Medieval English Ballads

1. Medieval English Ballads Introduction to English Literature Chankil Park

2. The Ballad of Sir Patrick Spens • Sir Patrick Spens • The King sits in Dunfermline town, • Drinking the blood-red wine; • "O where shall I get a skeely(skilful) skipper • To sail this ship or mine?" • Then up and spake an eldern(elderly) knight, • Sat at the King's right knee: • "Sir Patrick Spens is the best sailor • That ever sailed the sea."

3. The Ballad of Sir Patrick Spens • The King has written a broad letter, • And sealed it with his hand, • And sent it to Sir Patrick Spens, • Was walking on the strand. • "To Noroway, to Noroway, • To Noroway o'er the foam; • The King's daughter of Noroway, • 'Tis thou must fetch her home."

4. The Ballad of Sir Patrick Spens • The first line that Sir Patrick read, • A loud laugh laughed he; • The next line that Sir Patrick read, • The tear blinded his ee. • "O who is this has done this deed, • Has told the King of me, • To send us out at this time of the year, • To sail upon the sea?

5. The Ballad of Sir Patrick Spens • "Be it wind, be it wet, be it hail, be it sleet, • Our ship must sail the foam; • The king's daughter of Noroway, • 'Tis we must fetch her home." • They hoisted their sails on Monenday morn, • With all the speed they may; • And they have landed in Noroway • Upon a Wodensday

6. The Ballad of Sir Patrick Spens • They had not been a week, a week, • In Noroway but twae(two), • When that the lords of Noroway • Began aloud to say, - • "Ye Scottishmen spend all our King's gowd(gold), • And all our Queenis fee." • "Ye lie, ye lie, ye liars loud! • So loud I hear ye lie

7. The Ballad of Sir Patrick Spens • "For I brought as much of the white monie(money) • As gane(go) my men and me, • And a half-fou(full) of the good red gowd • Out o'er the sea with me. • "Make ready, make ready, my merry men all, • Our good ship sails the morn." • "Now, ever alack(alas), my master dear • I fear a deadly storm.

8. The Ballad of Sir Patrick Spens • "I saw the new moon late yestreen(last night) • With the old moon in her arm; • And if we go to sea, master, • I fear we'll come to harm." • They had not sailed a league, a league, • A league but barely three, • When the lift grew dark, and the wind blew loud, • And gurly grew the sea.

9. The Ballad of Sir Patrick Spens • The ankers brake and the top-masts lap, • It was such a deadly storm; • And the waves came o'er the broken ship • Till all her sides were torn. • "O where will I get a good sailor • Will take my helm in hand, • Till I get up to the tall top-mast • To see if I can spy land?"

10. The Ballad of Sir Patrick Spens • "O here am I, a sailor good, • Will take the helm in hand, • Till you go up to the tall top-mast, • But I fear you'll ne'er spy(espy, descry) land." • He had not gone a step, a step, • A step but barely ane(one), • When a bolt flew out of the good ship's side, • And the salt sea came in.

11. The Ballad of Sir Patrick Spens • "Go fetch a web of the silken cloth, • Another of the twine, • And wap them into our good ship's side, • And let not the sea come in." • They fetched a web of the silken cloth, • Another of the twine, • And they wapp'd them into the good ship's side, • But still the sea came in.

12. The Ballad of Sir Patrick Spens • O loth(reluctant), both, were our good Scots lords • To wet their cork-heel'dshoon, • But long ere all the play was play'd • They wet their hats aboon(above). • And many was the feather-bed • That fluttered on the foam; • And many was the good lord's son • That never more came home.

13. The Ballad of Sir Patrick Spens • The ladies wrang(twisted) their fingers white, • The maidens tore their heair, • All for the sake of their true loves, • For them they'll see naemair. • O lang(long), lang may the maidens sit • With their gold combs in their hair, • All waiting for their own dear loves, • For them they'll see nae(no) mair(more).

14. The Ballad of Sir Patrick Spens • O forty miles of Aberdeen, • 'Tis fifty fathoms deep; • And there lies good Sir Patrick Spens, • With the Scots lords at his feet.

15. Lord Randall • "Oh where ha'e ye been, Lord Randall my son? • O where ha'e ye been, my handsome young man?" • "I ha'e been to the wild wood: mother, make my bed soon, • For I'm weary wi' hunting, and fain wald lie down." • "Where gat ye your dinner, Lord Randall my son? • Where gat ye your dinner, my handsome young man?" • "I dined wi' my true love; mother, make my bed soon, • For I'm weary wi' hunting, and fain wald lie down."

16. Lord Randall • "What gat ye to your dinner, Lord Randall 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 became of your bloodhounds, Lord Randall my son? • What became of your bloodhounds, my handsome young man?" • "O they swelled and they died: mother, make my bed soon, • for I'm weary wi' hunting, and fain wald lie down."

17. Lord Randall • "O I fear ye are poisoned, Lord Randall my son! • O I fear ye are poisoned, my handsome young man!" • "O yes, I am poisoned: mother, make my bed soon, • For I'm sick at the heart, and I fain wald lie down."

18. The Wife of Usher’s Well • THERE lived a wife at Usher’s Well, • And a wealthy wife was she; • She had three stout and stalwart sons, • And sent them oer the sea. • They hadna been a week from her, • A week but barely ane, • Whan word came to the carline wife • That her three sons were gane.

19. The Wife of Usher’s Well • They hadna been a week from her, • A week but barely three, • Whan word came to the carlin(an old) wife • That her sons she’d never see. • “I wish the wind may never cease, • Nor fashes(worries, bothers, annoys) in the • flood, • Till my three sons come hame to me, • In earthly flesh and blood.”

20. The Wife of Usher’s Well • It fell about the Martinmass, • When nights are lang and mirk(dark). • The carlin wife’s three sons came hame, • And their hats were o the birk(birch). • It neither grew in syke nor ditch(small stream), • Nor yet in onysheugh(ditch); • But at the gates o Paradise, • That birk grew fair eneugh.

21. The Wife of Usher’s Well • “Blow up the fire, my maidens, • Bring water from the well; • For a’ my house shall feast this night, • Since my three sons are well.” • And she has made to them a bed, • She’s made it large and wide, • And she’s taen her mantle her about, • Sat down at the bed-side.

22. The Wife of Usher’s Well • Up then crew the red, red cock, • And up and crew the gray; • The eldest to the youngest said, • “’Tis time we were away.” • The cock he hadnacrawd but once, • And clappd his wings at a’, • When the youngest to the eldest said, • “Brother, we must awa(away).”

23. The Wife of Usher’s Well • “The cock doth craw, the day doth daw(dawn), • The channerin(fretting) worm doth chide; • Gin(If) we be mist out o our place, • A sair(sore) pain we maun(must) bide(abide). • “Lie still, lie still but a little wee while, • Lie still but if we may; • Gin my mother should miss us when she wakes, • She’ll go mad ere it be day.”

24. The Wife of Usher’s Well • “Faer ye weel, my mother dear! • Fareweel to barn and byre(cow house)! • And fare ye weel, the bonny lass • That kindles my mother’s fire!”