Popular Ballads Of The Olden Time

FIRST SERIES. Ballads of Romance and Chivalry.

‘It forms an excellent introduction to a sadly neglected source of poetry.... We ... hope that it will receive ample encouragement.’ --Athenæum.

‘It will certainly, if carried out as it is begun, constitute a boon to the lover of poetry.... We shall look with anxiety for the following volumes of what will surely be the best popular edition in existence.’ --Notes and Queries.

‘There can be nothing but praise for the selection, editing, and notes, which are all excellent and adequate. It is, in fine, a valuable volume of what bids fair to be a very valuable series.’ --Academy.

‘The most serviceable edition of the ballads yet published in England.’ --Manchester Guardian.

POPULAR BALLADS OF THE OLDEN TIME SELECTED AND EDITED BY FRANK SIDGWICK

Second Series. Ballads of Mystery and Miracle and Fyttes of Mirth

‘Gar print me ballants weel, she said, Gar print me ballants many.’

A. H. BULLEN 47 Great Russell Street London. MCMIV

‘What man of taste and feeling can endure rifacimenti, harmonies, abridgments, expurgated editions?’

Macaulay.

CONTENTS Page

Preface ix Ballads in the Second Series x Additional Note on Ballad Commonplaces xvi

Thomas Rymer The Queen of Elfan’s Nourice Allison Gross The Laily Worm and the Machrel of the Sea Kemp Owyne Willie’s Lady The Wee Wee Man Cospatrick Young Akin The Unquiet Grave Clerk Colven Tam Lin The Clerk’s Twa Sons o’ Owsenford The Wife of Usher’s Well The Great Silkie of Sule Skerrie Clerk Sanders Young Hunting The Three Ravens The Twa Corbies Young Benjie The Lyke-Wake Dirge The Bonny Earl of Murray Bonnie George Campbell The Lament of the Border Widow Bonny Bee Ho’m The Lowlands of Holland Fair Helen of Kirconnell Sir Hugh, or The Jew’s Daughter The Dæmon Lover The Broomfield Hill Willie’s Fatal Visit Adam Saint Stephen and King Herod The Cherry-Tree Carol The Carnal and the Crane Dives and Lazarus Brown Robyn’s Confession Judas The Maid and the Palmer Lady Isabel and the Elf-Knight A Noble Riddle Wisely Expounded Captain Wedderburn The Elphin Knight King John and the Abbot The Fause Knight upon the Road The Lord of Learne The Bailiff’s Daughter of Islington Glenlogie King Orfeo The Baffled Knight Our Goodman The Friar in the Well The Knight and the Shepherd’s Daughter Get Up and Bar the Door

Appendix The Grey Selchie of Shool Skerry The Lyke-wake Dirge Index of Titles Index of First Lines