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Read Ebook: Hesperothen; Notes from the West Vol. 1 (of 2) A Record of a Ramble in the United States and Canada in the Spring and Summer of 1881 by Russell William Howard Sir
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Ebook has 276 lines and 71552 words, and 6 pages
"The seconde, to tell him, without any doubt, How soone he may ride this whole world about: And at the third question I must not shrinke, But tell him there truly what he does thinke." 60
"Now cheare up, sire abbot, did you never hear yet, That a fool he may learne a wise man witt? Lend me horse, and serving men, and your apparel, And Ile ride to London to answere your quarrel.
"Nay frowne not, if it hath bin told unto mee, 65 I am like your lordship, as ever may bee; And if you will but lend me your gowne, There is none shall knowe us at fair London towne."
"Now horses and serving-men thou shalt have, With sumptuous array most gallant and brave, 70 With crozier, and miter, and rochet, and cope, Fit to appear 'fore our fader the pope."
"Now, welcome, sire abbot," the king he did say, "Tis well thou'rt come back to keepe thy day: For and if thou canst answer my questions three, 75 Thy life and thy living both saved shall bee.
"And first, when thou seest me here in this stead, With my crowne of golde so fair on my head, Among all my liege-men so noble of birthe, Tell me to one penny what I am worth." 80
"For thirty pence our Saviour was sold Among the false Jewes, as I have bin told: And twenty-nine is the worth of thee, For I thinke thou art one penny worser than hee."
The king he laughed, and swore by St. Bittel, 85 "I did not think I had been worth so littel! --Now secondly tell me, without any doubt, How soone I may ride this whole world about."
"You must rise with the sun, and ride with the same Until the next morning he riseth againe; 90 And then your grace need not make any doubt But in twenty-four hours you'll ride it about."
The king he laughed, and swore by St. Jone, "I did not think it could be gone so soone! --Now from the third question thou must not shrinke, 95 But tell me here truly what I do thinke."
"Yea, that shall I do, and make your grace merry; You thinke I'm the abbot of Canterbury; But I'm his poor shepheard, as plain you may see, That am come to beg pardon for him and for mee." 100
The king he laughed, and swore by the masse, "Ile make thee lord abbot this day in his place!" "Now naye, my liege, be not in such speede, For alacke I can neither write ne reade."
"Four nobles a week, then I will give thee, 105 For this merry jest thou hast showne unto mee; And tell the old abbot when thou comest home, Thou hast brought him a pardon from good King John."
CAPTAIN WEDDERBURN'S COURTSHIP.
"The following copy was furnished from Mr. Herd's MS. by the editor of the Border Minstrelsy, and the present writer has supplied a few readings of small importance from his own recollection, as it was quite familiar to him in his early youth." JAMIESON.
The Lord of Roslin's daughter Walk'd thro' the wood her lane, And by came Captain Wedderburn, A servant to the king. He said unto his serving men, 5 "Were't not against the law, I would tak her to my ain bed, And lay her neist the wa'."
"I am walking here alone," she says, "Amang my father's trees; 10 And you must let me walk alane, Kind sir, now, if you please; The supper bell it will be rung, And I'll be mist awa'; Sae I winna lie in your bed, 15 Either at stock or wa'."
He says, "My pretty lady, I pray lend me your hand, And you shall hae drums and trumpets Always at your command; 20 And fifty men to guard you with, That well their swords can draw; Sae we'se baith lie in ae bed, And ye'se lie neist the wa'."
"Haud awa frae me," she said, 25 "And pray lat gae my hand; The supper bell it will be rung, I can nae langer stand; My father he will angry be, Gin I be miss'd awa; 30 Sae I'll nae lie in your bed, Either at stock or wa'."
Then said the pretty lady, "I pray tell me your name:" "My name is Captain Wedderburn, 35 A servant to the king. Tho' thy father and his men were here, Of them I'd have nae awe; But tak you to my ain bed, And lay you neist the wa'." 40
He lighted aff his milk-white steed, And set this lady on, And held her by the milk-white hand, Even as they rade along; He held her by the middle jimp, 45 For fear that she should fa', To tak her to his ain bed, And lay her neist the wa'.
He took her to his lodging-house; His landlady look'd ben; 50 Says, "Mony a pretty lady In Edenbruch I've seen, But sic a lovely face as thine In it I never saw; Gae mak her down a down-bed, 55 And lay her neist the wa'."
"O haud awa' frae me," she says, "I pray ye lat me be; I winna gang into your bed, Till ye dress me dishes three: 60 Dishes three ye maun dress to me, Gin I should eat them a', Afore that I lie in your bed, Either at stock or wa'.
"Its ye maun get to my supper 65 A cherry without a stane; And ye maun get to my supper A chicken without a bane; And ye maun get to my supper A bird without a ga'; 70 Or I winna lie in your bed, Either at stock or wa'."
"Its whan the cherry is in the flirry, I'm sure it has nae stane; And whan the chicken's in the egg, 75 I'm sure it has nae bane; And sin the flood o' Noah, The dow she had nae ga'; Sae we'll baith lie in ae bed, And ye'se lie neist the wa'." 80
"O haud your tongue, young man," she says, "Nor that gait me perplex; For ye maun tell me questions yet, And that is questions six: Questions six ye tell to me, 85 And that is three times twa, Afore I lie in your bed, Either at stock or wa'.
"What's greener than the greenest grass? What hicher than the trees? 90 What's war nor an ill woman's wish? What's deeper than the seas? What bird sings first? and whareupon The dew doth first down fa'? Ye sall tell afore I lay me down 95 Between you and the wa'."
"Vergris is greener than the grass; Heaven's hicher than the trees; The deil's warse nor a woman's wish; Hell's deeper than the seas; 100 The cock craws first; on cedar top The dew down first doth fa'; And we'll lie baith in ae bed, And ye'se lie neist the wa'."
"O haud your tongue, young man," she says, 105 "And gi'e your fleechin' o'er, Unless you'll find me ferlies, And that is ferlies four; Ferlies four ye maun find me, And that is twa and twa; 110 Or I'll never lie in your bed, Either at stock or wa'.
"And ye maun get to me a plumb That in December grew; And get to me a silk mantel, 115 That waft was ne'er ca'd thro'; A sparrow's horn; a priest unborn, This night to join us twa; Or I'll nae lie in your bed, Either at stock or wa'." 120
"My father he has winter fruit That in December grew; My mither has an Indian gown, That waft was ne'er ca'd thro'; A sparrow's horn is quickly found; 125 There's ane on every claw; There's ane upon the neb o' him; Perhaps there may be twa.
"The priest he's standing at the door, Just ready to come in; 130 Nae man can say that he was born, To lie it were a sin; A wild bore tore his mither's side, He out o' it did fa'; Then we'll baith lie in ae bed, 135 And thou's lie neist the wa'."
Little kend Girzy Sinclair That morning whan she raise, That this wad be the hindermaist O' a' her maiden days; 140 But now there's nae within the realm, I think, a blyther twa; And they baith lie in ae bed, And she lies neist the wa'.
LAY THE BENT TO THE BONNY BROOM.
There was a knight of noble worth, Which also lived at the North.
The knight, of courage stout and brave, 5 A wife he did desire to have.
He knocked at the lady's gate, One evening when it was late.
The eldest sister let him in, And pinn'd the door with a silver pin. 10
The second sister, she made his bed, And laid soft pillows under his head.
The youngest that same night, She went to bed to this young knight.
And in the morning when it was day, 15 These words unto him she did say.
"Now you have had your will," quoth she, "I pray, Sir Knight, you marry me."
This young brave knight to her reply'd. "Thy suit, fair maid, shall not be deny'd, 20
"If thou canst answer me questions three, This very day will I marry thee."
"Kind sir, in love, O then," quoth she, "Tell me what your three questions be."
"O what is longer than the way? 25 Or what is deeper than the sea?
"Or what is louder than a horn? Or what is sharper than a thorn?
"Or what is greener than the grass? Or what is worse than a woman was?" 30
"O love is longer than the way, And hell is deeper than the sea.
"And thunder's louder than the horn, And hunger's sharper than a thorn.
"And poyson's greener than the grass, 35 And the devil's worse than the woman was."
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