"It was a knight in Scotland born,
Follow my love, come over the Strand;
Was taken prisoner, and left forlorn
Even by the good Erle Northumberland."
This is a corrupt version of Thomas Deloney's celebrated ballad of "The
Ungrateful Knight," printed in the _History of Jack of Newbery_, 1596, and
in Ritson's _Ancient Songs_, 1790. A Scottish version may be found in
Kinloch's _Ballads_, under the title of the "The Provost's Daughter." Mr.
Sheldon knows nothing of this, but says,--
"This ballad has been known about the English Border for many years,
and I can remember a version of it being sung by my grandmother!"
He also informs us that he has added the last verse but one, in order to
make the "ends of justice" more complete!