| |
it fell one holy-day,
Hay downe
As many be in the yeare,
When young men and maids together did goe,
Their mattins and masse to heare, |
| 2 |
Little Musgrave came to the church-dore;
Hay downe
The preist was at private masse;
But he had more minde of the faire women
Then he had of our lady['s] grace. |
| 3 |
The one of them was clad in green,
Hay downe
Another was clad in pall,
And then came in my lord Bernard's wife,
The fairest amonst them all. |
| 4 |
She cast an eye on Little Musgrave,
Hay downe
As bright as the summer sun;
And then bethought this Little Musgrave,
This lady's heart have I woonn. |
| 5 |
Quoth she, I have loved thee, Little Musgrave,
Hay downe
Full long and many a day;
'So have I loved you, fair lady,
Yet never word durst I say.' |
| 6 |
'I have a bower at Buckelsfordbery,
Hay downe
Full daintyly it is deight;
If thou wilt wend thither, thou Little Musgrave,
Thou's lig in mine armes all night.' |
| 7 |
Quoth he, I thank yee, faire lady,
Hay downe
This kindnes thou showest to me;
But whether it be to my weal or woe,
This night I will lig with thee. |
| 8 |
With that he heard, a little tyn page,
Hay downe
By this ladye's coach as he ran:
'All though I am my ladye's foot-page,
Yet I am Lord Barnard's man. |
| 9 |
'My lord Barnard shall knowe of this,
Hay downe
Whether I sink or swim;'
And ever where the bridges were broake
He laid him downe to swimme. |
| 10 |
'A sleepe or wake, thou Lord Barnard,
Hay downe
As thou art a man of life,
For Little Musgrave is at Bucklesfordbery,
A bed with thy own wedded wife.' |
| 11 |
'If this be true, thou little tinny page,
Hay downe
This thing thou tellest to me,
Then all the land in Bucklesfordbery
I freely will give to thee. |
| 12 |
'But if it be a ly, thou little tinny page,
Hay downe
This thing thou tellest to me,
On the hyest tree in Bucklesfordbery
Then hanged shalt thou be.' |
| 13 |
He called up his merry men all:
Hay downe
'Come saddle me my steed;
This night must I to Buckellsfordbery,
For I never had greater need.' |
| 14 |
And some of them whistld, and some of them sung,
Hay downe
And some these words did say,
And ever when my lord Barnard's horn blew,
'Away, Musgrave, away!' |
| 15 |
'Methinks I hear the thresel-cock,
Hay downe
Methinks I hear the jaye;
Methinks I hear my lord Barnard,
And I would I were away.' |
| 16 |
'Lye still, lye still, thou Little Musgrave,
Hay downe
And huggell me from the cold;
'Tis nothing but a shephard's boy,
A driving his sheep to the fold. |
| 17 |
'Is not thy hawke upon a perch?
Hay downe
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,
Hay downe
And lit a stone upon;
He plucked out three silver keys,
And he opend the dores each one. |
| 19 |
He lifted up the coverlett,
Hay downe
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,
Hay downe
'The more 'tis to my paine;
I would gladly give three hundred pounds
That I were on yonder plaine.' |
| 21 |
'Arise, arise, thou Littell Musgrave,
Hay downe
And put thy cloth s on;
It shall nere be said in my country
I have killed a naked man. |
| 22 |
'I have two swords in one scabberd,
Hay downe
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,
Hay downe
He hurt Lord Barnard sore;
The next stroke that Lord Barnard stroke,
Little Musgrave nere struck more. |
| 24 |
With that bespake this faire lady,
Hay downe
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,
Hay downe
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;
Hay downe
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
Hay downe
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
Hay downe
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,
Hay downe
'To put these lovers in;
But lay my lady on the upper hand,
For she came of the better kin.' |
