Collation:—Crown octavo, pp. 21; consisting of: Half-title (with blank reverse), pp. 1–2; Title-page, as

above (with blank reverse), pp. 3–4; Table of Contents, pp. 5–6; and Text of the Songs and Ballads, pp. 7–21. The reverse of p. 21 is blank. The head-line is Songs and Ballads throughout, upon both sides of the page. The pamphlet concludes with a leaf, with blank reverse, and with the following imprint upon its recto: “London: / Printed for Thomas J. Wise, Hampstead, N.W. / Edition limited to Thirty Copies.” There are no signatures, but the pamphlet consists of a half-sheet (of four leaves), with a full sheet (of eight leaves) inset within it.

Issued in bright green paper wrappers, with untrimmed edges, and with the title-page reproduced upon the front. The leaves measure 7½ × 5 inches.

Thirty Copies only were printed.

Contents.

page
Marsk Stig’s Daughters. [Two daughters fair the Marshal had] 7
The Three Expectants. [There are three for my death that now pine] 11
Translation. [One summer morn, as I was seeking] 13
The English Gipsy:
He. [As I to the town was going one day
My Roman lass I met by the way] 		14
She. [As I to the town was going one day
I met a young Roman upon the way] The first of these two stanzas had been printed previously in Romano Lavo-Lil, 1874, p. 183. 		14
Gipsy Song. [Up, up, brothers] The first stanza of this Song was printed previously (under the title Run for it!) in Romano Lavo-Lil, 1874, p. 195. 16
Our Heart is Heavy, Brother. [The strength of the ox] Another version of this poem was printed previously (under the title Sorrowful Tears, and with an entirely different text) in Romano Lavo-Lil, 1874, p. 211. In order to give some clear idea of the difference between the two versions, I quote the opening stanza of each: 1874. The wit and the skill
Of the Father of ill,
Who’s clever indeed,
If they would hope
With their foes to cope
The Romany need. 1913. The strength of the ox,
The wit of the fox,
And the leveret’s speed;
All, all to oppose
Their numerous foes
The Romany need. 		17
Song. [Nastrond’s blazes] Another version of this Song was printed previously (divided up, and with many textual variations) in The Death of Balder, 1899, pp. 53–54. 19
Lines. [To read the great mysterious Past] As a specimen of Borrow’s lighter lyrical verse, as distinguished from his Ballads, I give the text of the Translation noted above, accompanied by a facsimile of the first page of the MS.: TRANSLATION. One summer morn, as I was seeking
My ponies in their green retreat,
I heard a lady sing a ditty
To me which sounded strangely sweet: I am the ladye, I am the ladye,
I am the ladye loving the knight;
I in the green wood, ’neath the green branches,
In the night season sleep with the knight. Since yonder summer morn of beauty
I’ve seen full many a gloomy year;
But in my mind still lives the ditty
That in the green wood met my ear: I am the ladye, I am the ladye,
I am the ladye loving the knight;
I in the green wood, ’neath the green branches,
In the night season sleep with the knight. A second Manuscript of this Translation has the ‘ditty’ arranged in eight lines, instead of in four. In this MS. the word ladye is spelled in the conventional manner: I am the lady,
I am the lady,
I am the lady
Loving the knight;
I in the greenwood,
’Neath the green branches,
Through the night season
Sleep with the knight. 		21

1874.

The wit and the skill
Of the Father of ill,
Who’s clever indeed,
If they would hope
With their foes to cope
The Romany need.

1913.

The strength of the ox,
The wit of the fox,
And the leveret’s speed;
All, all to oppose
Their numerous foes
The Romany need.

TRANSLATION.

One summer morn, as I was seeking
My ponies in their green retreat,
I heard a lady sing a ditty
To me which sounded strangely sweet:

I am the ladye, I am the ladye,
I am the ladye loving the knight;
I in the green wood, ’neath the green branches,
In the night season sleep with the knight.

Since yonder summer morn of beauty
I’ve seen full many a gloomy year;
But in my mind still lives the ditty
That in the green wood met my ear:

I am the ladye, I am the ladye,
I am the ladye loving the knight;
I in the green wood, ’neath the green branches,
In the night season sleep with the knight.

I am the lady,
I am the lady,
I am the lady
Loving the knight;
I in the greenwood,
’Neath the green branches,
Through the night season
Sleep with the knight.

Note.—Each poem to which no reference is attached appeared for the first time in this volume.