Ballads of Mystery and Miracle and Fyttes of Mirth Part 34

CAPTAIN WEDDERBURN

+The Text+ is from Kinloch's MSS., where it was written down from the recitation of Mary Barr: it is ent.i.tled 'The Earl of Rosslyn's Daughter.'

+The Story+ is the converse of _A n.o.ble Riddle Wisely Expounded_, in which the maid wins a husband by riddles; in the present one the captain out-riddles the maid. Similar tales are very popular in many lands, being found in Persia, Russia, Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Turkey, Lithuania, East Siberia, etc.

Most of the lady's riddles are found in an old English song, and its traditional derivatives. The song, which is given below, is found in Sloane MS. 2593, which contains other carols and ballads (see pp.

123-8)[A]. From this is derived the nursery song beginning--

'I had four brothers over the sea'

(with many variations:-- 'four sisters,' 'six lovers,' 'a true lover'), and with a curious half-Latin refrain which varies between

_Para-mara, dictum, domine,_

and

_Peri-meri, dixi, domine._

The following is the song referred to above. It was twice printed by T. Wright from the fifteenth-century MS.

[[A] Transcriber's Note: Pp. 123-128: "Adam" (123) and "Saint Stephen and King Herod" (125).]

1.

I have a yong suster fer beyondyn the se; Many be the drowryis that che sente me.

2.

Che sente me the cherye, withoutyn ony ston, And so che dede [the] dowe, withoutyn ony bon.

3.

Sche sente me the brere, withoutyn ony rynde, Sche bad me love my lemman withoute longgyng.

4.

How xuld ony cherye be withoute ston?

And how xuld ony dowe ben withoute bon?

5.

How xuld any brere ben withoute rynde?

How xuld I love my lemman without longyng?

6.

Quan the cherye was a flour, than hadde it non ston; Quan the dowe was an ey, than hadde it non bon.

7.

Quan the brere was...o...b..ed, than hadde it non rynd; Quan the mayden hayt that che lovit, che is without longing.

[Annotations: 1.3: 'drowryis' = druries, keepsakes.

2.3: 'dowe,' dove.

3.1: 'brere,' brier: here perhaps the 'hip' of the dog-rose (see 7.1).

3.3: 'lemman,' sweetheart.

4.1: etc. 'xuld' = should.

6.3: 'ey,' egg.

7.3: 'hayt that che lovit,' has what she loves.]

CAPTAIN WEDDERBURN

1.

The Lord of Rosslyn's daughter gaed through the wud her lane, And there she met Captain Wedderburn, a servant to the king.

He said unto his livery man, 'Were 't na agen the law, I wad tak her to my ain bed, and lay her at the wa'.'

2.

'I'm walking here my lane,' she says, 'amang my father's trees; And ye may lat me walk my lane, kind sir, now gin ye please.

The supper-bell it will be rung, and I'll be miss'd awa'; Sae I'll na lie in your bed, at neither stock nor wa'.'

3.

He said, 'My pretty lady, I pray lend me your hand, And ye'll hae drums and trumpets always at your command; And fifty men to guard ye wi', that weel their swords can draw; Sae we'll baith lie in ae bed, and ye'll lie at the wa'.'

4.

'Haud awa' frae me, kind sir, I pray lat go my hand; The supper-bell it will be rung, nae langer maun I stand.

My father he'll na supper tak, gif I be miss'd awa'; Sae I'll na lie in your bed, at neither stock nor wa'.'

5.

'O my name is Captain Wedderburn, my name I'll ne'er deny, And I command ten thousand men, upo' yon mountains high.

Tho' your father and his men were here, of them I'd stand na awe, But should tak ye to my ain bed, and lay ye neist the wa'.'

6.

Then he lap aff his milk-white steed, and set the lady on, And a' the way he walk'd on foot, he held her by the hand; He held her by the middle jimp, for fear that she should fa'; Saying, 'I'll tak ye to my ain bed, and lay thee at the wa'.'

7.

He took her to his quartering-house, his landlady looked ben, Saying, 'Monie a pretty ladie in Edinbruch I've seen; But sic 'na pretty ladie is not into it a': Gae, mak for her a fine down-bed, and lay her at the wa'.'

8.

'O haud awa' frae me, kind sir, I pray ye lat me be, For I'll na lie in your bed till I get dishes three; Dishes three maun be dress'd for me, gif I should eat them a', Before I lie in your bed, at either stock or wa'.

9.

'Tis I maun hae to my supper a chicken without a bane; And I maun hae to my supper a cherry without a stane; And I maun hae to my supper a bird without a gaw, Before I lie in your bed, at either stock or wa'.'

10.

'Whan the chicken's in the sh.e.l.l, I'm sure it has na bane; And whan the cherry's in the bloom, I wat it has na stane; The dove she is a genty bird, she flees without a gaw; Sae we'll baith lie in ae bed, and ye'll be at the wa'.'

11.

'O haud awa' frae me, kind sir, I pray ye give me owre, For I'll na lie in your bed, till I get presents four; Presents four ye maun gie me, and that is twa and twa, Before I lie in your bed, at either stock or wa'.