ancient poems-第14章

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The　King　did　with　hearty　good　laughter；　reply；　'By　my　soul！　my　good　fellow；　it's　thou　or　it's　I！　The　rest　are　bareheaded；　uncovered　all　round。'　…　With　his　bag　and　his　budget　he　fell　to　the　ground；

Like　one　that　was　frightened　quite　out　of　his　wits；　Then　on　his　knees　he　instantly　gets；　Beseeching　for　mercy；　the　King　to　him　said；　'Thou　art　a　good　fellow；　so　be　not　afraid。

'Come；　tell　thy　name？'　　'I　am　John　of　the　Dale；　A　mender　of　kettles；　a　lover　of　ale。'　'Rise　up；　Sir　John；　I　will　honour　thee　here；　…　I　make　thee　a　knight　of　three　thousand　a　year！'

This　was　a　good　thing　for　the　tinkler　indeed；　Then　unto　the　court　he　was　sent　for　with　speed；　Where　great　store　of　pleasure　and　pastime　was　seen；　In　the　royal　presence　of　King　and　of　Queen。

Sir　John　of　the　Dale　he　has　land；　he　has　fee；　At　the　court　of　the　king　who　so　happy　as　he？　Yet　still　in　his　hall　hangs　the　tinkler's　old　sack；　And　the　budget　of　tools　which　he　bore　at　his　back。



Ballad：　THE　KEACH　I'　THE　CREEL。



＇THIS　old　and　very　humorous　ballad　has　long　been　a　favourite　on　　both　sides　of　the　Border；　but　had　never　appeared　in　print　till　　about　1845；　when　a　Northumbrian　gentleman　printed　a　few　copies　for　　private　circulation；　from　one　of　which　the　following　is　taken。　　In　　the　present　impression　some　trifling　typographical　mistakes　are　　corrected；　and　the　phraseology　has　been　rendered　uniform　　throughout。　　KEACH　I'　THE　CREEL　means　the　catch　in　the　basket。＇


A　FAIR　young　May　went　up　the　street；　Some　white　fish　for　to　buy；　And　a　bonny　clerk's　fa'n　i'　luve　wi'　her；　And　he's　followed　her　by　and　by；　by；　And　he's　followed　her　by　and　by。

'O！　where　live　ye　my　bonny　lass；　I　pray　thee　tell　to　me；　For　gin　the　nicht　were　ever　sae　mirk；　I　wad　come　and　visit　thee；　thee；　I　wad　come　and　visit　thee。'

'O！　my　father　he　aye　locks　the　door；　My　mither　keeps　the　key；　And　gin　ye　were　ever　sic　a　wily　wicht；　Ye　canna　win　in　to　me；　me；　Ye　canna　win　in　to　me。'

But　the　clerk　he　had　ae　true　brother；　And　a　wily　wicht　was　he；　And　he　has　made　a　lang　ladder；　Was　thirty　steps　and　three；　three；　Was　thirty　steps　and　three。

He　has　made　a　cleek　but　and　a　creel　…　A　creel　but　and　a　pin；　And　he's　away　to　the　chimley…top；　And　he's　letten　the　bonny　clerk　in；　in；　And　he's　letten　the　bonny　clerk　in。

The　auld　wife；　being　not　asleep；　Tho'　late；　late　was　the　hour；　I'll　lay　my　life；'　quo'　the　silly　auld　wife；　'There's　a　man　i'　our　dochter's　bower；　bower；　There's　a　man　i'　our　dochter's　bower。'

The　auld　man　he　gat　owre　the　bed；　To　see　if　the　thing　was　true；　But　she's　ta'en　the　bonny　clerk　in　her　arms；　And　covered　him　owre　wi'　blue；　blue；　And　covered　him　owre　wi'　blue。

'O！　where　are　ye　gaun　now；　father？'　she　says；　'And　where　are　ye　gaun　sae　late？　Ye've　disturbed　me　in　my　evening　prayers；　And　O！　but　they　were　sweit；　sweit；　And　O！　but　they　were　sweit。'

'O！　ill　betide　ye；　silly　auld　wife；　And　an　ill　death　may　ye　dee；　She　has　the　muckle　buik　in　her　arms；　And　she's　prayin'　for　you　and　me；　me；　And　she's　prayin'　for　you　and　me。'

The　auld　wife　being　not　asleep；　Then　something　mair　was　said；　'I'll　lay　my　life；'　quo'　the　silly　auld　wife；　'There's　a　man　by　our　dochter's　bed；　bed；　There's　a　man　by　our　dochter's　bed。'

The　auld　wife　she　gat　owre　the　bed；　To　see　if　the　thing　was　true；　But　what　the　wrack　took　the　auld　wife's　fit？　For　into　the　creel　she　flew；　flew；　For　into　the　creel　she　flew。

The　man　that　was　at　the　chimley…top；　Finding　the　creel　was　fu'；　He　wrappit　the　rape　round　his　left　shouther；　And　fast　to　him　he　drew；　drew：　And　fast　to　him　he　drew。

'O；　help！　O；　help！　O；　hinny；　noo；　help！　O；　help！　O；　hinny；　do！　For　HIM　that　ye　aye　wished　me　at；　He's　carryin'　me　off　just　noo；　noo；　He's　carryin'　me　off　just　noo。'

'O！　if　the　foul　thief's　gotten　ye；　I　wish　he　may　keep　his　haud；　For　a'　the　lee　lang　winter　nicht；　Ye'll　never　lie　in　your　bed；　bed；　Ye'll　never　lie　in　your　bed。'

He's　towed　her　up；　he's　towed　her　down；　He's　towed　her　through　an'　through；　'O；　Gude！　assist；'　quo'　the　silly　auld　wife；　'For　I'm　just　departin'　noo；　noo；　For　I'm　just　departin'　noo。'

He's　towed　her　up；　he's　towed　her　down；　He's　gien　her　a　richt　down　fa'；　Till　every　rib　i'　the　auld　wife's　side；　Played　nick　nack　on　the　wa'；　wa'；　Played　nick　nack　on　the　wa'。

O！　the　blue；　the　bonny；　bonny　blue；　And　I　wish　the　blue　may　do　weel；　And　every　auld　wife　that's　sae　jealous　o'　her　dochter；　May　she　get　a　good　keach　i'　the　creel；　creel；　May　she　get　a　good　keach　i'　the　creel！



Ballad：　THE　MERRY　BROOMFIELD；　OR；　THE　WEST　COUNTRY　WAGER。



＇THIS　old　West…country　ballad　was　one　of　the　broadsides　printed　at　　the　Aldermary　press。　　We　have　not　met　with　any　older　impression；　　though　we　have　been　assured　that　there　are　black…letter　copies。　　In　　Scott's　MINSTRELSY　OF　THE　SCOTTISH　BORDER　is　a　ballad　called　the　　BROOMFIELD　HILL；　it　is　a　mere　fragment；　but　is　evidently　taken　from　　the　present　ballad；　and　can　be　considered　only　as　one　of　the　many　　modern　antiques　to　be　found　in　that　work。＇


A　NOBLE　young　squire　that　lived　in　the　West；　He　courted　a　young　lady　gay；　And　as　he　was　merry　he　put　forth　a　jest；　A　wager　with　her　he　would　lay。

'A　wager　with　me；'　the　young　lady　replied；　'I　pray　about　what　must　it　be？　If　I　like　the　humour　you　shan't　be　denied；　I　love　to　be　merry　and　free。'

Quoth　he；　'I　will　lay　you　a　hundred　pounds；　A　hundred　pounds；　aye；　and　ten；　That　a　maid　if　you　go　to　the　merry　Broomfield；　That　a　maid　you　return　not　again。'

'I'll　lay　you　that　wager；'　the　lady　she　said；　Then　the　money　she　flung　down　amain；　'To　the　merry　Broomfield　I'll　go　a　pure　maid；　The　same　I'll　return　home　again。'

He　covered　her　bet　in　the　midst　of　the　hall；　With　a　hundred　and　ten　jolly　pounds；　And　then　to　his　servant　he　straightway　did　call；　For　to　bring　forth　his　hawk　and　his　hounds。

A　ready　obedience　the　servant　did　yield；　And　all　was　made　ready　o'er　night；　Next　morning　he　went　to　the　merry　Broomfield；　To　meet　with　his　love　and　delight。

Now　when　he　came　there；　having　waited　a　while；　Among　the　green　broom　down　he　lies；　The　lady　came　to　him；　and　could　not　but　smile；　For　sleep　then　had　closed　his　eyes。

Upon　his　right　hand　a　gold　ring　she　secured；　Drawn　from　her　own　fingers　so　fair；　That　when　he　awaked　he　might　be　assured　His　lady　and　love　had　been　there。

She　left　him　a　posie　of　pleasant　perfume；　Then　stepped　from　the　place　where　he　lay；　Then　hid　herself　close　in　the　besom　of　broom；　To　hear　what　her　true　love　did　say。

He　wakened　and　found　the　gold　ring　on　his　hand；　Then　sorrow　of　heart　he　was　in；　'My　love　has　been　here；　I　do　well　understand；　And　this　wager　I　now　shall　not　win。

'Oh！　where　was　you；　my　goodly　goshawk；　The　which　I　have　purchased　so　dear；　Why　did　you　not　waken　me　out　of　my　sleep；　When　the　lady；　my　love；　was　here？'

'O！　with　my　bells　did　I　ring；　master；　And　eke　with　my　feet　did　I　run；　And　still　did　I　cry；　pray　awake！　master；　She's　here　now；　and　soon　will　be　gone。'

'O！　where　was　you；　my　gallant　greyhound；　Whose　collar　is　flourished　with　gold；　Why　hadst　thou　not　wakened　me　out　of　my　sleep；　When　thou　didst　my　lady　behold？'

'Dear　master；　I　barked　with　my　mouth　when　she　came；　And　likewise　my　collar　I　shook；　And　told　you　that　here　was　the　beautiful　dame；　But　no　notice　of　me　then　you　took。'

'O！　where　wast　thou；　my　servingman；　Whom　I　have　clothed　so　fine？　If　you　had　waked　me　when　she　was　here；　The　wager　then　had　been　mine。'

In　the　night　you　should　have　slept；　master；　And　kept　awake　in　the　day；　Had　you　not　been　sleeping　when　hither　she　came；　Then　a　maid　she　had　not　gone　away。'

Then　home　he　returned　when　the　wager　was　lost；　With　sorrow　of　heart；　I　may　say；　The　lady　she　laughed　to　find　her　love　crost；　…　This　was　upon　midsummer…day。

'O；　squire！　I　laid　in　the　bushes　concealed；　And　heard　you；　when　you　did　complain；　And　thus　I　have　been　to　the　merry　Broomfield；　And　a　maid　returned　back　again。

'Be　cheerful！　be　cheerful！　and　do　not　repine；　For　now　'tis　as　clear　as　the　sun；　The　money；　the　money；　the　money　is　mine；　The　wager　I　fairly　have　won。'



Ballad：　SIR　JOHN　BARLEYCORN。



＇THE　West…country　ballad　of　SIR　JOHN　BARLEYCORN　is　very　ancient；　　and　being　the　only　version　that　has　ever　been　sung　at　English　　merry…makings　and　country　feasts；　can　certainly　set　up　a　better　　claim　to　antiquity　than　any