81. Little Musgrave and Lady Barnard
245
17 Is not thy hawke upon a perch?
Thy steed eats oats and hay;
And thou a fair lady in thine armes,
And wouldst thou bee away?'
Thy steed eats oats and hay;
And thou a fair lady in thine armes,
And wouldst thou bee away?'
18 With that my lord Barnard came to the dore,
And lit a stone upon;
He plucked out three silver keys,
And he opend the dores each one.
And lit a stone upon;
He plucked out three silver keys,
And he opend the dores each one.
19 He lifted up the coverlett,
He lifted up the sheet:
'How now, how now, thou Littell Musgrave,
Doest thou find my lady sweet?'
He lifted up the sheet:
'How now, how now, thou Littell Musgrave,
Doest thou find my lady sweet?'
20 'I find her sweet,' quoth Little Musgrave,
'The more 't is to my paine;
I would gladly give three hundred pounds
That I were on yonder plaine.'
'The more 't is to my paine;
I would gladly give three hundred pounds
That I were on yonder plaine.'
21 'Arise, arise, thou Littell Musgrave,
And put thy clothes on;
It shall nere be said in my country
I have killed a naked man.
And put thy clothes on;
It shall nere be said in my country
I have killed a naked man.
22 I have two swords in one scabberd,
Full deere they cost my purse;
And thou shalt have the best of them,
And I will have the worse.'
Full deere they cost my purse;
And thou shalt have the best of them,
And I will have the worse.'
23 The first stroke that Little Musgrave stroke,
He hurt Lord Barnard sore;
The next stroke that Lord Barnard stroke,
Little Musgrave nere struck more.
He hurt Lord Barnard sore;
The next stroke that Lord Barnard stroke,
Little Musgrave nere struck more.
24 With that bespake this faire lady,
In bed whereas she lay:
'Although thou 'rt dead, thou Little Musgrave,
Yet I for thee will pray.
In bed whereas she lay:
'Although thou 'rt dead, thou Little Musgrave,
Yet I for thee will pray.
25 And wish well to thy soule will I,
So long as I have life;
So will I not for thee, Barnard,
Although I am thy wedded wife.'
So long as I have life;
So will I not for thee, Barnard,
Although I am thy wedded wife.'
26 He cut her paps from off her brest;
Great pitty it was to see
That some drops of this ladie's heart's blood
Ran trickling downe her knee.
Great pitty it was to see
That some drops of this ladie's heart's blood
Ran trickling downe her knee.
27 'Woe worth you, woe worth, my mery men all
You were nere borne for my good;
Why did you not offer to stay my hand,
When you see me wax so wood?
You were nere borne for my good;
Why did you not offer to stay my hand,
When you see me wax so wood?
28 'For I have slaine the bravest sir knight
That ever rode on steed;
So have I done the fairest lady
That ever did woman's deed.
That ever rode on steed;
So have I done the fairest lady
That ever did woman's deed.
29 'A grave, a grave,' Lord Barnard cryd,
'To put these lovers in;
But lay my lady on the upper hand,
For she came of the better kin.'
'To put these lovers in;
But lay my lady on the upper hand,
For she came of the better kin.'
B
Percy MS, p. 53, Hales and Furnivall, I, 119.
*****
1 ·····
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'Ffor this same night att [Bucklesfeildberry]
Litle Musgreue is in bed with thy wife.'
·····
'Ffor this same night att [Bucklesfeildberry]
Litle Musgreue is in bed with thy wife.'
2 'If it be trew, thou litle foote-page,
This tale thou hast told to mee,
Then all my lands in Buckle[s]feildberry
I'le freely giue to thee.
This tale thou hast told to mee,
Then all my lands in Buckle[s]feildberry
I'le freely giue to thee.
3 'But if this be a lye, thou little foot-page,
This tale thou hast told to mee,
Then on the highest tree in Bucklesfeildberry
All hanged that thou shalt bee.'
This tale thou hast told to mee,
Then on the highest tree in Bucklesfeildberry
All hanged that thou shalt bee.'
4 Saies, Vpp and rise, my merrymen all,
And saddle me my good steede,
For I must ride to Bucklesfeildberry ;
God wott I had neuer more need!
And saddle me my good steede,
For I must ride to Bucklesfeildberry ;
God wott I had neuer more need!
5 But some they whistled, and some the sunge,
And some they thus cold say,
When euer as Lord Barnetts horne blowes,
'Away, Musgreue, away!'
And some they thus cold say,
When euer as Lord Barnetts horne blowes,
'Away, Musgreue, away!'
6 'Mie thinkes I heare the throstlecocke,
Me thinkes I heare the iay,
Me thinkes I heare Lord Barnetts horne,
Away, Musgreue, away!'
Me thinkes I heare the iay,
Me thinkes I heare Lord Barnetts horne,
Away, Musgreue, away!'
