A Bundle of Ballads [21]
my mind is prest; The wife of every Englishman is counted blest."--
"It would be a shame, fair lady, For to bear a woman hence; English soldiers never carry Any such without offence."-- "I'll quickly change myself, if it be so, And like a page I'll follow thee, where'er thou go."--
"I have neither gold nor silver To maintain thee in this case, And to travel is great charges, As you know in every place."-- "My chains and jewels every one shall be thy own, And eke five hundred pounds in gold that lies unknown."
"On the seas are many dangers; Many storms do there arise, Which will be to ladies dreadful, And force tears from watery eyes."-- "Well in troth I shall endure extremity, For I could find in heart to lose my life for thee."--
"Courteous lady, leave this fancy; Here comes all that breeds the strife. I in England have already A sweet woman to my wife: I will not falsify my vow for gold nor gain, Nor yet for all the fairest dames that live in Spain."
"O how happy is that woman, That enjoys so true a friend! Many happy days God send her! Of my suit I make an end: On my knees I pardon crave for my offence, Which did from love and true affection first commence.
"Commend me to thy lovely lady. Bear to her this chain of gold, And these bracelets for a token; Grieving that I was so bold: All my jewels in like sort take thou with thee, For they are fitting for thy wife, but not for me.
"I will spend my days in prayer; Love and all her laws defy; In a nunnery will I shroud me Far from any compan-y: But ere my prayers have an end, be sure of this, To pray for thee and for thy love I will not miss.
"Thus farewell, most gallant captain! Farewell, too, my heart's content! Count not Spanish ladies wanton, Though to thee my love was bent: Joy and true prosperity go still with thee!" "The like fall ever to thy share, most fair lad-ie!"
EDWARD, EDWARD.
"Why does your brand sae drop wi' bluid, Edward, Edward? Why does your brand sae drop wi' bluid, And why sae sad gang ye, O?"-- "O, I ha'e kill-ed my hawk sae guid, Mither, mither! O, I ha'e kill-ed my hawk sae guid, And I had nae mair but he, O."-- "Your hawkis bluid was never sae reid, Edward, Edward: Your hawkis bluid was never sae reid, My dear son, I tell thee, O."--
"O, I ha'e kill-ed my reid-roan steed, Mither, mither! O, I ha'e kill-ed my reid-roan steed That erst was so fair and free, O."-- "Your steed was auld, and ye ha'e got mair, Edward, Edward: Your steed was auld, and ye ha'e got mair, Some other dule ye dree, O."-- "O, I ha'e kill-ed my father dear, Mither, mither! O, I ha'e kill-ed my father dear, Alas, and wae is me, O!"--
"And whatten pen-ance will ye dree for that, Edward, Edward? And whatten pen-ance will ye dree for that? My dear son, now tell me, O!"-- "I'll set my feet in yonder boat, Mither, mither I'll set my feet in yonder boat, And I'll fare over the sea, O."-- "And what'll ye do wi' your towers and your ha', Edward, Edward? And what'll ye do wi' your towers and your ha', That were so fair to see, O?"--
"I'll let them stand till they down fa', Mither, mither: I'll let them stand till they down fa', For here never mair maun I be, O!"-- "And what'll ye leave to your bairns and your wife, Edward, Edward? And what'll ye leave to your bairns and your wife, When ye gang over the sea, O?"-- "The warldis room, let them beg through life, Mither, mither: The warldis room, let them beg through life, For they never mair will I see, O!"
"And what'll ye leave to your ain mother dear, Edward, Edward? And what'll ye leave to your ain mother dear? My dear son, now tell me, O."-- "The curse of hell fra me sall ye bear, Mither, mither! The curse of hell fra me sall ye bear,-- Sic counsels ye gave to me, O."
ROBIN HOOD.
Lithe and listen, gentlemen, That be of freeborn blood; I shall you tell
"It would be a shame, fair lady, For to bear a woman hence; English soldiers never carry Any such without offence."-- "I'll quickly change myself, if it be so, And like a page I'll follow thee, where'er thou go."--
"I have neither gold nor silver To maintain thee in this case, And to travel is great charges, As you know in every place."-- "My chains and jewels every one shall be thy own, And eke five hundred pounds in gold that lies unknown."
"On the seas are many dangers; Many storms do there arise, Which will be to ladies dreadful, And force tears from watery eyes."-- "Well in troth I shall endure extremity, For I could find in heart to lose my life for thee."--
"Courteous lady, leave this fancy; Here comes all that breeds the strife. I in England have already A sweet woman to my wife: I will not falsify my vow for gold nor gain, Nor yet for all the fairest dames that live in Spain."
"O how happy is that woman, That enjoys so true a friend! Many happy days God send her! Of my suit I make an end: On my knees I pardon crave for my offence, Which did from love and true affection first commence.
"Commend me to thy lovely lady. Bear to her this chain of gold, And these bracelets for a token; Grieving that I was so bold: All my jewels in like sort take thou with thee, For they are fitting for thy wife, but not for me.
"I will spend my days in prayer; Love and all her laws defy; In a nunnery will I shroud me Far from any compan-y: But ere my prayers have an end, be sure of this, To pray for thee and for thy love I will not miss.
"Thus farewell, most gallant captain! Farewell, too, my heart's content! Count not Spanish ladies wanton, Though to thee my love was bent: Joy and true prosperity go still with thee!" "The like fall ever to thy share, most fair lad-ie!"
EDWARD, EDWARD.
"Why does your brand sae drop wi' bluid, Edward, Edward? Why does your brand sae drop wi' bluid, And why sae sad gang ye, O?"-- "O, I ha'e kill-ed my hawk sae guid, Mither, mither! O, I ha'e kill-ed my hawk sae guid, And I had nae mair but he, O."-- "Your hawkis bluid was never sae reid, Edward, Edward: Your hawkis bluid was never sae reid, My dear son, I tell thee, O."--
"O, I ha'e kill-ed my reid-roan steed, Mither, mither! O, I ha'e kill-ed my reid-roan steed That erst was so fair and free, O."-- "Your steed was auld, and ye ha'e got mair, Edward, Edward: Your steed was auld, and ye ha'e got mair, Some other dule ye dree, O."-- "O, I ha'e kill-ed my father dear, Mither, mither! O, I ha'e kill-ed my father dear, Alas, and wae is me, O!"--
"And whatten pen-ance will ye dree for that, Edward, Edward? And whatten pen-ance will ye dree for that? My dear son, now tell me, O!"-- "I'll set my feet in yonder boat, Mither, mither I'll set my feet in yonder boat, And I'll fare over the sea, O."-- "And what'll ye do wi' your towers and your ha', Edward, Edward? And what'll ye do wi' your towers and your ha', That were so fair to see, O?"--
"I'll let them stand till they down fa', Mither, mither: I'll let them stand till they down fa', For here never mair maun I be, O!"-- "And what'll ye leave to your bairns and your wife, Edward, Edward? And what'll ye leave to your bairns and your wife, When ye gang over the sea, O?"-- "The warldis room, let them beg through life, Mither, mither: The warldis room, let them beg through life, For they never mair will I see, O!"
"And what'll ye leave to your ain mother dear, Edward, Edward? And what'll ye leave to your ain mother dear? My dear son, now tell me, O."-- "The curse of hell fra me sall ye bear, Mither, mither! The curse of hell fra me sall ye bear,-- Sic counsels ye gave to me, O."
ROBIN HOOD.
Lithe and listen, gentlemen, That be of freeborn blood; I shall you tell