Lady Maisry
No: 65; variant: 65C
- BEN came to her father dear,
Stepping upon the floor;
Says, It's told me, my daughter Janet,
That you're now become a whore.
- 'A whore, father, a whore, father?
That's what I'll never be,
Tho I am with bairn to an English lord,
That first did marry me.'
- Soon after spoke her bower-woman,
And sorely did she cry:
'Oh woe is me, my lady fair,
That ever I saw this day!
- 'For your father's to the fire, Janet,
Your brother's to the whin,
Even to kindle a bold bonefire,
- 'Where will I get a bonnie boy,
Will win gold to his fee,
That will run on to fair England
For my good lord to me?'
- 'Oh here am I, your waiting-boy,
Would win gold to my fee,
And will carry any message for you,
By land or yet by sea.'
- And when he fand the bridges broke,
He bent his bow and swam,
But when he fand the grass growing,
He slacked it and ran.
- And when he came to that lord's gate,
Stopt not to knock nor call,
But set his bent bow to his breast,
And lightly lap the wall.
- And ere the porter was at the gate
The boy was in the hall,
And in that noble lord's presence
He on his knee did fall.
- 'O is my biggins broken?' he said,
'Or is my towers won?
Or is my lady lighter yet,
Of daughter of or son?'
- 'Your biggins are not broken,' he said,
'Nor is your towers won,
Nor is your lady lighter yet,
Of daughter or of son;
But if you stay a little time
Her life it will be gone.
- 'For her father's gone to the fire,
Her brother to the whin,
Even to kindle a bold bonfire,
To burn her body in.'
- 'Go saddle for me in haste,' he cried,
'A brace of horses soon;
Go saddle for me the swiftest steeds
That ever rode to a town.'
- The first steed that he rade on,
For he was as jet black,
He rode him far, and very far,
But he fell down in a slack.
- The next steed that he rode on,
For he was a berry brown;
He bore him far, and very far,
But at the last fell down.
- The next steed that he rode on,
He was as milk so white;
Fair fall the mare that foaled the foal
Took him to Janet's lyke!
- But boots and spurs, all as he was,
Into the fire he lap,
Took ae kiss of her comely mouth,
While her body gave a crack.
- 'O who has been so bold,' he said,
'This bonfire to set on?
Or who has been so bold,' he cried,
'My true-love for to burn?'
- Her father cried, I've been so bold
This bonefire to put on;
Her brother cried, We've been so bold
Her body for to burn.
- 'Oh I shall hang for you, Janet,
Your father and your brother;
And I shall burn for you, Janet,
Your sister and your mother.
- 'Oh I shall make many bed empty,
And many shed be thin,
And many a wife to be a widow,
And many one want their son.
- 'Then I shall take a cloak of cloth,
A staff made of the wand,
And the boy who did your errand run
Shall be heir of my land.'