The Oxford Book of Ballads

Ballads, English -- Great Britain -- Texts

_He._ I can believe it shall you grieve,
          And somewhat you distrain[443];
        But afterward, your painès hard
          Within a day or twain
        Shall soon aslake; and ye shall take
          Comfort to you again.
        Why should ye ought? for, to make thought,
          Your labour were in vain.
        And thus I do; and pray you to,
          As hartèly as I can:
        For I must to the green-wood go,
          Alone, a banished man.

        VIII

 _She._ Now, sith that ye have showed to me
          The secret of your mind,
        I shall be plain to you again,
          Like as ye shall me find.
        Sith it is so that ye will go,
          I will not live behind.
        Shall never be said the Nut-brown Maid
          Was to her love unkind.
        Make you readỳ, for so am I,
          Although it were anone:
        For, in my mind, of all mankind
          I love but you alone.

        IX

  _He._ Yet I you rede to take good heed
          What men will think and say:
        Of young, of old, it shall be told
          That ye be gone away
        Your wanton will for to fulfil,
          In green-wood you to play;
        And that ye might for your delight
          No longer make delay.
        Rather than ye should thus for me
          Be called an ill womàn
        Yet would I to the green-wood go,
          Alone, a banished man.

        X

 _She._ Though it be sung of old and young
          That I should be to blame,
        Theirs be the charge that speak so large
          In hurting of my name:
        For I will prove that faithful love
          It is devoid of shame;
        In your distress and heaviness
          To part with[444] you the same:
        And sure all tho[445] that do not so
          True lovers are they none:
        For, in my mind, of all mankind
          I love but you alone.

        XI

  _He._ I counsel you, Remember how
          It is no maiden’s law
        Nothing to doubt, but to run out
          To wood with an outlàw.
        For ye must there in your hand bear
          A bow readỳ to draw;
        And as a thief thus must you live
          Ever in dread and awe;
        Whereby to you great harm might grow:
          Yet had I liever than
        That I had to the green-wood go,
          Alone, a banished man.

        XII

 _She._ I think not nay but as ye say;
          It is no maiden’s lore;
        But love may make me for your sake,
          As I have said before,
        To come on foot, to hunt and shoot,
          To get us meat and store;
        For so that I your company
          May have, I ask no more.
        From which to part it maketh my heart
          As cold as any stone;
        For, in my mind, of all mankind
          I love but you alone.

        XIII

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The Oxford Book of Ballads

Ballads, English -- Great Britain -- Texts

_He._ I can believe it shall you grieve,
          And somewhat you distrain[443];
        But afterward, your painès hard
          Within a day or twain
        Shall soon aslake; and ye shall take
          Comfort to you again.
        Why should ye ought? for, to make thought,
          Your labour were in vain.
        And thus I do; and pray you to,
          As hartèly as I can:
        For I must to the green-wood go,
          Alone, a banished man.

        VIII

 _She._ Now, sith that ye have showed to me
          The secret of your mind,
        I shall be plain to you again,
          Like as ye shall me find.
        Sith it is so that ye will go,
          I will not live behind.
        Shall never be said the Nut-brown Maid
          Was to her love unkind.
        Make you readỳ, for so am I,
          Although it were anone:
        For, in my mind, of all mankind
          I love but you alone.

        IX

  _He._ Yet I you rede to take good heed
          What men will think and say:
        Of young, of old, it shall be told
          That ye be gone away
        Your wanton will for to fulfil,
          In green-wood you to play;
        And that ye might for your delight
          No longer make delay.
        Rather than ye should thus for me
          Be called an ill womàn
        Yet would I to the green-wood go,
          Alone, a banished man.

        X

 _She._ Though it be sung of old and young
          That I should be to blame,
        Theirs be the charge that speak so large
          In hurting of my name:
        For I will prove that faithful love
          It is devoid of shame;
        In your distress and heaviness
          To part with[444] you the same:
        And sure all tho[445] that do not so
          True lovers are they none:
        For, in my mind, of all mankind
          I love but you alone.

        XI

  _He._ I counsel you, Remember how
          It is no maiden’s law
        Nothing to doubt, but to run out
          To wood with an outlàw.
        For ye must there in your hand bear
          A bow readỳ to draw;
        And as a thief thus must you live
          Ever in dread and awe;
        Whereby to you great harm might grow:
          Yet had I liever than
        That I had to the green-wood go,
          Alone, a banished man.

        XII

 _She._ I think not nay but as ye say;
          It is no maiden’s lore;
        But love may make me for your sake,
          As I have said before,
        To come on foot, to hunt and shoot,
          To get us meat and store;
        For so that I your company
          May have, I ask no more.
        From which to part it maketh my heart
          As cold as any stone;
        For, in my mind, of all mankind
          I love but you alone.

        XIII

Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.

The Oxford Book of Ballads

The Oxford Book of Ballads

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