‘Through mercy the Lord hath provided for me;
Pray, father, come in and sit down then,’ said she.
Then the best provisions the house could afford,
For to make him welcome was set on the board.
She said, ‘You are welcome, feed hearty, I pray,
And, if you are willing, with me you shall stay,
So long as you live.’ Then he made this reply:
‘I only am come now thy love for to try.
‘Through mercy, my dear child, I’m rich and not poor,
I have gold and silver enough now in store;
And for this love which at thy hands I have found,
For thy portion I’ll give thee ten thousand pound.’
So in a few days after, as I understand,
This man he went home, and sold off all his land,
And ten thousand pounds to his daughter did give,
And now altogether in love they do live.
THE BRAVE EARL BRAND AND THE KING OF ENGLAND’S DAUGHTER.
(TRADITIONAL.)
[This ballad, which resembles the Danish ballad of Ribolt, was taken down from the recitation of an old fiddler in Northumberland: in one verse there is an hiatus, owing to the failure of the reciter’s memory. The refrain should be repeated in every verse.]
O did you ever hear of the brave Earl Brand,
Hey lillie, ho lillie lallie;
His courted the king’s daughter o’ fair England,
I’ the brave nights so early!
She was scarcely fifteen years that tide,
When sae boldly she came to his bed-side,
‘O, Earl Brand, how fain wad I see
A pack of hounds let loose on the lea.’