The Douglas Tragedy, a beautiful but fragmentary version, is, says Scott, ‘one of the few to which popular tradition has ascribed complete locality.’ The ascribed locality, if more complete, is no more probable than any other: to ascribe any definite locality to a ballad is in all cases a waste of time and labour.
The Child of Ell, in the Percy Folio, may have contained anything; but immediately we approach a point where comparison would be of interest, we meet an hiatus valde deflendus. Percy, in the Reliques, expanded the fragment here given to about five times the length.
EARL BRAND
(From R. Bell’s Ancient Poems, Ballads, etc.)
1.
Oh did ye ever hear o’ brave Earl Bran’?
Ay lally, o lilly lally
He courted the king’s daughter of fair England
All i’ the night sae early.
2.