Ballads of Mystery and Miracle and Fyttes of Mirth Part 30

BROWN ROBYN'S CONFESSION

1.

It fell upon a Wodensday Brown Robyn's men went to sea, But they saw neither moon nor sun, Nor starlight wi' their ee.

2.

'We'll cast kevels us amang, See wha the unhappy man may be;'

The kevel fell on Brown Robyn, The master-man was he.

3.

'It is nae wonder,' said Brown Robyn, 'Altho I dinna thrive, For wi' my mither I had twa bairns, And wi' my sister five.

4.

'But tie me to a plank o' wude And throw me in the sea; And if I sink; ye may bid me sink, But if I swim, just lat me bee.'

5.

They've tyed him to a plank o' wude, And thrown him in the sea; He didna sink, tho' they bade him sink; He swim'd, and they bade lat him bee.

6.

He hadna been into the sea An hour but barely three, Till by it came Our Blessed Lady, Her dear young son her wi'.

7.

'Will ye gang to your men again, Or will ye gang wi' me?

Will ye gang to the high heavens, Wi' my dear son and me?'

8.

'I winna gang to my men again, For they would be feared at mee; But I woud gang to the high heavens, Wi' thy dear son and thee.'

9.

'It's for nae honour ye did to me, Brown Robyn, It's for nae guid ye did to mee; But a' is for your fair confession You've made upon the sea.'

[Annotation: 2.1: 'kevels,' lots.]

JUDAS

+The Text+ is given from a thirteenth-century MS. in the library of Trinity College, Cambridge (B. 14, 39): it is thus the earliest text of any ballad that we possess. In the MS. it is written in long lines, four (or six, as in 4, 12, and 14) to the stanza.

As the language in which it is written is not easily intelligible, I have added a paraphrase on the opposite pages.

[Transcriber's Note: The modern paraphrase is shown here stanza by stanza, with a deeper indent than the primary text.]

+The Story+ is of great interest, as it adds to the various legends of Judas a 'swikele' sister. The treachery of Judas has long been popularly explained (from the Gospel of St. John, xii. 3-6) as follows:-- Judas, being accustomed as bearer of the bag to take a t.i.the of all moneys pa.s.sing through his hands, considered that he had lost thirty pence on the ointment that might have been sold for three hundred pence, and so took his revenge.

A Wendish ballad makes him lose the thirty pieces of silver, intrusted to him for buying bread, in gambling with certain Jews, who, when he had lost everything, suggested that he should sell his Master. Afterwards, in remorse, he rushes away to hang himself. The fir-tree is soft wood and will not bear him. The aspen is hard wood, and will bear him; so he hangs himself on the aspen. Since when, the aspen always trembles in fear of the Judgement day.

JUDAS

PARAPHRASE

1.

Hit wes upon a Scere-thorsday that ure loverd aros; Ful milde were the wordes he spec to Iudas.

1.

It was upon a Scere-Thursday That our Lord arose; Full mild were the words He spake to Judas.

2.

'Iudas, thou most to Iurselem, oure mete for to bugge; Thritti platen of selver thou bere up othi rugge.

2.

'Judas, thou must to Jerusalem, Our meat for to buy; Thirty plates of silver Bear thou upon thy back.

3.

'Thou comest fer ithe brode stret, fer ithe brode strete, Summe of thine tunesmen ther thou meist i-mete.'

3.

'Come thou far in the broad street, Far in the broad street, Some of thy townsmen Where thou might'st meet.'

4.

Imette wid is soster, the swikele wimon: 'Iudas, thou were wrthe me stende the wid ston, For the false prophete that tou bilevest upon.'

4.

Being met with his sister, The treacherous woman: 'Judas, thou wert worthy One should have stoned thee with stone.

For the false prophet That thou believest upon.'

5.

'Be stille, leve soster, thin herte the to-breke!

Wiste min loverd Crist, ful wel he wolde be wreke.'

5.

'Be still, dear sister, May thine heart burst thee in twain!

Did my Lord Christ know, Full well would he be avenged.'

6.

'Iudas, go thou on the roc, heie up on the ston; Lei thin heved i my barm, slep thou the anon.'

6.

'Judas, go thou on the rock, High up on the stone; Lay thine head in my bosom, Sleep thou anon.'

7.

Sone so Iudas of slepe was awake, Thritti platen of selver from hym weren itake.

7.

So soon as Judas From sleep was awake, Thirty plates of silver From him were taken.