| |
| O WOW for day! | |
| And, dear, gin it were day! | |
| Gin it were day, and I were away— | |
| For I ha’ na lang time to stay. | |
| |
I
AS it fell on one holy-day, | 5 |
| As many be in the year, | |
| When young men and maids together did go | |
| Their matins and mass to hear, | |
| |
II
Little Musgrave came to the church-door— | |
| The priest was at private mass— | 10 |
| But he had more mind of the fair women | |
| Then he had of Our Lady’s grace. | |
| |
III
The one of them was clad in green, | |
| Another was clad in pall, | |
| And then came in my Lord Barnard’s wife, | 15 |
| The fairest amongst them all. | |
| |
IV
She cast an eye on Little Musgrave | |
| As bright as the summer sun; | |
| And then bethought him Little Musgrave, | |
| ‘This lady’s heart have I won.’ | 20 |
| |
V
Quoth she, ‘I have loved thee, Little Musgrave, | |
| Full long and many a day.’— | |
| ‘So have I loved you, fair ladye, | |
| Yet never word durst I say.’— | |
| |
VI
‘But I have a bower at Bucklesfordberry, | 25 |
| Full daintily it is dight; | |
| If thou’lt wend thither, thou Little Musgrave, | |
| Thou’s lig in my arms all night.’ | |
| |
VII
Quoth he, ‘I thank thee, fair ladye, | |
| This kindness thou showest to me; | 30 |
| And whether it be to my weal or woe | |
| This night I will lodge with thee.’ | |
| |
VII
With that beheard a little tiny page, | |
| By his lady’s coach as he ran. | |
| Says, ‘Although I am my lady’s foot-page, | 35 |
| Yet I am Lord Barnard’s man.’ | |
| |
IX
Then he’s cast off his hose and shoon, | |
| Set down his feet and ran, | |
| And where the bridges were broken down | |
| He bent his bow and swam. | 40 |
| |
X
‘Awake! awake! thou Lord Barnard, | |
| As thou art a man of life! | |
| Little Musgrave is at Bucklesfordberry | |
| Along with thy own wedded wife.’— | |
| |
XI
‘If this be true, thou little tiny page, | 45 |
| This thing thou tellest to me, | |
| Then all the land in Bucklesfordberry | |
| I freely will give to thee. | |
| |
XII
‘But if it be a lie, thou little tiny page, | |
| This thing thou tellest to me, | 50 |
| On the highest tree in Bucklesfordberry | |
| Then handèd shalt thou be.’ | |
| |
XII
He callèd up his merry men all: | |
| ‘Come saddle me my steed; | |
| This night must I to Bucklesfordberry, | 55 |
| For I never had greater need.’ | |
| |
XIV
But some they whistled, and some they sung, | |
| And some they thus could say, | |
| Whenever Lord Barnard’s horn it blew: | |
| ‘Away, Musgrave, away! …— | 60 |
| |
XV
‘Methinks I hear the threstle cock, | |
| Methinks I hear the jay; | |
| Methinks I hear Lord Barnard’s horn, | |
| Away, Musgrave, away!’— | |
| |
XVI
‘Lie still, lie still, thou little Musgrave, | 65 |
| And huggle me from the cold; | |
| ’Tis nothing but a shepherd’s boy | |
| A-driving his sheep to the fold.’ | |
| |
XVII
By this, Lord Barnard came to his door | |
| And lighted a stone upon; | 70 |
| And he’s pull’d out three silver keys, | |
| And open’d the doors each one. | |
| |
XVIII
He lifted up the coverlet, | |
| He lifted up the sheet: | |
| ‘Dost thou like my bed, Little Musgrave? | 75 |
| Dost thou find my lady sweet?’— | |
| |
XIX
‘I find her sweet,’ quoth Little Musgrave, | |
| ‘The more ’tis to my pain; | |
| I would gladly give three hundred pounds | |
| That I were on yonder plain.’— | 80 |
| |
XX
‘Arise, arise, thou Little Musgrave, | |
| And put thy clothès on; | |
| It shall ne’er be said in my country | |
| I have kill’d a naked man. | |
| |
XXI
‘I have two swords in one scabbard, | 85 |
| They are both sharp and clear; | |
| Take you the best, and I the worst, | |
| We’ll end the matter here.’ | |
| |
XXII
The first stroke Little Musgrave struck, | |
| He hurt Lord Barnard sore; | 90 |
| The next stroke that Lord Barnard struck, | |
| Little Musgrave ne’er struck more. | |
| |
XXIII
With that bespake this fair lady, | |
| In bed where as she lay: | |
| ‘Although thou’rt dead, thou Little Musgrave, | 95 |
| Yet I for thee will pray. | |
| |
XXIV
‘And wish well to thy soul will I | |
| So long as I have life; | |
| So will I not for thee, Barnard, | |
| Although I’m thy wedded wife.’ | 100 |
| |
XXV
He cut her paps from off her breast; | |
| Great pity it was to see | |
| That some drops of this lady’s heart’s blood | |
| Ran trickling down her knee. | |
| |
XXVI
‘Woe worth you, woe worth, my merry men all, | 105 |
| You were ne’er born for my good! | |
| Why did you not offer to stay my hand | |
| When you saw me wax so wood? | |
| |
XXVII
‘For I have slain the fairest lady | |
| That ever wore woman’s weed, | 110 |
| Soe I have slain the fairest lady | |
| That ever did woman’s deed. | |
| |
XXVIII
‘A grave, a grave,’ Lord Barnard cried, | |
| ‘To put these lovers in! | |
| But lay my lady on the upper hand, | 115 |
| For she comes of the nobler kin.’ | |
| | | GLOSS: pall] fine cloth. lig] lie. wood] mad, fierce. |
|
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