No More Learning

« Yield thee, Percy,” sayd the Douglas,
(and i faith I shalle thee brynge
Where thowe shalte have a yerls wagis
of Jamy our Scottish kynge.
34. “Thou shalte have thy ransom fre,
I hights the here this thinge;
«A gauntlet covering hand and forearm. ) 2 Man. 3Promise.


## p. 1323 (#113) ###########################################

THE BALLAD
1323
For the manfullyste man yet art thow
that ever I conqueryd in fielde fighttynge. ”
35. "Nay,” sayd the lord Percy,
«I tolde it thee beforne,
That I wolde never yeldyde be
to no man of a woman born. ”
36. With that ther came an arrow hastely,
forthe off a myghtty wane;1
It hath strekene the yerle Douglas
in at the brest-bane.
37. Thorowe lyvar and lungës bothe
the sharpe arrowe ys gane,
That never after in all his lyfe-days
he spayke mo wordës but ane:
That was, “Fyghte ye, my myrry men, whyllys ye
may,
for my lyfe-days ben gane. ”
The Percy leanyde on his brande,
and sawe the Douglas de;
He tooke the dead man by the hande,
and said, “Wo ys me for thee!
38.
39. "To have savyde thy lyfe, I would have partyde
with
my landes for years three,
For a better man, of hart nor of hande,
was not in all the north contrë. ”
40.
Of all that see a Scottish knyght,
was callyd Sir Hewe the Monggombyrry;
He saw the Douglas to the death was dyght,
he spendyd a spear, a trusti tree.
He rode upon a corsiare
throughe a hondred archery:
He never stynttyde nor never blane, a
till he came to the good lord Percy.
41.
42.
He set upon the lorde Percy
a dynte that was full sore;
With a sure spear of a myghttë tree
clean thorow the body he the Percy ber,'
43. A the tother syde that a man might see
a large cloth-yard and mare:
Meaning uncertain. 2 Stopped. 3Pierced.


## p. 1324 (#114) ###########################################

1324
THE BALLAD
Two better captayns were not in Cristiantë
than that day slain were there.
44.
An archer off Northumberlande
saw slain was the lord Percy;
He bore a bende bowe in his hand,
was made of trusti tree;
45.
An arrow, that a cloth-yarde was long,
to the harde stele halyde he;
A dynt that was both sad and soar
he set on Sir Hewe the Monggombyrry.
46. The dynt yt was both sad and sore,
that he of Monggombyrry set;
The swane-fethars that his arrowe bar
with his hart-blood they were wet.
47.
There was never a freak one foot wolde flee,
but still in stouri dyd stand,
Hewyng on eache other, whyle they myghte dree,
with many a balefull brande.
48. This battell begane in Cheviot
an hour before the none,
And when even-songe bell was rang,
the battell was not half done.
.
•
49. They took
on either hande
by the lyght of the mone;
Many hade no strength for to stande,
in Cheviot the hillys abon.
50.
Of fifteen hundred archers of Ynglonde
went away but seventy and three;
Of twenty hundred spear-men of Scotlonde,
but even five and fifty.
51. But all were slayne Cheviot within;
they had no strength to stand on hy;
The chylde may rue that ys unborne,
it was the more pittë.
52. There was slayne, withe the lord Percy,
Sir John of Agerstone,
Sir Rogar, the hinde Hartly,
Sir Wyllyam, the bold Hearone.
I Stress of battle.


## p. 1325 (#115) ###########################################

THE BALLAD
1325
53. Sir George, the worthy Loumle,
a knyghte of great renown,
Sir Raff, the ryche Rugbe,
with dyntes were beaten downe.
54.
For Wetharryngton my harte was wo,
that ever he slayne shulde be;
For when both his leggis were hewyn in to,
yet he kneeled and fought on hys knee.
55.
There was slayne, with the doughty Douglas,
Sir Hewe the Monggombyrry,
Sir Davy Lwdale, that worthy was,
his sister's son was he.
56. Sir Charles a Murrë in that place,
that never a foot wolde fle;
Sir Hewe Maxwelle, a lorde he was,
with the Douglas dyd he die.
57.
So on the morrowe they mayde them biers
off birch and hasell so gray;
Many widows, with weepyng tears,
came to fetch ther makys' away.
58. Tivydale may carpe of care,
Northumberland may mayk great moan,
For two such captayns as slayne were there,
on the March-parti shall never be none.
59. Word ys commen to Eddenburrowe,
to Jamy the Scottische kynge,
That doughty Douglas, lyff-tenant of the Marches,
he lay slean Cheviot within.
60. His handdës dyd he weal and wryng,
he sayd, “Alas, and woe ys me!
Such an othar captayn Skotland within,"
he sayd, “i-faith should never be. ”
61. Worde ys commyn to lovely Londone,
till the fourth Harry our kynge.
That lord Percy, leyff-tenante of the Marchis
he lay slayne Cheviot within.
62. «God have merci on his soule,” sayde Kyng Harry,
"good lord, yf thy will it be!
1 Mates.


## p. 1326 (#116) ###########################################

1326
THE BALLAD
I have a hondred captayns in Ynglonde,” he sayd,
as good as ever was he:
But Percy. and I brook my lyfe,
thy deth well quyte shall be. ”
63. As our noble kynge mayd his avowe,
lyke a noble prince of renown,
For the deth of the lord Percy
he dyd the battle of Hombyll-down;
64. Where syx and thirty Skottishe knyghtes
on a day were beaten down:
Glendale glytteryde on their armor bryght,
over castille, towar, and town.
65. This was the hontynge of the Cheviot,
that teari begane this spurn;
Old men that knowen the grownde well enoughe
call it the battell of Otterburn.
66. At Otterburn begane this spurne
upon a Monnynday:
There was the doughty Douglas slean,
the Percy never went away.
67. There was never a tyme on the Marche-partës
sen the Douglas and the Percy met,
But yt ys mervele and the rede blude ronne not,
as the rain does in the stret.
68. Jesus Christ our balës? bete,
and to the bliss us bring!
Thus was the hunting of the Cheviot;
God send us alle good ending!
JOHNIE COCK
1.
U
P JOHNIE raise' in a May morning,
Calld for water to wash his hands,
And he has called for his gude gray hounds
That lay bound in iron bands, bands,
That lay bound in iron bands.
2.
“Ye'll busk,“ ye'll busk my noble dogs,
Ye'll busk and make them boun,"
That there (? ). ? Evils. 3 Rose. “Prepare. "Ready.


## p. 1327 (#117) ###########################################

THE BALLAD
1327
For I'm going to the Braidscaur hill
To ding the dun deer doun. ”
3. Johnie's mother has gotten word o' that,
And care-bed she has ta'en:
“O Johnie, for my benison,
I beg you'l stay at hame;
For the wine so red, and the well-baken bread,
My Johnie shall want nane.
4.
« There are seven forsters at Pickeram Side,
At Pickeram where they dwell,
And for a drop of thy heart's bluid
They wad ride the fords of hell. ”
5. But Johnie has cast off the black velvet,
And put on the Lincoln twine,
And he is on the goode greenwood
As fast as he could gang.
6. Johnie lookit east, and Johnie lookit west,
And he lookit aneath the sun,
And there he spied the dun deer sleeping
Aneath a buss o' whun. ?
7. Johnie shot, and the dun deer lap,3
And she lap wondrous wide,
Until they came to the wan water,
And he stem'd her of her pride.
8.
He has ta'en out the little pen-knife,
'Twas full three quarters long,
And he has ta'en out of that dun deer
The liver but and the tongue.
9. They eat of the flesh, and they drank of the blood,
And the blood it was so sweet,
Which caused Johnie and his bloody hounds
To fall in a deep sleep.
IO.
By then came an old palmer,
And an ill death may he die!
For he's away to Pickeram Side
As fast as he can drie. 6
1 Has fallen ill with anxiety.
? Bush of whin, furze.
3 Leaped.
* Quarter - the fourth part of a yard.
5 « But and » as well as,
• Bear, endure.
6


## p. 1328 (#118) ###########################################

1328
THE BALLAD
11.
«What news, what news? ” says the Seven Forsters,
“What news have ye brought to me ? ”
“I have no news,” the palmer said,
« But what I saw with my eye.
I 2.
“As I came in by Braidisbanks,
And down among the whuns,
The bonniest youngster e'er I saw
Lay sleepin amang his hunds.
13.
« The shirt that was upon his back
Was o' the holland fine;
The doublet which was over that
Was o' the Lincoln twine. "
14. Up bespake the Seven Forsters,
Up bespake they ane and a':
“O that is Johnie o' Cockleys Well,
And near him we will draw. ”
15. O the first stroke that they gae him,
They struck him off by the knee;
Then up bespake his sister's son:
“O the next 'll gar' him die! ”
16.
“O some they count ye well wight men,
But I do count ye nane;
For you might well ha' waken'd me,
And ask'd gin I wad be ta'en.
17.
« The wildest wolf as in a' this wood
Wad not ha' done so by me;
She'd ha' wet her foot i' the wan water,
And sprinkled it o'er my brae,
And if that wad not ha' waken'd ine,
She wad ha' gone and let me be.
18. “O bows of yew, if ye be true,
In London, where ye were bought,
Fingers five, get up belive,?
Manhuid shall fail me nought. ”
19. He has kill'd the Seven Forsters,
He has kill'd them all but ane,
And that wan scarce to Pickeram Side,
To carry the bode-words hame.
Make, cause.
? Quickly.


## p. 1329 (#119) ###########################################

THE BALLAD
1329
20.
“Is there never a [bird) in a' this wood
That will tell what I can say;
That will go to Cockleys Well,
Tell my mither to fetch me away? ”
There was a [bird] into that wood,
That carried the tidings away,
And many ael was the well-wight man
At the fetching o' Johnie away.
21.
SIR PATRICK SPENS
I.
Tthe :
He king sits in Dumferling toune,
Drinking the blude-reid wine:
“O whar will I get guid sailor,
To sail this ship of mine ? ”
2. Up and spak an eldern knight,
Sat at the kings right kne:
«Sir Patrick Spens is the best sailor,
That sails upon the sea. ”
3. The king has written a braid letter,”
And sign'd it wi' his hand,
And sent it to Sir Patrick Spens,
Was walking on the sand.
The first line that Sir Patrick read,
A loud laugh laughed he;
The next line that Sir Patrick read,
The tear blinded his ee.
5.
« O wha is this has done this deed,
This ill deed done to me,
To send me out this time o' the year,
To sail upon the sea!
6. “Make haste, make haste, my mirry men all,
Our guide ship sails the morne :)
“O say na sae, my master dear,
For I fear a deadlie storme.
7.
“Late, late yestreen I saw the new moone,
Wi' the auld moone in hir arme,
i One.
2 «A braid letter, open or patent, in opposition to close rolls. ” — Percy.
3 Note that it is the sight of the new moon late in the evening which
makes a bad omen.
III-84


## p. 1330 (#120) ###########################################

1330
THE BALLAD
And I fear, I fear, my dear master,
That we will come to harme. ”
8.
9.
O our Scots nobles were right laith
To weet their cork-heeled shoone;
But lang owre a' the play wer play'd,
Their hats they swam aboone.
O lang, lang may their ladies sit,
W' their fans into their hand,
Or e'er they see Sir Patrick Spens
Cum sailing to the land.
O lang, lang may the ladies stand,
Wi’ their gold kems? in their hair,
Waiting for their ain dear lords,
For they'll se thame na mair.
Half owre, half owre to Aberdour,
It's fiftie fadom deep,
And their lies guid Sir Patrick Spens,
Wi' the Scots lords at his feet.
10.
II.
THE BONNY EARL OF MURRAY?
1.
Y®
E HIGHLANDS, and ye Lawlands,
Oh where have you been?
They have slain the Earl of Murray,
And they layd him on the green.
"Now wae be to thee, Huntly!
And wherefore did you sae ?
I bade you bring him wi' you,
But forbade you him to slay. ”
2.
3. He was a braw gallant,
And he rid at the ring;3
And the bonny Earl of Murray,
Oh he might have been a king!
4. He was a braw gallant,
And he play'd at the ba';
And the bonny Earl of Murray
Was the flower amang them a'.
1 Combs.
James Stewart, Earl of Murray, was killed by the Earl of Huntly's fol-
lowers, February, 1592. The second stanza is spoken, of course, by the King.
Piercing with the lance a suspended ring, as one rode at full speed, was
a favorite sport of the day.
2
3


## p. 1331 (#121) ###########################################

THE BALLAD
1331
5.
He was a braw gallant,
And he play'd at the glove;?
And the bonny Earl of Murray,
Oh he was the Queen's love!
Oh lang will his lady
Look o'er the Castle Down,
E'er she see the Earl of Murray
Come sounding thro the town!
6.
MARY HAMILTON
1.
WORD
2.
ORD's gane to the kitchen,
And word's gane to the ha',
That Marie Hamilton has born a bairn
To the highest Stewart of a'.
She's tyed it in her apron
And she's thrown it in the sea;
Says, Sink ye, swim ye, bonny wee babe,
You'll ne'er get mair o' me. ”
Down then cam the auld Queen,
Goud ? tassels tying her hair:
“O Marie, where's the bonny wee babe
That I heard greet' sae sair ? ”
« There was never a babe intill my room,
As little designs to be;
It was but a touch o' my sair side,
Came o'er my fair bodie. ”
3.
4.
5.
"O Marie, put on your robes o' black,
Or else your robes o’ brown,
For ye maun gang wi' me the night,
To see fair Edinbro town. ”
6. "I winna put on my robes o' black,
Nor yet my robes o’ brown;
But I'll put on my robes o' white,
To shine through Edinbro town. ”
7.
When she gaed up the Cannogate,
She laugh'd loud laughters three;
But when she cam down the Cannogate
The tear blinded her ee.
1 Probably this reference is to the glove worn by knights as a lady's favor.
2 Gold.
3 Weep.


## p. 1332 (#122) ###########################################

1332
THE BALLAD
8.
When she gaed up the Parliament stair,
The heel cam aff her shee;?
And lang or she cam down again
She was condemn'd to dee.
9.
When she cam down the Cannogate,
The Cannogate sae free,
Many a ladie look'd o'er her window,
Weeping for this ladie.
10.
«Make never meen? for me,” she says,
Make never meen for me;
Seek never grace frae a graceless face,
For that ye'll never see.
II.
“Bring me a bottle of wine,” she says,
« The best that e'er ye hae,
That I may drink to my weil-wishers,
And they may drink to me.
12.
“And here's to the jolly sailor lad
That sails upon the faem;
But let not my father nor mother get wit
But that I shall come again.
13.
“And here's to the jolly sailor lad
That sails upon the sea;
But let not my father nor mother get wit
O' the death that I maun dee.
14.
“Oh little did my mother think,
The day she cradled me,
What lands I was to travel through,
What death I was to dee.
15.
“Oh little did my father think,
The day he held up' me,
What lands I was to travel through,
What death I was to dee.
16. "Last night I wash'd the Queen's feet,
And gently laid her down;
And a' the thanks I've gotten the nicht
To be hangd in Edinbro town!
i Shoe.
2 Moan.
Held up, lifted up, recognized as his lawful child, - a world-wide and
ancient ceremony.


## p. 1333 (#123) ###########################################

THE BALLAD
1333
17.
“Last nicht there was four Maries,
The nicht there'll be but three;
There was Marie Seton, and Marie Beton,
And Marie Carmichael, and me. ”
BONNIE GEORGE CAMPBELL
I.
HP
IGH upon Highlands,
and low upon Tay,
Bonnie George Campbell
rade out on a day.
2.
Saddled and bridled
and gallant rade he;
Hame cam his guid horse,
but never cam he.
3. Out cam his auld mither
greeting fu' sair,
And out cam his bonnie bride
riving her hair.
4. Saddled and bridled
and booted rade he;
Toomi hame cam the saddle,
but never came he.
5. “My meadow lies green,
and my corn is unshorn,
My barn is to build,
and my babe is unborn. "
6. Saddled and bridled
and booted rade he;
Toom hame cam the saddle,
but never cam he.
1 Empty.


## p. 1334 (#124) ###########################################

1334
THE BALLAD
BESSIE BELL AND MARY GRAYI
1.
O
BESSIE BELL and Mary Gray,
They war twa bonnie lasses!
They biggit? a bower on yon burn-brae,'
And theekit + it oer wi rashes.
2.
They theekit it oer wi' rashes green,
They theekit it oer wi' heather:
But the pest cam frae the burrows-town,
And slew them baith thegither.
3. They thought to lie in Methven kirk-yard
Amang their noble kin;
But they maun lye in Stronach haugh,
To biek forenent the sin. 5
4. And Bessie Bell and Mary Gray,
They war twa bonnie lasses;
They biggit a bower on yon burn-brae,
And theekit it oer wi'rashes.
THE THREE RAVENS 6
1.
THER
HERE were three ravens sat on a tree,
Downe a downe, hay down, hay downe,?
There were three ravens sat on a tree,
With a downe,
There were three ravens sat on a tree,
They were as blacke as they might be.
With a downe derrie, derrie, derrie, downe, downe.
2.
The one of them said to his mate,
« Where shall we our breakfast take ? »
3.
Downe in yonder greene field
There lies a knight slain under his shield.
· Founded on an actual event of the plague, near Perth, in 1645. See the
interesting account in Professor Child's Ballads, Part vil. , p. 75f.
2 Built.
3 A hill sloping down to a brook.
4 Thatched.
6 To bake in the rays of the sun.
6 The counterpart, or perhaps parody, of this ballad, called “The Twa
Corbies,' is better known than the exquisite original.
* The refrain, or burden, differs in another version of the ballad.


## p. 1335 (#125) ###########################################

THE BALLAD
1335
4.
His hounds they lie down at his feete,
So well they can their master keepe. '
5.
His haukes they fie so eagerly,
There's no fowle dare him come nie. ”
6. Downe there comes a fallow doe,
As great with young as she might goe.
7. She lift up his bloudy head,
And kist his wounds that were so red.
8. She got him up upon her backe,
And carried him to earthen lake. ?
9.
She buried him before the prime,
She was dead herselfe ere even-song time.
God send every gentleman
Such haukes, such hounds, and such a leman. 3
IO.
LORD RANDAL
1.
'O
WHERE hae ye been, Lord Randal, my son ?
O where hae ye been, my handsome young man ?
“I hae been to the wild wood; mother, make my bed
soon,
For I'm weary wi' hunting, and fain wald lie down. ”
2.
3.
“Where gat ye your dinner, Lord Randal, my son ?
Where gat ye your dinner, my handsome young man ? ”
«I din’d wi' my true-love; mother, make my bed soon,
For I'm weary wi' hunting, and fain wald lie down. ”
“What gat ye to your dinner, Lord Randal, my son ?
What gat ye to your dinner, my handsome young man ? »
“I gat eels boiled in broo;* mother, make my bed soon,
For I'm weary wi' hunting, and fain wald lie down. ”
( What
came o' your bloodhounds, Lord Randal, my son ?
What became o' your bloodhounds, my handsome young
4.
man ? »
“O they swell'd and they died; mother, make my bed soon,
For I'm weary wi' hunting, and fain wald lie down. ”
1 Guard.
2 Shroud of earth, burial.
3 Sweetheart, darling, literally (dear-one) (liefman). The word had origin-
ally no offensive meaning.
* Broth.


## p. 1336 (#126) ###########################################

1336
THE BALLAD
5.
«O I fear you are poison'd, Lord Randal, my son!
0 I fear you are poison'd, my handsome young man! »
“O yes! I'm poison'd; mother, make my bed soon,
For I'm sick at the heart, and I fain wald lie down. ”
> 1
EDWARD2
1.
“WHY
Hy dois your brand sae drap wi bluid,
Edward, Edward,
Why dois your brand sae drap wi bluid,
And why sae sad gang yee 0 ? ”
O I hae killed my hauke sae guid,
Mither, mither,
0 I hae killed my hauke sae guid,
And I had nae mair bot hee 0. ”
2.
« Your haukis bluid was nevir sae reid,
Edward, Edward,
Your haukis bluid was nevir sae reid,
My deir son I tell thee 0. ”
«O I hae killed my reid-roan steid,
Mither, mither,
0 I hae killed my reid-roan steid,
That erst was sae fair and frie 0. ”
3.
« Your steid was auld, and ye hae gat mair,
Edward, Edward,
Your steid was auld, and ye hae gat mair,
Sum other dule ye drie 0. 93
“O I hae killed my fadir deir,
Mither, mither,
0 I hae killed my fadir deir,
Alas, and wae is mee O! »
Frogs, toads, snakes, and the like were often served for fish, and of
course were supposed to act as a poison. One variant has a verse to elabor-
ate this:
“Where gat she those eels, Lord Randal, my son ?
Where gat she those eels, my handsome young man ? ”
<< 'Neath the bush o' brown bracken; mother, make my bed soon,
For I'm weary wi' hunting, and fain wald lie down. ”
2 One of the finest of our ballads. It was sent from Scotland to Percy by
David Dalrymple.
3 You suffer some other sorrow.


## p. 1337 (#127) ###########################################

THE BALLAD
1337
4.
“And whatten penance wul ye drie, for that,
Edward, Edward,
And whatten penance wul ye drie, for that?
My deir son, now tell me 0. ”
"I'll set my feit in yonder boat,
Mither, mither,
I'll set my feit in yonder boat,
And I'll fare over the sea 0. ”
5. “And what wul ye doe wi’ your towers and your ha',
Edward, Edward,
And what wul ye doe wi' your towers and your ha',
That were sae fair to see 0 ? »
“I'll let them stand till they doun fa',
Mither, mither,
I'll let them stand till they doun fa',
For here nevir mair maun I bee 0. ”
6. “And what wul ye leive to your bairns and your wife,
Edward, Edward,
And what wul ye leive to your bairns and your wife,
When ye gang over the sea 0 ?
“The warldis room; let them beg thrae life,
Mither, mither,
The warldis room; let them beg thrae life,
For them never mair wul I see 0. ”
7.
“And what wul ye leive to your ain mither ear,
Edward, Edward,
And what will ye leive to your ain mither dear ?
My dear son, now tell me 0. ”
« The curse of hell frae me sall ye beir,
Mither, mither,
The curse of hell frae me sall ye beir,
Sic counsels ye gave to me 0. ”
THE TWA BROTHERS
I.
Ther they went to the school thegither
;
HERE were twa brethren in the north,
They went to the school thegither;
The one unto the other said,
«Will you try a warslel afore ? »
1 Wrestle.


## p. 1338 (#128) ###########################################

1338
THE BALLAD
2.
They warsled up, they warsled down,
Till Sir John fell to the ground,
And there was a knife in Sir Willie's pouch,
Gied him a deadlie wound.
3.
«Oh brither dear, take me on your back,
Carry me to yon burn clear,
And wash the blood from off my wound,
And it will bleed nae mair. ”
4.
He took him up upon his back,
Carried him to yon burn clear,
And washed the blood from off his wound,
But aye it bled the mair.
5.
“Oh brither dear, take me on your back,
Carry me to yon kirk-yard,
And dig a grave baith wide and deep,
And lay my body there. ”
6.
He's taen him up upon his back,
Carried him to yon kirk-yard,
And dug a grave baith deep and wide,
And laid his body there.
7.
But what will I say to my father dear,
Gin he chance to say, Willie, whar's John ? »
«Oh say that he's to England gone,
To buy him a cask of wine. ”
8.
“And what will I say to my mother dear,
Gin she chance to say, Willie, whar's John ? ”
«Oh say that he's to England gone,
To buy her a new silk gown. ”
9.
And what will I say to my sister dear,
Gin she chance to say, Willie, whar's John ? ”
«Oh say that he's to England gone,
To buy her a wedding ring. ”
IO.
“But what will I say to her you loe' dear,
Gin she cry, Why tarries my John ?
« On tell her I lie in Kirk-land fair,
And home again will never come. ”
1 Love.


## p. 1339 (#129) ###########################################

THE BALLAD
1339
BABYLON; OR THE BONNIE BANKS O'FORDIE
I.
TERE
HERE were three ladies lived in a bower,
Eh vow bonnie,
And they went out to pull a flower
On the bonnie banks o' Fordie.
2.
They hadna pu’ed a flower but ane,
When up started to them a banisht man.
3.
He's ta'en the first sister by her hand,
And he's turned her round and made her stand.
4.
“It's whether will ye be a rank robber's wife,
Or will ye die by my wee pen-knife ? ”
"It's I'll not be a rank robber's wife,
But I'll rather die by your wee pen-knife! )
5.