But he was still in a quiet chamber,
Hearing his lady's moan.

"Be hush'd, be hush'd, my lady dear,

I

pray thee moan not so;

For I am deep sworn on a book

To Bee-Ho'm for to go."

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She's gien him a chain o' the beaten goud, 25 And a ring with a ruby stone:

"As lang as this chain your body binds, Your blood can never be drawn.

"But gin this ring should fade or fail,

Or the stone should change its hue, Be sure your love is dead and gone, Or she has proved untrue."

He had not been at bonny Bee-Ho'm

A twelvemonth and a day,

Till looking on his gay gold ring,
The stone grew dark and gray.

ye tak my riches to Bee-Ho'm, And deal them presentlie,

30

35

To the young that canna, the old that manna, The blind that downa see."

Now Death has come intill his bower,

And split his heart in twain :
Sae their twa sauls flew up to heaven,

And there shall ever remain.

10

THE THREE RAVENS.

From Ritson's Ancient English Songs, ii. 53. It is there reprinted from Ravenscroft's Melismata, 1611. Another copy follows, taken from Scott's Minstrelsy. Motherwell has recast the ballad in modern style, p. 7 of his collection.

THERE were three ravens sat on a tree,

Downe, a downe, hay downe, 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.

The one of them said to his mate,

"Where shall we our breakefast take?"

"Downe in yonder greene field,

There lies a knight slain under his shield.

5

"His hounds they lie downe at his feete, So well they their master keepe.

"His haukes they flie so eagerly,

There's no fowle dare him com nie."

10

Downe there comes a fallow doe,
As great with yong as she might goe.

She lift up his bloudy hed,

And kist his wounds that were so red.

She got him up upon her backe,

15

And carried him to earthen lake.

She buried him before the prime,

She was dead herselfe ere even-song time.

God send every gentleman,

Such haukes, such houndes, and such a leman. 20

THE TWA CORBIES.

FROM Minstrelsy of the Scottish Border, ii. 359. It was communicated to Scott by Mr. Sharpe, as written down, from tradition, by a lady.

As I was walking all alane,

I heard twa corbies making a mane ;
The tane unto the t'other say,
"Where sall we gang and dine to-day?"—

"In behint yon auld fail dyke,

I wot there lies a new-slain knight;
And naebody kens that he lies there,
But his hawk, his hound, and lady fair.

"His hound is to the hunting gane,
His hawk, to fetch the wild-fowl hame,

10

His lady's ta'en another mate,

So we may mak our dinner sweet.

"Ye'll sit on his white hause-bane,

And I'll pick out his bonny blue een :
Wi' ae lock o' his gowden hair

We'll theek our nest when it grows bare.

66 Mony a one for him makes mane,
But nane sall ken where he is gane :
O'er his white banes, when they are bare,
The wind sall blaw for evermair."-

15

20