The Fause Lover : p. 148 THE FAUSE LOVER A FAIR maid sat in her bower door, Wringing her lily hands; And by it came a sprightly youth, Fast tripping o'er the strands. "Where gang ye, young John," she says, "Sae early in the day? It gars me think, by your fast trip, Your journey's far away." He turn'd about wi'...
The Douglas Tragedy : p. 84 The Douglas Tragedy "RISE up, rise up, now, Lord Douglas," she says, "And put on your armour so bright; Sweet William will hae Lady Margaret awi' Before that it be light. "Rise up, rise up, my seven bold sons, And put on your armour so bright, And take better care of your youngest sistr...
Flodden Field : p. 93 FLODDEN FIELD KING JAMIE hath made a vow, Keepe it well if he may: That he will be at lovely London Upon Saint James his day. Upon Saint James his day at noone, At faire London will I be, And all the lords in merrie Scotland, They shall dine there with me. "March out, march out, my merry men...
King Cophetua And The Beggar Maid : p. 43 KING COPHETUA AND THE BEGGAR-MAID I READ that once in Affrica A princely wight did raine, Who had to name Cophetua, As poets they did faine. From natures lawes he did decline, For sure he was not of my minde, He cared not for women-kind But did them all disdaine. But marke what hapned...
The Mermaid : p. 151 THE MERMAID To yon fause stream that, near the sea, Hides mony an elf and plum, And rives wi' fearful din the stanes, A witless knicht did come. The day shines clear--far in he's gane Whar shells are silver bright, Fishes war loupin' a' aroun', And sparklin' to the light. Whan, as he laved...
The Nut Brown Maid : p. 129 THE NUT-BROWN MAID BE it right, or wrong, these men among On women do complain; Affirming this, how that it is A labour spent in vain To love them wele; for never a dele They love a man again: For let a man do what he can, Their favour to attain, Yet, if a new do them pursue, Their first...
Chevy Chace : p. 29 CHEVY CHACE GOD prosper long our noble king, Our liffes and safetyes all; A woefull hunting once there did In Chevy-Chace befall. To drive the deere with hound and horne, Erle Percy took his way; The child may rue that is unborne The hunting of that day. The stout Erle of Northumberl...
The Battle Of Otterburn : p. 154 THE BATTLE OF OTTERBURN THE FIRST FYTTE IT fell about the Lammas tide, When husbands winn their hay, The doughty Douglas bound him to ride Into England to take a prey. The Earl of Fife, withouten strife, He bound him over Solway; The great would ever together ride That race they may rue...
Untitled : This collection of ballads contains some of the best known English folk lyrics. It is nowhere near as comprehensive as other books, such as the massive Child ballad collection. However, the illustrations are gorgeous, and the selection is excellent. It should be noted that 'Old English' in this...
The Lament Of The Border Widow : p. 169 THE LAMENT OF THE BORDER WIDOW MY love he built me a bonny bower, And clad it a' wi' a lilye flower, A brawer bower ye ne'er did see, Than my true love he built for me. There came a man, by middle day, He spied his sport and went away, And brought the king that very night, Who brake my...
The Banks O' Yarrow : p. 171 THE BANKS O' YARROW LATE at e'en, drinking the wine, And ere they paid the lawing, They set a combat them between, To fight it in the dawing. "What though ye be my sister's lord, We'll cross our swords to-morrow." "What though my wife your sister be, I'll meet ye then on Yarrow." "O stay...
Phillida And Corydon : p. 69 PHILLIDA AND CORYDON IN the merrie moneth of Maye, In a morne by break of daye, With a troope of damselles playing Forthe 'I yode' forsooth a maying; When anon by a wood side, Where that Maye was in his pride, I espied all alone Phillida and Corydon. Much adoe there was, God wot: He wold...
Barbara Allen's Cruelty : p. 82 BARBARA ALLEN'S CRUELTY ALL in the merry month of May, When green buds they were swelling, Young Jemmy Grove on his death-bed lay For love o' Barbara Allen. He sent his man unto her then, To the town where she was dwelling: "O haste and come to my master dear, If your name be Barbara Allen."...
Annan Water : p. 76 ANNAN WATER "ANNAN Water's wading deep, And my love Annie's wondrous bonny; I will keep my tryst to-night, And win the heart o' lovely Annie." He's loupen on his bonny grey, He rade the right gate and the ready', For a' the storm he wadna stay, For seeking o' his bonny lady. And he h...
Introduction : p. 7 INTRODUCTION Goethe, who saw so many things with such clearness of vision, brought out the charm of the popular ballad for readers of a later day in his remark that the value of these songs of the people is to be found in the fact that their motives are drawn directly from nature; and he...
Waly, Waly, Love Be Bonny : p. 126 WALY, WALY, LOVE BE BONNY A SCOTTISH SONG O WALY, waly up the bank, And waly, waly down the brae, And waly, waly yon burn side, Where I and my love were wont to gae. I leant my back unto an aik, I thought it was a trusty tree; But first it bow'd, and syne it brak, Sae my true love did...
Robin Hood's Death And Burial : p. 119 ROBIN HOOD'S DEATH AND BURIAL WHEN Robin Hood and Little John "Down a down, a down, a down", Went o'er yon bank of broom, Said Robin Hood to Little John, "We have shot for many a pound: "Hey down, a down, a down". "But I am not able to shoot one shot more, My arrows will not flee; But I...
Hugh Of Lincoln : p. 176 HUGH OF LINCOLN SHOWING THE CRUELTY OF A JEW'S DAUGHTER FOUR and twenty bonny boys Were playing at the ba', And up it stands him sweet Sir Hugh, The flower among them a'. He kicked the ba' there wi' his foot, And keppit it wi' his knee, Till even in at the Jew's window He gart the bonny ba'...
Fair Rosamond : p. 59 FAIR ROSAMOND WHEN as King Henry rulde this land, The second of that name, Besides the queene, he dearly lovde A faire and comely dame. Most peerlesse was her beautye founde, Her favour, and her face; A sweeter creature in this worlde Could never prince embrace. Her crisped lockes like...
Sir Patrick Spens : p. 180 SIR PATRICK SPENS THE king sits in Dunfermline town, Drinking the blude-red wine; "O whare will I get a skeely skipper, To sail this new ship of mine?" O up and spak' an eldern knight, Sat at the king's right knee, "Sir Patrick Spens is the best sailr, That ever sailed the sea." Our king...
Robin Hood And Allen A Dale : p. 100 ROBIN HOOD AND ALLEN-A-DALE COME listen to me, you gallants so free, All you that love mirth for to hear, And I will tell you of a bold outlw, That lived in Nottinghamshire. As Robin Hood in the forest stood All under the greenwood tree, There he was aware of a brave young man, As fine...
King Leir And His Three Daughters : p. 49 KING LEIR AND HIS THREE DAUGHTERS KING LEIR once ruld 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...
The Bailiff's Daughter Of Islington : p. 79 THE BAILIFF'S DAUGHTER OF ISLINGTON THERE was a youthe, and a well-beloved youthe, And he was a squire's son; He loved the bayliffe's daughter deare, That lived in Islington. Yet she was coye, and would not believe That he did love her soe, Noe nor at any time would she Any countenance...
Robin Hood And Guy Of Gisborne : p. 106 ROBIN HOOD AND GUY OF GISBORNE WHEN shaws beene sheene, and shradds full fayre, And leaves both large and longe, Itt is merrye walkyng in the fayre forrst To heare the small birdes songe. The woodweele sang, and wold not cease, Sitting upon the spraye, Soe lowde, he wakened Robin Hood...
Title Page : A BOOK OF OLD ENGLISH BALLADS With An Accompaniment Of Decorative Drawings By GEORGE WHARTON EDWARDS And An Introduction By HAMILTON W. MABIE New York, The Macmillan Company [1896] Scanned , August 2003. J. B. Hare, Redactor. This Text Is In The Public Domain. These Files May Be Used For Any...
Fair Margaret And Sweet William : p. 71 FAIR MARGARET AND SWEET WILLIAM As it fell out on a long summer's day, Two lovers they sat on a hill; They sat together that long summer's day, And could not talk their fill. "I see no harm by you, Margart, And you see none by mee; Before to-morrow at eight o' the clock A rich wedding you...
Young Waters : p. 89 YOUNG WATERS ABOUT Yule, when the wind blew cool; And the round tables began, A' there is come to our king's court Mony a well-favoured man. The queen looked o'er the castle wa', Beheld baith dale and down, And then she saw young Waters Come riding to the town. His footmen they did r...
The Twa Corbies : p. 124 THE TWA CORBIES As I was walking all alane, I heard twa corbies making a maen: The tane unto the t'ither did say, "Whaur shall we gang and dine the day?" "O doun beside yon auld fail dyke, I wot there lies a new-slain knight; And naebody kens that he lies there But his hawk, his hound...
Helen Of Kirkconnell : p. 97 HELEN OF KIRKCONNELL I WAD I were where Helen lies; Night and day on me she cries; O that I were where Helen lies, On fair Kirkconnell lea! Curst be the heart that thought the thought, And curst the hand that fired the shot, When in my arms burd Helen dropt, And died to succour me! O think...
