H
Christie, Traditional Ballad Airs, I, 138; taken down by the editor’s father from the singing of an aged relative.
1
He’s given her a pair of shoes,
To hold her frae the cold;
The one side of them was velvaret,
And the other beaten gold.
2
Up she has taen her little wee son,
And given him kisses three;
Says, Fare ye weel, my little wee son,
I’m gaun to sail the sea.
B.
The Rambler’s Garland, composed of some Delightful New Songs. There are four: the third is The distressed Ship Carpenter. “1785?”
11. my my own.
E.
32. Originally, Had it not been for love of thee.
103. In the margin, Till grim, grim grew.
114. Och hone under the line.
141. Altered to, O whatena.
151. Altered to, O whatena dark. (The original readings are likely to have been the traditional ones.)
173. sea.
F.
In a letter to Scott, January 3, 1803, Laidlaw gives some account of the ballad sung by Walter Grieve, and cites some verses from recollection, which, not unnaturally, differ from what he afterwards took down in writing.
“He likewise sung part of a very beautiful ballad which I think you will not have seen. As a punishment for her inconstancy, the Devil is supposed to come and entice a young woman from her husband, in the form of her former lover. The tune is very solemn and melancholy, and the effect is mixed with a considerable proportion of horror. I remember but very few verses. He prevails upon her to go abroad [aboard?] to hear his musicians, after upbraiding her
‘I might hae marrit a king’s daughter, but
I mindit my love for thee.’
“The description of her setting her child on the nurse’s knee and bidding him farewell is waesome, but I have forgot it.”
She set her foot into the ship, to hear the music play;
The masts war o the beaten goud, and the sails o the silk sae gay.
They hadna saild a league thrae land, a league but barely three,
Till drearie grew his countenance, and drumlie grew his ee.
They hadna saild another league, another league but three,
Till she beheld his cloven fit, and she wept most bitterlie.
‘O had yer tongue, my love,’ he said, ‘why weep ye sae mournfulie?
We’re gaun to see how the lillies do grow on the banks o fair Italie.’
‘What hills are yon, yon pleasant hills, where the sun shines [a wafer here]
‘O yon’s the hills of heaven,’ he said, ‘where you will never win!‘”
Letters addressed to Sir Walter Scott, Vol. I, No 78, Abbotsford.
244
JAMES HATLEY
A. a. “Scotch Ballads, Materials for Border Minstrelsy,” No 35, MS. of Thomas Wilkie, p. 6, Abbotsford. b. ‘James Hatley,’ Campbell MSS, II, 289. c. ‘James Hatelie,’ R. Chambers, The Romantic Scottish Ballads, their Epoch and Authorship, p. 37.
B. ‘James Hately,’ “Scotch Ballads, Materials for Border Minstrelsy,” No 39, MS. of Thomas Wilkie, p. 18. The same, transcribed by Thomas Wilkie, “Scotch Ballads,” etc., No 79, Abbotsford.
C. ‘Jamie O’Lee,’ Motherwell’s MS., p. 654.
A. ‘Sir Fenwick’ steals the king’s jewels and lays the blame on James Hatley, who is condemned to death. The king’s daughter steals the prison-keys from under her father’s head and pays a visit to Hatley, who assures her of his innocence, and tells her that Fenwick is the man. [b, the king is angry, and says that for stealing his jewels Hatley shall die ‘over the barriers:’ so B.] The princess goes to her father and begs the life of Hatley, and her boon is granted without demur. She asks one thing more, that Fenwick and Hatley may try their verity at the sword, and this is unhesitatingly conceded. Hatley is but fifteen years old (he is seventeen b, eighteen c, fifteen again C), and Fenwick is thirty-three; nevertheless, Fenwick gets three wounds. An English lord intermits: he would have given all his estates rather than Hatley should escape; a Scots lord replies that he would have fought to the knees in blood before Hatley should have been hanged. (The Scots lord is wanting in b; the passage is likely to be borrowed from ‘Geordie,’ No 209.) The king’s eldest son asks Hatley to dine, and makes him his captain by land and sea;[[146]] the king’s daughter invites him to dine, and announces that she has made a vow to marry no other man.
B. Hatley, accused of stealing the king’s jewels, goes to the little prince and asks what he will do for his page; the prince goes to his father and asks what he will do for the page. The king says that Hatley has stolen his jewels, so a Norland lord has informed him, and Hatley must die ‘over the barriers.’ The prince offers to fight any man who lays the blame on Hatley. Fenwick maintains that Hatley is the thief. The prince gives Fenwick two or three mortal wounds; Fenwick hands him the key of his coffer, and in the coffer the jewels will be found. The king invests Hatley with Fenwick’s lands.
C. A false knight, Phenix, steals the queen’s jewels, and leaves the blame on Jamie O’Lee. The king sends for his son and tells him that Jamie has been accused of the theft by an English lord, and shall be banished from Scotland. The prince demands a man to fight with Jamie on this charge, and false Phenix offers himself. The prince at first objects, for Jamie is but fifteen years old, whereas Phenix is of course thirty-three; however, he tells Jamie that he must fight or be banished from England (8, compare 14). Jamie protests his innocence. He fights with Phenix and receives the first wound, then runs Phenix through the body; Phenix owns his guilt. The king tells Jamie to come home with him; every knight in the court shall be at his command. The queen bids Jamie come home with her; he shall have a new livery every month. The prince invites Jamie to come home with him; all his lands in Scotland shall be at Jamie’s command. Jamie thanks king, queen, and nobility; he has been a prince’s page all his life, and a prince’s page he still will be.
Lines representing B 123,4, C 173,4, have been interpolated into the fragment of ‘The Slaughter of the Laird of Mellerstain,’ No 230:
They wad take the lands frae fause Fenwick,
And give them to James Hately.
There is no a month in a’ the year
But changëd should his claithing be.