Now hold thy hand, thou bold baron, I pray thee, hold thy hand, Nor ruthless rend two gentle hearts, Fast knit in true love's band. Thy daughter I have dearly loved Full long and many a day; But with such love as holy kirk Hath freely said we may. O give consent she may be mine, And bless a faithful pair: My lands and livings are not small, My house and lineage fair: My mother she was an earl's daughter, And a noble knight my sire-- The baron he frowned, and turned away With mickle[34] dole and ire. Fair Emmeline sighed, fair Emmeline wept, And did all trembling stand: At length she sprang upon her knee, And held his lifted hand. Pardon, my lord and father dear, This fair young knight and me: Trust me, but for the carlish knight, I never had fled from thee. Oft have you called your Emmeline Your darling and your joy; O let not then your harsh resolves Your Emmeline destroy. The baron he stroked his dark-brown cheek, And turned his head aside To wipe away the starting tear He proudly strove to hide. In deep revolving thought he stood, And mused a little space: Then raised fair Emmeline from the ground, With many a fond embrace. [Illustration: THE CHILD OF ELLE.] Here, take her, Childe of Elle, he said, And gave her lily hand; Here, take my dear and only child, And with her half my land: Thy father once mine honour wronged In days of youthful pride; Do thou the injury repair In fondness for thy bride. And as thou love her, and hold her dear, Heaven prosper thee and thine: And now my blessing wend wi' thee, My lovely Emmeline. FOOTNOTES: [26] Knight. [27] Bedeck'd. [28] Eyes. [29] Churlish. [30] Stopped. [31] Lose. [32] Go. [33] Good. [34] Much grief. ADAM BELL, CLYM OF THE CLOUGH,[35] AND WILLIAM OF CLOUDESLY. PART THE FIRST. Merry it was in the green forest Among the leaves green, Wherein men hunt east and west With bows and arrows keen; To raise the deer out of their den; Such sights hath oft been seen; As by three yeomen of the north countrey, By them it is I mean. The one of them hight[36] Adam Bell, The other Clym of the Clough, The third was William of Cloudesly, An archer good enough. They were outlawed for venison, These yeomen everyone; They swore together upon a day, To English wood to be gone. Now lithe and listen, gentlemen, That of mirth loveth to hear: Two of them were single men, The third had a wedded fere.[37] William was the wedded man, Much more then was his care: He said to his brethren upon a day, To Carlisle he would fare,[38]