The Beginnings of Poetry

by Francis Barton Gummere

[635]. London, 1811, p. 420. See also Ritson, Scottish Song, I. xxvi, f.

Maydens of Englande, sore may you mourne

For your lemmans ye have lost at Bannockisburne!

With heve a lowe.

What, weeneth the King of England

So soone to have won Scotland!

With rumbylowe.

This refrain, as will be seen, is a kind of water-chorus.

[636]. Bruce, ed. Skeat, E. E. T. S., p. 399.

[637]. Brut, ed. Madden, 9538 f.