[111]
CROW AND PIE
MS. Rawlinson, C. 813, fol. 27 b, beginning of the sixteenth century. Halliwell's Nugæ Poeticæ, p. 42.
This is not a purely popular ballad, but rather of that kind which, for convenience, may be called the minstrel-ballad. It has, however, popular features, and markedly in stanzas 13, 14; for which see pp. 444, 446 of the first volume, and the ballad preceding this, A 5, 6, B 3, 4, etc.; also Buchan's Ballads of the North of Scotland, II, 144, 'The Baron o Leys.'
1 Throughe a forest as I can ryde,
To take my sporte yn an mornyng,
I cast my eye on euery syde,
I was ware of a bryde syngynge.
2 I sawe a faire mayde come rydyng;
I speke to hur of loue, I trowe;
She answered me all yn scornyng,
And sayd, The crowe shall byte yow.
3 'I pray yow, damesell, scorne me nott;
To wyn your loue ytt ys my wyll;
For your loue I haue dere bought,
And I wyll take good hede thertyll.'
4 'Nay, for God, ser, that I nyll;
I tell the, Jenken, as I trowe,
Thow shalt nott fynde me suche a gyll;
Therfore the crowe shall byte yow.'
5 He toke then owt a good golde ryng,
A purse of velweytt, that was soo fyne:
'Haue ye thys, my dere swetyng,
With that ye wylbe lemman myn.'