The English and Scottish Popular Ballads Edited by Francis James Child. |
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![]() | The English and Scottish Popular Ballads | ![]() |
Young Patrick
SIR PATRICK SPENS—E
1
The king sits in Dumfermline toun,Sae merrilie drinking wine; O
Says, Whare will I get a fine skipper,
Wud sail these ships of mine? O
2
Out and spak an auld rich knicht,And an ill death may he die!
Says, Young Patrick is the best skipper
That ever set sail on sea.
3
The king did write a lang letter,Sealed it with his own hand,
And he sent it to Young Patrick,
To come at his command.
4
When Young Patrick read the letter lang,The tear blindit his ee;
Says Wha is this, or wha is that,
That's tauld the king of me?
Altho he had been better than what he is,
He micht hae askt leave of me.
5
‘But busk, O busk, my merry men a’,O busk and mak you braw,
For blaw the wind what airt it will,
Our ship she must awa.
6
‘Drink, O drink, my merrie men all,Drink o the beer and wine,
For gin Wedensday by twal o'clock
We'll a' be in our lang hame.’
7
Out and spak a pretty little boy:‘I fear a deadlie storm;
For I saw the new mune late yestreen,
And the old ane in her arm,
And readilie, maister,’ said he,
‘That's the sign of a deadly storm.’
8
Aye they sat, and aye they drank,They drank of the beer and wine,
And gin Wedensday gin ten o'clock,
Their hair was wat abune.
9
‘Whare wuld I get a pretty little boy,That wants to win hose and shoon,
24
See if he could spy land?’
10
‘O here am I, a pretty little boy,Wants to win hose and shoon;
I'll up to the top of your mainmast go,
Though I should neer come doun.’
11
‘Come doun, come doun, my pretty little boy,I think thou tarries lang;
For the jawe is coming in at my coat-neck,
Going out at my richt hand.’
12
But there cum a shouir out o the Norewest,Of dreidfu hail and rain,
It made Young Patrick and his men
A' flat wi the sea faem.
13
O is na it a great pityeTo see feather-beds on the main?
But it is a greater pitye, I think,
To see men doing the same.
14
There's a brig at the back o Sanct John's toun,It's fifty fadom deep,
And there lies a' our brau Scots lords,
Young Patrick's at their feet.
15
Young Patrick's lady sits at hame,She's sewing her silken seam;
And aye when she looks to the salt sea waves,
‘I fear he'll neer return.’
16
Young Patrick's lady sits at hameRocking her oldest son;
And aye when she looks to the salt sea waves,
‘I'm feared he'll neer come hame.’
![]() | The English and Scottish Popular Ballads | ![]() |