The Textof this ballad was sent to Professor Child by Mr. C. E. Dalrymple of Kinaldie, Aberdeenshire, from whose version the printed variants (Notes and Queries, Third Series, vii. 393, and Aytoun’sBallads of Scotland, i. 75) have been more or less directly derived.
The ballad is one of those mentioned inThe Complaynt of Scotland(1549), like the ‘Hunttis of Chevet’ (seep. 2of this volume). It is again mentioned as being in print in 1668; but the latter may possibly refer to a poem on the battle, afterwards printed in Allan Ramsay’sEvergreen. The fact that the present ballad omits all reference to the Earl of Mar, and deals with the Forbes brothers, who are not otherwise known to have taken part in the battle, disposes Professor Child to believe that it is a comparatively recent ballad.
The Story.—The battle of Harlaw was fought on July 24, 1411. Harlaw is eighteen miles north-west of Aberdeen, Dunidier a hill on the Aberdeen road, and Netherha’ is close at hand. Balquhain (2.2) is a mile south of Harlaw, while Drumminnor (15.3) is more than twenty miles away—though the horse covered the distance there and back in ‘twa hours an’ a quarter’ (16.3).
The ballad is narrated by ‘John Hielan’man’ to Sir James the Rose (derived from the ballad of that name given earlier in the present volume) and SirJohn the Gryme (Graeme). ‘Macdonell’ is Donald of the Isles, who, as claimant to the Earldom of Ross, advanced on Aberdeen, and was met at Harlaw by the Earl of Mar and Alexander Ogilvy, sheriff of Angus. It was a stubborn fight, though it did not last from Monday to Saturday (23), and Donald lost nine hundred men and the other party five hundred.
Child finds a difficulty with the use of the word ‘she’ in 4.3, despite ‘me’ in the two previous lines. Had it been ‘her,’ the difficulty would not have arisen.
1.AsI cam in by Dunidier,An’ doun by Netherha’,There was fifty thousand Hielan’menA-marching to Harlaw.Wi’ a dree dree dradie drumtie dree2.As I cam on, an’ farther on,An’ doun an’ by Balquhain,Oh there I met Sir James the Rose,Wi’ him Sir John the Gryme.3.‘O cam ye frae the Hielan’s, man?An’ cam ye a’ the wey?Saw ye Macdonell an’ his men,As they cam frae the Skee?’4.‘Yes, me cam frae ta Hielan’s, man,An’ me cam a’ ta wey,An’ she saw Macdonell an’ his men,As they cam frae ta Skee.’5.‘Oh was ye near Macdonell’s men?Did ye their numbers see?Come, tell to me, John Hielan’man,What micht their numbers be?’6.‘Yes, me was near, an’ near eneuch,An’ me their numbers saw;There was fifty thousan’ Hielan’menA-marchin’ to Harlaw.’7.‘Gin that be true,’ says James the Rose,‘We’ll no come meikle speed;We’ll cry upo’ our merry men,And lichtly mount our steed.’8.‘Oh no, oh no,’ says John the Gryme,‘That thing maun never be;The gallant Grymes were never bate,We’ll try phat we can dee.’9.As I cam on, an’ farther on,An’ doun an’ by Harlaw,They fell fu’ close on ilka side;Sic fun ye never saw.10.They fell fu’ close on ilka side,Sic fun ye never saw;For Hielan’ swords gied clash for clashAt the battle o’ Harlaw.11.The Hielan’men, wi’ their lang swords,They laid on us fu’ sair,An’ they drave back our merry menThree acres breadth an’ mair.12.Brave Forbës to his brither did say,‘Noo, brither, dinna ye see?They beat us back on ilka side,An’ we’se be forced to flee.’13.‘Oh no, oh no, my brither dear,That thing maun never be;Tak’ ye your good sword in your hand,An’ come your wa’s wi’ me.’14.‘Oh no, oh no, my brither dear,The clans they are ower strang,An’ they drive back our merry men,Wi’ swords baith sharp an’ lang.’15.15.4‘fess,’ fetch.Brave Forbës drew his men aside,Said ‘Tak’ your rest awhile,Until I to Drumminnor send,To fess my coat o’ mail.’16.The servant he did ride,An’ his horse it did na fail,For in twa hours an’ a quarterHe brocht the coat o’ mail.17.Then back to back the brithers twaGaed in amo’ the thrang,An’ they hewed doun the Hielan’men,Wi’ swords baith sharp an’ lang.18.Macdonell he was young an’ stout,Had on his coat o’ mail,An’ he has gane oot throw them a’,To try his han’ himsell.19.19.1‘ae,’ one.The first ae straik that Forbës strack,He garrt Macdonell reel,An’ the neist ae straik that Forbës strack,The great Macdonell fell.20.20.1‘lierachie,’ confusion, hubbub.An’ siccan a lierachieI’m sure ye never sawAs wis amo’ the Hielan’men,When they saw Macdonell fa’.21.An’ whan they saw that he was deid,They turn’d an’ ran awa,An’ they buried him in Leggett’s Den,A large mile frae Harlaw.22.They rade, they ran, an’ some did gang,They were o’ sma’ record;But Forbës an’ his merry men,They slew them a’ the road.23.On Monanday, at mornin’,The battle it began,On Saturday, at gloamin’,Ye’d scarce kent wha had wan.24.An’ sic a weary buryin’I’m sure ye never sawAs wis the Sunday after that,On the muirs aneath Harlaw.25.25.1‘speer at,’ ask of.Gin ony body speer at youFor them ye took awa’,Ye may tell their wives and bairniesThey’re sleepin’ at Harlaw.
1.
AsI cam in by Dunidier,
An’ doun by Netherha’,
There was fifty thousand Hielan’men
A-marching to Harlaw.
Wi’ a dree dree dradie drumtie dree
2.
As I cam on, an’ farther on,
An’ doun an’ by Balquhain,
Oh there I met Sir James the Rose,
Wi’ him Sir John the Gryme.
3.
‘O cam ye frae the Hielan’s, man?
An’ cam ye a’ the wey?
Saw ye Macdonell an’ his men,
As they cam frae the Skee?’
4.
‘Yes, me cam frae ta Hielan’s, man,
An’ me cam a’ ta wey,
An’ she saw Macdonell an’ his men,
As they cam frae ta Skee.’
5.
‘Oh was ye near Macdonell’s men?
Did ye their numbers see?
Come, tell to me, John Hielan’man,
What micht their numbers be?’
6.
‘Yes, me was near, an’ near eneuch,
An’ me their numbers saw;
There was fifty thousan’ Hielan’men
A-marchin’ to Harlaw.’
7.
‘Gin that be true,’ says James the Rose,
‘We’ll no come meikle speed;
We’ll cry upo’ our merry men,
And lichtly mount our steed.’
8.
‘Oh no, oh no,’ says John the Gryme,
‘That thing maun never be;
The gallant Grymes were never bate,
We’ll try phat we can dee.’
9.
As I cam on, an’ farther on,
An’ doun an’ by Harlaw,
They fell fu’ close on ilka side;
Sic fun ye never saw.
10.
They fell fu’ close on ilka side,
Sic fun ye never saw;
For Hielan’ swords gied clash for clash
At the battle o’ Harlaw.
11.
The Hielan’men, wi’ their lang swords,
They laid on us fu’ sair,
An’ they drave back our merry men
Three acres breadth an’ mair.
12.
Brave Forbës to his brither did say,
‘Noo, brither, dinna ye see?
They beat us back on ilka side,
An’ we’se be forced to flee.’
13.
‘Oh no, oh no, my brither dear,
That thing maun never be;
Tak’ ye your good sword in your hand,
An’ come your wa’s wi’ me.’
14.
‘Oh no, oh no, my brither dear,
The clans they are ower strang,
An’ they drive back our merry men,
Wi’ swords baith sharp an’ lang.’
15.
15.4‘fess,’ fetch.
Brave Forbës drew his men aside,
Said ‘Tak’ your rest awhile,
Until I to Drumminnor send,
To fess my coat o’ mail.’
16.
The servant he did ride,
An’ his horse it did na fail,
For in twa hours an’ a quarter
He brocht the coat o’ mail.
17.
Then back to back the brithers twa
Gaed in amo’ the thrang,
An’ they hewed doun the Hielan’men,
Wi’ swords baith sharp an’ lang.
18.
Macdonell he was young an’ stout,
Had on his coat o’ mail,
An’ he has gane oot throw them a’,
To try his han’ himsell.
19.
19.1‘ae,’ one.
The first ae straik that Forbës strack,
He garrt Macdonell reel,
An’ the neist ae straik that Forbës strack,
The great Macdonell fell.
20.
20.1‘lierachie,’ confusion, hubbub.
An’ siccan a lierachie
I’m sure ye never saw
As wis amo’ the Hielan’men,
When they saw Macdonell fa’.
21.
An’ whan they saw that he was deid,
They turn’d an’ ran awa,
An’ they buried him in Leggett’s Den,
A large mile frae Harlaw.
22.
They rade, they ran, an’ some did gang,
They were o’ sma’ record;
But Forbës an’ his merry men,
They slew them a’ the road.
23.
On Monanday, at mornin’,
The battle it began,
On Saturday, at gloamin’,
Ye’d scarce kent wha had wan.
24.
An’ sic a weary buryin’
I’m sure ye never saw
As wis the Sunday after that,
On the muirs aneath Harlaw.
25.
25.1‘speer at,’ ask of.
Gin ony body speer at you
For them ye took awa’,
Ye may tell their wives and bairnies
They’re sleepin’ at Harlaw.
The Textwas sent to Percy in 1768 by R. Lambe of Norham. The ballad is widely known in Scotland under several titles, but the most usual isThe Broom of Cowdenknows, which was the title used by Scott in theMinstrelsy.
The Storyis not consistently told in this version, as in 11.3,4the daughter gives away her secret to her father in an absurd fashion.
An English song, printed as a broadside about 1640,The Lovely Northerne Lasse, is directed to be sung ‘to a pleasant Scotch tune, called The broom of Cowden Knowes.’ It is a poor variant of our ballad, in the usual broadside style, and cannot have been written by any one fully acquainted with the Scottish ballad. It is in the Roxburghe, Douce, and other collections.
1.1.2‘knows,’ knolls.1.4‘bught,’ sheep-pen.Therewas a troop of merry gentlemenWas riding atween twa knows,And they heard the voice of a bonny lass,In a bught milking her ews.2.There’s ane o’ them lighted frae off his steed,And has ty’d him to a tree,And he’s gane away to yon ew-bught,To hear what it might be.3.‘O pity me, fair maid,’ he said,‘Take pity upon me;O pity me, and my milk-white steedThat’s trembling at yon tree.’4.‘As for your steed, he shall not wantThe best of corn and hay;But as to you yoursel’, kind sir,I’ve naething for to say.’5.He’s taen her by the milk-white hand,And by the green gown-sleeve,And he has led her into the ew-bught,Of her friends he speer’d nae leave.6.He has put his hand in his pocket,And given her guineas three;‘If I dinna come back in half a year,Then luke nae mair for me.7.‘Now show to me the king’s hie street,Now show to me the way;Now show to me the king’s hie street,And the fair water of Tay.’8.She show’d to him the king’s hie street,She show’d to him the way;She show’d him the way that he was to go,By the fair water of Tay.9.9.4‘your lain,’ by yourself.When she came hame, her father said,‘Come, tell to me right plain;I doubt you’ve met some in the way,You have not been your lain.’10.‘The night it is baith mist and mirk,You may gan out and see;The night is mirk and misty too,There’s nae body been wi’ me.11.11.1‘tod,’ fox.‘There was a tod came to your flock,The like I ne’er did see;When he spake, he lifted his hat,He had a bonny twinkling ee.’12.When fifteen weeks were past and gane,Full fifteen weeks and three,Then she began to think it langFor the man wi’ the twinkling ee.13.It fell out on a certain day,When she cawd out her father’s ky,There was a troop of gentlemenCame merrily riding by.14.‘Weel may ye sigh and sob,’ says ane,‘Weel may you sigh and see;Weel may you sigh and say, fair maid,Wha’s gotten this bairn wi’ thee?’15.She turned hersel’ then quickly about,And thinking meikle shame;‘O no, kind sir, it is na sae,For it has a dad at hame.’16.‘O hawd your tongue, my bonny lass,Sae loud as I hear you lee!For dinna you mind that summer nightI was in the bught wi’ thee?’17.He lighted off his milk-white steed,And set this fair maid on;‘Now caw out your ky, good father,’ he said,‘She’ll ne’er caw them out again.18.18.2‘plows’: as much land as a plough will till in a year.‘I am the laird of Knottington,I’ve fifty plows and three;I’ve gotten now the bonniest lassThat is in the hale country.’
1.
1.2‘knows,’ knolls.
1.4‘bught,’ sheep-pen.
Therewas a troop of merry gentlemen
Was riding atween twa knows,
And they heard the voice of a bonny lass,
In a bught milking her ews.
2.
There’s ane o’ them lighted frae off his steed,
And has ty’d him to a tree,
And he’s gane away to yon ew-bught,
To hear what it might be.
3.
‘O pity me, fair maid,’ he said,
‘Take pity upon me;
O pity me, and my milk-white steed
That’s trembling at yon tree.’
4.
‘As for your steed, he shall not want
The best of corn and hay;
But as to you yoursel’, kind sir,
I’ve naething for to say.’
5.
He’s taen her by the milk-white hand,
And by the green gown-sleeve,
And he has led her into the ew-bught,
Of her friends he speer’d nae leave.
6.
He has put his hand in his pocket,
And given her guineas three;
‘If I dinna come back in half a year,
Then luke nae mair for me.
7.
‘Now show to me the king’s hie street,
Now show to me the way;
Now show to me the king’s hie street,
And the fair water of Tay.’
8.
She show’d to him the king’s hie street,
She show’d to him the way;
She show’d him the way that he was to go,
By the fair water of Tay.
9.
9.4‘your lain,’ by yourself.
When she came hame, her father said,
‘Come, tell to me right plain;
I doubt you’ve met some in the way,
You have not been your lain.’
10.
‘The night it is baith mist and mirk,
You may gan out and see;
The night is mirk and misty too,
There’s nae body been wi’ me.
11.
11.1‘tod,’ fox.
‘There was a tod came to your flock,
The like I ne’er did see;
When he spake, he lifted his hat,
He had a bonny twinkling ee.’
12.
When fifteen weeks were past and gane,
Full fifteen weeks and three,
Then she began to think it lang
For the man wi’ the twinkling ee.
13.
It fell out on a certain day,
When she cawd out her father’s ky,
There was a troop of gentlemen
Came merrily riding by.
14.
‘Weel may ye sigh and sob,’ says ane,
‘Weel may you sigh and see;
Weel may you sigh and say, fair maid,
Wha’s gotten this bairn wi’ thee?’
15.
She turned hersel’ then quickly about,
And thinking meikle shame;
‘O no, kind sir, it is na sae,
For it has a dad at hame.’
16.
‘O hawd your tongue, my bonny lass,
Sae loud as I hear you lee!
For dinna you mind that summer night
I was in the bught wi’ thee?’
17.
He lighted off his milk-white steed,
And set this fair maid on;
‘Now caw out your ky, good father,’ he said,
‘She’ll ne’er caw them out again.
18.
18.2‘plows’: as much land as a plough will till in a year.
‘I am the laird of Knottington,
I’ve fifty plows and three;
I’ve gotten now the bonniest lass
That is in the hale country.’
The Textis from Motherwell’sMS.He included it in the Appendix to hisMinstrelsy. No other collector or editor notices the ballad—‘if it ever were one,’ as Child remarks.
The only point to be noted is that the second stanza has crept into two versions ofHind Horn, apparently because of the resemblance of the previous stanzas, which present a mere ballad-commonplace.
1.1.2,4,5The burden is of course repeated in each stanza.Sevenlang years I hae served the king,Fa fa fa fa lillyAnd I never got a sight of his daughter but ane.With my glimpy, glimpy, glimpy eedle,Lillum too tee a ta too a tee a ta a tally2.2.1‘whummil bore,’ a hole bored with a whimble or gimlet.I saw her thro’ a whummil bore,And I ne’er got a sight of her no more.3.Twa was putting on her gown,And ten was putting pins therein.4.Twa was putting on her shoon,And twa was buckling them again.5.Five was combing down her hair,And I never got a sight of her nae mair.6.Her neck and breast was like the snow,Then from the bore I was forced to go.
1.
1.2,4,5The burden is of course repeated in each stanza.
Sevenlang years I hae served the king,
Fa fa fa fa lilly
And I never got a sight of his daughter but ane.
With my glimpy, glimpy, glimpy eedle,
Lillum too tee a ta too a tee a ta a tally
2.
2.1‘whummil bore,’ a hole bored with a whimble or gimlet.
I saw her thro’ a whummil bore,
And I ne’er got a sight of her no more.
3.
Twa was putting on her gown,
And ten was putting pins therein.
4.
Twa was putting on her shoon,
And twa was buckling them again.
5.
Five was combing down her hair,
And I never got a sight of her nae mair.
6.
Her neck and breast was like the snow,
Then from the bore I was forced to go.
The Textis from the GlenriddellMSS., and is the one on which Sir Walter Scott based the version given in theBorder Minstrelsy. Byron notes in the preface toChilde Haroldthat ‘the good-night in the beginning of the first canto was suggested by Lord Maxwell’s Goodnight in the Border Minstrelsy.’
The Story.—John, ninth Lord Maxwell, killed Sir James Johnstone in 1608; the feud between the families was of long standing (see 3.4), beginning in 1585. Lord Maxwell fled the country, and was sentenced to death in his absence. On his return in 1612 he was betrayed by a kinsman, and beheaded at Edinburgh on May 21, 1613. This was the end of the feud, which contained cases of treachery and perfidy on both sides.
‘Robert of Oarchyardtoun’ was Sir Robert Maxwell of Orchardton, Lord Maxwell’s cousin.
‘Drumlanrig,’ ‘Cloesburn,’ and ‘the laird of Lagg’ were respectively named Douglas, Kirkpatrick, and Grierson.
The Maxwells had houses, or custody of houses at Dumfries, Lochmaben, Langholm, and Thrieve; and Carlaverock Castle is still theirs.
As for Lord Maxwell’s ‘lady and only joy,’the ballad neglects the fact that he instituted a process of divorce against her, and that she died, while it was pending, in 1608, five years before the date of the ‘Goodnight.’
1.‘Adiew, madam my mother dear,But and my sisters two!Adiew, fair Robert of OarchyardtounFor thee my heart is woe.2.‘Adiew, the lilly and the rose,The primrose, sweet to see!Adiew, my lady and only joy!For I manna stay with thee.3.3.2‘feed,’ feud.3.4‘dead,’ death.‘Tho’ I have killed the laird Johnston,What care I for his feed?My noble mind dis still incline;He was my father’s dead.4.‘Both night and day I laboured oftOf him revenged to be,And now I’ve got what I long sought;But I manna stay with thee.5.‘Adiew, Drumlanrig! false was ay,And Cloesburn! in a band,Where the laird of Lagg fra my father fledWhen the Johnston struck off his hand.6.‘They were three brethren in a band;Joy may they never see!But now I’ve got what I long sought,And I maunna stay with thee.7.‘Adiew, Dumfries, my proper place,But and Carlaverock fair!Adiew, the castle of the Thrieve,And all my buildings there!8.8.2‘shank,’ point of a hill.‘Adiew, Lochmaben’s gates so fair,The Langholm shank, where birks they be!Adiew, my lady and only joy!And, trust me, I maunna stay with thee.9.9.3‘bangisters,’ roisterers, freebooters.‘Adiew, fair Eskdale, up and down,Where my poor friends do dwell!The bangisters will ding them down,And will them sore compel.10.‘But I’ll revenge that feed mysellWhen I come ou’r the sea;Adiew, my lady and only joy!For I maunna stay with thee.’11.‘Lord of the land, will you go thenUnto my father’s place,And walk into their gardens green,And I will you embrace.12.‘Ten thousand times I’ll kiss your face,And sport, and make you merry.’‘I thank thee, my lady, for thy kindness,But, trust me, I maunna stay with thee.’13.Then he took off a great gold ring,Whereat hang signets three;‘Hae, take thee that, my ain dear thing,And still hae mind of me;14.14.1‘But if,’ unless.‘But if thow marry another lordEre I come ou’r the sea;Adiew, my lady and only joy!For I maunna stay with thee.’15.The wind was fair, the ship was close,That good lord went away,And most part of his friends were there,To give him a fair convay.16.They drank thair wine, they did not spare,Even in the good lord’s sight;Now he is o’er the floods so gray,And Lord Maxwell has ta’en his goodnight.
1.
‘Adiew, madam my mother dear,
But and my sisters two!
Adiew, fair Robert of Oarchyardtoun
For thee my heart is woe.
2.
‘Adiew, the lilly and the rose,
The primrose, sweet to see!
Adiew, my lady and only joy!
For I manna stay with thee.
3.
3.2‘feed,’ feud.
3.4‘dead,’ death.
‘Tho’ I have killed the laird Johnston,
What care I for his feed?
My noble mind dis still incline;
He was my father’s dead.
4.
‘Both night and day I laboured oft
Of him revenged to be,
And now I’ve got what I long sought;
But I manna stay with thee.
5.
‘Adiew, Drumlanrig! false was ay,
And Cloesburn! in a band,
Where the laird of Lagg fra my father fled
When the Johnston struck off his hand.
6.
‘They were three brethren in a band;
Joy may they never see!
But now I’ve got what I long sought,
And I maunna stay with thee.
7.
‘Adiew, Dumfries, my proper place,
But and Carlaverock fair!
Adiew, the castle of the Thrieve,
And all my buildings there!
8.
8.2‘shank,’ point of a hill.
‘Adiew, Lochmaben’s gates so fair,
The Langholm shank, where birks they be!
Adiew, my lady and only joy!
And, trust me, I maunna stay with thee.
9.
9.3‘bangisters,’ roisterers, freebooters.
‘Adiew, fair Eskdale, up and down,
Where my poor friends do dwell!
The bangisters will ding them down,
And will them sore compel.
10.
‘But I’ll revenge that feed mysell
When I come ou’r the sea;
Adiew, my lady and only joy!
For I maunna stay with thee.’
11.
‘Lord of the land, will you go then
Unto my father’s place,
And walk into their gardens green,
And I will you embrace.
12.
‘Ten thousand times I’ll kiss your face,
And sport, and make you merry.’
‘I thank thee, my lady, for thy kindness,
But, trust me, I maunna stay with thee.’
13.
Then he took off a great gold ring,
Whereat hang signets three;
‘Hae, take thee that, my ain dear thing,
And still hae mind of me;
14.
14.1‘But if,’ unless.
‘But if thow marry another lord
Ere I come ou’r the sea;
Adiew, my lady and only joy!
For I maunna stay with thee.’
15.
The wind was fair, the ship was close,
That good lord went away,
And most part of his friends were there,
To give him a fair convay.
16.
They drank thair wine, they did not spare,
Even in the good lord’s sight;
Now he is o’er the floods so gray,
And Lord Maxwell has ta’en his goodnight.
The Textis from a manuscript at Balliol College, Oxford, No. 354, already referred to in the First Series (p. 80) as supplying a text ofThe Nut-brown Maid. The manuscript, which is of the early part of the sixteenth century, has been edited by Ewald Flügel inAnglia, vol. xxvi., where the present ballad appears on pp. 278-9. I have only modernised the spelling, and broken up the lines, as the ballad is written in two long lines and a short one to each stanza.
No other text is known to me. The volume ofAngliacontaining the ballad was not published till 1903, some five years after Professor Child’s death; and I believe he would have included it in his collection had he known of it.
The Storynarrates the subjugation of a proud lady who scorns all her wooers, by a juggler who assumes the guise of a knight. On the morrow the lady discovers her paramour to be a churl, and he is led away to execution, but escapes byjuggling himself into a meal-bag: the dust falls in the lady’s eye.
It would doubtless require a skilled folk-lorist to supply full critical notes and parallels; but I subjoin such details as I have been able to collect.
InThe Beggar Laddie(Child, No. 280, v. 116) a pretended beggar or shepherd-boy induces a lassie to follow him, ‘because he was a bonny laddie.’ They come to his father’s (or brother’s) hall; he knocks, four-and-twenty gentlemen welcome him in, and as many gay ladies attend the lassie, who is thenceforward a knight’s or squire’s lady.
InThe Jolly Beggar(Child, No. 279, v. 109), which, with the similar Scottish poemThe Gaberlunzie Man, is attributed without authority to JamesV.of Scotland, a beggar takes up his quarters in a house, and will only lie behind the hall-door, or by the fire. The lassie rises to bar the door, and is seized by the beggar. He asks if there are dogs in the town, as they would steal all his ‘meal-pocks.’ She throws the meal-pocks over the wall, saying, ‘The deil go with your meal-pocks, my maidenhead, and a’.’ The beggar reveals himself as a braw gentleman.
A converse story is afforded by the first part of the Norse tale translated by Dasent inPopular Tales from the Norse, 1888, p. 39, under the title ofHacon Grizzlebeard. A princess refuses all suitors, and mocks them publicly. Hacon Grizzlebeard, a prince, comes to woo her. Shemakes the king’s fool mutilate the prince’s horses, and then makes game of his appearance as he drives out the next day. Resolved to take his revenge, Hacon disguises himself as a beggar, attracts the princess’s notice by means of a golden spinning-wheel, its stand, and a golden wool-winder, and sells them to her for the privilege of sleeping firstly outside her door, secondly beside her bed, and finally in it. The rest of the tale narrates Hacon’s method of breaking down the princess’s pride.
Other parallels of incident and phraseology may be noted:—
4.1‘well good steed’; ‘well good,’ a commonplace = very good; for ‘well good steed,’ cf.John o’ the Side, 34.3(p. 162of this volume).
7.1‘Four-and-twenty knights.’ The number is a commonplace in ballads; especially cf.The Beggar Laddie(as above), Child’s text A, st. 13:
‘Four an’ tuenty gentelmenThey conved the beager ben,An’ as mony gay ladësConved the beager’s lassie.’
‘Four an’ tuenty gentelmen
They conved the beager ben,
An’ as mony gay ladës
Conved the beager’s lassie.’
12.4For the proper mediæval horror of ‘churl’s blood,’ seeGlasgerion, stt. 12, 19 (First Series, pp. 4, 5).
13.3‘meal-pock.’ The meal-bag was part of the professional beggar’s outfit; seeWill Stewart and John, 78.3(Child, No. 107, ii. 437). For blinding with meal-dust, seeRobin Hood and the Beggar, ii. 77, 78 (Child, No. 134, iii. 163). Themeal-pock also occurs inThe Jolly Beggar, as cited above.
Draw me near, draw me near,Draw me near, ye jolly jugglere!1.Herebeside dwellethA rich baron’s daughter;She would have no manThat for her love had sought her.So nice she was!2.2.3‘But if,’ unless.She would have no manThat was made of mould,But if he had a mouth of goldTo kiss her when she would.So dangerous she was!3.3.4‘teen,’ wrath.Thereof heard a jolly jugglerThat laid was on the green;And at this lady’s wordsI wis he had great teen.An-ang’red he was!4.He juggled to him a well good steedOf an old horse-bone,A saddle and a bridle both,And set himself thereon.A juggler he was!5.5.3, 6.3‘wend,’ thought.5.3‘had’ omitted in the manuscript.He pricked and pranced bothBefore that lady’s gate;She wend he [had] been an angelWas come for her sake.A pricker he was!6.He pricked and prancedBefore that lady’s bower;She wend he had been an angelCome from heaven tower.A prancer he was!7.Four-and-twenty knightsLed him into the hall,And as many squiresHis horse to the stall,And gave him meat.8.8.3‘He’: the manuscript reads ‘&.’They gave him oatsAnd also hay;He was an old shrewAnd held his head away.He would not eat.9.The day began to pass,The night began to come,To bed was broughtThe fair gentlewoman,And the juggler also.10.The night began to pass,The day began to spring;All the birds of her bower,They began to sing,And the cuckoo also!11.‘Where be ye, my merry maidens,That ye come not me to?The jolly windows of my bowerLook that you undo,That I may see!12.‘For I have in mine armsA duke or else an earl.’But when she looked him upon,He was a blear-eyed churl.‘Alas!’ she said.13.13.3‘meal-pock,’ meal-bag.She led him to an hill,And hanged should he be.He juggled himself to a meal-pock;The dust fell in her eye;Beguiled she was.14.14.3‘giglot,’ wench.God and our LadyAnd sweet Saint JohamSend every giglot of this townSuch another leman,Even as he was!
Draw me near, draw me near,
Draw me near, ye jolly jugglere!
1.
Herebeside dwelleth
A rich baron’s daughter;
She would have no man
That for her love had sought her.
So nice she was!
2.
2.3‘But if,’ unless.
She would have no man
That was made of mould,
But if he had a mouth of gold
To kiss her when she would.
So dangerous she was!
3.
3.4‘teen,’ wrath.
Thereof heard a jolly juggler
That laid was on the green;
And at this lady’s words
I wis he had great teen.
An-ang’red he was!
4.
He juggled to him a well good steed
Of an old horse-bone,
A saddle and a bridle both,
And set himself thereon.
A juggler he was!
5.
5.3, 6.3‘wend,’ thought.
5.3‘had’ omitted in the manuscript.
He pricked and pranced both
Before that lady’s gate;
She wend he [had] been an angel
Was come for her sake.
A pricker he was!
6.
He pricked and pranced
Before that lady’s bower;
She wend he had been an angel
Come from heaven tower.
A prancer he was!
7.
Four-and-twenty knights
Led him into the hall,
And as many squires
His horse to the stall,
And gave him meat.
8.
8.3‘He’: the manuscript reads ‘&.’
They gave him oats
And also hay;
He was an old shrew
And held his head away.
He would not eat.
9.
The day began to pass,
The night began to come,
To bed was brought
The fair gentlewoman,
And the juggler also.
10.
The night began to pass,
The day began to spring;
All the birds of her bower,
They began to sing,
And the cuckoo also!
11.
‘Where be ye, my merry maidens,
That ye come not me to?
The jolly windows of my bower
Look that you undo,
That I may see!
12.
‘For I have in mine arms
A duke or else an earl.’
But when she looked him upon,
He was a blear-eyed churl.
‘Alas!’ she said.
13.
13.3‘meal-pock,’ meal-bag.
She led him to an hill,
And hanged should he be.
He juggled himself to a meal-pock;
The dust fell in her eye;
Beguiled she was.
14.
14.3‘giglot,’ wench.
God and our Lady
And sweet Saint Joham
Send every giglot of this town
Such another leman,
Even as he was!
Baron of Brackley, The,
Battle of Harlaw, The,
Battle of Otterburn, The,
Bessy Bell and Mary Gray,
Bewick and Grahame,
Braes of Yarrow, The,
Captain Car,
Clyde’s Water,
Death of Parcy Reed, The,
Dick o’ the Cow,
Durham Field,
Earl Bothwell,
Fire of Frendraught, The,
Flodden Field,
Gardener, The,
Geordie,
Gipsy Laddie, The,
Heir of Linne, The,
Hunting of the Cheviot, The,
Jamie Douglas,
John o’ the Side,
Johnie Armstrong,
Jolly Juggler, The,
Katharine Jaffray,
Kinmont Willie,
Laird of Knottington, The,
Laird o’ Logie, The,
Lizie Lindsay,
Lord Maxwell’s Last Goodnight,
Mary Hamilton,
Outlyer Bold, The,
Sir Hugh in the Grime’s Downfall,
Sir James the Rose,
Sir Patrick Spence,
Twa Brothers, The,
Waly, waly, gin love be bonny,
Whummil Bore, The,
Adiew, madam my mother dear,
As I cam in by Dunidier,
God send the land deliverance,
Good Lord John is a hunting gone,
Here beside dwelleth,
I dreamed a dreary dream this night,
Inverey cam doun Deeside, whistlin’ and playin’,
It befell at Martynmas,
It’s of a young lord o’ the Hielands,
I will sing, if ye will hearken,
King Jamie hath made a vow,
Lordings, listen and hold you still,
Now Liddisdale has long lain in,
O Bessie Bell and Mary Gray,
Of all the lords in fair Scotland,
O have ye na heard o’ the fause Sakelde,
O heard ye of Sir James the Rose,
Old Grahame he is to Carlisle gone,
O waly, waly up the bank,
Peter o’ Whifield he hath slain,
Seven lang years I hae served the king,
The eighteenth of October,
The gardener stands in his bower-door,
The king sits in Dumferling toune,
The Persë owt off Northombarlonde,
There cam singers to Earl Cassillis’ gates,
There dwelt a man in faire Westmerland,
There liv’d a lass in yonder dale,
There was a battle in the north,
There was a troop of merry gentlemen,
There were three sisters, they lived in a bower,
There were twa brethren in the north,
Waly, waly up the bank,
Woe worth thee, woe worth thee, false Scotland,
Word’s gane to the kitchen,
Ye gie corn unto my horse,
Yt fell abowght the Lamasse tyde,