counterpart in the Swedish ballad Sven i Rosengård, Svenska F. V., No. 67, Arwidsson, No. 87, A, B, which, together with a Finnish version of the same story, thought to be derived from the Swedish, will be found translated in our Appendix. Edward, in Percy's Reliques, has the same general theme, with the difference that a father is murdered instead of a brother. Motherwell[C] has printed a ballad (Son Davie) closely agreeing with Edward, except
that the crime is again fratricide. He has also furnished another version of The Twa Brothers, in which the catastrophe is the consequence of an accident, and this circumstance has led the excellent editor to tax Jamieson with altering one of the most essential features of the ballad, by filling out a defective stanza with four lines that make one brother to have slain the other in a quarrel. Jamieson is, however, justified in giving this more melancholy character to the story, by the tenor of all the kindred pieces, and by the language of his own. It will be observed that both in Edward and Son Davie, the wicked act was not only deliberate, but was even instigated by the mother. The departure from the original is undoubtedly on the part of Motherwell's copy, which has softened down a shocking incident to accommodate a modern and refined sentiment. But Jamieson is artistically, as well as critically right, since the effect of the contrast of the remorse of one party and the generosity of the other is heightened by representing the terrible event as the result of ungoverned passion.
The three Scottish ballads mentioned above, here follow, and Motherwell's Twa Brothers will be found in the Appendix. Mr. Sharpe has inserted a third copy of this in his Ballad Book, p. 56. Another is said to be in The Scot's Magazine, for June, 1822. Placing no confidence in any of Allan Cunningham's souvenirs of Scottish Song, we simply state that one of them, composed upon the theme of the Twa Brothers, is included in the Songs of Scotland, ii. 16.
"The common title of this ballad is, The Twa Brothers, or, The Wood o' Warslin, but the words o' Warslin
appearing to the editor, as will be seen in the text, to be a mistake for a-wrestling, he took the liberty of altering it accordingly. After all, perhaps, the title may be right; and the wood may afterwards have obtained its denomination from the tragical event here celebrated. A very few lines inserted by the editor to fill up chasms, [some of which have been omitted,] are inclosed in brackets; the text, in other respects, is given genuine, as it was taken down from the recitation of Mrs. Arrott." Jamieson.
[C] The stanza mentioned by Motherwell, as occurring in Werner's Twenty Fourth of February, (Scene i.) is apparently only a quotation from memory of Herder's translation of Edward. When Motherwell became aware that a similar tradition was common to the Northern nations of Europe, he could no longer have thought it possible that an occurrence in the family history of the Somervilles gave rise to The Twa Brothers.
"O will ye gae to the school, brother?
Or will ye gae to the ba'?
Or will ye gae to the wood a-warslin,
To see whilk o's maun fa'?"
"It's I winna gae to the school, brother;5
Nor will I gae to the ba'?
But I will gae to the wood a-warslin;
And it is you maun fa'."
They warstled up, they warstled down,
The lee-lang simmer's day;10
[And nane was near to part the strife,
That raise atween them tway,
Till out and Willie's drawn his sword,
And did his brother slay.]
"O lift me up upon your back;15
Tak me to yon wall fair;
You'll wash my bluidy wounds o'er and o'er,
And syne they'll bleed nae mair.
"And ye'll tak aff my Hollin sark,
And riv't frae gair to gair;20
Ye'll stap it in my bluidy wounds,
And syne they'll bleed nae mair."
He's liftit his brother upon his back;
Ta'en him to yon wall fair;
He's washed his bluidy wounds o'er and o'er,25
But ay they bled mair and mair.
And he's ta'en aff his Hollin sark,
And riven't frae gair to gair;
He's stappit it in his bluidy wounds;
But ay they bled mair and mair.30
"Ye'll lift me up upon your back,
Tak me to [Kirkland] fair;
Ye'll mak my greaf baith braid and lang,
And lay my body there.
"Ye'll lay my arrows at my head,35
My bent bow at my feet;
My sword and buckler at my side,
As I was wont to sleep.
"Whan ye gae hame to your father,
He'll speer for his son John:—40
Say, ye left him into Kirkland fair,
Learning the school alone.
"When ye gae hame to my sister,
She'll speer for her brother John:—
Ye'll say, ye left him in Kirkland fair,45
The green grass growin aboon.
"Whan ye gae hame to my true love,
She'll speer for her lord John:—
Ye'll say, ye left him in Kirkland fair,
But hame ye fear he'll never come."—50
He's gane hame to his father;
He speered for his son John:
"It's I left him into Kirkland fair,
Learning the school alone."
And whan he gaed hame to his sister,55
She speered for her brother John:—
"It's I left him into Kirkland fair,
The green grass growin aboon."
And whan he gaed hame to his true love,
She speer'd for her lord John:60
"It's I left him into Kirkland fair,
And hame I fear he'll never come."
"But whaten bluid's that on your sword, Willie?
Sweet Willie, tell to me."
"O it is the bluid o' my grey hounds;65
They wadna rin for me."
"It's nae the bluid o' your hounds, Willie;
Their bluid was never so red;
But it is the bluid o' my true love,
That ye hae slain indeed."70
That fair may wept, that fair may mourn'd,
That fair may mourn'd and pin'd;
"When every lady looks for her love,
I ne'er need look for mine."
"O whaten a death will ye die, Willie?75
Now, Willie, tell to me."
"Ye'll put me in a bottomless boat,
And I'll gae sail the sea."
"Whan will ye come hame again, Willie?
Now, Willie, tell to me."80
"Whan the sun and moon dances on the green,
And that will never be."
[32]. "The house of Inchmurry, formerly called Kirkland, was built of old by the abbot of Holyrood-house, for his accommodation when he came to that country, and was formerly the minister's manse." Stat. Ac. of Scotland, vol. xiii. p. 506. J.
EDWARD, EDWARD.
"This curious Song was transmitted to the Editor by Sir David Dalrymple, Bart., late Lord Hailes."
Percy, Reliques, i. 61.
"Quhy dois zour brand sae drop w' bluid,
Edward, Edward?
Quhy dois zour brand sae drop wi' bluid,
And quhy sae sad gang zee O?"
"O I hae killed my hauke sae guid,5
Mither, mither:
O I hae killed my hauke sae guid,
And I had nae mair bot hee O."
"Zour haukis bluid was nevir sae reid,
Edward, Edward:10
Zour haukis bluid was nevir sae reid,
My deir son I tell thee O."
"O I hae killed my reid-roan steid,
Mither, mither:
O I hae killed my reid-roan steid,15
That erst was sae fair and free O."
"Zour steid was auld, and ze hae gat mair,
Edward, Edward:
Zour steid was auld, and ze hae gat mair,
Sum other dule ze drie O."20
"O I hae killed my fadir deir,
Mither, mither:
O I hae killed my fadir deir,
Alas! and wae is mee O!"
"And quhatten penance wul ze drie, for that,25
Edward, Edward?
And quhatten penance will ze drie for that?
My deir son, now tell me O."
"Ile set my feit in zonder boat,
Mither, mither:30
Ile set my feit in zonder boat,
And Ile fare ovir the sea O."
"And quhat wul ze doe wi' zour towirs and zour ha',
Edward, Edward?
And quhat wul ze doe wi' zour towirs and zour ha',35
That were sae fair to see O?"
"Ile let thame stand til they doun fa',
Mither, mither:
Ile let thame stand til they doun fa',
For here nevir mair maun I bee O."40
"And quhat wul ze leive to zour bairns and zour wife,
Edward, Edward?
And quhat wul ze leive to zour bairns and zour wife,
Quhan ze gang ovir the sea O?"
"The warldis room, late them beg throw life,45
Mither, mither:
The warldis room, late them beg throw life,
For thame nevir mair wul I see O."
"And quhat wul ze leive to zour ain mither deir,
Edward, Edward?50
And quhat wul ze leive to zour ain mither deir?
My deir son, now tell me O."
"The curse of hell frae me sall ze beir,
Mither, mither:
The curse of hell frae me sall ze beir,55
Sic counseils ze gave to me O."
SON DAVIE, SON DAVIE.
From the recitation of an old woman. Motherwell's Minstrelsy, 339.
"What bluid's that on thy coat lap?
Son Davie! son Davie!
What bluid's that on thy coat lap?
And the truth come tell to me O."
"It is the bluid of my great hawk,5
Mother lady! mother lady!
It is the bluid of my great hawk,
And the truth I hae tald to thee O."
"Hawk's bluid was ne'er sae red,
Son Davie! son Davie!10
Hawk's bluid was ne'er sae red,
And the truth come tell to me O."
"It is the bluid o' my grey hound,
Mother lady! mother lady!
It is the bluid of my grey hound,15
And it wudna rin for me O."
"Hound's bluid was ne'er sae red,
Son Davie! son Davie!
Hound's bluid was ne'er sae red,
And the truth come tell to me O."20
"It is the bluid o' my brother John,
Mother lady! mother lady!
It is the bluid o' my brother John,
And the truth I hae tald to thee O."
"What about did the plea begin?25
Son Davie! son Davie!"
"It began about the cutting o' a willow wand,
That would never hae been a tree O."
"What death dost thou desire to die?
Son Davie! son Davie!30
What death dost thou desire to die?
And the truth come tell to me O."
"I'll set my foot in a bottomless ship,
Mother lady! mother lady!
I'll set my foot in a bottomless ship,35
And ye'll never see mair o' me O."
"What wilt thou leave to thy poor wife?
Son Davie! son Davie!"
"Grief and sorrow all her life,
And she'll never get mair frae me O."40
"What wilt thou leave to thy auld son?
Son Davie! son Davie!"
"The weary warld to wander up and down,
And he'll never get mair o' me O."
"What wilt thou leave to thy mother dear?45
Son Davie! son Davie!"
"A fire o' coals to burn her wi' hearty cheer,
And she'll never get mair o' me O."
THE CRUEL SISTER.
The earliest printed copy of this ballad is the curious piece in Wit Restor'd, (1658,) called The Miller and the King's Daughter, improperly said to be a parody, by Jamieson and others. (See Appendix.) Pinkerton inserted in his Tragic Ballads, (p. 72,) a ballad on the subject, which preserves many genuine lines, but is half his own composition. Complete versions were published by Scott and Jamieson, and more recently a third has been furnished in Sharpe's Ballad Book, p. 30, and a fourth in Buchan's Ballads of the North of Scotland (given at the end of this volume). The burden of Mr. Sharpe's copy is nearly the same as that of the Cruel Mother, post, p. 372. Jamieson's copy had also this burden, but he exchanged it for the more popular, and certainly more tasteful, Binnorie. No ballad furnishes a closer link than this between the popular poetry of England and that of the other nations of Northern Europe. The same story is found in Icelandic, Norse, Faroish, and Estnish ballads, as well as in the Swedish and Danish, and a nearly related one in many other ballads or tales, German, Polish, Lithuanian, etc., etc.—See Svenska Folk-Visor, iii. 16, i. 81, 86, Arwidsson, ii. 139, and especially Den Talende Strengeleg, Grundtvig, No. 95, and the notes to Der Singende Knochen, K. u. H. Märchen, iii. 55, ed. 1856.
Of the edition in the Border Minstrelsy, Scott gives the following account, (iii. 287.)
"It is compiled from a copy in Mrs. Brown's MSS., intermixed with a beautiful fragment, of fourteen verses, transmitted to the Editor by J. C. Walker, Esq. the ingenious historian of the Irish bards. Mr. Walker, at the same time, favored the Editor with the following note: 'I am indebted to my departed friend, Miss Brook, for the foregoing pathetic fragment. Her account of it was as follows: This song was trans-scribed, several years ago, from the memory of an old woman, who had no recollection of the concluding verses; probably the beginning may also be lost, as it seems to commence abruptly.' The first verse and burden of the fragment ran thus:—
'O sister, sister, reach thy hand!
Hey ho, my Nanny, O;
And you shall be heir of all my land,
While the swan swims bonney, O.'"
There were two sisters sat in a bour;
Bínnorie, O Bínnorie;
There came a knight to be their wooer;
By the bonny milldams of Binnorie.
He courted the eldest with glove and ring,5
Binnorie, O Binnorie;
But he lo'ed the youngest abune a' thing;
By the bonny milldams of Binnorie.
He courted the eldest with broach and knife,
Binnorie, O Binnorie;10
But he lo'ed the youngest abune his life;
By the bonny milldams of Binnorie.
The eldest she was vexed sair,
Binnorie, O Binnorie;
And sore envied her sister fair;15
By the bonny milldams of Binnorie.
The eldest said to the youngest ane,
Binnorie, O Binnorie;
"Will ye go and see our father's ships come in?"
By the bonny milldams of Binnorie.20
She's ta'en her by the lily hand,
Binnorie, O Binnorie;
And led her down to the river strand;
By the bonny milldams of Binnorie.
The youngest stude upon a stane,25
Binnorie, O Binnorie;
The eldest came and pushed her in;
By the bonny milldams of Binnorie.
She took her by the middle sma',
Binnorie, O Binnorie;30
And dash'd her bonny back to the jaw;
By the bonny milldams of Binnorie.
"O sister, sister, reach your hand,
Binnorie, O Binnorie;
And ye shall be heir of half my land."—35
By the bonny milldams of Binnorie.
"O sister, I'll not reach my hand,
Binnorie, O Binnorie;
And I'll be heir of all your land;
By the bonny milldams of Binnorie.40
"Shame fa' the hand that I should take,
Binnorie, O Binnorie;
It's twin'd me and my world's make."—
By the bonny milldams of Binnorie.
"O sister, reach me but your glove,45
Binnorie, O Binnorie;
And sweet William shall be your love."—
By the bonny milldams of Binnorie.
"Sink on, nor hope for hand or glove!
Binnorie, O Binnorie;50
And sweet William shall better be my love,
By the bonny milldams of Binnorie.
"Your cherry cheeks and your yellow hair,
Binnorie, O Binnorie,
Garr'd me gang maiden evermair."—55
By the bonny milldams of Binnorie.
Sometimes she sunk, and sometimes she swam,
Binnorie, O Binnorie;
Until she cam to the miller's dam;
By the bonny milldams of Binnorie.60
"O father, father, draw your dam!
Binnorie, O Binnorie;
There's either a mermaid, or a milk-white swan."
By the bonny milldams of Binnorie.
The miller hasted and drew his dam,65
Binnorie, O Binnorie;
And there he found a drown'd woman;
By the bonny milldams of Binnorie.
You could not see her yellow hair,
Binnorie, O Binnorie;70
For gowd and pearls that were so rare;
By the bonny milldams of Binnorie.
You could not see her middle sma',
Binnorie, O Binnorie;
Her gowden girdle was sae bra';75
By the bonny milldams of Binnorie.
A famous harper passing by,
Binnorie, O Binnorie;
The sweet pale face he chanced to spy;
By the bonny milldams of Binnorie.80
And when he looked that lady on,
Binnorie, O Binnorie;
He sigh'd and made a heavy moan;
By the bonny milldams of Binnorie.
He made a harp of her breast-bone,85
Binnorie, O Binnorie;
Whose sounds would melt a heart of stone;
By the bonny milldams of Binnorie.
The strings he framed of her yellow hair,
Binnorie, O Binnorie;90
Whose notes made sad the listening ear;
By the bonny milldams of Binnorie.
He brought it to her father's hall,
Binnorie, O Binnorie;
And there was the court assembled all;95
By the bonny milldams of Binnorie.
He laid his harp upon a stone,
Binnorie, O Binnorie;
And straight it began to play alone;
By the bonny milldams of Binnorie.100
"O yonder sits my father, the king,
Binnorie, O Binnorie;
And yonder sits my mother, the queen;"
By the bonny milldams of Binnorie
"And yonder stands my brother Hugh,105
Binnorie, O Binnorie;
And by him my William, sweet and true."
By the bonny milldams of Binnorie.
But the last tune that the harp play'd then,
Binnorie, O Binnorie;110
Was—"Woe to my sister, false Helen!"
By the bonny milldams of Binnorie.
THE TWA SISTERS.
Verbatim (with one interpolated stanza) from the recitation of Mrs. Brown. Jamieson's Popular Ballads, i. 50.
There was twa sisters liv'd in a bower,
Bínnorie, O Bínnorie!
There came a knight to be their wooer,
By the bonny mill-dams o' Binnorie.
He courted the eldest wi' glove and ring,5
Binnorie, O Binnorie!
But he loved the youngest aboon a' thing,
By the bonny mill-dams o' Binnorie.
He courted the eldest wi' broach and knife,
Binnorie, O Binnorie!10
But he loved the youngest as his life,
By the bonny mill-dams o' Binnorie.
The eldest she was vexed sair,
Binnorie, O Binnorie!
And sair envied her sister fair,15
By the bonny mill-dams o' Binnorie.
Intill her bower she coudna rest,
Binnorie, O Binnorie!
Wi' grief and spite she maistly brast,
By the bonny mill-dams o' Binnorie.20
Upon a morning fair and clear,
Binnorie, O Binnorie!
She cried upon her sister dear,
By the bonny mill-dams o' Binnorie.
"O sister, come to yon sea strand,25
Binnorie, O Binnorie!
And see our father's ships come to land,"
By the bonny mill-dams o' Binnorie.
She's ta'en her by the milk-white hand,
Binnorie, O Binnorie!30
And led her down to yon sea strand,
By the bonny mill-dams o' Binnorie.
The youngest stood upon a stane,
Binnorie, O Binnorie!
The eldest came and threw her in,35
By the bonny mill-dams o' Binnorie.
She took her by the middle sma'
Binnorie, O Binnorie!
And dashed her bonny back to the jaw,
By the bonny mill-dams o' Binnorie.40
"O sister, sister, tak my hand,
Binnorie, O Binnorie!
And I'se mak ye heir to a' my land,
By the bonny mill-dams o' Binnorie.
"O sister, sister, tak my middle,45
Binnorie, O Binnorie!
And ye's get my goud and my gouden girdle,
By the bonny mill-dams o' Binnorie.
"O sister, sister, save my life,
Binnorie, O Binnorie!50
And I swear I'se never be nae man's wife,"
By the bonny mill-dams o' Binnorie.
"Foul fa' the hand that I should tak,
Binnorie, O Binnorie!
It twin'd me o' my warldes mak,55
By the bonny mill-dams o' Binnorie.
"Your cherry cheeks and yellow hair
Binnorie, O Binnorie!
Gars me gang maiden for evermair,"
By the bonny mill-dams o' Binnorie.60
Sometimes she sank, sometimes she swam,
Binnorie, O Binnorie!
Till she came to the mouth o' yon mill-dam,
By the bonny mill-dams o' Binnorie.
O out it came the miller's son,65
Binnorie, O Binnorie!
And saw the fair maid soummin in,
By the bonny mill-dams o' Binnorie.
"O father, father, draw your dam,
Binnorie, O Binnorie!70
There's either a mermaid or a swan,"
By the bonny mill-dams o' Binnorie.
[The miller quickly drew the dam,
Binnorie, O Binnorie!
And there he found a drown'd woman,75
By the bonny mill-dams o' Binnorie.]
"And sair and lang mat their teen last,
Binnorie, O Binnorie!
That wrought thee sic a dowie cast,"
By the bonny mill-dams o' Binnorie!80
You coudna see her yellow hair
Binnorie, O Binnorie!
For goud and pearl that was sae rare,
By the bonny mill-dams o' Binnorie.
You coudna see her middle sma85
Binnorie, O Binnorie!
For gouden girdle that was sae braw,
By the bonny mill-dams o' Binnorie.
You coudna see her fingers white,
Binnorie, O Binnorie!90
For gouden rings that were sae gryte,
By the bonny mill-dams o' Binnorie.
And by there came a harper fine,
Binnorie, O Binnorie!
That harped to the king at dine,95
By the bonny mill-dams o' Binnorie.
Whan he did look that lady upon,
Binnorie, O Binnorie!
He sigh'd and made a heavy moan,
By the bonny mill-dams o' Binnorie.100
He's ta'en three locks o' her yellow hair,
Binnorie, O Binnorie!
And wi' them strung his harp sae fair,
By the bonny mill-dams o' Binnorie.
The first tune it did play and sing,105
Binnorie, O Binnorie!
Was, "Fareweel to my father the king,"
By the bonny mill-dams o' Binnorie.
The nexten tune that it play'd seen,
Binnorie, O Binnorie!110
Was, "Fareweel to my mither the queen,"
By the bonny mill-dams o' Binnorie.
The thirden tune that it play'd then,
Binnorie, O Binnorie!
Was, "Wae to my sister, fair Ellen,"115
By the bonny mill-dams o' Binnorie!
LORD DONALD.
Kinloch's Ancient Scottish Ballads, p. 110.
Like the two which preceded it, this ballad is common to the Gothic nations. It exists in a great variety of forms. Two stanzas, recovered by Burns, were printed in Johnson's Museum, i. 337; two others were inserted by Jamieson, in his Illustrations, p. 319. The Border Minstrelsy furnished five stanzas, giving the story, without the bequests. Allan Cunningham's alteration of Scott's version, (Scottish Songs, i. 285,) has one stanza more. Kinloch procured from the North of Scotland the following complete copy.
In the Appendix, we have placed a nursery song on the same subject, still familiar in Scotland, and translations of the corresponding German and Swedish ballads—both most remarkable cases of parallelism in popular romance.
Lord Donald, as Kinloch remarks, would seem to have been poisoned by eating toads prepared as fishes. Scott, in his introduction to Lord Randal, has quoted from an old chronicle, a fabulous account of the poisoning of King John by means of a cup of ale, in which the venom of this reptile had been infused.
"O whare hae ye been a' day, Lord Donald, my son?
O whare hae ye been a' day, my jollie young man?"
"I've been awa courtin':—mither, mak my bed sune,
For I'm sick at the heart, and I fain wad lie doun."
"What wad ye hae for your supper, Lord Donald, my son?5
What wad ye hae for your supper, my jollie young man?"
"I've gotten my supper:—mither, mak my bed sune,
For I'm sick at the heart, and I fain wad lie doun."
"What did ye get for your supper, Lord Donald, my son?
What did ye get for your supper, my jollie young man?"10
"A dish of sma' fishes:—mither, mak my bed sune,
For I'm sick at the heart, and I fain wad lie doun."
"Whare gat ye the fishes, Lord Donald, my son?
Whare gat ye the fishes, my jollie young man?"
"In my father's black ditches:—mither, mak my bed sune,15
For I'm sick at the heart, and I fain wad lie doun."
"What like were your fishes, Lord Donald, my son?
What like were your fishes, my jollie young man?"
"Black backs and spreckl'd bellies:—mither, mak my bed sune,
For I'm sick at the heart, and I fain wad lie doun."20
"O I fear ye are poison'd, Lord Donald, my son!
O I fear ye are poison'd, my jollie young man!"
"O yes! I am poison'd:—mither mak my bed sune,
For I'm sick at the heart, and I fain wad lie doun."
"What will ye leave to your father, Lord Donald my son?25
What will ye leave to your father, my jollie young man?"
"Baith my houses and land:—mither, mak my bed sune,
For I'm sick at the heart, and I fain wad lie doun."
"What will ye leave to your brither, Lord Donald, my son?
What will ye leave to your brither, my jollie young man?"30
"My horse and the saddle:—mither, mak my bed sune,
For I'm sick at the heart, and I fain wad lie doun."
"What will ye leave to your sister, Lord Donald, my son?
What will ye leave to your sister, my jollie young man?"
"Baith my gold box and rings:—mither, mak my bed sune,35
For I'm sick at the heart, and I fain wad lie doun."
"What will ye leave to your true-love, Lord Donald, my son?
What will ye leave to your true-love, my jollie young man?"
"The tow and the halter, for to hang on yon tree,
And lat her hang there for the poysoning o' me."40
LORD RANDAL (B).
From Minstrelsy of the Scottish Border, (iii. 49.)
Scott changed the name of the hero of this piece from Lord Ronald to Lord Randal, on the authority of a single copy. The change is unimportant, but the reason will appear curious, if we remember that the Swedes and Germans have the ballad as well as the Scotch;—"because, though the circumstances are so very different, I think it not impossible, that the ballad may have originally regarded the death of Thomas Randolph, or Randal, Earl of Murray, nephew to Robert Bruce, and governor of Scotland."
"O where hae ye been Lord Randal, my son?
O where hae ye been, my handsome young man?"—
"I hae been to the wild wood; mother make my bed soon,
For I'm weary wi' hunting, and fain wald lie down."
"Where gat ye your dinner, Lord Randal, my son?5
Where gat ye your dinner, my handsome young man?"
"I dined wi' my true-love; mother, make my bed soon,
For I'm weary wi' hunting, and fain wald lie down."—
"What gat ye to your dinner, Lord Randal, my son?
What gat ye to your dinner, my handsome young man?"—10
"I gat eels boil'd in broo; mother, make my bed soon,
For I'm weary wi' hunting, and fain wald lie down."—
"What became of your bloodhounds, Lord Randal, my son?
What became of your bloodhounds, my handsome young man?"—
"O they swell'd and they died; mother, make my bed soon,15
For I'm weary wi' hunting, and fain wald lie down."—
"O I fear ye are poison'd, Lord Randal, my son!
O I fear ye are poisoned, my handsome young man!"—
"O yes! I am poison'd; mother, make my bed soon,
For I'm sick at the heart, and I fain wad lie down."20
THE CRUEL BROTHER:
OR,
THE BRIDE'S TESTAMENT.
Of this ballad, which is still commonly recited and sung in Scotland, four copies have been published. The following is from Jamieson's collection, i. 66, where it was printed verbatim after the recitation of Mrs. Arrott. A copy from Aytoun's collection is subjoined, which is nearly the same as a less perfect one in Herd, i. 149, and the fourth, from Gilbert's Ancient Christmas Carols, &c., is in the Appendix to this volume.
The conclusion, or testamentary part, occurs very frequently in ballads, e. g. Den lillas Testamente, Svenska Folk-Visor, No. 68, translated in the Appendix to this volume, the end of Den onde Svigermoder, Danske Viser, i. 261, translated in Illustrations of Northern Antiquities, p. 344, Möen paa Baalet, Grundtvig, No. 109, A, st. 18-21, and Kong Valdemar og hans Söster, Grundtvig, No. 126, A, st. 101-105. See also Edward, and Lord Donald, p. 225, p. 244.
There was three ladies play'd at the ba',
With a heigh-ho! and a lily gay;
There came a knight, and play'd o'er them a',
As the primrose spreads so sweetly.
The eldest was baith tall and fair,5
With a heigh-ho! and a lily gay;
But the youngest was beyond compare,
As the primrose spreads so sweetly.
The midmost had a gracefu' mien,
With a heigh-ho! and a lily gay;10
But the youngest look'd like beauty's queen,
As the primrose spreads so sweetly.
The knight bow'd low to a' the three,
With a heigh-ho! and a lily gay;
But to the youngest he bent his knee,15
As the primrose spreads so sweetly.
The lady turned her head aside,
With a heigh-ho! and a lily gay;
The knight he woo'd her to be his bride,
As the primrose spreads so sweetly.20
The lady blush'd a rosy red,
With a heigh-ho! and a lily gay;
And said, "Sir knight, I'm o'er young to wed,"
As the primrose spreads so sweetly.
"O lady fair, give me your hand,25
With a heigh-ho! and a lily gay;
And I'll mak you ladie of a' my land,"
As the primrose spreads so sweetly.
"Sir knight, ere you my favor win,
With a heigh-ho! and a lily gay;30
Ye maun get consent frae a' my kin,"
As the primrose spreads so sweetly.
He has got consent fra her parents dear,
With a heigh-ho! and a lily gay;
And likewise frae her sisters fair,35
As the primrose spreads so sweetly.
He has got consent frae her kin each one,
With a heigh-ho! and a lily gay;
But forgot to speer at her brother John,
As the primrose spreads so sweetly.40
Now, when the wedding day was come,
With a heigh-ho! and a lily gay;
The knight would take his bonny bride home,
As the primrose spreads so sweetly.
And many a lord and many a knight,45
With a heigh-ho! and a lily gay;
Came to behold that lady bright,
As the primrose spreads so sweetly.
And there was nae man that did her see,
With a heigh-ho! and a lily gay,50
But wished himself bridegroom to be,
As the primrose spreads so sweetly.
Her father dear led her down the stair,
With a heigh-ho! and a lily gay;
And her sisters twain they kiss'd her there,55
As the primrose spreads so sweetly.
Her mother dear led her through the close,
With a heigh-ho! and a lily gay;
And her brother John set her on her horse,
As the primrose spreads so sweetly.60
She lean'd her o'er the saddle-bow,
With a heigh-ho! and a lily gay,
To give him a kiss ere she did go,
As the primrose spreads so sweetly.
He has ta'en a knife, baith lang and sharp,65
With a heigh-ho! and a lily gay,
And stabb'd the bonny bride to the heart,
As the primrose spreads so sweetly.
She hadna ridden half thro' the town,
With a heigh-ho! and a lily gay,70
Until her heart's blood stained her gown,
As the primrose spreads so sweetly.
"Ride saftly on," said the best young man,
With a heigh-ho! and a lily gay;
"For I think our bonny bride looks pale and wan,"75
As the primrose spreads so sweetly.
"O lead me gently up yon hill,
With a heigh-ho! and a lily gay,
And I'll there sit down, and make my will,"
As the primrose spreads so sweetly.80
"O what will you leave to your father dear?"
With a heigh-ho! and a lily gay;
"The silver-shod steed that brought me here,"
As the primrose spreads so sweetly.
"What will you leave to your mother dear?"85
With a heigh-ho! and a lily gay;
"My velvet pall and silken gear,"
As the primrose spreads so sweetly.
"And what will ye leave to your sister Ann?"
With a heigh-ho! and a lily gay;90
"My silken scarf, and my golden fan,"
As the primrose spreads so sweetly.
"What will ye leave to your sister Grace?"
With a heigh-ho! and a lily gay;
"My bloody cloaths to wash and dress,"95
As the primrose spreads so sweetly.
"What will ye leave to your brother John?"
With a heigh-ho! and a lily gay;
"The gallows-tree to hang him on,"
As the primrose spreads so sweetly.100
"What will ye leave to your brother John's wife?"
With a heigh-ho! and a lily gay;
"The wilderness to end her life,"
As the primrose spreads so sweetly.
This fair lady in her grave was laid,105
With a heigh-ho! and a lily gay;
And a mass was o'er her said,
As the primrose spreads so sweetly.
But it would have made your heart right sair,
With a heigh-ho! and a lily gay;110
To see the bridegroom rive his hair,
As the primrose spreads so sweetly.
THE CRUEL BROTHER.
From Aytoun's Ballads of Scotland (2d ed.), i. 232, "taken down from recitation." Found also, but with several stanzas wanting, in Herd's Scottish Songs, i. 149. The title in both collections is Fine Flowers i' the Valley. This part of the refrain is found in one of the versions of the Cruel Mother, p. 269. To Herd's copy are annexed two fragmentary stanzas with nearly the same burden as that of the foregoing ballad.
She louted down to gie a kiss,
With a hey and a lily gay;
He stuck his penknife in her hass,
And the rose it smells so sweetly.
"Ride up, ride up," cry'd the foremost man,
With a hey and a lily gay;
"I think our bride looks pale and wan,"
And the rose it smells so sweetly.
There were three sisters in a ha',
Fine flowers i' the valley,
There came three lords amang them a',
The red, green, and the yellow.
The first o' them was clad in red,5
Fine flowers i' the valley;
"O lady, will ye be my bride?"
Wi' the red, green, and the yellow.
The second o' them was clad in green,
Fine flowers i' the valley;10
"O lady, will ye be my queen?"
Wi' the red, green, and the yellow.
The third o' them was clad in yellow,
Fine flowers i' the valley;
"O lady, will ye be my marrow?"15
Wi' the red, green, and the yellow.
"O ye maun ask my father dear,"
Fine flowers i' the valley,
"Likewise the mother that did me bear,"
Wi' the red, green, and the yellow.20
"And ye maun ask my sister Ann,"
Fine flowers i' the valley;
"And not forget my brother John,"
Wi' the red, green, and the yellow.
"O I have asked thy father dear,"25
Fine flowers i' the valley,
"Likewise the mother that did thee bear,"
Wi' the red, green, and the yellow.
"And I have asked your sister Ann,"
Fine flowers i' the valley;30
"But I forgot your brother John;"
Wi' the red, green, and the yellow.
Now when the wedding-day was come,
Fine flowers i' the valley,
The knight would take his bonny bride home,35
Wi' the red, green, and the yellow.
And mony a lord, and mony a knight,
Fine flowers i' the valley,
Cam to behold that lady bright,
Wi' the red, green, and the yellow.40
There was nae man that did her see,
Fine flowers i' the valley,
But wished himsell bridegroom to be,
Wi' the red, green, and the yellow.
Her father led her down the stair,45
Fine flowers i' the valley,
And her sisters twain they kissed her there,
Wi' the red, green, and the yellow.
Her mother led her through the close,
Fine flowers i' the valley;50
Her brother John set her on her horse,
Wi' the red, green, and the yellow.
"You are high and I am low,"
Fine flowers i' the valley;
"Give me a kiss before you go,"55
Wi' the red, green, and the yellow.
She was louting down to kiss him sweet,
Fine flowers i' the valley;
When wi' his knife he wounded her deep,
Wi' the red, green, and the yellow.60
She hadna ridden through half the town,
Fine flowers i' the valley,
Until her heart's blood stained her gown,
Wi' the red, green, and the yellow.
"Ride saftly on," said the best young man,65
Fine flowers i' the valley;
"I think our bride looks pale and wan!"
Wi' the red, green, and the yellow.
"O lead me over into yon stile,"
Fine flowers i' the valley,70
"That I may stop and breathe awhile,"
Wi' the red, green, and the yellow.
"O lead me over into yon stair,"
Fine flowers i' the valley,
"For there I'll lie and bleed nae mair,"75
Wi' the red, green, and the yellow.
"O what will you leave to your father dear?"
Fine flowers i' the valley;
"The siller-shod steed that brought me here,"
Wi' the red, green, and the yellow.80
"What will you leave to your mother dear?"
Fine flowers i' the valley;
"My velvet pall, and my pearlin' gear,"
Wi' the red, green, and the yellow.
"What will you leave to your sister Ann?"85
Fine flowers i' the valley;
"My silken gown that stands its lane,"
Wi' the red, green, and the yellow.
"What will you leave to your sister Grace?"
Fine flowers i' the valley;90
"My bluidy shirt to wash and dress,"
Wi' the red, green, and the yellow.
"What will you leave to your brother John?"
Fine flowers i' the valley;
"The gates o' hell to let him in,"95
Wi' the red, green, and the yellow.
LADY ANNE.
From Minstrelsy of the Scottish Border, iii. 18.
"This ballad was communicated to me by Mr. Kirkpatrick Sharpe of Hoddom, who mentions having copied it from an old magazine. Although it has probably received some modern corrections, the general turn seems to be ancient, and corresponds with that of a fragment which I have often heard sung in my childhood."
The version to which Sir Walter Scott refers, and part of which he proceeds to quote, had been printed in Johnson's Museum. It is placed immediately after the present, with other copies of the ballad from Motherwell and Kinloch.
In Buchan's Ballads of the North of Scotland there are two more, which are repeated with slight variations in the XVII. Vol. of the Percy Society, p. 46, p. 50. Both will be found in the Appendix. The copy in Buchan's Gleanings, p. 90, seems to be taken from Scott. Smith's Scottish Minstrel, iv. 33, affords still another variety.
In German, Die Kindesmörderin, Erk's Liederhort, No. 41, five copies; Erlach, iv. 148; Hoffmann, Schlesische V. L., No. 31, 32; Wunderhorn, ii. 202; Zuccalmaglio, No. 97; Meinert, No. 81; Simrock, p. 87. (But some of these are repetitions.) Wendish, Haupt and Schmaler, I. No. 292, and with considerable differences, I. No. 290, II. 197. This last reference is taken from Grundtvig, ii. 531.
Fair Lady Anne sate in her bower,
Down by the greenwood side,
And the flowers did spring, and the birds did sing,
'Twas the pleasant May-day tide.
But fair Lady Anne on Sir William call'd,5
With the tear grit in her ee,
"O though thou be fause, may Heaven thee guard,
In the wars ayont the sea!"—
Out of the wood came three bonnie boys,
Upon the simmer's morn,10
And they did sing and play at the ba',
As naked as they were born.
"O seven lang years wad I sit here,
Amang the frost and snaw,
A' to hae but ane o' these bonnie boys,15
A playing at the ba'."—
Then up and spake the eldest boy,
"Now listen, thou fair ladie,
And ponder well the rede that I tell,
Then make ye a choice of the three.20
"'Tis I am Peter, and this is Paul,
And that ane, sae fair to see,
But a twelve-month sinsyne to paradise came,
To join with our companie."—
"O I will hae the snaw-white boy,25
The bonniest of the three."—
"And if I were thine, and in thy propine,
O what wad ye do to me?"—
"'Tis I wad clead thee in silk and gowd,
And nourice thee on my knee."—30
"O mither! mither! when I was thine,
Sic kindness I couldna see.
"Beneath the turf, where now I stand,
The fause nurse buried me;
The cruel penknife sticks still in my heart,35
And I come not back to thee."—
* * * * * * *
FINE FLOWERS IN THE VALLEY.
From Johnson's Musical Museum, p. 331.
The first line of the burden is found also in The Cruel Brother, p. 258.
She sat down below a thorn,
Fine flowers in the valley;
And there she has her sweet babe born,
And the green leaves they grow rarely.
"Smile na sae sweet, my bonnie babe,5
Fine flowers in the valley,
And ye smile sae sweet, ye'll smile me dead,"
And the green leaves they grow rarely.
She's taen out her little penknife,
Fine flowers in the valley,10
And twinn'd the sweet babe o' its life,
And the green leaves they grow rarely.
She's howket a grave by the light o' the moon,
Fine flowers in the valley,
And there she's buried her sweet babe in,15
And the green leaves they grow rarely.
As she was going to the church,
Fine flowers in the valley,
She saw a sweet babe in the porch,
And the green leaves they grow rarely.20
"O sweet babe, and thou were mine,
Fine flowers in the valley,
I wad cleed thee in the silk so fine,"
And the green leaves they grow rarely.
"O mother dear, when I was thine,25
Fine flowers in the valley,
Ye did na prove to me sae kind,"
And the green leaves they grow rarely.
THE CRUEL MOTHER.
From Motherwell's Minstrelsy, p. 161.
She leaned her back unto a thorn,
Three, three, and three by three;
And there she has her two babes born,
Three, three, and thirty-three.
She took frae 'bout her ribbon-belt,5
And there she bound them hand and foot.
She has ta'en out her wee penknife,
And there she ended baith their life.
She has howked a hole baith deep and wide,
She has put them in baith side by side.10
She has covered them o'er wi' a marble stane,
Thinking she would gang maiden hame.
As she was walking by her father's castle wa',
She saw twa pretty babes playing at the ba'.
"O bonnie babes! gin ye were mine,15
I would dress you up in satin fine!
"O I would dress you in the silk,
And wash you ay in morning milk!"
"O cruel mother! we were thine,
And thou made us to wear the twine.20
"O cursed mother! heaven's high,
And that's where thou will ne'er win nigh.
"O cursed mother! hell is deep,
And there thou'll enter step by step."
THE CRUEL MOTHER.
From Kinloch's Ancient Scottish Ballads, p. 46.
Three stanzas of a Warwickshire version closely resembling Kinloch's are given in Notes and Queries, vol. viii. p. 358.
There lives a lady in London—
All alone, and alonie;
She's gane wi' bairn to the clerk's son—
Doun by the greenwud sae bonnie.
She has tane her mantel her about—5
All alone, and alonie;
She's gane aff to the gude greenwud—
Doun by the greenwud sae bonnie.
She has set her back until an aik—
All alone, and alonie;10
First it bowed, and syne it brake—
Doun by the greenwud sae bonnie.
She has set her back until a brier—
All alone, and alonie;
Bonnie were the twa boys she did bear—15
Doun by the greenwud sae bonnie.
But out she's tane a little penknife—
All alone, and alonie;
And she's parted them and their sweet life—
Doun by the greenwud sae bonnie.20
She's aff unto her father's ha'—
All alone, and alonie;
She seem'd the lealest maiden amang them a'—
Doun by the greenwud sae bonnie.
As she lookit our the castle wa'—25
All alone, and alonie;
She spied twa bonnie boys playing at the ba'—
Doun by the greenwud sae bonnie.
"O an thae twa babes were mine"—
All alone, and alonie;30
"They should wear the silk and the sabelline"—
Doun by the greenwud sae bonnie.
"O mother dear, when we were thine,"
All alone, and alonie;
"We neither wore the silks nor the sabelline"—35
Doun by the greenwud sae bonnie.
"But out ye took a little penknife"—
All alone, and alonie;
"An ye parted us and our sweet life"—
Doun by the greenwud sae bonnie.40
"But now we're in the heavens hie"—
All alone, and alonie;
"And ye have the pains o' hell to dree"—
Doun by the greenwud sae bonnie.
MAY COLVIN, OR FALSE SIR JOHN.
In the very ancient though corrupted ballads of Lady Isabel and the Elf-Knight, and The Water o' Wearie's Well (vol. i. p. 195, 198), an Elf or a Merman occupies the place here assigned to False Sir John. Perhaps May Colvin is the result of the same modernizing process by which Hynde Etin has been converted into Young Hastings the Groom (vol. i. p. 294, 189). The coincidence of the name with Clerk Colvill, in vol. i. p. 192, may have some significance. This, however, would not be the opinion of Grundtvig, who regards the Norse and German ballads resembling Lady Isabel, &c., as compounded of two independent stories. If this be so, then we should rather say that a ballad similar to May Colvin has been made to furnish the conclusion to the pieces referred to.
The story of this ballad has apparently some connection with Bluebeard, but it is hard to say what the connection is. (See Fitchers Vogel in the Grimms' K. u. H.-Märchen, No. 46, and notes.) The versions of the ballad in other languages are all but innumerable: e. g. Röfvaren Rymer, Röfvaren Brun, Svenska F.-V., No. 82, 83; Den Falske Riddaren, Arwidsson, No. 44; Ulrich und Aennchen, Schön Ulrich u. Roth-Aennchen, Schön Ulrich und Rautendelein, Ulinger, Herr Halewyn, etc., in Wunderhorn, i. 274; Uhland, 141-157 (four copies); Erk, Liederhort, 91, 93; Erlach, iii. 450; Zuccalmaglio, Deutsche Volkslieder, No. 15; Hoffmann, Schlesische Volkslieder, No. 12, 13, and Niederländische Volkslieder, No. 9, 10; etc. etc. A very brief Italian ballad will be found in the Appendix, p. 391, which seems to have the same theme. In some of the ballads the treacherous seducer is an enchanter, who prevails upon the maid to go with him by the power of a spell.
May Colvin was first published in Herd's Collection, vol. i. 153. The copy here given is one obtained from recitation by Motherwell, (Minstrelsy, p. 67,) collated by him with that of Herd. It is defective at the end. The other versions in Sharpe's Ballad Book, p. 45, and Buchan's Ballads of the North of Scotland, ii. 45, though they are provided with some sort of conclusion, are not worth reprinting. A modernized version, styled The Outlandish Knight, is inserted in the Notes to Scottish Traditional Versions of Ancient Ballads, Percy Society, vol. xvii. 101.
Carlton Castle, on the coast of Carrick, is affirmed by the country people, according to Mr. Chambers, to have been the residence of the perfidious knight, and
a precipice overhanging the sea, called "Fause Sir John's Loup," is pointed out as the place where he was wont to drown his wives. May Colvin is equally well ascertained to have been "a daughter of the family of Kennedy of Colzean, now represented by the Earl of Cassilis." Buchan's version assigns a different locality to the transaction—that of "Binyan's Bay," which, says the editor, is the old name of the mouth of the river Ugie.
False Sir John a wooing came
To a maid of beauty fair;
May Colvin was the lady's name,
Her father's only heir.
He's courted her butt, and he's courted her ben,5
And he's courted her into the ha',
Till once he got this lady's consent
To mount and ride awa'.
She's gane to her father's coffers,
Where all his money lay;10
And she's taken the red, and she's left the white,
And so lightly as she tripped away.
She's gane down to her father's stable,
Where all his steeds did stand;
And she's taken the best, and she's left the warst,15
That was in her father's land.
He rode on, and she rode on,
They rode a lang simmer's day,
Until they came to a broad river,
An arm of a lonesome sea.20
"Loup off the steed," says false Sir John;
"Your bridal bed you see;
For it's seven king's daughters I have drowned here,
And the eighth I'll out make with thee.
"Cast off, cast off your silks so fine,25
And lay them on a stone,
For they are o'er good and o'er costly
To rot in the salt sea foam.
"Cast off, cast off your Holland smock,
And lay it on this stone,30
For it is too fine and o'er costly
To rot in the salt sea foam."
"O turn you about, thou false Sir John,
And look to the leaf o' the tree;
For it never became a gentleman35
A naked woman to see."
He's turn'd himself straight round about,
To look to the leaf o' the tree;
She's twined her arms about his waist,
And thrown him into the sea.40
"O hold a grip of me, May Colvin,
For fear that I should drown;
I'll take you hame to your father's gates,
And safely I'll set you down."
"O lie you there, thou false Sir John,45
O lie you there," said she;
"For you lie not in a caulder bed
Than the ane you intended for me."
So she went on her father's steed,
As swift as she could flee,50
And she came hame to her father's gates
At the breaking of the day.
Up then spake the pretty parrot:
"May Colvin, where have you been?
What has become of false Sir John,55
That wooed you so late yestreen?"
Up then spake the pretty parrot,
In the bonnie cage where it lay:
"O what hae ye done with the false Sir John,
That he behind you does stay?60
"He wooed you butt, he wooed you ben,
He wooed you into the ha',
Until he got your own consent
For to mount and gang awa'."
"O hold your tongue, my pretty parrot,65
Lay not the blame upon me;
Your cage will be made of the beaten gold,
And the spakes of ivorie."
Up then spake the king himself,
In the chamber where he lay:70
"O what ails the pretty parrot,
That prattles so long ere day?"
"It was a cat cam to my cage door;
I thought 't would have worried me;
And I was calling on fair May Colvin75
To take the cat from me."
BABYLON,
OR,
THE BONNIE BANKS O' FORDIE.
"This ballad is given from two copies obtained from recitation, which differ but little from each other. Indeed, the only variation is in the verse where the outlawed brother unweetingly slays his sister. One reading is,—
'He's taken out his wee penknife,
Hey how bonnie;
And he's twined her o' her ain sweet life,
On the bonnie banks o' Fordie.'
The other reading is that adopted in the text. This ballad is popular in the southern parishes of Perthshire: but where the scene is laid the editor has been unable to ascertain. Nor has any research of his enabled him to throw farther light on the history of its hero with the fantastic name, than what the ballad itself supplies." Motherwell's Minstrelsy, p. 88.
Another version is subjoined, from Kinloch's collection.
This ballad is found in Danish; Herr Truels's Doettre, Danske Viser, No. 164. In a note the editor endeavors to show that the story is based on fact!
There were three ladies lived in a bower,
Eh vow bonnie,
And they went out to pull a flower,
On the bonnie banks o' Fordie.
They hadna pu'ed a flower but ane,5
Eh vow bonnie,
When up started to them a banisht man,
On the bonnie banks o' Fordie.
He's ta'en the first sister by her hand,
Eh vow bonnie,10
And he's turned her round and made her stand,
On the bonnie banks o' Fordie.
"It's whether will ye be a rank robber's wife,
Eh vow bonnie,
Or will ye die by my wee penknife,"15
On the bonnie banks o' Fordie?
"It's I'll not be a rank robber's wife,
Eh vow bonnie,
But I'll rather die by your wee penknife,"
On the bonnie banks o' Fordie.20
He's killed this may and he's laid her by,
Eh vow bonnie,
For to bear the red rose company,
On the bonnie banks o' Fordie.
He's taken the second ane by the hand,25
Eh vow bonnie,
And he's turned her round and made her stand,
On the bonnie banks o' Fordie.
"It's whether will ye be a rank robber's wife,
Eh vow bonnie,30
Or will ye die by my wee penknife,"
On the bonnie banks o' Fordie?
"I'll not be a rank robber's wife,
Eh vow bonnie,
But I'll rather die by your wee penknife,"35
On the bonnie banks o' Fordie.
He's killed this may and he's laid her by,
Eh vow bonnie,
For to bear the red rose company,
On the bonnie banks o' Fordie.40
He's taken the youngest ane by the hand,
Eh vow bonnie,
And he's turned her round and made her stand,
On the bonnie banks o' Fordie.
Says, "Will ye be a rank robber's wife,45
Eh vow bonnie,
Or will ye die by my wee penknife,"
On the bonnie banks o' Fordie?
"I'll not be a rank robber's wife,
Eh vow bonnie,50
Nor will I die by your wee penknife,
On the bonnie banks o' Fordie.
"For I hae a brother in this wood,
Eh vow bonnie,
And gin ye kill me, it's he'll kill thee,"55
On the bonnie banks o' Fordie.
"What's thy brother's name? come tell to me,"
Eh vow bonnie;
"My brother's name is Babylon,"
On the bonnie banks o' Fordie.60
"O sister, sister, what have I done,
Eh vow bonnie?
O have I done this ill to thee,
On the bonnie banks o' Fordie?
"O since I've done this evil deed,65
Eh vow bonnie,
Good sall never be seen o' me,"
On the bonnie banks o' Fordie.
He's taken out his wee penknife,
Eh vow bonnie,70
And he's twyned himsel o' his ain sweet life,
On the bonnie banks o' Fordie.
DUKE OF PERTH'S THREE DAUGHTERS.
From Kinloch's Ancient Scottish Ballads, p. 212.
The Duke o' Perth had three daughters,
Elizabeth, Margaret, and fair Marie;
And Elizabeth's to the greenwud gane,
To pu' the rose and the fair lilie.
But she hadna pu'd a rose, a rose,5
A double rose, but barely three,
Whan up and started a Loudon lord,
Wi' Loudon hose, and Loudon sheen.
"Will ye be called a robber's wife?
Or will ye be stickit wi' my bloody knife?10
For pu'in the rose and the fair lilie,
For pu'in them sae fair and free."
"Before I'll be called a robber's wife,
I'll rather be stickit wi' your bloody knife,
For pu'in the rose and the fair lilie,15
For pu'in them sae fair and free."
Then out he's tane his little penknife,
And he's parted her and her sweet life,
And thrown her o'er a bank o' brume,
There never more for to be found.20
The Duke o' Perth had three daughters,
Elizabeth, Margaret, and fair Marie;
And Margaret's to the greenwud gane,
To pu' the rose and the fair lilie.
She hadna pu'd a rose, a rose,25
A double rose, but barely three,
When up and started a Loudon lord,
Wi' Loudon hose, and Loudon sheen.
"Will ye be called a robber's wife?
Or will ye be stickit wi' my bloody knife?30
For pu'in the rose and the fair lilie,
For pu'in them sae fair and free."
"Before I'll be called a robber's wife,
I'll rather be sticket wi' your bloody knife,
For pu'in the rose and the fair lilie,35
For pu'in them sae fair and free."
Then out he's tane his little penknife,
And he's parted her and her sweet life,
For pu'in the rose and the fair lilie,
For pu'in them sae fair and free.40
The Duke o' Perth had three daughters,
Elizabeth, Margaret, and fair Marie;
And Mary's to the greenwud gane,
To pu' the rose and the fair lilie.
She hadna pu'd a rose, a rose,45
A double rose, but barely three,
When up and started a Loudon lord,
Wi' Loudon hose, and Loudon sheen.
"O will ye be called a robber's wife?
Or will ye be stickit wi' my bloody knife?50
For pu'in the rose and the fair lilie,
For pu'in them sae fair and free."
"Before I'll be called a robber's wife,
I'll rather be stickit wi' your bloody knife,
For pu'in the rose and the fair lilie,55
For pu'in them sae fair and free."
But just as he took out his knife,
To tak frae her her ain sweet life,
Her brother John cam ryding bye,
And this bloody robber he did espy.60
But when he saw his sister fair,
He kenn'd her by her yellow hair;
He call'd upon his pages three,
To find this robber speedilie.
"My sisters twa that are dead and gane,65
For whom we made a heavy maene,
It's you that's twinn'd them o' their life,
And wi' your cruel bloody knife.
Then for their life ye sair shall dree:
Ye sall be hangit on a tree,70
Or thrown into the poison'd lake,
To feed the toads and rattle-snake."
JELLON GRAME.
From Minstrelsy of the Scottish Border, iii. 162.
"This ballad is published from tradition, with some conjectural emendations. It is corrected by a copy in Mrs. Brown's MS., from which it differs in the concluding stanzas. Some verses are apparently modernized.
"Jellon seems to be the same name with Jyllian, or Julian. 'Jyl of Brentford's Testament' is mentioned in Warton's History of Poetry, vol. ii. p. 40. The name repeatedly occurs in old ballads, sometimes as that of a man, at other times as that of a woman. Of the former is an instance in the ballad of The Knight and the Shepherd's Daughter. [See this collection, vol. iii. p. 253.]
'Some do call me Jack, sweetheart,
And some do call me Jille.'
"Witton Gilbert, a village four miles west of Durham, is, throughout the bishopric, pronounced Witton Jilbert. We have also the common name of Giles, always in Scotland pronounced Jill. For Gille, or
Juliana, as a female name, we have Fair Gillian of Croyden, and a thousand authorities. Such being the case, the Editor must enter his protest against the conversion of Gil Morrice into Child Maurice, an epithet of chivalry. All the circumstances in that ballad argue, that the unfortunate hero was an obscure and very young man, who had never received the honour of knighthood. At any rate there can be no reason, even were internal evidence totally wanting, for altering a well-known proper name, which, till of late years, has been the uniform title of the ballad." Scott.
May-a-Row, in Buchan's larger collection, ii. 231, is another, but an inferior, version of this ballad.
O Jellon Grame sat in [Silverwood],
He sharp'd his broadsword lang;
And he has call'd his little foot-page
An errand for to gang.
"Win up, my bonny boy," he says,5
"As quickly as ye may;
For ye maun gang for Lillie Flower
Before the break of day."
The boy has buckled his belt about,
And through the green-wood ran;10
And he came to the ladye's bower
Before the day did dawn.
"O sleep ye, wake ye, Lillie Flower?
The red sun's on the rain:
Ye're bidden come to Silverwood,15
But I doubt ye'll never win hame."—
She hadna ridden a mile, a mile,
A mile but barely three,
Ere she came to a new-made grave,
Beneath a green aik tree.20
O then up started Jellon Grame,
Out of a bush thereby;
"Light down, light down, now, Lillie Flower,
For it's here that ye maun lye."—
She lighted aff her milk-white steed,25
And kneel'd upon her knee;
"O mercy, mercy, Jellon Grame,
For I'm no prepared to die!
"Your bairn, that stirs between my sides,
Maun shortly see the light:30
But to see it weltering in my blood,
Would be a piteous sight."
"O should I spare your life," he says,
"Until that bairn were born,
Full weel I ken your auld father35
Would hang me on the morn."—
"O spare my life, now, Jellon Grame!
My father ye needna dread:
I'll keep my babe in gude green-wood,
Or wi' it I'll beg my bread."—40
He took no pity on Lillie Flower,
Though she for life did pray;
But pierced her through the fair body
As at his feet she lay.
He felt nae pity for Lillie Flower,45
Where she was lying dead;
But he felt some for the bonny bairn,
That lay weltering in her bluid.
Up has he ta'en that bonny boy,
Given him to nurses nine;50
Three to sleep, and three to wake,
And three to go between.
And he bred up that bonny boy,
Call'd him his sister's son;
And he thought no eye could ever see55
The deed that he had done.
O so it fell upon a day,
When hunting they might be,
They rested them in Silverwood,
Beneath that green aik tree.60
And many were the green-wood flowers
Upon the grave that grew,
And marvell'd much that bonny boy
To see their lovely hue.
"What's paler than the prymrose wan?65
What's redder than the rose?
What's fairer than the lilye flower
On this wee know that grows?"—
O out and answer'd Jellon Grame,
And he spak hastilie—70
"Your mother was a fairer flower,
And lies beneath this tree.
"More pale she was, when she sought my grace,
Than prymrose pale and wan;
And redder than rose her ruddy heart's blood,75
That down my broadsword ran."—
Wi' that the boy has bent his bow,
It was baith stout and lang;
An thro' and thro' him, Jellon Grame,
Says,—"Lie ye there, now, Jellon Grame!
My malisoun gang you wi'!
The place that my mother lies buried in
Is far too good for thee."
[1]. Silverwood, mentioned in this ballad, occurs in a medley MS. song, which seems to have been copied from the first edition of the Aberdeen Cantus, penes John G. Dalyell, Esq. advocate. One line only is cited, apparently the beginning of some song:—
"Silverwood, gin ye were mine." Scott.
YOUNG JOHNSTONE.
A fragment of this fine ballad (which is commonly called The Cruel Knight) was published by Herd, (i. 222,) and also by Pinkerton, (Select Scottish Ballads, i. 69,) with variations. Finlay constructed a nearly complete edition from two recited copies, but suppressed some lines. (Scottish Ballads, ii. 72.) The present copy is one which Motherwell obtained from recitation, with a few verbal emendations by that editor from Finlay's.
With respect to the sudden and strange catastrophe, Motherwell remarks:—
"The reciters of old ballads frequently supply the best commentaries upon them, when any obscurity or want of connection appears in the poetical narrative. This ballad, as it stands, throws no light on young Johnstone's motive for stabbing his lady; but the person from whose lips it was taken down alleged that the barbarous act was committed unwittingly, through young Johnstone's suddenly waking from sleep, and, in that moment of confusion and alarm, unhappily mistaking his mistress for one of his pursuers. It is not improbable but the ballad may have had, at one time,
a stanza to the above effect, the substance of which is still remembered, though the words in which it was couched have been forgotten." Minstrelsy, p. 193.
Buchan's version, (Lord John's Murder, ii. 20,) it will be seen, supplies this deficiency.
Young Johnstone and the young Col'nel
Sat drinking at the wine:
"O gin ye wad marry my sister,
It's I wad marry thine."
"I wadna marry your sister,5
For a' your houses and land;
But I'll keep her for my leman,
When I come o'er the strand.
"I wadna marry your sister,
For a' your gowd so gay;10
But I'll keep her for my leman,
When I come by the way."
Young Johnstone had a nut-brown sword,
Hung low down by his gair,
And he [ritted] it through the young Col'nel,15
That word he ne'er spak mair.
But he's awa' to his sister's bower,
He's tirled at the pin:
"Whare hae ye been, my dear brither,
Sae late a coming in?"20
"I hae been at the school, sister,
Learning young clerks to sing."
"I've dreamed a dreary dream this night,
I wish it may be for good;
They were seeking you with hawks and hounds,25
And the young Col'nel was dead."
"Hawks and hounds they may seek me,
As I trow well they be;
For I have killed the young Col'nel,
And thy own true love was he."30
"If ye hae killed the young Col'nel,
O dule and wae is me;
But I wish ye may be hanged on a hie gallows,
And hae nae power to flee."
And he's awa' to his true love's bower,35
He's tirled at the pin:
"Whar hae ye been, my dear Johnstone,
Sae late a coming in?"
"It's I hae been at the school," he says,
"Learning young clerks to sing."40
"I have dreamed a dreary dream," she says,
"I wish it may be for good;
They were seeking you with hawks and hounds,
And the young Col'nel was dead."
"Hawks and hounds they may seek me,45
As I trow well they be;
For I hae killed the young Col'nel,
And thy ae brother was he."
"If ye hae killed the young Col'nel,
O dule and wae is me;50
But I care the less for the young Col'nel,
If thy ain body be free.
"Come in, come in, my dear Johnstone,
Come in and take a sleep;
And I will go to my casement,55
And carefully I will thee keep."
He had not weel been in her bower door,
No not for half an hour,
When four-and-twenty belted knights
Came riding to the bower.60
"Well may you sit and see, Lady,
Well may you sit and say;
Did you not see a bloody squire
Come riding by this way?"
"What colour were his hawks?" she says,65
"What colour were his hounds?
What colour was the gallant steed
That bore him from the bounds?"
"Bloody, bloody were his hawks,
And bloody were his hounds;70
But milk-white was the gallant steed
That bore him from the bounds."
"Yes, bloody, bloody were his hawks,
And bloody were his hounds;
And milk-white was the gallant steed75
That bore him from the bounds.
"Light down, light down now, gentlemen,
And take some bread and wine;
And the steed be swift that he rides on,
He's past the brig o' Lyne."80
"We thank you for your bread, fair Lady,
We thank you for your wine;
But I wad gie thrice three thousand pound,
That bloody knight was ta'en."
"Lie still, lie still, my dear Johnstone,85
Lie still and take a sleep;
For thy enemies are past and gone,
And carefully I will thee keep."
But young Johnstone had a little wee sword,
Hung low down by his gair,90
And he stabbed it in fair Annet's breast,
A deep wound and a sair.
"What aileth thee now, dear Johnstone?
What aileth thee at me?
Hast thou not got my father's gold,95
[Bot and my mither's fee?"]
"Now live, now live, my dear Ladye,
Now live but half an hour,
And there's no a leech in a' Scotland
But shall be in thy bower."100
"How can I live, how shall I live?
Young Johnstone, do not you see
The red, red drops o' my bonny heart's blood
Rin trinkling down my knee?
"But take thy harp into thy hand,105
And harp out owre yon plain,
And ne'er think mair on thy true love
Than if she had never been."
He hadna weel been out o' the stable,
And on his saddle set,110
Till four-and-twenty broad arrows
Were thrilling in his heart.
[15]. In the copy obtained by the Editor, the word "ritted" did not occur, instead of which the word "stabbed" was used. The "nut-brown sword" was also changed into "a little small sword." Motherwell.
[96]. Buchan's version furnishes the necessary explanation of Young Johnstone's apparent cruelty:—
"Ohon, alas, my lady gay,
To come sae hastilié!
I thought it was my deadly foe,
Ye had trysted in to me."
YOUNG BENJIE.
From the Minstrelsy of the Scottish Border, iii. 10. Bondsey and Maisry, another version of the same story, from Buchan's collection, is given in the Appendix.
"In this ballad the reader will find traces of a singular superstition, not yet altogether discredited in the wilder parts of Scotland. The lykewake, or watching a dead body, in itself a melancholy office, is rendered, in the idea of the assistants, more dismally awful, by the mysterious horrors of superstition. In the interval betwixt death and interment, the disembodied spirit is supposed to hover round its mortal habitation, and, if invoked by certain rites, retains the power of communicating, through its organs, the cause of its dissolution. Such inquiries, however, are always dangerous, and never to be resorted to, unless the deceased is suspected to have suffered foul play, as it is called. It is the more unsafe to tamper with this charm in an unauthorized manner, because the inhabitants of the infernal regions are, at such periods, peculiarly active. One of the most potent ceremonies in the charm, for
causing the dead body to speak, is, setting the door ajar, or half open. On this account, the peasants of Scotland sedulously avoid leaving the door ajar, while a corpse lies in the house. The door must either be left wide open, or quite shut; but the first is always preferred, on account of the exercise of hospitality usual on such occasions. The attendants must be likewise careful never to leave the corpse for a moment alone, or, if it is left alone, to avoid, with a degree of superstitious horror, the first sight of it.
"The following story, which is frequently related by the peasants of Scotland, will illustrate the imaginary danger of leaving the door ajar. In former times, a man and his wife lived in a solitary cottage, on one of the extensive Border fells. One day the husband died suddenly; and his wife, who was equally afraid of staying alone by the corpse, or leaving the dead body by itself, repeatedly went to the door, and looked anxiously over the lonely moor for the sight of some person approaching. In her confusion and alarm she accidentally left the door ajar, when the corpse suddenly started up, and sat in the bed, frowning and grinning at her frightfully. She sat alone, crying bitterly, unable to avoid the fascination of the dead man's eye, and too much terrified to break the sullen silence, till a Catholic priest, passing over the wild, entered the cottage. He first set the door quite open, then put his little finger in his mouth, and said the paternoster backwards; when the horrid look of the corpse relaxed, it fell back on the bed, and behaved itself as a dead man ought to do.
"The ballad is given from tradition. I have been informed by a lady, [Miss Joanna Baillie,] of the highest literary eminence, that she has heard a ballad on
the same subject, in which the scene was laid upon the banks of the Clyde. The chorus was,
"O Bothwell banks bloom bonny,"
and the watching of the dead corpse was said to have taken place in Bothwell church." Scott.
Of a' the maids o' fair Scotland,
The fairest was Marjorie;
And young Benjie was her ae true love,
And a dear true love was he.
And wow but they were lovers dear,5
And loved fu' constantlie;
But aye the mair when they fell out,
The sairer was their plea.
And they hae quarrell'd on a day,
Till Marjorie's heart grew wae;10
And she said she'd chuse another luve,
And let young Benjie gae.
And he was stout, and proud-hearted,
And thought o't bitterlie;
And he's gane by the wan moonlight,15
To meet his Marjorie.
"O open, open, my true love,
O open, and let me in!"
—
"I darena open, young Benjie,
My three brothers are within."—20
"Ye lied, ye lied, ye bonny burd,
Sae loud's I hear ye lie;
As I came by the Lowden banks,
They bade gude e'en to me.
"But fare ye weel, my ae fause love,25
That I have loved sae lang!
It sets ye chuse another love,
And let young Benjie gang."—
Then Marjorie turn'd her round about,
The tear blinding her ee,—30
"I darena, darena let thee in,
But I'll come down to thee."—
Then saft she smiled, and said to him,
"O what ill hae I done?"—
He took her in his armis twa,35
And threw her o'er the linn.
The stream was strang, the maid was stout,
And laith, laith to be dang,
But, ere she wan the Lowden banks,
Her fair colour was wan.40
Then up bespak her eldest brother,
"O see na ye what I see?"
—
And out then spak her second brother,
"It's our sister Marjorie!"—
Out then spak her eldest brother,45
"O how shall we her ken?"—
And out then spak her youngest brother,
"There's a honey mark on her chin."—
Then they've ta'en up the comely corpse,
And laid it on the ground:50
"O wha has killed our ae sister,
And how can he be found?
"The night it is her low lykewake,
The morn her burial day,
And we maun watch at mirk midnight,55
And hear what she will say."—
Wi' doors ajar, and candle light,
And torches burning clear,
The streikit corpse, till still midnight,
They waked, but naething hear.60
About the middle o' the night,
The cocks began to craw;
And at the dead hour o' the night,
The corpse began to thraw.
"O whae has done the wrang, sister,65
Or dared the deadly sin?
Whae was sae stout, and fear'd nae dout,
As thraw ye o'er the linn?"
"Young Benjie was the first ae man
I laid my love upon;70
He was sae stout and proud-hearted,
He threw me o'er the linn."—
"Sall we young Benjie head, sister,
Sall we young Benjie hang,
Or sall we pike out his twa gray een,75
And punish him ere he gang?"
"Ye maunna Benjie head, brothers,
Ye maunna Benjie hang,
But ye maun pike out his twa gray een,
And punish him ere he gang.80
"Tie a green gravat round his neck,
And lead him out and in,
And the best ae servant about your house
To wait young Benjie on.
"And aye, at every seven years' end,85
Ye'l tak him to the linn;
For that's the penance he maun dree,
To scug his deadly sin."
APPENDIX.
LORD BARNABY.
Scottish version of Little Musgrave and Lady Barnard. See p. 15.
From Jamieson's Popular Ballads and Songs, i. 170.
"I have a tower in Dalisberry,
Which now is dearly dight,
And I will gie it to young Musgrave
To lodge wi' me a' night."
"To lodge wi' thee a' night, fair lady,5
Wad breed baith sorrow and strife;
For I see by the rings on your fingers,
You're good lord Barnaby's wife."
"Lord Barnaby's wife although I be,
Yet what is that to thee?10
For we'll beguile him for this ae night—
He's on to fair Dundee.
"Come here, come here, my little foot-page,
This gold I will give thee,
If ye will keep thir secrets close15
'Tween young Musgrave and me.
"But here I hae a little pen-knife,
Hings low down by my gare;
Gin ye winna keep thir secrets close,
Ye'll find it wonder sair."20
Then she's ta'en him to her chamber,
And down in her arms lay he:
The boy coost aff his hose and shoon,
And ran to fair Dundee.
When he cam to the wan water,25
He [slack'd] his bow and swam;
And when he cam to growin grass,
Set down his feet and ran.
And when he cam to fair Dundee,
Wad neither chap nor ca';30
But set his [brent] bow to his breast,
And merrily jump'd the wa'.
"O waken ye, waken ye, my good lord,
Waken, and come away!"—
"What ails, what ails my wee foot-page,35
He cries sae lang ere day.
"O is my bowers brent, my boy?
Or is my castle won?
Or has the lady that I lo'e best
Brought me a daughter or son?"40
"Your ha's are safe, your bowers are safe,
And free frae all alarms;
But, oh! the lady that ye lo'e best
Lies sound in Musgrave's arms."
"Gae saddle to me the black," he cried,45
"Gae saddle to me the gray;
Gae saddle to me the swiftest steed,
To hie me on my way."
"O lady, I heard a wee horn toot,
And it blew wonder clear;50
And ay the turning o' the note,
Was, 'Barnaby will be here!'
"I thought I heard a wee horn blaw,
And it blew loud and high;
And ay at ilka turn it said,55
'Away, Musgrave, away!'"
"Lie still, my dear; lie still, my dear;
Ye keep me frae the cold;
For it is but my father's shepherds
Driving their flocks to the fold."60
Up they lookit, and down they lay,
And they're fa'en sound asleep;
Till up stood good lord Barnaby,
Just close at their bed feet.
"How do you like my bed, Musgrave?65
And how like ye my sheets?
And how like ye my fair lady,
Lies in your arms and sleeps?
"Weel like I your bed, my lord,
And weel like I your sheets;70
But ill like I your fair lady,
Lies in my arms and sleeps.
"You got your wale o' se'en sisters,
And I got mine o' five;
Sae tak ye mine, and I's tak thine,75
And we nae mair sall strive."
"O my woman's the best woman
That ever brak world's bread;
And your woman's the worst woman
That ever drew coat o'er head.80
"I hae twa swords in ae scabbert,
They are baith sharp and clear;
Take ye the best, and I the warst,
And we'll end the matter here.
"But up, and arm thee, young Musgrave,85
We'll try it han' to han';
It's ne'er be said o' lord Barnaby,
He strack at a naked man."
The first straik that young Musgrave got,
It was baith deep and sair;90
And down he fell at Barnaby's feet,
And word spak never mair.
* * * * * * *
"A grave, a grave!" lord Barnaby cried,
"A grave to lay them in;
My lady shall lie on the sunny side,95
Because of her noble kin."
But oh, how sorry was that good lord,
For a' his angry mood,
Whan he beheld his ain young son
All welt'ring in his blood!100
[26]. For slack'd read bent. J.
Note. [In [v. 31]] the term "braid bow" has been altered by the editor into "brent bow," i. e. straight, or unbent bow. In most of the old ballads, where a page is employed as the bearer of a message, we are told, that,
"When he came to wan water,
He bent his bow and swam;"
And
"He set his bent bow to his breast,
And lightly lap the wa'," &c.
The application of the term bent, in the latter instance, does not seem correct, and is probably substituted for brent.
In the establishment of a feudal baron, every thing wore a military aspect; he was a warrior by profession; every man attached to him, particularly those employed about his person, was a soldier; and his little foot-page was very appropriately equipped in the light accoutrements of an archer. His bow, in the old ballad, seems as inseparable from his character as the bow of Cupid or of Apollo, or the caduceus of his celestial prototype Mercury. This bow, which he carried unbent, he seems to have bent when he had occasion to swim, in order that he might the more easily carry it in his teeth, to prevent the string from being injured by getting wet. At other times he availed himself of its length and elasticity in the brent, or straight state, and used it (as hunters do a leaping pole) in
vaulting over the wall of the outer court of a castle, when his business would not admit of the tedious formality of blowing a horn, or ringing a bell, and holding a long parley with the porter at the gate, before he could gain admission. This, at least, appears to the editor to be the meaning of these passages in the old ballads. Jamieson.
CHILDE MAURICE. See p. [30].
From Jamieson's Popular Ballads and Songs, i. 8.
Childe Maurice hunted i' the [silver] wood,
He hunted it round about,
And noebody yt he found theren,
Nor noebody without.
* * * * * * *
* * * * * * *
And tooke his silver combe in his hand5
To kembe his yellow lockes.
He sayes, "come hither, thou litle footpage,
That runneth lowly by my knee;
Ffor thou shalt goe to John Steward's wiffe,
And pray her speake with mee.10
"And as it ffalls [out], many times
As knotts been knitt on a kell,
Or merchant men gone to leeve London,
Either to buy ware or sell,
* * * * * * *
* * * * * * *
And grete thou doe that ladye well,15
Ever soe well ffroe mee.
"And as it ffalls out, many times
As any harte can thinke,
As schoole masters are in any schoole house,
Writting with pen and inke,20
* * * * * * *
* * * * * * *
Ffor if I might as well as shee may,
This night I wold with her speake.
"And heere I send a mantle of greene,
As greene as any grasse,
[And bid her come to the silver wood,]25
To hunt with Child Maurice.
"And there I send her a ring of gold,
A ring of precyous stone;
And bid her come to the silver wood,
Let for no kind of man."30
One while this litle boy he yode,
Another while he ran;
Until he came to John Steward's hall,
Iwis he never blan.
And of nurture the child had good;35
He ran up hall and bower ffree,
And when he came to this lady ffaire,
Sayes, "God you save and see.
"I am come ffrom Childe Maurice,
A message unto thee,40
And Childe Maurice he greetes you well,
And ever soe well ffrom me.
"And as it ffalls out, oftentimes
As knotts been knitt on a kell,
Or merchant men gone to leeve London45
Either to buy or sell;
"And as oftentimes he greetes you well,
As any hart can thinke,
Or schoolemaster in any schoole,
Wryting with pen and inke.50
"And heere he sends a mantle of greene,
As greene as any grasse,
And he bidds you come to the silver wood,
To hunt with child Maurice.
"And heere he sends you a ring of gold,55
A ring of precyous stone;
He prayes you to come to the silver wood,
Let for no kind of man."
"Now peace, now peace, thou litle fotpage,
Ffor Christes sake I pray thee;60
Ffor if my lord heare one of those words,
Thou must be hanged hye."
John Steward stood under the castle wall,
And he wrote the words every one;
* * * * * * *
* * * * * * *
And he called unto his horssekeeper,65
"Make ready you my steede;"
And soe he did to his chamberlaine,
"Make readye then my weed."
And he cast a lease upon his backe,
And he rode to the silver wood,70
And there he sought all about,
About the silver wood.
And there he found him Childe Maurice,
Sitting upon a blocke,
With a silver combe in his hand,75
Kembing his yellow locke.
He sayes, "how now, how now, Childe Maurice,
Alacke how may this bee?"
But then stood by him Childe Maurice,
And sayd these words trulye:80
"I do not know your ladye," he said,
"If that I doe her see."
"Ffor thou hast sent her love tokens,
More now than two or three.
"For thou hast sent her a mantle of greene,85
As greene as any grasse,
And bade her come to the silver wood,
To hunt with Childe Maurice.
"And by my faith now, Childe Maurice,
The tane of us shall dye;"90
"Now by my troth," sayd Childe Maurice,
"And that shall not be I."
But he pulled out a bright browne sword,
And dryed it on the grasse,
And soe fast he smote at John Steward,95
Iwis he never rest.
Then hee pulled forth his bright browne sword,
And dryed itt on his sleeve,
And the ffirst good stroke John Steward stroke,
Child Maurice head he did cleeve.100
And he pricked it on his swords poynt,
Went singing there beside,
And he rode till he came to the ladye ffaire,
Whereas his ladye lyed.
And sayes, "dost thou know Child Maurice head,105
Iff that thou dost it see?
And llap it soft, and kisse itt offt,
Ffor thou lovedst him better than mee."
But when shee looked on Child Maurice head,
Shee never spake words but three:110
"I never beare noe child but one,
And you have slain him trulye."
Sayes, "wicked be my merry men all,
I gave meate, drinke, and clothe;
But cold they not have holden me,115
When I was in all that wrath!
"Ffor I have slaine one of the courteousest knights
That ever bestrode a steede;
Soe have I done one of the fairest ladyes
That ever ware womans weede."120
[1]. MS. silven. See vv. 25, 53, 70, 72.
[11]. out out.
[25]. Sic in MS.
CLERK SAUNDERS. See p. [45].
From Jamieson's Popular Ballads and Songs, i. 83.
"The following copy was transmitted by Mrs. Arrott of Aberbrothick. The stanzas, where the seven brothers are introduced, have been enlarged from two fragments, which, although very defective in themselves, furnished lines which, when incorporated with the text, seemed to improve it. Stanzas 21 and 22, were written by the editor; the idea of the rose being suggested by the gentleman who recited, but who could not recollect the language in which it was expressed."
This copy of Clerk Saunders bears traces of having been made up from several sources. A portion of the
concluding stanzas (v. 107-130) have a strong resemblance to the beginning and end of Proud Lady Margaret (vol. viii. 83, 278), which ballad is itself in a corrupt condition. It may also be doubted whether the fragments Jamieson speaks of did not belong to a ballad resembling Lady Maisry, p. 78 of this volume.
Accepting the ballad as it stands here, there is certainly likeness enough in the first part to suggest a community of origin with the Swedish ballad Den Grymma Brodern, Svenska Folk-Visor, No. 86 (translated in Lit. and Rom. of Northern Europe, p. 261). W. Grimm mentions (Altdän. Heldenl., p. 519) a Spanish ballad, De la Blanca Niña, in the Romancero de Amberes, in which the similarity to Den Grymma Brodern is very striking. The series of questions (v. 30-62) sometimes appears apart from the story, and with a comic turn, as in Det Hurtige Svar, Danske V., No. 204, or Thore och hans Syster, Arwidsson, i. 358. In this shape they closely resemble the familiar old song, Our gudeman came hame at e'en, Herd, Scottish Songs, ii. 74.
Clerk Saunders was an earl's son,
He liv'd upon sea-sand;
May Margaret was a king's daughter,
She liv'd in upper land.
Clerk Saunders was an earl's son,5
Weel learned at the scheel;
May Margaret was a king's daughter;
They baith lo'ed ither weel.
He's throw the dark, and throw the mark,
And throw the leaves o' green;10
Till he came to May Margaret's door,
And tirled at the pin.
"O sleep ye, wake ye, May Margaret,
Or are ye the bower within?"
"O wha is that at my bower door,15
Sae weel my name does ken?"
"It's I, Clerk Saunders, your true love,
You'll open and lat me in.
"O will ye to the cards, Margaret,
Or to the table to dine?20
Or to the bed, that's weel down spread,
And sleep when we get time."
"I'll no go to the cards," she says,
"Nor to the table to dine;
But I'll go to a bed, that's weel down spread,25
And sleep when we get time."
They were not weel lyen down,
And no weel fa'en asleep,
When up and stood May Margaret's brethren,
Just up at their bed feet.30
"O tell us, tell us, May Margaret,
And dinna to us len,
O wha is aught yon noble steed,
That stands your stable in?
"The steed is mine, and it may be thine,35
To ride whan ye ride in hie—
* * * * * * *
"But awa', awa', my bald brethren,
Awa', and mak nae din;
For I am as sick a lady the nicht
As e'er lay a bower within."40
"O tell us, tell us, May Margaret,
And dinna to us len,
O wha is aught yon noble hawk,
That stands your kitchen in?"
"The hawk is mine, and it may be thine,45
To hawk whan ye hawk in hie——
* * * * * * *
"But awa', awa', my bald brethren!
Awa', and mak nae din;
For I'm ane o' the sickest ladies this nicht
That e'er lay a bower within."50
"O tell us, tell us, May Margaret,
And dinna to us len,
O wha is that, May Margaret,
You and the wa' between?"
"O it is my bower-maiden," she says,55
"As sick as sick can be;
O it is my bower maiden," she says,
And she's thrice as sick as me."
"We hae been east, and we've been west,
And low beneath the moon;60
But a' the bower-women e'er we saw
Hadna goud buckles in their shoon."
Then up and spak her eldest brither,
Ay in ill time spak he:
"It is Clerk Saunders, your true love,65
And never mat I the,
But for this scorn that he has done,
This moment he sall die."
But up and spak her youngest brother,
Ay in good time spak he:70
"O but they are a gudelie pair!—
True lovers an ye be,
The sword that hangs at my sword belt
Sall never sinder ye!"
Syne up and spak her nexten brother,75
And the tear stood in his ee:
"You've lo'ed her lang, and lo'ed her weel,
And pity it wad be,
The sword that hangs at my sword-belt
Shoud ever sinder ye!"80
But up and spak her fifthen brother,
"Sleep on your sleep for me;
But we baith sall never sleep again,
For the tane o' us sall die!"
[But up and spak her midmaist brother;85
And an angry laugh leugh he:
"The thorn that dabs, I'll cut it down,
Though fair the rose may be.
"The flower that smell'd sae sweet yestreen
Has lost its bloom wi' thee;90
And though I'm wae it should be sae,
Clerk Saunders, ye maun die.">[
And up and spak her thirden brother,
Ay in ill time spak he:
"Curse on his love and comeliness!—95
Dishonour'd as ye be,
The sword that hangs at my sword-belt
Sall quickly sinder ye!"
Her eldest brother has drawn his sword;
Her second has drawn anither;100
Between Clerk Saunders' hause and collar bane
The cald iron met thegither.
"O wae be to you, my fause brethren,
And an ill death mat ye die!
Ye mith slain Clerk Saunders in open field,105
And no in the bed wi' me."
When seven years were come and gane,
Lady Margaret she thought lang;
And she is up to the hichest tower,
By the lee licht o' the moon.110
She was lookin o'er her castle high,
To see what she might fa';
And there she saw a grieved ghost
Comin waukin [o'er the wa'].
"O are ye a man of mean," she says,115
"Seekin ony o' my meat?
Or are you a rank robber,
Come in my bower to break?"
"O I'm Clerk Saunders, your true love;
Behold, Margaret, and see,120
And mind, for a' your meikle pride,
Sae will become of thee."
"Gin ye be Clerk Saunders, my true love,
This meikle marvels me:
O wherein is your bonny arms125
That wont to embrace me?"
"By worms they're eaten, in mools they're rotten,
Behold, Margaret, and see;
And mind, for a' your mickle pride,
Sae will become o' thee!"130
* * * * * * *
O, bonny, bonny sang the bird,
Sat on the coil o' hay;
But dowie, dowie was the maid,
That follow'd the corpse o' clay.
"Is there ony room at your head, Saunders,135
Is there ony room at your feet?
Is there ony room at your twa sides,
For a lady to lie and sleep?"
"There is nae room at my head, Margaret,
As little at my feet;140
There is nae room at my twa sides,
For a lady to lie and sleep.
"But gae hame, gae hame, now, May Margaret,
Gae hame and sew your seam;
For if ye were laid in your weel-made bed,145
Your days will nae be lang."
[114]. The wa' here is supposed to mean the wall, which, in some old castles, surrounded the court. J.
LORD WA'YATES AND AULD INGRAM.
A FRAGMENT. See p. [72].
Jamieson's Popular Ballads, ii. 265.
"From Mr. Herd's MS., transmitted by Mr. Scott."
Lady Maisery was a lady fair,
She made her mother's bed;
Auld Ingram was an aged knight,
And her he sought to wed.
"Its I forbid ye, auld Ingram,5
For to seek me to spouse;
For Lord Wa'yates, your sister's son,
Has been into my bowers.
"Its I forbid ye, auld Ingram,
For to seek me to wed;10
For Lord Wa'yates, your sister's son,
Has been into my bed."
He has brocht to this ladie
The robis of the brown;
And ever, "Alas!" says this ladie,15
"Thae robes will put me down."
And he has brocht to that ladie
The robis of the red;
And ever, "Alas!" says that ladie,
"Thae robes will be my dead."20
And he has brocht to that ladie
The chrystal and the laumer;
Sae has he brocht to her mither
The curches o' the cannel.
Every ane o' her seven brethren25
They had a hawk in hand,
And every lady in the place
They got a goud garland.
Every cuik in that kitchen
They got a noble claith;30
A' was blyth at auld Ingram's coming,
But Lady Maisery was wraith.
"Whare will I get a bonny boy,
Wad fain win hose and shoon,
That wad rin on to my Wa'yates,35
And quickly come again?"
"Here am I, a bonny boy,
Wad fain win hose and shoon;
Wha will rin on to your Wa'yates,
"Ye'll bid him, and ye'll pray him baith,
Gin ony prayer may dee,
To Marykirk to come the morn,
My weary wadding to see."
Lord Wa'yates lay o'er his castle wa',45
Beheld baith dale and down;
And he beheld a bonny boy
Come running to the town.
"What news, what news, ye bonny boy?
What news hae ye to me?50
* * * * * * *
* * * * * * *
"O are my ladie's fauldis brunt,
Or are her towers won?
Or is my Maisery lichter yet
O' a dear dochter or son?"
"Your ladie's faulds are neither brunt,55
Nor are her towers won;
Nor is your Maisery lichter yet
O' a dear dochter or son:
"But she bids you, and she prays you baith,
Gin ony prayer can dee,60
To Mary Kirk to come the morn,
Her weary wadding to see."
He dang the buird up wi' his fit,
Sae did he wi' his knee;
The silver cup, that was upon't,65
I' the fire he gar'd it flee:
"O whatten a lord in a' Scotland
Dare marry my Maisery?
"O it is but a feeble thocht,
To tell the tane and nae the tither;70
O it is but a feeble thocht
To tell it's your ain mither's brither."
"Its I will send to that wadding,
And I will follow syne,
The fitches o' the fallow deer,75
And the gammons o' the swine;
And the nine hides o' the noble cow—
'Twas slain in season time.
"Its I will send to that wadding
Ten tun o' the red wine;80
And mair I'll send to that waddin',
And I will follow syne."
Whan he came in into the ha',
Lady Maisery she did ween;
And twenty times he kist her mou',85
Afore auld Ingram's een.
And till the kirk she wadna gae,
Nor tillt she wadna ride,
Till four-and-twenty men she gat her before,
And twenty on ilka side,90
And four-and-twenty milk white dows,
To flee aboon her head.
A loud lauchter gae Lord Wa'yates,
'Mang the mids o' his men;
"Marry that lady wha that will,95
A maiden she is nane."
"O leuch ye at my men, Wa'yates,
Or did ye lauch at me?
Or leuch ye at the bierdly bride,
That's gaun to marry me?"100
"I leuchna at your men, uncle,
Nor yet leuch I at thee;
But I leuch at my lands so braid,
Sae weel's I do them see."
When e'en was come, and e'en-bells rung,105
And a' man gane to bed,
The bride but and the silly bridegroom
In ae chamber were laid.
Wasna't a fell thing for to see
Twa heads upon a cod;110
Lady Maisery's like the mo'ten goud,
Auld Ingram's like a toad.
He turn'd his face unto the stock,
And sound he fell asleep;
She turn'd her face unto the wa',115
And saut tears she did weep.
It fell about the mirk midnicht,
Auld Ingram began to turn him;
He put his hand on's ladie's side,
And waly, sair was she mournin'.120
"What aileth thee, my lady dear?
Ever alas, and wae is me!
There is a babe betwixt thy sides,—
Oh! sae sair's it grieves me!"
"O didna I tell ye, auld Ingram,125
Ere ye socht me to wed,
That Lord Wa'yates, your sister's son,
Had been into my bed?"
"Then father that bairn on me, Maisery,
O father that bairn on me;130
And ye sall hae a rigland shire
Your mornin' gift to be."
"O sarbit!" says the Ladie Maisery,
"That ever the like me befa',
To father my bairn on auld Ingram,135
Lord Wa'yates in my father's ha'.
"O sarbit!" says the Ladie Maisery,
"That ever the like betide,
To father my bairn on auld Ingram,
And Lord Wa'yates beside."140
* * * * * * *
SWEET WILLIE AND FAIR MAISRY. See p. [79].
From Buchan's Ballads of the North of Scotland, i. 97.
"Hey love Willie, and how love Willie,
And Willie my love shall be;
They're thinking to sinder our lang love, Willie;
It's mair than man can dee.
"Ye'll mount me quickly on a steed,5
A milk-white steed or gray;
And carry me on to gude greenwood
Before that it be day."
He mounted her upon a steed,
He chose a steed o' gray;10
He had her on to gude greenwood
Before that it was day.
"O will ye gang to the cards, Meggie?
Or will ye gang wi' me?
Or will ye ha'e a bower woman,15
To stay ere it be day?"
"I winna gang to the cards," she said,
"Nor will I gae wi' thee,
Nor will I hae a bower woman,
To spoil my modestie.20
"Ye'll gie me a lady at my back,
An' a lady me beforn;
An' a midwife at my twa sides
Till your young son be born.
"Ye'll do me up, and further up,25
To the top o' yon greenwood tree;
For every pain myself shall ha'e,
The same pain ye maun drie."
The first pain that did strike sweet Willie,
It was into the side;30
Then sighing sair said sweet Willie,
"These pains are ill to bide."
The nextan pain that strake sweet Willie,
It was into the back;
Then sighing sair said sweet Willie,35
"These pains are women's wreck."
The nextan pain that strake sweet Willie,
It was into the head;
Then sighing sair said sweet Willie,
"I fear my lady's dead."40
Then he's gane on, and further on,
At the foot o' yon greenwood tree;
There he got his lady lighter,
Wi' his young son on her knee.
Then he's ta'en up his little young son,45
And kiss'd him cheek and chin;
And he is on to his mother,
As fast as he could gang.
"Ye will take in my son, mother,
Gi'e him to nurses nine;50
Three to wauk, and three to sleep,
And three to gang between."
Then he has left his mother's house,
And frae her he has gane;
And he is back to his lady,55
And safely brought her hame.
Then in it came her father dear,
Was belted in a brand;
"It's nae time for brides to lye in bed,
When the bridegroom's send's in town.60
"There are four-and-twenty noble lords
A' lighted on the green;
The fairest knight amang them a',
He must be your bridegroom."
"O wha will shoe my foot, my foot?65
And wha will glove my hand?
And wha will prin my sma' middle,
Wi' the short prin and the lang?"
Now out it speaks him, sweet Willie,
Who knew her troubles best;70
"It is my duty for to serve,
As I'm come here as guest.
"Now I will shoe your foot, Maisry,
And I will glove your hand,
And I will prin your sma' middle,75
Wi' the sma' prin and the lang."
"Wha will saddle my steed," she says,
"And gar my bridle ring?
And wha will ha'e me to gude church-door,
This day I'm ill abound?"80
"I will saddle your steed, Maisry,
And gar your bridle ring;
And I'll hae you to gude church-door,
And safely set you down."
"O healy, healy take me up,85
And healy set me down;
And set my back until a wa',
My foot to yird-fast stane."
He healy took her frae her horse,
And healy set her down;90
And set her back until a wa',
Her foot to yird-fast stane.
When they had eaten and well drunken,
And a' had thorn'd fine;
The bride's father he took the cup,95
For to serve out the wine.
Out it speaks the bridegroom's brother,
An ill death mat he die!
"I fear our bride she's born a bairn,
She's ta'en out a Bible braid,
And deeply has she sworn;
"If I ha'e born a bairn," she says,
"Sin' yesterday at morn;
"Or if I've born a bairn," she says,105
"Sin' yesterday at noon;
There's nae a lady amang you a'
That wou'd been here sae soon."
Then out it spake the bridegroom's man,
Mischance come ower his heel!110
"Win up, win up, now bride," he says,
"[And dance a shamefu' reel]."
Then out it speaks the bride hersell,
And a sorry heart had she;
"Is there nae ane amang you a'115
Will dance this dance for me?"
Then out it speaks him, sweet Willie,
And he spake aye thro' pride;
"O draw my boots for me, bridegroom,
Or I dance for your bride."120
Then out it spake the bride hersell,
"O na, this maunna be;
For I will dance this dance mysell,
Tho' my back shou'd gang in three."
She hadna well gane thro' the reel,125
Nor yet well on the green,
Till she fell down at Willie's feet
As cauld as ony stane.
He's ta'en her in his arms twa,
And ha'ed her up the stair;130
Then up it came her jolly bridegroom,
Says, "What's your business there?"
Then Willie lifted up his foot,
And dang him down the stair;
And brake three ribs o' the bridegroom's side,135
And a word he spake nae mair.
Nae meen was made for that lady,
When she was lying dead;
But a' was for him, sweet Willie,
On the fields for he ran mad.140
[112]. The first reel, danced with the bride, her maiden, and two young men, and called the Shame Spring, or Reel, as the bride chooses the tune that is to be played. B.
LADY MARJORIE. See p. [92].
"Given from the recitation of an old woman in Kilbarchan, Renfrewshire, from whom the Editor has obtained several valuable pieces of a like nature. In singing, O is added at the end of the second and fourth line of each stanza." Motherwell's Minstrelsy, p. 234.
Lady Marjorie was her mother's only daughter,
Her father's only heir;
And she is awa to Strawberry Castle,
To get some unco lair.
She had na been in Strawberry Castle5
A twelvemonth and a day,
Till Lady Marjorie she gangs big wi' child,
As big as she can gae.
Word is to her father gane,
Before he got on his shoon,10
That Lady Marjorie she gaes wi' child,
And it is to an Irish groom.
But word is to her mother gone,
Before she got on her goun,
That Lady Marjorie she gaes wi' child15
To a lord of high renown.
"O wha will put on the pat," they said,
"Or wha will put on the pan,
Or wha will put on a bauld, bauld fire,
To burn Lady Marjorie in?"20
Her father he put on the pat,
Her sister put on the pan,
And her brother he put on a bauld, bauld fire,
To burn Lady Marjorie in;
And her mother she sat in a golden chair,25
To see her daughter burn.
"But where will I get a pretty little boy,
That will win hose and shoon;
That will go quickly to Strawberry Castle,
And bid my lord come doun?"30
"O here am I, a pretty little boy,
That will win hose and shoon;
That will rin quickly to Strawberry Castle,
And bid thy lord come doun."
O when he cam to broken brigs,35
He bent his bow and swam;
And when he cam to gude dry land,
He set doun his foot and ran.
When he cam to Strawberry Castle,
He tirled at the pin;40
Nane was sae ready as the gay lord himsell
To open and let him in.
"O is there any of my towers burnt,
Or any of my castles won?
Or is Lady Marjorie brought to bed,45
Of a daughter or a son?"
"O there is nane of thy towers burnt,
Nor nane of thy castles broken;
But Lady Marjorie is condemned to die,
To be burnt in a fire of oaken."50
"O gar saddle to me the black," he says,
"Gar saddle to me the broun;
Gar saddle to me the swiftest steed
That e'er carried a man frae toun!"
He left the black into the slap,55
The broun into the brae;
But fair fa' that bonnie apple-gray
That carried this gay lord away!
"Beet on, beet on, my brother dear,
I value you not one straw;60
For yonder comes my ain true luve,
I hear his horn blaw.
"Beet on, beet on, my father dear,
I value you not a pin;
For yonder comes my ain true luve,65
I hear his bridle ring."
He took a little horn out of his pocket,
And he blew't baith loud and schill;
And wi' the little life that was in her,
She hearken'd to it full weel.70
But when he came into the place,
He lap unto the wa';
He thought to get a kiss o' her bonnie lips,
But her body fell in twa!
"O vow! O vow! O vow!" he said,75
"O vow! but ye've been cruel:
Ye've taken the timber out of my ain wood,
And burnt my ain dear jewel!
"Now for thy sake, Lady Marjorie,
I'll burn baith father and mother;80
And for thy sake, Lady Marjorie,
I'll burn baith sister and brother.
"And for thy sake, Lady Marjorie,
I'll burn baith kith and kin;
But I'll aye remember the pretty little boy85
That did thy errand rin."
LEESOME BRAND.
Buchan's Ballads of the North of Scotland, i. 38. This is properly a tragic story, as may be perceived by comparing the present corrupted version (evidently made up from several different sources) with the Danish and Swedish ballads. See Herr Medelvold, Danske Viser, iii. 361, Die wahrsagenden Nachtigallen, in Grimm's Altdänische Heldenlieder, p. 88, Fair Midel and Kirsten Lyle, translated by Jamieson, Illustrations, p. 377; and Herr Redevall, Svenska Folkvisor, ii. 189, Krist' Lilla och Herr Tideman, Arwidsson, i. 352, Sir Wal and Lisa Lyle, translated by Jamieson, p. 373.
My boy was scarcely ten years auld,
Whan he went to an unco land,
Where wind never blew, nor cocks ever crew,
Ohon! for my son, Leesome Brand.
Awa' to that king's court he went,5
It was to serve for meat an' fee;
Gude red gowd it was his hire,
And lang in that king's court stay'd he.
He hadna been in that unco land,
But only twallmonths twa or three;10
Till by the glancing o' his ee,
He gain'd the love o' a gay ladye.
This ladye was scarce eleven years auld,
When on her love she was right bauld;
She was scarce up to my right knee,15
When oft in bed wi' men I'm tauld.
But when nine months were come and gane,
This ladye's face turn'd pale and wane;
To Leesome Brand she then did say,
"In this place I can nae mair stay.20
"Ye do you to my father's stable,
Where steeds do stand baith wight and able;
Strike ane o' them upo' the back,
The swiftest will gie his head a wap.
"Ye take him out upo' the green,25
And get him saddled and bridled seen;
Get ane for you, anither for me,
And lat us ride out ower the lee.
"Ye do you to my mother's coffer,
And out of it ye'll take my tocher;30
Therein are sixty thousand pounds,
Which all to me by right belongs."
He's done him to her father's stable,
Where steeds stood baith wicht and able;
Then he strake ane upon the back,35
The swiftest gae his head a wap.
He's ta'en him out upo' the green,
And got him saddled and bridled seen;
Ane for him, and another for her,
To carry them baith wi' might and virr.40
He's done him to her mother's coffer,
And there he's taen his lover's tocher;
Wherein were sixty thousand pounds,
Which all to her by right belong'd.
When they had ridden about six mile,45
His true love then began to fail;
"O wae's me," said that gay ladye,
"I fear my back will gang in three!
"[O gin I had but a gude midwife],
Here this day to save my life,50
And ease me o' my misery,
O dear, how happy I wou'd be!"
"My love, we're far frae ony town;
There is nae midwife to be foun';
But if ye'll be content wi' me,55
I'll do for you what man can dee."
"For no, for no, this maunna be,"
Wi' a sigh, replied this gay ladye;
"When I endure my grief and pain,
My companie ye maun refrain.60
"Ye'll take your arrow and your bow,
And ye will hunt the deer and roe;
Be sure ye touch not the white hynde,
For she is o' the woman kind."
He took sic pleasure in deer and roe,65
Till he forgot his gay ladye;
Till by it came that milk-white hynde,
And then he mind on his ladye syne.
He hasted him to yon greenwood tree,
For to relieve his gay ladye;70
But found his ladye lying dead,
Likeways her young son at her head.
His mother lay ower her castle wa',
And she beheld baith dale and down;
And she beheld young Leesome Brand,75
As he came riding to the town.
"Get minstrels for to play," she said,
"And dancers to dance in my room;
For here comes my son, Leesome Brand,
And he comes merrilie to the town."80
"Seek nae minstrels to play, mother,
Nor dancers to dance in your room;
But tho' your son comes, Leesome Brand,
Yet he comes sorry to the town.
"O I hae lost my gowden knife,85
I rather had lost my ain sweet life;
And I hae lost a better thing,
The gilded sheath that it was in."
"Are there nae gowdsmiths here in Fife,
Can make to you anither knife?90
Are there nae sheath-makers in the land,
Can make a sheath to Leesome Brand?"
"There are nae gowdsmiths here in Fife,
Can make me sic a gowden knife;
Nor nae sheath-makers in the land,95
Can make to me a sheath again.
"There ne'er was man in Scotland born,
Ordain'd to be so much forlorn;
I've lost my ladye I lov'd sae dear,
Likeways the son she did me bear."100
"Put in your hand at my bed head,
There ye'll find a gude grey horn;
In it three draps o' Saint Paul's ain blude,
That hae been there sin' he was born.
"Drap twa o' them o' your ladye,105
And ane upo' your little young son;
Then as lively they will be
As the first night ye brought them hame."
He put his hand at her bed head,
And there he found a gude grey horn;110
Wi' three draps o' Saint Paul's ain blude,
That had been there sin' he was born.
Then he drapp'd twa on his ladye,
And ane o' them on his young son;
And now they do as lively be,115
As the first day he brought them hame.
Note to v. [49-72].—A similar passage is found at p. [94] of this volume, v. 33-36, also vol. v. p. 178, v. 97-108, and p. 402, v. 169-176, and in the Scandinavian ballads cited in the preface to this ballad. In these last the lady frees herself from the presence of the knight by sending him to get her some water, and she is found dead on his return. This incident, remarks Grimm, (Altdänische Heldenlieder, p. 508), is also found in Wolfdietrich, Str. 1680-96.
THE YOUTH OF ROSENGORD. See p. [219].
Sven i Rosengård, Svenska Folk-Visor, iii. 3, and Arwidsson's Fornsånger, ii. 83: translated in Literature and Romance of Northern Europe, i. 263.
"So long where hast thou tarried,
Young man of Rosengord?"
"I have been into my stable,
Our mother dear."
Long may you look for me, or look for me never.5
"What hast thou done in the stable,
Young man of Rosengord?"
"I have watered the horses,
Our mother dear."
Long may ye look for me, or look for me never.10
"Why is thy foot so bloody,
Young man of Rosengord?"
"The black horse has trampled me,
Our mother dear."
Long may you look for me, or look for me never.15
"Why is thy sword so bloody,
Young man of Rosengord?"
"I have murdered my brother,
Our mother dear."
Long may you look for me, or look for me never.20
"Whither wilt thou betake thee,
Young man of Rosengord?"
"I shall flee my country,
Our mother dear."
Long may you look for me, or look for me never.25
"What will become of thy wedded wife,
Young man of Rosengord?"
"She must spin for her living,
Our mother dear."
Long may you look for me, or look for me never.30
"What will become of thy children small,
Young man of Rosengord?"
"They must beg from door to door,
Our mother dear."
Long may you look for me, or look for me never.35
"When comest thou back again,
Young man of Rosengord?"
"When the swan is black as night,
Our mother dear."
Long may you look for me, or look for me never.40
"And when will the swan be black as night,
Young man of Rosengord?"
"When the raven shall be white as snow,
Our mother dear."
Long may you look for me, or look for me never.45
"And when will the raven be white as snow,
Young man of Rosengord?"
"When the grey rocks take to flight,
Our mother dear."
Long may you look for me, or look for me never.50
"And when will fly the grey rocks,
Young man of Rosengord?"
"The rocks they will fly never,
Our mother dear."
Long may you look for me, or look for me never.55
THE BLOOD-STAINED SON.—See p. [219].
A translation, nearly word for word, of Der Blutige Sohn, printed from oral tradition in Schröter's Finnische Runen, (Finnisch und Deutsch,) ed. 1834, p. 151.
"Say whence com'st thou, say whence com'st thou,
Merry son of mine?"
"From the lake-side, from the lake-side,
O dear mother mine."
"What hast done there, what hast done there,5
Merry son of mine?"
"Steeds I watered, steeds I watered,
O dear mother mine."
"Why thus clay-bedaubed thy jacket,
Merry son of mine?"10
"Steeds kept stamping, steeds kept stamping,
O dear mother mine."
"But how came thy sword so bloody,
Merry son of mine?"
"I have stabbed my only brother,15
O dear mother mine."
"Whither wilt thou now betake thee,
Merry son of mine?"
"Far away to foreign countries,
O dear mother mine."20
"Where leav'st thou thy gray-haired father,
Merry son of mine?"
"Let him chop wood in the forest,
Never wish to see me more,
O dear mother mine."25
"Where leav'st thou thy gray-haired mother,
Merry son of mine?"
"Let her sit, her flax a-picking,
Never wish to see me more,
O dear mother mine."30
"Where leav'st thou thy wife so youthful,
Merry son of mine?"
"Let her deck her, take another,
Never wish to see me more,
O dear mother mine."35
"Where leav'st thou thy son so youthful,
Merry son of mine?"
"He to school, and bear the rod there,
[Never wish to see me more,]
"Where leav'st thou thy youthful daughter,
Merry son of mine?"
"She to the wood and eat wild berries,
Never wish to see me more,
O dear mother mine."45
"Home when com'st thou back from roaming,
Merry son of mine?"
"In the north when breaks the morning,
O dear mother mine."
"In the north when breaks the morning,50
Merry son of mine?"
"When stones dance upon the water,
O dear mother mine."
"When shall stones dance on the water,
Merry son of mine?"55
"When a feather sinks to the bottom,
O dear mother mine."
"When shall feathers sink to the bottom,
Merry son of mine?"
"When we all shall come to judgment,60
O dear mother mine."
THE TWA BROTHERS. See p. [220].
From Motherwell's Minstrelsy, p. 61.
There were twa brothers at the scule,
And when they got awa',—
"It's will ye play at the stane-chucking,
Or will ye play at the ba',
Or will ye gae up to yon hill head,5
And there we'll warsel a fa'?"
"I winna play at the stane-chucking,
Nor will I play at the ba';
But I'll gae up to yon bonnie green hill,
And there we'll warsel a fa'."10
They warsled up, they warsled down,
Till John fell to the ground;
A dirk fell out of William's pouch,
And gave John a deadly wound.
"O lift me upon your back,15
Take me to yon well fair,
And wash my bluidy wounds o'er and o'er,
And they'll ne'er bleed nae mair."
He's lifted his brother upon his back,
Ta'en him to yon well fair;20
He's wash'd his bluidy wounds o'er and o'er,
But they bleed ay mair and mair.
"Tak ye aff my Holland sark,
And rive it gair by gair,
And row it in my bluidy wounds,25
And they'll ne'er bleed nae mair."
He's taken aff his Holland sark,
And torn it gair by gair;
He's rowit it in his bluidy wounds,
But they bleed ay mair and mair.30
"Tak now aff my green cleiding,
And row me saftly in;
And tak me up to yon kirk style,
Whare the grass grows fair and green."
He's taken aff the green cleiding,35
And rowed him saftly in;
He's laid him down by yon kirk style,
Whare the grass grows fair and green.
"What will ye say to your father dear,
When ye gae hame at e'en?"40
"I'll say ye're lying at yon kirk style,
Whare the grass grows fair and green."
"O no, O no, my brother dear,
O you must not say so;
But say that I'm gane to a foreign land,45
Whare nae man does me know."
When he sat in his father's chair,
He grew baith pale and wan:
"O what blude 's that upon your brow?
O dear son, tell to me."50
"It is the blude o' my gude gray steed,
He wadna ride wi' me."
"O thy steed's blude was ne'er sae red,
Nor e'er sae dear to me:
O what blude 's this upon your cheek?55
O dear son, tell to me."
"It is the blude of my greyhound,
He wadna hunt for me."
"O thy hound's blude was ne'er sae red,
Nor e'er sae dear to me:60
O what blude 's this upon your hand?
O dear son, tell to me."
"It is the blude of my gay goss hawk,
He wadna flee for me."
"O thy hawk's blude was ne'er sae red,65
Nor e'er sae dear to me:
O what blude 's this upon your dirk?
Dear Willie, tell to me."
"It is the blude of my ae brother,
O dule and wae is me!"70
"O what will ye say to your father?
Dear Willie, tell to me."
"I'll saddle my steed, and awa I'll ride
To dwell in some far countrie."
"O when will ye come hame again?75
Dear Willie, tell to me."
"When sun and mune leap on yon hill,
And that will never be."
She turn'd hersel' right round about,
And her heart burst into three:80
"My ae best son is deid and gane,
And my tother ane I'll ne'er see."
THE MILLER AND THE KING'S DAUGHTER. See p. [231].
From Wit Restor'd, (1658,) reprinted, London, 1817, i. 153. It is there ascribed to "Mr. Smith," (Dr. James Smith, the author of many of the pieces in that collection,) who may have written it down from tradition, and perhaps added a verse or two. Mr. Rimbault has printed the same piece from a broadside dated 1656, in Notes and Queries, v. 591. A fragment of it is given from recitation at p. 316 of that volume, and a copy quite different from any before published, at p. 102 of vol. vi. Although two or three stanzas are ludicrous, and were probably intended for burlesque, this ballad is by no means to be regarded as a parody.
There were two sisters, they went a-playing,
With a hie downe, downe, a downe a;
To see their fathers ships sayling in.
With a hy downe, downe, a downe o.
And when they came into the sea brym,
With, &c.
The elder did push the younger in.
With, &c.
"O sister, O sister, take me by the gowne,5
With, &c.
And drawe me up upon the dry ground."
With,
"O sister, O sister, that may not bee,
With, &c.
Till salt and oatmeale grow both of a tree."
With, &c.
Somtymes she sanke, somtymes she swam,
With, &c.
Untill she came unto the mildam.10
With, &c.
The miller runne hastily downe the cliffe,
With, &c.
And up he betook her withouten her life.
With, &c.
What did he doe with her brest bone?
With, &c.
He made him a viall to play thereupon.
With, &c.
What did he doe with her fingers so small?15
With, &c.
He made him peggs to his violl withall.
With, &c.
What did he doe with her nose-ridge?
With, &c.
Unto his violl he made him a bridge.
With, &c.
What did he do with her veynes so blewe?
With, &c.
He made him strings to his viole thereto.20
With,
What did he doe with her eyes so bright?
With, &c.
Upon his violl he played at first sight.
With, &c.
What did he doe with her tongue soe rough?
With, &c.
Unto the violl it spake enough.
With, &c.
What did he doe with her two shinnes?25
With, &c.
Unto the violl they danct Moll Syms.
With, &c.
Then bespake the treble string,
With, &c.
"O yonder is my father the king."
With, &c.
Then bespake the second string,
With, &c.
"O yonder sitts my mother the queen."30
With, &c.
And then bespake the stringes all three,
With, &c.
"O yonder is my sister that drowned mee."
With, &c.
Now pay the miller for his payne,
With, &c.
And let him bee gone in the divels name.
With, &c.
THE BONNY BOWS O' LONDON. See p. [231].
From Buchan's Ballads of the North of Scotland, ii. 128.
There were twa sisters in a bower,
Hey wi' the gay and the grinding;
And ae king's son hae courted them baith,
At the bonny, bonny bows o' London.
He courted the youngest wi' broach and ring,5
Hey wi' the gay and the grinding;
He courted the eldest wi' some other thing,
At the bonny, bonny bows o' London.
It fell ance upon a day,
Hey wi' the gay and the grinding,10
The eldest to the youngest did say,
At the bonny, bonny bows o' London:
"Will ye gae to yon Tweed mill dam,"
Hey wi' the gay and the grinding,
"And see our father's ships come to land?"15
At the bonny, bonny bows o' London.
They baith stood up upon a stane,
Hey wi' the gay and the grinding;
The eldest dang the youngest in,
At the bonny, bonny bows o' London.20
She swimmed up, sae did she down,
Hey wi' the gay and the grinding;
Till she came to the Tweed mill-dam,
At the bonny, bonny bows o' London.
The miller's servant he came out,25
Hey wi' the gay and the grinding;
And saw the lady floating about,
At the bonny, bonny bows o' London.
"O master, master, set your mill,"
Hey wi' the gay and the grinding;30
"There is a fish, or a milk-white swan,"
At the bonny, bonny bows o' London.
They could not ken her yellow hair,
Hey wi' the gay and the grinding;
[For] the scales o' gowd that were laid there,35
At the bonny, bonny bows o' London.
They could not ken her fingers sae white,
Hey wi' the gay and the grinding;
The rings o' gowd they were sae bright,
At the bonny, bonny bows o' London.40
They could not ken her middle sae jimp,
Hey wi' the gay and the grinding;
The stays o' gowd were so well laced,
At the bonny, bonny bows o' London.
They could not ken her foot sae fair,45
Hey wi' the gay and the grinding;
The shoes o' gowd they were so rare,
At the bonny, bonny bows o' London.
Her father's fiddler he came by,
Hey wi' the gay and the grinding;50
Upstarted her ghaist before his eye,
At the bonny, bonny bows o' London.
"Ye'll take a lock o' my yellow hair,"
Hey wi' the gay and the grinding;
"Ye'll make a string to your fiddle there,"55
At the bonny, bonny bows o' London.
"Ye'll take a lith o' my little finger bane,"
Hey wi' the gay and the grinding;
"And ye'll make a pin to your fiddle then,"
At the bonny, bonny bows o' London.60
He's ta'en a lock o' her yellow hair,
Hey wi' the gay and the grinding;
And made a string to his fiddle there,
At the bonny, bonny bows o' London.
He's taen a lith o' her little finger bane,65
Hey wi' the gay and the grinding;
And he's made a pin to his fiddle then,
At the bonny, bonny bows o' London.
The firstand spring the fiddle did play,
Hey wi' the gay and the grinding;70
Said, "Ye'll drown my sister, as she's dune me."
At the bonny, bonny bows o' London.
I.
THE CROODLIN DOO.
See Lord Donald, p. [244].
From Chambers's Scottish Ballads, p. 324. Other copies in The Scot's Musical Museum, (1853,) vol. iv. 364*, and Buchan's Ballads of the North of Scotland, ii. 179.
"O whaur hae ye been a' the day,
My little wee croodlin doo?"
"O I've been at my grandmother's;
Mak my bed, mammie, noo."
"O what gat ye at your grandmother's,5
My little wee croodlin doo?"
"I got a bonnie wee fishie;
Mak my bed, mammie, noo."
"O whaur did she catch the fishie,
My bonnie wee croodlin doo?"10
"She catch'd it in the gutter-hole;
Mak my bed, mammie, noo."
"And what did she do wi' the fish,
My little wee croodlin doo?"
"She boiled it in a brass pan;15
O mak my bed, mammie, noo."
"And what did ye do wi' the banes o't,
My bonnie wee croodlin doo?"
"I gied them to my little dog;
Mak my bed, mammie, noo,"20
"And what did your little doggie do,
My bonnie wee croodlin doo?"
"He stretch'd out his head, his feet, and dee'd,
And so will I, mammie, noo!"
II.
THE SNAKE-COOK.
From oral tradition, in Erk's Deutscher Leiderhort, p. 6. Our homely translation is, as far as possible, word for word. Other German versions are The Stepmother, at p. 5 of the same collection, (or Uhland, i. 272,) and Grandmother Adder-cook, at p. 7. The last is translated by Jamieson, Illustrations of Northern Antiquities, p. 320.
"Where hast thou been away so long,
Henry, my dearest son?"
"O I have been at my true-love's,
Lady mother, ah me!
My young life,5
She has poisoned for me."
"What gave she thee to eat,
Henry, my dearest son?"
"She cooked me a speckled fish,
Lady mother, ah me!" &c.10
"And how many pieces cut she thee,
Henry my dearest son?"
"She cut three little pieces from it,
Lady mother, ah me!" &c.
"Where left she then the third piece,15
Henry, my dearest son?"
"She gave it to her dark-brown dog,
Lady mother, ah me!" &c.
"And what befell the dark-brown dog,
Henry, my dearest son?"20
"His belly burst in the midst in two,
Lady mother, ah me!" &c.
"What wishest thou for thy father,
Henry, my dearest son?"
"I wish him a thousandfold boon and blessing,25
Lady mother, ah me!" &c.
"What wishest thou for thy mother,
Henry, my dearest son?"
"I wish for her eternal bliss,
Lady mother, ah me!" &c.30
"What wishest thou for thy true-love,
Henry, my dearest son?"
"I wish her eternal hell and torment,
Lady mother, ah me!" &c.
III.
THE CHILD'S LAST WILL.
Den lillas Testamente: Svenska Folk-Visor, iii. 13. Translated in Literature and Romance of Northern Europe, i. 265. See also Arwidsson's Fornsånger, ii. 90.
"So long where hast thou tarried,
Little daughter dear?"
"I have tarried with my old nurse,
Sweet step-mother mine."
For ah, ah!—I am so ill—ah!5
"What gave she thee for dinner,
Little daughter dear?"
"A few small speckled fishes,
Sweet step-mother mine."
For ah, ah!—I am so ill—ah!10
"What didst thou do with the fish-bones,
Little daughter dear?"
"Gave them to the beagle,
Sweet step-mother mine."
For ah, ah!—I am so ill—ah!15
"What wish leav'st thou thy father,
Little daughter dear?"
"The blessedness of heaven,
Sweet step-mother mine."
"What wish leav'st thou thy mother,
Little daughter dear?"
"All the joys of heaven,
Sweet step-mother mine."
For ah, ah!—I am so ill—ah!25
"What wish leav'st thou thy brother,
Little daughter dear?"
"A fleet ship on the waters,
Sweet step-mother mine."
For ah, ah!—I am so ill—ah!30
"What wish leav'st thou thy sister,
Little daughter dear?"
"Golden chests and caskets,
Sweet step-mother mine."
For ah, ah!—I am so ill—ah!35
"What wish leav'st thou thy step-mother,
Little daughter dear?"
"Of hell the bitter sorrow
Sweet step-mother mine."
For ah, ah!—I am so ill—ah!40
"What wish leav'st thou thy old nurse,
Little daughter dear?"
"For her I wish the same pangs,
Sweet step-mother mine.
For ah, ah!—I am so ill—ah!45
"But now the time is over
When I with you can stay;
The little bells of heaven
Are ringing me away."
For ah, ah!—I am so ill—ah!50
THE THREE KNIGHTS. See p. [251].
From the second edition of Gilbert's Ancient Christmas Carols, &c. p. 68.
There did three Knights come from the West,
With the high and the lily oh!
And these three Knights courted one Lady,
As the rose was so sweetly blown.
The first Knight came was all in white,5
With the high and the lily oh!
And asked of her, if she'd be his delight,
As the rose was so sweetly blown.
The next Knight came was all in green,
With the high and the lily oh!10
And asked of her, if she'd be his Queen,
As the rose was so sweetly blown.
The third Knight came was all in red,
With the high and the lily oh!
And asked of her, if she would wed,15
As the rose was so sweetly blown.
"Then have you asked of my Father dear,
With the high and the lily oh!
Likewise of her who did me bear?
As the rose was so sweetly blown.20
"And have you asked of my brother John?
With the high and the lily oh!
And also of my sister Anne?"
As the rose was so sweetly blown.
"Yes, I have asked of your Father dear,25
With the high and the lily oh!
Likewise of her who did you bear,
As the rose was so sweetly blown.
"And I have asked of your sister Anne,
With the high and the lily oh!30
But I've not asked of your brother John,"
As the rose was so sweetly blown.
[Here some verses seem to be wanting.]
For on the road as they rode along,
With the high and the lily oh!
There did they meet with her brother John,35
As the rose was so sweetly blown.
She stooped low to kiss him sweet,
With the high and the lily oh!
He to her heart did a dagger meet,
As the rose was so sweetly blown.40
"Ride on, ride on," cried the serving man,
With the high and the lily oh!
"Methinks your bride she looks wond'rous wan,"
As the rose was so sweetly blown.
"I wish I were on yonder stile,45
With the high and the lily oh!
For there I would sit and bleed awhile,
As the rose was so sweetly blown.
"I wish I were on yonder hill,
With the high and the lily oh!50
There I'd alight and make my will,"
As the rose was so sweetly blown.
"What would you give to your Father dear?"
With the high and the lily oh!
"The gallant steed which doth me bear,"55
As the rose was so sweetly blown.
"What would you give to your Mother dear?"
With the high and the lily oh!
"My wedding shift which I do wear,
As the rose was so sweetly blown.60
"But she must wash it very clean,
With the high and the lily oh!
For my heart's blood sticks in every seam,"
As the rose was so sweetly blown.
"What would you give to your sister Anne?"65
With the high and the lily oh!
"My gay gold ring, and my feathered fan,"
As the rose was so sweetly blown.
"What would you give to your brother John?"
With the high and the lily oh!70
"A rope and gallows to hang him on,"
As the rose was so sweetly blown.
"What would you give to your brother John's wife?"
With the high and the lily oh!
"A widow's weeds, and a quiet life,"75
As the rose was so sweetly blown.
THE CRUEL MOTHER. See p. [262].
From Buchan's Ballads of the North of Scotland, ii. 222.
It fell ance upon a day, Edinbro', Edinbro',
It fell ance upon a day, Stirling for aye;
It fell ance upon a day,
The clerk and lady went to play,
So proper Saint Johnston stands fair upon Tay.5
"If my baby be a son, Edinbro', Edinbro',
If my baby be a son, Stirling for aye;
If my baby be a son,
I'll make him a lord o' high renown,"
So proper Saint Johnston stands fair upon Tay.10
She's lean'd her back to the wa', Edinbro', Edinbro',
She's lean'd her back to the wa', Stirling for aye;
She's lean'd her back to the wa',
Pray'd that her pains might fa',
So proper Saint Johnston stands fair upon Tay.15
She's lean'd her back to the thorn, Edinbro', Edinbro',
She's lean'd her back to the thorn, Stirling for aye;
She's lean'd her back to the thorn,
There has her baby born,
So proper Saint Johnston stands fair upon Tay.20
"O bonny baby, if ye suck sair, Edinbro', Edinbro',
O bonny baby, if ye suck sair, Stirling for aye;
O bonny baby, if ye suck sair,
You'll never suck by my side mair,"
So proper Saint Johnston stands fair upon Tay.25
She's riven the muslin frae her head, Edinbro', Edinbro',
She's riven the muslin frae her head, Stirling for aye;
She's riven the muslin frae her head,
Tied the baby hand and feet,
So proper Saint Johnston stands fair upon Tay.30
Out she took her little penknife, Edinbro', Edinbro',
Out she took her little penknife, Stirling for aye;
Out she took her little penknife,
Twin'd the young thing o' its life,
So proper Saint Johnston stands fair upon Tay.35
She's howk'd a hole anent the meen, Edinbro', Edinbro',
She's howk'd a hole anent the meen, Stirling for aye;
She's howk'd a hole anent the meen,
There laid her sweet baby in,
So proper Saint Johnston stands fair upon Tay.40
She had her to her father's ha', Edinbro', Edinbro',
She had her to her father's ha', Stirling for aye;
She had her to her father's ha',
She was the meekest maid amang them a',
So proper Saint Johnston stands fair upon Tay.45
It fell ance upon a day, Edinbro', Edinbro',
It fell ance upon a day, Stirling for aye;
It fell ance upon a day,
She saw twa babies at their play,
So proper Saint Johnston stands fair upon Tay.50
"O bonny babies, gin ye were mine, Edinbro', Edinbro',
O bonny babies, gin ye were mine, Stirling for aye;
O bonny babies, gin ye were mine,
I'd cleathe you in the silks sae fine,"
So proper Saint Johnston stands fair upon Tay.55
"O wild mother, when we were thine, Edinbro', Edinbro',
O wild mother, when we were thine, Stirling for aye;
O wild mother, when we were thine,
You cleath'd us not in silks sae fine,
So proper Saint Johnston stands fair upon Tay.60
"But now we're in the heavens high, Edinbro', Edinbro',
But now we're in the heavens high, Stirling for aye;
But now we're in the heavens high,
And you've the pains o' hell to try,"
So proper Saint Johnston stands fair upon Tay.65
She threw hersell ower the castle-wa', Edinbro', Edinbro',
She threw hersell ower the castle-wa', Stirling for aye;
She threw hersell ower the castle-wa',
There I wat she got a fa',
So proper Saint Johnston stands fair upon Tay.70
THE MINISTER'S DOCHTER O' NEWARKE.
See p. [262].
From Scottish Traditional Versions of Ancient Ballads, Percy Society, vol. xvii. p. 51. This is the same ballad, with trifling variations, as The Minister's Daughter of New York, Buchan, ii. 217.
The Minister's dochter o' Newarke,
Hey wi' the rose and the lindie O,
Has fa'en in luve wi' her father's clerk,
Alane by the green burn sidie O.
She courted him sax years and a day,5
Hey wi' the rose and the lindie O,
At length her fause-luve did her betray,
Alane by the green burn sidie O.
She did her doun to the green woods gang,
Hey wi' the rose and the lindie O,10
To spend awa' a while o' her time,
Alane by the green burn sidie O.
She lent her back unto a thorn,
Hey wi' the rose and the lindie O;
And she's got her twa bonnie boys born,15
Alane by the green burn sidie O.
She's ta'en the ribbons frae her hair,
Hey wi' the rose and the lindie O,
Boun' their bodies fast and sair,
Alane by the green burn sidie O.20
She's put them aneath a marble stane,
Hey wi' the rose and the lindie O,
Thinkin' a may to gae her hame,
Alane by the green burn sidie O.
Leukin' o'er her castel wa',25
Hey wi' the rose and the lindie O,
She spied twa bonny boys at the ba',
Alane by the green burn sidie O.
"O bonny babies, if ye were mine,
Hey wi' the rose and the lindie O,30
I woud feed ye wi' the white bread and wine,
Alane by the green burn sidie O.
"I wou'd feed ye with the ferra cow's milk,
Hey wi' the rose and the lindie O,
An' dress ye i' the finest silk,"35
Alane by the green burn sidie O.
"O cruel mother, when we were thine,
Hey wi' the rose and the lindie O,
We saw nane o' your bread and wine,
Alane by the green burn sidie O.40
"We saw nane o' your ferra cow's milk,
Hey wi' the rose and the lindie O,
Nor wore we o' your finest silk,"
Alane by the green burn sidie O.
"O bonny babies, can ye tell me,45
Hey wi' the rose and the lindie O,
What sort o' death for ye I maun dee,"
Alane by the green burn sidie O.
"Yes, cruel mother, we'll tell to thee,
Hey wi' the rose and the lindie O,50
What sort o' death for us ye maun dee,
Alane by the green burn sidie O.
"Seven years a fool i' the woods,
Hey wi' the rose and the lindie O,
"Seven years a fish i' the floods,55
Alane by the green burn sidie O.
"Seven years to be a church bell,
Hey wi' the rose and the lindie O,
Seven years a porter i' hell,"
Alane by the green burn sidie O.60
"Welcome, welcome, fool i' the wood,
Hey wi' the rose and the lindie O,
Welcome, welcome, fish i' the flood,
Alane by the green burn sidie O.
"Welcome, welcome, to be a church bell,65
Hey wi' the rose and the lindie O,
But heavens keep me out o' hell,"
Alane by the green burn sidie O.
BONDSEY AND MAISRY. See p. [298].
From Buchan's Ballads of the North of Scotland, ii. 265.
"O come along wi' me, brother,
Now come along wi' me;
And we'll gae seek our sister Maisry,
Into the water o' Dee."
The eldest brother he stepped in,5
He stepped to the knee;
Then out he jump'd upo' the bank,
Says, "This water's nae for me."
The second brother he stepped in,
He stepped to the quit;10
Then out he jump'd upo' the bank,
Says, "This water's wond'rous deep."
When the third brother stepped in,
He stepped to the chin;
Out he got, and forward wade,15
For fear o' drowning him.
The youngest brother he stepped in,
Took 's sister by the hand;
Said, "Here she is, my sister Maisry,
Wi' the hinny draps on her chin.20
"O if I were in some bonny ship,
And in some strange countrie,
For to find out some conjurer,
To gar Maisry speak to me!"
Then out it speaks an auld woman,25
As she was passing by;
"Ask of your sister what you want,
And she will speak to thee."
"O sister, tell me who is the man,
That did your body win?30
And who is the wretch, tell me, likewise,
That threw you in the lin?"
"O Bondsey was the only man
That did my body win;
And likewise Bondsey was the man35
That threw me in the lin."
"O will we Bondsey head, sister?
Or will we Bondsey hang?
Or will we set him at our bow end,
Lat arrows at him gang?"40
"Ye winna Bondsey head, brothers,
Nor will ye Bondsey hang;
But ye'll take out his twa grey e'en,
Make Bondsey blind to gang.
"Ye'll put to the gate a chain o' gold,45
A rose garland gar make;
And ye'll put that in Bondsey's head,
A' for your sister's sake."
LADY DIAMOND.
From the Percy Society Publications, xvii. 71. The same in Buchan, ii. 206. The ballad is given in Sharpe's Ballad Book, under the title of Dysmal, and by Aytoun, Ballads of Scotland, 2d ed., ii. 173, under that of Lady Daisy. All these names are corruptions of Ghismonda, on whose well-known story (Decamerone, iv. 1, 9) the present is founded.—This piece and the next might better have been inserted at p. [347], as a part of the Appendix to Book III.
There was a king, an' a curious king,
An' a king o' royal fame;
He had ae dochter, he had never mair,
Ladye Diamond was her name.
She's fa'en into shame, an' lost her gude name,5
An' wrought her parents 'noy;
An' a' for her layen her luve so low,
On her father's kitchen boy.
Ae nicht as she lay on her bed,
Just thinkin' to get rest,10
Up it came her old father,
Just like a wanderin' ghaist.
"Rise up, rise up, ladye Diamond," he says,
"Rise up, put on your goun;
Rise up, rise up, ladye Diamond," he says,15
"For I fear ye gae too roun'."
"Too roun I gae, yet blame me nae;
Ye'll cause me na to shame;
For better luve I that bonnie boy
Than a' your weel-bred men."20
The king's ca'd up his wa'-wight men,
That he paid meat an' fee:
"Bring here to me that bonnie boy,
An' we'll smore him right quietlie."
Up hae they ta'en that bonnie boy,25
Put him 'tween twa feather beds;
Naethin' was dane, nor naethin' said,
Till that bonnie bonnie boy was dead.
The king's ta'en out a braid braid sword,
An' streak'd it on a strae;30
An' thro' an' thro' that bonnie boy's heart
He's gart cauld iron gae.
Out has he ta'en his poor bluidie heart,
Set it in a tasse o' gowd,
And set it before ladye Diamonds face,35
Said "Fair ladye, behold!"
Up has she ta'en this poor bludie heart,
An' holden it in her han';
"Better luved I that bonnie bonnie boy
Than a' my father's lan'."40
Up has she ta'en his poor bludie heart,
An' laid it at her head;
The tears awa' frae her eyne did flee,
An' ere midnicht she was dead.
THE WEST COUNTRY DAMOSELS COMPLAINT.
From Collier's Book of Roxburghe Ballads, p. 202.
After a broadside "printed by P. Brooksby, at the Golden Bull in Westsmith-field, neer the Hospitall Gate." The first ten or twelve stanzas seem to be ancient.
"When will you marry me, William,
And make me your wedded wife?
Or take you your keen bright sword,
And rid me out of my life."
"Say no more [then so], lady,5
Say you no more then so,
For you shall unto the wild forrest,
And amongst the buck and doe.
"Where thou shalt eat of the hips and haws,
And the roots that are so sweet,10
And thou shalt drink of the cold water
That runs underneath your feet."
Now had she not been in the wild forrest
Passing three months and a day,
But with hunger and cold she had her fill,15
Till she was quite worn away.
At last she saw a fair tyl'd house,
And there she swore by the rood,
That she would to that fair tyl'd house,
There for to get her some food.20
But when she came unto the gates,
Aloud, aloud she cry'd,
"An alms, an alms, my own sister!
I ask you for no pride."
Her sister call'd up her merry men all,25
By one, by two, and by three,
And bid them hunt away that wild doe,
As far as e'er they could see.
They hunted her o're hill and dale,
And they hunted her so sore,30
That they hunted her into the forrest,
Where her sorrows grew more and more.
She laid a stone all at her head,
And another all at her feet,
And down she lay between these two,35
Till death had lull'd her asleep.
When sweet Will came and stood at her head,
And likewise stood at her feet,
A thousand times he kiss'd her cold lips,
Yea, seaven times he stood at her feet,
And seaven times at her head;
A thousand times he shook her hand,
Although her body was dead.
"Ah wretched me!" he loudly cry'd,45
"What is it that I have done?
O wou'd to the powers above I'de dy'd,
When thus I left her alone!
"Come, come, you gentle red-breast now,
And prepare for us a tomb,50
Whilst unto cruel Death I bow,
And sing like a swan my doom.
"Why could I ever cruel be
Unto so fair a creature;
Alas! she dy'd for love of me,55
The loveliest she in nature!
"For me she left her home so fair
To wander in this wild grove,
And there with sighs and pensive care
She ended her life for love.60
"O constancy, in her thou'rt lost!
Now let women boast no more;
She's fled unto the Elizian coast,
And with her carry'd the store.
"O break, my heart, with sorrow fill'd,65
Come, swell, you strong tides of grief!
You that my dear love have kill'd,
Come, yield in death to me relief.
"Cruel her sister, was't for me
That to her she was unkind?70
Her husband I will never be,
But with this my love be joyn'd.
"Grim Death shall tye the marriage bands,
Which jealousie shan't divide;
Together shall tye our cold hands,75
Whilst here we lye side by side.
"Witness, ye groves, and chrystal streams,
How faithless I late have been;
But do repent with dying leaves
Of that my ungrateful sin;80
"And wish a thousand times that I
Had been but to her more kind,
And not have let a virgin dye,
Whose equal there's none can find.
"Now heaps of sorrow press my soul;85
Now, now 'tis she takes her way;
I come, my love, without controule,
Nor from thee will longer stay."
With that he fetch'd a heavy groan,
Which rent his tender breast,90
And then by her he laid him down,
When as Death did give him rest.
Whilst mournful birds, with leavy bows,
To them a kind burial gave,
And warbled out their love-sick vows,95
Whilst they both slept in their grave.
[5], so then.
THE BRAVE EARL BRAND AND THE KING OF ENGLAND'S DAUGHTER.
See p. [114].
From Bell's Ballads of the Peasantry of England, p. 122.
This ballad, which was printed by Bell from the recitation of an old Northumberland fiddler, is defective in the tenth and the last stanzas, and has suffered much from corruption in the course of transmission. The name of the hero, however, is uncommonly well preserved, and affords a link, rarely occurring in English, with the corresponding Danish and Swedish ballads, a good number of which have Hildebrand, though more have Ribold. It may be observed that in Hildebrand og Hilde (Grundtvig, No. 83), the knight has the rank here ascribed to the lady.
"Hand heede hertug Hyldebraand,
Kongens sönn aff Engeland."
The "old Carl Hood" who gives the alarm in this ballad, is called in most of the Danish ballads "a rich earl"; in one a treacherous man, in another a young Carl, and in a third an old man; which together furnish the elements of his character here of a treacherous old Carl.
O did you ever hear of the brave Earl Brand?
Hey lillie, ho lillie lallie!
He's courted the king's daughter o' fair England,
I' the brave nights so early.
She was scarcely fifteen years that tide,
When sae boldly she came to his bed-side.
"O Earl Brand, how fain wad I see5
A pack of hounds let loose on the lea."
"O lady fair, I have no steed but one,
But thou shalt ride and I will run."
"O Earl Brand, but my father has two,
And thou shalt have the best of tho."10
Now they have ridden o'er moss and moor,
And they have met neither rich nor poor.
Till at last they met with old Carl Hood,
He's aye for ill, and never for good.
"Now, Earl Brand, an ye love me,15
Slay this old carl, and gar him dee."
"O lady fair, but that would be sair,
To slay an auld carl that wears grey hair.
"My own lady fair, I'll not do that,
I'll pay him his fee......."20
"O where have ye ridden this lee lang day,
And where have ye stown this fair lady away?"
"I have not ridden this lee lang day,
Nor yet have I stown this lady away.
"For she is, I trow, my sick sister,25
Whom I have been bringing fra Winchester."
"If she's been sick, and nigh to dead,
What makes her wear the ribbon so red?
"If she's been sick, and like to die,
What makes her wear the gold sae high?"30
When came the carl to the lady's yett,
He rudely, rudely rapped thereat.
"Now where is the lady of this hall?"
"She's out with her maids a-playing at the ball."
"Ha, ha, ha! ye are all mista'en;35
Ye may count your maidens owre again.
"I met her far beyond the lea,
With the young Earl Brand, his leman to be."
Her father of his best men armed fifteen,
And they're ridden after them bidene.40
The lady looked owre her left shoulder then;
Says, "O Earl Brand, we are both of us ta'en."
"If they come on me one by one,
You may stand by till the fights be done.
"But if they come on me one and all,45
You may stand by and see me fall."
They came upon him one by one,
Till fourteen battles he has won.
And fourteen men he has them slain,
Each after each upon the plain.50
But the fifteenth man behind stole round,
And dealt him a deep and deadly wound.
Though he was wounded to the deid,
He set his lady on her steed.
They rode till they came to the river Doune,55
And there they lighted to wash his wound.
"O Earl Brand, I see your heart's blood!"
"It's nothing but the glent [and my scarlet hood]."
They rode till they came to his mother's yett,
So faint and feebly he rapped thereat.60
"O my son's slain, he is falling to swoon,
And it's all for the sake of an English loon!"
"O say not so, my dearest mother,
But marry her to my youngest brother.
"To a maiden true he'll give his hand,65
To the king's daughter o' fair England.
"[To the king's daughter o' fair England,]
Hey lillie, ho lillie lallie!
To a prize that was won by a slain brother's brand,"
I' the brave nights so early.
[58]. Qy.? of my scarlet hood.
LA VENDICATRICE. See p. [273].
From Canti Popolari Inediti Umbri, Piceni, Piemontesi, Latini, raccolti e illustrati da Oreste Marcoaldi. Genova, 1855. p. 167.—From Alessandria.
"Oh [varda ben, Munfrenna],1
Oh varda [qul castè]:2
I'è trentatrè [fantenni]3
Ch' a j' ho [menaji me].4
I m' han [negà] l' amure,5
La testa a j' ho "[tajè].6
"Ch' u 'm [digga lü, Sior] Conte;7
Ch' u 'm lassa la [so' spà]."8
"Oh dimì ti, Monfrenna,9
Cosa ch' a 't na [voi fa']?"10
"A voi [tajè] 'na frasca,11
Per ombra al me' [cavà]."12
Lesta con la [spadenna]13
Al cor a j' ha passà.
"Va là, va là, Sior Conte,15
Va là 'nte quei [boscon];16
Le [spenni] e li serpenti17
Saran [toi] compagnon."18
[1] guarda ben, Monferina.
[2] quel castello.
[3] fanciulle.
[4] menate io.
[5] negato.
[6] tagliato.
[7] dica lei, signor.
[8] sua spada.
[10] vuoi fare.
[11] tagliare.
[12] cavallo.
[13] spadina.
[16] (boscon) cespugli.
[17] spine.
[18] tuoi.
GLOSSARY.
☞ Figures placed after words denote the pages in which they occur.
- aboon, above, upon.
- abound, [335], bound.
- abune a' thing, above all things.
- a dee, [335], to do.
- ae, one.
- aft, oft.
- aith, oath.
- an, if.
- ance, once.
- anent, opposite to.
- are, early.
- assoile, absolve.
- aucht, owns;
- wha is aucht that bairn? who is it owns that child?
- ava, of all.
- a-warslin, a wrestling.
- ayont, beyond.
- ba', ball.
- badena, abode not.
- bairn, child.
- baith, both.
- ban, [89], bond.
- beet, [340], add fuel.
- bierdly, large and well-made, stately.
- biggins, buildings.
- ben, in, within.
- bestan, best.
- best young man, bridesman.
- bidden, bidding.
- bidene, in a company, forthwith (?)
- billie, comrade, brother.
- binna, beest not.
- birk, birch.
- birling, pouring out [drink], drinking.
- blan, ceased, stopped.
- blate, sheepish, ashamed.
- blear, [noun,] dimness.
- blinkit, blinked, winked.
- blinne, cease.
- borrow, ransom.
- bouerie, chamber.
- boun, ready.
- bour, bower, chamber.
- bra', braw, handsome.
- bracken, female fern.
- brae, hill-side.
- braid, broad.
- brain, mad.
- brent, burnt;
- [308], v. 31, straight?
- bridesteel, (Buchan,) [183], bridal?
- brigg, brigue, bridge.
- broo, broth.
- brook, enjoy.
- brunt, burnt.
- buird, board.
- burd, lady.
- burn, brook.
- busking, dressing, making ready.
- but, butt, without.
- but and, and also.
- byre, cow-house.
- ca', call.
- cannel, [327]. Qy. a corruption?
- canny, knowing, expert, gentle, adroitly, carefully.
- cast, trick, turn.
- channerin, fretting.
- chap, tap, rap;
- chappit, [11], tapped, rapped;
- at the chin, should probably be at the pin, or tongue of the latch.
- cheir, cheer.
- claise, clothes.
- clap, fondle;
- clappit, patted, fondled.
- cleading, clothing.
- clecked, hatched.
- cleed, clothe.
- cleiding, clothing.
- clerks, scholars.
- cliding, clothing.
- close, lane.
- cod, pillow.
- coil, [324], cock of hay.
- coost, cast.
- could, used with the infinitive as an auxiliary, to form a past tense.
- crap, crop, top.
- croodlin doo, cooing dove.
- crowse, brisk.
- cuik, cook.
- curches, kerchiefs. R. Jamieson, "linen caps tying under the chin."
- cuttit, cut.
- dabs, pricks.
- dang, [301], overcome;
- [361], pushed.
- dapperby, [189], dapper?
- daut, fondle, caress.
- daw, dawn.
- dead, death.
- dear-boucht, dear-bought.
- deas, sometimes a pew in a church.
- dee, die.
- dee, do, avail.
- deid, death.
- deight, dight, decked.
- den, valley.
- depart, [124], part.
- dight, [253], skilfully, readily?
- dighted, dressed, wiped.
- dine, dinner.
- ding, strike.
- dinna, do not.
- disna, does not.
- dool, sorrow.
- dout, fear.
- dowie, mournful, sad, gloomy.
- downa, cannot.
- dows, doves.
- dreaded, doubted.
- dree, suffer.
- drew up with, [94], formed relations of love with.
- drie, suffer.
- drumly, troubled.
- dule, grief, sorrow.
- dune, done.
- dwines, dwindles.
- e'e, eye.
- een, eye, eyes.
- eneuch, enough.
- ezer, azure.
- fadge, clumsy woman.
- faem, foam.
- fare, go.
- farrow-cow, a barren cow.
- fee, property, wages.
- fell, hill.
- fell, strange.
- ferra cow, farrow cow, a cow not with calf.
- ffree, noble.
- firstan, firstand, first.
- fit, foot.
- fitches, [329], flitches?
- flang'd, flung.
- fleed, flood.
- foremost man, bridesman.
- forlorn, lost.
- fou, fow, full.
- frush, brittle.
- fur, furrow, a furrows length, furlong.
- gaed, went.
- gair, [354], gore, strip. See gare.
- gang, go;
- gangs, goes.
- gar, make.
- gare, [55], gore;
- apparently, here, skirt. So, hung low down by his gair, [296], by the edge of his frock. The word seems also to be used vaguely in romances for clothing.
- garl, gravel.
- gate, way.
- gear, goods, clothes.
- gin, trick, wile.
- gleed, a burning coal;
- [97], blaze.
- glent, gleam, glimmer.
- gone, go.
- gowd, gold;
- gowden, golden.
- gowk, fool.
- gravat, cravat?
- greaf, grave.
- greet, cry, weep.
- gris, a costly fur.
- grit, big.
- groom, man.
- gross, heavy.
- gryte, great, big.
- Gude, God.
- ha', hall.
- had her, betook her.
- hallow-days, holidays.
- haly, holy.
- happit, covered.
- hass, neck.
- haud, hold;
- haud unthought lang, keep from ennui.
- hause, neck.
- head, behead.
- healy, slowly, softly.
- heght, promised.
- her lane, herself alone.
- herried, robbed.
- hich, high.
- hinny, honey.
- hip, the berry which contains the stones or seeds of the dog-rose.
- hooly, slowly, gently.
- how, ho!
- hows, hollows, dells.
- howket, dug.
- huggell, huddle, cuddle.
- huly, slowly.
- intill, into, in.
- into, on.
- iwis, certainly.
- jaw, [233], wave.
- jawing, dashing.
- jimp, slender.
- jo, sweetheart.
- jollie, handsome.
- jow, stroke in tolling.
- kell, caul, a species of cap, or net-work, worn by women as a head-dress.
- kembe, comb;
- kembing, combing.
- kenna, know not;
- kentna, knew not.
- kens, knows.
- kerches, kerchiefs.
- kilted, tucked up.
- kin, kind;
- a' kin, all kind.
- kist, chest.
- kitchey, kitchen.
- know, knoll.
- kye, cows.
- kythe, become, manifest.
- laigh, low.
- lain, alone;
- ye're your lain, you are alone;
- hir lain, her alone.
- lair, learning.
- lane, alone;
- the same in combination with the pronouns my, his, her, its, &c.
- lap, leapt.
- latten, let.
- lauch, laugh.
- laumer, [327], amber.
- lave, rest.
- lealest, truest, chastest.
- lear, lore, lesson.
- lease, leash.
- lee, lonesome.
- lee-lang, livelong.
- lei, [132], lonesome.
- len, lie.
- lent, leaned.
- let, stop, delay.
- leuch, leugh, laughed.
- lichtly, lightly.
- lig, lie.
- lighter, delivered.
- limmers, strumpets.
- linn, the pool under a cataract, cataract.
- lith, joint.
- lither, naughty, wicked.
- looten, let.
- loup, leap.
- lourd, liefer, rather.
- louted, bent.
- louze, loosen.
- lykewake, watching of a dead body.
- mae, more.
- maene, moan, lamentation.
- maist, [58], maistly, almost.
- make, mate.
- mane, moan.
- maries, maids.
- marrow, mate.
- mat, may.
- maun, must.
- maunna, may not.
- may, maid.
- meen, moan, lament.
- message, messenger.
- micht, might.
- mind, remember.
- mirk, murky.
- mith, might.
- Moll Syms, [359], a celebrated dance tune of the 16th century.
- mools, the earth of the grave, the dust of the dead.
- mot, may.
- my lane, alone by myself.
- niest, next.
- nourice, nurse.
- oer, ower, over, too.
- ohon, alas.
- owsen, oxen.
- Owsenford, Oxford.
- pa', pall, rich cloth.
- Parish, Paris.
- part, [151], separate from.
- pat, pot.
- pearlin' gear, pearl ornaments.
- pin, door-latch.
- plat, plaited.
- plea, quarrel.
- pot, a pool, or deep place, in a river.
- prin, pin.
- propine, gift.
- putten down, hung.
- queet, quit, ancle.
- quhair, quhat, quhy, &c., where, what, why, &c.
- rair'd, roared.
- rave, tore off.
- reavel'd, tangled.
- rede, advice, advise;
- 263, story.
- reest, roost.
- renown, [Buchan,] [169], haughtiness?
- rigland shire, [331]?
- rin, run.
- ritted, routed, struck.
- riv't, tear it.
- row, roll.
- row'd, rolled.
- sabelline, sable.
- sanna, shall not.
- sarbit, an exclamation of sorrow.
- sark, shirt.
- saugh, willow.
- scheet, school.
- schill, shrill.
- scug, expiate.
- see, (save and,) protect.
- seen, sen, then, since.
- send, [334], the messengers sent for the bride at a wedding.
- sets, suits.
- shed by, [77], parted, put back.
- sheen, shine.
- sheen, shoes.
- sheet, shoot.
- sheuch, furrow, ditch.
- shimmerd, shone.
- shot-window, a projected window.
- sic, such.
- sich, sigh.
- sindle, seldom.
- sinsyne, since.
- skinkled, sparkled.
- slack, a gap or pass between two hills.
- slait, passed across, whetted.
- slap, a narrow pass between two hills.
- smore, smother.
- snood, a fillet or ribbon for the hair.
- socht, sought.
- sorray, sorrow.
- soum, sowm, swim.
- spakes, spokes, bars.
- speer, speir, ask.
- spreckl'd, speckled.
- stap, stuff.
- stean, stone.
- steek'd, fastened.
- stey, steep.
- stint, stop.
- stock, the forepart of a bed.
- stout, [300], haughty.
- strae, stray, straw.
- straiked, streaked, stroked, drew.
- streek, stretch;
- streekit, stretched;
- streikit, laid out.
- striped, thrust.
- suld, should.
- syke, marshy bottom.
- syne, then, afterwards.
- tane, one, [after the.]
- tasse, cup.
- tate, lock (of hair).
- tee, too.
- teem, empty.
- teen, sorrow, suffering.
- tent, heed.
- thae, these.
- the, thrive.
- thegither, together.
- thir, tho, these, those.
- thorn'd, [335], eaten?
- thought lang, felt ennui.
- thouth, thought, seemed.
- thraw, [302], writhe, twist;
- thrawen, crooked.
- thresel-cock, throstle, thrush.
- threw, [130], throve.
- thrild upon a pinn. See tirled below.
- tift, puff (of wind).
- till, to, on.
- tirled at the pin, trilled or rattled, at the door-latch, to obtain entrance.
- tither, other.
- tocher, dowry.
- toomly, empty.
- tow, rope.
- triest, tryst, make an assignation.
- true, trow.
- twain, part.
- twal, twelve.
- twin, part;
- twinn'd, deprived, parted.
- unco, unknown, strange.
- virr, strength.
- vow, interjection of surprise.
- wad, would.
- wadded, wagered, staked.
- wadding, wedding.
- wae, waeful', sad, sorrowful.
- waked, watched.
- walde, would.
- wale, choice.
- wambe, wame, womb.
- wan, reached.
- wand, wandie, bough, wand, stick.
- wan na in, got not in.
- wap, throw.
- wappit, beat, fluttered.
- warde, [35], advise, forewarn.
- wark, work.
- warlock, wizzard.
- warstan, worst.
- warstled, wrestled.
- wat, know.
- water-kelpy, a malicious spirit thought to haunt fords and ferries, especially in storms, and to swell the waters beyond their ordinary limit, for the destruction of luckless travellers.
- wavers, [40], wanders.
- wa'-wight, [383], waled, picked, strong-men or warriors. See vol. vi. 220, v. 15.
- wean, child.
- wee, little.
- weed, dress.
- weir-horse, war-horse.
- werne, were.
- wha is aught, who is it owns.
- whang, thong.
- whaten, what.
- wicht, strong, agile.
- widdershins, the contrary way, round about.
- wide, wade.
- wight, strong, agile.
- win, arrive, reach, come, get.
- winna, will not.
- winsome, charming, attractive.
- woe, sad.
- won up, got up.
- wood, mad;
- wood-wroth, mad with anger.
- worth, be;
- wae worth you sorrow come upon you.
- wow, alas.
- wraith, wroth.
- wrongous, wrong.
- wull, will.
- wyte, punish, blame.
- yae, every.
- yare, ready.
- yeats, yetts, gates.
- yestreen, yesterday.
- yird-fast, fixed in the earth.
- yode, went.
- yont, beyond, further off.
- Yule, Christmas.
- ze, zet, zour, &c., ye, yet, your.
Transcriber's Notes
Irregular and inconsistent spellings have been retained as in the original. Typographical errors such as wrongly placed line numbers and punctuation have been corrected without comment. Where changes have been made to the wording these are listed as follows:
Page [10], line 33: added missing opening quotation mark ("But look that ye tell na Gib your man,...)
Page [38], line note 157: reference originally read "177".
Page [55], line 47, 48: added missing quotation marks (Lye yont, lye yont, Willie," she says, / "For your sweat I downa bide O.")
Page [97], line 97: added final comma ("Now haud your tongue, my lord," she said, ...)
Page [118], line 58, 59: removed unnecessary quotation mark ("Get up, and let me in!— / Get up, get up, lady mother," he says, ...)
Page [119], line 71: deleted duplicate "the" (Out o' the lady's grave grew a bonny red rose).
Page [184], line 50: deleted erroneous closing quotation mark (Says, "What means a' this mourning?)
Page [189], line 41 and page 396: "dapperpy" appears in text but is "dapperby" in the Glossary (O he has pou'd aff his dapperpy coat, ...)
Page [227], line 41: added open quotation mark ("And quhat wul ze leive to zour bairns and zour wife,)
Page [263] line 16: added missing period (A playing at the ba'."—)
Page [270], line 24: changed "Doan" to "Doun" (Doun by the greenwud sae bonnie)
Page [300]: added missing closing quotation mark (... taken place in Bothwell church." SCOTT.)
Page [338], line 11: changed "Majorie" to "Marjorie" (That Lady Marjorie she gaes wi' child, ...)
Page [347]: heading "Book IV" removed. Note that it does not appear in the Table of Contents and there are several references to ballads and page numbers after this point as part of the Appendix. Note also that Volume 3 starts with "Book III (continued)".
Page [352], line 42: added closing quotation mark ("Where leav'st thou thy youthful daughter, / Merry son of mine?")
Page [401], changed "widdershius" to "widdershins" (widdershins, the contrary way, round about.)