HE PEOPL .. JLAJL^ A .JU^V^ JL -Jw/J presented to the LIBRARY UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA SAN DIEGO by FRIENDS OF THE LIBRARY MRS. NOEL C. BARTLETT donor 5 ?5 POETRY OF THE PEOPLE COMPRISING POEMS ILLUSTRATIVE OF THE HISTORY AND NATIONAL SPIRIT OF ENGLAND, SCOTLAND, IRELAND, AND AMERICA, AND POEMS OF THE WORLD WAR SELECTED AND ARRANGED, WITH NOTES, BY CHARLES MILLS GAYLEY AND MARTIN C. FLAHERTY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA ENLARGED EDITION GINN AND COMPANY BOSTON NEW YORK CHICAGO LONDON ATLANTA DALLAS COLUMBUS SAN FRANCISCO COPYRIGHT, 1903, 1920, BY CHARLES MILLS GAYLEY AND MARTIN C. FLAHERTY ALL RIGHTS RESERVED 220.5 GINN AND COMPANY PRO- PRIETORS BOSTON U.S.A. A BALLAD OF HEROES Because you passed, and now are not, Because, in some remoter day, Your sacred dust from doubtful spot Was blown of ancient airs away, Because you perished, must men say Your deeds were naught, and so profane Your lives with that cold burden ? Na The deeds you wrought are not in vain I Though it may Be, above the plot That hid your once imperial clay, No greener than o'er -men forgot The unregarding grasses sway ; Though there no sweeter is the lay Of careless bird, though you remain Without distinction of decay, The deeds you "wrought are not in vain I No. For while yet in tower or cot Your story stirs the pulses' play ; A nd men for get the sordid lot The sordid care, of cities gray ; While yet, be-set in homelier fray , They learn from you the lesson plain That L ife may go, so Honor stay, The deeds you wrought are not in vain ! ENVOY Heroes of old! I humbly lay The laurel on your graves again ; Whatever men have done, -men may, The deeds you wrought are not in vain. THIS little volume has a very modest but distinct and, we think, unique purpose, to supply the reading public and the schools with a compact body not necessarily of the most highly polished or artistic poems in the English tongue, but of those which are at once most simple, most hearty, most truly characteristic of the people, their tradition and patriotic spirit. By Poetry of the People we do not mean only ballads of countryside or battlefield or of street or village, hearth or market, not only the production of the folk improviser or his succeeding bard long ago buried behind the hills of anonymity, but poetry that the people possess and occupy (or should occupy) because it is of their blood and bone and sinew ; poetry sometimes by the people and sometimes not, but always for them ; poems that were household words with our fathers and mothers, and lay close to the heart because of the heart ; poems that now- adays beat in the bosom of the Folk and find utterance in the hour of stress; poems which more often than not are all the truer art because they are not artful. 1 It may have appeared to others, as it has to us, that liter- ature in verse is not learned nor enjoyed nor even read by young or old as much as it used to be. One explanation of this neglect is very probably that in the place of unso- phisticated poetry, such as generations of our forefathers vi Preface loved, there have been too frequently introduced into the schools, and at too early a period, the masterpieces of our consciously artistic, highly intellectual, and .even sub- jective verse. Of this illogical procedure the inevitable corollary is that not a few well-meaning but theory-ridden teachers, in their efforts to fix a youthful mind upon things literary designed for grown-ups, highly cultivated at that, are driven to rhetorical, gerund-grinding, ana- lytical, or (horresco referens) quasi-philosophical, pseudo- scientific devices in handling that which should be the simplest of ideal devotions and delights. Now everybody who has not been spoiled by vagaries knows that the natural and healthy taste of the growing boy, when it is for literature at all, is for the literature that while it informs manages to entertain, for , the poetry that inter- prets because it delights; that is to say, for the sponta- neous and healthy poetry of the Folk when it was a boy, or of that element in the Folk that preserves the vigor and push of youth in the hour of national trial. If this little book can contribute somewhat toward explod- ing the fallacy that poetry is something other than poetry, material, forsooth, for translation, parsing, trope-hunting, rhetorical exercises, platitudinous preaching, or anything else extraneous to art, it will have accomplished at least half the purpose of the editors. Of course good poetry has a lesson for him who can feel it. Like all good things it cannot help blessing those who take it on faith. Its favors are not for those who would conquer but for those who sur- render. The best way to study it is not to study but to enjoy. And this should be especially true of the poetry which we place in the hands of our ingenuous youth ; if it cannot captivate it is an offense, a folly, worse than that, a bore. Such poetry must be chiefly of an objective cast, of genuine Preface vii sentiment, and of simple style. It must neither bewilder nor deliberately instruct. It must have the quality of charming, of winning the reader to repeat and to murmur, and to learn because it is easier to do so than to forget. Here are ballads of the olden time, direct and naive, easy to understand, save where some antiquated word or phrase may intervene, and then glossary and notes stand ready to help out, ballads made to say and to sing ; stories of heroic adventure, romantic and supernatural ; whilom fyttes and modern instances of patriotism and devotion ; songs of homely sentiment, popular spirit, and nationality ; themes mostly external and concrete, the poetry of history, such as appealed naively to the listen- ing and consentaneous crowd. And if occasionally there is here to be found the poetry also of suggestion for the individual who reads and reflects, it is always of emotions simple and unsophisticated, universal, abiding, and sincere. Here, too, are manly ideals, ancient but ever-living. If this little bark succeeds in making the haven of the heart, it may also, perchance, succeed in unlading the hope with which it is fraught. Who can estimate the gain to the American spirit, and by that we mean the spirit of rational freedom expressed in terms of nationality, the gain that would ensue, if our youth would but occupy and prize the literary heritage that is theirs ? The poetry of the people of England, Ireland, Scotland, and America has for us a certain scriptural worth as well as historic. Is it not the immemorial record of sentiment, sacrifice, and ideal the most enduring and the noblest of our fore- fathers ; is it not the conserver of that experience whence proceed our present prestige and security? Now, naturally effective in the development and discipline of the national pride as is an intimate acquaintance with national history, viii Preface more effective still is the possession of that which, as Aris- totle has said, is truer than history, the speaking soul of its events, its poetry. Young men and women for whom that voice continues to haunt the corridors of the present cannot but honor our national forebears, cannot but emulate their love of liberty, their endurance and orderly restraint, their manliness, their devotion to duty and to country, and so cannot but cultivate in perpetuity those ideals that go to make a noble people. Since, however, there is a difference a gulf fixed between the sense of nationality of which we speak, digni- fied, legitimate, and effective, and the provincialism that often parades in its place, we have tried in these excerpts from the Poetry of the People to emphasize the deeper and wider justification of our national pride the justification that lies in the blood and speech of generations overseas who knew what patriotism meant long before their children, our immediate ancestors, founded here the liberties which we enjoy. A parochial spirit which ignores the transatlantic conditions from which we proceed sacrifices more in mean- ing than it makes in show. If we would appreciate our national purport we must insist upon our proprietorship in the thousand-year roots of the racial oak ; we must continue to possess the stately green and spread of the lower foliage, the common antecedent of the Anglo-Celto-American rami- fications that stir the upper air to-day. We must rejoice as by community of birthright, in the outgrowth, overseas as well as here at home, of that poetry that expresses the spirit and sap of our common stock. While, therefore, this book contains a liberal supply of poems illustrative of our Ameri- can history and national spirit, so arranged as to be readily perused in connection with the narrative of the growth of the nation, it prefaces the poems of America, not simply for Preface ix chronological reason, with those of the motherlands poetry of event and sentiment, ours by inheritance as much as theirs. It will of course be remarked that a few of the songs included in the collection, like Yankee Doodle, for instance, and The British Grenadiers, are devoid of literary merit. These few were inserted because of their historical impor- tance. The inclusion of others, like Annie Laurie, The Lass .of Richmond Hill, The Coolun, Bells of Shandon, and Ben Bolt, though not in any sense expressive of public, but of personal, emotion, calls for no justification. It is a matter of regret that golden songs, stately in their simplicity, which are as much a part of our literary heritage and as indicative of the spirit of the people as the more studied contributions of our great poets, should be elbowed out of school and home in favor of ready-made jingles, mediocre, mawkish, vapid, trumped up for the trick of the music hall or the trade of secondary education. There is, surely, a mean between verses that are cabbage and verses that are caviare. We think that it may be found in that Poetry of the People which grows never old because it is sturdy, sweet, and true sufficient to the needs of to-morrow as of yesterday. CHARLES MILLS GAYLEY UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA October 7, 1903 PREFACE TO THE ENLARGED EDITION IN this edition we have added twenty-seven poems and national anthems of the World War and a brief account, illustrated by representative stanzas, of British and American popular songs of recognized currency at home and at the front. Of these songs even those that make no pretense to literary merit deserve mention in a book of this kind because they have sung themselves into history. The poems that we have selected will fulfill their mission if they quicken the hearts of our boys and girls with patriotism and devotion to the service of humanity the spirit in which the struggle now ended was undertaken and carried through. No more fitting or enduring memorial to those who died for God and country could be conceived. February 16, 1920 COPYRIGHT NOTICE IT remains to acknowledge the courtesy of publishers and authors. The selections from the writings of Henry W. Long- fellow, Ralph Waldo Emerson, Oliver Wendell Holmes, Julia Ward Howe, Bret Harte, E. C. Stedman, John Greenleaf Whittier, James Russell Lowell, and Bayard Taylor are used by permission of, and by special arrangement with, Houghton Mifflin Com- pany, the authorized publishers of their works. We are similarly indebted to Harper & Brothers for the selections from the poetry of G. W. Carryl (in Harpers Weekly}, J. B. Gilder, and Miss Kate Putnam Osgood ; to the J. B. Lippincott Company for the selections from T. Buchanan Read ; to the B. F. Johnson Publishing Company for Timrod's Ode ; to Mr. P. J. Kennedy, New York, for Father Ryan's The Conquered Banner; to the Youth's Companion for Bennett's The Flag Goes By ; to The Century Co. for the selections from Riley and Meredith ; to Mrs. George Boker for George H. Boker's Dirge ; to D. Appleton and Company for the selections from Bryant and Stanton ; to the Whitaker and Ray Company, publishers of the Complete Works of Joaquin Miller, for the two poems by that author ; to Mr. C. Eliot Beers for his mother's All Quiet along the Potomac-, to Charles Scribner's Sons for the selection from G. P. Lathrop ; to the New England Publishing Company for Butterworth's Thanksgiving; to the Lothrop Publishing Company for Hayne's Vicksburg; to Dodd, Mead & Company for the prologue from Austin Dobson ; to the Philadelphia Record for The Warship of 1812 ; to Small, Maynard & Company for the selection from Whitman ; to Doubleday, Page & Company for Kipling's Reces- sional; to the George H. Doran Company for Berton Braley's Heroes, from "In Camp and Trench," copyright, 1918, and for John Oxenham's two poems from " The Vision Splendid," xii Copyright Notice copyright, 1917 ; to The Macmillan Company for McLandburgh Wikon's two poems from " The Little Flag on Main Street " 5 to E. P. Button & Company for Patrick MacGill's It 's a Far, Far Cry, from " Soldier Songs " ; to G. P. Putnam's Sons for John McCrae's In Flanders Fields, from book of same title ; to The Copp Clark Company for Bourinot's Immortality; to Scribner's Magazine for Crawford's Vive La France ; to the Westminster Gazette for the poems by Dorothy Margaret Stuart, Lina Jephson, and Rose Macaulay ; to the Scotsman for the poem by R. A. S. ; to JBlackwood's Magazine for Klaxon's America Comes In ; to the New York Sun and New York Herald for Rooney's two poems ; to the Red Cross Magazine for Thomas L. Masson's The Red Cross Nurses; to the Athenaum for Niven's A Carol from Flanders. We are also under especial obligation for individual permission to use their poems and, in several cases for kind assistance, to Messrs. Joseph I. C. Clarke, Henry Holcomb Bennett, James Whitcomb Riley, William T. Meredith, Joseph B. Gilder, Guy Wetmore Carryl, Hezekiah Butterworth, John Albee, James Jeffrey Roche, Albert Bigelow Paine, Rudyard Kipling, Dorothy Margaret Stuart, Lina Jephson, Rose Macaulay, Charlotte Holmes Crawford, Henry van Dyke, Frederick Niven, John Jerome Rooney, and Lieutenant Arthur Bourinot. If in any case publisher or author should fail to find here due acknowledgment of his proprietorship we shall welcome information of the fact and attempt to remedy the deficiency. CONTENTS BOOK FIRST OLDER BALLADS HEROIC PAGE Sir Patrick Spens i The Battle of Otterbourne 3 The Hunting of the Cheviot 8 Edom o' Gordon .18 OF ROBIN HOOD Robin Hood and Little John 24 Robin Hood Rescuing the Widow's Three Sons 29 Robin Hood and Allin a Dale 34 Robin Hood and the King 38 Robin Hood's Death and Burial 47 ROMANTIC AND DOMESTIC The Douglas Tragedy 50 Lord Randal 53 Bonnie George Campbell 54 Bessie Bell and Mary Gray 55 The Twa Corbies 56 Helen of Kirconnell 57 OF THE SUPERNATURAL The Wife of Usher's Well 58 The Demon Lover . , , ,60 xiii xiv Contents BOOK SECOND POEMS OF ENGLAND HISTORICAL AND PATRIOTIC PAGE God Save the King. Attributed to Henry Carey 65 England. Shakespeare 66 Henry the Fifth's Address to his Soldiers before Harfleur. Shakes- peare 67 King Henry the Fifth before Agincourt. Shakespeare 68 The Ballad- of Agincourt. Drayton * . 70 The " Revenge," a Ballad of the Fleet. Tennyson 74 Give a Rouse. Browning go The Sally from Coventry. Thornlury 81 The Battle of Naseby. Macaulay 82 The Three Troopers. Thornbury 85 The British Grenadiers. Anon 87 Rule, Britannia. Thomson 88 Ode, Written in the Year 1 746. Collins 90 Battle of the Baltic. Campbell 90 Ye Mariners of England. Campbell 93 Character of the Happy Warrior. Words-worth 94 The Burial of Sir John Moore. Wolfe 97 The Field of Waterloo. Byron 98 The Lost Leader. Browning 101 Memorial Verses on the Death of Wordsworth. Matthnv Arnold . 102 Ode on the Death of the Duke of Wellington. Tennyson . . . .105 The Loss of the " Birkenhead." Doyle 114 The Charge of the Light Brigade. Tennyson 116 Santa Filomena. Longfellow 118 The Song of the Camp. Bayard Taylor 119 The Relief of Lucknow. JR. T. S. Lowell 121 The March of the Workers. William Morris 124 Recessional. Kipling 126 MISCELLANEOUS SONGS AND BALLADS Barbara Allen. Anon 128 The Bailiff's Daughter of Islington. Anon 129 My True-Love hath my Heart Sir Philip Sidney 131 Contents xv PAGE Who is Silvia ? Shakespeare 132 Take, O, Take those Lips Away. Shakespeare 132 Blow, Blow, Thou Winter Wind. Shakespeare 133 To Celia. Jonson 133 You Gentlemen of England. Altered from Martin Parker . . . 134 Sally in our Alley. Carey 136 The Vicar of Bray. Anon 138 The Lass of Richmond Hill. McNally 140 A Wet Sheet and a Flowing Sea. Cunningham 141 Poor Tom Bowling. Dibdin 142 BOOK THIRD POEMS OF SCOTLAND HISTORICAL AND PATRIOTIC This is my Own, my Native Land. Scott 143 Bannockburn. Burns 144 Gathering Song of Donald the Black. Scott 145 The Flowers of the Forest ; or, The Battle of Floden. Jane Elliot and Alison Rutherford 146 Blue Bonnets over the Border. Scott 149 The Execution of Montrose. Aytoun . 150 The Bonnets o' Bonnie Dundee. Scott. . . . 157 The Old Scottish Cavalier. Aytoun 159 The Lament of Flora Macdonald. Hogg 162 Wae 's Me for Prince Charlie. William Glen 163 The Campbells are Comin'. Anon 164 The Blue Ball of Scotland. Anon 165 MISCELLANEOUS SONGS AND BALLADS Annie Laurie. William Douglas and Lady John Scott .... 166 Lochaber No More. Ramsay 167 There 's Nae Luck about the House. Mickle and Beattie . . . . 168 A Red, Red Rose. Burns 171 For a' that, and a' that. Burns 171 John Anderson, my Jo. Burns 173 Afton Water. Burns 174 Ye Banks and Braes o' Bonnie Doon. Burns 175 xvi Contents PAGB My Heart 's in the Highlands. Burns 176 Jock of Hazeldean. Scott 176 Lochinvar. Scott 178 When the Kye Comes Hame. Hogg 180 Jessie, the Flower of Dumblane. Tannahill 182 The Bonnie Banks o' Loch Lomond. Anon 183 The Land o' the Leal. Lady Nairne 184 Auld Lang Syne. Burns 185 BOOK FOURTH POEMS OF IRELAND HISTORICAL AND PATRIOTIC The Green Little Shamrock of Ireland. Cherry ........ 187 The Irish Wife. McGee 188 Dark Rosaleen. Mangan 190 The Battle of the Boyne. Attributed to Blacker 193 After Aughrim. Geoghegan 195 The Shan Van Vocht. Anon 196 The Wearing of the Green. Street Ballad. Attributed to Boucicault 198 The Memory of the Dead. Ingram 200 The Geraldines. Davis 202 Soggarth Aroon. Banim 205 The Girl I Left behind Me. Anon 207 MISCELLANEOUS SONGS AND BALLADS The Harp that once through Tara's Halls. Moore 209 The Meeting of the Waters. Moore . 209 Believe me, if all those endearing young charms. Moore . . . , 210 The Last Rose of Summer. Moore 211 Oft, in the Stilly Night. Moore 212 The Coolun. Ferguson 213 The Bells of Shandon. Mahony 214 Kathleen Mavoumeen. Mrs. Crawford 215 The Lament of the Irish Emigrant. Lady Dufferin 216 Dear Land. Sliabh Cuilinn 218 O Bay of Dublin. Lady Dufferin 220 Contents xvii PAGE Killarney. O'Rourke 221 Song from the Backwoods. Sullivan 223 To God and Ireland True. Ellen O'Leary 225 BOOK FIFTH POEMS OF AMERICA HISTORICAL AND PATRIOTIC America. Smith ". . 227 Columbus. Miller 228 The Landing of the Pilgrims. Hemans 230 The Pilgrim Fathers. Pierpont 231 The Thanksgiving in Boston Harbor. Butterworth 233 The Concord Hymn. Emerson 236 Warren's Address. Pierpont 237 The Maryland Battalion. Palmer 238 " Columbia, Columbia, to Glory Arise." Dwight 240 Song of Marion's Men. Bryant 241 Eutaw Springs. Freneau 244 Carmen Bellicosum. McMaster 245 The Sword of Bunker Hill. Wallace 247 Washington's Statue. Tuckerman 248 Hail, Columbia. Hopkinson 249 The " Constitution's " Last Fight. Roche 251 " Old Ironsides." Holmes 254 The Warship of 1812. Philadelphia Record 255 The Star-Spangled Banner. Key 256 Columbia, the Gem of the Ocean. Shaw 258 The American Flag. Drake 259 God Bless our Native Land. Brooks and Dwight 261 The Defence of the Alamo. Miller 262 The Bivouac of the Dead. O'Hara 263 John Brown's Body. Anon ; 267 Battle-Hymn of the Republic. Howe 268 The Battle-Cry of Freedom. Root 269 The Reveille. Harte 270 The " Cumberland." Longfellow 271 Kearney at Seven Pines. Stedman 273 xviii Contents PAGE Barbara Frietchie. Whittier 274 Vicksburg. Hayne 277 Keenan's Charge. Lathrof 279 Gettysburg. Stedman 282 Three Hundred Thousand More. Gibbons 288 Tramp, Tramp, Tramp. Root 290 Farragut. Meredith 291 Marching through Georgia. Work 293 Sheridan's Ride. Read 294 The Old Man and Jim. Riley 296 Roll-Call. Shepherd 299 Dixie, Pike; Dixie's Land, Emmett 300,354 My Maryland. Randall 302 The Bonnie Blue Flag. McCarthy or Ketchum 305 A Georgia Volunteer. Totvnsend 306 Stonewall Jackson's Way. Palmer 308 The Conquered Banner. Ryan 310 Ode to the Confederate Dead. Timrod 312 Dirge for a Soldier. Boker 313 A Soldier's Grave. Albee 314 Driving Home the Cows. Osgood 315 The Brave at Home. Read 317 The Blue and the Gray. Pinch 318 Abraham Lincoln. Bryant 320 O Captain ! My Captain 1 Whitman 320 Lincoln. Lowell 322 The Republic. Longfellow (From "The Building of the Ship") . .324 Centennial Hymn. Whittier 325 America. Bayard Taylor 327 For Cuba. Bell 328 Answering to Roll-Call. Stanton 329 The Men behind the Guns. Rooney 330 The War-Ship " Dixie." Stanton 331 The Fighting Race. Clarke 332 The New Memorial Day. Paine 335 The Flag Goes By. Bennett 336 When the Great Gray Ships Come In. Carryl 337 The Parting of the Ways. /. B. Gilder 339 Contents xix MISCELLANEOUS SONGS AND BALLADS PAGE Yankee Doodle. Anon 340 Nathan Hale. Anon 342 All Quiet along the Potomac. Ethelinda Beers 344 Tenting on the Old Camp Ground. Kittredge 346 Home, Sweet Home. Payne 347 A Life on the Ocean Wave. Sargent 348 Ben Bolt English 349 My Old Kentucky Home, Good-Night. Foster 351 Massa 's in de Cold Ground. Foster 352 Old Folks at Home. Foster 353 Dixie's Land. Emmett 354 BOOK SIXTH POEMS OF THE WORLD WAR HISTORICAL AND PATRIOTIC The Brabanconne 357 La Marseillaise . Rouget de Lisle 358 The Marseillaise (Translation) 359 Vive la France. Charlotte Holmes Crawford 360 The Name of France, van Dyke 362 The Maple Leaf Forever. Muir 363 The Outer Guard. Oxenliam 364 The School at War.' " C. A. A." 365 It's a Far, Far Cry. MacGill 366 Evensong in Westminster Abbey. Dorothy Margaret Stuart . . 367 A Carol from Flanders. Nhien 368 The Soldier. Brooke 369 In England Now. Lina Jephson 370 The Garden of the Dead. Rose Macaiday 370 Lyin' Deid. R.A.S. 372 In Flanders Fields. McCrae 373 Garibaldi's War Hymn. Mercantini (tr. Dole) 374 America Comes In. "Klaxon" 375 The Little Star in the Window. Rooney 376 The Little Flag on Main Street. Wilson 377 A Round Trip. Wilson 378 xx Contents PAGE Both Worshipped the Same Great Name. Anon 378 Heroes. Braley 379 I Have a Rendezvous with Death. Seeger 380 The Red Cross Nurses. Masson ." 381 You Also ! Oxenham 382 Immortality. Bourinot 383 POPULAR SONGS OF THE WORLD WAR A BRIEF ACCOUNT WITH ILLUSTRATIONS It 's a Long, Long Way to Tipperary. Judge and Williams . . . 384 Keep the Home Fires Burning. Lena Guilbert Ford 384 Pack up your Troubles in your Old Kit-bag 385 Roses in Picardy. Weatherly 385 Where Do We Go from Here. Johnson and Wenrich 386 Over There. Cohan 386 Good-bye Broadway ! Hello France ! Reisner and Davis .... 386 Joan of Arc. Bryan and Wcston 386 There 's a Long, Long Trail. King 387 PROLOGUE. A Ballad of Heroes. Dobson iii EPILOGUE. Sons of the Self-Same Race. Austin 388 NOTES 389 GLOSSARY 415 INDEX OF AUTHORS AND POEMS 421 INDEX OF TITLES AND FIRST LINES 431 of tf)e people BOOK FIRST OLDER BALLADS H>ir Patrick The king sits in Dumferling toune, Drinking the blude-reid wine : " O whar will I get guid sailor, To sail this schip of mine ? " Up and spak an eldern knicht, Sat at the kings richt kne : " Sir Patrick Spence is the best sailor, That sails upon the se." The king has written a braid letter, And signd it wi his hand, And sent it to Sir Patrick Spence, Was walking on the sand. The first line that Sir Patrick red, A loud lauch lauched he ; The next line that Sir Patrick red, The teir blinded his ee. - Poetry of the People " O wha is this has don this deid, This ill deid don to me, To send me out this time o' the yeir, To sail upon the se ! " Mak hast, mak haste, my mirry men all, Our guid schip sails the morne : " " O say na sae, my master deir, For I feir a deadlie storme. " Late late yestreen I saw the new moone, Wi the auld moone in hir arme, And I feir, I feir, my deir master, That we will cum to harme." O our Scots nobles wer richt laith To weet their cork-heild schoone ; Bot lang owre a' the play wer playd, Thair hats they swam aboone. O lang, lang may their ladies sit, Wi thair fans into their hand, Or eir they se Sir Patrick Spence Cum sailing to the land. O lang, lang may the ladies stand, Wi thair gold kerns in their hair, Waiting for thair ain deir lords, For they '11 se thame na mair. Haf owre, half owre to Aberdour, It's fiftie f adorn deip, And thair lies guid Sir Patrick Spence, Wi the Scots lords at his feit The Battle of Otterbourne II QTIje -Battle of tterbottm 1388 It fell about the Lammas tide, When the muir-men win their hay, The doughty Douglas bound him to ride Into England to drive a prey. He chose the Gordons and the Graemes With them the Lindsays light and gay ; But the Jardines wad not with him ride, And they rue it to this day. And he has burned the dales o' Tyne, And part o' Bambrough shire, And three good towers on Reidswire fells, And left them a' on fire. And he marched up to Newcastel And rade it round about : " O wha 's the lord of this castel Or wha 's the lady o 't ? " But up spake proud Lord Percy then, And O but he spake hie ! " I am the lord of this castel, My wife 's the lady gay." " If thou 'rt the lord of this castel, Sae weel it pleases me I For, ere I cross the Border fells, The tane of us shall dee." Poetry of the People He took a lang spear in his hand, Shod with the metal free ; And for to meet the Douglas there He rade richt furiouslie. But O how pale his lady lookd Frae aff the castel wa', As doun before the Scottish spear She saw proud Percy fa' ! "Had we twa been upon the green, And never an eye to see, I wad hae had you, flesh and fell, But your sword sail gae wi' me." " But gae ye up to Otterbourne, And bide there dayis three, And gin I come not ere three dayis end, A f ause knight ca' ye me ! " " The Otterbourne 's a bonnie burn, 'T is pleasant there to be ; But there is nought at Otterbourne To feed my men and me. " The deer rins wild on hill and dale, The birds fly wild frae tree to tree ; But there is neither bread nor kale, To fend my men and me. " Yet I will stay at the Otterbourne, Where you shall welcome be ; And, if ye come not at three dayis end, A fause lord I '11 ca' thee." The Battle of Otterboume " Thither will I come," proud Percy said, " By the might of our Ladye ! " " There will I bide thee," said the Douglas, " My troth I plight to thee ! " They lichted high on Otterbourne, Upon the bent sae broun ; They lichted high on Otterbourne, And threw their pallions doun. And he that had a bonnie boy, Sent out his horse to grass ; And he that had not a bonnie boy, His ain servant he was. But up then spake a little page, Before the peep of dawn : " O, waken ye, waken ye, my good lord, For Percy 's hard at hand." " Ye lee, ye lee, ye leear loud ! Sae loud I hear ye lee : For Percy had not men yestreen To dight my men and me. " But I hae dreamed a dreary dream, Beyond the Isle o' Sky ; I saw a deid man win a fight, And I think that man was I." He belted on his guid braidsword, And to the field he ran ; But he forgot the helmet good, That should have kept his brain. Poetry of the People When Percy wi' the Douglas met, I wot he was fu' fain : They swakked their swords, till sair they swat, And the blude ran down like rain. But Percy wi' his guid braidsword, That could sae sharply wound, Has wounded Douglas on the brow, Till he fell to the ground. And then he calld on his little foot-page, And said " Run speedilie, And fetch my ain dear sister's son, Sir Hugh Montgomery. " My nephew guid ! " the Douglas said, " What recks the death of ane ? Last night I dreamed a dreary dream, And I ken the day 's thy ain ! " My wound is deep ; I fain wad sleep ! Tak' thou the vanguard o' the three, And hide me by the bracken bush, That grows on yonder lilye lee. " O bury me by the bracken bush, Beneath the blooming brier ; Let never living mortal ken That ere a kindly Scot lies here ! " He lifted up that noble lord, Wi' the saut tear in his ee ; And he hid him in the bracken bush, That his merrie men might not see. The Battle of Otterbourne 7 The moon was clear, the day drew near, The spears in flinders flew ; But mony a gallant Englishman Ere day the Scotsmen slew. The Gordons good, in English blude They steepd their hose and shoon ; The Lindsays flew like fire about, Till a' the fray was done. The Percy and Montgomery met, That either of other was fain ; They swapped swords, and they twa swat, And aye the blude ran doun between. " Now yield thee, yield thee, Percy ! " he said, Or else I vow I '11 lay thee low ! " " To whom maun I yield," quoth Earl Percy, " Now that I see it maun be so ? " " Thou shalt not yield to lord nor loun, Nor yet shalt thou yield to me ; But yield thee to the bracken-bush That grows upon yon lilye lee ! " " I will not yield to a bracken-bush Nor yet will I yield to a brier ; But I wad yield to Earl Douglas, Or Sir Hugh the Montgomery, if he were here." As soon as he knew it was Montgomery He struck his sword's point in the gronde ; The Montgomery was a courteous knight, And quickly took him by the honde. Poetry of the People This deed was done at the Otterbourne About the breaking o' the day ; Earl Douglas was buried at the bracken-bush, And the Percy led captive away. Ill fmtinjr of t&e C&etotot The Perse owt off Northombarlonde, and a vowe to God mayd he That he wold hunte in the mowntayns off Chyviat within days thre, In the magger of dough te D ogles, and all that ever with him be. The fattiste hartes in all Cheviat he sayd he wold kyll, and cary them away : " Be my feth," sayd the dougheti Doglas agayn, " I wyll let that hontyng yf that I may." Then the Perse owt off Banborowe cam, with him a myghtee meany, With fifteen hondrith archares bold off blood and bone; the wear chosen owt of shyars thre. This begane on a Monday at morn, in Cheviat the hillys so he ; The chylde may rue that ys unborn, it wos the more pitte. The Hunting of the Cheviot The dryvars thorowe the woodes went, for to reas the dear : Bomen byckarte uppone the bent with ther browd aros cleare. Then the wyld thorowe the woodes went, on every syde shear ; Greahondes thorowe the grevis glent, for to kyll thear dear. This begane in Chyviat the hyls abone, yerly on a Monnyn-day ; Be that it drewe to the oware off none, a hondrith fat hartes ded ther lay. The blewe a morte uppone the bent, the semblyde on sydis shear ; To the quyrry then the Perse went, to se the bryttlynge off the deare. He sayd, "It was the Duglas promys this day to met me hear ; But I wyste he wolde faylle, verament ; " a great oth the Perse swear. At the laste a squyar off Northomberlonde lokyde at his hand full ny ; He was war a the doughetie Doglas commynge, with him a myghtte meany. Both with spear, bylle, and brande, yt was a myghtti sight to se ; Hardyar men, both off hart nor hande, wear not in Cristiante. io Poetry of the People The wear twenti hondrith spear-men good, withoute any feale ; The wear borne along be the watter a Twyde, yth bowndes of Tividale. " Leave of the brytlyng of the dear," he sayd, " and to your boys lock ye tayk good hede ; For never sithe ye wear on your mothars borne had "ye never so mickle nede." The dougheti Dogglas on a stede, he rode alle his men beforne ; His armor glytteryde as dyd a glede ; a boldar barne was never born. " Tell me whos men ye ar," he says, " or whos men that ye be : Who gave youe leave to hunte in this Chyviat chays, in the spyt of myn and of me." The first name that ever him an answear mayd, yt was the good lord Perse : " We wyll not tell the whoys men we ar," he says, " nor whos men that we be ; But we wyll hounte hear in this chays, in the spyt of thyne and of the. " The fattiste hartes in all Chyviat we have kyld, and cast to carry them away : " Be my troth," sayd the doughete Dogglas agayn, " therfor the ton of us shall de this day." Then sayd the doughte Doglas unto the lord Perse : The Hunting of the Cheviot 1 1 " To kyll alle thes giltles men, alas, it wear great pitte ! " But, Perse, thowe art a lord of lande, I am a yerle callyd within my contre ; Let all our men uppone a parti stande, and do the battell off the and of me." " Nowe Cristes cors on his crowne," sayd the lord Perse, " who-so-ever ther-to says nay ; Be my troth, doughtte Doglas," he says, " thow shalt never se that day. " Nethar in Ynglonde, Skottlonde, nar France; nor for no man of a woman born, But, and fortune be my chance, I dar met him, on man for on." Then bespayke a squyar off Northombarlonde, Richard Wytharyngton was his nam : " It shall never be told in Sothe-Ynglonde," he says, " to Kyng Kerry the Fourth for sham. " I wat youe byn great lordes twaw, I am a poor squyar of lande : I wylle never se my captayne fyght on a fylde, and stande my selffe and loocke on, But whylle I may my weppone welde, I wylle not fayle both hart and hande." That day, that day, that dredfull day! the first fit here I fynde ; 1 2 Poetry of the People And youe wyll here any mor a the hountyng a the Chyviat, yet ys ther mor behynde. The Yngglyshe men hade ther bowys yebent, ther hartes wer good yenoughe ; The first off arros that the shote off, seven skore spear-men the sloughe. Yet byddys the yerle Doglas uppon the bent, a captayne good yenoughe, And that was sene verament, for he wrought horn both woo and wouche. The Dogglas partyd his ost in thre, lyk a cheffe cheften off pryde ; With suar spears off myghtte tre, the cum in on every syde : Thrughe our Yngglyshe archery gave many a wounde fulle wyde; Many a doughete the garde to dy, which ganyde them no pryde. The Ynglyshe men let ther boys be, and pulde owt brandes that wer brighte ; It was a hevy syght to se bryght swordes on basnites lyght. Thorowe ryche male and myneyeple, many sterne the strocke done streght ; Many a freyke that was fulle fre, ther undar foot dyd lyght. At last the Duglas and the Perse met, lyk to captayns of myght and of mayne ; The Hunting of the Cheviot 13 The swapte togethar tylle the both swat, with swordes that wear of fyn myllan. Thes worthe freckys for to fyght, ther-to the wear fulle fayne, Tylle the bloode owte off thear basnetes sprente, as ever dyd heal or rayn. " Yelde the, Perse," sayde the Doglas, " and i feth I shalle the brynge Wher thowe shalte have a yerls wagis of Jamy our Skottish kynge. " Thou shalte have thy ransom fre, I hight the hear this thinge ; For the manfullyste man yet art thowe that ever I conqueryd in filde fighttynge." " Nay," sayd the lord Perse, " I tolde it the beforne, That I wolde never yeldyde be to no man of a woman born." With that ther cam an arrowe hastely, forth e off a myghtte wane ; Hit hathe strekene the yerle Duglas in at the brest-bane. Thorowe lyvar and longe's bathe the sharpe arrowe ys gane, That never after in all his lyffe-days he spayke mo worde's but ane : That was, " Fyghte ye, my myrry men, whyllys ye may, for my lyff-days ben gan." 14 Poetry of the People The Perse leanyde on his brande, and sawe the Duglas de ; He tooke the dede mane by the hande, and sayd, " Wo ys me for the ! " To have savyde thy lyffe, I wolde have partyde with my landes for years thre, For a better man, of hart nare of hande, was nat in all the north contre." Off all that se a Skottishe knyght, was callyd Ser Hewe the Monggombyrry ; He sawe the Duglas to the deth was dyght, he spendyd a spear, a trust! tre. He rod uppone a corsiare throughe a hondrith archery : He never stynttyde, nar never blane, tylle he cam to the good lord Perse. / He set uppone the lorde Perse a dynte that was full soare ; With a suar spear of a myghtte* tre clean thorow the body he the Perse" ber, A the tothar syde that a man myght se a large cloth-yard and mare : Towe bettar captayns wear nat in Cristiante then that day slan wear then An archar off Northomberlonde say slean was the lord Perse ; He bar a bende bowe in his hand, was made off trusti tre. The Hunting of the Cheviot 15 An arow, that a cloth-yarde was lang, to the harde stele halyde he ; A dynt that was both sad and soar he sat on Ser Hewe the Monggombyrry. The dynt yt was both sad and sar, that he of Monggomberry sete ; The swane-fethars that his arrowe bar with his hart-blood the wear wete. Ther was never a freake wone foot wolde fle, but still in stour dyd stand, Heawyng on yche othar, whylle the myghte dre, with many a balfull brande. This battell begane in Chyviat an owar befor the none, And when even-songe bell was rang, The battell was nat half done. The tocke . . . on ethar hande be the lyght off the mone ; Many hade no strenght for to stande, in Chyviat the hillys abon. Of fifteen hondrith archars of Ynglonde went away but seventi and thre ; Of twenti hondrith spear-men of Skotlonde, but even five and fifti. But all wear slayne Cheviat within ; the hade no strengthe to stand on hy ; The chylde may rue that ys unborne, it was the mor pitte. 1 6 Poetry of the People Thear was slayne, withe the lord Perse, Sir Johan of Agerstone, Ser Rogar, the hinde Hartly, Ser Wyllyam, the bolde Hearone. Ser Jorg, the worthe Loumle, a knyghte of great renowen, Ser Raff, the ryche Rugbe, with dyntes wear beaten dowene. For Wetharryngton my harte was wo, that ever he slayne shulde be ; For when both his leggis wear hewyne in to, yet he knyled and fought on hys kny. Ther was slayne, with the dougheti Duglas, Ser Hewe the Monggombyrry, Ser Davy Lwdale, that worthe was, his sistar's son was he. Ser Charls a Murre in that place, that never a foot wolde fle ; Ser Hewe Maxwelle, a lorde he was, with the Doglas dyd he dey. So on the morrowe the mayde them byears off birch and hasell so gray ; Many wedous, with wepyng tears, cam to fache ther makys away. Tivydale may carpe off care, Northombarlond may mayk great mon, For towe such captayns as slayne wear thear, on the March-parti shall never be non. The Hunting of the Cheviot i Word ys commen to Eddenburrowe, to Jamy the Skottische kynge, That dougheti Duglas, lyff-tenant of the Marches, he lay slean Chyviot within. His handdes dyd he weal and wryng, he sayd, " Alas, and wo ys me ! Such an othar captayn Skotland within," he sayd, " ye-feth shuld never be." Worde ys commyn to lovly Londone, till the fourth Harry our kynge, That lord Perse, leyff-tenante of the Marchis, he lay slayne Chyviat within. " God have merci on his solle," sayde Kyng Harry, " good lord, yf thy will it be ! I have a hondrith captayns in Ynglonde," he sayd, " as good as ever was he : But, Perse, and I brook my lyffe, thy deth well quyte shall be." As our noble kynge mayd his avowe, lyke a noble prince of renowen, For the deth of the lord Perse he dyde the battell of Hombyll-down ; Wher syx and thritte Skottishe knyghtes on a day wear beaten down : Glendale glytteryde on ther armor bryght, over castille, towar, and town. This was the hontynge off the Cheviat, that tear begane this spurn ; 1 8 Poetry of the People Old men that knowen the grownde well yenoughe call it the battell of Otterburn. At Otterburn begane this spurne uppone a Monnynday ; Ther was the doughte Doglas slean, the Perse never went away. Ther was never a tym on the Marche-partes sen the Doglas and the Perse met, But yt ys mervele and the rede blude ronne not, as the reane doys in the stret. Jhesue Crist our balys bete, and to the blys us brynge ! Thus was the hountynge of the Chivyat: God send us alle good endyng ! IV (Euom o It fell about the Martinmas, When the wind blew shrill and cauld, Said Edom o' Gordon to his men, " We maun draw to a hauld. " And whatna hauld sail we draw to, My merry men and me ? We will gae to the house o' the Rodes, To see that fair ladie." Edom o' Gordon 19 The ladie stude on her castle wa', Beheld baith dale and doun, There she was ware of a host o' men Cam riding towards the toun. " O see ye not, my merry men a', see ye not what I see? Methinks I see a host of men 1 marvel wha' they be." She ween'd it had been her ain dear lord As he cam riding hame ; It was the traitor, Edom o' Gordon, Wha recked nor sin nor shame. She had nae suner buskit hersel, Nor putten on her goun, Till Edom o' Gordon and his men Were round about the toun. They had nae suner supper set, Nae suner said the grace, Till Edom o' Gordon and his men Were light about the place. The ladie ran to her tower head, As fast as she could hie, To see if, by her fair speeches, She could with him agree. As sune as he saw the ladie fair, And her yetts a' lockit fast, He fell into a rage o' wrath, And his look was all aghast. 20 Poetry of the People " Come doun to me, ye ladye gay, Come doun, come doun to me ; This nicht sail ye lie within my arms, The morn my bride sail be." " I winna come doun, ye fause Gordon, I winna come doun to thee ; I winna forsake my ain dear lord, That is sae far frae me." " Gie owre your house, ye ladie fair, Gie owre your house to me ; Or I sail burn yoursell therein, But and your babies three." " I winna gie owre, ye false Gordon, To nae sic traitor as thee ; And if ye burn my ain dear babes, My lord sail mak ye dree ! " But reach my pistol, Glaud, my man, And charge ye weel my gun ; For, but an I pierce that bluidy butcher, We a' sail be undone." She stude upon the castle wa', And let twa bullets flee ; She miss'd that bluidy butcher's heart, And only razed his knee. " Set fire to the house ! " quo the fause Gordon, All wude wi' dule and ire ; " Fause ladie ! ye sail rue that shot, As ye burn in the fire." Edom o' Gordon 21 " Wae worth, wae worth ye, Jock, my man ! I paid ye weel your fee ; Why pu' ye out the grund-wa-stane, Lets in the reek to me ? " And e'en wae worth ye, Jock, my man ! I paid ye weel your hire ; Why pu' ye out my grund-wa-stane, To me lets in the fire?" " Ye paid me weel my hire, lady, Ye paid me weel my fee ; But now I 'm Edom o' Gordon's man, Maun either do or dee." O then outspak her youngest son, Sat on the nourice' knee ; Says, " Mither dear, gie owre this house, For the reek it smithers me." " I wad gie a' my gowd, my bairn, Sae wad I a' my fee, For ae blast o' the westlin' wind, To blaw the reek frae thee ! " O then outspak her daughter dear She was baith jimp and sma' " O row me in a pair o' sheets, And tow me owre the wa'." They row'd her in a pair o' sheets, And tow'd her owre the wa ' ; But on the point o' Gordon's spear She gat a deadly fa'. 22 Poetry of the People bonnie, bonnie was her mouth, And cherry were her cheeks ; And clear, clear was her yellow hair, Whereon the red bluid dreeps. Then wi' his spear he turned her owre, gin her face was wan ! He said, " You are the first that e'er 1 wish'd alive again." He turned her owre and owre again, gin her skin was white ! " I might hae spared that bonnie face, To hae been some man's delight. " Busk and boun, my merry men a', For ill dooms I do guess ; 1 canna look on that bonnie face, As it lies on the grass ! " " Wha looks to freits, my master deir, It 's freits will follow them ; Let it ne'er be said that Edom o' Gordon Was dauntit by a dame." But when the lady saw the fire Come flaming owre her head, She wept, and kiss'd her children twain, Says, " Bairns, we been but dead." The Gordon then his bugle blew, And said, " Awa', awa' ; The house o' the Rodes is a' in a flame, 1 hauld it time to ga'." Edom o' Gordon 23 O then bespied her ain dear lord, As he came owre the lea ; He saw his castle a' in a lowe, Sae far as he could see. Then sair, O sair, his mind misgave, And a' his heart was wae ; " Put on, put on, my wichty men, As fast as ye can gae. " Put on, put on, my wichty men, As fast as ye can dri'e ; For he that is hindmost of the thrang, Shall ne'er get gude o' me ! " Then some they rade, and some they ran, Fu' fast out owre the bent ; But ere the foremost could win up, Baith lady and babes were brent. He wrang his hands, he rent his hair, And wept in teenf u' mood ; " Ah, traitors ! for this cruel deed, Ye shall weep tears of bluid." And after the Gordon he has gane, Sae fast as he might dri'e, And soon i' the Gordon's foul heart's bluid, He 's wroken his fair ladie. 24 Poetry of the People Eobtn hnoto an* Little 3fol)n When Robin Hood was about twenty years old, With a hey down, down, and a down ; He happen'd to meet Little John, A jolly brisk blade, right fit for the trade, For he was a lusty young man. Though he was call'd Little, his limbs they were large, And his stature was seven foot high ; Wherever he came, they quaked at his name, For soon he would make them to fly. How they came acquainted, I '11 tell you in brief, If you would but listen awhile ; For this very jest, among all the rest, I think it may cause you to smile. For Robin Hood said to his jolly bowmen, " Pray tarry you here in this grove ; And see that you all observe well my call, While thorough the forest I rove. " We have had no sport for these fourteen long days, Therefore now abroad will I go ; Now should I be beat, and cannot retreat, My horn I will presently blow." Then did he shake hands with his merry men all, And bid them at present good-by: Then, as near the brook his journey he took, A stranger he chanced to espy. Robin Hood and Little John 25 They happened to meet on a long narrow bridge, And neither of them would give way ; Quoth bold Robin Hood, and sturdily stood, " I '11 shew you right Nottingham-play." With that from his quiver an arrow he drew, A broad arrow with a goose-wing. The stranger reply'd, " I '11 liquor thy hide, If thou offerst to touch the string." Quoth bold Robin Hood, " Thou dost prate like an ass, For were I to bend but my bow, I could send a dart, quite thro' thy proud heart, Before thou couldst strike me one blow." " Thou talkst like a coward," the stranger reply'd ; " Well arm'd with a long bow you stand, To shoot at my breast, while I, I protest, Have nought but a staff in my hand." " The name of a coward," quoth Robin, " I scorn, Wherefore my long bow I '11 lay by, And now, for thy sake, a staff will I take, The truth of thy manhood to try." Then Robin Hood stept to a thicket of trees, And chose him a staff of ground oak ; Now this being done, away he did run To the stranger, and merrily spoke : " Lo ! see my staff is lusty and tough, Now here on the bridge we will play ; Whoever falls in, the other shall win, The battle, and so we '11 away," 2 6 Poetry of the People " With all my whole heart," the stranger reply'd, " I scorn in the least to give out " ; This said, they fell to 't without more dispute, And their staffs they did flourish about. At first Robin he gave the stranger a bang, So hard that he made his bones ring : The stranger he said, " This must be repaid, I '11 give you as good as you bring. " So long as I am able to handle a staff, To die in your debt, friend, I scorn." Then to it each goes, and followed their blows, As if they 'd been threshing of corn. The stranger gave Robin a crack on the crown, Which caused the blood to appear ; Then Robin enraged, more fiercely engaged, And followed his blows more severe. So thick and so fast did he lay it on him, With a passionate fury and ire ; At every stroke he made him to smoke, As if he had been all on fire. O then into fury the stranger he grew, And gave him a damnable look, And with it a blow, that laid him full low, And tumbled him into the brook. " I prithee, good fellow, where art thou now ? " The stranger, in laughter, he cried. Quoth bold Robin Hood, " Good faith, in the flood, And floating along with the tide. Robin Hood and Little John 27 " I needs must acknowledge thou art a brave soul, With thee I '11 no longer contend ; For needs must I say, thou hast got the day, Our battle shall be at an end." Then unto the bank he did presently wade, And pulled himself out by a thorn ; Which done, at the last he blowed a loud blast Straightway on his fine bugle-horn : The echo of which through the valleys did fly, At which his stout bowmen appeared, All clothed in green, most gay to be seen, So up to their master they steered. " O, what's the matter?" quoth William Stutly, " Good master you are wet to the skin." " No matter," quoth he, " the lad which you see In fighting hath tumbled me in." " He shall not go scot-free," the others reply'd. So straight they were seizing him there, To duck him likewise : but Robin Hood cries, " He is a stout fellow ; forbear. " There 's no one shall wrong thee, friend, be not afraid ; These bowmen upon me do wait ; There 's three score and nine ; if thou wilt be mine, Thou shalt have my livery straight, " And other accoutrements fit for a man ; Speak up, jolly blade, never fear : I '11 teach you also the use of the bow, To shoot at the fat fallow deer." 28 Poetry of the People " O, here is my hand," the stranger reply'd, " I '11 serve you with all my whole heart ; My name is John Little, a man of good mettle ; Ne'er doubt me, for I '11 play my part." " His name shall be alter'd," quoth William Study, " And I will his godfather be : Prepare then a feast, and none of the least For we will be merry," quoth he. They presently fetched him a brace of fat does, With humming strong liquor likewise ; They loved what was good ; so in the green wood, This pretty sweet babe they baptize. He was, I must tell you, but seven foot high, And, may be, an ell in the waist; A sweet pretty lad : much feasting they had ; Bold Robin the christening graced, With all his bowmen, which stood in a ring, And were of the Nottingham breed ; Brave Stutly came then, with seven yeomen, And did in this manner proceed : " This infant was called John Little," quoth he ; " Which name shall be changed anon : The words we'll transpose ; so wherever he goes, His name shall be called Little John." They all with a shout made the elements ring ; So soon as the office was o'er, To feasting they went, with true merriment, And tippled strong liquor gillore. Robin Hood Rescuing the Widow's Three Sons 29 Then Robin he took the pretty sweet babe, And clothed him from top to the toe, In garments of green, most gay to be seen, And gave him a curious long bow. " Thou shalt be an archer as well as the best, And range in the green wood with us ; Where we '11 not want gold nor silver, behold, While bishops have ought in their purse. " We live here like 'squires, or lords of renown, Without e'er a foot of free land ; We feast on good cheer, with wine, ale, and beer, And everything at our command." Then music and dancing did finish the day ; At length, when the sun waxed low, Then all the whole train the grove did refrain, And unto their caves they did go. And so, ever after, as long as he liv'd, Although he was proper and tall, Yet, nevertheless, the truth to express, Still Little John they did him call. VI Robin hoott Resetting t&e OliSoto'e Owe Sonet There are twelve months in all the year, As I hear many men say, But the merriest month in all the year Is the merry month of May. 30 Poetry of the People Now Robin Hood is to Nottingham gone, With a link a down and a day, And there he met a silly old woman, Was weeping on the way. " What news ? what news, thou silly old woman ? What news hast thou for me ? " Said she, " There 's my three sons in Nottingham town To-day condemned to die." " O, have they parishes burnt ? " he said, " Or have they ministers slain? Or have they robbed any virgin ? Or other men's wives have ta'en ? " " They have no parishes burnt, good sir, Nor yet have ministers slain, Nor have they robbed any virgin, Nor other men's wives have ta'en." " O, what have they done ? " said Robin Hood, " I pray thee tell to me." " It 's for slaying of the king's fallow-deer, Bearing their long bows with thee." " Dost thou not mind, old woman," he said, " How thou madest.me sup and dine ? By the truth of my body," quoth bold Robin Hood, " You could not tell it in better time." Now Robin Hood is to Nottingham gone, With a link a down and a day, And there he met with a silly old palmer, Was walking along the highway. Robin Hood Rescuing the Widow's Three Sons 3 1 " What news ? what news, thou silly old man ? What news, I do thee pray ? " Said he, " Three squires in Nottingham town Are condemned to die this day." " Come change thy apparel with me, old man, Come change thy apparel for mine ; Here is forty shillings in good silver, Go drink it in beer or wine." " O, thine apparel is good," he said, " And mine is ragged and torn ; Wherever you go, wherever you ride, Laugh not an old man to scorn." " Come change thy apparel with me, old churl, Come change thy apparel with mine ; Here are twenty pieces of good broad gold, Go feast thy brethren with wine." Then he put on the old man's hat, It stood full high on the crown : " The first bold bargain that I come at, It shall make thee come down." Then he put on the old man's cloak, Was patched black, blew, and red ; He thought it no shame all the day long, To wear the bags of bread. Then he put on the old man's breeks, Was patched from leg to side : " By the truth of my body," bold Robin can say, " This man loved little pride." 3 2 Poetry of the People Then he put on the old man's hose, Were patched from knee to wrist : " By the truth of my body," said bold Robin Hood, I 'd laugh if I had any list." Then he put on the old man's shoes, Were patched both beneath and aboon ; Then Robin Hood swore a solemn oath, " It 's good habit that makes a man." Now Robin Hood is to Nottingham gone, With a link a down and a down, And there he met with the proud sheriff, Was walking along the town. " Save you, save you, sheriff ! " he said ; " Now heaven you save and see ! And what will you give to a silly old man To-day will your hangman be? " " Some suits, some suits," the sheriff he said, " Some suits I '11 give to thee ; Some suits, some suits, and pence thirteen, To-day 's a hangman's fee." Then Robin he turns him round about, And jumps from stock to stone : " By the truth of my body," the sheriff he said, " That 's well jumpt, thou nimble old man." " I was ne'er a hangman in all my life, Nor yet intends to trade ; But curst be he," said bold Robin, " That first a hangman was made 1 Robin Hood Rescuing the Widow's Three Sons 33 " I Ve a bag for meal, and a bag for malt, And a bag for barley and corn ; A bag for bread, and a bag for beef, And a bag for my little small horn. " I have a horn in my pocket, I got it from Robin Hood, And still when I set it to my mouth, For thee it blows little good." " O, wind thy horn, thou proud fel!6w, Of thee I have no doubt. I wish that thou give such a blast, Till both thy eyes fall out." The first loud blast that he did blow, He blew both loud and shrill ; A hundred and fifty of Robin Hood's men Came riding over the hill. The next loud blast that he did give, He blew both loud and amain, And quickly sixty of Robin Hood's men Came shining over the plain. " O, who are these," the sheriff he said, " Come tripping over the lee ? " "They're my attendants," brave Robin did say; " They '11 pay a visit to thee." They took the gallows from the slack, They set it in the glen, They hanged the proud sheriff on that, Released their own three men. 34 Poetry of the People VII Eoiiin INtrtj an* &IUn a )ale Come listen to me, you gallants so free, All you that loves mirth for to hear, And I will tell you of a bold outlaw, That lived in Nottinghamshire. As Robin Hood in the forest stood, All under the green-wood tree, There he was ware of a brave young man, As fine as fine might be. The youngster was clothed in scarlet red, In scarlet fine and gay ; And he did frisk it over the plain, And chanted a roundelay. As Robin Hood next morning stood, Amongst the leaves so gay, There did he espy the same young man Come drooping along the way. The scarlet he wore the day before, It was clean cast away ; And at every step he fetcht a sigh, " Alack and a well a day ! " Then stepped forth brave Little John, And Nick the miller's son, Which made the young man bend his bow, When as he see them come. Robin Hood and Allin a Dale 35 " Stand off, stand off," the young man said, " What is your will with me ? " " You must come before our master straight, Under yon green-wood tree." And when he came bold Robin before, Robin askt him courteously, " O hast thou any money to spare For my merry men and me ? " " I have no money," the young man said, " But five shillings and a ring; And that I have kept this seven long years, To have it at my wedding. " Yesterday I should have married a maid, But she is now from me tane, And chosen to be an old knight's delight, Whereby my poor heart is slain." " What is thy name? " then said Robin Hood, " Come tell me, without any fail : " " By the faith of my body," then said the young man, " My name it is Allin a Dale." " What wilt thou give me," said Robin Hood, "In ready gold or fee, To help thee to thy true love again, And deliver her unto thee ? " " I have no money," then quoth the young man, " No ready gold nor fee, But I will swear upon a book Thy true servant for to be." 36 Poetry of the People " How many miles is it to thy true love ? Come tell me without any guile : " " By the faith of my body," then said the young man, " It is but five little mile." Then Robin he hasted over the plain, He did neither stint nor lin, Until he came unto the church, Where Allin should keep his wedding. " What dost thou do here ? " the bishop he said, " I prithee now tell to me : " " I am a bold harper," quoth Robin Hood, " And the best in the north country." " O welcome, O welcome," the bishop he said, " That musick best pleaseth me ; " " You shall have no musick," quoth Robin Hood, " Till the bride and the bridegroom I see." With that came in a wealthy knight, Which was both grave and old, And after him a finikin lass, Did shine like the glistering gold. " This is not a fit match," quoth bold Robin Hood, " That you do seem to make here ; For since we are come unto the church, The bride shall chuse her own dear." Then Robin Hood put his horn to his mouth, And blew blasts two or three ; When four and twenty bowmen bold Came leaping over the lea. Robin Hood and Allin a Dale 37 And when they came into the church-yard, Marching all on a row, The first man was Allin a Dale, To give bold Robin his bow. " This is thy true love," Robin he said, " Young Allin, as I hear say ; And you shall be married at this same time, Before we depart away." That shall not be," the bishop he said, " For thy word shall not stand ; They shall be three times askt in the church, As the law is of our land." Robin Hood pulld off the bishop's coat, And put it upon Little John ; " By the faith of my body," then Robin said, " This cloath doth make thee a man." When Little John went into the quire, The people began for to laugh ; He askt them seven times in the church, Lest three times should not be enough. " Who gives me this maid ? " then said Little John ; Quoth Robin, That do I, And he that takes her from Allin a Dale Full dearly he shall her buy." And thus having ended this merry wedding, The bride lookt as fresh as a queen, And so they returned to the merry greenwood, Amongst the leaves so green. 38 Poetry of the People VIII fiobtn boDli anU the King; THE SEVENTH FYTTE OF A GEST OF ROBIN HOOD The kynge came to Notynghame, With knyghtes in grete araye, For to take that gentyll knyght And Robyn Hode, and yf he may. He asked men of that countre, After Robyn Hode, And after that gentyll knyght, That was so bolde and stout. Whan they had tolde hym the case Our kynge understode ther tale, And seased in his honde The knyghtes londes all. All the passe of Lancasshyre He went both ferre and nere, Tyll he came to Plomton Parke ; He faylyd many of his dere. There our kynge was wont to se Herdes many one, He coud unneth fynde one dere, That bare ony good home. The kynge was wonder wroth with all, And swore by the Trynyte, " I wolde I had Robyn Hode, With eyen I myght hym se. Robin Hood and the King 39 " And he that wolde smyte of the knyghtes hede, And brynge it to me, He shall have the knyghtes londes, Syr Rycharde at the Le. " I gy ve ** hy m with my charter, And sele it with my honde, To have and holde for ever more, In all mery Englonde." Than bespake a fayre olde knyght, That was treue in his fay : " A, my leege lorde the kynge, One worde I shall you say. " There is no man in this countre May have the knyghtes londes, Whyle Robyn Hode may ryde or gone, And bere a bowe in his hondes, " That he ne shall lese his hede, That is the best ball in his hode : Give it no man, my lorde the kynge, That ye wyll any good." Half a yere dwelled our comly kynge In Notyngham, and well more ; Coude he not here of Robyn Hode, In what countre that he were. But alway went good Robyn By halke and eke by hyll, And alway slewe the kynges dere, And welt them at his wyll. 40 Poetry of the People Than bespake a proude fostere, That stode by our kynges kne : " Yf ye wyll see good Robyn, Ye must do after me. " Take fyve of the best knyghtes That be in your lede, And 'walke downe by yon abbay, And gete you monke's wede. " And I wyll be your ledes-man, And lede you the way, And or ye come to Notyngham, Myn hede then dare I lay, " That ye shall mete with good Robyn, On lyve yf that he be; , Or ye come to Notyngham, With eyen ye shall hym se." Full hastely our kynge was dyght, So were his knyghtye's fyve, Everych of them in monke's wede, And hasted them thyder blyve. Our kynge was grete above his cole, A brode hat on his crowne, Ryght as he were abbot-lyke, They rode up into the towne. Styf botes our kynge had on, Forsoth as I you say ; He rode syngynge to grene wode, The covent was clothed in graye. Robin Hood ana the King 41 His male-hors and his grete somers Folowed our kynge behynde, Tyll they came to grene wode, A myle under the lynde. There they met with good Robyn, Stondynge on the waye, And so dyde many a bolde archere, For soth as I you say. Robyn toke the kynges hors, Hastely in that stede, And sayd, " Syr abbot, by your leve, A whyle ye must abyde. " We be yemen of this foreste, Under the grene-wode tre ; We lyve by our kynges dere, Other shift have not wee. " And ye have chyrches and rentes both. And gold full grete plente ; Gyve us some of your spendynge, For saynt charyte." Than bespake our cumly kynge, Anone than sayd he ; " I brought no more to grene wode But forty pounde with me. " I have layne at Notyngham, This fourtynyght with our kynge, And spent I have full moche good On many a grete lordynge. 42 Poetry of the People " And I have but forty pounde, No more than have I me : But if I had an hondred pounde, I would give it to thee." Robyn toke the forty pounde, And departed it in two partye ; Halfendell he gave his mery men, And bad them mery to be. Full curteysly Robyn gan say ; " Syr, have this for your spendyng ; We shall mete another day." " Gramercy," than sayd our kynge. " But well the greteth Edwarde, our kynge, And sent to the his scale, And byddeth the com to Notyngham, Both to mete and mele." He toke out the brode targe, And sone he lete hym se ; Robyn coud his courteysy, And set hym on his kne. " I love no man in all the worlde So well as I do my kynge ; Welcome is my lorde's scale ; And, monke, for thy tydynge, " Syr abbot, for thy tydynges, To day thou shalt dyne with me, For the love of my kynge, Under my trystell-tre." Robin Hood and the King 43 Forth he lad our comly kynge, Full fayre by the honde ; Many a dere there was slayne, And full fast dyghtande. Robyn toke a full grete home, And loude he gan bio we; Seven score of wyght yonge men Came redy on a rowe. All they kneled on theyr kne, Full fayre before Robyn : The kynge sayd hym selfe untyll, And swore by Saynt Austyn, " Here is a wonder semely sight ; Me thynketh, by Goddes pyne, His men are more at his byddynge Then my men be at myn." Full hastely was theyr dyner idyght, And therto gan they gone ; They served our kynge with all theyr myght, Both Robyn and Lytell Johan. Anone before our kynge was set The fatte venyson, The good whyte brede, the good rede wyne, And therto the fyne ale and browne. " Make good chere," said Robyn, " Abbot, for charyte ; And for this ylke tydynge, Blyssed mote thou be. 44 Poetry of the People " Now shalte thou se what lyfe we lede, Or thou hens wende ; Than thou may enfourme our kynge, Whan ye togyder lende." Up they sterte all in hast, Theyr bowes were smartly bent ; Our kynge was never so sore agast, He wende to have be shente. Two yerdes there were up set, Thereto gan they gange ; By fyfty pase, our kynge sayd, The merkes were to longe. On every syde a rose-garlonde, They shot under the lyne : " Who so fayleth of the rose-garlonde," sayd Robyn, " His takyll he shall tyne, " And yelde it to his mayster, Be it never so fyne ; For no man wyll I spare, So drynke I ale or wyne ; " And bere a buffet on his hede, I-wys ryght all bare : " And all that fell in Robyns lote, He smote them wonder sare. Twyse Robyn shot aboute, And ever he cleved the wande, And so dyde good Gylberte With the whyte hande. Robin Hood and the King 45 Lytell Johan and good Scathelocke, For nothynge wolde they spare ; When they fayled of the garlonde, Robyn smote them full sare. At the last shot that Robyn shot, For all his frendes fare, Yet he fayled of the garlonde Thre fyngers and mare. Than bespake good Gylberte, And thus he gan say ; " Mayster," he sayd, " your takyll is lost, Stande forth and take your pay." " If it be so," sayd Robyn, " That may no better be, Syr abbot, I delyver the myn arowe, I pray the, syr, serve thou me." " It falleth not for myn ordre," sayd our kynge, " Robyn, by thy leve, For to smyte no good yeman, For doute I sholde hym greve." " Smyte on boldely," sayd Robyn, " I give the large leve : " Anone our kynge, with that worde, He folde up his sieve, And sych a buffet he gave Robyn, To grounde he yede full nere : " I make myn avowe to God," sayd Robyn, " Thou arte a stalworthe frere. 46 Poeiry of the People " There is pith in thyn arme," sayd Robyn, " I trowe thou canst well shete ; " Thus our kynge and Robyn Hode Togeder gan they mete. Robyn behelde our-comly kynge Wystly in the face, So dyde Syr Rycharde at the Le, And kneled downe in that place. And so dyde all the wylde outlawes, Whan they se them knele : " My lorde the kynge of Englonde, Now I knowe you well." " Mercy then, Robyn," sayd our kynge, " Under your trystyll-tre, Of thy goodnesse and thy grace, For my men and me ! " " Yes, for God," sayd Robyn, " And also God me save, I aske mercy, my lorde the kynge, And for my men I crave." " Yes, for God," than sayd our kynge, " And therto sent I me, With that thou leve the grene wode, And all thy company ; " And come home, syr, to my courte, And there dwell with me." " I make myn avowe to God," sayd Robyn, 'And ryght so shall it be. Robin Hood's Death and Burial 47 " I wyll come to your courte, Your servyse for to se, And brynge with me of my men Seven score and thre. " But me lyke well your servyse, I wyll come agayne full soone. And shote at the donne dere, As I am wonte to done." IX Robin Jxroto's tDratb anfi -Burial When Robin Hood and Little John, Down a down, a down, a down, Went o'er yon bank of broom, Said Robin Hood bold to Little John, " We have shot for many a pound : " Hey down, a down, a down, " But I am not able to shoot one shot more, My broad arrows will not flee ; But I have a cousin lives down below, Please God, she will bleed me." Now Robin is to fair Kirkley gone, As fast as he can win ; But before he came there, as we do hear, He was taken very ill. And when that he came to fair Kirkley-hall, He knocked all at the ring, But none was so ready as his cousin herself For to let bold Rpbin in, 48 Poetry of the People " Will you please to sit down, cousin Robin," she said, " And drink some beer with me ? " " No, I will neither eat nor drink, Till I am blooded by thee." " Well, I have a room, cousin Robin," she said, " Which you did never see, And if you please to walk therein, You blooded by me shall be." She took him by the lily-white hand, And led him to a private room, And there she blooded bold Robin Hood, While one drop of blood would run down. She blooded him in a vein of the arm, And locked him up in the room ; Then did he bleed all the livelong day, Until the next day at noon. He then bethought him of a casement there, Thinking for to get down ; He was so weak he could not leap, He could not get him down. He then bethought him of his bugle-horn, Which hung low down to his knee ; He set his horn unto his mouth, And blew out weak blasts three. Then Little John, when hearing him, As he sat under a tree, " I fear my master is now near dead, He blows so wearily." Robin Hood's Death and Burial 49 Then Little John to fair Kirkley is gone, As fast as he can dree ; But when he came to Kirkley-hall, He broke locks two or three : Until he came bold Robin to, Then he fell on his knee : " A boon, a boon," cries Little John, " Master, I beg of thee." " What is that boon," quoth Robin Hood, " Little John, thou begs of me ? " " It is to burn fair Kirkley-hall, And all their nunnery." " Now nay, now nay," quoth Robin Hood, " That boon I '11 not grant thee ; I never hurt woman in all my life, Nor man in woman's company. " I never hurt fair maid in all my time, Nor at my end shall it be ; But give me my bent bow in my hand, And a broad arrow I '11 let flee ; And where this arrow is taken up, There shall my grave digg'd be. " Lay me a green sod under my head, And another at my feet ; And lay my bent bow by my side, Which was my music sweet ; And make my grave of gravel and green, Which is most right and meet. Poetry of the People " Let me have length and breadth enough, With under my head a green sod ; That they may say, when I am dead, Here lies bold Robin Hood." These words they readily promised him, Which did bold Robin please ; And there they buried bold Robin Hood, Near to the fair Kirkleys. " Rise up, rise up, now, Lord Douglas," she says, " And put on your armour so bright ; Let it never be said that a daughter of thine Was married to a lord under night. " Rise up, rise up, my seven bold sons, And put on your armour so bright, And take better care of your youngest sister, For your eldest 's awa the last night." He 's mounted her on a milk-white steed, And himself on a dapple gray, With a bugelet horn hung down by his side, And lightly they rode away. Lord William lookit o'er his left shoulder, To see what he could see, And there he spy'd her seven brethren bold, Come riding over the lee. The Douglas Tragedy i " Light down, light down, Lady Margret," he said, "And hold my steed in your hand, Until that against your seven brethren bold, And your father, I mak a stand." She held his steed in her milk-white hand, And never shed one tear, Until that she saw her seven brethren fa', And her father hard fighting, who lov'd her so dear. " O hold your hand, Lord William ! " she said, " For your strokes they are wondrous sair ; True lovers I can get many a ane, But a father I can never get mair." O she 's ta'en out her handkerchief, It was o' the holland sae fine, And aye she dighted her father's bloody wounds, That were redder than the wine. " O chuse, O chuse, Lady Margret," he said, " O whether will ye gang or bide ? " " I '11 gang, I '11 gang, Lord William," she said, " For ye have left me nae other guide." He 's lifted her on a milk-white steed, And himself on a dapple gray, With a bugelet horn hung down by his side, And slowly they baith rade away. O they rade on, and on they rade, And a' by the light of the moon, Until they came to yon wan water, And there they lighted down. 5 3 Poetry of the People They lighted down to talc' a drink Of the spring that ran sae clear, And down the stream ran his gude heart's blood, And sair she gan to fear. " Hold up, hold up, Lord William," she says, " For I fear that you are slain." " 'T is naething but the shadow of my scarlet cloak, That shines in the water sae plain." O they rade on, and on they rade, And a' by the light of the moon, Until they cam' to his mother's ha' door, And there they lighted down. ' Get up, get up, lady mother," he says, " Get up, and let me in ! Get up, get up, lady mother," he says, " For this night my fair lady I 've win. " O mak my bed, lady mother," he says, " O mak it braid and deep, And lay Lady Margret close at my back, And the sounder I will sleep." Lord William was dead lang ere midnight, Lady Margret lang ere day, And all true lovers that go thegither, May they have mair luck than they ! Lord William was buried in St. Mary's kirk, Lady Margret in Mary's quire; Out o' the lady's grave grew a bonny red rose, And out o' the knight's a briar. Lord Randal 53 And they twa met, and they twa plat, And fain they wad be near ; And a' the warld might ken right weel They were twa lovers dear. But by and rade the Black Douglas, And wow but he was rough ! For he pull'd up the bonny briar, And flang 't in St. Mary's Loch. " O where hae ye been, Lord Randal, my son? O where hae ye been, my handsome young man? " " I hae been to the wild wood ; mother, make my bed soon, For I 'm weary wi hunting, and fain wald lie down." " Where gat ye your dinner, Lord Randal, my son ? Where gat ye your dinner, my handsome young man ? " " I din'd wi my true-love ; mother, make my bed soon, For I 'm weary wi hunting, and fain wald lie down." " What gat ye to your dinner, Lord Randal, my son? What gat ye to your dinner, my handsome young man?" " I gat eels boiled in broo ; mother, make my bed soon, For I 'm weary wi hunting, and fain wald lie down." " What became of your bloodhounds, Lord Randal, my son ? What became of your bloodhounds, my handsome young man ? " 54 Poetry of the People " O they swelld and they died ; mother, make my bed soon, For I 'm weary wi hunting, and fain wald lie down." " O I fear ye are poisond, Lord Randal, my son ! O I fear ye are poisond, my handsome young man ! " " O yes ! I am poisond ; mother, make my bed soon, For I 'm sick at the heart, and I fain wald lie down." XII 58onme (Sfeorjje Campbell High upon Highlands, and low upon Tay, Bonnie George Campbell rade out on a day. Saddled and bridled and gallant rade he ; Hame cam his guid horse, but never cam he. Out cam his auld mither greeting fu' sair, And out cam his bonnie bride riving her hair. Saddled and bridled and booted rade he ; Toom hame cam the saddle, but never cam he. Bessie Bell and Mary Gray 55 " My meadow lies green, and my corn is unshorn, My barn is to build, and my babe is unborn." Saddled and bridled and booted rade he ; Toom hame cam the saddle, but never cam he. XIII Bessie 38ell arrtr O Bessie Bell and Mary Gray, They war twa bonnie lasses ! They bigget a bower on yon burn-brae, And theekit it o'er wi rashes. They theekit it o'er wi rashes green, They theekit it o'er wi heather ; But the pest cam frae the burrows-town, And slew them baith thegither. They thought to iie in Methven kirk-yard Amang their noble kin ; But they maun lye in Stronach haugh, To biek forenent the sin. And Bessie Bell and Mary Gray, They war twa bonnie lasses ; They biggit a bower on yon burn-brae, And theekit it o'er wi rashes. 56 Poetry of the People XIV Cbe Ctoa Corbtra As I was walking all alane, I heard twa corbies making a maen ; The tane into the t'ither did say, " Whaur shall we gang and dine the day? " " O doun beside yon auld fail dyke, I wot there lies a new-slain knight ; Nae living kens that he lies there, But his hawk, his hound, and his lady fair. " His hound is to the hunting gane, His hawk to fetch the wildfowl hame, His lady 's ta'en another mate, Sae we may mak' our dinner sweet " O we '11 sit on his white hause bane, And I '11 pyke out his bonny blue e'en, Wi' ae lock o' his gowden hair We '11 theek our nest when it blaws bare. " Mony a ane for him makes maen, But nane shall ken whaur he is gane ; Over his banes when they are bare, The wind shall blaw for evermair." Helen of Kirconnell 57 XV f)elni of fcirconncll I wad I were where Helen lies ; Night and day on me she cries ; O that I were where Helen lies On fair Kirconnell lea ! Curst be the heart that thought the thought, And curst the hand that fired the shot, When in my arms burd Helen dropt, And died to succor me ! think na ye my heart was sair When my love dropt down and spak nae mair ! 1 laid her down wi' meikle care On fair Kirconaell lea. As I went down the water-side, Nane but my foe to be my guide, Nane but my foe to be my guide, On fair Kirconnell lea ; I lighted down, my sword did draw, I hacked him in pieces sma', I hacked him in pieces sma', For her sake that died for me. Helen fair, beyond compare ! 1 '11 make a garland of thy hair Shall bind my heart for evermair Until the day I dee. 58 Poetry of the People O that I were where Helen lies! Night and day on me she cries ; Out of my bed she bids me rise, Says, " Haste and come to me ! " Helen fair! O Helen chaste ! If I were with thee, I were blest, Where thou lies low and takes thy rest On fair Kirconnell lea. 1 wad my grave were growing green, A winding-sheet drawn o'er my een, And I in Helen's arms lying, On fair Kirconnell lea. I wad I were where Helen lies ; Night and day on me she cries ; And I am weary of the skies, For her sake that died for me. XVI SEltfc of SlsIjrr'B fSSSell There lived a wife at Usher's Well, And a wealthy wife was she ; She had three stout and stalwart sons, And sent them o'er the sea. They hadna been a week from her, A week but barely ane, When word came to the carline wife That her three sons were gane, The Wife of Usher's Well 59 They hadna been a week from her, A week but barely three, When word came to the carlin wife That her sons she 'd never see. " I wish the wind may never cease, Nor fashes in the flood, Till my three sons come hame to me, In earthly flesh and blood." It fell about the Martinmass, When nights are lang and mirk, The carlin wife's three sons came hame, And their hats were o' the birk. It neither grew in syke nor ditch, Nor yet in ony sheugh ; But at the gates o' Paradise, That birk grew fair eneugh. " Blow up the fire, my maidens ! Bring water from the well ! For a' my house shall feast this night, Since my three sons are well." And she has made to them a bed, She 's made it large and wide, And she 's ta'en her mantle her about, Sat down at the bed-side. Up then crew the red, red cock, And up and crew the gray ; The eldest to the youngest said, " 'T is time we were away." 60 Poetry of the People The cock he hadna craw'd but once, And clapped his wings at a', When the youngest to the eldest said, " Brother, we must awa. " The cock doth craw, the day doth daw, The channerin worm doth chide ; Gin we be mist out o' our place, A sair pain we maun bide. " Fare ye weel, my mother dear ! Fareweel to barn and byre ! And fare ye weel, the bonny lass That kindles my mother's fire !" XVII SDenum laber " O, where hae ye been, my lang-lost love, This lang seven years an' more ? " " O, I 'm come to seek my former vows Ye granted me before." " O, haud your tongue o' your former vows, For they '11 breed bitter strife ; O, haud your tongue o' your former vows, For I am become a wife." He turned him right an' round about, And the tear blinded his e'e ; " I wad never hae trodden on Irish ground If it hadna been for thee. The Demon Lover 61 " I might hae had a king's daughter Far, far beyond the sea, I might hae had a king's daughter, Had it nae been for love o' thee." " If ye might hae had a king's daughter, YourseP ye hae to blame; Ye might hae taken the king's daughter, For ye kenn'd that I was nane." " O fause be the vows o' womankind, But fair is their fause bodie ; I wad never hae trodden on Irish ground Had it nae been for love o' thee." " If I was to leave my husband dear, And my twa babes also, O where is it ye would tak' me to, If I with thee should go? " " I hae seven ships upon the sea, The eighth brouct me to land, Wi' four-and-twenty bold mariners, And music of ilka hand." She has taken up her twa little babes. Kiss'd them baith cheek and chin ; " O fare ye weel, my ain twa babes, For I '11 never see you again." She set her foot upon the ship, No mariners could she behold ; But the sails were o' the taffetie, And the masts o' the beaten gold. 62 Poetry of the People " O how do you love the ship ? " he said, " O how do you love the sea ? And how do you love the bold mariners That wait upon thee and me ? " " O I do love the ship," she said, " And I do love the sea ; But wae to the dim mariners That naewhere I can see ! " They hadna sailed a league, a league, A league but barely three, When dismal grew his countenance, And drumly grew his e'e. The masts that were like the beaten gold, Bent not on the heaving seas ; The sails that were o' the taffetie Fill'd not in the east land breeze. They hadna sailed a league, a league, A league but barely three, Until she espied his cloven hoof, And she wept right bitterlie. " O haud your tongue o' your weeping," he says " O' your weeping now let me be ; I will show you how the lilies grow On the banks of Italy." " O what hills are yon, yon pleasant hills, That the sun shines sweetly on?" " O yon are the hills o' heaven," he said, * Where you will never win." The Demon Lover 63 " O what'n a mountain 's yon," she said, " Sae dreary wi' frost an' snow?" " O yon is the mountain o' hell," he cried, " Where you and I maun go ! " And aye when she turn'd her round about, Aye taller he seemed for to be ; Until that the tops o' that gallant ship Nae taller were than he. The clouds grew dark, and the wind grew loud, And the levin fill'd her e'e ; And waesome wail'd the snaw-white sprites Upon the gurlie sea. He strack tne tapmast wi' his hand, The foremast wi' his knee ; And he brak that gallant ship in twain, And sank her i' the sea. BOOK SECOND POEMS OF ENG- LAND: HISTORICAL AND PATRIOTIC XVIII >atoe t&e feinj God save our gracious King! Long live our noble King J God save the King ! Send him victorious, Happy and glorious, Long to reign over us ! God save the King ! O Lord our God, arise ! Scatter his enemies, And make them fall ; Confound their politics, Frustrate their knavish tricks On Thee our hopes we fix God save us all ! Thy choicest gifts in store On him be pleased to pour ; Long may he reign ! 65 66 Poetry of the People May he defend our laws, And ever give us cause To sing with heart and voice, God save the King ! XIX 1399 This royal throne of kings, this scepter'd isle, This earth of Majesty, this seat of Mars, This other Eden, demi-paradise, This fortress built by Nature for herself Against infection and the hand of war, This happy breed of men, this little world, This precious stone set in the silver sea, Which serves it in the office of a wall, Or as a moat defensive to a house, Against the envy of less happier lands, This blessed plot, this earth, this realm, this England, This nurse, this teeming womb of royal kings, Fear'd by their breed and famous by their birth, Renowned for their deeds as far from home, For Christian service and true chivalry, As is the sepulchre in stubborn Jewry Of the world's ransom, blessed Mary's Son ; This land of such dear souls, this dear" dear land, Dear for her reputation through the world, Is now leased out, I die pronouncing it, Like to a tenement or pelting farm : England, bound in with the triumphant sea, Henry the Fifth's Address before Harfleur 67 Whose rocky shore beats back the envious siege Of watery Neptune, is now bound in with shame, With inky blots and rotten parchment bonds : That England, that was wont to conquer others, Hath made a shameful conquest of itself. Ah, would the scandal vanish with my life, How happy then were my ensuing death ! Shakespeare XX tfce Jtft&'a SUftreas to &te iefore |)arfleur 1415 Once more unto the breach, dear friends, once more ; Or close the wall up with our English dead. In peace there 's nothing so becomes a man As modest stillness and humility : But when the blast of war blows in our ears, Then imitate the action of the tiger ; Stiffen the sinews, summon up the blood, Disguise fair nature with hard-favour'd rage ; Then lend the eye a terrible aspect ; Let it pry through the portage of the head Like the brass cannon ; let the brow o'erwhelm it As fearfully as doth a galled rock O'erhang and jutty his confounded base, Swill'd with the wild and wasteful ocean. Now set the teeth and stretch the nostril wide, Hold hard the breath and bend up every spirit To his full height. On, on, you noblest English, 68 Poetry of the People Whose blood is fet from fathers of war-proof ! Fathers that, like so many Alexanders, Have in these parts from morn till even fought And sheathed their swords for lack of argument : Dishonour not your mothers ; now attest That those whom you call'd fathers did beget you. Be copy now to men of grosser blood, And teach them how to war. And you, good yeomen, Whose limbs were made in England, show us here The mettle of your pasture ; let us swear That you are worth your breeding ; which I doubt not ; For there is none of you so mean and base, That hath not noble lustre in your eyes. I see you stand like greyhounds in the slips, Straining upon the start. The game 's afoot : Follow your spirit, and upon this charge Cry " God for Harry, England, and St. George ! " Shakespeare XXI feinff |)entj> t&e Jift& iiefore Slfffncottrt 1415 . . . He which hath no stomach to this fight, Let him depart; his passport shall be made And crowns for convoy put into his purse : We would not die in that man's company That fears his fellowship to die with us. This day is call'd the feast of Crispian : He that outlives this day, and comes safe home, Will stand a tip-toe when this day is named, King Henry the Fifth before Agincourt 69 And rouse him at the name of Crispian. He that shall live this day, and see old age, Will yearly on the vigil feast his neighbours, And say " To-morrow is Saint Crispian : " Then will he strip his sleeve and show his scars, And say "These wounds I had on Crispin's day." Old men forget ; yet all shall be forgot, But he '11 remember with advantages What feats he did that day : then shall our names, Familiar in his mouth as household words, Harry the king, Bedford and Exeter, Warwick and Talbot, Salisbury and Gloucester, Be in their flowing cups freshly remember'd. This story shall the good man teach his son ; And Crispin Crispian shall ne'er go by, From this day to the ending of the world, But we in it shall be remembered ; We few, we happy few, we band of brothers ; For he to-day that sheds his blood with me Shall be my brother ; be he ne'er so vile, This day shall gentle his condition : And gentlemen in England now a-bed Shall think themselves accursed they were not here, And hold their manhoods cheap whiles any speaks That fought with us upon Saint Crispin's day. Shakespeare 7 o Poetry of the People XXII Co tj)c Cambrio -Britons an* tbrir harp, I)ts of &fftnconrt 1415 Fair stood the wind for France, When we our sails advance, Nor now to prove our chance Longer will tarry ; But putting to the main, At Kaux, the mouth of Seine, With all his martial train, Landed King Harry. And taking many a fort, Furnished in warlike sort, Marched towards Agincourt In happy hour Skirmishing day by day With those that stopped his way Where the French gen'ral lay With all his power, Which in his height of pride, King Henry to deride, His ransom to provide To the king sending ; Which he neglects the while, As from a nation vile, Yet, with an angry smile, Their fall portending. The Ballad of Agincourt 7 i And turning to his men, Quoth our brave Henry then : " Though they to one be ten, Be not amazed. Yet have we well begun Battles so bravely won Have ever to the sun By fame been raised. " And for myself," quoth he, " This my full rest shall be ; England ne'er mourn for me, Nor more esteem me. Victor I will remain, Or on this earth lie slain ; Never shall she sustain Loss to redeem me. " Poitiers and Cressy tell, When most their pride did swell, Under our swords they fell ; No less our skill is Than when our grandsire great, Claiming the regal seat, By many a warlike feat Lopped the French lilies." The Duke of York so dread The eager vaward led ; With the main Henry sped, Amongst his henchmen. Excester had the rear A braver man not there : O Lord ! how hot they were On the false Frenchmen ! 7 2 Poetry of the People They now to fight are gone ; Armor on armor shone, Drum now to drum did groan To hear was wonder ; That with cries they make The very earth did shake ; Trumpet to trumpet spake, Thunder to thunder. Well it thine age became, O noble Erpingham! Which did the signal aim To our hid forces ; When, from a meadow by, Like a storm suddenly, The English archery Stuck the French horses, With Spanish yew so strong, Arrows a cloth-yard long, That like to serpents stung, Piercing the weather ; None from his fellow starts, But playing manly parts, And like true English hearts, Stuck close together. When down their bows they threw, And forth their bilbows drew, And on the French they flew, Not one was tardy : Arms were from shoulders sent ; Scalps to the teeth were rent ; Down the French peasants went ; Our men were hardy. The Ballad of Agincourt 7 3 This while our noble king, His broadsword brandishing, Down the French host did ding, As to o'erwhelm it; And many a deep wound lent, His arms with blood besprent, And many a cruel dent Bruised his helmet. Glo'ster, that duke so good, Next of the royal blood, For famous England stood, With his brave brother, Clarence, in steel so bright, Though but a maiden knight, Yet in that furious fight Scarce such another. Warwick in blood did wade, Oxford the foe invade, And cruel slaughter made, Still as they ran up ; Suffolk his axe did ply ; Beaumont and Willoughby Bare them right doughtily, Ferrers and Fanhope. Upon Saint Crispin's day Fought was this noble fray, Which fame did not delay To England to carry ; Oh, when shall Englishmen With such acts fill a pen, Or England breed again Such a King Harry ! Michael Drayton 74 Poetry of the People XXIII A BALLAD OF THE FLEET, 1591 At Floras in the Azores, Sir Richard Grenville lay, And a pinnace, like a fluttered bird, came flying from far away: " Spanish ships-of-war at sea ! we have sighted fifty- three ! " Then sware Lord Thomas Howard : " 'Fore God I am no coward ; But I cannot meet them here, for my ships are out of gear, And the half my men are sick. I must fly, but follow quick. We are six ships of the line ; can we fight with fifty-three ? " Then spake Sir Richard Grenville : " I know you are no coward ; You fly them for a moment to fight with them again. But I 've ninety men and more that are lying sick ashore. I should count myself the coward if I left them, my Lord Howard, To these Inquisition dogs and the devildoms of Spain." So Lord Howard passed away with five ships of war that day, Till he melted like a cloud in the silent summer heaven ; But Sir Richard bore in hand all his sick men from the land Very carefully and slow, Men of Bideford in Devon, And we laid them on the ballast down below ; The "Revenge" 75 For we brought them all aboard, And they blest him in their pain, that they were not left to Spain, To the thumbscrew and the stake, for the glory of the Lord. He had only a hundred seamen to work the ship and to fight, And he sailed away from Flores till the Spaniard came in sight, With his huge sea-castles heaving upon the weather bow. " Shall we fight or shall we fly? Good Sir Richard, tell us now, For to fight is but to die ! There '11 be little of us left by the time this sun be set." And Sir Richard said again : " We be all good Englishmen. Let us bang these dogs of Seville, the children of the devil, For I never turned my back upon Don or devil yet." Sir Richard spoke and he laughed, and we roared a hurrah, and so The little Revenge ran on sheer into the heart of the foe, With her hundred fighters on deck, and her ninety sick below ; For half of their fleet to the right and half to the left were seen, And the little Revenge ran on through the long sea-lane between. Thousands of their soldiers looked down from their decks and laughed, Thousands of their seamen made mock at the mad little craft 76 Poetry of the People Running on and on, till delayed By their mountain-like San Philip that, of fifteen hundred tons, And up-shadowing high above us with her yawning tiers of guns, Took the breath from our sails, and we stayed. And while now the great San Philip hung above us like a cloud, Whence the thunderbolt will fall Long and loud, Four galleons drew away From the Spanish fleet that day, And two upon the larboard and two upon the starboard lay, And the battle-thunder broke from them all. But anon the great San Philip, she bethought herself and went, Having that within her womb that had left her ill-content; And the rest they came aboard us, and they fought us hand to hand, For a dozen times they came with their pikes and musque- teers, And a dozen times we shook 'em off as a dog that shakes his ears, When he leaps from the water to the land. And the sun went down, and the stars came out far over the summer sea, But never a moment ceased the fight of the one and the fifty-three. The "Revenge" 77 Ship after ship, the whole night long, their high-built gal- leons came, Ship after ship, the whole night long, with her battle-thunder and flame ; Ship after ship, the whole night long, drew back with her dead and her shame, For some wece sunk and many were shattered, and so could fight us no more God of battles, was ever a battle like this in the world before ? For he said " Fight on ! fight on ! " Tho' his vessel was all but a wreck ; And it chanced that, when half of the summer night was gone, With a grisly wound to be drest, he had left the deck, But a bullet struck him that was dressing it suddenly dead, And himself, he was wounded again in the side and the head, And he said, " Fight on ! fight on ! " And the night went down, and the sun smiled out far over the summer sea, And the Spanish fleet with broken sides lay round us all in a ring ; But they dared not touch us again, for they feared that we still could sting, So they watched what the end would be. And we had not fought them in vain, But in perilous plight were we, Seeing forty of our poor hundred were slain, 78 Poetry of the. People And half cf the rest of us maim'd for life In the crash of the cannonades and the desperate strife ; And the sick men down in the hold were most of them stark and cold, And the pikes were all broken or bent, and the powder was all of it spent ; And the masts and the rigging were lying over the side ; But Sir Richard cried in his English pride, " We have fought such a fight, for a day and a night, As may never be fought again ! We have won great glory, my men ! And a day less or more At sea or ashore, We die does it matter when ? Sink me the ship, Master Gunner sink her, split her in twain ! Fall into the hands of God, not into the hands of Spain ! " And the gunner said, " Ay, ay," but the seamen made reply : " We have children, we have wives, And the Lord hath spared our lives. We will make the Spaniard promise, if we yield, to let us go; We shall live to fight again and to strike another blow." And the lion there lay dying, and they yielded to the foe. And the stately Spanish men to their flagship bore him then, Where they laid him by the mast, old Sir Richard caught at last, And they praised him to his face with their courtly foreign grace; The "Revenge" 79 But he rose upon their decks, and he cried : " I have fought for Queen and Faith like a valiant man and true; I have only done my duty as a man is bound to do : With a joyful spirit I, Sir Richard Grenville, die!" And he fell upon their decks, and he died. And they stared at the dead that had been so valiant and true, And had holden the power and glory of Spain so cheap That he dared he"r with one little ship and his English few ; Was he devil or man ? He was devil for aught they knew, But they sank his body with honor down into the deep, And they manned the Revenge with a swarthier, alien crew, And away she sail'd with her loss and long'd for her own ; When a wind from the lands they had ruin'd awoke from sleep, And the water began to heave and the weather to moan, And or ever that evening ended, a great gale blew, And a wave like the wave that is raised by an earthquake grew, Till it smote on their hulls and their sails and their masts and their flags, And the whole sea plunged and fell on the shot-shatter 'd navy of Spain, And the little Revenge herself went down by the island crags To be lost evermore in the main. Alfred Tennyson 8o Pottry of the People XXIV <0ite a House 1642-1649 King Charles, and who '11 do him right now? King Charles, and who 's ripe for fight now? Give a rouse : here 's, in hell's despite now, King Charles 1 Who gave me the goods that went since ? Who raised me the house that sank once ? Who helped me to gold I spent since? Who found me in wine you drank once? Chorus King Charles, and who '11 do him right now ? King Charles, and who 's ripe for fight now ? Give a rouse : here 's, in hell's despite now, King Charles ! To whom used my boy George quaff else, By the old fool's side that begot him ? For whom did he cheer and laugh else, While Noll's damned troopers shot him? Chorus King Charles, and who '11 do him right now ? King Charles, and who 's ripe for fight now ? Give a rouse : here 's, in hell's despite now, King Charles ! Robert Browning The Sally from Coventry 81 XXV C&e Sallp from Cotoenttp " Passion o' me ! " cried Sir Richard Tyrone, Spurning the sparks from the broad paving-stone, " Better turn nurse and rock children to sleep, Than yield to a rebel old Coventry Keep. No, by my halidom, no one shall say, Sir Richard Tyrone gave a city away." Passion o' me ! how he pulled at his beard, Fretting and chafing if any one sneered, Clapping his breastplate and shaking his fist, Giving his grizzly moustachios a twist, Running the protocol through with his steel, Grinding the letter to mud with his heel. Then he roared out for a pottle of sack, Clapped the old trumpeter twice on the back, Leaped on his bay with a dash and a swing, Bade all the bells in the city to ring, And when the red flag from the steeple went down, Open they flung every gate in the town. To boot ! and to horse ! and away like a flood, A fire in their eyes, and a sting in their blood ; Hurrying out with a flash and a flare, A roar of hot guns, a loud trumpeter's blare, And first, sitting proud as a king on his throne, At the head of them all dashed Sir Richard Tyrone. Crimson and yellow, and purple and dun, Fluttering scarf, flowing bright in the sun, 82 Poetry of the People Steel like a mirror on brow and on breast, Scarlet and white on their feather and crest, Banner that blew in a torrent of red, Borne by Sir Richard, who rode at their head. The " trumpet " went down with a gash on his poll, Struck by the parters of body and soul. Forty saddles were empty ; the horses ran red With foul Puritan blood from the slashes that bled. Curses and cries and a gnashing of teeth, A grapple and stab on the slippery heath, And Sir Richard leaped up on the fool that went down, Proud as a conqueror donning his crown. They broke them a way through a flooding of fire, Trampling the best blood of London to mire, When suddenly rising a smoke and a blaze, Made all " the dragon's sons " stare in amaze : " O ho ! " quoth Sir Richard, " my city grows hot, I 've left it rent paid to the villanous Scot." Walter Thornbury XXVI C&c battle of J&aeebp BY OBADIAH BIND-THEIR-KINGS-IN-CHAINS-AND-THEIR- NoBLES-wiTH-LiNKS-OF-lRON, Sergeant in Ireton's Regiment 1645 Oh ! wherefore come ye forth in triumph from the north, With your hands, and your feet, and your raiment all red ? And wherefore doth your rout send forth a joyous shout ? And whence be the grapes of the wine-press which ye tread? The Battle of ' Naseby 83 Oh ! evil was the root, and bitter was the fruit, And crimson was the juice of the vintage that we trod ; For we trampled on the throng of the haughty and the strong, Who sate in the high places and slew the saints of God. It was about the noon of a glorious day of June, That we saw their banners dance and their cuirasses shine, And the Man of Blood was there, with his long essenced hair, And Astley, and Sir Marmaduke, and Rupert of the Rhine. Like a servant of the Lord, with his Bible and his sword, The general rode along us to form us to the fight ; When a murmuring sound broke out, and swelled into a shout Among the godless horsemen upon the tyrant's right. And hark ! like the roar of the billows on the shore, The cry of battle rises along their charging line : For God ! for the Cause ! for the Church ! for the Laws ! For Charles, King of England, and Rupert of the Rhine ! The furious German comes, with his clarions and his drums, His bravoes of Alsatia and pages of Whitehall ; They are bursting on our flanks ! Grasp your pikes ! Close your ranks ! For Rupert never comes but to conquer or to fall. They are here they rush on we are broken we are gone Our left is borne before them like stubble on the blast. O Lord, put forth thy might ! O Lord, defend the right ! Stand back to back, in God's name ! and fight it to the last ! 84 Poetry of the People Stout Skippon hath a wound the centre hath given ground. Hark! hark 1 what means the trampling of horsemen on our rear ? Whose banner do I see, boys? 'T is he! thank God! 'tis he, boys ! Bear up another minute ! Brave Oliver is here ! Their heads all stooping low, their points all in a row : Like a whirlwind on the trees, like a deluge on the dikes, Our cuirassiers have burst on the ranks of the Accurst, And at a shock have scattered the forest of his pikes. Fast, fast, the gallants ride, in some safe nook to hide Their coward heads, predestined to rot on Temple Bar ; And he he turns ! he flies ! shame on those cruel eyes That bore to look on torture, and dare not look on war! Ho, comrades ! scour the plain ; and ere ye strip the slain, First give another stab to make your search secure ; Then shake from sleeves and pockets their broad-pieces and lockets, The tokens of the wanton, the plunder of the poor. Fools ! your doublets shone with gold, and your hearts were gay and bold, When you kissed your lily hands to your lemans to-day ; And to-morrow shall the fox from her chambers in the rocks Lead forth her tawny cubs to howl above the prey. Where be your tongues that late mocked at heaven, and hell, and fate ? And the fingers that once were so busy with your blades? Your perfumed satin clothes, your catches and your oaths ? Your stage plays and your sonnets, your diamonds and your spades? The Three Troopers 85 Down ! down ! for ever down, with the mitre and the crown ! With the Belial of the court, and the Mammon of the Pope! There is woe in Oxford halls, there is wail in Durham's stalls ; The Jesuit smites his bosom, the bishop rends his cope. And she of the seven hills shall mourn her children's ills, And tremble when she thinks on the edge of England's sword ; And the kings of earth in fear shall shudder when they hear What the hand of God hath wrought for the Houses and the Word ! Lord Macaulay XXVII &ree dCroopera [DURING THE PROTECTORATE, 1653-1658] Into the Devil tavern Three booted troopers strode, From spur to feather spotted and splashed With the mud of a winter road. In each of their cups they dropped a crust, And stared at the guests with a frown ; Then drew their swords, and roared for a toast, " God send this Crum-well-down !" A blue smoke rose from their pistol locks, Their sword blades were still wet ; There were long red smears on their jerkins of buff, As they the table overset. 86 Poetry of the People Then into their cups they stirred the crusts, And cursed old London town ; They waved their swords, and drank with a stamp, " God send this Crum-well-down ! " The 'prentice dropped his can of beer, The host turned pale as a clout ; The ruby nose of the toping squires Grew white at the wild men's shout. Then into their cups they flung their crusts, And shewed their teeth with a frown ; They flashed their swords as they gave the toast, " God send this Crum-well-down ! " The gambler dropped his dog's-ear'd cards, The waiting-women screamed, As the light of the fire, like stains of blood, On the wild men's sabres gleamed. Then into their cups they splashed their crusts, And cursed the fool of a town, And leapt on the table, and roared a toast, " God send this Crum-well-down ! " Till on a sudden fire-bells rang, And the troopers sprang to horse The eldest muttered between his teeth, Hot curses deep and coarse. In their stirrup cups they flung the crusts, And cried as they spurred through the town, With their keen swords drawn and their pistols cocked, " God send this Crum-well-down ! " The British Grenadiers 87 Away they dashed through Temple Bar, Their red cloaks flowing free, Their scabbards clashed, each back-piece shone None like to touch the three. The silver cups that held the crusts They flung to the startled town, Shouting again, with a blaze of swords, " God send this Crum-well-down ! " Walter Thornbury XXVIII (EJrenaitere c. 1690 Some talk of Alexander, and some of Hercules ; Of Hector and Lysander, and such great names as these ; But of all the world's brave heroes, there 's none that can compare, With a tow, row, row, row, row, row, to the British Grenadier. Those heroes of antiquity ne'er saw a cannon ball, Or knew the force of powder to slay their foes withal ; But our brave boys do know it, and banish all their fears, Sing tow, row, row, row, row, row, for the British Grenadiers. Whene'er we are commanded to storm the palisades, Our leaders march with fusees, and we with hand grenades ; We throw them from the glacis, about the enemies' ears, Sing tow, row, row, row, row, row, for the British Grenadiers. 88 Poetry of the People And when the siege is over, we to the town repair, The townsmen cry Hurra, boys, here comes a Grenadier, Here come the Grenadiers, my boys, who know no doubts or fears, Then sing tow, row, row, row, row, row, for the British Grenadiers. Then let us fill a bumper and drink a health to those Who carry caps and pouches, and wear the louped clothes ; May they and their commanders live happy all their years, With a tow, row, row, row, row, row, for the British Grenadiers. Anonymous XXIX Ettle, -Britannia 1740 When Britain first, at Heaven's command, Arose from out the azure main, This was the charter of the land, And guardian angels sung this strain: " Rule, Britannia, rule the waves, Britons never will be slaves. " The nations not so blessed as thee Must in their turn to tyrants fall ; While thou shalt flourish great and free, The dread and envy of them all. Rule, Britannia, rule the waves, Britons never will be slaves. Rule, Britannia! 89 " Still more majestic shalt thou rise, More dreadful from each foreign stroke ; As the loud blast that tears the skies Serves but to root thy native oak. Rule, Britannia, rule the waves, Britons never will be slaves. " Thee haughty tyrants ne'er shall tame : All their attempts to bend thee down Will but arouse thy generous flame, But work their woe and thy renown. Rule, Britannia, rule the waves, Britons never will be slaves. " To thee belongs the rural reign ; Thy cities shall with commerce shine : All thine shall be the subject main, And every shore it circles, thine. Rule, Britannia, rule the waves, Britons never will be slaves. . " The Muses, still with freedom found, Shall to thy happy coast repair : Blessed isle! with matchless beauty crowned, And manly hearts to guard the fair. Rule, Britannia, rule the waves, Britons never will be slaves." James Thomson 90 Poetry of the People XXX toe, SISftrttten in t&e pear 1746 How sleep the brave who sink to rest, By all their country's wishes blest ! When Spring, with dewy fingers cold, Returns to deck their hallowed mould, She there shall dress a sweeter sod Than Fancy's feet have ever trod. By fairy hands their knell is rung, By forms unseen their dirge is sung: There Honor conies, a pilgrim gray, To bless the turf that wraps their clay ; And Freedom shall awhile repair, To dwell a weeping hermit there ! William Collins XXXI Battle of tbc -Baltic 1801 Of Nelson and the North Sing the glorious day's renown, When to battle fierce came forth All the might of Denmark's crown, And her arms along the deep proudly shone ; By each gun the lighted brand In a bold, determined hand, And the Prince of all the land Led them on. Battle of the Baltic 9 1 Like leviathans afloat Lay their bulwarks on the brine ; While the sign of battle flew On the lofty British line It was ten of April morn by the chime ; As they drifted on their path There was silence deep as death, And the boldest held his breath For a time. But the might of England flushed To anticipate the scene ; And her van the fleeter rushed O'er the deadly space between. " Hearts of oak ! " our captain cried, when each gun From its adamantine lips Spread a death-shade round the ships, Like the hurricane eclipse Of the sun. Again! again! again! And the havoc did not slack, Till a feeble cheer the Dane To our cheering sent us back ; Their shots along the deep slowly boom : Then ceased and all is wail, As they strike the shattered sail, Or in conflagration pale, Light the gloom. Out spoke the victor then, As he hailed them o'er the wave : " Ye are brothers ! ye are men ! And we conquer but to save ; 92 Poetry of the People So peace instead of death let us bring : But yield, proud foe, thy fleet, With the crews, at England's feet, And make submission meet To our King." Then Denmark blessed our chief, That he gave her wounds repose ; And the sounds of joy and grief From her people wildly rose, As death withdrew his shades from the day : While the sun looked smiling bright O'er a wide and woeful sight, Where the fires of funeral light Died away. Now joy, old England, raise ! For the tidings of thy might, By the festal cities' blaze, Whilst the wine-cup shines in light ; And yet, amidst that joy and uproar, Let us think of them that sleep Full many a fathom deep, By thy wild and stormy steep, Elsinore ! Brave hearts ! to Britain's pride Once so faithful and so true, On the deck of fame that died, With the gallant, good Riou : Soft sigh the winds of heaven o'er their grave ! While the billow mournful rolls, And the mermaid's song condoles, Singing glory to the souls Of the brave ! Thomas Campbell Ye Mariners of England 93 XXXII P* partners of SnglanB 1805 Ye mariners of England, That guard our native seas, Whose flag has braved, a thousand years, The battle and the breeze, Your glorious standard launch again, To match another foe ! And sweep through the deep While the stormy winds do blow While the battle rages loud and long, And the stormy winds do blow. The spirits of your fathers Shall start from every wave ! For the deck it was their field of fame, And ocean was their grave. Where Blake and mighty Nelson fell Your manly hearts shall glow, As ye sweep through the deep While the stormy winds do blow While the battle rages loud and long, And the stormy winds do blow. Britannia needs no bulwarks, No towers along the steep ; Her march is o'er the mountain-wave, Her home is on the deep. With thunders from her native oak 94 Poetry of the People She quells the iloods below, As they roar on the shore When the stormy winds do blow When the battle rages loud and long, And the storm)' winds do blow. The meteor fla|; of England Shall yet terrific burn, Till danger's troubled night depart, And the star of peace return. Then, then, ye ocean- warriors ! Our song and feast shall flow To the fame of your name, When the storm has ceased to blow When the fiery fight is heard no more, And the storm has ceased to blow. Thomas Campbell XXXIII Character of Ihe fjjappp SISIarrior Who is the happy Warrior ? Who is he That every man in arms should wish to be ? It is the generouii spirit, who, when brought Among the tasks of real life, hath wrought Upon the plan that pleased his childish thought : Whose high endeavors are an inward light That makes the path before him always bright : Who, with a natural instinct to discern What knowledge can perform, is diligent to learn ; Abides by this resolve, and stops not there, But makes his moral being his prime care ; Character of the Happy Warrior 95 Who, doomed to go in company with Pain And Fear and Bloodshed, miserable train! Turns his necessity to glorious gain ; In face of these doth exercise a power Which is our human nature's highest dower ; Controls them and subdues, transmutes, bereaves Of their bad influence, and their good receives : By objects which might force the soul to abate Her feeling rendered more compassionate ; Is placable because occasions rise So often that demand such sacrifice ; More skilful in self-knowledge, even more pure, As tempted more ; more able to endure, As more exposed to suffering and distress ; Thence, also, more alive to tenderness. 'T is he whose law is reason ; who depends Upon that law as on the best of friends ; Whence, in a state where men are tempted still To evil for a guard against worse ill, And what in quality or act is best Doth seldom on a right foundation rest, He fixes good on good alone, and owes To virtue every triumph that he knows : Who, if he rise to station of command, Rises by open means ; and there will stand On honorable terms, or else retire, And in himself possess his own desire ; Who comprehends his trust, and to the same Keeps faithful with a singleness of aim, And therefore does not stoop, nor lie in wait For wealth, or honors, or for worldly state ; Whom they must follow ; on whose head must fall, Like showers of manna, if they come at all : g6 Poetry of the People Whose powers shed round him in the common strife, Or mild concerns of ordinary life, A constant influence, a peculiar grace ; But who, if he be called upon to face Some awful moment to which Heaven has joined Great issues, good or bad for human-kind, Is happy as a lover ; and attired With sudden brightness, like a man inspired ; And, through the heat of conflict, keeps the law In calmness made, and sees what he foresaw ; Or, if an unexpected call succeed, Come when it will, is equal to the need : He who, though thus endued, as with a sense And faculty for storm and turbulence, Is yet a Soul whose master-bias leans To homefelt pleasures and to gentle scenes ; Sweet images ! which, wheresoe'er he be, Are at his heart ; and such fidelity It is his darling passion to approve ; More brave for this, that he hath much to love. 'T is, finally, the man, who, lifted high, Conspicuous object in a Nation's eye, Or left unthought-of in obscurity, Who, with a toward or untoward lot, Prosperous or adverse, to his wish or not, Plays, in the many games of life, that one Where what he most doth value must be won: Whom neither shape of danger can dismay, Nor thought of tender happiness betray : Who, not content that former worth stand fast, Looks forward, persevering to the last, From well to better, daily self-surpassed : Who, whether praise of him must walk the earth The Burial of Sir John Moore at Corunna 97 Forever, and to noble deeds give birth, Or he must go to dust without his fame, And leave a dead, unprofitable name, Finds comfort in himself and in his cause ; And, while the mortal mist is gathering, draws His breath in confidence of Heaven's applause : This is the happy warrior ; this is he Whom every man in arms should wish to be. William Wordsworth XXXIV Burial of S>ir ^oljn JHoorc at Conmna 1809 Not a drum was heard, not a funeral note, As his corse to the rampart we hurried ; Not a soldier discharged his farewell shot O'er the grave where our hero we buried. We buried him darkly at dead of night, The sod with our bayonets turning ; By the struggling moonbeam's misty light, And the lantern dimly burning. No useless coffin enclosed his breast, Not in sheet nor in shroud we wound him ; But he lay like a warrior taking his rest, With his martial cloak around him. Few and short were the prayers we said, And we spoke not a word of sorrow ; But we steadfastly gazed on the face that was dead, And we bitterly thought of the morrow. 98 Poetry of the People We thought, as we hollowed his narrow bed, And smoothed down his lonely pillow, That the foe and the stranger would tread o'er his head, And we far away on the billow ! Lightly they '11 talk of the spirit that 's gone, And o'er his cold ashes upbraid him ; But little he '11 reck if they let him sleep on, In the grave where a Briton has laid him. But half of our heavy task was done, When the clock struck the hour for retiring ; And we heard the distant and random gun That the foe was sullenly firing. Slowly and sadly we laid him down, From the field of his fame fresh and gory ; We carved not a line, and we raised not a stone But we left him alone in his glory 1 Charles Wolfe XXXV J left of 1815 Stop! for thy tread is on an Empire's dust! An Earthquake's spoil is sepulchred below ! Is the spot marked with no colossal bust ? Nor column trophied for triumphal show ? None ; but the moral's truth tells simpler so, As the ground was before, thus let it be ; How that red rain hath made the harvest grow ! The Field of Waterloo 99 i And is this all the world has g ained by thee, Thou first and last of fields ! king-making Victory? There was a sound of revelry by night, And Belgium's capital had gathered then Her Beauty and her Chivalry, and bright The lamps shone o'er fair women and brave men. A thousand hearts beat happily ; and when Music arose with its voluptuous swell, Soft eyes looked love to eyes which spake again, And all went merry as a marriage bell ; But hush! hark! a deep sound strikes like a rising knell ! Did ye not hear it ? No ; 't was but the wind, Or the car rattling o'er the stony street ; On with the dance ! let joy be unconfined ; No sleep till morn, when Youth and Pleasure meet To chase the glowing Hours with flying feet. But hark! that heavy sound breaks in once more, As if the clouds its echo would repeat ; And nearer, clearer, deadlier than before ; Arm! arm ! it is it is the cannon's opening roar ! Within a windowed niche of that high hall Sate Brunswick's fated chieftain ; he did hear That sound the first amidst the festival, And caught its tone with Death's prophetic ear ; And when they smiled because he deemed it near, His heart more truly knew that peal too well Which stretched his father on a bloody bier, And roused the vengeance blood alone could quell : He rushed into the field, and, foremost fighting, fell. ioo Poetry of the People Ah! then and there was hurrying to and fro, And gathering tears, and tremblings of distress, And cheeks all pale, which, but an hour ago, Blushed at the praise of their own loveliness. And there were sudden partings, such as press The life from out young hearts, and choking sighs Which ne'er might be repeated ; who would guess If ever more should meet those mutual eyes, Since upon night so sweet such awful morn could rise ! And there was mounting in hot haste ; the steed, The mustering squadron, and the clattering car, Went pouring forward with impetuous speed, And swiftly forming in the ranks of war ; And the deep thunder, peal on peal afar ; And near, the beat of the alarming drum Roused up the soldier ere the morning star ; While thronged the citizens with terror dumb, Or whispering, with white lips " The foe ! they come ! they come ! " And wild and high the " Cameron's gathering " rose ! The war-note of Lochiel, which Albyn's hills Have heard, and heard, too, have her Saxon foes How in the noon of night that pibroch thrills, Savage and shrill ! but with the breath which fills Their mountain-pipe, so fill the mountaineers With the fierce native daring which instils The stirring memory of a thousand years ; And Evan's, Donald's fame rings in each clansman's ears. And Ardennes waves above them her green leaves, Dewy with nature's tear-drops, as they pass, Grieving, if aught inanimate e'er grieves, Over the unreturning brave alas ! The Lost Leader 101 Ere evening to be trodden like the grass Which now beneath them, but above shall grow In its next verdure, when this fiery mass Of living valor rolling on the foe, And burning with high hope, shall moulder cold and low. Last noon beheld them full of lusty life, Last eve in Beauty's circle proudly gay ; The midnight brought the signal-sound of strife, The morn the marshaling in arms, the day Battle's magnificently-stern array! The thunder-clouds close o'er it, which, when rent, The earth is covered thick with other clay, Which her own clay shall cover, heaped and pent, Rider and horse, friend, foe, in one red burial blent ! Lord Byron XXXVI C&e lost IcaUer Just for a handful of silver he left us, Just for a riband to stick in his coat Found the one gift of which fortune bereft us, Lost all the others she lets us devote ; They, with the gold to give, doled him out silver, So much was theirs who so little allowed : How all our copper had gone for his service ! Rags were they purple, his heart had been proud ! We that had loved him so, followed him, honored him, Lived in his mild and magnificent eye, Learned his great language, caught his clear accents, Made him our pattern to live and to die ! IO2 Shakespeare was of us, Milton was for us, Burns, Shelley, were with us, they watch from their graves ! He alone breaks from the van and the freemen, He alone sinks to the rear and the slaves 1 We shall march prospering, not thro' his presence; Songs may inspirit us, not from his lyre ; Deeds will be done, while he boasts his quiescence, Still bidding crouch whom the rest bade aspire : Blot out his name, then, record one lost soul more, One task more declined, one more footpath untrod, One more devil's-triumph and sorrow for angels, One wrong more to man, one more insult to God ! Life's night begins : let him never come back to us ! There would be doubt, hesitation and pain, Forced praise on our part the glimmer of twilight, Never glad confident morning again ! Best fight on well, for we taught him strike gallantly Menace our heart ere we master his own ; Then let him receive the new knowledge and wait us, Pardoned in heaven, the first by the throne ! Robert Browning XXXVII ^tutorial Serge* on t&e >eat& of S5BorB6toatt& 1850 Goethe in Weimar sleeps, and Greece, Long since, saw Byron's struggle cease. But one such death remained to come The last poetic voice is dumb, We stand to-day by Wordsworth's tomb. Memorial Verses on the Death of Wordsworth 103 When Byron's eyes were shut in death, We bowed our head and held our breath. He taught us little ; but our soul Had/2r// him like the thunder's roll. With shivering heart the strife we saw Of passion with eternal law ; And yet with reverential awe We watched the fount of fiery life Which served for that Titanic strife. When Goethe's death was told, we said: Sunk, then, is Europe's sagest head. Physician of the iron age, Goethe has done his pilgrimage. He took the suffering human race, He read each wound, each weakness clear; And struck his finger on the place, And said : Thou ailest here, and here! He looked on Europe's dying hour Of fitful dream and feverish power ; His eye plunged down the weltering strife, The turmoil of expiring life He said : The end is everywhere, Art still has truth, take refuge there! And he was happy, if to know Causes of things, and far below His feet to see the lurid flow Of terror, and insane distress, And headlong fate, be happiness. And Wordsworth ! Ah, pale ghosts, rejoice ! For never has such soothing voice Been to your shadowy world conveyed, Since erst, at morn, some wandering shade 104 Poetry of the People Heard the clear song of Orpheus come Through Hades, and the mournful gloom. Wordsworth has gone from us and ye, Ah, may ye feel his voice as we 1 He too upon a wintry clime Had fallen on this iron time Of doubts, disputes, distractions, fears. He found us when the age had bound Our souls in its benumbing round ; He spoke, and loosed our heart in tears. He laid us as we lay at birth On the cool flowery lap of earth, Smiles broke from us and we had ease ; The hills were round us, and the breeze Went o'er the sun-lit fields again ; Our foreheads felt the wind and rain. Our youth returned ; for there was shed On spirits that had long been dead, Spirits dried up and closely furled, The freshness of the early world. Ah ! since dark days still bring to light Man's prudence and man's fiery might, Time may restore us in his course Goethe's sage mind and Byron's force ; But where will Europe's latter hour Again find Wordsworth's healing power ? Others will teach us how to dare, And against fear our breast to steel ; Others will strengthen us to bear But who, ah ! who, will make us feel ? The cloud of mortal destiny, Others will front it fearlessly But who, like him, will put it by? Ode on the Death of the Duke of Wellington 105 Keep fresh the grass upon his grave O Rotha, with thy living wave ! Sing him thy best ! for few or none Hears thy voice right, now he is gone. Matthew Arnold XXXVIII He on tbe >eat|) of t(je )ttfee of SSIeUtnjrton 1852 Bury the Great Duke With an empire's lamentation, Let us bury the Great Duke To the noise of the mourning of a mighty nation, Mournig when their leaders fall, Warriors carry the warrior's pall, And sorrow darkens hamlet and hall. Where shall we lay the man whom we deplore ? Here, in streaming London's central roar. Let the sound of those he wrought for, And the feet of those he fought for, Echo round his bones for evermore.