7_The English and Scottish popular ballads, volume 1 (of 5)

An he has kissed her sisters six, love,

An he has sent them hame again,

But he has keepit his ain true lover,

Saying, 'We will wauk the wuds our lane.'

They hadna waukd in the bonnie greenwud

Na no an hour but barely ane,

Till up start fifteen o the bravest outlaws

That ever bure either breath or bane.

An up bespake the foremost man, love,

An O but he spake angrily:

'Either your life--or your lady fair, sir,

This night shall wauk the wuds wi me.'

'My lady fair, O I like her weel, sir,

An O my life, but it lies me near!

But before I lose my lady fair, sir,

I'll rather lose my life sae dear.'

Then up bespak the second man, love,

An aye he spake mair angrily,

Saying, 'Baith your life, and your lady fair, sir,

This night shall wauk the wuds wi me.'

'My lady fair, O I like her weel, sir,

An O my life, but it lies me near!

But before I lose my lady fair, sir,

I'll rather lose my life sae dear.

'But if ye'll be men to your manhood,

As that I will be unto mine,

I'll fight ye every ane man by man,

Till the last drop's blude I hae be slain.

'O sit ye down, my dearest dearie,

Sit down and hold my noble steed,

And see that ye never change your cheer

Until ye see my body bleed.'

He's feughten a' the fifteen outlaws,

The fifteen outlaws every ane,

He's left naething but the auldest man

To go and carry the tidings hame.

An he has gane to his dearest dear,

An he has kissed her, cheek and chin,

Saying, 'Thou art mine ain, I have bought thee dear,

An we will wauk the wuds our lane.'

Gutch's Robin Hood, II, 345, from a MS. of Mr. Payne

Collier's, supposed to have been written about 1650.

As Robin Hood sat by a tree,

He espied a prettie may,

And when she chanced him to see,

She turnd her head away.

'O feare me not, thou prettie mayde,

And doe not flie from mee;

I am the kindest man,' he said,

'That ever eye did see.'

Then to her he did doffe his cap,

And to her lowted low;

'To meete with thee I hold it good hap,

If thou wilt not say noe.'

Then he put his hand around her waste,

Soe small, so tight, and trim,

And after sought her lip to taste,

And she to kissed him.

'Where dost thou dwell, my prettie maide?

I prithee tell to me;'

'I am a tanner's daughter,' she said,

'John Hobbes of Barneslee.'

'And whither goest thou, pretty maide?

Shall I be thy true love?'

If thou art not afeard,' she said,

'My true love thou shalt prove.'

'What should I feare?' then he replied;

'I am thy true love now;'

'I have two brethren, and their pride

Would scorn such one as thou.'

'That will we try,' quoth Robin Hood;

'I was not made their scorne;

Ile shed my blood to doe the[e] good,

As sure as they were borne.'

'My brothers are proude and fierce and strong;'

'I am,' said he, 'the same,

And if they offer thee to wrong,

Theyle finde Ile play their game.

'Through the free forrest I can run,

The king may not controll;

They are but barking tanners' sons,

To me they shall pay toll.

'And if not mine be sheepe and kine,

I have cattle on my land;

On venison eche day I may dine,

Whiles they have none in hand.'

These wordes had Robin Hood scarce spoke,

When they two men did see,

Come riding till their horses smoke:

'My brothers both,' cried shee.

Each had a good sword by his side,

And furiouslie they rode

To where they Robin Hood espied,

That with the maiden stood.

'Flee hence, flee hence, away with speede!'

Cried she to Robin Hood,

'For if thou stay, thoult surely bleede;

I could not see thy blood.'

'With us, false maiden, come away,

And leave that outlawe bolde;

Why fledst thou from thy home this day,

And left thy father olde?'

Robin stept backe but paces five,

Unto a sturdie tree;

'Ile fight whiles I am left alive;

Stay thou, sweete maide, with mee.'

He stood before, she stoode behinde,

The brothers two drewe nie;

'Our sister now to us resign,

Or thou full sure shalt die.'

Then cried the maide, 'My brethren deare,

With ye Ile freely wend,

But harm not this young forrester,

Noe ill doth he pretend.'

'Stande up, sweete maide, I plight my troth;

Fall thou not on thy knee;

Ile force thy cruell brothers both

To bend the knee to thee.

'Stand thou behinde this sturdie oke,

I soone will quell their pride;

Thoult see my sword with furie smoke,

And in their hearts' blood died.'

He set his backe against a tree,

His foote against a stone;

The first blow that he gave so free

Cleft one man to the bone.

The tanners bold they fought right well,

And it was one to two;

But Robin did them both refell,

All in the damsell's viewe.

The red blood ran from Robins brow,

All downe unto his knee;

'O holde your handes, my brethren now,

I will goe backe with yee.'

'Stand backe, stand backe, my pretty maide,

Stand backe and let me fight;

By sweete St. James be no[t] afraide

But I will it requite.'

Then Robin did his sword uplift,

And let it fall againe;

The oldest brothers head it cleft,

Right through unto his braine.

'O hold thy hand, bolde forrester,

Or ill may thee betide;

Slay not my youngest brother here,

He is my father's pride.'

'Away, for I would scorne to owe,

My life to the[e], false maide!'

The youngest cried, and aimd a blow

That lit on Robin's head.

Then Robin leand against the tree,

His life nie gone did seeme;

His eyes did swim, he could not see

The maiden start betweene.

It was not long ere Robin Hood

Could welde his sword so bright;

Upon his feete he firmly stood,

And did renew the fight.

Untill the tanner scarce could heave

His weapon in the aire;

But Robin would not him bereave

Of life, and left him there.

Then to the greenewood did he fly,

And with him went the maide;

For him she vowd that she would dye,

He'd live for her, he said.

* * * * *

#A.#

4^2. _Ed. 1833 has ~or kens~._

#B.#

1^2. _If #A# 1^2 be right, gross injustice is done the

father by changing ~I wat he weird her~ into ~he wad wed

her~. One of the two is a singular corruption._

_There is another copy of #B# among Mr White's papers,

with the title 'Sir Thamas,' which I have no doubt has

been "revised," whether by Telfer, or by Mr White himself,

it is impossible to say. The principal variations are here

given, that others may be satisfied._

1^2. wed her mang his ain kin.

1^4. this fair.

2^3. Till up cam Thamas her only true love.

3^2. O tirl nae langer at the pin.

3^3. I wadna for a hundred pounds, love.

3^4. can I.

4^3. fu soon.

4^4. And by oursels we twa can talk.

5^{1,2}.

I'll hae a glove on my right hand, love,

And on my left I shall hae nane.

6^{2-4}.

Beyond an hour, or scarcely twa,

When up rode Thamas, her only true love,

And he has tane her frae mang them a'.

7^1. He kissed her sisters, a' the six, love.

7^3. his winsome true love.

7^4. That they might walk.

8^1. didna walk.

8^{2-4}.

Beyond two hours, or barely three,

Till up cam seven[118] stalwart outlaws,

The bauldest fellows that ane could see.

9^8. We'll take your life, for this lady fair, sir.

10^1. My lady's fair, I like her weel, sir.

11^{2,3}.

And he spak still mair furiously;

'Flee, or we'll kill ye, because your lady.

12.

'My lady fair, I shall part na frae thee,

And for my life, I did never fear;

Sae before I lose my winsome lady,

My life I'll venture for ane sae dear.

13.

'But if ye're a' true to your manhood,

As I shall try to be true to mine,

I'll fight ye a', come man by man then,

Till the last drop o my bloud I tine.'

14^2. my bridled steed.

14^3. And mind ye never change your colour.

15.

He fought against the seven outlaws,

And he has beat them a' himsel;

But he left the auldest man amang them

That he might gae and the tidings tell.

16.

Then he has gane to his dearest dearie,

And he has kissed her oer and oer;

'Though thou art mine, I hae bought thee dearly,

Now we shall sunder never more.'

#C.#

1^1. _~Robinhood~, and so always._

31. _After this_: Finis, T. Fleming.

[117] Gunther, as well remarked by Klee, 'Zur Hildesage,' p. 19, cannot

have belonged originally to the Hildegunde saga. No sufficient motive is

furnished for introducing him. In the Polish version of the story there

is only one pursuer, Arinoldus, whom Walter slays. Rischka, Verhältniss

der polnischen Sage von Walgierz Wdaly zu den deutschen Sagen von W. v.

Aquitanien, p. 8 ff.

[118] "The original ballad had fifteen. Seven would do as well, and the

latter number would seem more nearly to resemble the truth."

THE FAIR FLOWER OF NORTHUMBERLAND

#A. a.# Deloney's 'Jack of Newbury,' reprint of 1859, p.

61. #b.# 'The Ungrateful Knight and the Fair Flower of

Northumberland,' Ritson's Ancient Songs, 1790, p. 169.

#B. a.# Kinloch MSS, V, 49. #b.# 'The Provost's Dochter,'

Kinloch's Ancient Scottish Ballads, p. 131.

#C.# 'The Betrayed Lady.' #a.# Buchan's MSS, II, 166. #b.#

Buchan's Ballads of the North of Scotland, II, 208.

#D.# Motherwell's MS., p. 102.

#E.# 'The Flower of Northumberland,' Mr Robert White's

papers.

The earliest copy of this ballad is introduced as 'The Maidens'

Song,'[119] in Deloney's Pleasant History of John Winchcomb, in his

younger yeares called Jacke of Newberie, a book written as early as

1597. Mr Halliwell reprinted the "9th" edition, of the date 1633,[120]

in 1859, and the ballad is found at p. 61 of the reprint (#A#). The copy

in Ritson's Ancient Songs, 1790, p. 169, has a few variations, which are

probably to be explained by Ritson having used some other edition of

Deloney. Ritson's text is used in The Borderer's Table Book, VI, 25,

and was taken thence into Sheldon's Minstrelsy of the English Border,

with some arbitrary alterations. The ballad was formerly popular in

Scotland. Kinloch and Buchan printed #B# and #C# with some slight

changes; the texts are now given as they stand in the manuscripts. #E#,

a traditional version from the English border, has unfortunately been

improved by some literary pen.

An English lady is prevailed upon to release a Scot from prison, and to

fly with him, on the promise of being made his wife, and (#A#) lady of

castles and towers. She takes much gold with her (#A#), and a swift

steed (two, #A#). According to #A# they come to a rough river; the lady

is alarmed, but swims it, and is wet from top to toe. On coming within

sight of Edinburgh, the faithless knight bids her choose whether she

will be his paramour or go back: he has wife and children. She begs him

to draw his sword and end her shame: he takes her horse away, and leaves

her. Two English knights come by, who restore her to her father. The

dismissal takes place at the Scottish cross and moor in #B#; at a moor

and a moss, #C#; at Scotland bridge, #D#; at a fair Scottish cross, #E#.

She offers to be servant in his kitchen rather than go back, #B#, #C#,

#E#; begs him to throw her into the water, #D#; from his castle wall,

#E#. He fees an old man to take her home on an old horse, #B#, #E#.

We do not find the whole of this story repeated among other European

nations, but there are interesting agreements in parts with

Scandinavian, Polish, and German ballads.

There is some resemblance in the first half to a pretty ballad of the

northern nations which treats in a brief way the theme of our exquisite

romance of 'The Nutbrown Maid:' #Danish#, 'Den Trofaste Jomfru,'

Grundtvig, No 249, IV, 494, nine copies, #A-I#, the first three from

16th or 17th century manuscripts, the others from tradition of this

century, as are also the following: #K-M#, 'Den Fredløse,' Kristensen,

II, 191, No 57: Swedish, 'De sju Gullbergen,' #A#, Afzelius, No 79, III,

71, new ed., No 64, I, 322; #B#, #C#, Grundtvig, IV, 507 f: #Norwegian#

#A#, 'Herre Per og stolt Margit,' Landstad, No 74, p. 590; #B#, 'Herr'

Nikelus,' Landstad, No 75, p. 594.[121] All tell very much the same

tale. A knight carries off a maid on his horse, making her magnificent

promises, among which are eight gold castles, Dan. #C#, #D#, #E#, #H#,

#I#; one, #K#, #L#, #M#; eight, Norw. #A#; nine, Norw. #B#; seven, Swed.

#B#; seven gold mountains, Swed. #A#, perhaps, by mistake of ber_gen_

for bor_gar_[122] She gets her gold together while he is saddling his

horse, Dan. #A, C, D, F, H, M#; Swed. #A#; Norw. #A#, #B#. They come to

a sea-strand or other water, it is many miles to the nearest land, Dan.

#B#, #D#, Swed. #A#, #C#; the lady wishes she were at home, Dan. #E#,

#F#, Swed. #B#, #C#. He swims the horse across, Dan. #A#, #B#, #D#, #E#,

#F#, #H#, #K#, #L#, #M#; Swed. #A#, #B#, #C# [part of the way, having

started in a boat, Norw. #A#, #B#]. The maid wrings her clothes, Dan.

#A#, #D#, #K#, #L#; Swed. #A#; Norw. #A#, #B#. She asks, Where are the

gold castles which you promised? Dan. #C# 7, #D# 14, #K# 9, #L# 7, #M#

8; Norw. #A# 22, #B# 16.[123] He tells her that he has no gold castle

but this green turf, Dan. #C# 8; he needs none but the black ground and

thick wood, Dan. #K# 10: he is a penniless, banished man. She offers him

her gold to buy him a charter of peace. In all, except Dan. #A#, #B#,

#C#, and the incomplete Dan. #I#, Norw. #B#, he goes on to say that he

has plighted faith to another woman, and she meekly replies, Then I will

be your servant. He continues the trial no further, reveals himself as

of wealth and rank, says that she shall have ladies to wait on her, and

makes her his queen. The knight is king of England in Dan. #B#, #H#,

King Henry, simply, in Dan. #F#. The gold castles prove to be realities:

there is in Dan. #E# even one more than was promised.[124]

The #Polish# ballads of the class of 'Lady Isabel and the Elf Knight'

(see p. 39 f) have thus much in common with 'The Fair Flower of

Northumberland:' a maid is induced to go off with a man on horseback,

and takes gold with her; after going a certain distance, he bids her

return home; in #AA#, #H#, #R#, he gives her her choice whether to

return or to jump into the river; she prefers death (cf. #D# 3, 5, p.

116); in all they finally come to a river, or other water, into which he

throws her.[125]

There is a #German# ballad which has some slight connection with all the

foregoing, and a very slight story it is altogether: 'Stolz Heinrich,'

Simrock, No 9, p. 23, 'Stolz Syburg,' Reiffenberg, No 16, p. 32, No 17,

p. 34, from the Lower Rhine and Münster; made over, in Kretzschmer, I,

187, No 106. Heinrich, or Syburg, wooes a king's daughter in a distant

land. He asks her to go with him, and says he has seven mills in his

country. "Tell me what they grind," says Margaret, "and I will go with

you." The mills grind sugar and cinnamon, mace and cloves. They come to

a green heath. Margaret thinks she sees the mills gleaming: he tells her

that a green heath is all he has. "Then God have mercy that I have come

so far," she says; draws a sword; kneels before him, and stabs herself.

The ballad of 'Young Andrew,' further on, has points in common with 'The

Fair Flower of Northumberland.'

* * * * *

#C# is translated by Rosa Warrens, Schottische Lieder der Vorzeit, No

31, p. 137.

#a.# Deloney's Pleasant History of John Winchcomb, 9th

ed., London, 1633, reprinted by Halliwell, p. 61. #b.#

Ritson's Ancient Songs, 1790, p. 169.

It was a knight in Scotland borne

Follow, my love, come over the strand

Was taken prisoner, and left forlorne,

Even by the good Earle of Northumberland.

Then was he cast in prison strong,

Where he could not walke nor lie along,

Even by the goode Earle of Northumberland.

And as in sorrow thus he lay,

The Earle's sweete daughter walkt that way,

And she the faire flower of Northumberland.

And passing by, like an angell bright,

The prisoner had of her a sight,

And she the faire flower of Northumberland.

And loud to her this knight did crie,

The salt teares standing in his eye,

And she the faire flower of Northumberland.

'Faire lady,' he said, 'take pity on me,

And let me not in prison dye,

And you the faire flower of Northumberland.'

'Faire Sir, how should I take pity on thee,

Thou being a foe to our countrey,

And I the faire flower of Northumberland.'

'Faire lady, I am no foe,' he said,

'Through thy sweet love heere was I stayd,

For thee, the faire flower of Northumberland.'

'Why shouldst thou come heere for love of me,

Having wife and children in thy countrie?

And I the faire flower of Northumberland.'

'I sweare by the blessed Trinitie,

I have no wife nor children, I,

Nor dwelling at home in merrie Scotland.

'If curteously you will set me free,

I vow that I will marrie thee,

So soone as I come in faire Scotland.

'Thou shalt be a lady of castles and towers,

And sit like a queene in princely bowers,

When I am at home in faire Scotland.'

Then parted hence this lady gay,

And got her father's ring away,

To helpe this sad knight into faire Scotland.

Likewise much gold she got by sleight,

And all to helpe this forlorne knight

To wend from her father to faire Scotland.

Two gallant steedes, both good and able,

She likewise tooke out of the stable,

To ride with this knight into faire Scotland.

And to the jaylor she sent this ring,

The knight from prison forth to bring,

To wend with her into faire Scotland.

This token set the prisoner free,

Who straight went to this faire lady,

To wend with her into faire Scotland.

A gallant steede he did bestride,

And with the lady away did ride,

And she the faire flower of Northumberland.

They rode till they came to a water cleare:

'Good Sir, how should I follow you heere,

And I the faire flower of Northumberland?

'The water is rough and wonderfull deepe,

An[d] on my saddle I shall not keepe,

And I the faire flower of Northumberland.'

'Feare not the foord, faire lady,' quoth he,

'For long I cannot stay for thee,

And thou the faire flower of Northumberland.'

The lady prickt her wanton steed,

And over the river swom with speede,

And she the faire flower of Northumberland.

From top to toe all wet was shee:

'This have I done for love of thee,

And I the faire flower of Northumberland.'

Thus rode she all one winter's night,

Till Edenborow they saw in sight,

The chiefest towne in all Scotland.

'Now chuse,' quoth he, 'thou wanton flower,

Whe'r thou wilt be my paramour,

Or get thee home to Northumberland.

'For I have wife, and children five,

In Edenborow they be alive;

Then get thee home to faire England.

'This favour shalt thou have to boote,

Ile have thy horse, go thou on foote,

Go, get thee home to Northumberland.'

'O false and faithlesse knight,' quoth shee,

'And canst thou deale so bad with me,

And I the faire flower of Northumberland?

'Dishonour not a ladie's name,

But draw thy sword and end my shame,

And I the faire flower of Northumberland.'

He tooke her from her stately steed,

And left her there in extreme need,

And she the faire flower of Northumberland.

Then sate she downe full heavily;

At length two knights came riding by,

Two gallant knights of faire England.

She fell downe humbly on her knee,

Saying, 'Courteous knights, take pittie on me,

And I the faire flower of Northumberland.

'I have offended my father deere,

And by a false knight that brought me heere,

From the good Earle of Northumberland.'

They tooke her up behind them then,

And brought her to her father's againe,

And he the good Earle of Northumberland.

All you faire maidens be warned by me,

Scots were never true, nor never will be,

To lord, nor lady, nor faire England.

#a.# Kinloch MSS, V, 49, in the handwriting of J. Beattie.

#b.# Kinloch's Ancient Scottish Ballads, p. 134, from the

recitation of Miss E. Beattie.

The provost's daughter went out a walking,

A may's love whiles is easy won

She heard a poor prisoner making his moan,

And she was the fair flower of Northumberland.

'If any lady would borrow me

Out into the prison strong,

I would make her a lady of high degree,

For I am a great lord in fair Scotland.'

She's done her to her father's bed-stock,

A may's love whiles is easy won

She's stolen the keys o many braw lock,

And she's loosd him out o the prison strong.

She's done her to her father's stable,

A may's love whiles is easy won

She's taen out a steed that was both swift and able,

To carry them both to fair Scotland.

O when they came to the Scottish cross,

A may's love whiles is easy won

'Ye brazen-faced whore, light off o my horse,

And go get you back to Northumberland!'

O when they came to the Scottish moor,

A may's love whiles is easy won

'Get off o my horse, you're a brazen-faced whore,

So go get you back to Northumberland!'

'O pity on me, O pity,' said she,

'O that my love was so easy won!

Have pity on me as I had upon thee,

When I loosd you out of the prison strong.'

'O how can I have pity on thee?

O why was your love so easy won!

When I have a wife and children three

More worthy than a' Northumberland.'

'Cook in your kitchen I will be,

O that my love was so easy won!

And serve your lady most reverently,

For I darena go back to Northumberland.'

'Cook in my kitchen you shall not be,

Why was your love so easy won!

For I will have no such servants as thee,

So get you back to Northumberland.'

But laith was he the lassie to tyne,

A may's love whiles is easy won

He's hired an old horse and feed an old man,

To carry her back to Northumberland.

O when she came her father before,

A may's love whiles is easy won

She fell down on her knees so low

For she was the fair flower of Northumberland.

'O daughter, O daughter, why was ye so bold,

Or why was your love so easy won,

To be a Scottish whore in your fifteen year old?

And you the fair flower of Northumberland!'

Her mother she gently on her did smile,

O that her love was so easy won!

'She is not the first that the Scotts have beguild,

But she's still the fair flower of Northumberland.

'She shanna want gold, she shanna want fee,

Altho that her love was so easy won,

She shanna want gold to gain a man wi,

And she's still the fair flower of Northumberland.'

#a.# Buchan's MSS, II, 166. #b.# Buchan's Ballads of the

North of Scotland, II, 208.

As I went by a jail-house door,

Maid's love whiles is easy won

I saw a prisoner standing there,

'I wish I were home in fair Scotland.

'Fair maid, will you pity me?

Ye'll steal the keys, let me gae free:

I'll make you my lady in fair Scotland.

'I'm sure you have no need of me,

For ye have a wife and bairns three,

That lives at home in fair Scotland.'

He swore by him that was crownd with thorn,

That he never had a wife since the day he was born,

But livd a free lord in fair Scotland.

She went unto her father's bed-head,

She's stown the key o mony a lock,

She's let him out o prison strong.

She's went to her father's stable,

She's stown a steed baith wight and able,

To carry them on to fair Scotland.

They rode till they came to a muir,

He bade her light aff, they'd call her a whore,

If she didna return to Northumberland.

They rode till they came to a moss,

He bade her light aff her father's best horse,

And return her again to Northumberland.

'I'm sure I have no need of thee,

When I have a wife and bairns three,

That lives at home in fair Scotland.'

'I'll be cook in your kitchen,

And serve your lady handsomelie,

For I darena gae back to Northumberland.'

'Ye cannot be cook in my kitchen,

My lady cannot fa sic servants as thee,

So ye'll return again to Northumberland.'

When she went thro her father's ha,

She looted her low amongst them a',

She was the fair flower o Northumberland.

Out spake her father, he spake bold,

'How could ye be a whore in fifteen years old,

And you the flower of Northumberland?'

Out spake her mother, she spake wi a smile,

'She's nae the first his coat did beguile,

Ye're welcome again to Northumberland.'

Motherwell's MS., p. 102.

She's gane down to her father's stable,

O my dear, and my love that she wan

She's taen out a black steed baith sturdy and able,

And she's away to fair Scotland.

When they came to Scotland bridge,

'Light off, you whore, from my black steed,

And go your ways back to Northumberland.'

'O take me by the body so meek,

And throw me in the water so deep,

For I daurna gae back to Northumberland.'

'I'll no take thee by the body so meek,

Nor throw thee in the water so deep;

Thou may go thy ways back to Northumberland.'

'Take me by the body so small,

And throw me in yon bonny mill-dam,

For I daurna gae back to Northumberland.'

"Written down from memory by Robert Hutton, Shepherd,

Peel, Liddesdale." Mr R. White's papers.

A bailiff's fair daughter, she lived by the Aln,

A young maid's love is easily won

She heard a poor prisoner making his moan,

And she was the flower of Northumberland.

'If ye could love me, as I do love thee,

A young maid's love is hard to win

I'll make you a lady of high degree,

When once we go down to fair Scotland.'

To think of the prisoner her heart was sore,

A young maid's love is easily won

Her love it was much, but her pity was more,

And she, etc.