The English and Scottish Popular Ballads Edited by Francis James Child. |
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 | The English and Scottish Popular Ballads |  |
The Knight and Lady
THE BAFFLED KNIGHT—E
1
There was a knight, was drunk with wine,Came riding along the way, sir;
He would have had a lady gay
Amang the quiles of hay, sir.
2
‘What if I should lay thee down,Amang the quiles of hay, maid?
Sheets nor blankets have I none,
To keep thy cloathing clean, maid.’
3
‘The wind blaws east, the wind blaws west,The wind blaws owre yon thorn, sir;
Weel may I wash my cloathing clear,
And dry them on the morn, sir.’
4
‘What if I should lay thee down,Amang the rigs of corn, maid?
Then the king's life-guard will come,
And steal our steeds away, maid.’
5
‘I have ten gold rings on my hand,They're all gold but the stone, sir;
I'll give them to the king's life-guard,
If he'll let our steeds alone, sir.
6
‘But see you not yon sunny bank,Over yon lily lea, sir,
Where you and I may crack a while,
And never one may see, sir?’
7
He was on a milk-white steed,And she was on another,
And all the live-long winter night
They rode like sister and brother.
8
When they came to that sunny bank,He began to lay her down, sir;
‘O no, O no, kind sir,’ she says,
‘Ye'll ruffle all my gown, sir.
9
‘My gown it cost my father dear,'Twas many a mark and pound, sir;
And if that ye do lay me down,
Ye'll ruffle all my gown, sir.
10
‘But see ye na yon fair castel,Over yon lily lea, sir,
Where you and I may crack a while,
And never one may see, sir?’
11
He was on a milk-white steed,And she was on another,
And all the live-long winter night
They rode like sister and brother.
12
When they came to that fair castel,She was at her father's yet, sir;
She jumped in at her father's door,
And left this knight without, sir.
13
She says, I am a maid within,You're but a knave without, sir;
There were neer a butcher's son
Put me in so much doubt, sir.
14
‘Oh if I had thee out,’ he said,‘But two miles from the town, maid,
I would lay thee down,’ he said,
‘And never mind thy gown, maid.’
15
‘There is a flower in my father's garden,The name o't marigold, sir,
And he that would not when he might,
He shall not when he wold, sir.
16
‘But when eer ye meet a pretty maid,And two miles from a town, sir,
Ye may lay her down,’ she says,
‘And never mind her gown, sir.
489
17
‘Ye're like unto my father's steed;He's standing in the lone, sir;
He hings his head above the sheaf,
But daur not venture on, sir.
18
‘When eer ye meet a pretty maid,And two miles from the town, sir,
Ye may lay her down,’ she says,
‘And never mind her gown, sir.
19
‘There is a cock in my father's flock,He wears a double comb, sir,
He claps his wings, but craweth not;
I fear you be like him, sir.
20
‘But when eer you meet a pretty maid,And two miles from a town, sir,
You may lay her down,’ she said,
‘And never mind her gown, sir.’
| The English and Scottish Popular Ballads | |