No. 107: Will Stewart and John
[There are no known traditional US or Canadian versions of this ballad.]
CONTENTS:
1. Child's Narrative
2. Footnotes (There are no footnotes)
3. Brief (Kittredge)
4. Child's Ballad Texts A-B
5. Endnotes
6. Additions and Corrections
ATTACHED PAGES (see left hand column):
1. Recordings & Info: 107. Will Stewart and John
A. Roud No. 3973: Will Stewart and John (3 Listings)
2. Sheet Music: (Bronson gives no music examples and there are no known recordings of this ballad)
3. English and Other Versions (Including Child versions A-B with additional notes)]
Child's Narrative
A. 'Will Stewart and John,' Percy Manuscript, p. 428; Hales and Furnivall, III, 216.
B. 'Tring Dilly,' Campbell's Manuscripts, II, 30.
The fragment B is disordered as well as mutilated. B 1 corresponds to A 18, 13; 2 to 14; 3 to 19, 40; 4 to 41, 42; 5 to 43; 6 to 35, 36; 7 to 17. It is simply a confused recollection of some parts of the ballad.
The first stanza furnishes a sort of general lyrical introduction, and does not belong to the story, to which, as I conceive, the circumstance that Adlatts Park is wide and broad is of no more special pertinence than the other which follows, that grass grows green in our countrye. See I, 7, note.
Will Stewart, of Argyle Castle, languishes with love for the Earl of Mar's daughter, and lies in care-bed. His younger brother, John, a wiser man, offers to go a-wooing for his brother, and to forward his object takes service with the Earl of Mar as chamberlain to his daughter. One Sunday, as John is conveying the lady home from church, he makes known to her that he is a messenger. The lady at first, like Shakspere's Olivia, would rather he should speak for himself, but upon hearing what John has to say for his brother is ready to love Will heartily. She bids her lover come with a hundred men to a foot-ball match on Sunday after St. Andrew's day. He must play sixteen games, and if he win the greater part she shall love him the more. This tidings makes Will Stewart leap from care-bed. He chooses a hundred men from eleven score and three, dresses them in green, himself in scarlet (about which the lady had been particular), meets his mistress at the rendezvous, gives her a kiss of courtesy, and wins twelve of the sixteen games. The Earl of Mar invites Will to his house, where the Stewart avows his love for his daughter; he knows not whether the lady loves him. "God for bid!" exclaims the earl. "I would rather thou wert hanged or burned. To thy chamber, lady, or I will beat thee before the Stewart's eye." Will, with John, who renounces Mar's service, returns to Argyle Castle, and Will leaps into care-bed again. A parliament is held at Edinburgh, to which both brothers are summoned. Mar discovers that Will is an earl's son, and even the king's cousin, but this discovery has no effect to change the mind of the peremptory noble man. Will and John go back to Argyle Castle when the parliament is done, and Will once more leaps into care-bed. John, in great concern for his brother, offers to go a-wooing for him again. He disguises himself as a beggar, comes to Mar's house on a dole-day, makes his way to the lady and sticks by her till all the beggars are gone, and then tells her that he is no beggar, but a messenger. The lady, reproached for her cruelty, says the blame is not hers, and appoints Will to meet her within three days at Martinsdale with a hundred men, they and he dressed as before. Will leaps out of care-bed, chooses a hundred of the best out of eleven score men and three, rides to Martinsdale, and finds the true lady waiting for him. They send for priest and clerk and are married, and she goes home with Will. A twelvemonth after, John is despatched to bid the Earl of Mar to a christening. John frightens the earl with an intimation that his daughter will now be returned on his hands. This brings the wilful father round. The marriage ceremony is performed over again, and Will made Earl of Mar.
As Mr. Hales has remarked, Bishop Percy's Folio Manuscript, III, 215, the allusions to manners and customs are highly interesting: as, to foot-ball matches. 27; to the kiss of courtesy, 353; to the beating of daughters, 424, 433; to the dole-day, 662; to the beggar's dress and equipment, 61, 783.
The superfluous that in 34, 163, 184, 381, 681, 892, is common in the ballads of the Percy manuscript.
Brief Description by George Lyman Kittredge
The first stanza of A furnishes a sort of general lyrical introduction, and does not belong to the story. A fragment in Campbell's Manuscripts. (B) is simply a confused recollection of some parts of the ballad.
Child's Ballad Texts
'Will Stewart and John'- Version A; Child 107 Will Steward and John
Percy Manuscript, p. 428; Hales and Furnivall, III, 216.
1 Adlatts parke is wyde and broad,
And grass growes greene in our countrye;
Adlatts parke is wyde and broad,
And grass growes greene in our countrye;
Eche man can gett the loue of his ladye,
But alas, I can gett none of mine!
2 Itt's by two men I sing my song,
Their names is William Stewart and Iohn;
William he is the elder brother,
But Iohn hee is the wiser man.
3 But William he is in care-bed layd,
And for the loue of a faire ladye;
If he haue not the loue of the Erle of Mar's daughter,
In faith for loue that he must dye.
4 Then Iohn was sorry for his brother,
To see him lye and languish soe:
'What do you mourne for, brother?' he saies,
'I pray you tell to me your woe.
5 'Doe [you] mourne for gold, brother?' he saies,
'Or doe you mourne for fee?
Or doe you mourne for a likesome ladye,
You neuer saw her with your eye?'
6 'I doe not mourne for gold,' he saies,
'Nor I doe not mourne for any fee;
But I doe mourne for a likesome ladye,
I neere blinke on her with mine eye.'
7 'But when haruest is gotten, my deere brother,
All this is true that I tell thee.
Gentlemen, they loue hunting well,
And giue wight-men their cloth and fee.
8 'Then I'le goe a wooing for thy sake,
In all the speed that I can gone,
And for to see this likesome ladye,
And hope to send thee good tydings home.'
9 Iohn Stewart is gone a wooing for his brother,
Soe farr into faire Scottland,
And left his brother in mikle feare,
Vntill he heard the good tydand.
10 And when he came to the Erle of Mar's his house,
Soe well he could his curtesye,
And when he came before the erle,
He kneeled low downe vpon his knee.
11 'O rise vp, rise vp, Iohn Steward,
Rise vp, now, I doe bidd thee;
'O rise vp, rise vp, Iohn Steward,
Rise vp, now, I doe bidd thee;
How doth thy father, Iohn Stewart,
And all the lords in his countrye?'
12 'And itt please you, my lord, my father is dead;
My brother and I cannott agree;
My brother and I am fallen att discord,
And I am come to craue a service of thee.'
13 'O welcome, welcome, Iohn Stewart,
A welcome man thou art to me;
I'le make thee chamberlaine to my daughter,
And for to tend of that ladye soe free.
14 'And if thou wilt haue a better office,
Aske, and thou shall haue itt of mee;
And where I giue other men a penny of wage,
Inffaith, Iohn, thou shalt haue three.'
15 And then bespake him Iohn Stewart,
And these were the words said hee:
There is no office in your court
This day that better pleaseth mee.
16 The Ffryday is gone, the Sunday is come,
All this is true that I doe say.
And to the church that they be gone,
Iohn Stewart and the lady gay.
17 And as they did come home againe,
I-wis itt was a meeten mile.
Iohn Stewart and the lady gay,
They thought itt but a [little] while.
18 'I am a messenger, ladye,' he saies,
'I am a messenger to thee:'
'O speake for thy selfe, Iohn Stewart,' shee saies,
'A welcome man that thou shalt bee.'
19 'Nay, by my faith,' saies Iohn Stewart,
'Which euer, alas that may not bee!
He hath a higher degree in honour,
Allas, ladye, then euer I!
20 'He is a lord now borne by birth,
And an erle affter his father doth dye;
His haire is yellow, his eyes beene gray;
All this is true that I tell yee.
21 'He is fine in the middle, and small in the wast,
And pleasant in a woman's eye;
And more nor this, he dyes for your loue,
Therefore, lady, show some pittye.'
22 'If this be soe,' then saies the lady,
'If this be true that thou tells mee,
By my faith then, Iohn Stewart,
I can loue him hartilye.
23 'Bidd him meete me att St Patr[i]cke's Church
On Sunday after St Andrew's day;
The flower of Scottland will be there,
And then begins our summer's play.
24 'And bidd him bring with him a hundred gunners,
And rawnke ryders lett them bee,
And lett them bee of the rankest ryders
That be to be found in that countrye.
25 'They best and worst, and all in like,
Bidd him cloth them in one liuerye;
And for his men, greene is the best,
And greene now lett their liueryes bee.
26 'And clothe himselfe in scarlett redd,
That is soe seemlye for to see;
Ffor scarlett is a faire coulour,
And pleasant allwayes in a woman's eye.
27 'He must play sixteene games att ball,
Against the men of this countrye,
And if he winn the greater part,
Then I shall love him more tenderlye.'
28 What the lady said, Iohn Stewart writt,
And to Argyle Castle sent it hee;
And [when] Willie Steward saw the letter,
Fforth of care-bed then lope hee.
29 Hee mustered together his merry men all,
Hee mustered them soe louelilye;
Hee thought hee had had scarson halfe a hundred,
Then had hee eleuen score and three.
30 He chose forth a hundred of the best
That were to be found in that countrye,
He cladd them all in one coulour,
And greene i-wis their liueryes bee.
31 He cladd himselfe in scarlett redd,
That is soe seemelye for to see;
Ffor scarlett is a faire coulor,
And seemlye in a woman's eye.
32 And then towards Patricke Church he went,
With all his men in braue array,
To gett a sight, if he might,
And speake with his lady gay.
33 When they came to Patricke's churche,
Shee kneeled downe by her mother trulye:
'O mother, if itt please you to giue me leaue,
The Stewart's horsse faine wold I see.'
34 'I'le giue you leaue, my deere daughter,
And I and my maide will goe with yee:'
The lady had rather haue gone her selfe
Then haue had her mother's companye.
35 When they came before Willie Steward,
Soe well hee cold his curtesye:
'I wold kisse your daughter, ladye,' he said,
'And if your will that soe itt bee.'
36 The ladye's mother was content
To doe a straunger that curtesye;
And when Willie had gotten a kisse,
I-wis shee might haue teemed him three.
37 Sixteen games were plaid that day there,
This is the truth as I doe say,
Willie Stewart and his merry men,
Th carryed twelue of them away.
38 And when they games that they were done,
And all they folkes away were gone
But the Erle of Marr and William Stewart,
The erle wold needs haue William home.
39 And when they came vnto the erle's howse,
They walked to a garden greene;
Ffor to confferr of their bussines,
Into the garden they be gone.
40 'I loue your daughter,' saies William Stewart,
'But I cannott tell whether she loueth mee:'
'Marry, God defend,' saies the Erle of Mar,
'That euer soe that itt shold bee!
41 'I had rather a gallowes there was made,
And hange thee for my daughter's sake;
I had rather a fyer were made att a stake,
And burne thee for my daughter's sake!
42 'To chamber, to chamber, gay ladye,' he saies,
'In the deuill's name now I bidd thee!
And thou gett thee not to the chamber soone,
I'le beate thee before the Stewart's eye.'
43 And then bespake William Stewart,
These were the words said hee:
'If thou beate thy daughter for my sake,
Thou'st beate a hundred men and mee.'
44 Then bespake Iohn Stewart,
Lord! an angry man was hee,
'O churle, if thou wouldest not haue macht with my brother,
Thou might haue answerd him curteouslye.'
45 'O hold thy peace, Iohn Stewart,
And chamber thy words now, I bidd thee;
If thou chamber not thy words soone,
Thou'st loose a good service; soe shalt thou doe me.'
46 'Marry! hang them that cares,' saies Iohn Stewart,
'Either for thy service or for thee;
Services can I haue enoughe,
But brethren wee must euer bee.'
47 William Stewart and his brother Iohn,
To Argyle Castle gon they bee;
And when Willye came to Argyle Castle,
Into care-bedd then lope hee.
48 A parlaiment att Edenborrow was made,
The king and his nobles all mett there;
Th sent for William Stewart and Iohn,
To come amongst the other peeres.
49 Their clothing was of scarlett redd,
That was soe seemelye for to see;
Blacke hatts, white feathers plewed with gold,
And sett all on their heads trulye.
50 Their stockings were of twisted silke,
With garters fringed about with gold;
Their shoes were of the cordevine,
And all was comelye to behold.
51 And when they came to Edenborrowe,
They called for Iohn Stewart and Willie:
'I answer in a lord's roome,' saies Will Stewart,
'But an erle I hope to bee.'
52 'Come downe, come downe,' saies the Lord of Marr,
'I knew not what was thy degree:'
'O churle, if I might not haue macht with thy daughter,
Itt had not beene long of my degree.
53 'My father, hee is the king his brother,
And then the king is vnckle to me;
O churle, if I might not haue macht with thy daughter,
Itt had not beene long of my degree.'
54 'O hold your peace,' then sayd the king,
'Cozen William, I doe bidd thee;
Infaith, cozen William, he loues you the worsse
Because you are a-kinn to mee.
55 'I'le make thee an erle with a siluer wande,
And adde more honors still to thee;
Thy brother Iohn shall be a lord,
Of the best att home in his countrye.
56 'Thy brother Kester shalbe a knight,
Lands and liuings I will him giue,
And still hee shall liue in court with mee,
And I'le maintaine him whilest he doth liue.'
57 And when the parlaiment was done,
And all the folkes away were gone,
Willye Stewart and Iohn his brother,
To Argyle Castle they be gone.
58 But when they came to Argyle Castle,
That was soe farr in that countrye,
He thought soe much then of his loue
That into care-bedd then lope hee.
59 Iohn Stewart did see his brother soe ill,
Lord in his heart that hee was woe!
'I will goe wooing for thy sake
Againe yonder gay ladye to.
60 'I'le cloth my selfe in strange array,
In a beggar's habbitt I will goe,
That when I come before the Erle of Marr
My clothing strange he shall not knowe.'
61 Iohn hee gott on a clouted cloake,
Soe meete and low then by his knee,
With four garters vpon one legg,
Two aboue, and towe below trulye.
62 'But if thou be a beggar, brother,
Thou art a beggar that is vnknowne;
Ffor thou art one of the stoutest beggars
That euer I saw since I was borne.
63 'Heere, geeue the lady this gay gold ringe,
A token to her that well is knowne;
And if shee but aduise itt well,
Shee'le know some time itt was her owne.'
64 'Stay, by my faith, I goe not yett,'
Iohn Stewart he can replye;
'I'le haue my bottle full of beere,
The best that is in thy butterye.
65 'I'le haue my sachell filld full of meate,
I am sure, brother, [it] will doe noe harme;
Ffor, before I come to the Erle of Marr's his house,
My lipps, I am sure, they wilbe warme.'
66 And when he came to the Erle of Marr's house,
By chance itt was of the dole-day;
But Iohn cold find no place to stand,
Vntill he came to the ladye gaye.
67 But many a beggar he threw downe,
And made them all with weeping say,
He is the devill, hee is no beggar,
That is come forth of some strange countrye.
68 And now the dole that itt is delte,
And all the beggars he gon away,
Sauing Iohn Stewart, that seemed a beggar,
And the ladye that was soe gay.
69 by my clothes you may thinke that I bee;
As by my clothes you may thinke that I bee;
I am your servant, Iohn Stewart,
And I am sent a messenger to thee.'
70 'But if thou be Iohn Stewart,
As I doe thinke that thou bee,
Avayle thy capp, avayle thy hoode,
And I will stand and speake to thee.
71 'How doth thy brother, Iohn Stewart,
And all the lords in his countrye?'
'O fye vpon thee, wicked woman!
My brother he doth the worsse for thee.'
72 With that the teares stood in her eyes;
O lord, shee wept soe tenderlye!
Sais, Ligg the blame vnto my father;
I pray you, Iohn Stewart, lay itt not to mee.
73 Comend me to my owne true-loue,
That liues soe farr in the North countrye,
And bidd him meete me att Martingsdale,
That liues soe farr in the North countrye,
And bidd him meete me att Martingsdale,
Ffullye w[i]thin these dayes three.
74 Hang them, sais the lady gay,
That letts their father witting bee!
I'le proue a ladye full of loue,
And be there by the sunn be a quarter highe.
75 And bidd him bring with him a hundred gunners,
And ranke riders lett them bee;
Lett them be of the rankest ryders
That be to be found in that countrye.
76 The best and worse, and all in like,
Bidd him clothe them in one liuerye;
And for his men, greene is the best,
And greene now lett their lyueryes bee.
77 And cloth himselfe in scarlett redd,
That is soe seemelye for to see;
For scarlett is a faire coulor,
And pleasant in a woman's eye.
78 What they lady sayd, Iohn Stewart writt,
To Argyle Castle sent itt hee;
His bagg and his dish and showing horne,
Unto three beggars he gaue them all three.
79 And when Willie Stewart saw the letter,
Fforth of care-bed then lope hee;
He thought himselfe as lustye and sound
As any man in that countrye.
80 He mustered together his merrymen all,
He mustered them soe louinglye;
He thought he had had scarce halfe a hundred,
Then had hee eleuen score and three.
81 He chose forth a hundred of the best
That were to be found in that companye,
And presentlye they tooke their horsse,
And to Martingsdale posted hee.
82 And when he came to Martingsdale,
He found his loue staying there trulye,
For shee was a lady true of loue,
And was there by [the] sunn was a qwarter highe.
83 Shee kisst William Stewart and his brother Iohn,
Soe did shee part of his merry men:
'If the churle, thy father, hee were here,
He shold not haue thee backe againe.'
84 They sent for preist, they sent for clarke,
And they were marryed there with speede;
William tooke the lady home with him,
And they liued together long time indeed.
85 And in twelue monthe soe they wrought,
The lady shee was great with childe;
The sent Iohn Stewart to the Erle off Marre,
To come and christen the barne soe milde.
86 'And if this be soe,' sayes the Erle of Marre,
'Iohn Stewart, as thou tells mee,
I hope in God you haue marryed my daughter,
And put her bodye to honestye.'
87 'Nay, by my faith,' then saies Iohn Stewart,
'Ffor euer alas that shall not bee;
Ffor now wee haue put her body to shame,
Thou'st haue her againe hame to thee.'
88 'I had rather make thee Erle of Marre,
And marry my daughter vnto thee;
For by my faith,' sais the Erle of Marr,
'Her marryage is marrd in our countrye.'
89 'If this be soe,' then sais Iohn Stewart,
'A marryage soone that thou shalt see;
Ffor my brother William, my father's heyre,
Shall marry thy daughter before thine eye.'
90 They sent for preist, th sent for clarke,
And marryed there they were with speed;
And William Stewart is Erle of Marr,
And his father-in-law dwells with him indeed.
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'Tring Dilly'- Version B; Child 107 Will Steward and John
Campbell Manuscripts, II, 30.
1 'Speak for yoursell, John Stewart,' he did say,
'And soon an answer I will gie to thee;
The highest service I can give thee
Is to wait on my daughter Ailly.
2 '. . . . .
. . . . .
If ever I gie a man a penny wage,
I'm sure, John Stewart, ye shall hae three.'
3 'I speak not for mysell,' John Stewart he did say,
'I speak for a lord of a higher degree;
The message is from my brother William,
Your loving daughter's husband to be.'
4 '. . . . . .
. . . . . .
I'll rather beat fair Ailly in my leather bang,
As lang as she can either stand or gang.'
5 . . . . .
. . . . .
'Ye hadna beat her before my face
Or ye'll beat three hundred men and me.'
6 When william came to Mulbery Hall,
He kissd the ladies one and all;
But when he cam to fair Ailly,
She thought he might hae gaen her twa or three.
7 Between the kitchen and the garden
It is calld a measured mile;
That lady and that lord fell into discourse,
And they thought they rode it in a short while.
Chorus: Tring dilly, tring dilly, tring ding dido,
Tring dilly, tring dilly, dolo dee.
----------
End-Notes
A. 21. by 2.
144. haue 3.
241. a 100.
274. love is written in the Manuscript by a later hand between then and I. Furnivall.
293. a 100d.
294. 11 score.
301. a 100.
364. him 3.
371. 16 games.
374. 12 of.
383. Marrs.
384. & the Erle.
403. March.
434. a 100?: men and nee.
444. might has two strokes for the i in the Manuscript, Furnivall.
484. amongst has four strokes for the m in the Manuscript, Furnivall.
513. in L, Manuscript Furnivall.
521. Mars.
603. March.
613. 4 garters.
614. 2 aboue.
734. dayes 3.
751. a 100d. Gunners has m in place of nn. Furnivall.
753. Two or three letters appear one over the other for the s in ryders. Furnivall.
784. vnto 3, all 3.
803. a 100 d.
804. 11 score.
811. a 100d.
843. n instead of m in home. Furnivall.
851. in 12.
854. chrsten.
And throughout for &.
Additions and Corrections
P. 433 b, 2d paragraph. Beating of daughters.
Elizabeth Paston, a marriageable woman, was "betyn onys in the weke, or twyes, and som tyme twyes on a day, and hir hed broken in to or thre places." (1449.) Paston Letters, ed. Gairdner, I, 90.