English and Scottish Ballads Volume III Part 31

But when they came unto the place, Where marriage-rites were done, 90 She proved herself a dukes daughter, And he but a squires sonne.

"Now marrye me, or not, sir knight, Your pleasure shall be free: If you make me ladye of one good towne, 95 Ile make you lord of three."

"Ah! cursed bee the gold," he sayd; "If thou hadst not been trewe, I shold have forsaken my sweet love, And have changed her for a newe." 100

And now their hearts being linked fast, They joyned hand in hande: Thus he had both purse, and person too, And all at his commande.

11, 12, Percy's.

EARL RICHARD (B).

Motherwell's _Minstrelsy_, p. 377. From recitation.

Earl Richard once on a day, And all his valiant men so wight, He did him down to Barnisdale, Where all the land is fair and light.

He was aware of a damosel, 5 I wot fast on she did her bound, With towers of gold upon her head, As fair a woman as could be found.

He said, "Busk on you, fair ladye, The white flowers and the red; 10 For I would give my bonnie ship, To get your maidenhead."

"I wish your bonnie ship rent and rive, And drown you in the sea; For all this would not mend the miss 15 That ye would do to me."

"The miss is not so great, ladye, Soon mended it might be.

"I have four-and-twenty mills in Scotland, Stands on the water Tay; 20 You'll have them, and as much flour As they'll grind in a day."

"I wish your bonnie ship rent and rive, And drown you in the sea; For all that would not mend the miss 25 That ye would do for me."

"The miss is not so great, lady, Soon mended it will be.

"I have four-and-twenty milk-white cows, All calved in a day; 30 You'll have them, and as much hained gra.s.s As they all on can gae."

"I wish your bonnie ship rent and rive, And drown ye in the sea; For all that would not mend the miss 35 That ye would do to me."

"The miss is not so great, ladye, Soon mended it might be.

"I have four-and-twenty milk-white steeds, All foaled in one year; 40 You'll have them, and as much red gold As all their backs can bear."

She turned her right and round about, And she swore by the mold, "I would not be your love," said she, 45 "For that church full of gold."

He turned him right and round about, And he swore by the ma.s.s, Says,--"Lady, ye my love shall be, And gold ye shall have less." 50

She turned her right and round about, And she swore by the moon, "I would not be your love," says she, "For all the gold in Rome."

He turned him right and round about, 55 And he swore by the moon, Says,--"Lady, ye my love shall be, And gold ye shall have none."

He caught her by the milk-white hand, And by the gra.s.s-green sleeve; 60 And there has taken his will of her, Wholly without her leave.

The lady frowned and sadly blushed, And oh! but she thought shame: Says,--"If you are a knight at all, 65 You surely will tell me your name."

"In some places they call me Jack, In other some they call me John; But when into the Queen's Court, Oh then Lithc.o.c.k it is my name." 70

"Lithc.o.c.k! Lithc.o.c.k!" the lady said, And oft she spelt it over again; "Lithc.o.c.k! it's Latin," the lady said, "Richard's the English of that name."

The Knight he rode, the lady ran,[L75] 75 A live long summer's day; Till they came to the wan water That all men do call Tay.

He set his horse head to the water, Just thro' it for to ride; 80 And the lady was as ready as him The waters for to wade.

For he had never been as kind-hearted As to bid the lady ride; And she had never been so low-hearted 85 As for to bid him bide.

But deep into the wan water There stands a great big stone; He turned his wight horse head about, Said, "Lady fair, will ye loup on?" 90

She's taken the wand was in her hand, And struck it on the foam, And before he got the middle stream, The lady was on dry land.

"By help of G.o.d and our Lady, 95 My help lyes not in your hand.

"I learned it from my mother dear,-- Few is there that has learned better-- When I came to a deep water, I can swim thro' like ony otter. 100

"I learned it from my mother dear,-- I find I learned it for my weel; When I came to a deep water, I can swim thro' like ony eel."

"Turn back, turn back, you lady fair, 105 You know not what I see; There is a lady in that castle, That will burn you and me."

"Betide me weal, betide me wae, That lady will I see." 110

She took a ring from her finger, And gave't the porter for his fee: Says, "Tak you that, my good porter, And bid the Queen speak to me."

And when she came before the Queen, 115 There she fell low down on her knee: Says, "There is a knight into your court, This day has robbed me."

"O has he robbed you of your gold, Or has he robbed you of your fee?" 120 "He has not robbed me of my gold, He has not robbed me of my fee; He has robbed me of my maidenhead, The fairest flower of my bodie."

"There is no knight in all my court, 125 That thus has robbed thee, But you'll have the truth of his right hand, Or else for your sake he'll die, Tho' it were Earl Richard, my own brother; And oh forbid that it be!" 130 Then, sighing, said the lady fair, "I wot the samen man is he."

The Queen called on her merry men, Even fifty men and three; Earl Richard used to be the first man, 135 But now the hindmost was he.

He's taken out one hundred pounds, And told it in his glove: Says, "Tak you that, my lady fair, And seek another love." 140

"Oh no, oh no," the lady cried, "That's what shall never be; I'll have the truth of your right hand, The Queen it gave to me."

"I wish I had drunk of your water, sister, 145 When I did drink your wine; That for a carle's fair daughter, It does gar me dree all this pine."

"May be I am a carle's daughter, And may be never nane; 150 When ye met me in the green wood, Why did you not let me alane?"

"Will you wear the short clothes, Or will you wear the side; Or will you walk to your wedding, 155 Or will you till it ride?"

"I will not wear the short clothes, But I will wear the side; I will not walk to my wedding, But I to it will ride." 160

When he was set upon the horse, The lady him behind, Then cauld and eerie were the words The twa had them between.

She said, "Good e'en, ye nettles tall, 165 Just there where ye grow at the dike; If the auld carline my mother was here, Sae weel's she would your pates pike.