FOOTNOTES:
[117] Gunther, as well remarked by Klee, 'Zur Hildesage,' p. 19, cannot have belonged originally to the Hildegunde saga. No sufficient motive is furnished for introducing him. In the Polish version of the story there is only one pursuer, Arinoldus, whom Walter slays. Rischka, Verhältniss der polnischen Sage von Walgierz Wdaly zu den deutschen Sagen von W. v. Aquitanien, p. 8 ff.
[118] "The original ballad had fifteen. Seven would do as well, and the latter number would seem more nearly to resemble the truth."
[9]
THE FAIR FLOWER OF NORTHUMBERLAND
[A]. a. Deloney's 'Jack of Newbury,' reprint of 1859, p. 61. b. 'The Ungrateful Knight and the Fair Flower of Northumberland,' Ritson's Ancient Songs, 1790, p. 169.
[B]. a. Kinloch MSS, V, 49. b. 'The Provost's Dochter,' Kinloch's Ancient Scottish Ballads, p. 131.
[C]. 'The Betrayed Lady.' a. Buchan's MSS, II, 166. b. Buchan's Ballads of the North of Scotland, II, 208.
[D]. Motherwell's MS., p. 102.
[E]. 'The Flower of Northumberland,' Mr Robert White's papers.
The earliest copy of this ballad is introduced as 'The Maidens' Song,'[119] in Deloney's Pleasant History of John Winchcomb, in his younger yeares called Jacke of Newberie, a book written as early as 1597. Mr Halliwell reprinted the "9th" edition, of the date 1633,[120] in 1859, and the ballad is found at p. 61 of the reprint (A). The copy in Ritson's Ancient Songs, 1790, p. 169, has a few variations, which are probably to be explained by Ritson having used some other edition of Deloney. Ritson's text is used in The Borderer's Table Book, VI, 25, and was taken thence into Sheldon's Minstrelsy of the English Border, with some arbitrary alterations. The ballad was formerly popular in Scotland. Kinloch and Buchan printed B and C with some slight changes; the texts are now given as they stand in the manuscripts. E, a traditional version from the English border, has unfortunately been improved by some literary pen.
An English lady is prevailed upon to release a Scot from prison, and to fly with him, on the promise of being made his wife, and (A) lady of castles and towers. She takes much gold with her (A), and a swift steed (two, A). According to A they come to a rough river; the lady is alarmed, but swims it, and is wet from top to toe. On coming within sight of Edinburgh, the faithless knight bids her choose whether she will be his paramour or go back: he has wife and children. She begs him to draw his sword and end her shame: he takes her horse away, and leaves her. Two English knights come by, who restore her to her father. The dismissal takes place at the Scottish cross and moor in B; at a moor and a moss, C; at Scotland bridge, D; at a fair Scottish cross, E. She offers to be servant in his kitchen rather than go back, B, C, E; begs him to throw her into the water, D; from his castle wall, E. He fees an old man to take her home on an old horse, B, E.
We do not find the whole of this story repeated among other European nations, but there are interesting agreements in parts with Scandinavian, Polish, and German ballads.
There is some resemblance in the first half to a pretty ballad of the northern nations which treats in a brief way the theme of our exquisite romance of 'The Nutbrown Maid:' Danish, 'Den Trofaste Jomfru,' Grundtvig, No 249, IV, 494, nine copies, A-I, the first three from 16th or 17th century manuscripts, the others from tradition of this century, as are also the following: K-M, 'Den Fredløse,' Kristensen, II, 191, No 57: Swedish, 'De sju Gullbergen,' A, Afzelius, No 79, III, 71, new ed., No 64, I, 322; B, C, Grundtvig, IV, 507 f: Norwegian A, 'Herre Per og stolt Margit,' Landstad, No 74, p. 590; B, 'Herr' Nikelus,' Landstad, No 75, p. 594.[121] All tell very much the same tale. A knight carries off a maid on his horse, making her magnificent promises, among which are eight gold castles, Dan. C, D, E, H, I; one, K, L, M; eight, Norw. A; nine, Norw. B; seven, Swed. B; seven gold mountains, Swed. A, perhaps, by mistake of bergen for borgar[122] She gets her gold together while he is saddling his horse, Dan. A, C, D, F, H, M; Swed. A; Norw. A, B. They come to a sea-strand or other water, it is many miles to the nearest land, Dan. B, D, Swed. A, C; the lady wishes she were at home, Dan. E, F, Swed. B, C. He swims the horse across, Dan. A, B, D, E, F, H, K, L, M; Swed. A, B, C [part of the way, having started in a boat, Norw. A, B]. The maid wrings her clothes, Dan. A, D, K, L; Swed. A; Norw. A, B. She asks, Where are the gold castles which you promised? Dan. C 7, D 14, K 9, L 7, M 8; Norw. A 22, B 16.[123] He tells her that he has no gold castle but this green turf, Dan. C 8; he needs none but the black ground and thick wood, Dan. K 10: he is a penniless, banished man. She offers him her gold to buy him a charter of peace. In all, except Dan. A, B, C, and the incomplete Dan. I, Norw. B, he goes on to say that he has plighted faith to another woman, and she meekly replies, Then I will be your servant. He continues the trial no further, reveals himself as of wealth and rank, says that she shall have ladies to wait on her, and makes her his queen. The knight is king of England in Dan. B, H, King Henry, simply, in Dan. F. The gold castles prove to be realities: there is in Dan. E even one more than was promised.[124]
The Polish ballads of the class of '[Lady Isabel and the Elf Knight]' (see p. [39] f) have thus much in common with 'The Fair Flower of Northumberland:' a maid is induced to go off with a man on horseback, and takes gold with her; after going a certain distance, he bids her return home; in AA, H, R, he gives her her choice whether to return or to jump into the river; she prefers death (cf. D 3, 5, p. [116]); in all they finally come to a river, or other water, into which he throws her.[125]
There is a German ballad which has some slight connection with all the foregoing, and a very slight story it is altogether: 'Stolz Heinrich,' Simrock, No 9, p. 23, 'Stolz Syburg,' Reiffenberg, No 16, p. 32, No 17, p. 34, from the Lower Rhine and Münster; made over, in Kretzschmer, I, 187, No 106. Heinrich, or Syburg, wooes a king's daughter in a distant land. He asks her to go with him, and says he has seven mills in his country. "Tell me what they grind," says Margaret, "and I will go with you." The mills grind sugar and cinnamon, mace and cloves. They come to a green heath. Margaret thinks she sees the mills gleaming: he tells her that a green heath is all he has. "Then God have mercy that I have come so far," she says; draws a sword; kneels before him, and stabs herself.
The ballad of '[Young Andrew],' further on, has points in common with 'The Fair Flower of Northumberland.'
C is translated by Rosa Warrens, Schottische Lieder der Vorzeit, No 31, p. 137.
A.
a. Deloney's Pleasant History of John Winchcomb, 9th ed., London, 1633, reprinted by Halliwell, p. 61. b. Ritson's Ancient Songs, 1790, p. 169.
1
It was a knight in Scotland borne
Follow, my love, come over the strand
Was taken prisoner, and left forlorne,
Even by the good Earle of Northumberland.
2
Then was he cast in prison strong,
Where he could not walke nor lie along,
Even by the goode Earle of Northumberland.
3
And as in sorrow thus he lay,
The Earle's sweete daughter walkt that way,
And she the faire flower of Northumberland.
4
And passing by, like an angell bright,
The prisoner had of her a sight,
And she the faire flower of Northumberland.
5
And loud to her this knight did crie,
The salt teares standing in his eye,
And she the faire flower of Northumberland.
6
'Faire lady,' he said, 'take pity on me,
And let me not in prison dye,
And you the faire flower of Northumberland.'
7
'Faire Sir, how should I take pity on thee,
Thou being a foe to our countrey,
And I the faire flower of Northumberland.'
8
'Faire lady, I am no foe,' he said,
'Through thy sweet love heere was I stayd,
For thee, the faire flower of Northumberland.'
9
'Why shouldst thou come heere for love of me,
Having wife and children in thy countrie?
And I the faire flower of Northumberland.'
10
'I sweare by the blessed Trinitie,
I have no wife nor children, I,
Nor dwelling at home in merrie Scotland.
11
'If curteously you will set me free,
I vow that I will marrie thee,
So soone as I come in faire Scotland.
12
'Thou shalt be a lady of castles and towers,
And sit like a queene in princely bowers,
When I am at home in faire Scotland.'
13
Then parted hence this lady gay,
And got her father's ring away,
To helpe this sad knight into faire Scotland.
14
Likewise much gold she got by sleight,
And all to helpe this forlorne knight
To wend from her father to faire Scotland.
15
Two gallant steedes, both good and able,
She likewise tooke out of the stable,
To ride with this knight into faire Scotland.
16
And to the jaylor she sent this ring,
The knight from prison forth to bring,
To wend with her into faire Scotland.
17
This token set the prisoner free,
Who straight went to this faire lady,
To wend with her into faire Scotland.
18
A gallant steede he did bestride,
And with the lady away did ride,
And she the faire flower of Northumberland.
19
They rode till they came to a water cleare:
'Good Sir, how should I follow you heere,
And I the faire flower of Northumberland?
20
'The water is rough and wonderfull deepe,
An[d] on my saddle I shall not keepe,
And I the faire flower of Northumberland.'
21
'Feare not the foord, faire lady,' quoth he,
'For long I cannot stay for thee,
And thou the faire flower of Northumberland.'
22
The lady prickt her wanton steed,
And over the river swom with speede,
And she the faire flower of Northumberland.
23
From top to toe all wet was shee:
'This have I done for love of thee,
And I the faire flower of Northumberland.'
24
Thus rode she all one winter's night,
Till Edenborow they saw in sight,
The chiefest towne in all Scotland.
25
'Now chuse,' quoth he, 'thou wanton flower,
Whe'r thou wilt be my paramour,
Or get thee home to Northumberland.
26
'For I have wife, and children five,
In Edenborow they be alive;
Then get thee home to faire England.
27
'This favour shalt thou have to boote,
Ile have thy horse, go thou on foote,
Go, get thee home to Northumberland.'
28
'O false and faithlesse knight,' quoth shee,
'And canst thou deale so bad with me,
And I the faire flower of Northumberland?
29
'Dishonour not a ladie's name,
But draw thy sword and end my shame,
And I the faire flower of Northumberland.'
30
He tooke her from her stately steed,
And left her there in extreme need,
And she the faire flower of Northumberland.
31
Then sate she downe full heavily;
At length two knights came riding by,
Two gallant knights of faire England.
32
She fell downe humbly on her knee,
Saying, 'Courteous knights, take pittie on me,
And I the faire flower of Northumberland.
33
'I have offended my father deere,
And by a false knight that brought me heere,
From the good Earle of Northumberland.'
34
They tooke her up behind them then,
And brought her to her father's againe,
And he the good Earle of Northumberland.
35
All you faire maidens be warned by me,
Scots were never true, nor never will be,
To lord, nor lady, nor faire England.
B.
a. Kinloch MSS, V, 49, in the handwriting of J. Beattie. b. Kinloch's Ancient Scottish Ballads, p. 134, from the recitation of Miss E. Beattie.
1
The provost's daughter went out a walking,
A may's love whiles is easy won
She heard a poor prisoner making his moan,
And she was the fair flower of Northumberland.
2
'If any lady would borrow me
Out into the prison strong,
I would make her a lady of high degree,
For I am a great lord in fair Scotland.'
3
She's done her to her father's bed-stock,
A may's love whiles is easy won
She's stolen the keys o many braw lock,
And she's loosd him out o the prison strong.
4
She's done her to her father's stable,
A may's love whiles is easy won
She's taen out a steed that was both swift and able,
To carry them both to fair Scotland.
5
O when they came to the Scottish cross,
A may's love whiles is easy won
'Ye brazen-faced whore, light off o my horse,
And go get you back to Northumberland!'
6
O when they came to the Scottish moor,
A may's love whiles is easy won
'Get off o my horse, you're a brazen-faced whore,
So go get you back to Northumberland!'
7
'O pity on me, O pity,' said she,
'O that my love was so easy won!
Have pity on me as I had upon thee,
When I loosd you out of the prison strong.'
8
'O how can I have pity on thee?
O why was your love so easy won!
When I have a wife and children three
More worthy than a' Northumberland.'
9
'Cook in your kitchen I will be,
O that my love was so easy won!
And serve your lady most reverently,
For I darena go back to Northumberland.'
10
'Cook in my kitchen you shall not be,
Why was your love so easy won!
For I will have no such servants as thee,
So get you back to Northumberland.'
11
But laith was he the lassie to tyne,
A may's love whiles is easy won
He's hired an old horse and feed an old man,
To carry her back to Northumberland.
12
O when she came her father before,
A may's love whiles is easy won
She fell down on her knees so low
For she was the fair flower of Northumberland.
13
'O daughter, O daughter, why was ye so bold,
Or why was your love so easy won,
To be a Scottish whore in your fifteen year old?
And you the fair flower of Northumberland!'
14
Her mother she gently on her did smile,
O that her love was so easy won!
'She is not the first that the Scotts have beguild,
But she's still the fair flower of Northumberland.
15
'She shanna want gold, she shanna want fee,
Altho that her love was so easy won,
She shanna want gold to gain a man wi,
And she's still the fair flower of Northumberland.'
C.
a. Buchan's MSS, II, 166. b. Buchan's Ballads of the North of Scotland, II, 208.
1
As I went by a jail-house door,
Maid's love whiles is easy won
I saw a prisoner standing there,
'I wish I were home in fair Scotland.
2
'Fair maid, will you pity me?
Ye'll steal the keys, let me gae free:
I'll make you my lady in fair Scotland.
3
'I'm sure you have no need of me,
For ye have a wife and bairns three,
That lives at home in fair Scotland.'
4
He swore by him that was crownd with thorn,
That he never had a wife since the day he was born,
But livd a free lord in fair Scotland.
5
She went unto her father's bed-head,
She's stown the key o mony a lock,
She's let him out o prison strong.
6
She's went to her father's stable,
She's stown a steed baith wight and able,
To carry them on to fair Scotland.
7
They rode till they came to a muir,
He bade her light aff, they'd call her a whore,
If she didna return to Northumberland.
8
They rode till they came to a moss,
He bade her light aff her father's best horse,
And return her again to Northumberland.
9
'I'm sure I have no need of thee,
When I have a wife and bairns three,
That lives at home in fair Scotland.'
10
'I'll be cook in your kitchen,
And serve your lady handsomelie,
For I darena gae back to Northumberland.'
11
'Ye cannot be cook in my kitchen,
My lady cannot fa sic servants as thee,
So ye'll return again to Northumberland.'
12
When she went thro her father's ha,
She looted her low amongst them a',
She was the fair flower o Northumberland.
13
Out spake her father, he spake bold,
'How could ye be a whore in fifteen years old,
And you the flower of Northumberland?'
14
Out spake her mother, she spake wi a smile,
'She's nae the first his coat did beguile,
Ye're welcome again to Northumberland.'
D.
Motherwell's MS., p. 102.
1
She's gane down to her father's stable,
O my dear, and my love that she wan
She's taen out a black steed baith sturdy and able,
And she's away to fair Scotland.
2
When they came to Scotland bridge,
'Light off, you whore, from my black steed,
And go your ways back to Northumberland.'
3
'O take me by the body so meek,
And throw me in the water so deep,
For I daurna gae back to Northumberland.'
4
'I'll no take thee by the body so meek,
Nor throw thee in the water so deep;
Thou may go thy ways back to Northumberland.'
5
'Take me by the body so small,
And throw me in yon bonny mill-dam,
For I daurna gae back to Northumberland.'
E.
"Written down from memory by Robert Hutton, Shepherd, Peel, Liddesdale." Mr R. White's papers.
1
A bailiff's fair daughter, she lived by the Aln,
A young maid's love is easily won
She heard a poor prisoner making his moan,
And she was the flower of Northumberland.
2
'If ye could love me, as I do love thee,
A young maid's love is hard to win
I'll make you a lady of high degree,
When once we go down to fair Scotland.'
3
To think of the prisoner her heart was sore,
A young maid's love is easily won
Her love it was much, but her pity was more,
And she, etc.
4
She stole from her father's pillow the key,
And out of the dungeon she soon set him free,
And she, etc.
5
She led him into her father's stable,
And they've taken a steed both gallant and able,
To carry them down to fair Scotland.
6
When they first took the way, it was darling and dear;
As forward they fared, all changed was his cheer,
And she, etc.
7
They rode till they came to a fair Scottish corse;
Says he, 'Now, pray madam, dismount from my horse,
And go get you back to Northumberland.
8
'It befits not to ride with a leman light,
When awaits my returning my own lady bright,
My own wedded wife in fair Scotland.'
9
The words that he said on her fond heart smote,
She knew not in sooth if she lived or not,
And she, etc.
10
She looked to his face, and it kythed so unkind
That her fast coming tears soon rendered her blind,
And she, etc.
11
'Have pity on me as I had it on thee,
O why was my love so easily won!
A slave in your kitchen I'm willing to be,
But I may not go back to Northumberland.
12
'Or carry me up by the middle sae sma,
O why was my love so easily won!
And fling me headlong from your high castle wa,
For I dare not go back to Northumberland.'
13
Her wailing, her woe, for nothing they went,
A young maid's love is easily won
His bosom was stone and he would not relent,
And she, etc.
14
He turned him around and he thought of a plan,
He bought an old horse and he hired an old man,
To carry her back to Northumberland.
15
A heavy heart makes a weary way,
She reached her home in the evening gray,
And she, etc.
16
And all as she stood at her father's tower-gate,
More loud beat her heart than her knock thereat,
And she, etc.
17
Down came her step-dame, so rugged and doure,
O why was your love so easily won!
'In Scotland go back to your false paramour,
For you shall not stay here in Northumberland.'
18
Down came her father, he saw her and smiled,
A young maid's love is easily won
'You are not the first that false Scots have beguiled,
And ye're aye welcome back to Northumberland.
19
'You shall not want houses, you shall not want land,
You shall not want gold for to gain a husband,
And ye're aye welcome back to Northumberland.'
[A]. a.
2. Halliwell's Deloney, in the first line of the burden, has leape over, but not elsewhere.
92. in the.
252. Where.
b.
32. walks.
34. she is.
51. aloud.
133. omits sad.
153. the knight.
162. forth did.
243. The fairest.
271 thou shalt.
322. knight.
352. never were.
[B]. b.
22. this prison.
43. omits that was.
63. ye brazen-fac'd.
113. He hired.
123. fell at his feet.
131. omits so.
141. mother on her sae gentlie smild, etc.
[C]. a.
82. Her bade.
83. return him.
b.
51. into.
132. at fifteen.
[D].
2. Thus in Motherwell's Minstrelsy, Appendix, p. xv:
When they came to Scotland brig,
O my dear, my love that she wan!
'Light off, ye hure, from my black steed,
And his ye awa to Northumberland.'
[E].
"The Flower of Northumberland. Written down from memory by Robert Hutton, Shepperd, Peel, Liddesdale, and sent by James Telfor to his friend Robert White, Newcastle on Tyne. 20 copies printed." Mr White's note.