Minstrelsy of the Scottish Border Volume Ii Part 19

The queen then turn'd herself about, The tear blinded her e'e-- There's not a knight in all your court "Dare give that name to me."

He said, "'Tis true that I do say; "For I a proof did make: "You shall be taken from my bower, "And burned at a stake.

"Perhaps I'll take my word again, "And may repent the same, "If that you'll get a Christian man "To fight that Rodingham."

"Alas! alas!" then cried our queen, "Alas, and woe to me!

"There's not a man in all Scotland "Will fight with him for me."

She breathed unto her messengers, Sent them south, east, and west; They could find none to fight with him, Nor enter the contest.

She breathed on her messengers, She sent them to the north; And there they found Sir Hugh le Blond, To fight him he came forth.

When unto him they did unfold The circ.u.mstance all right, He bade them go and tell the queen, That for her he would fight.

The day came on that was to do That dreadful tragedy; Sir Hugh le Blond was not come up To fight for our lady.

"Put on the fire," the monster said; "It is twelve on the bell!"

"Tis scarcely ten, now," said the king; "I heard the clock mysell."

Before the hour the queen is brought, The burning to proceed; In a black velvet chair she's set, A token for the dead.

She saw the flames ascending high, The tears blinded her e'e: "Where is the worthy knight," she said, "Who is to fight for me?"

Then up and spake the king himsel, "My dearest, have no doubt, "For yonder comes the man himsel, "As bold as ere set out."

They then advanced to fight the duel With swords of temper'd steel, Till down the blood of Rodingham Came running to his heel.

Sir Hugh took out a l.u.s.ty sword, 'Twas of the metal clear; And he has pierced Rodingham Till's heart-blood did appear.

"Confess your treachery, now," he said, "This day before you die!"

"I do confess my treachery, "I shall no longer lye:

"I like to wicked Haman am, "This day I shall be slain."

The queen was brought to her chamber A good woman again.

The queen then said unto the king, "Arbattle's near the sea; "Give it unto the northern knight, "That this day fought for me."

Then said the king, "Come here, sir knight, "And drink a gla.s.s of wine; "And, if Arbattle's not enough, "To it we'll Fordoun join."

[Footnote A: _Plooky_--Pimpled.]

NOTES ON SIR HUGH LE BLOND.

_Until he met a leper-man. &c._--P. 268. v. 4.

Filth, poorness of living, and the want of linen, made this horrible disease formerly very common in Scotland. Robert Bruce died of the leprosy; and, through all Scotland, there were hospitals erected for the reception of lepers, to prevent their mingling with the rest of the community.

_"It is twelve on the bell!"

"Tis scarcely ten, now," said the king, &c._--P. 272. v. 2.

In the romance of Doolin, called _La Fleur des Battailles_, a false accuser discovers a similar impatience to hurry over the execution, before the arrival of the lady's champion:--_"Ainsi comme Herchambaut vouloit jetter la dame dedans le feu, Sanxes de Clervaut va a lui, si lui dict; 'Sire Herchambaut, vous estes trop a blasmer; car vous ne devez mener ceste chose que par droit ainsi qu'il est ordonne; je veux accorder que ceste dame ait un va.s.sal qui la diffendra contre vous et Drouart, car elle n'a point de coulpe en ce que l'accusez; si la devez r.e.t.a.r.der jusque a midy, pour scavoir si un bon chevalier l'a viendra secourir centre vous et Drouart."_--Cap. 22.

_"And, if Arbattle's not enough, "To it we'll Fordoun join."_--P. 274. v. 1.

Arbattle is the ancient name of the barony of Arbuthnot. Fordun has long been the patrimony of the same family.

GRAEME AND BEWICK.

The date of this ballad, and its subject, are uncertain. From internal evidence, I am inclined to place it late in the sixteenth century. Of the Graemes enough is elsewhere said. It is not impossible, that such a clan, as they are described, may have retained the rude ignorance of ancient border manners to a later period than their more inland neighbours; and hence the taunt of old Bewick to Graeme. Bewick is an ancient name in c.u.mberland and Northumberland. The ballad itself was given, in the first edition, from the recitation of a gentleman, who professed to have forgotten some verses. These have, in the present edition, been partly restored, from a copy obtained by the recitation of an ostler in Carlisle, which has also furnished some slight alterations.

The ballad is remarkable, as containing, probably, the very latest allusion to the inst.i.tution of brotherhood in arms, which was held so sacred in the days of chivalry, and whose origin may be traced up to the Scythian ancestors of Odin. Many of the old romances turn entirely upon the sanct.i.ty of the engagement, contracted by the _freres d'armes_. In that of _Amis and Amelion_, the hero slays his two infant children, that he may compound a potent salve with their blood, to cure the leprosy of his brother in arms. The romance of _Gyron le Courtois_ has a similar subject. I think the hero, like Graeme in the ballad, kills himself, out of some high point of honour towards his friend.

The quarrel of the two old chieftains, over their wine, is highly in character. Two generations have not elapsed since the custom of drinking deep, and taking deadly revenge for slight offences, produced very tragical events on the border; to which the custom of going armed to festive meetings contributed not a little. A minstrel, who flourished about 1720, and is often talked of by the old people, happened to be performing before one of these parties, when they betook themselves to their swords. The cautious musician, accustomed to such scenes, dived beneath the table. A moment after, a man's hand, struck off with a back-sword, fell beside him. The minstrel secured it carefully in his pocket, as he would have done any other loose moveable; sagely observing, the owner would miss it sorely next morning. I chuse rather to give this ludicrous example, than some graver instances of bloodshed at border orgies. I observe it is said, in a MS. account of Tweeddale, in praise of the inhabitants, that, "when they fall in the humour of good fellowship, they use it as a cement and bond of society, and not to foment revenge, quarrels, and murders, which is usual in other countries;" by which we ought, probably, to understand Selkirkshire and Teviotdale.--_Macfarlane's MSS._

GRAEME AND BEWICK.

Gude lord Graeme is to Carlisle gane; Sir Robert Bewick there met he; And arm in arm to the wine they did go, And they drank till they were baith merrie.

Gude lord Graeme has ta'en up the cup, "Sir Robert Bewick, and here's to thee!

"And here's to our twae sons at hame!

"For they like us best in our ain countrie."

"O were your son a lad like mine, "And learn'd some books that he could read, "They might hae been twae brethren bauld, "And they might hae bragged the border side."

"But your son's a lad, and he is but bad, "And billie to my son he canna be;

"Ye sent him to the schools, and he wadna learn; "Ye bought him books, and he wadna read."

"But my blessing shall he never earn, "Till I see how his arm can defend his head."

Gude lord Graeme has a reckoning call'd, A reckoning then called he; And he paid a crown, and it went roun'; It was all for the gude wine and free.[A]

And he has to the stable gaen, Where there stude thirty steeds and three; He's ta'en his ain horse amang them a', And hame he' rade sae manfullie.

"Wellcome, my auld father!" said Christie Graeme, "But where sae lang frae hame were ye?"

"It's I hae been at Carlisle town, "And a baffled man by thee I be.

"I hae been at Carlisle town, "Where Sir Robert Bewick he met me; "He says ye're a lad, and ye are but bad, "And billie to his son ye canna be.