The day came on that was to do That dreadful tragedy; Sir Hugh le Blond was not come up To fight for our ladye. "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 ee: "Where is the worthy knight," she said, "Who is to fight for me?"— Then up and spak the King himsell, As bold as e'er set out." They then advanced to fight the duel 95 100 105 110 115 Sir Hugh took out a lusty sword, "Confess your treachery, now," he said, "I do confess my treachery, "I like to wicked Haman am, The Queen was brought to her chamber, The Queen then said unto the King, "Arbattle's near the sea; Give it unto the northern knight, That this day fought for me." 120 125 130 Then said the King, "Come here, Sir Knight, And drink a glass of wine; And, if Arbattle's not enough, 135 185. Arbattle is the ancient name of the barony of Arbuthnot. Fordun has long been the patrimony of the same family S. THE KNIGHT, AND SHEPHERD'S DAUGH TER. "THIS ballad (given from an old black-letter copy, with some corrections) was popular in the time of Queen Elizabeth, being usually printed with her picture before it, as Hearne informs us in his preface to Gul. Neubrig, Hist. Oxon, 1719, 8vo. vol. i. p. lxx. It is quoted in Fletcher's comedy of the Pilgrim, act 4, sc. 2.” PERCY's Reliques, iii. 114. The Scottish ballad corresponding to Percy's has been printed by Kinloch, p. 25. Besides this, however, there are three other Scottish versions, superior to the English in every respect, and much longer. They are Earl Richard, Motherwell, p. 377; (also in Buchan's Ballads of the North of Scotland, ii. 81;) a ballad with the same title in Kinloch's collection, p. 15; and Earl Lithgow, Buchan, ii. 91. In all these, the futile attempts of the knight to escape marrying the lady, and the devices by which she aggravates his reluctance to enter into the match, are managed with no little humour. We give Motherwell's edition a place next to Percy's, and refer the reader for Kinloch's to the Appendix. THERE was a shepherds daughter Came tripping on the waye, And there by chance a knighte shee mett, Which caused her to staye. "Good morrowe to you, beauteous maide," 5 66 These words pronounced hee; "OI shall dye this daye," he sayd, "If Ive not my wille of thee." "The Lord forbid," the maide replyd, "That you shold waxe so wode!" But for all that shee could do or saye, He wold not be withstood. "Sith you have had your wille of mee, Now, if you are a courteous knighte, "Some do call mee Jacke, sweet heart, And some do call mee Jille; But when I come to the kings faire courte, They calle me Wilfulle Wille." 10 15 20 11, 12, Percy's. He sett his foot into the stirrup, She tuckt her girdle about her middle, But when she came to the brode water, She sett her brest and swamme; And when she was got out againe, She tooke to her heels and ranne. He never was the courteous knighte, To saye, "Faire maide, will ye ride?" When she came to the kings faire courte, She knocked at the ring; So readye was the king himself To let this faire maide in. "Now Christ you save, my gracious liege, You have a knighte within your courte "What hath he robbed thee of, sweet heart? Of purple or of pall? Or hath he took thy gaye gold ring From off thy finger small?" 25 30 35 40 |