Medieval English Ballads

Medieval English Bal-lads

Introduction to English LiteratureChankil Park

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."

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."


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?


"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


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


"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.


"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.


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?"


"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.


"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.


O loth(reluctant), both, were our good Scots lords

To wet their cork-heel'd shoon, 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.


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 nae mair. 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).


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


"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."

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."

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."

Lord Randall

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.

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.”


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 ony sheugh(ditch); But at the gates o Paradise, That birk grew fair eneugh.


“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.


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 hadna crawd but once, And clappd his wings at a’, When the youngest to the eldest said, “Brother, we must awa(away).”


“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.”


“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!”


Medieval English Ballads

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