English and Scottish Ballads Volume IV Part 37

Alas! the lady her fondness must leave, 45 And all her foolish wooing lay aside; The time is come her friends have appointed, That she must be Lord Phenix bride.

With that the lady began to weep; She knew not well then what to say, 50 How she might Lord Phenix deny, And escape from marriage quite away.

She call'd unto her little foot-page, Saying, "I can trust none but thee; Go carry Tom Pots this letter fair, 55 And bid him on Guildford-green meet me:

"For I must marry against my mind, Or in faith well proved it shall be; And tell to him I am loving and kind, And wishes him this wedding to see. 60

"But see that thou note his countenance well, And his colour, and shew it to me; And go thy way and hie thee again,[L63]

And forty s.h.i.+llings I will give thee.

"For if he smile now with his lips, 65 His stomach will give him to laugh at the heart; Then may I seek another true love, For of Tom Pots small is my part.

"But if he blush now in his face, Then in his heart he will sorry be; 70 Then to his vow he hath some grace, And false to him I'le never be."

Away this lacky-boy he ran, And a full speed forsooth went he, Till he came to Strawberry-castle, 75 And there Tom Pots came he to see.

He gave him the letter in his hand; Before that he began to read, He told him plainly by word of mouth, His love was forc'd to be Lord Phenix bride. 80

When he look'd on the letter fair, The salt tears blemished his eye; Says, "I cannot read this letter fair, Nor never a word to see or spy.

"My little boy, be to me true, 85 Here is five marks I will give thee; And all these words I must peruse; And tell my lady this from me:

"By faith and troth she is my own, By some part of promise, so it's to be found; 90 Lord Phenix shall not have her night nor day, Except he can win her with his own hand.

"On Guildford-green I will her meet; Say that I wish her for me to pray, For there I'le lose my life so sweet, 95 Or else the wedding I mean to stay."

Away this lackey-boy he ran, Then as fast as he could hie; The lady she met him two miles of the way; Says, "Why hast thou staid so long, my boy? 100

"My little boy, thou art but young, It gives me at heart thou'l mock and scorn; Ile not believe thee by word of mouth, Unless on this book thou wilt be sworn."

"Now by this book," the boy did say, 105 "And Jesus Christ be as true to me, Tom Pots could not read the letter fair, Nor never a word to spy or see.

"He says, by faith and troth you are his own, By some part of promise, so it's to be found; 110 Lord Phenix shall not have you night nor day, Except he win you with his own hand.

"On Guildford-green he will you meet; He wishes you for him to pray, For there he'l lose his life so sweet, 115 Or else the wedding he means to stay."

"If this be true, my little boy, These tidings which thou tellest to me, Forty s.h.i.+llings I did thee promise, Here is ten pounds I will give thee. 120

"My maidens all," the lady said, "That ever wish me well to prove, Now let us all kneel down and pray, That Tommy Pots may win his love.

"If it be his fortune the better to win, 125 As I pray to Christ in trinity, Ile make him the flower of all his kin, For the young Lord Arundel he shall be."

63, high.

THE SECOND PART.

Let's leave talking of this lady fair, In prayers full good where she may be; 130 Now let us talk of Tommy Pots; To his lord and master for aid went he.

But when he came Lord Jockey before, He kneeled lowly on his knee; "What news, what news, thou Tommy Pots, 135 Thou art so full of courtesie?

"What tydings, what tydings, thou Tommy Pots, Thou art so full of courtesie?

Thou hast slain some of thy fellows fair, Or wrought to me some villany." 140

"I have slain none of my fellows fair, Nor wrought to you no villany, But I have a love in Scotland fair, And I fear I shall lose her with poverty.

"If you'l not believe me by word of mouth, 145 But read this letter, and you shall see, Here by all these suspitious words That she her own self hath sent to me."

But when he had read the letter fair, Of all the suspitious words in it might be, 150 "O Tommy Pots, take thou no care, Thou'st never lose her with poverty.

"For thou'st have forty pounds a week, In gold and silver thou shalt row, And Harvy town I will give thee, 155 As long as thou intend'st to wooe.

"Thou'st have forty of thy fellows fair, And forty horses to go with thee, Forty of the best spears I have, And I myself in thy company." 160

"I thank you, master," said Tommy Pots, "That proffer is too good for me; But, if Jesus Christ stand on my side, My own hands shall set her free.

"G.o.d be with you, master," said Tommy Pots, 165 "Now Jesus Christ you save and see; If ever I come alive again, Staid the wedding it shall be."

"O G.o.d be your speed, thou Tommy Pots, Thou art well proved for a man; 170 See never a drop of blood thou spil, Nor yonder gentleman confound.

"See that some truce with him thou take, And appoint a place of liberty; Let him provide him as well as he can, 175 As well provided thou shalt be."

But when he came to Guildford-green, And there had walkt a little aside, There he was ware of Lord Phenix come, And Lady Rosamond his bride. 180

Away by the bride then Tommy Pots went, But never a word to her he did say, Till he the Lord Phenix came before; He gave him the right time of the day.

"O welcome, welcome, thou Tommy Pots, 185 Thou serving-man of low degree; How doth thy lord and master at home, And all the ladies in that country?"

"My lord and master is in good health, I trust since that I did him see; 190 Will you walk with me to an out-side, Two or three words to talk with me?

"You are a n.o.ble man," said Tom, "And born a lord in Scotland free; You may have ladies enough at home, 195 And never take my love from me."

"Away, away, thou Tommy Pots; Thou serving-man, stand thou aside; It is not a serving-man this day, That can hinder me of my bride." 200

"If I be a serving-man," said Tom, "And you a lord of high degree, A spear or two with you I'le run, Before I'le lose her cowardly.

"Appoint a place, I will thee meet, 205 Appoint a place of liberty; For there I'le lose my life so sweet, Or else my lady I'le set free."

"On Guildford-green I will thee meet; No man nor boy shall come with me." 210 "As I am a man," said Tommy Pots, "I'le have as few in my company."

And thus staid the marriage was, The bride unmarried went home again; Then to her maids fast did she laugh, 215 And in her heart she was full fain.

"My maidens all," the lady said, "That ever wait on me this day, Now let us all kneel [lowly] down, And for Tommy Pots let us all pray. 220

"If it be his fortune the better to win, As I trust to G.o.d in trinity, Ile make him the flower of all his kin, For the young Lord Arundel he shall be."

THE THIRD PART.