The English and Scottish Popular Ballads :: :: University of Virginia Library

The English and Scottish Popular Ballads

Edited by Francis James Child.

Part I.

1 RIDDLES WISELY EXPOUNDED

2 THE ELFIN KNIGHT

3 THE FAUSE KNIGHT UPON THE ROAD

4 LADY ISABEL AND THE ELF-KNIGHT

9 THE FAIR FLOWER OF NORTHUMBERLAND

10.

10 THE TWA SISTERS

The Miller and the King's Daughter; or, The Miller and the King's Daughters

The Twa Sisters; or, The Cruel Sister

The Cruel Sister

The Bonnie Milldams of Binnorie

The Twa Sisters

The Bonny Bows o London

THE TWA SISTERS—G

THE TWA SISTERS—H

Bonnie Milldams o Binnorie

The Miller's Melody

Binnorie

The Miller's Melody; or, The Drowned Lady

Binorie, O an Binorie

Binnorie

The Bonny Bows o London

The Twa Sisters; or, The Swan swims bonnie O

The Twa Sisters

The Three Sisters; or, Bodown; or, The Barkshire Tragedy

Norham, down by Norham

11.

12.

13.

14.

14 BABYLON; OR, THE BONNIE BANKS O FORDIE

15.

16.

17.

18.

19.

20.

21.

21 THE MAID AND THE PALMER

22.

22 ST STEPHEN AND HEROD

23.

23 JUDAS

24.

24 BONNIE ANNIE

25.

25 WILLIE'S LYKE-WAKE

26.

26 THE THREE RAVENS

27.

27 THE WHUMMIL BORE

28.

28 BURD ELLEN AND YOUNG TAMLANE

II.

III.

IV.

VI.

VII.

VIII.

IX.

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350

THE MAID FREED FROM THE GALLOWS—A

[_]

Communicated to Percy, April 7, 1770, by the Rev. P. Parsons, of Wey, from oral tradition.

[OMITTED]

1

‘O good Lord Judge, and sweet Lord Judge,
Peace for a little while!
Methinks I see my own father,
Come riding by the stile.

2

‘Oh father, oh father, a little of your gold,
And likewise of your fee!
To keep my body from yonder grave,
And my neck from the gallows-tree.’

3

‘None of my gold now you shall have,
Nor likewise of my fee;
For I am come to see you hangd,
And hanged you shall be.’

4

‘Oh good Lord Judge, and sweet Lord Judge,
Peace for a little while!
Methinks I see my own mother,
Come riding by the stile.

5

‘Oh mother, oh mother, a little of your gold,
And likewise of your fee,
To keep my body from yonder grave,
And my neck from the gallows-tree!’

6

‘None of my gold now shall you have,
Nor likewise of my fee;
For I am come to see you hangd,
And hanged you shall be.’

7

‘Oh good Lord Judge, and sweet Lord Judge,
Peace for a little while!
Methinks I see my own brother,
Come riding by the stile.

8

‘Oh brother, oh brother, a little of your gold,
And likewise of your fee,
To keep my body from yonder grave,
And my neck from the gallows-tree!’

9

‘None of my gold now shall you have,
Nor likewise of my fee;
For I am come to see you hangd,
And hanged you shall be.’

10

‘Oh good Lord Judge, and sweet Lord Judge,
Peace for a little while!
Methinks I see my own sister,
Come riding by the stile.

11

‘Oh sister, oh sister, a little of your gold,
And likewise of your fee,
To keep my body from yonder grave,
And my neck from the gallows-tree!’

12

‘None of my gold now shall you have,
Nor likewise of my fee;
For I am come to see you hangd,
And hanged you shall be.’

13

‘Oh good Lord Judge, and sweet Lord Judge,
Peace for a little while!
Methinks I see my own true-love,
Come riding by the stile.

14

‘Oh true-love, oh true-love, a little of your gold,
And likewise of your fee,

351

To save my body from yonder grave,
And my neck from the gallows-tree.’

15

‘Some of my gold now you shall have,
And likewise of my fee,
For I am come to see you saved,
And saved you shall be.’