English and Scottish Ballads Volume III Part 39

"I'm not deceived," Queen Marie said, "No, no, indeed, not I! 10 So Marie mild, where is the child?

For sure I heard it cry."

She turned down the blankets fine, Likewise the Holland sheet, And underneath, there strangled lay 15 A lovely baby sweet.

"O cruel mother," said the Queen, "Some fiend possessed thee; But I will hang thee for this deed, My Marie tho' thou be!" 20

When she cam to the Nether-Bow Port, She laugh't loud laughters three; But when she cam to the gallows foot, The saut tear blinded her ee.

"Yestreen the Queen had four Maries, 25 The night she'll hae but three; There was Marie Seton, and Marie Beaton, And Marie Carmichael and me.

"Ye mariners, ye mariners, That sail upon the sea, 30 Let not my father or mother wit The death that I maun die.

"I was my parents' only hope, They ne'er had ane but me; They little thought when I left hame, 35 They should nae mair me see!"

SIR HUGH, OR THE JEW'S DAUGHTER.

See p. 136.

From Motherwell's _Minstrelsy_, p. 51; taken down from recitation.

Yesterday was brave Hallowday, And, above all days of the year, The schoolboys all got leave to play, And little Sir Hugh was there.

He kicked the ball with his foot, 5 And kepped it with his knee, And even in at the Jew's window He gart the bonnie ba' flee.

Out then came the Jew's daughter,-- "Will ye come in and dine?" 10 "I winna come in and I canna come in Till I get that ball of mine.

"Throw down that ball to me, maiden, Throw down the ball to me."

"I winna throw down your ball, Sir Hugh, 15 Till ye come up to me."

She pu'd the apple frae the tree, It was baith red and green, She gave it unto little Sir Hugh, With that his heart did win. 20

She wiled him into ae chamber, She wiled him into twa, She wiled him into the third chamber, And that was warst o't a'.

She took out a little penknife, 25 Hung low down by her spare, She twined this young thing o' his life, And a word he ne'er spak mair.

And first came out the thick, thick blood, And syne came out the thin, 30 And syne came out the bonnie heart's blood,-- There was nae mair within.

She laid him on a dressing table, She dress'd him like a swine, Says, "Lie ye there, my bonnie Sir Hugh, 35 Wi' ye're apples red and green!"

She put him in a case of lead, Says, "Lie ye there and sleep!"

She threw him into the deep draw-well Was fifty fathom deep. 40

A schoolboy walking in the garden Did grievously hear him moan, He ran away to the deep draw-well And fell down on his knee.

Says, "Bonnie Sir Hugh, and pretty Sir Hugh, 45 I pray you speak to me; If you speak to any body in this world, I pray you speak to me."

When bells were rung and ma.s.s was sung, And every body went hame, 50 Then every lady had her son, But Lady Helen had nane.

She rolled her mantle her about, And sore, sore did she weep; She ran away to the Jew's castle, 55 When all were fast asleep.

She cries, "Bonnie Sir Hugh, O pretty Sir Hugh, I pray you speak to me; If you speak to any body in this world, I pray you speak to me." 60

"Lady Helen, if ye want your son, I'll tell ye where to seek; Lady Helen, if ye want your son, He's in the well sae deep."

She ran away to the deep draw-well, 65 And she fell down on her knee; Saying, "Bonnie Sir Hugh, O pretty Sir Hugh, I pray ye speak to me; If ye speak to any body in the world, I pray ye speak to me." 70

"Oh! the lead it is wondrous heavy, mother, The well it is wondrous deep; The little penknife sticks in my throat, And I downa to ye speak.

But lift me out o' this deep draw-well, 75 And bury me in yon churchyard; "Put a Bible at my head," he says, "And a testament at my feet, And pen and ink at every side, And I'll lie still and sleep. 80

"And go to the back of Maitland town, Bring me my winding sheet; For it's at the back of Maitland town That you and I shall meet."

O the broom, the bonny, bonny broom, 85 The broom that makes full sore, A woman's mercy is very little, But a man's mercy is more.

SIR HUGH. See p. 136.

From Hume's _Sir Hugh of Lincoln_, p. 35; obtained from recitation, in Ireland.

'Twas on a summer's morning, Some scholars were playing at ball; When out came the Jew's daughter And lean'd her back against the wall.

She said unto the fairest boy, 5 "Come here to me, Sir Hugh."

"No! I will not," said he, "Without my playfellows too."

She took an apple out of her pocket, And trundled it along the plain; 10 And who was readiest to lift it, Was little Sir Hugh, again.

She took him by the milk-white han', An' led him through many a hall, Until they came to one stone chamber, 15 Where no man might hear his call.

She sat him in a goolden chair, And jagg'd him with a pin; And called for a goolden cup To houl' his heart's blood in. 20

She tuk him by the yellow hair, An' also by the feet; An' she threw him in the deep draw well, It was fifty fadom deep.

Day bein' over, the night came on, 25 And the scholars all went home; Then every mother had her son, But little Sir Hugh's had none.

She put her mantle about her head, Tuk a little rod in her han', 30 An' she says, "Sir Hugh, if I fin' you here, I will bate you for stayin' so long."

First she went to the Jew's door, But they were fast asleep; An' then she went to the deep draw-well, 35 That was fifty fadom deep.

She says, "Sir Hugh, if you be here, As I suppose you be, If ever the dead or quick arose, Arise and spake to me." 40