Anew ’gan Sir Peter so sweetly to play, That the birds came down from their seat on the spray. _Belov’d of my heart_, _wherefore sorrowest thou so_? The Merman arose from the depth of the sea, Five pretty maids by the hand led he. _Belov’d of my heart_, _wherefore sorrowest thou so_? “Sir Peter, Sir Peter, thy playing give o’er, For in truth have I now no maidens more.” _Belov’d of my heart_, _wherefore sorrowest thou so_? From her anguish now is the Lady free, In the arm of Sir Peter each night sleeps she. _Belov’d of my heart_, _wherefore sorrowest thou so_? THE UNFORTUNATE MARRIAGE Hildebrand gave his sister away, Causing her many a mournful day. She was given away and evilly wed, Joy from her bosom quickly fled. On Sunday she was a graceful bride, On Monday a prisoner sad she sigh’d. “O what, my Lord, have I done to thee?” “Woman, I had no gold with thee. “This have I, Dame, to say to thee, Thou brought’st no silver home to me.” “Thou knowest I brought thee as my dower Eight full coffers to thy bower. “Two filled with silver, white to see, And two with gold so ruddy of blee. “Two filled with sable and mard skins rare, And two with pelts of deer and of bear. “Upon thy father I bestow’d Gilded saddle and courser proud. “Upon thy mother did I bestow Scarlet to place her feet below. “To thy brother a ship from off the wave, To your sister gold from my breast I gave. “All thy courtiers I have dight With little shirts as ivory white. “No serving lass in the house is there But I gave her silk to snood her hair. “With what, my Lord, canst me upbraid, And why in durance am I laid?” “Woman, to thee I’ve this to say, Thy brothers my father slew in fray.” “If my brothers a deed so dire did dare, I in that deed did in no ways share. “And thou for thy father’s death wast paid Seven tons of silver, and golden braid. “What more, my Lord, canst thou require, To remove from me thy anger dire?” “Woman, with this I thee upbraid, Thou cam’st not into my bed a maid.” “So lend me, God, in my trouble aid, As I came into thy bed a maid! “And may God never give me grace, If I came not a maid to thy embrace.” “To-day thou shall sit within and mourn, To-morrow at dawn on faggots burn.” There she sits and her hands she wrings, Till she heard the clang of the Raven’s wings. “O Raven, Raven, stay thy wing, Can’st thou the tune of the watchman sing?” “O well can I, and well I ought, So little was I when the tune I caught.” “Wilt fly for me, Raven, to Tonne town, For there my friends and kindred wone? “I’ll give thee, Raven, a red gold band, To carry my message to Hildebrand. “A red gold band I’ll give to thee, To tell him the tale of my misery.” “Thy gold will do me little good, Dearer to me my raven food.” “O Raven, if thou wilt fly for me, My husband’s eyes shall be thy fee.” Abroad his black wings the Raven threw, And over three kingly realms he flew.