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Read Ebook: English and Scottish Ballads Volume II by Child Francis James Editor
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Ebook has 1577 lines and 143040 words, and 32 pages
OF VOLUME SECOND.
Page
Lord Barnaby 307 Child Maurice 313 Clerk Saunders 318 Lord Wa'yates and Auld Ingram 326 Sweet Willie and Fair Maisry 332 Lady Marjorie 338 Leesome Brand 342 The Youth of Rosengord 347 The Blood-Stained Son 350 The Twa Brothers 353 The Miller and the King's Daughter 357 The Bonny Bows o' London 360 The Croodlin Doo 363 The Snake-Cook 364 The Child's Last Will 366 The Three Knights 368 The Cruel Mother 372 The Minister's Dochter o' Newarke 376 Bondsey and Maisry 379 Ladye Diamond 382 The West-Country Damosel's Complaint 384 The Brave Earl Brand and the King of England's Daughter 388 La Vendicatrice--supplement to May Colvin 392
GLOSSARY 395
GLASGERION.
Glasgerion was a kings owne sonne, And a harper he was goode; He harped in the kings chambere, Where cuppe and caudle stoode, And soe did hee in the queens chambere, 5 Till ladies waxed wood,
And then bespake the kinges daughter, And these wordes thus shee sayd:--
"Strike on, strike on, Glasgerion, Of thy striking doe not blinne; 10 Theres never a stroke comes oer thy harpe, But it glads my hart withinne."
"Faire might him fall, ladye," quoth hee, "Who taught you nowe to speake! I have loved you, ladye, seven longe yeere, 15 My harte I neere durst breake."
"But come to my bower, my Glasgerion, When all men are att rest: As I am a ladie true of my promise, Thou shalt bee a welcome guest." 20
Home then came Glasgerion, A glad man, lord! was hee: "And, come thou hither, Jacke my boy, Come hither unto mee.
"For the kinges daughter of Normandye 25 Hath granted mee my boone; And att her chambere must I bee Beffore the cocke have crowen."
"O master, master," then quoth hee, "Lay your head downe on this stone; 30 For I will waken you, master deere, Afore it be time to gone."
But up then rose that lither ladd, And hose and shoone did on; A coller he cast upon his necke, 35 Hee seemed a gentleman.
And when he came to the ladyes chamber, He thrild upon a pinn: The lady was true of her promise, And rose and lett him inn. 40
He did not take the lady gaye To boulster nor to bed:
He did not kisse that ladyes mouthe, 45 Nor when he came, nor yode: And sore that ladye did mistrust, He was of some churls bloud.
But home then came that lither ladd, And did off his hose and shoone; 50 And cast the coller from off his necke: He was but a churl?s sonne.
"Awake, awake, my deere master, The cock hath well-nigh crowen; Awake, awake, my master deere, 55 I hold it time to be gone.
"For I have saddled your horsse, master, Well bridled I have your steede, And I have served you a good breakfast, For thereof ye have need." 60
Up then rose good Glasgerion, And did on hose and shoone, And cast a coller about his necke: For he was a kinge his sonne.
And when he came to the ladyes chambere, 65 He thrilled upon the pinne; The ladye was more than true of promise, And rose and let him inn.
"O whether have you left with me Your bracelet or your glove? 70 Or are you returned back againe To know more of my love?"
"O then it was your lither foot-page, He hath beguiled mee:" Then shee pulled forth a little pen-kn?ffe, That hanged by her knee. 80
Sayes, "there shall never noe churl?s blood Within my bodye spring: No churl?s blood shall e'er defile The daughter of a kinge."
Home then went Glasgerion, 85 And woe, good lord! was hee: Sayes, "come thou hither, Jacke my boy, Come hither unto mee.
"If I had killed a man to-night, Jack, I would tell it thee: 90 But if I have not killed a man to-night, Jacke, thou hast killed three."
And he puld out his bright browne sword, And dryed it on his sleeve, And he smote off that lither ladds head, 95 Who did his ladye grieve.
He sett the swords poynt till his brest, The pummil untill a stone: Throw the falsenesse of that lither ladd, These three lives werne all gone. 100
GLENKINDIE.
Glenkindie was ance a harper gude, He harped to the king; And Glenkindie was ance the best harper That ever harp'd on a string.
He'd harpit a fish out o' saut water, 5 Or water out o' a stane; Or milk out o' a maiden's breast, That bairn had never nane.
He's taen his harp intil his hand, He harpit and he sang; 10 And ay as he harpit to the king, To haud him unthought lang.
"I'll gie you a robe, Glenkindie, A robe o' the royal pa', Gin ye will harp i' the winter's night 15 Afore my nobles a'."
And the king but and his nobles a' Sat birling at the wine; And he wad hae but his ae dochter, To wait on them at dine. 20
He's taen his harp intill his hand, He's harpit them a' asleep, Except it was the young countess, That love did waukin keep.
And first he has harpit a grave tune, 25 And syne he has harpit a gay; And mony a sich atween hands I wat the lady gae.
Says, "Whan day is dawen, and cocks hae crawen, And wappit their wings sae wide, 30 It's ye may come to my bower door, And streek you by my side.
"But look that ye tell na Gib your man, For naething that ye dee; For, an ye tell him, Gib your man, 35 He'll beguile baith you and me."
He's taen his harp intill his hand; He harpit and he sang; And he is hame to Gib his man, As fast as he could gang. 40
"O mith I tell you, Gib, my man, Gin I a man had slain?" "O that ye micht, my gude master, Altho' ye had slain ten."
"Then tak ye tent now, Gib, my man, 45 My bidden for to dee; And, but an ye wauken me in time, Ye sall be hangit hie.
"Whan day has dawen, and cocks hae crawen, And wappit their wings sae wide, 50 I'm bidden gang till yon lady's bower, And streek me by her side."
"Gae hame to your bed, my good master; Ye've waukit, I fear, o'er lang; For I'll wauken you in as good time, 55 As ony cock i' the land."
He's taen his harp intill his hand, He harpit and he sang, Until he harpit his master asleep, Syne fast awa did gang. 60
And he is till that lady's bower, As fast as he could rin; When he cam till that lady's bower, He chappit at the chin.
"O wha is this," says that lady, 65 "That opens nae and comes in?" "It's I, Glenkindie, your ain true love, O open and lat me in!"
She kent he was nae gentle knicht That she had latten in; 70 For neither whan he gaed nor cam, Kist he her cheek or chin.
He neither kist her whan he cam, Nor clappit her when he gaed; And in and at her bower window, 75 The moon shone like the gleed.
"O, ragged is your hose, Glenkindie, And riven is your sheen, And reavel'd is your yellow hair That I saw late yestreen." 80
"The stockings they are Gib my man's, They came first to my hand; And this is Gib my man's shoon; At my bed feet they stand. I've reavell'd a' my yellow hair 85 Coming against the wind."
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