Page images
PDF
EPUB

We have placed this, and GENTLE HERDSMAN, Se thus early in the volume, upon a prefumption that they must have been written, if not before the diffolution of the monafteries, yet while the remembrance of them was fresh in the minds of the people.

[blocks in formation]

"How fhould I know your true love,

"That have met many a one,
"As I came from the holy land,
"That have both come, and gone?"

[ocr errors]

My love is neither white, nor browne,

But as the heavens faire ;

There is none hath her form divine,

Either in earth, or ayre.

5

10

"Such an one did I meet, good fir,

[blocks in formation]

"What is the cause the leaves thee thus, "And a new way doth take,

"That fome times loved thee as her life, "And thee her joy did make ?"

I that loved her all my youth,
Growe old now as you see;
Love liketh not the falling fruite,
Nor yet the withered tree.

25

For love is like a careleffe childe,

Forgetting promise past:

30

He is blind, or deaf, whenere he list;

His faith is never fast.

His fond defire is fickle found,

And yieldes a trustleffe joye;

Wonne with a world of toil and care,
And loft ev'n with a toye.

35

Such is the love of womankinde,
Or LOVES faire name abusde,
Beneathe which many vaine defires,
And follyes are excufde.

'But true love is a lasting fire,

• Which viewless vestals * tend,

• That burnes for ever in the soule,
'And knowes nor change, nor end.'

[blocks in formation]

XVII.

HARDY KNUTE.

A SCOTTISH FRAGMENT.

As this fine morfel of heroic poetry hath generally past for ancient, it is here thrown to the end of our earliest pieces; that fuch as doubt of its age, may the better compare it with other pieces of genuine antiquity. For after all, there is more than reafon to fufpect, that it oves most of its beauties (if not its whole exiflence) to the pen of a lady, within the prefent century. The following particulars may be depended

on.

Mrs. Wardlaw, whose maiden name was Halket (aunt` to the late Sir Peter Halket, of Pitferran, in Scotland, who was killed in America, along with general Bradock, in 1755), pretended he had found this poem, written on fureds of paper, employed for what is called the bottoms of clues. A fufpicion arofe that it was her own compofition. Some able judges afferted it to be modern. The lady did in a manner acknowledge it to be fo. Being defired to fhew an additional fianza, as a proof of this, the produced the 2 laft beginning with "There's nae light," &c. which were not in the copy that was fift printed. The late Lord Prefident Forbes, and Sir Gilbert Elliot, of Minto (late Lord Juftice Clerk for Scotland) who had believed it ancient, contributed to the expence of publishing the first Edition, in folio, 1719.—This account was tranfmitted from Scotland by Sir David Dalrymple, the late Lord Hailes, who yet was of opinion, that part of the ballad may be ancient; "but retouched and much enlarged by the lady abovementioned. Indeed he had been informed, that the late William Thompfon, the Scottish musician, who published the ORPHEUS CALEDONIUS, 1733, 2 vols. Svo. declared he had heard Fragments of it repeated in his infancy, before Mis. Wardlaw's copy was heard of.

The

The Poem is here printed from the original Edition, as it was prepared for the prefs with the additional improvements. (See below, page 111.)

STately

I.

Tately stept he east the wa',
And ftately stept he weft,

Full feventy years he now had seen,

Wi' scarce feven years of reft.
He liv'd when Britons breach of faith
Wrought Scotland mickle wae:
And ay his fword tauld to their cost,
He was their deadiye fae.

II.

High on a hill his castle stood,
With ha's and tow'rs a height,
And goodly chambers fair to se,

Where he lodged mony a knight.
His dame fae peerless anes and fair,
For chaft and beauty deem'd,
Nae marrow had in all the land,
Save ELENOR the queen:

III.

Full thirteen fons to him the bare,

All men of valour stout;

In bloody fight with fword in hand

Nine loft their lives bot doubt:
Four yet remain, lang may they live

To ftand by liege and land;

High was their fame, high was their might,
And high was their command.

[blocks in formation]

10

15

20

Great

IV.

Great love they bare to FAIRLY fair,
Their fister saft and dear,

25

Her girdle fhaw'd her middle gimp,

And gowden glist her hair.

What waefu' wae her beauty bred ?

Waefu' to young and auld,

Waefu' I trow to kyth and kin,

As ftory ever tauld.

V.

The king of Norfe in fummer tyde,
Puff'd up with pow'r and might,

Landed in fair Scotland the isle

With mony a hardy knight.

The tydings to our good Scots king

Came, as he fat at dine,

With noble chiefs in brave aray,

Drinking the blood-red wine.

VI.

"To horfe, to horfe, my royal liege,
Your faes ftand on the ftrand,
Full twenty thoufand glittering fpears
The king of Norfe commands."
Bring me my steed Mage dapple gray,
Our good king rose and cry'd,
A truftier beaft in a' the land

A Scots king nevir try'd.

30

35

40

45

VII. Go

« PreviousContinue »