Tales of best sentence, and most solas,
Shal have a soper at our aller cost
Here in this place, sittinge by this post,
Whan that we come agayn fro Caunterbury.
And, for to make yow the more mery,
I wol my-selven gladly with yow ryde,
Right at myn owne cost, and be your gyde;
And who-so wol my Iugement withseye
Shal paye al that we spenden by the weye.
And if ye vouche-sauf that it be so,

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And that he wolde been our governour,
And of our tales Iuge and reportour,

And sette a soper at a certeyn prys;

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And we wold reuled been at his devys,

In heigh and lowe; and thus, by oon assent,

We been acorded to his Iugement.

And ther-up-on the wyn was fet anon;

We dronken, and to reste wente echon,
With-outen any lenger taryinge.

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BALLADS

KEMP OWYNE

HER mother died when she was young
Which gave her cause to make great moan;
Her father married the warst woman

That ever lived in Christendom.

She served her with foot and hand,

In every thing that she could dee,

Till once, in an unlucky time,

She threw her in ower Craigy's sea.

Says, 'Lye you there, dove Isabel,

And all my sorrows lye with thee; Till Kemp Owyne come ower the sea, And borrow you with kisses three: Let all the warld do what they will, Oh borrowed shall you never be.'

Her breath grew strang, her hair grew lang,
And twisted thrice about the tree,

And all the people, far and near,

Thought that a savage beast was she.

The news did come to Kemp Owyne,
Where he lived far beyond the sea;

He hastened him to Craigy's sea,
And on the savage beast lookt he.

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Her breath was strang, her hair was lang, And twisted was about the tree,

And with a swing she came about:

'Come to Craigy's sea, and kiss with me.

'Here is a royal belt,' she cried,

'That I have found in the green sea; And while your body it is on,

Drawn shall your blood never be; But if you touch me, tail or fin,

I vow my belt your death shall be.'

He stepped in, gave her a kiss,

The royal belt he brought him wi; Her breath was strang, her hair was lang, And twisted twice about the tree,

And with a swing she came about:

'Come to Craigy's sea, and kiss with me.

'Here is a royal ring,' she said,

That I have found in the green sea;

And while your finger it is on,
Drawn shall your blood never be;
But if you touch me, tail or fin,

I swear my ring your death shall be.'

He stepped in, gave her a kiss,

The royal ring he brought him wi; Her breath was strang, her hair was lang,

And twisted ance about the tree,

And with a swing she came about :

'Come to Craigy's sea, and kiss with me.

'Here is a royal brand,' she said,

'That I have found in the green sea;

And while your body it is on,

Drawn shall your blood never be;

But if you touch me, tail or fin,

I swear my brand your death shall be.'

He stepped in, gave her a kiss,

The royal brand he brought him wi;

Her breath was sweet, her hair grew short,

And twisted nane about the tree;

And smilingly she came about, ́

As fair a woman as could be.

HELEN OF KIRCONNELL

PART SECOND

(From Scott's Border Minstrelsy, 1802-3)

I WISH I were where Helen lies!
Night and day on me she cries;

O that I were where Helen lies,
On fair Kirconnell Lee !

Curst be the heart that thought the thought,

And curst the hand that fired the shot,

When in my arms burd Helen dropt,

And died to succour me!

O think na ye my heart was sair, .

When my love dropt down and spak nae mair!
There did she swoon wi' mickle care

On fair Kirconnell Lee.

As I went down the water-side,
None but my foe to be my guide,
None but my foe to be my guide,

On fair Kirconnell Lee!

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O Helen fair! O Helen chaste!
If I were with thee, I were blest,
Where thou lies low, and takes thy rest,
On fair Kirconnel Lee.

I wish my grave were growing green,
A winding sheet drawn ower my een,
And I in Helen's arms lying,

On fair Kirconnell Lee.

I wish I were where Helen lies!
Night and day on me she cries;
And I am weary of the skies,

For her sake that died for me.

ROBIN HOOD AND GUY OF GISBORNE

WHEN shawes beene sheene, and shradds full fayre,
And leeves both large and longe,

Itt is merry, walking in the fayre fforrest,
To heare the small birds songe.

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