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ANCIENT BALLAD S.

BALLAD I.

LORD THOMAS AND FAIR ELEANOR.

L

ORD Thomas he was a bold forestèr,

And a chafer of the kings deer ;

Fair Eleanor was a fine womàn,

And Lord Thomas he lov'd her dear.

Come riddle my riddle, dear mother, he faid,

And riddle us both as one;

Whether I shall marry with fair Eleanor,

And let the brown girl alone?

The

1

The brown girl she has got houfes and lands,
Fair Eleanor she has got none,

Therefor I charge thee, on my blessing,

To bring me the brown girl home.

And as it befell on a high holidày,
As many did more befide,

Lord Thomas he went to fair Eleanor,
That should have been his bride.

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

But who was so ready as fair Eleanòr,
To let lord Thomas within.

What news, what news, lord Thomas? she said,
What news haft 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, fhe faid,
That such a thing should be done;
I thought to have been thy bride my own felf,
And you to have been the bridegroom.

Come riddle my riddle, dear mother, fhe faid,
And riddle it all in one;

Whether I fhall go to lord Thomases wedding,
Or whether I fhall tarry at home?

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There's many that are your friends, daughtèr,
And many that are your foe,
Therefor I charge you, on by bleffing,
To lord Thomases wedding don't go.

There's many that are my friends, mother,
If a thousand more were my foe,
Betide my life, or betide my death,
To lord Thomases wedding I'll go.

She clothed herself in gallant attire,
And her merry men all in green,
And as they rid through every town,
They took her to have been a queen.

But when she came to lord Thomases gate,
She knocked there at the ring;

But who was fo ready as lord Thomàs,

To let fair Eleanor in.

Is this your bride

fair Ellen she said,

Methinks the looks wonderous brown ;

You might have had as fair a womàn,
As ever trod on the ground.

Defpife her not, fair Ellen, he faid,

Despise her not unto me;

For better I love thy little-finger,
Than all her whole body.

This

This brown bride had a little penknife,

That was both long and sharp,
And betwixt the fhort ribs and the long,
She prick'd fair Eleanor to the heart.

Oh! Chrift now fave thee, lord Thomas, he said,
Methinks thou look'st wonderous wain ;

Thou waft us'd for to look with as fresh a colòur, As ever the fun fhin'd on.

Oh! art thou blind, lord Thomas? she said,
Or can't thou not very well see?

Oh! doft thou not see my own hearts blood
Runs trickling down my knee?

Lord Thomas he had a sword by his fide ;
As he walk'd about the hall,

He cut off his brides head from her shouldèrs,
And he threw it against the wall.

He fet the hilt against the ground,

And the point against his heart,

There was never three lovers that ever met
More fooner they did depart.

BALLAD II.

FAIR MAGARET AND SWEET WILLIAM.

S it fell out upon a day,

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Two lovers they sat on a hill; They fat together a long fummers day,

And could not talk their fill.

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