For she is come of high lineage,

And was of a lady born,

And ill it beseems thee, a false churl's son,
To carry her hence to scorn."

"But light now down, my lady fair,
Light down, and hold my steed,
While I and this discourteous knight
Do try this arduous deed.

But light now down, my dear lady,
Light down and hold my horse;
While I and this discourteous knight
Do try our valour's force."1

Fair Emmeline sighed, fair Emmeline wept,
And aye her heart was woe,

While twixt her love and the carlish knight
Passed many a baleful blow.

The Child of Elle he fought so well,

And his weapon he waved amain,
That soon he had slain the carlish knight,

And laid him upon the plain.

1[This stanza is particularly watery: Percy has manufactured nearly the whole ballad, the Folio fragment consisting of only nine and a half stanzas.]

And now the baron, and all his men
Full fast approached nigh:

Ah! what may Lady Emmeline do?
"Twere now no boot to flee.

Her lover he put his horn to his mouth, And blew both loud and shrill,

And soon he saw his own merry men

Come riding over the hill.

"Now hold thy hand, thou bold Baron,
I pray thee, hold thy hand,

Nor ruthless rend two gentle hearts,
Fast knit in true love's band.

Thy daughter I have dearly loved
Full long and many a day;
But with such love as holy kirk
Hath freely said we may.

O give consent she may be mine,
And bless a faithful pair;
My lands and livings are not small,
My house and lineage fair.

My mother she was an Earl's daughter,
And a noble knight my sire-

The baron he frowned, and turned away
With mickle dole and ire.

Fair Emmeline sighed, fair Emmeline wept,

And did all trembling stand;

At length she sprang upon

her knee,

And held his lifted hand.

"Pardon, my

lord and father dear,

This fair young knight and me: Trust me, but for the carlish knight, I never had fled from thee.

Oft have you called your Emmeline
Your darling and your joy;
O let not then your harsh resolves
Your Emmeline destroy."

The baron he stroked his dark brown cheek,

And turned his head aside

To wipe away the starting tear
He proudly strove to hide.

In deep revolving thought he stood,

And mused a little space;

Then raised fair Emmeline from the ground, many a fond embrace.

With

"Here take her, Child of Elle," he said,

And gave her lily hand; "Here take my dear and only child,

And with her half my land.

Thy father once my honor wronged,

In days of youthful pride;

Do thou the injury repair

In fondness for thy bride.

And as thou love her and hold her dear,
Heaven prosper thee and thine;
And now my blessing wend wi' thee,
My lovely Emmeline."

The Child of Elle is given from a fragment in the Editor's folio MS.; which, though extremely defective and mutilated, appeared to have so much merit, that it excited a strong desire to attempt a completion of the story. The reader will easily discover the supplemental stanzas by their inferiority, and at the same time be inclined to pardon it, when he considers how difficult it must be to imitate the affecting simplicity and artless beauties of the original. Child was a title sometimes given to a knight.