LORD THOMAS AND FAIR ELLINOR.

THE four pieces which follow have all the same subject. Lord Thomas and Fair Ellinor, is given from the Collection of Old Ballads, 1723, vol. i. p. 249, where it is entitled, A Tragical Ballad on the unfortunate Love of Lord Thomas and Fair Ellinor, together with the Downfal of the Brown Girl. The text differs but slightly from that of Percy, (iii. 121,) and Ritson, Ancient Songs, ii. 89.

LORD Thomas he was a bold forrester,
And a chaser of the king's deer;

Fair Ellinor was a fine woman,

And Lord Thomas he loved her dear

"Come riddle my riddle, dear mother," he said,

"And riddle us both as one ;

Whether I shall marry with fair Ellinor,

And let the brown girl alone?"

6

"The brown girl she has got houses and land,
And fair Ellinor she has got none;
Therefore I charge you on my blessing,
Bring me the brown girl home."

As it befell on a high holiday,

As many more did beside,

Lord Thomas he went to fair Ellinor,

That should have been his bride.

But when he came to fair Ellinors bower,
He knocked there at the ring;

But who was so ready as fair Ellinor,

For to let Lord Thomas in.

10

15

20

"What news, what news, Lord Thomas?" she said,

"What news hast thou brought unto me?" "I am come to bid thee to my wedding,

And that is bad news for thee."

"O God forbid, Lord Thomas," she said, "That such a thing should be done; I thought to have been thy bride my own self, And you to have been the bridegrom."

25

"Come riddle my riddle, dear mother," she

said,

"And riddle it all in one;

30

Whether I shall go to Lord Thomas's wedding, Or whether I shall tarry at home?"

"There are many that are your friends, daughter,

And many that are your foe;

Therefore I charge you on my blessing,

To Lord Thomas's wedding don't go."

"There's many that are my friends, mother; And if a thousand more were my foe, Betide my life, betide my death,

To Lord Thomas's wedding I'll go.

She cloathed herself in gallant attire,
And her merry men all in green;
And as they rid through every town,
They took her to be some queen.

But when she came to Lord Thomas's gate,
She knocked there at the ring;

But who was so ready as Lord Thomas,

To let fair Ellinor in.

"Is this your bride?" fair Ellinor said;
"Methinks she looks wonderful brown;
Thou might'st have had as fair a woman,
As ever trod on the ground."

35

40

45

50

"Despise her not, fair Ellin,” he said,

"Despise her not unto me;

For better I love thy little finger,

Than all her whole body.

This brown bride had a little penknife,
That was both long and sharp,

And betwixt the short ribs and the long,

Prick'd fair Ellinor to the heart.

55

60

"O Christ now save thee," Lord Thomas he said, "Methinks thou look'st wondrous wan; Thou us'd to look with as fresh a colour,

As ever the sun shin'd on."

"O art thou blind, Lord Thomas?" she said, "Or canst thou not very well see?

O dost thou not see my own heart's blood
Run trickling down my knee?"

Lord Thomas he had a sword by his side;

As he walk'd about the hall,

He cut off his bride's head from her shoulders, And threw it against the wall.

He set the hilt against the ground,
And the point against his heart;
There never were three lovers met,
That sooner did depart.

65

70

LORD THOMAS AND FAIR ANNET.

FROM Percy's Reliques, iii. 290, where it was "given, with some corrections, from a MS. copy transmitted from Scotland." There is a corresponding Swedish Ballad, Sir Peter and Little Kerstin, in the Svenska Folk-Visor, i. 49. It is translated in Literature and Romance of Northern Europe, by William and Mary Howitt, i. 258.

LORD Thomas and fair Annet

Sate a' day on a hill;

Whan night was cum, and sun was sett,
They had not talkt their fill.

Lord Thomas said a word in jest,
Fair Annet took it ill:

"A' I will nevir wed a wife

Against my ain friends will."