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Read Ebook: A Book of Old Ballads — Volume 4 by Nichols Beverley Editor
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Ebook has 314 lines and 16772 words, and 7 pages
EDWARD, EDWARD KING LEIR AND HIS THREE DAUGHTERS HYND HORN JOHN BROWN'S BODY TIPPERARY THE BAILIFF'S DAUGHTER OF ISLINGTON THE THREE RAVENS THE GABERLUNZIE MAN THE WIFE OF USHER'S WELL THE LYE THE BALLAD OF READING GAOL
LIST OF COLOUR PLATES
HYND HORN THE BAILIFF'S DAUGHTER OF ISLINGTON THE THREE RAVENS THE WIFE OF USHER'S WELL
EDWARD, EDWARD
Quhy dois zour brand sae drop wi' bluid, Edward, Edward? Quhy dois zour brand sae drop wi' bluid? And quhy sae sad gang zee, O? O, I hae killed my hauke sae guid, Mither, mither: O, I hae killed my hauke sae guid: And I had nae mair bot hee, O.
Zour haukis bluid was nevir sae reid, Edward, Edward. Zour haukis bluid was nevir sae reid, My deir son I tell thee, O. O, I hae killed my reid-roan steid, Mither, mither: O, I hae killed my reid-roan steid, That erst was sae fair and free, O.
Zour steid was auld, and ze hae gat mair, Edward, Edward; Zour steid was auld, and ze hae gat mair, Sum other dule ze drie, O. O, I hae killed my fadir deir, Mither, mither: O, I hae killed my fadir deir, Alas! and wae is mee, O!
And quhatten penance wul ze drie for that, Edward, Edward? And quhatten penance will ze drie for that? My deir son, now tell mee, O. He set my feit in zonder boat, Mither, mither: He set my feit in zonder boat, And He fare ovir the sea, O.
And quhat wul ze doe wi' zour towirs and zour ha', Edward, Edward? And quhat wul ze doe wi' zour towirs and zour ha', That were sae fair to see, O? He let thame stand til they doun fa', Mither, mither: He let thame stand til they doun fa', For here nevir mair maun I bee, O.
And quhat wul ze leive to zour bairns and zour wife, Edward, Edward? And quhat wul ze leive to zour bairns and zour wife, Quhan ze gang ovir the sea, O? The warldis room, let thame beg throw life, Mither, mither; The warldis room, let thame beg throw life, For thame nevir mair wul I see, O.
And quhat wul ze leive to zour ain mither deir, Edward, Edward? And quhat wul ze leive to zour ain mither deir? My deir son, now tell me, O. The curse of hell frae me sail ze beir, Mither, mither: The curse of hell frae me sail ze beir, Sic counseils ze gave to me, O.
KING LEIR & HIS THREE DAUGHTERS
King Leir once ruled in this land With princely power and peace; And had all things with hearts content, That might his joys increase. Amongst those things that nature gave, Three daughters fair had he, So princely seeming beautiful, As fairer could not be.
So on a time it pleas'd the king A question thus to move, Which of his daughters to his grace Could shew the dearest love: For to my age you bring content, Quoth he, then let me hear, Which of you three in plighted troth The kindest will appear.
To whom the eldest thus began; Dear father, mind, quoth she, Before your face, to do you good, My blood shall render'd be: And for your sake my bleeding heart Shall here be cut in twain, Ere that I see your reverend age The smallest grief sustain.
And so will I, the second said; Dear father, for your sake, The worst of all extremities I'll gently undertake: And serve your highness night and day With diligence and love; That sweet content and quietness Discomforts may remove.
In doing so, you glad my soul, The aged king reply'd; But what sayst thou, my youngest girl, How is thy love ally'd? My love Which to your grace I owe, Shall be the duty of a child, And that is all I'll show.
Thy elder sisters loves are more Then well I can demand, To whom I equally bestow My kingdome and my land, My pompal state and all my goods, That lovingly I may With those thy sisters be maintain'd Until my dying day.
Untill at last in famous France She gentler fortunes found; Though poor and bare, yet she was deem'd The fairest on the ground: Where when the king her virtues heard, And this fair lady seen, With full consent of all his court He made his wife and queen.
Her father king Leir this while With his two daughters staid: Forgetful of their promis'd loves, Full soon the same decay'd; And living in queen Ragan's court, The eldest of the twain, She took from him his chiefest means, And most of all his train.
For whereas twenty men were wont To wait with bended knee: She gave allowance but to ten, And after scarce to three; Nay, one she thought too much for him; So took she all away, In hope that in her court, good king, He would no longer stay.
Am I rewarded thus, quoth he, In giving all I have Unto my children, and to beg For what I lately gave? I'll go unto my Gonorell: My second child, I know, Will be more kind and pitiful, And will relieve my woe.
Full fast he hies then to her court; Where when she heard his moan Return'd him answer, That she griev'd That all his means were gone: But no way could relieve his wants; Yet if that he would stay Within her kitchen, he should have What scullions gave away.
When he had heard, with bitter tears, He made his answer then; In what I did let me be made Example to all men. I will return again, quoth he, Unto my Ragan's court; She will not use me thus, I hope, But in a kinder sort.
Where when he came, she gave command To drive him thence away: When he was well within her court he would not stay. Then back again to Gonorell The woeful king did hie, That in her kitchen he might have What scullion boy set by.
But there of that he was deny'd, Which she had promis'd late: For once refusing, he should not Come after to her gate. Thus twixt his daughters, for relief He wandred up and down; Being glad to feed on beggars food, That lately wore a crown.
And calling to remembrance then His youngest daughters words, That said the duty of a child Was all that love affords: But doubting to repair to her, Whom he had banish'd so, Grew frantick mad; for in his mind He bore the wounds of woe:
Which made him rend his milk-white locks, And tresses from his head, And all with blood bestain his cheeks, With age and honour spread. To hills and woods and watry founts He made his hourly moan, Till hills and woods and sensless things, Did seem to sigh and groan.
Even thus possest with discontents, He passed o're to France, In hopes from fair Cordelia there, To find some gentler chance; Most virtuous dame! which when she heard, Of this her father's grief, As duty bound, she quickly sent Him comfort and relief:
And by a train of noble peers, In brave and gallant sort, She gave in charge he should be brought To Aganippus' court; Whose royal king, with noble mind So freely gave consent, To muster up his knights at arms, To fame and courage bent.
But when he heard Cordelia's death, Who died indeed for love Of her dear father, in whose cause She did this battle move; He swooning fell upon her breast, From whence he never parted: But on her bosom left his life, That was so truly hearted.
The lords and nobles when they saw The end of these events, The other sisters unto death They doomed by consents; And being dead, their crowns they left Unto the next of kin: Thus have you seen the fall of pride, And disobedient sin.
HYND HORN
"Hynde Horn's bound, love, and Hynde Horn's free; Whare was ye born? or frae what cuntrie?"
"In gude greenwud whare I was born, And all my friends left me forlorn.
"I gave my love a gay gowd wand, That was to rule oure all Scotland.
"My love gave me a silver ring, That was to rule abune aw thing.
"Whan that ring keeps new in hue, Ye may ken that your love loves you.
"Whan that ring turns pale and wan, Ye may ken that your love loves anither man."
He hoisted up his sails, and away sailed he Till he cam to a foreign cuntree.
Whan he lookit to his ring, it was turnd pale and wan; Says, I wish I war at hame again.
He hoisted up his sails, and hame sailed he Until he cam till his ain cuntree.
The first ane that he met with, It was with a puir auld beggar-man.
"What news? what news, my puir auld man? What news hae ye got to tell to me?"
"Na news, na news," the puir man did say, "But this is our queen's wedding-day."
"Ye'll lend me your begging-weed, And I'll lend you my riding-steed."
"My begging-weed is na for thee, Your riding-steed is na for me."
He has changed wi the puir auld beggar-man.
"What is the way that ye use to gae? And what are the words that ye beg wi?"
"Whan ye come to yon high hill, Ye'll draw your bent bow nigh until.
"Whan ye come to yon town-end, Ye'll lat your bent bow low fall doun.
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