+The Text+ is that of the Jamieson-Brown MS., taken down from the
recitation of Mrs. Brown about 1783. In printing the ballad, Jamieson
collated with the above two other Scottish copies, one in MS., another a
stall-copy, a third from recitation in the north of England, a fourth
'picked off an old wall in Piccadilly' by the editor.
+The Story+ has several variations of detail in the numerous versions
known (Young Bicham, Brechin, Bekie, Beachen, Beichan, Bichen, Lord
Beichan, Lord Bateman, Young Bondwell, etc.), but the text here given is
one of the most complete and vivid, and contains besides one feature
(the 'Belly Blin') lost in all other versions but one.
A similar story is current in the ballad-literature of Scandinavia,
Spain, and Italy; but the English tale has undoubtedly been affected by
the charming legend of Gilbert Becket, the father of Saint Thomas, who,
having been captured by Admiraud, a Saracen prince, and held in durance
vile, was freed by Admiraud's daughter, who then followed him to
England, knowing no English but 'London' and 'Gilbert'; and after much
tribulation, found him and was married to him. 'Becket' is sufficiently
near 'Bekie' to prove contamination, but not to prove that the legend is
the origin of the ballad.
The Belly Blin (Billie Blin = billie, a man; blin', blind, and so Billie
Blin = Blindman's Buff, formerly called Hoodman Blind) occurs in certain
other ballads, such as _Cospatrick_, _Willie's Lady_, and the _Knight
and the Shepherd's Daughter_; also in a mutilated ballad of the Percy
Folio, _King Arthur and King Cornwall_, under the name Burlow Beanie. In
the latter case he is described as 'a lodly feend, with seuen heads, and
one body,' breathing fire; but in general he is a serviceable household
demon. Cp. German _bilwiz_, and Dutch _belewitte_.