Ballads, English -- England -- Texts; Ballads, Scots -- Scotland -- Texts
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
Yes, mother dear, I am here,
I know I have staid very long;
But a little penknife was stuck in my heart,
Till the stream ran down full strong.
And mother dear, when you go home, 45
Tell my playfellows all,
That I lost my life by leaving them
When playing that game of ball.
And ere another day is gone,
My winding-sheet prepare, 50
And bury me in the green churchyard
Where the flowers are bloomin' fair.
Lay my Bible at my head,
My testament at my feet;
The earth and worms shall be my bed, 55
Till Christ and I shall meet.
SIR PATRICK SPENS. See p. 147.
From Buchan's _Ballads of the North of Scotland_, i. 1.
The King sits in Dunfermline town,
A-drinking at the wine;
Says, "Where will I get a good skipper
Will sail the saut seas fine?"
Out it speaks an eldren knight 5
Amang the companie,--
"Young Patrick Spens is the best skipper
That ever sail'd the sea."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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