Ballads of Mystery and Miracle and Fyttes of Mirth Part 42

+The Story+ is simple and pre-eminently in the popular vein.

Counterparts exist elsewhere in the languages derived from Latin, and in Romaic.

THE BAILIFF'S DAUGHTER OF ISLINGTON

1.

There was a youth, and a well-belov'd youth, And he was a squire's son, He loved the bailiff's daughter dear, That lived in Islington.

2.

She was coy, and she would not believe That he did love her so, No, nor at any time she would Any countenance to him show.

3.

But when his friends did understand His fond and foolish mind, They sent him up to fair London, An apprentice for to bind.

4.

And when he had been seven long years, And his love he had not seen, 'Many a tear have I shed for her sake When she little thought of me.'

5.

All the maids of Islington Went forth to sport and play; All but the bailiff's daughter dear; She secretly stole away.

6.

She put off her gown of gray, And put on her puggish attire; She's up to fair London gone, Her true-love to require.

7.

As she went along the road, The weather being hot and dry, There was she aware of her true-love, At length came riding by.

8.

She stept to him, as red as any rose, And took him by the bridle-ring: 'I pray you, kind sir, give me one penny, To ease my weary limb.'

9.

'I prithee, sweetheart, canst thou tell me Where that thou wast born?'

'At Islington, kind sir,' said she, 'Where I have had many a scorn.'

10.

'I prithee, sweetheart, canst thou tell me Whether thou dost know The bailiff's daughter of Islington?'

'She's dead, sir, long ago.'

11.

'Then I will sell my goodly steed, My saddle and my bow; I will into some far country, Where no man doth me know.'

12.

'O stay, O stay, thou goodly youth!

She's alive, she is not dead; Here she standeth by thy side, And is ready to be thy bride.'

13.

'O farewell grief, and welcome joy, Ten thousand times and more!

For now I have seen my own true love, That I thought I should have seen no more.'

[Annotations: 6.2: 'puggish.' 'Pugging' means 'thieving,' and J. W. Ebsworth suggests that here it implies ragged clothing, like a tramp's.

8.2: Five of the broadsides give 'bridal ring.']

GLENLOGIE

+The Text+ is from Sharpe's _Ballad Book_ (1823). It is an extremely popular ballad in Scotland.

+The Story.+--Lady Jean Melville (in other versions Jean of Bethelnie, in Aberdeenshire), scarce sixteen years old, falls in love at first sight with Glenlogie, and tells him her mind. But he is already engaged, and Lady Jean takes to her care-bed. Her father offers the consolation, usual in such cases, of another and a richer husband. Jean, however, prefers the love of Glenlogie to the euphony of Drumfendrich, and gets her father's chaplain to write a letter to Glenlogie, which is so well indited that it moves him to tears, and all ends happily.

GLENLOGIE

1.

Four and twenty n.o.bles sits in the king's ha', Bonnie Glenlogie is the flower among them a'.

2.

In came Lady Jean, skipping on the floor, And she has chosen Glenlogie 'mong a' that was there.

3.

She turned to his footman, and thus she did say: 'Oh, what is his name? and where does he stay?'

4.

'His name is Glenlogie, when he is from home; He is of the gay Gordons, his name it is John.'

5.

'Glenlogie, Glenlogie, an you will prove kind, My love is laid on you; I am telling my mind.'

6.

He turned about lightly, as the Gordons does a': 'I thank you, Lady Jean, my loves is promised awa'.'

7.

She called on her maidens her bed for to make, Her rings and her jewels all from her to take.

8.

In came Jeanie's father, a wae man was he; Says, 'I'll wed you to Drumfendrich, he has mair gold than he.'

9.

Her father's own chaplain, being a man of great skill, He wrote him a letter, and indited it well.

10.

The first lines he looked at, a light laugh laughed he; But ere he read through it the tears blinded his e'e.

11.

Oh, pale and wan looked she when Glenlogie cam in.