15 Where the midge dares not venture, You may esteem him A child for his might; Or you may deem him A coward for his flight; But if she, whom love doth honour, IV. LORD THOMAS AND FAIR ANNET, A SCOTTISH BALLAD, -seems to be composed (not without improvements) out of two ancient English ones, printed in the former part of this volume. See Book I. Ballad XV. and Book II. Ballad IV.- -If this had been the original, the authors of those two ballads would hardly have adopted two such different stories: besides, this contains enlargements not to be found in either of the others. It is given with some corrections, from a MS. copy transmitted from Scotland. LORD Thomas and fair Annet Sate a' day on a hill; Whan night was cum, and sun was sett, Lord Thomas said a word in jest, Fair Annet took it ill: 'Gif ye wull nevir wed a wife, 'O rede, O rede, mither,' he says, O sall I tak the nut-browne bride, And let faire Annet bee?' The nut-browne bride haes gowd and gear, Fair Annet she has gat nane; And the little beauty fair Annet has, And he has till his brother gane: O sall I marrie the nut browne bride, 'The nut-browne bride has oxen, brother, I wad hae ye marrie the nut-browne bride, 'Her oxen may dye i̇' the house, Billie, And her kye into the byre; And I sall hae nothing to my sell, Bot a fat fadge by the fyre.' And he has till his sister gane: 'Now, sister, rede ye mee; O sall I marrie the nut-browne bride, 35 And set faire Annet free?' 'Ise rede ye tak fair Annet, Thomas, And let the browne bride alane; Lest ye sould sigh and say, Alace! What is this we brought hame?' 'No, I will tak my mithers counsèl, Up then rose fair Annets father 40 45 'Rise up, rise up, fair Annet,' he says, 'Put on your silken sheene; Let us gae to St. Maries kirke, And see that rich weddeen.' 'My maides, gae to my dressing roome, My maids, gae to my dressing room, The one half is o' the holland fine, The horse fair Annet rade upon, Four and twanty siller bells Wer a' tyed till his mane, And yae tift o' the norland wind, Four and twanty gay gude knichts Rade by fair Annets side, And four and twanty fair ladies, And whan she cam to Maries kirk, She sat on Maries stean: The cleading that fair Annet had on 75 It skinkled in their een. And whan she cam into the kirk, She shimmer'd like the sun; The belt that was about her waist, Was a' wi' pearles bedone. She sat her by the nut-browne bride, He had a rose into his hand, And he gave it kisses three, And reaching by the nut-browne bride, Up than spak the nut-browne bride, And whair gat ye that rose-water, 'O I did get the rose-water, Whair ye wull neir get nane, For I did get that very rose-water Into my mithers wame.' The bride she drew a long bodkin, And strake fair Annet unto the heart, Lord Thomas he saw fair Annet wex pale, But whan he saw her dear hearts blude, A' wood-wroth wexed hee. 80 85 90 95 100 |