The Text is taken from Percy’s Reliques (1765), vol. i. p. 71, ‘given from two MS. copies, transmitted from Scotland.’ Herd had a very similar ballad, which substitutes a Sir Andrew Wood for the hero. The version of this ballad printed in most collections is that of Scott’s Minstrelsy, Sir Patrick Spens being the spelling adopted.[3] Scott compounded his ballad of two manuscript copies and a few verses from recitation, but the result is of unnecessary length.
The Story.—Much labour has been expended upon the question whether this ballad has an historical basis or not. From Percy’s ballad—the present text—we can gather that Sir Patrick Spence was chosen by the king to convey something of value to a certain destination; and later versions tell us that the ship is bound for Norway, the object of the voyage being either to bring home the king of Norway’s daughter, or the Scottish king’s daughter, or to take out the Scottish king’s daughter to be queen in Norway. The last variation can be supported by history, Margaret, daughter of Alexander III. of Scotland, being married in 1281 to Erik, king of Norway. Many of the knights and nobles who accompanied her to Norway were drowned on the voyage home.
However, we need not elaborate our researches in the attempt to prove that the ballad is historical. It is certainly of English and Scottish origin, and has no parallels in the ballads of other lands. ‘Haf owre to Aberdour,’ i.e. halfway between Aberdour in Buchan and the coast of Norway, lies the island of Papa Stronsay, on which there is a tumulus called ‘the Earl’s Knowe’ (knoll); but the tradition, that this marks the grave of Sir Patrick Spence, is in all probability a modern invention.
[3.] Coleridge, however, wrote of the ‘grand old ballad of Sir Patrick Spence.’
SIR PATRICK SPENCE
1.
1.1 ‘Dumferling,’ i.e. Dunfermline, on the north side of the Firth of Forth.
The king sits in Dumferling toune,
Drinking the blude-reid wine:
‘O whar will I get [a] guid sailor,