O then bespake her little son,

Sat on the nurse's knee :

Says, 'O mither dear, gie owre this house, For the reek it smothers me.'

'I wad gie a' my goud, my bairn,
Sae wad I a' my fee,

For ae blast o' the western wind,
To blaw the reek frae thee.'

O then bespake the 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'.

O bonnie, bonnie was her mouth,
And cherry were her cheeks,
And clear, clear was her yellow hair,
Whereon her red blood dreeps.

Then wi' his spear he turn'd her owre;
O gin her face was wan!

He said, 'Ye are the first that e'er
I wish'd alive again.'

Wha looks to freits1, my master dear,
It's freits will follow them;

Let it ne'er be said that Edom o' Gordon
Was daunted by a dame.'

But when the ladye saw the fire

Come flaming o'er 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'!

This house o' the Rodes is a' in a flame;

I hauld it time to ga'.'

And this way lookit her ain dear lord,

As he came owre the lea;

He saw his castle a' in a lowe2,

Sae far as he could see.

'Put on, put on, my wighty men,

As fast as ye can dri'e!

For he that's hindmost o' the thrang

Sall ne'er get good o' me.'

Then some they rade, and some they ran,
Out-owre the grass and bent;

But ere the foremost could win up,
Baith lady and babes were brent.

And after the Gordon he is gane,
Sae fast as he might dri'e;

And soon i' the Gordon's foul heart's blude

He's wroken his fair ladye.

ROMANTIC.

GLASGERION.

[Glasgerion, or Kurion the Pale, was a Celtic minstrel, whom Chaucer places in the company of such bards as Orpheus, Arion, and Eacydes Chiron.' This ballad exists in the Scotch version of Glenkindie (Jamieson, i. 93). It is here printed from Percy's Reliques, Bohn's ed.]

Glasgerion was a kings owne sonne,
And a harper he was goode;
He harped in the kings chambere,
Where cuppe and caudle stoode,

And soe did hee in the queens chambere,
Till ladies waxed glad,

And then bespake the kinges daughter,
And these wordes thus shee sayd:

'Strike on, strike on, Glasgerion,
Of thy striking doe not blinne;
Theres never a stroke comes oer thy harpe,
But it glads my hart withinne.'

'Faire might he fall,' quoth hee,

'Who taught you nowe to speake!

I have loved you, ladye, seven longe yeere,
My minde I neere durst breake.'

'But come to my bower, my Glasgerion,
When all men are att rest:

As I am a ladie true of my promise,
Thou shalt bee a welcome guest.'

Home then came Glasgerion,

A glad man, lord! was hee:

'And, come thou hither, Jacke my boy,
Come hither unto mee.

'For the kinges daughter of Normandye
Hath granted mee my boone;
And att her chambere must I bee

Beffore the cocke have crowen.'

'O master, master,' then quoth hee,
'Lay your head downe on this stone;
For I will waken you, master deere,
Afore it be time to gone.'

But up then rose that lither ladd,
And hose and shoone did on;
A coller he cast upon his necke,
He seemed a gentleman.

And when he came to the ladyes chamber,

He thrild upon a pinn:

The lady was true of her promise,

And rose and lett him inn.

He did not take the lady gaye

To boulster nor to bed:

Nor thoughe hee had his wicked wille,
A single word he sed.

He did not kisse that ladyes mouthe,
Nor when he came, nor yode :
And sore that ladye did mistrust,
He was of some churls bloud.

But home then came that lither ladd,
And did off his hose and shoone;
And cast the coller from off his necke:
He was but a churles sonne.

'Awake, awake, my deere master,
The cock hath well-nigh crowen;
Awake, awake, my master deere,
I hold it time to be gone.

'For I have saddled your horse, mastèr, Well bridled I have your steede,

And I have served you a good breakfast, For thereof ye have need.'

Up then rose good Glasgerion,
And did on hose and shoone,
And cast a coller about his necke:
For he was a kinge his sonne.

And when he came to the ladyes chambere,
He thrilled upon the pinne;

The lady was more than true of promise,
And rose and let him inn.

'O whether have you left with me
Your bracelet or your glove?
Or are you returned back againe
To know more of my love?'

Glasgerion swore a full great othe,
By oake, and ashe, and thorne ;
'Ladye, I was never in your chambere,
Sith the time that I was borne.'

'O then it was your lither foot-page,

He hath beguiled mee:'

Then shee pulled forth a little pen-kniffe,

That hanged by her knee.

Sayes, 'There shall never noe churlès blood

Within my bodye spring:

No churlès blood shall eer defile

The daughter of a kinge.'

Home then went Glasgerion,

And woe, good lord! was hee:

Sayes, 'Come thou hither, Jacke my boy,

Come hither unto mee.