British and Other Versions: Child 4. Lady Isabel and the Elf Knight (Roud 21), Versions & "Headnotes." Note that my letter designations for the versions do not correspond to Child's.
Complete Versions of Child 4. Lady Isabel and the Elf Knight
[Fragments and partial versions under US/Canada and British page contents]
A. "The Outlandish Knight," ("An outlandish knight came from the north lands,") selected broadsides 16-18 stanzas dated from late 1700c London, John Marshall printer and c.1802 Pitts printer (ref. J.H. Dixon [Hone], 1827), Outlandish Knight black-letter broadsides (ref. Edum of Birmigham also J.H. Dixon of Florence, no date given but c. 1700) and two prints c. 1840 titled "The Old Beau's Courtship." (Pretty Polly/pretty maid and outlandish knight)
a. "The Outlandish Knight," John Marshall printer (London) missing broadside, c. 1790 ref. Hone, 1827
b1. "The Outlandish Knight," Pitts broadside 18 stanzas c. 1802 (listed 1813-1838, London, Bristol); ref. Hone, 1827.
b2. "The Outlandish Knight," reprint of Pitts broadside 18 stanzas, Child D, from Dixon's "Ancient Poems, Ballads, etc.", p. 74, 1846 = Bell, Ancient Poems, Ballads, etc., p. 61.
c. "Outlandish Knight," A. Swindells printer Manchester c. 1810 from Bodleian, date ref. Gardham
d. "The Outlandish Knight," 16 stanza broadside c. 1813, J. Catnach and W. Marshall, 2 Monmouth-court (London, Bristol) has "Pretty Polly."
e. "Outlandish Knight, Six go true, The seventh askew." printed in The Table Book, Volume 1, p. 129 by William Hone, 1827 arranged by an unknown informant who lived on Grange-road Bermondsey, south London.
f. "The Outlandish Knight," recreation from The Minstrelsy of the English Border by Frederick Sheldon, 1847
g. "The Old Beau's Courtship" broadside by Harkness of Preston c. 1850
h. "The Old Beau's Courtship" broadside by Stephenson of Carlisle c. 1850
i. "The Outlandish Knight," from the American Songster; Cozzens NY c. 1850
j. "Pretty Polly." Sung by "Uncle Reuben" sung by Mr. Hurt, eighty-four, of Oakland City, Indiana. Gibson County. March 10, 1935. Mr. Hurt says that he learned it from his mother when he was a small boy about 1860. From Brewster: Ballads and Songs of Indiana; 1936; Footnotes re-numbered.
k. Knight from the North- Sung by Jane Butler, Edgmond, 1870-80— the text supplied from recitation of an old nurse at Ross, Herefordshire. From "Shropshire folk-lore, ed. by C.S. Burne, from the collections of G.F. Jackson," 1883.
l. "Pretty Nancy." Written down by Mrs. Susie Carr Young, who learned it in Orland, in 1870. Melody recorded by Mr. George Herzog. Barry, Eckstrom, and Symthe; British Ballads from Maine, 1929. Mrs. Susie Carr Young of Brewer, Maine, collected songs from the singing of Mary Soper Carr, her grandmother who died in 1869, at the age of seventy-two.
m. "Outlandish Knight," sung by Mrs Sarah Phelps of Avening, Stroud, Gloucestershire, England. Collected by Carpenter about 1930. Learned as a girl over 50 years ago (c. 1880); from mother, and neighbors; never learned from print. From: James Madison Carpenter Collection, JMC/1/8/1/E, pp. 11721-11722; Reference Code: AFC 1972/001, MS pp. 04924- 04926.
n. "Outlandish Knight- melody as sung by Mrs. Andrews of Claremont Place, Newcastle-on-Tyne, sister of the late Mr. Robert White. From J. Collingwood Bruce and John Stokoe, "Northumbrian Minstrelsy", 1882, pp. 48-50. Also, with accompaniment, in John Stokoe and Samuel Reay, Songs of Northern England, 1892, p. 130.
o. "The King's Daughter Fair." Sung by Mrs. Lottie Marsh Heed of Ogden, who learned it about 67 years ago from her mother, Jane Marsh, in Willard, Box Elder County. From the article: Traditional Ballads from Utah, by Lester A. Hubbard and LeRoy J. Robertson; The Journal of American Folklore, Vol. 64, No. 251 (Jan. - Mar., 1951), pp. 37-53. Dated c. 1883 by Bronson.
p. Outlandish Knight- Taken down from Jas. Parsons, Lew Down in 1888. From Baring Gould MSS, Bronson has stanzas 6 and 7 reversed. Lines 3 and 4 reversed with 1 and 2 in stanza 11.
r. "Outlandish Knight" The air was obtained in the North Riding of Yorkshire, no informant named. Text is from an unnamed broadside (Pitts via Dixon). From Traditional Tunes: A Collection of Ballad Airs, Chiefly Obtained in Yorkshire and the south of Scotland" edited by Frank Kidson. 1891.
s. "Outlandish Knight." Tune from Heywood Sumner, Esq. Some of the words supplied from "North-Country Lore and Legend." From "English County Songs: Words and Music," edited by Lucy Etheldred Broadwood, John Alexander Fuller-Maitland, 1893.
t. "My Pretty Golden," dated 1890 as supplied by Mrs. Joyce Vantucci, who made a tape recording of her grandmother singing it on July 10, 1964, in Baltimore. The singer, Mrs. Lula S. Riley, aged 81, said she learned this song when she was a young girl from her mother, Mrs. Lanham (nee Smallwood), in Fairfax, Virginia. From: " 'Lady Isabel and the Elf-Knight' from Maryland" by Douglas J. Mcmillan, The Journal of American Folklore, Vol. 78, No. 308 (Apr. - Jun., 1965), pp. 156-157.
u. "Six Kings' Daughters," as sung by Charles Dietz, 1946, earned the ballad from his English mother who brought it to Wisconsin with her from New York state, dated 1891. From: Wisconsin Folksong Collection, 1937-1946; The Mills Music Library Digital Collections. Transcriptions and lyrics from the Helene Stratman-Thomas Collection.
v. "The Outlandish Knight," sung by John Vincent of Priddy, Somerset on 21 December, 1905. Collector Sharp, Cecil J. From Cecil Sharp Manuscript Collection (at Clare College, Cambridge) (CJS2/9/749)
w. "The Outlandish Knight." Sung by Joseph Laver (73), Bridgwater, August I4, 1907. Sharp MSS., 1002/. Sung by Joseph Laver (72), Bridgwater, August 13, 1906. From One Hundred English Folksongs edited by Cecil James Sharp 1916.
x. "Pretty Polly." Sung by Milton H. Osborn, Vineland, N. J., February 17, 1907; learned from his older sister in Missouri, "British Ballads from Maine", 1929 , p. XXVII; Text from Bronson, 101.
y. "The Robber and the Lady." Taken from the mouths of the peasantry (gypsies) by Alice E. Gillington, from Gillington's "Eight Hampshire Folk Songs," 1907, pp. 4-5.
z. "The Outlandish Knight," sung by William Hill, of Catherington, Hampshire on 19 August, 1908. From George Gardiner Manuscript Collection (GG/1/18/1157) with music.
aa. "Pretty Polly," my title. Sent to Flanders by Phillips Barry after its publication in BFSSNE, I, 3, in 1930, as sung by Mrs. Anna W. Lougee, Thornton, New Hampshire, on July 15, 1908. Phillips Barry, Collector. Flanders- Ancient Ballads, 1966.
bb. "The Outlandish Knight," collected by Ella Mary about 1909 in Herefordshire[?] From: Ella Mary Leather Manuscript Collection (EML/3/6).
cc. ["Pretty Polly"] Lady Isabel and the Elf Knight- Sung by Mrs. Bishop, Clay County, Ky., July 16, 1909. Collected by Olive Dame Campbell. From English Folk Songs From the Southern Appalachians I; Sharp/Campbell 1917, version C.
dd. "Pretty Polly," compilation from Mrs. Levi Langille/ John Langille /David Rogers; Nova Scotia; 1909. Taken from: Three Ballads from Nova Scotia by W. Roy Mackenzie; The Journal of American Folklore, Vol. 23, No. 89 (Jul. - Sep., 1910), pp. 371-380.
ee. "There came a young youth from the north lands," collected by Clive Carey, no info but collected in England probably Sussex about 1910. Clive Carey Manuscript Collection (CC/1/353) Roud Folksong Index (S404951)
ff. "The Outlandish Knight," sung by John Webb at Pillerton, Warwickshire on April 11, 1912. From Cecil Sharp Manuscript Collection (at Clare College, Cambridge) (CJS2/10/2777). Bronson 46.
gg. ["Pretty Polly"] From the singing and recitation of John Langille, River John, Pictou County. From Ballads and Sea Songs from Nova Scotia by William Roy Mackenzie- 1928, version A. This is one of three versions Mackenzie collected about 1910.
hh. "Pretty Polly" about 1910 from the the singing and recitation or Mrs. Levi "Easter Ann" Langille, Marshville, Pictou County. From Ballads and Sea Songs from Nova Scotia by William Roy Mackenzie- 1928.
ii. "The Outlandish Knight," sung by John Webb at Pillerton, Warwickshire on April 11, 1912. From Cecil Sharp Manuscript Collection (at Clare College, Cambridge) (CJS2/10/2777). Bronson 46.
jj. "Sweet William and Pretty Polly." Reported by Miss Mary Washington Ball. Collected by Miss Arline Eubank, of Richmond, Va. Sung by her grandmother. Henrico County. May 20, 1914. From Davis, Traditional Ballads of Virginia; 1929, version K.
kk. "Outlandish knight," sung by Edwin Warren of South Marston, Wiltshire County by 1915; Collected by Alfred Williams. From WSRO: 2598/36 Packet 4 - Wiltshire: Williams, A: MS collection No Wt 504; also Wilts and Gloucestershire Standard, 6th November, 1915, p 2, Part 7, No. 1: Williams, A: Folk songs of the upper Thames, 1923, p 159 – 161.
ll. [My Pretty Colleen] Sung by Miss Elizabeth Coit at Amherst, Mass., July, 1916, From English Folk Songs From the Southern Appalachians I; Sharp/Campbell 1917, version A.
mm. [An Elf Knight Come from the North Land] - Mrs. Susan Walters; Rocky Harbor, NS 1920. From: Ballads and Sea Songs of Newfoundland; Collected and edited by Elisabeth Bristol Greenleaf and recorded by Grace Yarrow Mansfield, 1933.
nn. "The Outlandish Knight." from North Countrie Folk Songs for Schools, Ed Whittaker, Pub Curwen, 1921.
oo. "Pretty Polly." Recorded by Mrs. Sutton, about 1921. From Brown Collection of NC Folklore, version A.
pp. ["Pretty Polly Anne."] "Lady Isabel and the Elf-Knight" Collected by Mr. John Stone. Sung by Mr. George Hart, of Konnarock, Va. Washington County. November 8, 1921; from Davis, Traditional Ballads of Virginia; 1929.
qq. "A Man in the Land" Collected by Miss Juliet Fauntleloy, of Altavista, Va. Sung by Miss Caroline Reid, of Altavista, Va., who learned it from Mrs. Leftwich in Bedford County. Campbell County. October, 1921. Davis; More Traditional Ballads from Virginia; 1960.
rr. "The False-Hearted Knight." Sung by Barry's sister, Mrs. A. W. (Barry) Lindenberg, Shirley, Mass., 1922.
Barry, Eckstorm, and Smyth, "British Ballads from Maine", 1929, pp. 19 -20 (Version C).
ss. "The Cage or Ivory and Gold." Sent in, September, 1925, by Mr. Justin DeCoster, Buckfield. Barry, Eckstrom, and Symthe; British Ballads from Maine, 1929.
tt. "Pretty Polly," sung by Mrs. O. Mobley of Illinois. From Sandburg; American Songbag, 1927. According Sandburg, "This version is from the R W. Gordon collection."
uu. "Outlandish Knight," sung William Hands of Willersley, Glouchester, England. Collected by Carpenter about 1930. From James Madison Carpenter Collection, JMC/1/5/1/N, pp. 08474-08475/ Reference Code: AFC 1972/001, MS pp. 04929- 04931.
vv. "Outlandish Knight," sung by William Newman of Stanway Hill, Gloucestershire, England. Collected by Carpenter about 1930. From James Madison Carpenter Collection, JMC/1/3/M, pp. 06999-07000. Both the maid and parrot are named "pretty Pollee."
ww. "Pretty Polly," sung by William H. Avery, of Victor, Idaho, in the autumn of 1933. From Thomas Edward Cheney's Folk Ballad Characteristics, 1936, reprinted Idaho Folklife.
xx. [Pretty Polly]- Sung by Nathaniel Melhorn Morris, Harriston, Va, October 16, 1935. From Wilkinson's notebook 1935-36, pp. 3-5(A) with music; version A.
yy. [Pretty Polly] No local title. Copy from Mr. George F. Swetnam, University, from the singing of his mother, Mrs. Flora Stafford Swetnam, a native of Kentucky, but now residing at Vaiden. From Hudson, Folksongs of Mississippi- 1936.
zz. [Pretty Polly] as sung by William Nelson; 1937. My title, replacing the generic "Lady Isabel". From Traditional Songs from Nova Scotia by Creighton and Senior; 1950, version B.
aaa. "Pretty Polly." Recorded in 1937 from the singing of Mrs. W. B. Thornton, West Palm Beach. She learned it from Mr. J. L. Allison, Live Oak, a native Floridian who is now 80 years old, and who this song from friends in the Suwannee River region many years ago. From Folksongs of Florida; Morris, 1950, version B.
bbb. "The Dapple Grey" sung by LeRena Clark; learned from her grandfather Watson pre1937; recorded in 1965.
From the LP; LaRena Clark: A Canadian Garland (Topic 12T140) edited by Edith Fowke. Also A Family Heritage: The Story and Songs of LaRena Clark By Edith Fowke, Jay Rahn.
ccc. [Pretty Pollee] Sung by Hanford, Hayes of Stacyville, 1941. Published in Ballads Migrant To New England, p. 129, Flanders E.
ddd. "Pretty Polly." Sung by Mrs. Ben Dryden, Fred, Texas, 1941. From Texas Folk Songs; William Owens; 1950, version B.
eee. "The Knight of the North Land." Miss Marie Murray of Heber sent the words of the ballad July 27,1947. She obtained it from Mrs. Cleo Barzee McIntire of Upland, California. From Ballads and Songs from Utah, Hubbard, 1961 version B.
fff. "The False-Hearted Knight." Sung by Jumbo Brightwell, East Bridge, Suffolk, England, 1947. Collected by Phil Tanner. From ATM V ATL 556.4d. Columbia World Library of Folk and Primitive Music, Vol. III, SL-206, Side I, Band 4, Item 28.
ggg. "Purty Polly." Recorded from the singing of Mrs. J. E. Riley, High Springs. She learned the song from her mother, who had learned it in Union County, near Macclenny. From Folksongs of Florida; Morris, 1950, version A.
hhh. "Six Pretty Maids," sung by Fred Jordan of Shropshire in Oct. 30, 1952 by Kennedy. From Fred Jordan's recording A Shropshire Lad, VTD148CD ‘English Folk Singer.’
iii. "So Long Before Twas Day." Sung by Mr. Henry Weare; Devalls Bluff, Ark. Nov. 14, 1953. Ozark Folklore Collection: Reel 175, Item 1. Collected by M.C. Parler.
jjj. "An Outlandish Lad," sung by by George Jensen at Logan, Utah, June 10, 1957; Jensen had learned the ballad from his grandmother, a Mormon pioneer. From: The Folklore Historian - 1997.
kkk. The Outlandish Knight- sung by Sam Larner (1878 - 1965) of Winterton, Norfolk about 1957. From Sam Larner's recording: Cruising Round Yarmouth, (MTCD369-0).
lll. "Pretty Polly." Sung by Donia Cooper, West Fork, Arkansas on August 19, 1959. From Max Hunter Folk Song Collection also in the Ozark Folklore Collection.
mmm. "The Gates of Ivory." Sung by Nicholas Underhill, Nor'west Bridge, New Brunswick- 1962 From: Manny & Wilson, Songs of the Miramichi (1968) pp. 202-203. Underhill learned this version from Wilmont McDonald in 1961.
nnn. "Outlandish Knight," sung by Ursula Ridley, West Hoathly Sussex in 1962. Collected by Ken Stubbs. From: Stubbs, Life of a Man (1970) p.58.
ooo. "The Dapple Grey," sung by May Bradley (1902- 1974) of Ludlow, Shropshire about 1962. From May Bradley's recording "Sweet Swansea" on Musical Traditions Records (MTCD349),Also Hamer's Garners Gay.
ppp. "The Outlandish Knight," sung by Hockey Feltwell from the Southery, Norfolk area, c. 1962. From the VT150CD recording, "Heel & Toe, 'Songs, tunes and stepdances from the Sam Steele collection’ "
qqq. "Pretty Polly Ann" sung by Ollie Gilbert of Mountain View, Arkansas in spring, 1963; The John Quincy Wolf Folklore Collection; Gilbert was also recorded by Max Hunter in 1969.
rrr. "The False-Hearted Knight and the Pretty Carol Lynn," sung by Mr. H. J. Shinn of Cottageville, W. V. by 1969. Folk Songs of Central West Virginia by Michael E. "Jim" Bush, 1969.
sss. "The Young Officer," sung by Mary Ann Haynes, Brighton, Sussex, 1972. From recording, My Father's the King of the Gypsies.
ttt. "Pretty Polly," sung by Bill Cassidy of Co Wicklow about 1975. "From Puck to Appleby (MTCD325-6), Songs and stories from Jim Carroll's and Pat Mackenzie's recordings of Irish Travellers in England."
uuu. "A man from the north," sung by Charlotte Renals of Cornwall, 1978. From the Veteran recording: VT119CD, Catch me if you Can, ‘Songs from Cornish Travellers’ Charlotte Renals Betsy Renals & Sophie Legg.
vvv. "Outlandish Knight," sung by Vic Legg of Bodmin (Cornwall) on (16 Feb) 1993. Collector John Howson. From: Roud Folksong Index (S312057); Morrish, Folk Handbook (2007) pp.228-231 (+ acc. CD).
www. "The Outlandish Knight." Sung by Roger Grimes of Hertfordshire in 2001. From: Musical Traditions Records' third CD release of 2005: Songs from the Golden Fleece: A song tradition today (MTCD335-6).
B. "The False Knight Outwitted: A New Song" [12 stanzas] ("Go fetch me some of your father's gold,") BL listed as London? 1710? [1780 date confirmed] (Pretty Polly and false knight)
a. Broadside in white-letter (woodcut of a horseman-- see below) held at British Museum/Library; no imprint, estimated place and date: (London? 1710?). Confirmed date of 1780 with 11 Copac listings held at various libraries in England. EBBA ID: 31135; online: http://ebba.english.ucsb.edu/ballad/31135/transcription
b. Roxburghe Ballads, III, Ebsworth, Ed., p. 449 dated circa 1765; also Publications, Volume 32 by Ballad Society, p. 382-386; Roxburghe 3.449.
c. [Seven Ladies Gay] c. 1862 was obtained in 1912 from Miss Frances Payette, a student in Michigan State Normal College, Ypsilanti. She learned the song from her mother; Mrs. Payette had heard it sung before 1862 by an English uncle, Mr. John Knowles, who lived near Bay City, Michigan. from Ballads and Songs of Southern Michigan by Elizabeth Gardner and also Geraldine Jencks Chickering, 1939, Version A.
d. "The Ocean Wave." The text c.1868 is taken from a manuscript belonging to Mrs. S. T. Topper, Ashland, Ohio as written by her mother. From Ballads and Songs from Ohio, 1939 Eddy, version C.
e. "Outlandish Knight." Taken down from Richard Gregory, moorman, Two Bridges, Jan. 1889. Will Setter sang the “Outlandish Knight” afore. Bronson 41, some slight variation in text. From Baring Gould MS, he writes; "this, my restoration."
f. "Rich Nobleman," sung by J. Masters of Bradstone Devon, June 1891. From Sabine Baring-Gould Manuscript Collection (SBG/3/1/560)
g. “Six Pretty Maidens.” Sung by Mr. Lugg (53), a dairyman, 1905. Noted by C. S. Parsonisont, from: [More Ballads] by Lucy E. Broadwood, Cecil J. Sharp, Ralph Vaughan Williams, A. G. Gilchrist and Frank Kidson; from Journal of the Folk-Song Society, Vol. 4, No. 15 (Dec., 1910), pp. 110-137.
h. ["Pretty Polly."] Contributed by L. W. H., Cambridge, Mass., in whose family it has been traditional for three generations. Sung by Miss Leslie W. Hopkinson, Cambridge, Mass., May 31, 1904; from family tradition. Traditional Ballads in New England I
by Phillips Barry The Journal of American Folklore, Vol. 18, No. 69 (Apr. - Jun., 1905), pp. 123-138.
i. "Song Ballad of Pretty Polly." Sent by Mrs. Olin F. Wiley, of Richmond, Va. Witt County. December 1, 1916. From Davis, Traditional Ballads of Virginia; 1929, version G.
j. ["Pretty Polly"]. Sung by Mrs. Joe Vanhook, Berea College, Madison County, Ky., May 20, 1917. Collected by Cecil Sharp, EFSSA version F.
k. "The False-Hearted Knight." Sung by Mrs. Guy R. Hathaway, Mattawamkeag, Maine, 1928; learned from her father. From Barry, Eckstorm, and Smyth, "British Ballads from Maine", 1929, pp. 26-28, Version G.
l. [Pretty Maid] From Mrs. G. M. Knapp, Ashland, Ohio, contributed by her grandson, Rex McDowell. My title. From Ballads and Songs from Ohio, 1939 Eddy, version E.
m. [Pretty Pollee] sung by Mrs, Belle Richards of Colebrook, New Hampshire on November 27, 1941. From Flanders- Ancient Ballads, 1966, version C.
n. "The Daughter of Old England." Sung by Clarke Amey of Pittsburg, New Hampshire. M. Olney, Collector; April 25, 1942; Flanders- Ancient Ballads, 1966, version D.
o. "Pretty Polly" sung by John Cutting, from Essex County, New York, before 1944. From Edith E. Cutting, Lore of an Adirondack County (1944) pp.61-64, version A.
p. ["False Young Man"] Sung by Mr. Robert Aikins, Roman Valley. From Traditional Songs from Nova Scotia by Creighton and Senior; 1950, version C.
q. "Pretty Polly and False William." Mr. Clayton collected this version from Finlay Adams of Big Laurel, Virginia. From Cumberland Mountain Folksongs, sung by Paul Clayton, New York, Folkways Records, FA2007; 1957.
C. "Western Tragedy," (ref. Motherwell, 1749) ["Have ye not heard of (a bludy/bloody knight) fause Sir John? Wha liv’d in the west country,"] (May Culzean, May Colvin, May Collean, or May Collin/False Sir John)
a. "Western Tragedy" broadside ref. Motherwell, dated 1749 (no print confirmed)
b. "The Western Tragedy," from Two excellent new songs : I. The Irishman's ramble: or, Drunk at night and dry in the morning. II. The western tragedy.[Glasgow?] : Entered according to order [1790?] National Library of Scotland L.C.2898(28).
c. "Western Tragedy" printed in Boston? c. 1800 from broadside held at the Harvard Library, ref. Hyder Rollins,
d. "The historical ballad of May Culzean: founded on fact." With, A poem on the times. Ayr : Printed by D. Macarter & Co [1817-1818] The historical ballad of May Culzean. Founded on fact. [S.I.] : Printed for the booksellers [1800?]
e. "May Collin" Sharpe's Ballad Book (1823), No 17, p. 45.
f. "May Colyean," sung by Mary Macqueen of Lochwinnoch in Renfrewshire about 1824. From: "Andrew Crawfurd's collection of ballads and songs," volume 2, by Andrew Crawfurd, E. B. Lyle - 1975.
g."May Collean," Motherwell's Minstrelsy, Appendix, p. 21, No. XXIV, one stanza with music, 1827.
h. "Fause Sir John and May Colvin" from Buchan's 1828 book, "Ballads of the North of Scotland, II," p. 45.
i. "May Colvine, and Fause Sir John," sung by and informant from Aberdeenshire before 1881, from W. Christie's, Traditional Ballad Airs, Volume 2, 1881.
j. "May Colvin," recited by Bell Robertson of New Pitsligo, Aberdeenshire, 1906 Greig A, as learned from her grandmother from whom her mother learned it. Keith dates this late 1700s. From "Last leaves of traditional ballads and ballad airs," Alexander Keith - 1925; Also Gavin Greig, Folk-Song of the North-East; and The Greig-Duncan Folk Song Collection by Patrick N. Shuldham-Shaw, Emily B. Lyle.
k. "May Colvine," sung by Wattie Wright (b. 1909) of Edinburgh, Midlothian County in 1973. Recorded for Scottish Studies by Ailie Edmunds Munro. From: Collection - School of Scottish Studies; Original Tape ID - SA1973.112.
D. "May Colven" David Herd, Edinburgh, published 1776. ("False Sir John a-wooing came,"), represents Scottish short versions (17 stanzas).
a. "May Colven," no informant named, Herd's Manuscripts, I, 166 pre1776.
b. 'May Colvin,'" no informant named, Herd's Scottish Songs, 1776, I, 93.
c. "May Colvin, or, False Sir John," no informant named as taken from recitation, Motherwell's Minstrelsy, p. 67, 1827.
d. "Young Jimmie." Communicated by Mrs. Fannie Brennecke, of Walhalla, S.C., Nov. 17, 1924. Mrs. Brennecke writes: "In a cabin on my father's plantation, back in the Sixties (c.1864), lived an old, old woman, known to all as "Granny Rochester." From Reed Smith's South Carolina Ballads, 1928 version B.
e. "The King's Seven Daughters," contributed by Mrs. George H. Barnett of Columbia,from Mrs. J. T. Cooper of Warrensburg, who learned it in 1865 or 1866. Belden version Ga.
f. "The Seven King's Daughters.' contributed by Mrs. George H. Barnett of Columbia, from Mrs. Sarah Henry, who learned it in Saline County about 1865-70 Belden version Gb.
"Pretty Polly." Communicated by Mrs. Anna Copley, Shoals, Wayne County, December 19, 1915; dictated by her cousin Mr. Burwell Luther, who learned it from his mother about fifty years ago (c.1865). From Folk-Songs of the South; Cox, 1925, version C.
g. "Six Kings' Daughters." Communicated by Professor Walter Barnes, Fairmont, Marion County, July, 1915; obtained from Mr. G. W. Cunningham, Elkins, Randolph County, who learned it shortly after the Civil War (c.1867) from Laban White, Dry Fork. From Folk-Songs of the South; Cox, 1925, version B.
h. "May Colzean," sung by John Sutherland of Balruddery, Latheron, Caithness, Scotland. Learned from his mother, Margaret Cumming Sutherland about 1870. From James Madison Carpenter Collection, JMC/1/8/1/K, pp. 12032-12033.
i. "False Sir John," sung by Mrs James Christie (b. 1863), 9 Newton Hill, Scotland, collected circa 1830. Margaret learned this from mother, Jean Christie of 40 Newton Hill (born in 1833) about 1875. James Madison Carpenter Collection, JMC/1/8/1/B, p. 11506
j. "Fause Sir John," sung by Peter Christie of 21 Shorehead, Stonehave, Scotland. Learned from Mary Christie of Newton Hill, fifty-two years ago (c. 1875). Recording date not given, c. 1930. From: James Madison Carpenter Collection, JMC/1/8/1/B, p. 11501.
k. "Pretty Polly." Communicated by Mr. Rex Hoke. Second Creek, Monroe County, November 8, 1915; obtained from Mrs. L. F. Hoke, who learned it about forty years ago (c. 1875) from Mr. Wise W. Lively. From Folk-Songs of the South; Cox, 1925, version E.
l. "The Seventh King's Daughter," sung by Elizabeth Simpkins of Vanceboro; John B. Henneman Collection around 1900, from Brown Collection of NC Folklore Vol. 2; version C.
m. "The Pretty Golden Queen." Collected by Miss Maude Williams, 1903, as "sung by an old lady near Kansas City. She learned it of a cousin when she was a girl, then living in South Missouri. She never saw it in print." From: Old-Country Ballads in Missouri- I by H. M. Belden; The Journal of American Folklore, Vol. 19, No. 74 (Jul. - Sep., 1906), pp. 231-240.
n. "False Sir John," my title from S. C., Boston, Mass., native of Co. Tyrone. Reprinted from Phillips Barry Folk-Songs of the North Atlantic States- Version H, also "Irish Come-All-Ye's" by Phillips Barry; The Journal of American Folklore, Vol. 22, No. 86 (Oct.- Dec., 1909), pp. 374-388.
o. "May Colvin," sung by Annie Shirer of Aberdeenshire, collected by Gavin Greig about 1910. From the Grieg, Duncan Collection.
p. "Bonny Goldin," my title from M.A.K. Boston, Mass., in whose family (Irish) it has been traditional for generations. First published as version K in Barry's 1908 book, Folk-Songs of the North Atlantic States. Taken from: New Ballad Texts by Phillips Barry; The Journal of American Folklore, Vol. 24, No. 93 (Jul. - Sep., 1911), pp. 344-349.
q. [Pretty Fair Maid] from oral recitation, by Miss Ellen Hammond, at Westfield, Wisconsin. Taken from: Some Ballad Variants and Songs by Arthur Beatty; The Journal of American Folklore, Vol. 22, No. 83 (Jan. - Mar., 1909), pp. 63-71.
r. "Willie Came over the Ocean." Secured by Miss Hamilton, 1909, from Julia Rickman, one of her pupils in West Plains High School. From Ballads and Songs; Collected by the Missouri Folk-Lore Society; Belden 1940.
s. "Polly and William.' Secured by Miss Hamilton from Agnes Shibley, one of her students at the State Teacher's College, Kirksville, 1911, who had it from 'the old manuscript of Mr. Jenkins.' Ballads and Songs; Collected by the Missouri Folk-Lore Society; Belden 1940, version D.
t. "William." Sung by Mrs. Moore, Rabun Gap, Ga., May 1, 1910; Collected by Isabel Rawn, sent in by Olive Dame Campbell; EFSSA; Sharp C (1932 edition).
u. "The King's Daughter" Collected by Miss Martha M. Davis. Sung by Mrs. Adam Gowl of Rockingham County, July 31, 1913. From Traditional Ballads of Virginia; Davis 1929, version A.
v. "Pretty Polly." Communicated by Mr. George Paugh, Thomas, Tucker County, August 28, 1915; dictated by Mrs. S. R. Paugh. From Folk-Songs of the South; Cox, 1925, version A.
w. "Pretty Polly." Communicated by Mrs. Elizabeth Tapp Peck, Morgantown, Monongalia County, March 31, 1916; obtained from her mother, Mrs. Elizabeth Wade Mack, who learned it in her youth while living near Bethel Church. From Folk-Songs of the South; Cox, 1925; version D.
x. "Sweet William." Communicated by Mrs. T. L. Perry, who earlier under her maiden name of Isabel Rawn had made numerous and valuable contributions of North Carolina folk song to the JAFL; from Brown Collection of NC Folklore Vol. 2, version E.
y. "Pretty Polly." Sung by Hill Jackson (African-American), Brown's Cove, Va., June 1, 19I7. From Davis, Tradirional Ballads of Virginia; 1929, version B.
z. ["Nine Kings' Daughters."] Sung by Mrs. LAURA VIRGINIA DONALD at Dewey, Va., June 6, 1918. From English Folk Songs From the Southern Appalachians II; Sharp/Karpeles version E.
aa. ["Six Fair Maids."] Sung by Mrs. George McCormick, Garden City, N.C., September 9, 1918. Bronson 105; Sharp MSS., 4585/3208-9.
bb. ["Nine Kings Daughters."] Sung by Mrs. Bowyer, Villamont, Bedford County, Va., June 4, 1918. My title, from Bronson "Traditional Tunes" no. 115; Sharp MS.
cc. "My Pretty Golin," sung by Mrs. Lottie Hendrickson of Marion, Illinois; from Southern Illinois Folk Songs by David S. Mclntosh, Journal of the Illinois State Historical Society (1908-1984), Vol. 31, No. 3 (Sep., 1938),pp. 297-322.
dd. "Pretty Cold Rain." Sung by Miss Hattie McNeill. Recorded at Ferguson, Wilkes county, 1921 or 1922; from the Brown Collection, version D.
ee. "Seven King's Daughters." Collected by Miss Alfreda M. Peel, of Salem, Va. Roanoke County. September 11, 1922. from Davis, Traditional Ballads of Virginia; 1929, version E.
ff. "Come a Link, Come a Long." Collected by Miss Juliet Fauntleroy. Sung by Mr. Ed Stinnet, of Lynch Station, Va. Campbell County. April 11, 1924. Davis, Traditional Ballads of Virginia; 1929, version D.
gg. "The Salt Water Sea." Collected by Mr. Ben C. Moomaw, Jr. Sung by Mr. Sam Pritt, of Barber, Va. Alleghany County. November 28, 1924. Davis, Traditional Ballads of Virginia; 1929, version C.
hh. "Six Kings' Daughters"- Sung by Frances Sanders, Morgantown, W.Va., June 1924. From: Folk Songs Mainly from West Virginia; edited by John Harrington Cox. New York: National Service Bureau, 1939.
ii. "The False Sir John"- Sung by Silas A. Lingo, Milan, Ind., August 1925. From: Folk Songs Mainly from West Virginia; edited by John Harrington Cox. New York: National Service Bureau, 1939; with music, pp. 1-3. Bronson 128.
jj. "Pretty Polly Ann." Sung by Mrs. Mary Grant (Anderson, Missouri) Sept. 6, 1927, from Vance Radolph's Ozark Folksongs; Volume 1- Ballads; 1946, version A.
kk. "Pretty Polly." Sung by Mrs. Samuel Harmon, Cade's Cove, Blount County, Tennessee, August 1, 1928. From: Ballads and Songs of the Southern Highlands- Mellinger E. Henry; The Journal of American Folklore, Vol. 42, No. 165 (Jul. - Sep., 1929), pp. 254-300. Also Version A in Folk Songs from the Southern Highlands.
ll. "The Seven Sisters." Another version secured later (in the summer of 1928) by Mrs. Sutton from the singing of Mrs. Rebecca Gordon of Saluda Mountain, Henderson county. From Brown Collection of NC Folklore Vol. 2, version B
mm. "May Colvin," sung by James Mason of 4 Dawson's Building, Stonehaven, Scotland about 1930. From James Madison Carpenter Collection, JMC/1/5/3/A, p. 09093
nn. "He Followed Me Up and He Followed Me Down." Recorded in Bennington, Vermont, from the singing of Sharon Harrington, September 12, 1930; as remembered from his mother, Mrs. Rebecca Smith Harrington. Published in Vermont Folk-songs & Ballads, p. 190.
oo. "Salt Water Sea." Phonograph record (aluminum) made by A. K. Davis. Jr: Sung by Mrs. Martha Elizabeth Gibson, of Crozet, Va., Albemarle County. April 13, 1933. From Davis; More Traditional Ballads from Virginia; 1960.
pp. "Pretty Polly," contributed by Mrs. J. C. Marshall, from Dobie; Tone the Bell Easy, 1932 version A.
qq. [My Pretty Polin]- Sung by Mrs. Hannah Sayre, Washington County, Pa., I933. Recorded by Samuel P. Bayard. From George Korson, "Pennsylvania Songs and Legends," 1949, pp. 30-32.
rr. "He Followed Me Up." Mrs. Myra Daniels of East Calais, Vermont, first sang this ballad, for which she gave no title, on July 29, 1933. On November 9, 1939, she was re-recorded, by Alan Lomax. From Flanders, Ancient Ballads, 1966.
ss. "Lady Ishbel and her Parrot," sung by Hattie Melton (Asheville, NC) 1934; Collected (recreated) by John Jacob Niles. From Niles, The Ballad Book.
tt. ["Go Steal To Me."] Recorded, as sung by Elmer George of North Montpelier, Vermont. Mr. George is a brother of Mrs. Myra Daniels. From: Flanders- Ancient Ballads, 1966.
uu. "Six Kings' Daughters." Contributed by Mrs. Thomas M. Bryant, of Evansville, Indiana. Vanderburg County. November 22, 1935. From Brewster: Ballads and Songs of Indiana; 1936; version A.
vv. "Six Kings' Daughters." Contributed by Mrs. B. C. Raley, of Greencastle, Indiana. Putnam County. Learned from the singing of her mother. November 21, 1935. Brewster: Ballads and Songs of Indiana, 1936; version C.
ww. "Pretty Polly." The song was recorded near Cumberland Gap, Tennessee, by Glada Gully, a student in Lincoln Memorial University Harrogate, Tennessee. From Folk Songs from the Southern Highlands published March 1938 by Mellinger Henry, version B.
xx. "Six King's Daughters." Sung by Mrs. T. R. Bryant, Evansville, Indiana, April 8, 1938. Collected by Alan and Elizabeth Lomax for the Library of Congress. Text from: Toward the Indexing of Ballad Texts by George List; The Journal of American Folklore, Vol. 81, No. 319 (Jan. - Mar., 1968), pp. 44-61.
yy. "Pretty Cold Rain" as sung by Nora Hicks, (1886-1953) of Rich Mountain, Watauga County, North Carolina. From the manuscript book of songs of Miss Edith Walker of Boone, Watauga county. Version D from Brown Collection of NC Folklore Vol. 2.
zz. ["Six King's Daughters."] As sung by Mrs. Harold Stokes of Springfield, Vermont, learned from her grandfather, John Abbott, of Londonderry, Vermont. H. H. F., Collector; January 25, 1940. From Flanders- Ancient Ballads, 1966, version K.
aaa. "The False-Hearted Knight." This version of "The Outlandish Knight" was sent in a letter from Dr. Temple Burling, 100 North Main street, Providence, Rhode Island on December 4, 1944; Flanders- Ancient Ballads, 1966, version A.
bbb. "Pretty Polly." Sung by Rod Drake of Silsbee, Texas, 1952. Texas Folk Songs; William Owens; 1950, with music.
ccc. "Willie Come Over the Ocean." Sung by Mrs. Mary Briscoe, Berryville, Ark. Oct. 20, 1953. From the Ozark Collection Reel 156, Item 6. Colected by M.C. Parler.
ddd. "False Sir John." Sung by Jean Ritchie, 1954 as learned from family tradition (recreation). From Bronson 102; Kentucky Mountain Songs, Elektra, LP rec. 25.
eee. "Lovin' Polly," sung by Mrs. Allie Long Parker, Eureka Springs, Arkansas on March 27, 1958; Max Hunter Folk Song Collection.
fff. "Willie Came Over the Main Wide Ocean," As sung by Mr. Fred High, High, Arkansas on February 11, 1959. From Max Hunter Folk Song Collection.
ggg. "Pretty Polly," sung by Mrs. Woody Gray of Oklahoma before 1959. From Ethel and Chauncey O. Moore, Ballads and Folk Songs of the Southwest. Norman: University of Oklahoma Press, 1964.
hhh. "Her Father's Gold," sung by Betty Smith of North Carolina, 1976. From Digital Library of Appalachia; Ballad sung by Betty Smith of Madison County, North Carolina at the Berea College; Also on June appal: For my friends of Song.
iii. "False Lover John," sung by Corney McDaid of Buncrana, Co Donegal, 1985. From a recording made at Corney McDaid's house, Buncrana, Co. Donegal. ITMA Reference Number: 166-ITMA-MP3; Jimmy McBride Collection. Audio Cassette 43.
E. ‘May Collin,’ (May Collin . . .") dated c. 1780 “Scotch Ballads, Materials for Border Minstrelsy,” No 146, MS at Abbotsford.“ From English and Scottish Popular Ballads - Volume 4 Additions and Corrections also labeled H in the Sargent and Kittredge edition 1904. Taken from Scott's MS in 1802 from a “copy of some antiquity” no date given but at least c.1780 if legitimate. Seems to be based on or similar to Herd's 1776 version. This is an alternative version of Child C (my D).
F. "The Knight and the Chief's Daughter" Irish ("Now steal me some of your father's gold") ["willow tree" texts] late 1700s, Ireland.
a1. "The Knight and the Chief's Daughter" British Museum, 1829, MS Addit. 20094 as communicated to Mr. T. Crofton Croker in 1829, as remembered by Mr. W. Pigott Rogers, and believed by Mr. Rogers to have been learned by him from an Irish nursery-maid.
a2. "The Knight and the Chief's Daughter" Fraser's Magazine, Volume 3 edited by James Anthony Froude, John Tulloch, 1831.
b. "The Pretty Colin." As sung by Mrs. Lily Delorme of Cadyville, New York. Learned as a child about 1869 from her uncle, a native of Starksboro, Vermont. Mrs. Delorme seys: "This is as much as I know of it." M. Olney, Collector; August 16, 1943.
c. "The False Lover," sung by Jeannie Devlin of New York Pennsylvania about 1879. From Never Without a Song, Newman 1995; Recorded by Lomax 1938.
d. [Six Kings' Daughters] collected by Mr. John Stone as recited by Mr. J. B. Clark, of Waverly, Va. Sussex County. July 13, 1921. Mr. Clark heard this ballad "about fifty years ago (c. 1875) , when he was a boy in Prince George Co., Va." From Davis, Traditional Ballads of Virginia; 1929, version D.
e. "The False Lover," sung by Jeannie Devlin of New York Pennsylvania about 1879. From Never Without a Song, Newman 1995; Recorded by Lomax 1938.
f. "Pretty Colendee," MS. of M. J. P., Peoria, Ill., native of Fulton, Mo. Folk-Songs of the North Atlantic States; Taken from: Irish Folk-Song by Phillips Barry The Journal of American Folklore, Vol. 24, No. 93 (Jul. - Sep., 1911), pp. 332-343.
g. [Six King's Daughters.] No title given. Secured by Miss Hamilton from another of her West Plains pupils, Mabel Davis, 1909. From Ballads and Songs; Collected by the Missouri Folk-Lore Society; Belden 1940, version C.
h. ["Pretty Polly"] From the singing and recitation of David Rogers, Pictou, Pictou county about 1910. From Ballads and Sea Songs from Nova Scotia by William Roy Mackenzie- 1928.
i. [My Pretty Colin] From North Carolina; mountain whites; MS. lent to E. N. Caldwell; 1913. From the article: Songs and Rhymes from the South by E. C. Perrow; The Journal of American Folklore, Vol. 28, No. 108 (Apr. - Jun., 1915), pp. 129-190.
j. "King O' Spain's Daughter." Collected from Willie Hegarty, learned when he was a young man from the girls at the "stove" Mullamore Bleach Green (Barklie's) From Songs of the People, Sam Henry; from Willie Hegarty of Ballydevitt, County Donegal, Ireland.
k. "The Pretty Collee," sung by Evangeline Higgins Pineville, Missouri 1929 Randolph, Ozark Folksongs. Volume I, British Ballads; learned from her grandmother.
l. [Pretty Polly] Sung by Mr. Matthew Aylward at Stock Cove, Bonavista Bay, 20th, September 1929. From Karpeles 1934 book, "Folk Songs from Newfoundland."
m. [Seventh Kings' Daughter] Lillian Craig, of Roanoke, Virginia, took down this version from the singing of Dave Clawson, at Dark Ridge, North Carolina. From Scarborough- Song Catcher in the Southern Mountains, finished in 1936, published posthumously in 1937.
n. " O what's the matter, my Pretty Polly," sung by Mrs Becky F. Jones of Route 1, box 122 of Cary, NC, c. 1939 From the James Madison Carpenter Collection, JMC/1/7/1/C, pp. 10639-10642.
o. "The Willow Tree" c. 1950 from Abraham B. Shiffrin, (1902-1998) Playwright, dealer in antiquarian books. Born in Poland; lived in New York. Appears in the play, The Twilight Walk: Play in Three Acts by Abraham B. Shiffrin - 1951 - 68 pages; According to Shiffrin, "When the play was produced by Margo Jones in Dallas, the title was changed to " The Willow Tree."
G. "The Water o Wearie's Well" early 1800s (Step in, step in, my lady fair,) an Edinburgh variant with incremental immersion in the water of Wearie's Well of Edinburgh. The Knight is pulled off his horse.
a1. Buchan's Manuscripts, II, fol. 80 of North Scotland;
a2. Buchan's B. N. S., II, 201 of North Scotland.
a3. Motherwell's Manuscript, p. 561 (Edinburgh).
b. "Wearie's Wells," Amelia Harris Manuscript, No 19 (Perth).
c. "Water o the Weary Well," sung by Mrs James Christie of 9 Newton Hill, learned from Jean Christie (b. 1833). From James Madison Carpenter Collection, JMC/1/8/1/B, p. 11506.
d. "Pretty Polly," my title, sung by and old African-American woman in Waco Texas, learned c1875, from "On The Trail Of Negro Folk-Songs" by Dorothy Scarborough, 1925.
H. The Gowans sae gay Scottish ("Fair lady Isabel sits in her bower sewing,") North Scotland, Buchan.
a. 'The Gowans sae gay,' from Buchan's Ballads of the North of Scotland, I, 22.
b. 'Aye as the Gowans grow gay,' Motherwell's Manuscript, p. 563.
I. Telltale Polly ("She mounted on her bonny, bonny brown") From Charley Fox's Minstrel's Companion (Philadelphia, Turner & Fisher with music edited by Frank B. Converse) p. 52, "Tell-Tale Polly. Comic Ballad. (As sung by Charley Fox.) Uses the "Lovel Lovel" comic form.
J. Generic Versions; Reductions, Composites (lacking identifiers) which do not fit the standard Scottish or English forms.
a. "Wilson." Collected by W. H. Babcock from "new nurse girl, white, and from up the river," Virginia, 1889. From the article: The London Ballads by W. H. Babcock, The Folk-Lore Journal, Vol. 7, No. 1 (1889), pp. 27-35.
b. "My Pretty Colinn," sung by Mrs. William Stork of Canton, Ohio, who learned it c.1890 from her mother. From Ballads and Songs from Ohio, 1939 Eddy, version D.
c. "Lady Isabel." Sung by Mrs. George Ravois, Vineland, N.J., January 8, 1907; generic title, Phillips Barry MSS, Bronson.
d. [Six Pretty Maids] No title. Another version given to Miss Hamilton by Agnes Shibley, 1911, as learned from her grandmother, Mrs. S. E. Husted, Putnam County. From Ballads and Songs; Collected by the Missouri Folk-Lore Society; Belden 1940.
e. ["Pretty Goli."] My title. Contributed by Miss Frances Yeater of the University of Missouri in 1913. From Ballads and Songs; Collected by the Missouri Folk-Lore Society; Belden 1940, version F.
f. ["Seventh Kings' Daughter."] Communicated by Mrs. John B. King of Williamston, S.C., in 1913 Mrs. King says, "She learned it from her father when she was a small girl. It is the only song (I think she said) she ever heard her father sing." From Reed Smith's South Carolina Ballads, 1928 version A.
g. "Pretty Gold Lee." Collected by Miss May Blankenship, of the Farmville Ballad Club. Sung by her cousin, of Naruna, Va., Campbell County. May, 1914. Printed in the Focus for May, 1914, p. 212.
h. "The Six King's Daughters" collected by Miss Mary E. Peck of the Farmville Ballad Club. Sung by her father (when she was a child). Prince Edward County, May 1914, printed in the Focus for May 1914, p. 214. From Davis, Traditional Ballads of Virginia; 1929, version N.
i. "The Six Fair Maids." Sent in by Thomas Smith of Zionville, Watauga county, with the notation that it was recited to him February in 1915, by a relative of his, Mrs. Rebecca Icenham, who had always lived in Watauga county and had know this song since her childhood. From Brown Collection of NC Folklore, version F.
j. "Six Kings' Daughters." Communicated by Miss Mabel Richards, Fairmont, Marion County, October, 1915; obtained from Mrs. P. J. Long, who learned it from Mrs. Katherine Zinn, Monongalia County. From Folk-Songs of the South; Cox, 1925, version I.
k. "Miss Mary's Parrot." Sent in by Miss Juliet Fauntleroy. Sung by Mrs. James Sprouse (nee Pibble), of Lawyers, Va. Campbell County. March 20, 1915; from Davis, Traditional Ballads of Virginia; 1929, version H.
l. "Six Kings Daughters." From Loraine Wyman and Howard Brockway, "Lonesome Tunes", 1916, pp. 82-87. Sung in Letcher and Estill Counties, Ky., no informant named.
m. [False-Hearted Knight] Sung by Mrs. Mary Sands, Allanstand, N.C., August 2, 1916. From English Folk Songs From the Southern Appalachians I; Sharp/Campbell, 1917 version B.
n. [Milk White Steed] sung by Mrs. Nancy E. Shelton, Carmen, N.C., August 8, 1916. From English Folk Songs From the Southern Appalachians I; Sharp/Campbell 1917, version E.
o. "The False-Hearted Knight." Sung by Mrs. Harrington, Roanoke, Va., December 17, 1916. Collected by Alfreda M. Peel. From Traditional Ballads of Virginia; Davis 1929, version R.
p. [False-Hearted Knight.] Contributed by Mrs. Bertha Tichenor of Fairmont, who learned it from her mother. From Folk-Songs of the South; Cox, 1925; version F.
q. "The Salt-Water Sea." Communicated by Professor Walter Barnes, Fairmont, Marion County, December, 1916; obtained from Mr. George Gregg, Durbin, Pocahontas County. He got it from his mother, who learned it when a child. From Folk-Songs of the South; Cox, 1925, version G.
r. "Pretty Polly." Communicated by Miss Lucile V. Hays, Glenville, Gilmer County, November, 1916; obtained from her mother, who could recall it in part only.
s. "Pretty Polly." Taken down in 1917 from the singing of Minnie Doyel of Arlington, Phelps County, by Miss Frances Barbour of Washington University. From: Some Fusions in Missouri Ballads by Frances M. Barbour in The Journal of American Folklore, Vol. 49, No. 193 (Jul. - Sep., 1936), pp. 207-214.
t. "Little Golden." Obtained through Miss Eddy, from Mrs. Betty Mace, Perrysville, Ohio. c. 1917. From: Traditional Texts and Tunes; by Albert H. Tolman and Mary O. Eddy; The Journal of American Folklore, Vol. 35, No. 138 (Oct. - Dec., 1922), pp. 335-432.
u. "King's Seven Daughters." Sent in by Mrs. N. E. Clement, of Chatham, Va. Pittsylvania County, July 25, 1917. From Davis, Traditional Ballads of Virginia; 1929, version M.
v. ["Six King's Daughters."] Sung by Mrs. Sina Boone, Shoal Creek, Burnsville, N.C., October 1, 1918. My title, from Bronson No. 119, Sharp MSS.
w. ["Six King’s Daughters"] Mrs. Robert Cleverdon from New York City (1918), learned in Nova Scotia. My title. From: Ballads and Sea Songs of Newfoundland; Collected and edited by Elisabeth Bristol Greenleaf and recorded by Grace Yarrow Mansfield, 1933.
x. ["Six Pretty Fair Maids"] No title given. Sent in by Mr. W. E. Somers, of Wachapreague, Va. Accomac County. November 11, 1920. From Davis, Traditional Ballads of Virginia; 1929, version L.
y. ["False-Hearted Youth."] Sung by Mrs. Minnie Payne, Green point, Newfoundland, 1920. From: Ballads and Sea-Songs of Newfoundland by Elizabeth Bristol Greenleaf, Grace Yarrow Mansfield - 1933.
z. "Pretty Polly," reportedly recovered by Guy Cooper of Humboldt, Nebraska, from the singing of his grandmother, Mrs. Mary Bruun, who learned the song long ago in Pennsylvania); Lowry Charles Wimberly 1927.
aa. "Pretty Nancy." My title. Fragment, from the singing of Mrs. Sarah (Robinson) Black, southwest Harbor, September, 1928. Barry, Eckstrom, and Symthe; British Ballads from Maine, 1929, version E.
bb. "Pretty Polly," sung by Rosie Oikle, of Liberpool, Nova Scotia pre-1931. From: Arthur Huff Fauset, Folklore from Nova Scotia (1931) p. 109; This starts off with the opening lines of the "Bailiff's Daughter" as some Nova Scotia and Northeast US versions do.
cc. "Pretty Polly." Sung by Mrs. Myra Barnett Miller, Lenoir, Caldwell county. Recorded at Lenoir, August 1936. From Brown Collection of NC Folklore, Vol 4, version A, which corresponds to Vol. 2 version A.
dd. "Pretty Polly." copy from Miss Ethel Lewellen, central Academy, who wrote, "My mother raised nine children on this song." From Hudson, Folksongs of Mississippi- 1936.
ee. The King's Seven Daughters Sung by Mrs. Theodosia Bonnett Long of Saltillo, Mississippi. From Arthur P. Hudson, "Folk Tunes from Mississippi," 1937, No. 10.
ff. "The Castle by the Sea," sung by Lena Bourne Fish, 1940. From: Traditional American Folk Songs from the Frank and Anne Warner Collection, Anne Warner, 1984.
gg. [Pretty Pollee] Sung by Jonathan Moses of Orford, New Hampshire. M. Olney, Collector; July 4, 1942. Flanders- Ancient Ballads, 1966, version B.
hh. [Pretty Mary] Sung by Mrs. Bert Russell of Newport, Vermont; Mrs. Russell learned, this ballad, from her mother, who used to live in Waterville, Vermont. M. Olney, Collector; September 24, 1942. From Flanders- Ancient Ballads, 1966, version G.
ii. [Seventh Pretty Maid] Sung by Mr. Dennis Smith, Chezzetcook in 1943. From Traditional Songs from Nova Scotia by Creighton and Senior; 1950, version A.
jj. "Pretty Polly," sung by Mrs. Augustus Gough, Lewis New York c. 1943. From Cutting, Lore of an Adirondack County (1944) pp.61-64 (version B).
kk. "Seventh King's Daughter." One of the songs collected by Professors W. Amos Abrams and Gratis D. Williams of the Appalachian State Teachers College in 1945 from the singing of Pat Frye of East Bend, Yadkin county about 1945. From Brown Collection of NC Folklore, version G.
ll. "Milk White Nag," by Walter H. Keener, a student at Fairmont State College, Fairmont, West Virginia
From Folklore from West Virginia by Ruth Ann Musick (1946); Hoosier Folklore, Vol. 6, No. 2 (Jun., 1947), pp. 41-49.
mm. "Billy Came Over the Main White Ocean." Sung by Mrs. Lena Hill, Lexington, June 10, 1947.From An Alabama Songbook, from songs collected by Byron Arnold; edited Halli, version A.
nn. "The King's Daughter." Sung by Mrs. Jane Snodgrass Johnson, Nashville, Tenn., June 4, 1950. From Folk Song Bulletin, XVII, No. 4 (December 1951), pp. 86-87, Boswell.
oo. [Pretty Mary]- Sung by Mrs. James Fleet, Jr. of Ecum Secum. From Traditional Songs from Nova Scotia by Creighton and Senior; 1950, version D.
pp. "The King's Daughter"- collected Boswell, sung by Mrs. Jane Snodgrass Johnson, Nashville, Tenn., June 24, 1950; learned from her father, W. E. Snodgrass, and brought perhaps from the vicinity of Mount Vernon, Va. From Folks Songs of Middle Tennessee; Boswell and TFSB, XVII, No. 4 (December 1951), pp. 86-87, also Bronson 16.
qq. "The King's Daughter," James Heaney of Stock Cove, Newfoundland- 1951 Collected by Kenneth Peacock, Songs Of The Newfoundland Outports, Volume 1, p.206.
rr. "The Seventh Sister," collected July 7, 1954 by Annabel Morris Buchanan from Carrie Louise Thames (Mrs. D.G.) Beck, Hendersonville, North Carolina. She learned "The Seventh Sister" as a child in South Carolina from her mother, Evelyn Roberson Thames, who was a native of Canada. From Southern Folk Ballads- Vol. 2 by McNeil.
ss. [False-Hearted Knight.] Contributed by Mrs. Bertha Tichenor of Fairmont, who learned it from her mother; her niece reported the text. From: Ballads and Folksongs from West Virginia by Ruth Ann Musick; The Journal of American Folklore, Vol. 70, No. 277 (Jul. - Sep., 1957), pp. 247-261.
tt. "Outlandish Knight," sung by Ernest Glew of Sussex about 1957. Collector, Mervyn Plunkett. From: Roud Folksong Index (S363733), Plunkett Collection (Sussex Texts typescript).
uu. ["Pretty Fair Maid."] Contributed by Mrs. Myrtle Carter of Talcott, who does not remember the title. From: Ballads and Folksongs from West Virginia by Ruth Ann Musick; The Journal of American Folklore, Vol. 70, No. 277 (Jul.- Sep., 1957), pp. 247-261, version D.
vv. "He Mounted on His Milk-White Nag." Contributed by Walter H. Keener of Burton, West Virginia 1957. Ballads and Folksongs from West Virginia by Ruth Ann Musick; The Journal of American Folklore, Vol. 70, No. 277 (Jul. - Sep., 1957), pp. 247-261.
ww. "The King's Daughter." Sung by Cassie Scott, Kentucky in 1957. [From Roberts; In the Pines; 1978, with music.
xx. "Little Billy." As sung by Odis Bird, Marshall, Arkansas on August 6, 1958; From Max Hunter Folk Song Collection online.
yy. "Pretty Golden Queen." Sung by Mrs. Nettie Huddleston Barnes; recorded in Pfeiffer, AR 8/23/61. The John Quincy Wolf Folklore Collection. Recorded by John Quincy Wolf, Jr.
zz. "Six Kings' Daughters," sung by Patrick Gainer (West Virginia) c. 1971. From Folk Songs From the West Virginia Hills, 1975 by Patrick Gainer. Also West Virginia Digital Collections Online.
"The False Knight Outwitted: A New Song" c. 1710 London
[According to Child the ballad he titled, "Lady Isabel and the Elf Knight [hereafter: False Knight]," has the widest circulation of all the ballads[1]. Themes similar to those of the false knight who is murdered by a maid, his intended victim, were widely known in ballads from the UK and the Americas as well as in Europe, Scandinavia and other non-English speaking countries. This study is largely confined to the ballads found in the English speaking countries including Child's versions A-H which were collected in the UK. It's impossible to say when and where the English speaking versions originated and comparing similar murder ballads and theories of origin does not confirm a source. Since the false knight is drowned in the English speaking and French variants, a similar antecedent source is indicated.
Since the story of the maid outwitting the murderous seducer and killing him is one shared in song by a number of different countries and cultures, a variety of theories of origin have been proposed-- most have little connection with English language ballads. A summary of some of the main theories will be presented at the conclusion of these headnotes. The "collective" transmission of this story is well documented in Child's extensive headnotes. "Collective" is not the same as "communal" for "collective" refers to common event, either real or a story, that is shared "collectively" by people from various countries and cultures. The "collective" sharing may not be from the same incident or murder but from a similar incident in another place and time. In this ballad story it is the murder of a multiple murderer by his intended victim. Even more impressive than the number of foreign analogues presented in Child's headnotes are Kemppinen's analogues given in his 1954 book "The Ballad of Lady Isabel and the False Knight" which identifies over 1800 printed versions[2] including foreign variants from various non-English speaking countries (see excerpts here: http://www.bluegrassmessengers.com/ballad-of-lady-isabel--the-false-knight--kemppinen.aspx). Even though the theme of these foreign analogues is similar, the "False Knight" ballad details[3] are specific to the UK where it was collected and to the Americas where it was disseminated. Here is an outline of the international ballad story as given by Kemppinen in 1954[4]:
a: A noble and foreign-looking man (false knight) approaches a young maid (king's daughter), charms her with his music or promises and carries her off in order to kill her.
b: Having discovered his intentions, revealed either by the knight himself or in some other way, the girl, being the cleverer and more shrewd of the two, finds a way to save herself and
c: kills the knight,
d: The final scene tells of what the maid does when the murder is accomplished and how her world reacts to the deed. Subordinate characters are the father and mother or brother and sister of the king's daughter or the knight, or sometimes all of these.
Kemppinen's generic summation can be used for the various international ballads as well as the ones from the English-speaking counties. In the UK the ballad of the maid (May Colvin, Scottish or Pretty Polly, English) and the false knight (False Sir John, Scottish or The Outlandish Knight, English) was presumed to be of Scottish origin [see the review in Blackwood, 1847] but English and Irish versions[5] also date back to the 1700s. Enough anecdotal evidence[6] has been collected to date the two English print versions and their source ballads back to the late 1600s or early 1700s. Although an older missing black-letter print of The Outlandish Knight has been reported and may someday be recovered, so far, none has been found. Despite the ballad being issued by the Cluer/Dicey/Marshall/Pitts print group of London which dates the English "Outlandish Knight," my A version, to at least the late 1700s, the English claims to the ur-ballad also cannot be definitively ascertained.
In a letter to William Hone in 1827, J.H. Dixon said that the Outlandish Knight was printed by the "popular press of Mr. Pitts, the six-yards for-a-penny song-publisher, who informs me that he has printed it 'ever since he was a printer, and that Mr. Marshall, his predecessor, printed it before him.' " Another English print from London[7] titled "The Knight Outwitted," my B version (Child F), has been dated c. 1710? by the British Library. While the 1710 date is not proven, a 1780 date is confirmed[8] which still makes it an early version. "The Knight Outwitted" is a secondary reduction and assuming the 1710 date is correct, "Outwitted" was taken from a print which is probably of the late 1600s. The archaic "nettles" stanza of my B, which is the identifying stanza in English tradition, has also been found in North America (New England). According to Barry (British Ballads from Maine, 1929): "The ballad seems to be an early arrival in America, as evidenced from its wide dispersion from purely English sources." Two early American versions of Child F (False Knight Outwitted) with the "nettles" stanza are given by Barry from Massachusetts and Maine which seem to corroborate the 1710 date.
The Scottish versions can to be traced to the 1749 print[9], "The Western Tragedy," my C, and the subsequent print, "The Historical Ballad of May of Culzean," which are both referenced by Motherwell in his Minstrelsy notes (see below). The Scottish "Western Tragedy" ballads are longer (Sharpe's composite is 34 stanzas) and reworked from the core stanzas as found in Outlandish Knight. A rare US version of the broadside with the same "Western Tragedy" title was printed in Boston around 1800 (currently unavailable). These "Western Tragedy" titles begin similarly:
Have ye not heard of fause Sir John?
Wha' liv’d in the west country,
How he has betray’d eight damsels fair,
And drown’d them in the sea?
Now he’s awa to May Culzean,
She was her father’s heir,
The greatest beauty o’ the land
I solemnly declare.
According to Motherwell[10]: A fuller set of this is given by Mr. Sharpe in his Ballad Book, taken from recitation; but I have seen a printed stall copy as early as 1749, entitled "The Western Tragedy," which perfectly agrees with Mr. Sharpe's copy. I have also seen a later stall print, called "The Historical Ballad of May Culzean," to which is prefixed some local tradition that the lady there celebrated was of the family of Kennedy, and that her treacherous and murder-minting lover was an Ecclesiastick of the monastery of Maybole. In the parish of Ballantrae, on the sea coast, there is a frowning precipice pointed out to the traveller as "Fause Sir John's Loup." In the north country, at the Water of Ugie, I am informed by Mr. Buchan, there is a similar distinction claimed for some precipice there. The same gentleman has recovered other two ballads on a similar story—one called "The Water o' Wearie's well," and the other, from its burden, named "Aye as the gowans grow gay," in both of which the heroes appear to have belonged to the Elfin tribe.
The two ballads "of which the heroes appear to have belonged to the Elfin tribe" are the reason Child's No. 4 ballad is named "Lady Isabel and the Elf Knight." The "elfin" stanzas in Child A and B come from a single Scottish collector, Peter Buchan, and are not corroborated by other ballads which diminishes their significance and suggests they were composite manufactures-- either by an unknown informant or Buchan, the collector. The placement by Child of these two "elfin" ballads as his A and B versions is highly questionable. Child's master title, "Lady Isabel and the Elf Knight," is represented by a single variant where the maid uses the name Lady Isabel. Kemppinen says the name is also found in the Spanish form, "la princesa Isabel[11]."
Child provides this description[12]: "A has but thirteen two-line stanzas. An elf-knight, by blowing his horn, inspires Lady Isabel with love-longing. He appears on her first breathing a wish for him, and induces her to ride with him to the greenwood.[1] Arrived at the wood, he bids her alight, for she is come to the place where she is to die. He had slain seven kings' daughters there, and she should be the eighth. She persuades him to sit down, with his head on her knee, lulls him asleep with a charm, binds him with his own sword-belt, and stabs him with his own dagger, saying, If seven kings' daughters you have slain, lie here a husband to them all."
There is little doubt that Child's Scottish A is simply a recreation of the ballad using the core stanzas of Scottish C and D with a new beginning and ending. Child's assertion in his first footnote (see above) that "The Elfin Knight' [2A] begins very much like A, but perhaps has borrowed its opening stanzas from this ballad," is backwards-- 4A has borrowed from 2A. The opening stanzas and refrains of the Elfin Knight (Child 2) as found in the c.1670 broadside titled, '"The Wind hath blown my Plaid away, or, A Discourse betwixt a young [Wo]man and the Elphin Knight," are corroborated by 20 versions[13] with similar refrains. Child 4A, titled "The Gowans sae gay" after the first interstanzic refrain, was found about 150 years later than 2A and represents a unique recreation-- only stanzas 5-10 are of the core Scottish stanzas represented by Child 4C and 4D. The opening four stanzas of 4A are clearly borrowed from "The Elfin Knight," which is Child 2A. The ending of 4A is also unique and at odds with the standard ur-ballad ending in which Fause Sir John drowns. Ebsworth who printed an early broadside titled "The False Knight Outwitted" in Roxburghe Ballads (III, p. 449) calls Buchan's ballads "untrusted."
Child B is a regional variant (Wearie's Well is located in the Edinburgh area) of the ur-ballad story found in A and E. However, Child Ba from Buchan, has two unique opening stanzas which are not corroborated in print or tradition. Child in his headnotes points out that Ba "begins unintelligibly." Here are the first two stanzas of Ba, the second stanza is found similarly in another ballad[14]:
1 There came a bird out o a bush,
On water for to dine,
An sighing sair, says the king's daughter,
'O wae's this heart o mine!'
2 He's taen a harp into his hand,
He's harped them all asleep,
Except it was the king's daughter,
Who one wink couldna get.
The mystical opening of Ba is presumed to be a recreation from an unknown Buchan informant. About Ba Child says[15]:
"B, in fourteen four-line stanzas, begins unintelligibly with a bird coming out of a bush for water, and a king's daughter sighing, "Wae's this heart o mine." A personage not characterized, but evidently of the same nature as the elf-knight in A, lulls everybody but this king's daughter asleep with his harp,[2] then mounts her behind him, and rides to a piece of water called Wearie's Well. He makes her wade in up to her chin; then tells her that he has drowned seven kings' daughters here, and she is to be the eighth. She asks him for one kiss before she dies, and, as he bends over to give it, pitches him from his saddle into the water, with the words, Since ye have drowned seven here, I'll make you bridegroom to them all.[3]"
As pointed out in Child's second footnote (above), a nearly identical stanza of B's 2nd stanza is found in a ballad about the harper, Glenkindie[16] (Jamieson's Popular Ballads):
5. He's taen his harp intill his hand,
He's harpit them a' asleep,
Except it was the young countess,
That love did waukin keep.
The rest of the Ba variant, however, is supported by three extant traditional versions although none of them have the unique opening narrative. The first version Bd, given by Child in his Additions and Corrections[13] is a fragment from Ameila Harris[14], which dates back to at least the mid-1800s and possibly the late 1700s. A second version, sung by Margaret Christie of Newton Hill, (James Madison Carpenter Collection, JMC/1/8/1/B, p. 11506, dated c.1930) has the core stanzas of Ba and as well as the "Lord Lovel ending-form" with the last line repeated. Aytoun points out[15] that the maid stepping into the water incrementally is similarly found in Child Waters/Burd Helen (Child 63).
Why Child would give credence to the two unsupported versions from Peter Buchan and make them his A and B versions is a mystery-- perhaps the ballad story seemed more exotic. The Scottish ballads of Child C and D are older, longer and have the same core stanzas. However, the presumed Scottish origin of the ballad is countered by two early English prints. The oldest documented broadside, dated "1710?"with the location "London?" is Child F (my B), a English print titled "The False Knight Outwitted: A New Song" held at British Museum. There are 11 records of the 12-stanza broadside at Copac and a print (reprint) date of 1780 is confirmed[16]. Child F is not the exemplar as Ebsworth claims[17]. Rather, it's a secondary print based on and an earlier English missing print. What is known is that F is a stripped-down print version with no introductory stanzas and four "parrot" stanzas at the end. The conflict in F is between the "false knight" and "pretty Polly": after they stop their horses and dismount near a "fair river's side" the False Knight tells Polly, "six knight's daughters have I drowned here, and you the seventh must be." Polly asks the False Knight to cut down some nettles (perennial plants that produces a stinging sensation when the plant's leaves and stems touch the skin) growing along the bank with a sickle. When he goes to "fetch the sickle" she pushes him in. After he drowns she returns home where she's questioned by her parrot. Her father wakes and the parrot explains that it was only a cat and that Polly was called to "take the cat away." Here's the text:
"The False Knight Outwitted: A New Song":
1 'Go fetch me some of your father's gold,
And some of your mother's fee,
And I'll carry you into the north land,
And there I'll marry thee.'
2 She fetchd him some of her father's gold,
And some of her mother's fee;
She carried him into the stable,
Where horses stood thirty and three.
3 She leapd on a milk-white steed,
And he on a dapple-grey;
They rode til they came to a fair river's side,
Three hours before it was day.
4 'O light, O light, you lady gay,
O light with speed, I say,
For six knight's daughters have I drowned here,
And you the seventh must be.'
5 'Go fetch the sickle, to crop the nettle
That grows so near the brim,
For fear it should tangle my golden locks,
Or freckle my milk-white skin.'
6 He fetchd the sickle, to crop the nettle
That grows so near the brim,
And with all the strength that pretty Polly had
She pushd the false knight in.
7 'Swim on, swim on, thou false knight,
And there bewail thy doom,
For I don't think thy cloathing too good
To lie in a watry tomb.'
8 She leaped on her milk-white steed,
She led the dapple grey;
She rid till she came to her father's house,
Three hours before it was day.
9 'Who knocked so loudly at the ring?'
The parrot he did say;
'O where have you been, my pretty Polly,
All this long summer's day?'
10 'O hold your tongue, parrot,
Tell you no tales of me;
Your cage shall be made of beaten gold,
Which is now made of a tree.'
11 O then bespoke her father dear,
As he on his bed did lay:
'O what is the matter, my parrot,
That you speak before it is day?'
12 'The cat's at my cage, master,
And sorely frighted me,
And I calld down my Polly
To take the cat away.'
Child F (my B) has clearly been drawn from another earlier source-- the "costlie" clothes (silk) stanza is referred to but is missing--the product of a later secondary rewrite. Neither the introductory stanzas found in Western Tragedy nor the opening stanza of Outlandish Knight are present, just the skeleton of an earlier missing print remains. The Outlandish Knight is not the source of Child F either since F has the "nettles" stanza.
The following print version titled (The) Outlandish Knight is Child's E and my A version. Anecdotal evidence by J.H. Dixon of Florence was given[18] in Notes and Queries (1827) that dates Outlandish Knight to the 1700s as printed by John Marshall in London. Additional anecdotal evidence given by Dixon (1868) and Emun of Birmingham (1851) date the broadside to the late 1600s/early 1700s as a black-letter print. Dixon claimed to have seen black-letter prints of Outlandish Knight (plural) and Emun claimed to own a black-latter copy. Their testimony is a reaction to a review of Frank Sheldon's reworked arrangement of Outlandish Knight appeared in Blackwood's Edinburgh magazine in 1847(volume 61, page 635) which stated that Outlandish Knight was merely a copy of May Collean. This criticism spawned an exchange of letters which were published in Notes and Queries about the Outlandish Knight. The first letter (Notes and Queries Volume 3, 1851) sent by Edum of Birmigham stated:
Ballad Editing — The “Outlandish Knight" (Vol. iii., p. 49.).—I was exceedingly glad to see Mr. F. Sheldon's “valuable contribution to our stock of ballad literature” in the hands of Mr. Rimbault, and thought the treatment it received no better than it deserved. Blackwood, May, 1847, reviewed Mr. Sheldon's book, and pointed out several instances of his “godfathership:” among others, his ballad of the “Outlandish Knight,” which he obtained from “a copy in the possession of a gentleman at Newcastle,” was condemned by the reviewer as “a vamped version of the Scotch ballad of ‘May Collean.'" It may be as the reviewer states, but the question I would wish answered is one affecting the reviewer himself; for, if I mistake not, the Southron “Outlandish Knight” is the original of “May Collean” itself. I have by me a copy, in black letter, of the “Outlandish Knight,” English in every respect, and as such differing considerably from Mr. Sheldon's border edition, and from “May Collean;" and, with some slight alterations, the ballad I have is yet popularly known through the midland counties. If any of your correspondents can oblige me with a reference to the first appearance of “May Collean,” sheet or book, I shall esteem it a favour.
EMUN. Birmingham.
The critical sentence to be examined is: I have by me a copy, in black letter, of the “Outlandish Knight,” English in every respect, and as such differing considerably from Mr. Sheldon's border edition, and from “May Collean;" and, with some slight alterations, the ballad I have is yet popularly known through the midland counties.
Dixon corroborates the statement in Emun's letter stating in a 1868 Notes and Queries edition[19]: I have also seen black-letter copies. The ballad is very old, and perfectly genuine; to suppose it a "modern antique," is an absurdity.
In his youth Dixon asked John Pitts, the legendary London broadside printer from Aldermary Church Yard about the Outlandish Knight print. Dixon wrote in 1827: A friend of mine, who resided for some years on the borders, used to amuse himself by collecting old ballads, printed on halfpenny sheets, and hawked up and down by itinerant minstrels. In his common-place book I found one, entitled "The Outlandish Knight," evidently, from the style, of considerable antiquity, which appears to have escaped the notice of Percy, and other collectors. Since then I have met with a printed one, from the popular press of Mr. Pitts, the six-yards for-a-penny song-publisher, who informs me that he has printed it "ever since he was a printer, and that Mr. Marshall, his predecessor, printed it before him." The ballad has not improved by circulating amongst Mr. Pitts's friends; for the heroine, who has no name given her in my friend's copy, is in Mr. Pitts's called "Polly;" and there are expressions contra bonos more.
If Outlandish Knight was one of Pitts early prints it would be dated c.1802 when he first printed in Aldermary Church Yard[20]. Pitts also remembered[21] that Outlandish Knight was printed by his predecessor, John Marshall which takes the version back to at least the late 1700s. The line of "Aldermary" printers from the early 1700s includes John Cluer (also his wife) and William Dicey of Bow Churchyard; Dicey and Richard Marshall had a parallel print shop in Aldermary Church Yard (1754) taken over by his son John Marshall who Pitts worked for before opening his own shop (1802). The prints from this line of printers would necessarily be white-letter since black letter prints were abandoned about 1700 and not used later than about 1720[22].
Broadside print of "Outlandish Knight" Swindells of Manchester
The term “outlandish" signifies an inhabitant of that portion of the border which was formerly known by the name of "the Debatable Land," a district which, though claimed by both England Scotland, could not be said to belong to either country. The people on each side of the border applied the term "outlandish" to the Debatable residents[23]. Here is the text given by Dixon in 1846 as taken from the Pitts' c.1818 broadside printed as early as 1802[24]:
THE OUTLANDISH KNIGHT
1 An outlandish knight came from the north lands,
And he came a-wooing to me;
He told me he'd take me unto the north lands,
And there he would marry me.
2 'Come, fetch me some of your father's gold,
And some of your mother's fee,
And two of the best nags out of the stable,
Where they stood thirty and three.'
3 She fetched him some of her father's gold,
And some of her mother's fee,
And two of the best nags out of the stable,
Where they stood thirty and three.
4 She mounted her on her milk-white steed,
He on the dapple grey;
They rode till they came unto the sea-side,
Three hours before it was day.
5 'Light off, light off thy milk-white steed,
And deliver it unto me;
Six pretty maids have I drowned here,
And thou the seventh shalt be.
6 'Pull off, pull off thy silken gown,
And deliver it unto me;
Methinks it looks too rich and too gay
To rot in the salt sea.
7 'Pull off, pull off thy silken stays,
And deliver them unto me;
Methinks they are too fine and gay
To rot in the salt sea.
8 'Pull off, pull off thy Holland smock,
And deliver it unto me;
Methinks it looks too rich and gay
To rot in the salt sea.'
9 'If I must pull off my Holland smock,
Pray turn thy back unto me;
For it is not fitting that such a ruffian
A naked woman should see.'
10 He turned his back towards her
And viewed the leaves so green;
She catched him round the middle so small,
And tumbled him into the stream.
11 He dropped high and he dropped low,
Until he came to the side;
'Catch hold of my hand, my pretty Polly (maiden),
And I will make you my bride.'
12 'Lie there, lie there, you false-hearted man,
Lie there instead of me;
Six pretty maids have you drowned here,
And the seventh has drowned thee.'
13 She mounted on her milk-white steed,
And led the dapple grey;
She rode till she came to her own father's hall,
Three hours before it was day.
14 The parrot being in the window so high,
Hearing the lady, did say,
'I'm afraid that some ruffian has led you astray,
That you have tarried so long away.'
15 'Don't prittle nor prattle, my pretty parrot,
Nor tell no tales of me;
Thy cage shall be made of the glittering gold,
Although it is made of a tree.'
16 The King being in the chamber so high,
And hearing the parrot, did say,
'What ails you, what ails you, my pretty parrot,
That you prattle so long before day?'
17 'It's no laughing matter,' the parrot did say,
'That(but) so loudly I call unto thee,
For the cats have got into the window so high,
And I'm afraid they will have me.'
18 'Well turned, well turned, my pretty parrot,
Well turned, well turned for me;
Thy cage shall be made of the glittering gold,
And the door of the best ivory.'
This is my A version, Child's E version- the 18 stanza broadsides have an extra two measures (7 and 8) with "holland smock" which repeat the action of "silken gown" and "silken stays" (measures 6 and 7). Although the known Outlandish Knight prints may not be as old as False Knight Outwitted, it is more complete and has a short one stanza introduction. In the English broadsides the action is between the maid, named "Pretty Polly" (or "pretty maiden") and the outlandish knight (false-hearted man). Steve Gardham, an expert on broadsides, says this about the Outlandish Knight prints:
Having had a closer look at most of the 19thc broadsides, a good case could be made for Swindells of Manchester being the earliest. The more versions I look at the more it looks like the 2 extra incremental stanzas are later additions. Here are the versions I have copies of:
16 stanzas with little variation: Swindells, Catnach, Hills of London, Williams of Portsea, Disley, Such, Taylor, Dever of London.
17 stanzas: Stephenson of Carlisle and Harkness of Preston (both titled 'Old Beau's Courtship'), Wilson of Bideford.
18 stanzas: Pitts, Ford of Chesterfield, Johnson of Beverley, Fortey of London, Bebbington of Manchester, McCall of Liverpool, Sefton of Worcester.
Nearly all of them are titled (The) Outlandish Knight. On closer inspection of broadsides, we are definitely lacking earlier English versions in print. The language and style of the Roxburghe 1780 sheet [False Knight Outwitted]is definitely mid-18thc if not a little earlier yet it is obviously not complete. It definitely lacks an opening stanza and the 7th stanza implies something similar to those that exist in later versions of Outlandish Knight. e.g.
Take off, take off your cloathing he said,
And there bewail thy doom,
For thy clothing it is far too good
To lie in a watery tomb.
Note that in print versions at no point is the parrot called Polly, just the girl.
Rather than list every known broadside under A, several early broadsides are listed as well as two versions titled "Old Beau's Courtship." The texts are similar varied mainly in the first two lines of "Old Beau":
1 There was an old beau from the north lands,
And he came courting to Enniskillen;
In America versions with the "outlandish knight" first stanza are extremely rare. Since Barry (British Ballads of Maine, 1929) and others have indicated the ballad of the "False Knight" was an early arrival in America, the Outlandish Knight is regarded as a secondary ballad-- drawn from an unknown English print source.
* * * *
There are two types of Scottish versions dating to the 1700s; the longer "historical ballad" and the shorter "traditional ballad." Child's C (my E) is the shorter ballad, titled May Colvin which Child says was "first published by David Herd, in the second edition of his Scottish Songs, 1776, and afterwards by Motherwell, 'collated' with a copy obtained from recitation[25]." It's about 17 measures long and represents what Steve Gardham says is a "Scottification of Outlandish Knight." Regardless of the origin, Herd's May Colvin is quite different from The Outlandish Knight. Here's Herd's 1776 text:
May Colvin
1 False Sir John a wooing came
To a maid of beauty fair;
May Colven was this lady's name,
Her father's only heir.
2 He woo'd her butt, he woo'd her ben,
He wood her in the ha,
Until he got this lady's consent
To mount and ride awa.
3 He went down to her father's bower,
Where all the steeds did stand,
And he's taken one of the best steeds
That was in her father's land.
4 He's got on and she's got on,
And fast as they could flee,
Until they came to a lonesome part,
A rock by the side of the sea.
5 'Loup off the steed,' says false Sir John,
'Your bridal bed you see;
For I have drowned seven young ladies,
The eight one you shall be.
6 'Cast off, cast off, my May Colven,
All and your silken gown,
For it's oer good and oer costly
To rot in the salt sea foam.
7 'Cast off, cast off, my May Colven,
All and your embroiderd shoen,
For they're oer good and oer costly
To rot in the salt sea foam.'
8 'O turn you about, O false Sir John,
And look to the leaf of the tree,
For it never became a gentleman
A naked woman to see.'
9 He turnd himself straight round about,
To look to the leaf of the tree;
So swift as May Colven was
To throw him in the sea.
10 'O help, O help, my May Colven,
O help, or else I'll drown;
I'll take you home to your father's bower,
And set you down safe and sound.'
11 'No help, no help, O false Sir John,
No help, nor pity thee;
Tho seven king's-daughters you have drownd,
But the eight shall not be me.'
12 So she went on her father's steed,
As swift as she could flee,
And she came home to her father's bower
Before it was break of day.
13 Up then and spoke the pretty parrot:
'May Colven, where have you been?
What has become of false Sir John,
That woo'd you so late the streen?
14 'He woo'd you butt, he woo'd you ben,
He woo'd you in the ha,
Until he got your own consent
For to mount and gang awa.'
15 'O hold your tongue, my pretty parrot,
Lay not the blame upon me;
Your cup shall be of the flowered gold,
Your cage of the root of the tree.'
16 Up then spake the king himself,
In the bed-chamber where he lay:
'What ails the pretty parrot,
That prattles so long or day?'
17 'There came a cat to my cage door,
It almost a worried me,
And I was calling on May Colven
To take the cat from me.'
The second Scottish type from the 1700s, Child's D (my C) I've titled "Western Tragedy" after the supposed 1749 broadside viewed by Motherwell[26] and later printed in a Scottish Chapbook about 1790. A few years later (c.1818) it was printed with a new title, "The historical ballad of May Culzean: founded on fact." This chapbook version (c. 1818), which is "Founded on fact" is similar to "Western Tragedy" and the text follows:
THE HISTORICAL BALLAD
or
May Culzean,
Founded on fact.
With, A poem on the times.
[Ayrshire: Printed by D. Macarter & Co, [1817-1818]. In verse.]
Tune-Gil Morrice.
1. HAVE ye not heard of fause Sir John?
Wha liv’d in the west country,
How he has betray’d eight damsels fair,
And drown’d them in the sea?
2. Now he’s awa to May Culzean,
She was her father’s heir,
The greatest beauty o’ the land
I solemnly declare.
3. Thou art the darling o’ my heart,
He says, fair May Culzean,
Thou far exceed’st the beauties all,
That ever I hae seen.
4. And I’m a Knight of wealth and might,
Of Town lands twenty-three,
And yes be the lady o’ them a’,
"Fair May, if ye’ll gae wi’ me.
5. Excuse me then, she said Sir John,
To wed I am owre young,
Unless I hae my parent’s leave,
Wi’ you I dare na gang.
6. But he’s taen a charm frae aft his arm
And stuck it on her sleeve,
Til he has made her follow him
Without her parents’ leave.
7. Gold and jewels she has taen
Wi' her five hundred pound,
And[27] the bravest horse her father had,
She’s taen to ride upon.
8. Merrily they rod along,
Wade neither stop nor stay,
Til they came to the fatal place,
Which is called, Benan Bay.
9. Light down, light down, now May Culzean,
Light down, and speak to me,
For here have I drowned eight damsels fair,
And the ninth ane ye shall be.
10. Cast aff, cast aff thy Jewels fine,
So coastly rich and brave,
For they’re too coastly and too good,
To sink in the sea wave.
11. Her jewels fine she then put aff,
And thus she made her moan,
Have mercy on a virgin young,
I pray thee, sweet Sir John.
12. Cast aff thy coats, and gay manteel,
And smock o’ Holland lawm,
For their owre costly and owre guid,
To rot in the sea fawn.
13. Then turn thee round, I pray Sir John,
See the leaf flee owre the tree,
For it never befitted a book learned man,
A naked lady to see.
14 As fause Sir John did turn him round,
To see the leaf flee owre the tree
She grasped him in her arms sma’
And flung him in the sea.
15 Now lie ye there ye wild Sir John,
Whar ye thought to lay me,
Ye wad hae drown’d me as naked’s I was born
But ye’s get your claes frae me.
16. Your jewels coastly, rich and rare
She straight puts on again,
She lightly springs upon her horse
And leads his by the rein.
17. His lady dear, was void of fear,
Her steeds were swift and free,
And she reached her father’s lofty towers,
Before the clock struck three.
18. And first she met the stable groom,
He was her waiting man,
And when he heard his lady’s voice,
He ran with cap in han’.
19. Whar hae ye been, fair May Culzean?
Wha owns this dapple gray?
That’s a foundling, she replied,
Which I got on my way.
20. Then out and spake the green parrot,
He says, fair May Culzean,
What hae ye done wi’ yon brave Knight
That gied wi’ you yestreen?
21. Haud your tongue my pretty parrot,
An’ I’se be kind to thee,
For where ye got ae handfu’ o’ groats
My parrot shall get three.
22. Then out and spake her father dear,
From the chamber where he lay,
What is it ails my pretty parrot
That he speaks so long e'er day?
23. There came a cat into my cage
Had nearly worried me,
And I was calling on May Culzean
To come and set me free.”
24. And first she told her father dear,
Of the deed that she had done,
And likewise to her mother dear,
Concerning fause Sir John.
25. So aff they sent with one consent,
By dawning of the day,
Until they came to the Carleton sands;
And there his corpse it lay.
26. His body tall, by that great fall
Was dashed too and fro,
The golden ring that he had on.
Was broke in pieces two.
27. And they hae taken up his corpse
To yonder pleasant green,
And there they buried fause Sir John,
For fear he should be seen.
The Scottish "Fause Sir John" of the Western Tragedy form is said to have been "founded on fact" and was purported to be a real event with real people. Fause Sir John reportedly was "Sir John Cathcart" and May Collzean was a daughter of the family of Kennedy of Colzean, now represented by the Earl of Cassilis. These localized names and places vary and no concrete evidence has been given to support the claim that this was "founded on fact." Child says[28]:
Stories like that of this ballad will inevitably be attached, and perhaps more or less adapted, to localities where they become known. May Collean, says Chambers, Scottish Ballads, p. 232, note, "finds locality in that wild portion of the coast of Carrick (Ayrshire) which intervenes betwixt Girvan and Ballantrae. Carlton Castle, about two miles to the south of Girvan (a tall old ruin, situated on the brink of a bank which overhangs the sea, and which gives title to Sir John Cathcart, Bart, of Carlton), is affirmed by the country people, who still remember the story with great freshness, to have been the residence of 'the fause Sir John;' while a tall rocky eminence called Gamesloup, overhanging the sea about two miles still further south, and over which the road passes in a style terrible to all travellers, is pointed out as the place where he was in the habit of drowning his wives, and where he was finally drowned himself. The people, who look upon the ballad as a regular and proper record of an unquestionable fact, farther affirm that May Collean was a daughter of the family of Kennedy of Colzean," etc. Binyan's (Bunion) Bay, in D, is, according to Buchan, the old name of the mouth of the river Ugie."
At 30 measures Sharpe's traditional version of Western Tragedy has the "burial of Sir John" stanzas as an ending. Child comments[29]: "English D seems also to have preserved a portion of the primitive story, when it makes the maid tell her parents in the morning all that has happened, whereupon they go with her to the sea-shore to find the robber's body."
An early traditional version collected by Andrew Crawfurd is "May Colyean" sung by Mary Macqueen of Lochwinnoch in Renfrewshire about 1824. It was published in 1975 in "Andrew Crawfurd's collection of ballads and songs," volume 2, by , E. B. Lyle. According to Barry[30], it's possible that the Scottish names May Collin, May Colvin and May Colzean are derived from "my colleen" or "my callin" which are slang for "my maid" or "my girl." May is commonly used as "girl" in ballads and in Bell Robertson's archaic version that Keith had dated the late 1700s, "Fair may" is used.
* * * *
And additional Scottish version was given in Child's Additions and Corrections of which Child says[31]: "The copy of ‘May Collin’ which follows is quite the best of the series C–G." "May Collin" designated H, by Kittredge, was taken from “Scotch Ballads, Materials for Border Minstrelsy,” No 146, an MS at Abbotsford.“ The following details were given by Child:
It is written on the same sheet of paper as the “copy of some antiquity” used by Scott in making up his ‘Gay Goss Hawk’ (ed. 1802, II, 7). The sheet is perhaps as old as any in the volume in which it occurs, but may possibly not be the original. ‘May Collin’ is not in the same hand as the other ballad. Both hands are of the 18th century. According to the preface to a stall-copy spoken of by Motherwell, Minstrelsy, p. lxx, 24, “the treacherous and murder-minting lover was an ecclesiastic of the monastery of Maybole,” and the preface to Dd makes him a Dominican friar. So, if we were to accept these guides, the ‘Sir’ would be the old ecclesiastical title and equivalent to the ‘Mess’ of the copy now to be given.
1 May Collin . . .
. . was her father’s heir,
And she fell in love with a falsh priest,
And she rued it ever mair.
2 He followd her butt, he followd her benn,
He followd her through the hall,
Till she had neither tongue nor teeth
Nor lips to say him naw.
3 ‘We’ll take the steed out where he is,
The gold where eer it be,
And we’ll away to some unco land,
And married we shall be.’
4 They had not riden a mile, a mile,
A mile but barely three,
Till they came to a rank river,
Was raging like the sea.
5 ‘Light off, light off now, May Collin,
It’s here that you must die;
Here I have drownd seven king’s daughters,
The eight now you must be.
6 ‘Cast off, cast off now, May Collin,
Your gown that’s of the green;
For it’s oer good and oer costly
To rot in the sea-stream.
7 ‘Cast off, cast off now, May Collin,
Your coat that’s of the black;
For it’s oer good and oer costly
To rot in the sea-wreck.
8 ‘Cast off, cast off now, May Collin,
Your stays that are well laced;
For thei’r oer good and costly
In the sea’s ground to waste.
9 ‘Cast [off, cast off now, May Collin,]
Your sark that’s of the holland;
For [it’s oer good and oer costly]
To rot in the sea-bottom.’
10 ‘Turn you about now, falsh Mess John,
To the green leaf of the tree;
It does not fit a mansworn man
A naked woman to see.’
11 He turnd him quickly round about,
To the green leaf of the tree;
She took him hastly in her arms
And flung him in the sea.
12 ‘Now lye you there, you falsh Mess John,
My mallasin go with thee!
You thought to drown me naked and bare,
But take your cloaths with thee,
And if there be seven king’s daughters there
Bear you them company.’
13 She lap on her milk steed
And fast she bent the way,
And she was at her father’s yate
Three long hours or day.
14 Up and speaks the wylie parrot,
So wylily and slee:
‘Where is the man now, May Collin,
That gaed away wie thee?’
15 ‘Hold your tongue, my wylie parrot,
And tell no tales of me,
And where I gave a pickle befor
It’s now I’ll give you three.’
This older Scottish version is similar to the Scottish versions of C except of the ending-- the parrot's reward for not telling on Polly is three pickles! The second stanza, an important identifier, is similarly found with similar wording in many versions collected in America.
* * * *
In Child's Additions and Corrections an Irish version (Child G) titled, "The Knight and the Chief's Daughter," was communicated to Mr. T. Crofton Croker in 1829, as remembered by Mr. W. Pigott Rogers, and believed by Mr. Rogers to have been learned by him from an Irish nursery-maid (British Museum, Manuscript Addit. 20094).
1 'Now steal me some of your father's gold,
And some of your mother's fee,
And steal the best steed in your father's stable,
Where there lie thirty three.'
2 She stole him some of her father's gold,
And some of her mother's fee,
And she stole the best steed from her father's stable,
Where there lay thirty three.
3 And she rode on the milk-white steed,
And he on the barb so grey,
Until they came to the green, green wood,
Three hours before it was day.
4 'Alight, alight, my pretty colleen,
Alight immediately,
For six knight's daughters I drowned here,
And thou the seventh shall be.'
5 'Oh hold your tongue, you false knight villain,
Oh hold your tongue,' said she;
''Twas you that promised to marry me,
For some of my father's fee.'
6 'Strip off, strip off your jewels so rare,
And give them all to me;
I think them too rich and too costly by far
To rot in the sand with thee.'
7 'Oh turn away, thou false knight villain,
Oh turn away from me;
Oh turn away, with your back to the cliff,
And your face to the willow-tree.'
8 He turned about, with his back to the cliff,
And his face to the willow-tree;
So sudden she took him up in her arms,
And threw him into the sea.
9 'Lie there, lie there, thou false knight villain,
Lie there instead of me;
'T was you that promised to marry me,
For some of my father's fee.'
10 'Oh take me by the arm, my dear,
And hold me by the hand,
And you shall be my gay lady,
And the queen of all Scotland.'
11 'I'll not take you by the arm, my dear,
Nor hold you by the hand;
And I won't be your gay lady,
And the queen of all Scotland.'
12 And she rode on the milk-white steed,
And led the barb so grey,
Until she came back to her father's castle,
One hour before it was day.
13 And out then spoke her parrot so green,
From the cage wherein she lay:
Where have you now been, my pretty colleen,
This long, long summer's day?
14 'Oh hold your tongue, my favourite bird,
And tell no tales on me;
Your cage I will make of the beaten gold,
And hang in the willow-tree.'
15 Out then spoke her father dear,
From the chamber where he lay:
Oh what hath befallen my favourite bird,
That she calls so loud for day?
16 ''Tis nothing at all, good lord,' she said,
''Tis nothing at all indeed;
It was only the cat came to my cage-door,
And I called my pretty colleen.'
This is the first mention of a "willow tree" which is the tree the false knight gazes upon when he turns his back to the maid. Several versions were published and recorded in the US in the 1950s to 1970s that were titled 'The Willow Tree[32]." This early Irish version is missing the opening identifier. Phillips Barry is quoted in" Irish Folk-Song" (The Journal of American Folklore, Vol. 24, No. 93, Jul.- Sep., 1911, pp. 332-343.) saying, " 'Lady Isabel and the Elf-Knight' is a great favorite with the folk-singers of Eire." He also gives several versions from Irish singers that resemble Child C (Herd's "May Colvin") which is the Scottish traditional version of about 17 stanzas. The early Irish tradition, from print or early tradition, is largely missing.
* * * *
The English speaking versions in general have the following characteristics:
A: The false knight proposes marriage (English) or seduces the maid through a magic charm or spell (Scottish) so that she will go off with him.
B: He tells her to bring her father's gold and her mother's jewels (fee) and two steeds to ride upon-- which she does.
C: They ride to the sea or a river where the knight has already drowned six maids; the knight tells the maid to take off her clothes, since they are too "costily" to rot in the salty sea.
D: The maid asks him to turn his back for "it is not fitting that a naked woman" he should see.
E: She grabs him around the waist and throws him in the water; then refuses to rescue him so he drowns.
F: When she returns home, the parrot asks her where she's been; sometimes the father(king) is woken. She promises the bird a golden and ivory cage or other rewards if parrot keeps the murder a secret.
G: The parrot tells the father (king) that a cat was in the window and the parrot was afraid. The maid promises the parrot a golden cage with a door of ivory for keeping the secret.
H: In the "historic" Scottish versions, the maid tells her parents about the murder and they go back to the water and bury false Sir John.
The method of the murder is consistently drowning, except for Child Aa. Whether the ending with the parrot is part of the ur-ballad is unknown. The parrot is not part of the various analogues, proving in part my theory that English language ballads are not necessarily derived from a known earlier analogue. The "false knight" is ascribed supernatural powers by Kemppinen but these powers are not evident in the English versions. In the Scottish versions he has either a charm (historical versions) or some power (see: shorter 17 stanza versions and American versions) over the maid to get her to go away with him for she had "no power for to speak one word, No tongue to answer nay." This standard American text where the maid cannot talk or or answer, "Nay," appears to be derived from or is similar to the standard Scottish (Herd, 1776) short versions:
He woo'd her butt(outside), he woo'd her ben(inside),
He wood her in the ha'(hall),
Until he got this lady's consent
To mount and ride awa'.
The American versions begin, "He followed me up, he followed me down" and it's clear that the knight has some supernatural power over her. In the Scottish versions he gets "her consent" but it seems like he succeeds through determination. Only in Scottish Child H (my E) does the comparison become clear:
2 He followd her butt, he followd her benn,
He followd her through the hall,
Till she had neither tongue nor teeth
Nor lips to say him naw.
Since a number of versions (Irish Child G, and many American texts) are missing the opening stanzas and begin with,
'Now steal me some of your father's gold,
And some of your mother's fee,
identification of ballad types is difficult unless the maid and knight are named (Polly/Colvin/Sir John etc.).
Some Identifiers:
The identifiers are for these ballad types; Child B (Waerie's Well); Child C (May Colvin, Scottish, Herd 1776); Child D (Historical Scottish); Child E (Outlandish Knight); Child F (False Knight Outwitted) and Child G (Irish, "willow tree"). Child A is unique and possibly not authentic and Child H (May Collin) is part of Child C (early Scottish). Although listed separately Child H had more accurately given the "He wooed me butt(outside)" stanza which is the Scottish identifier for the American versions. Most of the traditional versions are English (Outlandish, Child E, my A) Scottish (He followed me up, Child C, my D) or have the "willow tree" stanza (Child G, my E). Below are identifiers with my letter designations:
A. "The Outlandish Knight," ("An outlandish knight came from the north lands,") similar to or based on the various broadsides (16-18 stanzas); two prints c. 1840 titled "The Old Beau's Courtship."
1. Maid is "Pretty Polly" or "pretty maid" and "outlandish knight" is also "false knight."
2. An outlandish knight comes from "North lands"
3. father's gold, mother's fees
4. She pulls off silken gown, silken stays and holland smock.
5. He views the "leaves so green" and is thrown into a stream (or "the sea").
6. Don't prittle nor prattle (parrot); It's no laughing matter (parrot)
7. "The king is in his chamber"
B. "The False Knight Outwitted: A New Song" [12 stanzas, Englsih] ("Go fetch me some of your father's gold,") BL listed as London? 1710? [1780 date confirmed]
1. takes her to North Lands (see A)
2. Features, Pretty Polly and false knight
3. father's gold, mother's fee,
4. "He fetchd the sickle, to crop the nettle"
5. 'Swim on, swim on, thou false knight"
6. She rides to her "father's house"; father and parrot.
C. "Western Tragedy," (ref. Motherwell, 1749) ["Have ye not heard of (a bludy/bloody knight)
1. Is allegedly based on fact, a historical ballad.
2. Aslo titled "The historical ballad of May Culzean: founded on fact" or after the various names of the maid-- "May Colyean (MacQueen)" etc.
3. Begins with the question "Have ye not heard of (a bludy/bloody knight?"
4. He is "fause (false) Sir John? Wha liv’d in the west country," she is May Culzean, May Colvin, May Collean, or May Collin.
5. Has burial of False Sir John at the end.
D. "May Colven" David Herd, Scottish, published 1776. ("False Sir John a-wooing came,") about 17 stanzas.
1 begins: False Sir John a wooing came; she is May Colven or similarly named
2 He woo'd her butt, he woo'd her ben,
3. They ride and stop at a "rock by the sea."
4. Where he has "drowned seven young ladies" or "seven king's daughters"
5. She "came home to her father's bower"
6. At the end the "king" in is bed chamber.
F. "The Knight and the Chief's Daughter" Irish, learned about 1790 ("Now steal me some of your father's gold") ["willow tree" texts] late 1700s Ireland.
1. She is "pretty colleen," he is false knight (villain)
2. She "steals" father's gold
3. He turned his face to the "willow tree."
G. "The Water o Wearie's Well" early 1800s (Step in, step in, my lady fair,) an Edinburgh variant with incremental immersion in the water of Wearie's Well located in Edinburgh.
1. She is "lady fair," or "King's daughter"
2. He asks her to "Wide in, wide in, my lady fair," and "No harm shall thee befall"
3. "The first step that she stepped in, She stepped to the knee;" then "middle," then "chin."
4. She offers a kiss then Knight is pulled off his horse.
5. She swims "to dry land."
Some of Irish versions with the "pretty colleen" identifier (see: US versions given by Barry in the early 1900s) have a "take you to Scotland" identifier (resembling the "North land" identifier of Outlandish Knight) where he promises, "there I'll marry thee." The same "Scotland" opening is found in other versions. The Scottish versions do not mention "marriage" as an enticement.
Some American versions have the Scottish identifier "He followed me up" and the English name "Pretty Polly" which shows the modifiers have become mixed over time. In some cases the identifiers have become floating stanzas and no longer define a specific ballad type. Other American versions are missing the opening stanza(s) and have the generic core stanzas but are impossible to categorize. They are considered "Generic Versions: Reductions" (see: list of complete versions at top of this page). Complete ballads are categorized at the top of this page-- fragments are found under US/Canada and British pages-- see "Contents."
* * * *
Some Conclusions
Kemppinen's book explores the various theories proposed about the origin of Child No. 4. Many of the theories are part of the international collection of variants and are not specifically related to the UK variants of Child ballads A-H.
Theories of Origin[33]
1. The Historical Events Theories- The murder is based on a real event with real people such as purported in the Scottish print, "The historical ballad of May Culzean," which was "Founded on fact."
2. The Bluebeard Theories- Since 1812 when the Brothers Grimm published their collection of fairy-tales, an opinion in German folklore studies suggested that the origin of the similar Ulinger ballad is found in the Bluebeard story.
3. The Blood-collecting and Knight's Illness Theories- In his Swiss collection of fairy-tales (1856), Rochholz wrote about the related ballad story, Das Guggibador-Lied, in which the knight's illness could only be cured through blood letting.
4. The Witchcraft and Enticement Theories- In a variant from Swabia, the knight is a wizard who has killed eleven maids and "in order to practice his sorcery at will must kill a twelfth[34]." Various enticements are offered the maid to lure her to her death. In the Scottish versions a charm is attached to her sleeve or a spell is cast which makes the maid go off with the knight against her will.
5. The Judith and Holofernes Theory- In 1879 Norwegian Sophus Bugge proposed that the similar Halewijn (Dutch-Flemish) ballads were an adaptation of the Apocryphical biblical story of Judith and Holofernes. Child devoted some consideration to Bugge's theory in his headnotes.
6. The Hallowe'en Theory- A more recent theory proposed by Dutchman E. Smedes suggests that the ballad Halewijn originated from ancient festivals similar to those of the Celtic Halloween.
Kemppinen says "the ballad probably originated between the years 1100 and 1200," and the "content of the ballad leads us to the old Herlewin tradition." He adds, "It was originally sung primarily as the song accompanying the round dance at the castles of the nobility, and by this time several different forms of the ballad had already appeared through the modifications of the story introduced by the minstrels." Although Kemppinen is fairly specific in his conclusions here-- this has little to do with tracing the the origin of the English and Scottish versions and he does not prove the relatedness of the analogues.
In 1955 Samuel P. Bayard reviewed Kemppinen's book[35] (Kemppinen and "Lady Isabel": A Review Article; Western Folklore, Vol. 14, No. 2 (Apr., 1955), pp. 114-120) and offered these conclusions:
"That the ballad was not a retelling of the Judith and Holofernes story, but that its "false knight" is a supernatural being. That the poem thus consists of ideas and materials out of the European folkloristic background, and its false knight was the ancient demonic king of the "Wild Hunt" or "Wild Horde," often called Herlewin-of which the Halewijn of the Flemish version is a clear derivation. That the poem was composed in a territory of Germanic language and Celtic mythic background; this area, by reason of the completeness and clarity of the old Halewijn form, must have been along the lower Rhine. That the time of composition is shown by the 11th-century dating of the name Halevinus, the pre-12th-century vigor of the Herlewin tradition, the fact that round dance and accompanying ballad song had reached the Northern Countries by the 12th century, and the nature of the texts. Furthermore, that the ballad was composed between 1100 and 1200 and "was originally sung primarily as the song accompanying the round dance at the castles of the nobility, and by this time several different forms of the ballad had already appeared through the modifications of the story introduced by the minstrels (p. 265)."
Lajos Vargyas in his "Researches into the Medieval History of Folk Ballad (Budapest, 1967)" traces the ballad story back to a putative Central Asian origin. In Folk Song in England (1967) A. L. Lloyd comments: "If Vargyas is right, at least some vital motifs of our common European ballad derive from imaginings vastly remote from us in time and space, from the anxious dreams of prehistoric herdsmen on the wild steppes between the Tienshan and the Altai mountains of western Mongolia."
MacColl and Seeger cite a German broadside, c. 1550, but don't say which one. Perhaps it's Friedrich Gutknecht's pamphlet of the Ulinger ballad of about 1550. In "Ballad Source Study: Child Ballad No. 4 as Exemplar" (The Journal of American Folklore, Vol. 68, No. 268 (Apr. - Jun., 1955), pp. 141-152) Holger Olof Nygard reviewed the various theories of origin of Child 4 and especially Sophus Bugge's "Judith and Holofernes" theory. Unfortunately since they were published the same year, Nygard does not use Kemppinen's book as a reference. Nyard concluded:
"It may be gratifying for us to know that some ballads do have identifiable sources. That Lady Isabel is so unattached, as it were, should not disturb us, for the ballad is still with us in all its multifarious variety. We still have the adventure of Lady Isabel with an elf-knight as full of mystery as ever."
* * * *
It is my opinion that too much significance has been given to the origin and various foreign analogues which may or may not be related. The French, Manx and some of the Polish versions that have drowning by water are more closely related. I've dated the English print versions and their sources back to the late 1600s and early 1700s which seems to be a reasonable date even if the alleged black-latter prints are not found. The Scottish print versions go back to the mid-1700s (Motherwell 1749) while Herd's traditional "May Colven" published in 1776, probably predates Western Tragedy.
There were dozens of English versions of the Outlandish Knight collected in the early 1900s with melody only-- that's because the singers knew, usually imperfectly, the standard broadside texts so there was no point in the collectors writing the text down. I have included almost all texts, even those of one stanza, but have not listed versions with tune only. The categorization of complete ballads (see top of this page) is somewhat arbitrary since some of the ballad types (A-J) are missing identifiers or do not fit the standard versions. Several American opening stanzas, which appear to be archaic, do not fit the standard British ones. One is borrowed from Child ballad 105, The Bailiff's Daughter of Islington, another may be a variant of the Outlandish Knight opening, while two others seem to pre-date "Outlandish Knight" and may be openings of earlier unknown versions.
Although the two English prints (Outlandish Knight; False Knight Outwitted) are early versions of the ballad, neither is regarded as complete and are categorized as "secondary" ballads. Outlandish Knight is obviously more complete and as so is designated my A version. The first stanza which mentions "Outlandish Knight" is a later addition from an unknown print while my B, False Knight Outwitted, is missing the opening and at least one intermediary stanza. The Scottish "historic" ballads (my C) are later print rewrites, while the shorter Scottish traditional ballads (my D), represented first by Herd's 1776 ballad, are taken from the core stanzas of an earlier missing print-- which is presumably the "unknown ur-ballad." Suggestions as to the possible nature of the missing ur-ballad may be found in the "nettles" stanza and the "Scotland" stanza found mainly in US versions which could represent an original opening stanza:
1. Arise you up, my pretty Polly,
Come go along with me.
I'll take you to old Scotland
And there we'll married be[36].
Since the "False Knight Outwitted" English print (dated 1710? by the British Library) has no opening stanza, a suggestion of the opening stanza(s) may be found in collected versions from North America. The stanzas that end with "To take her life away[37]" and the "Scotland" stanza are archaic stanzas that may represent the earlier missing print.
No conclusion may be made about the whether the origin of "False Knight" in the UK is Scottish or English until authentic earlier versions are found. For now, it seems the English prints pre-date the Scottish prints and tradition (Herd, 1776). Both the early English prints are secondary which are drawn from earlier unknown prints. Clues of their textual construction are found in some early traditional versions from America. Since the Outlandish Knight opening stanza was extremely rare in America it means:
The Outlandish Knight was not the early English source for the ballad in America and was not brought over by the early settlers.
Which is why the Outlandish Knight must be regarded as a secondary ballad. While the Outlandish Knight was printed in the early 1800s, earlier reports are conjecture. A dozen versions of "False-Knight Outwitted" with the "nettles" stanza identifier have been collected in America. It too is a secondary English print, however, an early transmission to America supports its "1710?" date.
R. Matteson 2018]
________________________________
Footnotes:
1. Child begins his headnotes in ESPB, vol. 1 with: "Of all ballads this has perhaps obtained the widest circulation."
2. There are 1,865 variants listed, however, a number of these are the same variant that was published two or three times.
3. The specific ballad details vary widely in different countries. An example of a specific ballad detail from the UK ballads would be: "The false knight proposes marriage or seduces the maid through a magic charm."
4. From the introduction of Kemppinen's "The Ballad of Lady Isabel and the False Knight," 1954, p. 5.
5. Child E and F are English with F dated 1710? and 1780 date confirmed while E is said to be printed by John Marshall in the late 1700s while two sources state it was a black-letter broadside of about 1700. Child G was taken from an Irish servant about 1790.
6. The anecdotal evidence that Outlandish Knight was a black-letter print was given in two separate letters in Notes and Queries by EMUN (1851) and John Henry Dixon (1868). No black-letter print has been recovered.
7. The print is obviously English but has no imprint and the place is listed by the British Library as "London?"
8. The 1780 date is confirmed by listings in Copac, and is definitively dated 1780 by Google Books.
9. The earliest extant known copy of Western Tragedy is found in a Scottish chapbook, dated c.1790. The chapbook is a secondary source. Child in his 4th footnote questions the 1749 date: Motherwell, in his Minstrelsy, p. lxx, n. 24, says that he had seen a stall ballad as early as 1749, entitled 'The Western Tragedy,' which perfectly agreed with Sharpe's copy. But in his Note-Book, p. 5 (about 1826-7), Motherwell says, "The best copy of May Colean with which I have met occurs in a stall copy printed about thirty years ago [should we then read 1799 instead of 1749?], under the title of 'The Western Tragedy.' I have subsequently seen a posterior reprint of this stall copy under this title, 'The Historical Ballad of May Collean.' Since Motherwell was born in 1797, either date would be second hand. The ballad under The Western Tragedy title is very rare. Only two extant print versions are known to exist (Harvard Library; Library of Scotland) and neither have been published or made available to the public.
10. Quote is from Motherwell's "Minstrelsy," 1827.
11. See the introduction of Kemppinen's "The Ballad of Lady Isabel and the False Knight," 1954, p. 5.
12. See Child's headnotes for "Lady Isabel" in ESPB, vol. 1
13. Although there are over 20 versions of the Scottish Child A refrain most do not mention the opening stanzas with the "elfin knight."
14. No. 63 Child Waters (Burd Ellen)
15. See Child's headnotes for "Lady Isabel" in ESPB, vol. 1
16. Child Ballad 67. Glasgerion
17. According to Leslie Shepard, Pitts started printing at Great St. Andrews Street in 1802. See her book, "John Pitts: ballad printer of Seven Dials, London 1765-1844: with a short account of his predecessors in the ballad & chapbook trade."
18. Although J.H. Dixon reported this information about Marshall's earlier from a conversation with Pitts about 1827, evidence of the earlier broadside from Marshall has not been found.
19. Notes and Queries 4th Series I, April 11, 1868.
20. Dixon's 1868 letter revealed that Hone's 1827 version was supplied by Dixon which he modified from an Outlandish Knight broadside.
21. Dixon, 1827.
22. UCSB English Broadside Ballad Archive
23. From "Early English Poetry, Ballads and Popular Literature of the Middle Ages" by J.H. Dixon for Percy Society, 1846.
24. According to Dixon (1827) Outlandish Knight was one of his earliest broadsides. According to Leslie Shepard, Pitts started printing at Great St. Andrews Street in 1802 (footnote 17).
25. Child's quote is from ESPB, volume 1, Motherwell's version is Child Cc.
26. The 1749 date given by Motherwell seems suspicious (see footnote 9). Since the title is the same it's likely that the chapbook versions is very similar, it's doubtful that the 1749 print Motherwell saw will ever be known.
27. Several letters of the first words at the beginning of this stanza and the next were clipped off. In the next stanza "Wade" (for "Would") could be "ade" with another first letter.
28. Quote from Child's "English and Scottish Popular Ballads" volume 1, headnotes, 1884.
29. Ibid.
30. Barry from British Ballads from Maine 1929.
31. Quote from Child's "English and Scottish Popular Ballads" volume 1, headnotes, 1884.
32. The "willow tree" is mentioned in a number of version mostly from the US. Around 1950 several versions were titled "Willow Tree" and at least one recording was similarly titled. It has been traced to a play written in New York by a Polish immigrant, however that may not be the only source.
33. The same theories are covered in Kemppinen's 1954 book, "The Ballad of Lady Isabel and the False Knight"
34. Quoted from Kemppinen's "The Ballad of Lady Isabel and the False Knight"
35. Kemppinen, "The Ballad of Lady Isabel and the False Knight" 1954.
36. [Pretty Polly] was sung by Nathaniel Melhorn Morris, Harriston, Va, October 16, 1935. From Wilkinson's notebook 1935-36, pp. 3-5(A) with music; version A.
37. This opening stanza is similarly found in the UK:
It's of a knight in the west country
Courted a lady gay
And it's all 'is and was set to do,
To entice the lady away. [Plunkett from Ernest Glew of Sussex]
An example of a North American opening for False Knight Outwitted is:
I will sing you a song of a false young man
Who courted a lady gay,
And all of that he courted of this pretty maid
Was to take her sweet life away. [Robert Aikins, Roman Valley, Nova Scotia, Creighton C]
____________________________
CONTENTS: (Individual variants may be accessed by clicking on the title attached to this page on left-hand column or by clicking on the blue highlighted title below-- The North American versions are attached to that page.)
1) False Knight Outwitted (Lon) 1710? broadside Child F (my B)- Roxburghe Ballads, British Museum, III, 449. In the catalogue of the British Museum, "London? 1710?" See: English Broadside Ballad Archive, University of California at Santa Barbara: http://ebba.english.ucsb.edu/ballad/31135/image. A date of 1780 is confirmed.
2) May Colvin- (Edin) 1776 Herd; Child C
3) May Collin- (Scot) c.1780 Scott MS, Child H
Knight & the Chief's Daughter- Rogers (Ire) c.1790
Outlandish Knight- (Lon) c.1802 broadside Child E
Outlandish Knight- (Lon) c.1813 Catnach broadside
Historical Ballad of May Culzean- (Ary) 1817 print
Father's Gold- Moseley (York) c.1822 Kidson
May Collin- (Perth) 1823; Sharpe, Child Da
May Colyean- Mary Macqueen (Renf) 1825 Crawfurd
May Collean- (Scot) 1827 Motherwell, Child Dc
May Colvin or False Sir John- (Sc) 1827 Motherwell
Outlandish Knight- J.H. Dixon (Lon) 1827 W. Hone
Gowans sae gay- (N. Scot) 1828 Buchan; Child A
Water o Wearie's Well- (Scot) 1828 Buchan/Child B
Fause Sir John & May Colvin- (Scot) 1828 Buchan
May Collean- composite (Scot) 1829 Chambers
Water o Wearie's Wells- A. Harris (Perth) c.1830
Outlandish Knight- (Newcastle) 1847 Sheldon
Old Beau's Courtship- (Cum) 1850 Stephenson print
May Colzean- John Sutherland (Aber) 1870 Carpenter
Knight from the North- Butler (Shrop) c1870 Burne
False Sir John- M. Christie (Aber) c1875 Carpenter
Water o the Weary Well- M.Christie(Aber) 1875 Carp
Fause Sir John- P. Christie (Aber) c1878 Carpenter
Outlandish Knight- Sarah Phelps (Glou) c1880 Carp
May Colvine & Fause Sir John- (Aber) 1881 Christie
Outlandish Knight- Andrews (Newcas) 1882 Stokoe
Outlandish Knight- Parsons (Dev) 1888 Baring-Gould
Outlandish Knight- Gregory (Dev) 1889 Baring Gould
Outlandish Knight- Anon (York) 1891 Kidson A
Outlandish Knight- C. Lolley (York) 1891 Kidson B
Rich Nobleman- Masters (Dev) 1891 Baring-Gould MS
Outlandish Knight- Sumner (N. Eng) 1893 Broadwood
Outlandish Knight- woman (Herts) 1895 Broadwood
Outlandish Knight- E Hutchings (Som) 1904 Sharp MS
Outlandish Knight- Squires (Som) 1904 Sharp MS
Outlandish Gentleman- Chapman (Som) 1904 Sharp MS
Baron Knight- J. Trump (Som) 1905 Sharp MS
Outlandish Knight- J. Vincent (Som) 1905 Sharp MS
Six Pretty Maidens- Lugg (Corn) 1905 Gardiner
Outlandish Knight- G. Dowden (Dor) 1905 Hammond
Outlandish Knight- Southwood (Som) 1906 Sharp MS
Outlandish Knight- Kidson 3 Versions w/Music 1906
May Colvin- Bell Robertson (Aber) 1906 Greig A
Outlandish Knight- Glover (Som) 1906 Sharp MS
Outlandish Knight- Joseph Laver (Som) 1907 Sharp
Robber and the Lady- (Hamp) 1907 Gillington
May Colvin- Annie Shirer (Aber) 1907 Grieg B
Outlandish Knight- C. Bull (Hamp) 1907 Gardiner
Outlandish Knight- T. Jones (Hamp) 1907 Gardiner
Outlandish Knight- J. Matthews(Hamp) 1907 Gardiner
Outlandish Knight- Hilton (Nor) 1908 R.V. Williams
Outlandish Knight- G. Say (Som) 1908 Sharp MS
Outlandish Knight- Matthews (Hamp) 1908 Gardiner
Outlandish Knight- W. Hill (Hamp) 1908 Gardiner
Highway Robber- Colcombe (Heref) 1909 Williams
Outlandish Knight- W. Green (Hamp) 1909 Gardiner
Outlandish Knight- H. Norris (Sur) 1909 Gardiner
Outlandish Knight- George Chatt(Sur) 1909 Gardiner
Outlandish Knight- Anon (Heref) 1909 Leather
Young Youth- Anon (Sus) c.1910 Clive Carey
Outlandish Knight- J. Webb (Warw) 1912 Sharp MS
Outlandish Knight- E. Warren (Wilt) 1915 Williams
Outlandish Knight- Barnard (Glou) 1921 Sharp MS
Outlandish Knight- Anon (N. Eng) 1921 Whittaker
King O' Spain's Daughter- Hegarty (Don) 1926 Henry
May Colvin- James Mason (Aber) c.1930 Carpenter
Outlandish Knight- W. Butler (Oxf) c1930 Carpenter
Outlandish Knight- W. Hands (Glou) c1930 Carpenter
Outlandish Knight- W. Newman (Glou) 1930 Carpenter
Mey Guldinn- Balfour Coll. (Ork) 1938 Gilchrist
False-Hearted Knight: J. Brightwell (Suf) 1947
Outlandish Knight- E. Glew (Sus) c1957 Plunkett
Outlandish Knight- Sam Larner (Nor) c.1957 REC
Six Pretty Maids- Fred Jordan (Shrop) c.1960 REC
Outlandish Knight- U. Ridley (Sus) 1962 Stubbs
The Dapple Grey- May Bradley (Shrop) c.1962 Hamer
Outlandish Knight- Feltwell (Nor) c.1962 Steele
Outlandish Knight- Sara Porter (Sus) 1965 REC
Don't Prittle Nor Prattle- Ridley (Kent) c.1966
Young Officer- Mary Ann Haynes (Sus) 1972 REC
May Colvine- Wattie Wright (Midlo) 1973 Munro
Le Tueur de Femmes- Dutertre (Ile de France) 1974
Pretty Polly- Bill Cassidy (Wicklow) c.1975 Carrol
A man from the north- Charlotte Renals(Corn) 1978
False Lover John- Corney McDaid (Don) 1985 REC
Outlandish Knight- Vic Legg (Corn) 1993 Howson
Outlandish Knight- Roger Grimes (Herts) c.2001 REC
__________________________
Add:
In 1893 the Castletown general practitioner and fiddle player Dr John Clague (1842–1908) began a systematic collection of Manx folksongs andfolktunes while onhis rounds, concentrating in the South (1893–6), thenin the North (1896–8).Hismusic collection contains some 270 items, plus variants, in four manuscript note books.
The music of the Isle of Man reflects Celtic, Norse and other influences, including from its neighbours, Scotland, Ireland England and Wales. The Isle of Man is a small island nation in the Irish Sea, between Great Britain and Ireland (and not part of the United Kingdom).
110. ILLIAM BOGHT or CUR USS JEED
[THE OUTLANDISH KNIGHT.]
(POOR WILLIAM, OY PUT OFF FROM THEE.)
FIRST VERSION.
SUNG BY MRS. KENNAUGH.
Cur - rys jig y cap as cloak, Cur - rys eh seeose er y clagh
[Cur uss jeed]
T'ad ro vie as ro geayr Dy ihie ayn ush - tey mar-ish y corp.
SECOND VERSION.
[ JIG."]
* For the word" Boght" see annotation following.
(Fragments in Dr. Clague's Note-Book.)
Curry's jig yn (Cur as [uss] jeed dty) cap as cloak'
Curry's eh seeose (Cur ad sheese) er y clagh
T' ad ro vie as ro geayr
Dy Ihie ayn ushtey marish y corp
Chyndaa dty hooil rhym, Illiam boght,
As sweepey Illiam boght dys y grunt.
(Put off from thee thy cap and cloak
Put them down on the stone,
They are too good and dear
To lie in the water with the body.
Turn thy back to me, poor William,
And she swept poor William to the ground.)
1 Written in at the side is: "other articles, smock fine holland"; showing that as in other versions this verse was repeated, inserting other articles of dress.-A. G. G.
This is obviously a fragmentary version of "The Outlandish Knight," though how the villain came to be named "Illiam Boght" is obscure. Moore in his Manx Ballads cites, amongst unprinted ballads which he classes as erotic, one with the title " Quilliam
Baugh." If this be the same, it is a pity he did not consider it printable. The nearest title to the Manx which I have seen is the "Sweet Willie" or "William " of Mr. Cecil Sharp's Appalachian versions. Other names for the knight are: " The Bluidy, or Baron, Knight," "Fause Sir John," The Falsh Priest," " False Mess John," and " The Old Beau" (broadside). Child classes the various forms under "Lady Isabel and the Elfin Knight." The Manx fragments are as near "May
Collin " in Child's H version as any; and the last line
She swept poor William to the ground
seems to mean the "sea's ground," which occurs in "May Collin," v. 8:
For thei 'r oe'r good and costly
In the sea's ground to waste
and is understood in v. Ii:
She took him hastly in her arms
And flung him in the sea.
Whether "boght" should be translated as "poor" is uncertain. It may repre sent a surname, or simply mean "worthless."
In another Clague MS. the tune is "Illiam Boght=? " Silly, or simple, William."-A. MA F.
labelled " Curry's Jig," which seems to have been the doctor's first misunderstanding of the title given to the tune by his singer, the variant above being called simply "Jig." The song-tune is really in time. The second version is even less like a
jig than the first; it is Highland in character. Cf. tunes No. 7 and 8 in The Celtic
Lyre. For notes and copious references regarding the " Outlandish Knight " ballad,
together with ten tunes, see Journal, Vol. iv, pp. 116-123. Dr. Clague's stanza has an extra foot in lines 2 and 4, and so does not fit the English airs. His second version, however, could be sung to the metre of the English ballads, by slurring the two
dotted crotchets in bars 4 and 8.-A. G. G.
------------------------
Outlandish Knight [no info 12 stanzas]
Francis Collinson Manuscript Collection (COL/3/16)
Title The Outlandish Knight
--------------
Don't Prittle Nor Prattle
Roud Folksong Index (S406954)
First Line- Don't prittle nor prattle my pretty parrot
Gloucester Journal (17 Nov 1877)
Performer
G., W.H.
Place
England : Gloucestershire : Forest of Dean
Collector
Date collected
1877c
Format
Printed : Newspaper
________________________________________
Included below are:
1) Excerpt from A Pepysian Garland: black-letter broadside ballads of the years 1595-1639
2) Notes from Abbotsford Series of the Scottish Poets, edited by George Eyre-Todd
3) May Collean from The Scottish Ballads by Robert Chambers 1829
4) May Colvin from Scottish ballad Poetry, Volume 3 By George Eyre-Todd 1893
5) Cecil Sharp notes on Outlandish Knight (from 100 English Folk Songs)
[Additional Ballads and info]
[The "Western Knight," a black-letter broadside ballad in Samuel Pepys Collection dated June 1, 1629 is according to Hyder Rollins, resembles "Lady Isabel" however, this is not similar and only has two lines held in common which are ballad commonplaces (See text from Pepys below).
A Pepysian garland: black-letter broadside ballads of the years 1595-1639 by Samuel Pepys
The Western Knight
Pepys, i, 312, B.L., four woodcuts, four columns.
This ballad was licensed as "Western Knight" on June 1, 1629 (Aiber's Transcript, iv, 213). It is a romance with possibly a traditional ballad as a source and with a few traditional features. Of somewhat similar nature are "The False Lover Won Back" and "Child Waters" in F. J. Child's English and Scottish Popular Ballads (Nos. 63 and 218). Even closer is the resemblance to the early part of Child's No. 4, "Lady Isabel and the ElfKnight," which in one stall copy (dating about 1749) is, as Professor Child noted (op. cit. 1, 23), called "The Western Tragedy." Professor Kittredge remarks that the Harvard College Library has an American edition of "The Western Tragedy" that was printed late in the eighteenth, or early in the nineteenth, century.
The Westerne Knight, and the young Maid of Bristoll,
Their loves and fortunes related.
To a pretty amorous tune.
IT was a yong knight borne in the West,
that led a single life,
And for to marry he thought it best
because he lackt a wife.
And on a day he him bethought,
as he sate all alone,
How he might be to acquaintance brought,
with some yong pretty one.
What luck, alas, (quoth he) have I
to live thus by my selfe?
Could I find one of faire beauty,
I would not sticke for pelfe.
Oh, had I one though nere so poore,
I would her not reject:
I have enough, and aske no more,
so she will me affect.
With that his man he then did call
that nere unto him staid,
To whom he soone unfolded all,
and unto him he said,
Come saddle me my milke white Steed,
that I may a wooing ride,
To get some bonny Lasse with speed,
whom I may make my Bride.
On horsebacke mounted the gallant young knight,
and to try his fate he went,
To seeke some Damsell faire and bright,
that might his mind content.
And as he through Bristoll Towne did ride,
in a fine window of Glasse,
A gallant Creature he espide,
in the Casement where she was.
His heart then taught his tongue to speake
as soone as he her saw,
He unto her his mind did breake,
compel'd by Cupids Law.
Faire Maid, quoth he, long may you live,
and your body Christ save and see,
Five hundred Crownes I will you give,
to set your love on me.
Though I am faire, quoth she, in some sort,
yet am I tender of age,
And want the courtesie of the Court,
to be a yong Knights Page.
A Page, thou gallant Dame, quoth she
I meane thee not to make:
But if thou love me, as I love thee,
for my Bride I will thee take.
If honestly you meane, quoth she,
that I may trust your word,
Yours to command I still will be,
at bed and eke at boord.
The second part. To the same tune.
THen he led her by the lilly white hand,
up and downe a Garden greene,
What they did, I cannot understand,
nor what passed them betweene.
When he to her had told his mind,
and done what he thought best,
His former promises so kind,
he turned to a Jest.
Yet he gave to her a Ring of gold,
to keep as her owne life:
And said, that in short time he would,
come and make her his wife.
Then mounted he upon his Steed,
and rode from the Damsell bright,
Saying he would fetch her with speed,
but he forgot it quite.
When fifteene weeks were come and gone,
the Knight came riding by,
To whom the Lasse with grievous moane,
did thus lament and cry.
Sir Knight, remember your vow, quoth she
that you to me did say,
With child, alas, you have gotten me,
and you can it not denay.
So mayst thou be, quoth he, faire Flowre,
and the child be none of mine,
Unlesse thou canst tell me the houre,
and name to me the time.
Full fifteene weeks it is, quoth she,
that you lay my body by;
A gay gold Ring you gave to me,
how can you this deny?
If I (quoth he) my gold Ring gave,
to thee, as to my friend,
Then must not thinke I meane to have
thee till my life doth end.
Nor do I meane to take for my wife,
a Lasse that is so meane
That shall discredit me all my life,
and all my kindred cleane.
Quoth she, false Knight, why didst thou then
procure my overthrow,
Oh, now I see that faithlesse men,
will sweare, yet meane not so.
Now may I live from joyes exilde,
like a bird kept in a Cage,
For I am fifteen weeks gone with child,
and but fourteen yeares of age.
Farewel, farewel, thou faithlesse Knight,
sith thou wilt me forsake,
Oh heavens grant all Maidens bright,
by me may warning take.
When as the Knight did heare what she
poore harmelesse wretch did say,
It mov'd his heart, and quickly he
made her a Lady gay.
Printed at London for F. Coules. FINIS.
--------------------
Abbotsford Series of the Scottish Poets, edited by George Eyre-Todd
MAY COLVIN.
[In the north country, at the Water of Ugie, a precipice is pointed out as Fause Sir John's Loup, which is said to he the scene of the incident narrated in this ballad. On the Ayrshire seacoast, however, in the parish of Ballantrae, another cliff called Gamesloup claims the same distinction. About two miles north of the latter, in the village of Lendalfoot, the tradition of the tragedy is circumstantially told at the present day, and the old grey tower of Carleton, on a knoll above the village, is said to have been the dwelling of the mediaeval Bluebeard. Carleton Castle was a residence of the Cathcart family settled in this district as early as the time of Bruce; and the Fause Sir John of the ballad is said to have been a Sir John Cathcart. Culzean Castle, now the chief seat of the Marquis of Ailsa, head of the Kennedy family, lies only a few miles to the north, and the heroine of the ballad is said locally to have been a daughter of that house—May of Culzean. But whether or not any such tragedy ever took place at Gamesloup, it is only right to add that the incidents of the Scottish ballad are paralleled in folksongs of nearly every country of Europe. No other ballad, indeed, appears to be so universally current, and from the likeness of the prevailing name of the chief character of the story, Colvin, Hatewyn, or Hollevern, it has even been suggested that the legend is a wild shoot from the story of Judith and Holofernes.
Under the title of "May Colvin" the Scottish ballad was first printed in Herd's Ancient and Modern Scottish Songs. Motherwell in his Minstrelsy refers to other early copies entitled variously "The Western Tragedy" and "The Historical Ballad of May of Culzean." In Buchan's Ancient Ballads and Songs appear three other versions—" Fause Sir John and May Colvin," "Aye as the Gowans grow gay," and "The Water o'Wearie's Well." It appears in the Roxburgh Ballads (British Museum) as "The False Knight Outwitted," and is well known and popular in England under the title of "The Outlandish Knight." Professor Child, in his great ballad collection, prints several of these versions, together with a very learned essay upon the versions of other nations, under the title of "Lady Isabel and the Elf-Knight." Herd's version is here followed.]
---------------------------------------------
May Collean from The Scottish Ballads by Robert Chambers 1829
The Scottish ballads By Robert Chambers 1829: * "May Collean" first appeared, under the title of May Colvin, in Herd's Collection. A more extended version afterwards appeared in Mr Sharpe's Ballad Book. And Mr Motherwell has latterly printed Herd's copy, with some alterations, from a recited version. The present set is composed, according to the principle of this work, of the best verses of all these copies. The ballad finds locality in that wild portion of the coast of Carrick, (Ayrshire,) which intervenes betwixt Girvanand Ballantrae. Carlton Castle, about two miles to the south of Girvan, (a tall old ruin situated on the brink of a bank which overhangs the sea, and which gives title to Sir John Cathcart, Bart of Carlton,) is affirmed by the country people, who still remember the story with great freshness, to have been the residence of "the fause Sir John;" while a tall rocky eminence, called Gamesloup, overhanging the sea about two miles still farther south, and over which the road passes in a style terrible to all travellers, is pointed out as the place where he was in the habit of drowning his wives, and where he was finally drowned himself. The people, who look upon the ballad as a regular and proper record of an unquestionable fact, farther affirm that May Collean was a daughter of the family of Kennedy of Colzean, now represented by the Earl of Cassilis, and that she became heir to all the immense wealth which her husband had acquired by his former mal-practices, and accordingly lived happy all the rest of her days.
MAY COLLEAN * [see footnote above]
Oh, heard ye of a bludie knicht,
Lived in the south countrie?
He has betrayed eight ladies fair,
And drouned them in the sea.
Then next he went to May Collean,
A maid of beauty rare;
May Collean was this lady's name,
Her father's only heir.
"lam a knicht of wealth and micht,
Of tounlands twenty-three;
And you'll be lady of them a',
If you will go with me."
"Excuse me, now, Sir John," she said;
"To wed I am too young;
Without I have my parents' leave,
Wi' you I daurna gang."
"Your parents' leave you soon shall have;
In that they will agree;
For I have made a solemn vow,
This nicht you'll go with me."
From below his arm he pulled a charm,
And stuck it in her sleeve;
And he has made her go with him,
Without her parents' leave.
Of gold and silver she has got
With her twelve hundred pound;
And the swiftest steed her father had,
She has taen to ride upon.
Sae privily they went along,
They made nae stop nor stay,
Till they cam to a lonesome place,
That they call Bunion Bay.
It was a lonesome gruesome place;
Nae house to it was nigh;
The fatal rocks were high and steep;
And nane could hear her cry.
"Loup off your steed," says fause Sir John,
"Your bridal bed you see:
Here have I drowned eight ladies fair;
The ninth one you shall be."
"Is this your bowers and lofty towers,
So beautiful and gay?
Or is it for my gold," she said,
"You take my life away?"
"Cast aff," says he, " thy jewels fine,
Sae costly and sae brave;
They are ower gude and ower costly,
To throw in the sea-wave.
Cast aff, cast aff, your Holland smock,
And lay it on this stone;
It is ower fine and ower costly,
To rot in the saut sea foam."
"Take all I have, my life to save,
Oh, good Sir John, I pray!
Let it never be said you killed a maid,
Upon her wedding day."
"Strip, strip," he cried, " now, every thing,
Even to your 'broidered shoon.
I have nae time to parley here;
This instant't maun be dune."
"Oh, turn ye, then, about, Sir John,
And look to the leaf o' the tree;
It is not comely for a man,
A naked woman to see."
He turned himself straight round about,
To look to the leaf o' the tree;
She has twined her arms about his waist,
And thrown him into the sea.
"Now lie thou there, thou fause Sir John,
Where ye thocht to lay me:
Although you stript me to the skin,
Your claes you've gotten wi' thee."
"Oh help, oh help l my May Collean!
Oh help, or else I droun!
I'll take you home to your father's gates,
And safely set you doun."
"No help, no help, thou fause Sir John,
No help nor pity to thee!
Ye lie not in a caulder bed,
Than the ane ye intended for me."
Her jewels fine she did put on,
Sae costly, rich, and brave.
And then wi' speed she mounted his steed;
So well she did behave.*
That lady fair was void of fear;
Her steed was swift and free;
And she has reached her father's gates,
Before the clock struck three.
Then first she called the stable groom;
He was her waiting man.
Sune as he heard his lady's voice,
He stood wi' cap in hand.
"Where have you been, fair May Collean?
Who owns this dapple grey?"
"It is a found one," she replied,
"That I got on the way."
Then out bespoke the wylie parrot
Unto fair May Collean:
"What hae ye dune wi' fause Sir John,
That went wi' you yestreen?"
"Oh, haud your tongue, my pretty parrot;
Lay not the blame on me;
And where you have a meal a-day,
Oh, now you shall have three."
Up then bespake her father dear,
Frae his chamber where he lay:
"What aileth thee, my pretty Poll,
That you chat sae lang or day?"
"It was a cat cam to my cage-door,
I thocht 'twould have worried me;
And I was calling on May Collean
To take the cat from me."
Then first she told her father dear
Concerning fause Sir John;
And neist she told her mother dear
The deed that she had done.
"If this be true, fair May Collean,
That you have told to me,
Before I either eat or drink,
This fause Sir John I'll see."
Away they went, with one consent,
At dawning of the day,
Until they came to Carline Sands;
And there his body lay.
His body tall, by that great fall,"
By the waves tossed to and fro,
The diamond ring that he had on,
Was broke in pieces two.
And they hae taken up his corpse,
To yonder pleasant green;
And there they hae buried the fause Sir John,
For fear he should be seen.
________________________________
National Song of Ireland- June 1831; Fraser's Magazine, Volume 3 edited by James Anthony Froude, John Tulloch
As an example of the old English ballad, still to be found orally preserved in Ireland, we will quote a few verses from the Knight and the Chief's Daughter,-—a ballad which we do not remember to have met with elsewhere.
“Now steal me some of your father’s gold,
And some of your mother’s fee,[1]
And steal the best steed in your father’s stable,
Where there lie thirty-three.
She stole him some of her father’s gold,
And some of her mother’s fee;
And she stole the best steed from her father's stable,
Where there lay thirty-three.
And she rode on the milk-white steed,
And he on the barb so grey,
Until they came to the green green wood,
Three hours before it was day.
‘Alight, alight, my pretty colleen, [2]
Alight immediately;
For six kniglits’ daughters I drowned here,
And thou the seventh shall be.’
1. Portion. It also means land, cattle, &c.—See Percy and Jamieson.
2- A girl, a name of fondness when applied to a woman. Colleen is written correctly Cailin, the diminutive of the Irish lee, a countrywoman, analogous to the Greek seke. The word is probably an Irish interpolation.
3. May Collean's appropriation of her lover's steed, though unromantic, may be justified by the example of the Princess of CathayTierself. Ariosto informs us that Angelica was never at a loss for a palfrey; when Orlando had seized one, from which she fell, she would steal another.
'Cerchi pur, ch'altro furto le dia aita,
D'un altra bestia, come prima ha fatto.' Ballad Book, p. 16
____________________________
Scottish ballad poetry, Volume 3 By George Eyre-Todd 1893
MAY COLVIN
[In the north country, at the Water of Ugie, a precipice is pointed out as Fause Sir John's Loup, which is said to he the scene of the incident narrated in this ballad. On the Ayrshire seacoast, however, in the parish of Ballantrae, another cliff called Gamesloup claims the same distinction. About two miles north of the latter, in the village of Lendalfoot, the tradition of the tragedy is circumstantially told at the present day, and the old grey tower of Carleton, on a knoll above the village, is said to have been the dwelling of the medieval Bluebeard. Carleton Castle was a residence of the Cathcart family settled in this district as early as the time of Bruce; and the Fause Sir John of the ballad is said to have been a Sir John Cathcart. Culzean Castle, now the chief seat of the Marquis of Ailsa, head of the Kennedy family, lies only a few miles to the north, and the heroine of the ballad is said locally to have been a daughter of that house—May of Culzean. But whether or not any such tragedy ever took place at Gamesloup, it is only right to add that the incidents of the Scottish ballad are paralleled in folksongs of nearly every country of Europe. No other ballad, indeed, appears to be so universally current, and from the likeness of the prevailing name of the chief character of the story, Colvin, Halewyn, or Hollevern, it has even been suggested that the legend is a wild shoot from the story of Judith and Holofernes.
Under the title of "May Colvin" the Scottish ballad was first printed in Herd's Ancient and Modern Scottish Songs. Motherwell in his Minstrelsy refers to other early copies entitled variously "The Western Tragedy" and "The Historical Ballad of May of Culzean." In Buchan's Ancient Ballads and Songs appear three other versions—"Fause Sir John and May Colvin," "Aye as the Gowans grow gay," and "The Water o'Wearie's Well." It appears in the Roxburgh Ballads (British Museum) as "The False Knight Outwitted," and is well known and popular in England under the title of "The Outlandish Knight." Professor Child, in his great ballad collection, prints several of these versions, together with a very learned essay upon the versions of other nations, under the title of "Lady Isabel and the Elf-Knight." Herd's version is here followed.]
Fause Sir John a-wooing came
To a maid of beauty fair;
May Colvin was this lady's name,
Her father's only heir.
[* i.e. in the outer and inner apartments.]
He wooed her but, he wooed her ben'.
He wooed her in the ha',
Until he got this lady's consent
To mount and ride awa'.
He went down to her father's bower,
Where a' the steeds did stand,
And he's taken one of the best steeds
That was in her father's hand.
He's got on, and she's got on,
And fast as they could flee,
Until they came to a lonesome part—
A rock by the side of the sea.
"Loup off the steed," says false Sir John,
"Your bridal bed you see;
Here have I drowned seven young ladies,
The eighth ane you shall be."
"Cast off, cast off, my May Colvin,
All, and your silken gown,
For it's ower good and ower costly
To rot in the salt sea-foam.
"Cast off, cast off, my May Colvin,
All, and your embroidered shoon,
For they are ower good and ower costly
To rot in the salt sea-foam."
"O turn you about, O false Sir John,
And look to the leaf o' the tree,
For it never became a gentleman
A naked woman to see."
He turned himself straight round about
To look to the leaf o' the tree;
So swift as May Colvin was
To throw him into the sea.
"O help, O help, my May Colvin!
O help, or else I drown,
I'll tak' you hame to your father's bower,
And set ye down safe and sound."
"Nae help, nae help, thou fause Sir John,
Nae help nor pity to thee,
Though seven king's daughters you have drowned,
The eighth shall not be me."
So she went on her father's steed
As swift as she could flee,
And she cam' hame to her father's bower
Before it was break of day.
Up then spak' the pretty parrot,
"May Colvin, where have you been?
What has become of false Sir John,
That wooed you so late the 'streen?
"He wooed you but, he wooed you ben,
He wooed you in the ha',
Until he got your own consent
For to mount and gang awa'."
"O hold your tongue, my pretty parrot,
Lay not the blame upon me.
Your cup shall be of the flowered gold,
Your cage of the root of the tree."
Up then spak' the king himsel',
In the bed-chamber where he lay,
"What ails the pretty parrot
That prattles so long ere day?"
"There came a cat to my cage door,
It almost worried me,
And I was calling on May Colvin
To take the cat from me."
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Cecil Sharp notes on Outlandish Knight (from 100 English Folk Songs): No. 11. The Outlandish Knight Child, speaking of this ballad (English and Scottish Ballads, No. 4), remarks: "Of all the ballads this has perhaps obtained the widest circulation. It is nearly as well known to the southern as to the northern nations of Europe. It has an extraordinary currency in Poland."
This ballad is widely known throughout England, and I have taken it down no less than thirtysix times. Although very few singers could "go through" with it, I have recorded several fairly complete sets of words, from which that given in this book has been compiled. As a rule the versions vary but little, although I have heard only one singer sing the seventh and eighth stanzas of the text. One singer, however, used the word "cropped," instead of the moreusual"dropped," in the ninth stanza, and thi-s may have been a reminiscence of the "nettle" theme. None of the printed copies contain these verses except one in the Roxburghe Collection, in which the following lines occur:
Go fetch the sickle., to crop the nettle, That grows so near the brim; For fear it should tangle my golden locks, Or freckle my milk-white skin. The Rev. S. Baring-Gould has collected a similar verse in Devonshire.
As" May Colvin," the ballad appears in Herd's Scottish Songs (volume i, p. 153), in Motherwell's Minstrelsy (p. 67, tune 24), and in Buchan's Ancient Ballads and Songs of the North of Scotland (volume ii, p. 45). Buchan also gives a second version of the ballad entitled " The Gowans sae Gay" (volume i, p. 22). In the latter, the hero appears as an elf-knight, and the catastrophe is brought about by the heroine, Lady Isabel, persuading her false lover to sit down with his head on her knee, when she lulls him to sleep with a charm and stabs him with his own dagger. None of the English versions introduce any supernatural element into the story. They all, however, contain the "parrot" verses.
The expression"outlandish" is generally taken to mean an inhabitant of the debatable territory between the borders of England and Scotland. In other parts of England, however, "outlandish" simply means "foreign," not belonging to the county or district of the singer.
One singer gave me the first verse as follows:
There was a knight, a baron-knight, A knight of high degree; This knight he came from the North land, He came a-courting me. Child points out that the ballad has some affinity with "Bluebeard," and, possibly, also with the story of "Judith and Holofernes" in the Apocrypha.
For versions with tunes, see the Journal of the Folk-Song Society (volume ii, p. 282; volume iv, pp. 116-123); traditional Tunes (pp. 26 and 172); English County Songs (p. 164); and a Border version in Northumbrian Minstrelsy (p. 48).
The tune is nearly always in ~ time, and is usually modal. The second air, however, in Traditional Tunes and a variant collected by the Rev. S. Baring-Gould in Devon and printed in English Folk Songs for Schools, are both in common measure.
The singer varied his tune, which is in the Dorian mode, in nearly every verse.
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From the notes to the Penguin Book (1959):
"This ballad has many titles. Scholars know it as Lady Isabel and the Elf Knight or May Colvin, but An Outlandish Rover, The Highway Robber, The Old Beau are among titles preferred by folk singers. Child...noted it as one of the most widespread of ballads, with relatives in Poland, Germany, Scandinavia, France, the Netherlands (as Halewijn), and elsewhere, as far afield as Australia. It is also among the most persistent, being not infrequently sung today. Some scholars see in it traces of the Bluebeard story, others believe it may be an offshoot of the legend of Judith and Holofernes. Perhaps more plausible is the theory that the ballad is descended from a folk-tale about a malevolent water-spirit who transforms himself into a knight and marries a girl with the intention of carrying her off to his watery home. The genial incident of the dialogue with the parrot (borrowed from Oriental tradition?) was isolated and made into a comic stage song, called Tell-Tale Polly (c. 1860).
Within this century, besides our Norfolk set, versions have been printed from Westmoreland (FSJ vol.II, p.282), Yorkshire (three versions, FSJ vol.II, pp. 282-3), Herefordshire (FSJ vol.IV, p.122), Hertfordshire (FSJ vol.IV, p.118), Sussex (FSJ vol.IV, p.121), Wiltshire (Folk Songs of the Upper Thames, ed. A. Williams, 1923; pp.159-161), and Somerset (four versions, FSJ vol.IV, pp.119-121); Sharp reported that he had found 23 sets of it in that county), Devon (FSJ vol.IV, p.119) and Cornwall (FSJ vol.IV, pp.116-117). A fragmentary version in Manx is printed in FSJ vol.VII, p.301)." -R.V.W./A.L.L.
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The Roxburghe Ballads, Volume 7
The False Knight Outwitted c. 1765
TRIFLING though this scrap of ballad may appear, it has value, because it is unique, and is also the earliest representative in print of a favourite traditional narrative, which has been preserved among the peasnntry of England (see J. H. Dixon's Collection made for the Percy Society, 1846, of Ancient Poems, Ballads, and Songs of the Peasantry of England, "The Outlandish Knight;" it was copied later into the popularised republication, by Robert Bell, similarly named, p. 61), beginning, "An Outlandish Knight came from the North-lands." It had floated also among the peasantry of Scotland, in widely-differing versions, viz. 'May Colleen ;' 'May Colzcan ;' or 'May Colvin ;' 'False Sir John,' etc., and 'The Water o' Wearie's Well,' or 'Lady Isabel and the Elf Knight.' In different localities were attempted identification of the scene and actors. Stories to the same purport are found in the folk-lore and ballads of all the Northern nations, and are not unknown farther South, in Italy, Spain, and Portugal; with several variations in France, one recorded by that true poet, too early lost to us, by his own hand, Gerard de Nerval, properly Labrunie de Nerval, in his memorable idyllic romance, Les Filles du Feu (see our p. 438).
But of all these to trace the inter-connection, coincidences, and resemblances, suits the amateur Folk-lore student, far better than the ballad-historian, who is closely limited by space and purpose. In our present exemplar we find nothing of the supernatural element, mystic or occult. At its most fanciful height it rises not above a talking parrot. Readers may turn to Motherwell's version, to Buchan's (untrusted), to Charles Kitkpatrick Sharpe's, and best to Herd's Ancient and Modern Scottish Songs, i. 93,1776 (17 stanzas) :—
False Sir John a wooing came, to a maid of beauty fair;
Hay Colvcn was this lady's name, her father's only heir.
He woo'd her butt, he woo'd her ben, he woo'd her in the ha',
Until he got this lady's consent, to mount and ride awa'.
Charles Kirkpatrick Sharpe (see vol vi. p. 612) is dear to all of us: he believed that " Collin or Colviu is a corruption of Colvill; and that Carline Sands means Carlinseugh Sands, on the coast of Forfarshire. Sir John's charm resembles that used by Sir John Colquhoun in the year 16.33, and the glamour of Faa the Egyptian," or Gipsy-laddie (A Ballad Book, reprinted, edited by the late David Laing, 1880, p. 45). His "much fuller set of one ballad than I ever saw printed" ("from the housekeeper at Methven"), begins thus :—
Oh! heard ye of a bloody Knight, lived in the South country
For he had betrayed eight ladies fair, and drowned them in the sea. (30 stanzas.)
In English versions this 'Outlandish Knight came from the North-lands'
It is worth mentioning here that the Scotch, who seldom yield us anything, are willing to assign him to the Southron-English. Nobody will accept the Bluebeard girl-slayer as a native, any more than would Whitechapel. We suspect that something of the Vampire superstition may have inspired the midEuropean first fancies. Successive murders became intelligible when the blood of each victim helped to renew the hateful existence of the slayer. Otherwise it was mere phrensied diabolical butchery of maiden after maiden: a thirst for blood in any case. Do we feel half the horror at the brutality of the Sultan, in the grand work of the " Thousand Nights and One Night," which we ought to feel? The Maiden Tribute allotted to the Minotaur was a trifle in comparison, though no trifle to the victims.
[Roxburghe Collection, III. 449. The only exemplar noted.]
"O, fetch me some of your Father's gold,
And some of your Mother's fee;
And I'll carry you into the North-land,
And there I'll marry thee."
She fetch'd him some of her father's gold,
And some of her mother's fee;
She carried him into the stable,
"Where horses stood thirty-and-three. 8
She leap'd on a milk-white steed,
And be on a dapple-grey;
They rode till they came lo a fair river's side,
Three hours before it was day.
"O 'light, 0 'light! you lady gay,
O 'light with speed, I say;
For six Knights' daughters have I drowned here,
And you the seventh must be." 16
"Go fetch the sickle to crop the nettle
That grows so near the brim;
For fear it should tangle my golden locks,
Or freckle my milk-white skin."
He fetch'd the sickle to crop the nettle,
That grew so near the brim;
And with all the strength that pretty Polly had
She pushed the False Knight in. 24
"Swim on, swim on, thou false Knight!
And there bewail thy doom;
For I don't think thy cloathing too good
To lie in a watery tomb."
She leaped on her milk-white steed,
She led the dapple grey;
She rid till she came to her father's house,
Three hours before it was day. 32
"Who knocked so loudly at the ring?"
The Parrot he did say;
"O where have you been, my pretty Polly,
All this long summer's day?''
"O hold your tongue, [my pretty] Parrot,
Tell you no tales of me;
Your cage shall be made of beaten gold,
Which is now made of a tree." 40
O then bespoke her father dear,
As he on his bed did lay;
"0 what is the matter [with you,] my parrot,
That you speak before it is day?'
'The cat's at my cage, master,
And sorely frighted me,
And I calld down my Polly
To take the cat away.'
[No colophon. In White-letter. Woodcut, of a horseman. Date circa 1765.]
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Minstrelsy, Ancient and Modern: With an Historical Introd. and Notes
edited by William Motherwell
Motherwell notes:
24. A fuller set of this is given by Mr. Sharpe in his Ballad Book, taken from recitation; but 1 have seen a printed stall copy as early as 1749, entitled "The Western Tragedy," which perfectly agrees with Mr. Sharpe's copy. I have also seen a later stall print, called "The Historical Ballad of May Culzean," to which is prefixed some local tradition that the lady there celebrated was of the family of Kennedy, and that her treacherous and murder-minting lover was an Ecclesiastick of the monastery of Maybole. In the parish of Ballantrae, on the sea coast, there is a frowning precipice pointed out to the traveller as "Fause Sir John's Loup." In the north country, at the Water of Ugie, I am informed by Mr. Buchan, there is a similar distinction claimed for some precipice there. The same gentleman has recovered other two ballads on a similar story—one called "The Water o' Wearies well," and the other, from its burden, named "Aye as the gowans grow gay," in both of which the heroes appear to have belonged to the Elfin tribe.
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Ancient and Modern Scottish Songs, Heroic Ballads, Etc, Volume 2, Herd 1776
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FAUSE SIR JOHN AND MAY COLVIN.
Page 45.
A fragment of this most beautiful ballad, differing from this one, was printed by Wotherspoon, Edinburgh, in the year 1776. Another fragment, partly from recitation, and partly made up from Wotherspoon's, is to be found in the Minstrelsy Ancient and Modern. The copy which is here presented, is the only complete one to be found; as it relates, with the minutest accuracy, every trivial circumstance which took place at the beginning and end of the tragedy. In the fragments just mentioned, the seven unfortunate young ladies who had met with watery graves by the hand of this barbarous robber, are said to be king's daughters, which is not at all likely, even fertile as Scotland has been in producing kings, that there had been eight of them at one time ; nor that the ladies had been all of one father, courted by a petty barone
The Binyan's Bay, to which he took the young lady to perpetrate the horrid deed, was the mouth of the river Ugie, as at one time, about five hundred years ago, the site of Peterhead was called Binyan. So my old and intelligent informant assured me; and at the same time illustrated it with the following anecdote:— About three hundred years ago, a ship went into Norway in want of a mast, when the master went to a very old man who sat rocking a cradle, to purchase a tree for that purpose, and was told by him that, in his early years, when he resided in Scotland, he could have walked from old Faithley to Binyan, i.e. Fraserburgh to Peterhead, on the tops of full grown trees. Whatever truth is in this relation I know not ; but thus far it is clear, that, to this day, there are roots of very large trees often dug up between these two places.
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"Wearie's well" Motherwell [Perth native Alexander Maclagan (b. 1811) song titled "wells o' wearie"]
The Wells o' Wearie asre located in Edinburgh's Holyrood Park at the foot of Arthur's Seat. They were located in private ground at the south end opposite Samson's Ribs and near the route of one of Scotland's first railways which opened in 1831.
B, in fourteen four-line stanzas, begins unintelligibly with a bird coming out of a bush for water, and a king's daughter sighing, "Wae's this heart o mine." A personage not characterized, but evidently of the same nature as the elf-knight in A, lulls everybody but this king's daughter asleep with his harp,[2] then mounts her behind him, and rides to a piece of water called Wearie's Well. He makes her wade in up to her chin; then tells her that he has drowned seven kings' daughters here, and she is to be the eighth. She asks him for one kiss before she dies, and, as he bends over to give it, pitches him from his saddle into the water, with the words, Since ye have drowned seven here, I'll make you bridegroom to them all.
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Edinburgh poems and songs
By James Lumsden
BALLAD: THE WELLS O' WEARIE.
A New Version. [founded On Tradition.]
"I daur ye meet me! I daur ye by the dirk!
And I'se meet thee, ne'er fear ye!
I sall rin thee through an' through, and slay thee in the mirk,
By the gloomie, gloomie Wells o' Wearie!"
They met at deid o' nicht, they met wi' dirks drawn,
Whan the howlet wailit eerie,
And wha was sitting there but the bonnie Ladye Ann,
Weeping sair by the Wells o' Wearie!
It's " trow-na my Lord," it's " trow-na my chere,"
And " trow-na my Lord I fear ye !—
Thee an' thy langest blade I couldna stowp to fear,
By the gloomie, gloomie Wells o' Wearie!"
They drew fell sune, thae twa rival lords,
Ladye Ann fell tapsalteerie!
They smack'd at ither craigs, thae twa young lords,
And they bluidit a' the Wells o' Wearie '.
* I have hitherto met with only two former versions of the celebrated "Wells o' Wearie "—one, the popular song, by the late Alexander Abernethy Ritchie, of Edinburgh, and the other by Alexander MacLagan, also of Edinburgh; but though I have been assured repeatedly that there exists a much older version than either of the above, I have never had the good fortune to see it, or to hear it sung. My verses, such as they are, were suggested by the memory of a dreadful legend which I heard told in my early days---
Ladye Ann moan'd low, and she wringit her hair,
And says— " Till time grows eerie,
Till the vera doom o' time my ghaist sall sit there,
Wringin' 's hair by the Wells o' Wearie!
"It's there he was slewn, it's there he is laid,
My leal Lord Reay, my dearie! Fling aff my silken gown, fling aff my tartan plaid,
Rive them aff at the Wells o' Wearie!"
He ran him through and through, he gat his revenge,
He slew him fornenst his dearie!
Ladye Ann gien ae sigh, but she never spak mair,
And gaed wud by the Wells o' Wearie!
And aye sin that time, at the turn o' the nicht,
Whan the howlet waileth eerie,
On a brae nar the Loch,* a maiden looms in sicht,
Wringing hair by the Wells o' Wearie!
* Duddingston Loch, near Edinburgh.
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Celebrated Songs of Scotland: edited by John Dawson Ross
THE WELLS O' WEARIE.
ALEXANDER A. RITCHIE.
Alexander A. Ritchie was born at Edinburgh, in 1816. He was apprenticed to a sign painter, but soon became distinguished for his skill as an artist. Many of his paintings were exhibited at the annual exhibitions of the Scottish Academy, in Edinburgh, where they commanded universal praise and admiration. He was the author of a number of lyrical pieces, but the present song is the only one which has attained any degree of popularity. He died in 1850.
Sweetly shines the sun on auld Edinbro' toun,
And mak's her look young and cheerie;
Yet I maun awa' to spend the afternoon
At the lanesome Wells o' Wearie.
And you maun gang wi' me, my winsome Mary Grieve,
There's nought in the world to fear ye;
For I ha'e ask'd your minnie, and she has gi'en ye leave
To gang to the Wells o' Wearie.
Oh, the sun winna blink in thy bonnie blue een,
Nor tinge the white brow o' my dearie;
For I'll shade a bower wi' rashes lang
and green By the lanesome Wells o' Wearie.
But, Mary, my love, beware ye dinna glower
At your form in the water so clearly,
Or the fairy will change you into a wee, wee flower,
And you'll grow by the Wells o' Wearie.
Yestreen as I wander'd there a' alane,
I felt unco douf and drearie,
For wanting my Mary, a' around me was but pain
At the lanesome Wells o' Wearie.
Let fortune or fame their minions deceive,
Let fate look gruesome and eerie;
True glory and wealth are mine wi' Mary Grieve,
When we meet by the Wells o' Wearie.
Then gang wi' me, my bonnie Mary Grieve,
Nae danger will daur to come near ye;
For I ha'e ask'd your minnie, and she has gi'en ye leave
To gang to the Wells o' Wearie.
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Alex Ritchie
THE WELLS O' WEARIE.
Air—" Bonnie House o' Airlie."
Sweetly shines the sun on auld Edinbro' toun,
And mak's her look young and cheerie;
Yet I maun awa' to spend the afternoon
At the lanesome Wells o' Wearie.
And you maun gang wi' me, my winsome Mary Grieve,
There's nought in the world to fear ye;
For I ha'e ask'd your minnie, and she has gi'en ye leave
To gang to the Wells o' Wearie.
Oh, the sun winna blink in thy bonnie blue e'en,
Nor tinge the white brow o' my dearie,
For I 'll shade a bower wi' rashes lang and green
By the lanesome Wells o' Wearie.
But, Mary, my love, beware ye dinna glower
At your form in the water sae clearly,
Or the fairy will change you into a wee, wee flower,
And you 'll grow by the Wells o' Wearie.
Yestreen as I wander'd there a' alane,
I felt unco douf and drearie,
For wanting my Mary, a' around me was but pain
At the lanesome Wells o' Wearie.
Let fortune or fame their minions deceive,
Let fate look gruesome and eerie;
True glory and wealth are mine wi' Mary Grieve,
When we meet by the Wells o' Wearie.
Then gang wi' me, my bonnie Mary Grieve,
Nae danger will daur to come near ye;
For I ha'e ask'd your minnie, and she has gi'en ye leave,
To gang to the Wells o' Wearie.
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ADY ISABEL AND THE ELF-KNIGHT.
From Buchan's Ballads of the North of Scotland, i. 22, where it is entitled The Gowans sae gay, from the burden.
The hero of the first of the two following ballads would seem to be an Elf, that of the second a Nix, or Merman, though the punishment awarded to each of them in the catastrophe, as the ballads now exist, is not consistent with their supernatural character. These pieces will easily be recognized as the originals of May Colvin, (vol. ii. p. 272,) and the coincidence of this name with the Clerk Colvill of the last ballad is perhaps not altogether insignificant. We have had the Elf-Knight introduced under the same circumstances at page 246; indeed, the first three or four stanzas are common to both pieces.
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THE WATER O' WEARIE'S WELL.
From Buchan's Ballads of the North of Scotland, ii. 201. Repeated in Scottish Traditional Versions of Ancient Ballads, Percy Society, xvii. 63.
A Danish ballad parallel to this, is The Perfidious Merman, Danske Viser, i. 310, translated by Jamieson, i. 210, and by Monk Lewis, Tales of Wonder, No. 11.
Ancient Ballads and Songs of the North of Scotland, Hitherto ..., Volume 1
By Peter Buchan
THE GOWANS SAE GAY.
Page 22.
A ballad somewhat similar in fancy, was published by Allan Ramsay in his Tea Table Miscellany; but it differs widely in romantic fiction and narrative from the present, whose hero is an Elfin-knight, with whom the heroine falls in love on hearing the sound of his horn. Great deeds are said to be done on the first morning of May, such as gathering dew before the sun arise; which is an infallible cosmetic for the ladies. The two following verses, on the virtue of May-dew, are from the ballad alluded to.
O lady fair, what do you here 2
There gowans are gay.
Gathering the dew, what need ye spier 2
The first morning of May.
The dew, quoth I, what can that mean?
There gowans are gay.
Quoth she, to wash my mistress clean,
The first morning of May.
The lady seems to have been a match for the fairy; for, by her syren song, like Judith with Holoferness, she lulled him asleep in her lap, and afterwards cut off his head with his own weapon.
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The Minstrelsy of the English Border: Being a Collection of Ballads, Ancient ...
By Frederick Sheldon, 1847
The Outlandish Knight.
A Border Ballad.
THIS Ballad I have copied from a broad sheet in the possession of a gentleman of Newcastle; it has also been published in "Richardson's Table Book." The verses with inverted commas I added at the suggestion of a friend, as it was thought the Knight was not rendered sufficiently odious without this new trait of his dishonour. There is in Monk Lewis's Tales of Wonder, a translation from a German Ballad, on the same subject or nearly so; for the Knight goes to church, and meeting with a lovely mayden,
Hejkipped o'er benches one or two,
"Oh lovely maid, I die for you;"
Hejkipped o'er benches two or three,
"Oh lovely maid, come walk with me.'1
The maiden complies; but it appears the Knight proves to be a " most persidious monster," as Trinculo says of Caliban, for he entices the pretty maid to cross the river in a boat, and when in the centre of the stream he sinks with his prey into the waves. Campbell's well known Ballad of " Lord Ullin's Daughter," is on the same subject.
Who the author of the " Outlandish Knight" was, I have no means of discovering, as it is one of those Ballads that pass down the stream of time unclaimed, and whose authorship is left for the antiquary to discover.
1. AN Outlandish Knight from the north lands came,
And he came a wooing to me;
He told me he'd take me to the north lands,
And I should his fair bride be.
A broad, broad shield did this stranger wield,
Whereon did the red cross shine;
Yet never, I ween, had that strange Knight been
In the fields of Palestine.
And out and spoke the stranger Knight,
This Knight of the strange countrie;
"O mayden fayr, with the raven hayre,
Thou shalt at my bidding be.
"Thy sire he is from home, ladye,
For he hath a journey gone;
And his shaggy blood-hound is sleeping sound
Beside the postern stone.
"Go bring me some of thy father's gold,
And some of thy mother's fee;
And steeds twain of the best, that in the stalls rest,
Where they stand thirty and three."
She mounted her on her milk white steed,
And he on a dapple grey,
And they forward did ride till they reached the sea side,
Three hours before it was day.
Then out and spoke this stranger Knight,
This Knight of the north countrie;
"O mayden fayr, with the raven hayre,
Do thou at my bidding be.
"Alight thee from thy mylk white steed,
And deliver it unto me;
Six maids have I drowned where the billows sound,
And the seventh one shalt thou be.
"But first pull off thy kirtle fine,
And deliver it unto me;
Thy kirtle of green Is too rich, I ween,
To rot in the salt, salt sea.
"Pull off, pull off, thy silken shoon,
And deliver them unto me;
Methinks they are too fine and gay,
To rot in'the salt, salt sea.
"Pull off, pull off thy bonny green plaid,
That floats in the breeze so free,
It is woven fine with the silver twine,
And comely it is to see."
"If I must pull off my bonny silk plaid,
O turn thy back to me,
And gaze on the sun, which has just begun
To peer owre the salt, salt sea."
"Thou art too shameful, fayr maid," he said,
"To wanton so with me;
I've seen thee in thy holland smock,
And all to pleasure me."
"If thou hast seen me in my smock,
The more shame thee betide;
It better beseem'd that tongue not tell,
But rather my sinne to hide.
"Who ever tempted weak woman
Unto a deede of evil;
To tempt the first and then to twit,
Beseemeth but the deyvil."
He turned his back on the fayr damselle,
And looked upon the beam;
She graspt him tight with her arms so white,
And plunged him in the streme.
The streme it rushed, and the Knight he roar'd,
And long with the waters strave;
The water kelpies laughed with joy,
As they sinoored him in the wave.
"Lie there, lie there, thou false hearted Knight,
Lie there instead of me;
Six damsels fayr thou hast drowned there,
But the seventh has drowned thee."
The ocean wave was the false one's grave,
For he sunk right haftily;
Tho' with bubbling voice he pray'd to his faint,
And utter'd an Ave Marie.
-----------------
Glen Collection of printed music Volumes 1-2 - Ballads and songs of Ayrshire > Volume 1
See Herd's version:
May Colvin
False Sir John a wooing came.
To a maid of beauty fair :
May Colvin was the lady's name.
Her father's only heir.
He's courted her butt, and he's courted her ben,
And he's courted her into the ha'.
Till once he got his lady's consent
To mount and ride awa'.
She's gane to her father's coffers,
Where all his money lay ;
And she's taken the red, and she's left the white,
And so lightly as she tripped away.
She's gane down to her father's stable
Whei*e all his steeds did stand ;
And she's taken the best and she's left the warst,
That was in her father's land.
He rode on, and she rode on,
They rode a lang simmer's day,
Until they came to a broad river.
An arm of a lonesome sea.
" Loup off the steed," says false Sir John ;
" Your bridal bed you see ;
For it's seven lung's daughters I have drowned here.
And the eighth I'll out make with thee.
" Cast aff, cast aff your silks so fine.
And lay them on a stone,
For they are o'er good and o'er costly
To rot in the salt sea foam.
" Cast aff, cast aff your holland smock
And lay it on this stone.
For it is too fine and o'er costly
To rot in the salt sea foam."
" O turn you about, thou false Sir John,
And look to the leaf o' the tree ;
For it never became a gentleman
A naked woman to see."
He's turned himself straight round about,
To look to the leaf o' the tree ;
She's twined her arms about his waist.
And thrown him into the sea.
" O hold a grip of me. May Colvin,
For fear that I should drown ;
I'll take you hame to your father's gate.
And safely I'll set jou down."
" O he you there, thou false Sir John,
O lie you there," said she.
" For you lie not in a caulder bed,
Than the ane you intended for me."
So she went on her father's steed,
As swift as she could flee;
And she came hame to her father's gates
At the breaking of the day.
Up then spake the pretty parrot :
" May Colvin, where have you been ?
What has become of false Sir John,
That wooed you so late yestreen ?"
Up then spake the pretty parrot,
In the pretty cage where it lay :
" O what ha'e ye done with the false Sir John,
That he behind you does stay ?
" He wooed you but, he wooed you ben.
He wooed you into the ha'.
Until he got your own consent
For to mount and gang aw a'."
" O hold your tongue, my pretty parrot,
Lay not the blame upon me ;
Your cage will be made of the beaten gold.
And the spakes of ivorie."
Up then spake the king himself,
In the chamber where he lay :
" Oh ! what ails the pretty parrot.
That prattles so long ere day."
" It was a cat cam' to my cage door ;
I thought 'twould have worried me ;
And I was calling on fair May Colvin
To take the cat from me."
This version of " May Colvin " is copied from Motherwell's Collection. Motherwell states that he had seen a " printed stall copy as early as 1749, entitled, ' The Western Tragedy,' " which perfectly agreed with the enlarged version given from recitation in Sharpe's Ballad Book. He had also " seen a later stall print, called the ' Historical Ballad of May Culezean,' to which is prefixed some local tradition, that the lady there celebrated was of the family of Kennedy, and that her treacherous and mur-
der-hunting lover was an Ecclesiastick of the Monastery of Maybole."
In Carrick, where the ballad is popular, the general tradition is that the
" Fause Sir John" was the laird of Carleton, and " May Colzean" a
daughter of Kennedy of Culzean. Chambers has thus embodied the tra-
dition : — " The ballad finds locality in that wild portion of the coas t of 5
Carrick which intervenes betwixt Girvan and Ballantrae. Carleton i
Castle, about two miles to the south of Girvan, (a tall old ruin, situated i
on the brink of a bank which overhangs the sea, and which gives title to
Sir John Cathcart, Bart, of Carleton) is affirmed by the country people,
who still remember the story [tradition rather] with great freshness, to
have been the residence of ' the Fause Sir John ;' while a little rocky emi-
nence, called Gamsloup, overhanging the sea about two miles farther
south, and over which the road passes in a style terrible to all travellers,
is pointed out as the place where he was in the habit of drowning his
wives, and where he was finally drowned himself. The people, who look \
upon the ballad as a regular and proper record of an unquestionable fact, i
I farther affirm that May Collean was a daughter of the family of Kennedy |
! of Culzean, now represented by the Earl of Cassillis, and that she became
heir to all the immense wealth which her husband had acquired by his for-
\ mer mal-practices, and accordingly lived happily all the rest of her days."
The version we have given is the one common in Carrick. The air is par.
I ticularly plaintive, and when sung in the simple style of the peasantry, is
I very interesting. A ballad, under the same title, and precisely similar in
incident, is printed by Buchan in his Collection, who points out Binyan's
Bay, at the mouth of the Ugie, where Peterhead now stands, as the scene
of" the Fause Sir John's" fate. The old minstrels were so much in the
habit of altering the names of persons and places, to suit the districts in
which they sojourned for the time, that it is, in many instances, difficult
38
to say to what part of the country a ballad belongs. In this case, however, as Buchan's ballad is evidently an extended version of the western one, we would be inclined to assign the paternity to Ayrshire.
-----------------------------
The copy of ‘May Collin’ which follows is quite the best of the series C–G. It is written on the same sheet of paper as the “copy of some antiquity” used by Scott in making up his ‘Gay Goss Hawk’ (ed. 1802, II, 7). The sheet is perhaps as old as any in the volume in which it occurs, but may possibly not be the original. ‘May Collin’ is not in the same hand as the other ballad. Both hands are of the 18th century. According to the preface to a stall-copy spoken of by Motherwell, Minstrelsy, p. lxx, 24, “the treacherous and murder-minting lover was an ecclesiastic of the monastery of Maybole,” and the preface to D d makes him a Dominican friar. So, if we were to accept these guides, the ‘Sir’ would be the old ecclesiastical title and equivalent to the ‘Mess’ of the copy now to be given. ‘May Collin,’ “Scotch Ballads, Materials for Border Minstrelsy,” No 146, Abbotsford.
1 May Collin . . .
. . was her father’s heir,
And she fell in love with a falsh priest,
And she rued it ever mair.
2 He followd her butt, he followd her benn,
He followd her through the hall,
Till she had neither tongue nor teeth
Nor lips to say him naw.
3 ‘We’ll take the steed out where he is,
The gold where eer it be,
And we’ll away to some unco land,
And married we shall be.’
4 They had not riden a mile, a mile,
A mile but barely three,
Till they came to a rank river,
Was raging like the sea.
5 ‘Light off, light off now, May Collin,
It’s here that you must die;
Here I have drownd seven king’s daughters,
The eight now you must be.
6 ‘Cast off, cast off now, May Collin,
Your gown that’s of the green;
For it’s oer good and oer costly
To rot in the sea-stream.
7 ‘Cast off, cast off now, May Collin,
Your coat that’s of the black;
For it’s oer good and oer costly
To rot in the sea-wreck.
8 ‘Cast off, cast off now, May Collin,
Your stays that are well laced;
For thei’r oer good and costly
In the sea’s ground to waste.
9 ‘Cast [off, cast off now, May Collin,]
Your sark that’s of the holland;
For [it’s oer good and oer costly]
To rot in the sea-bottom.’
10 ‘Turn you about now, falsh Mess John,
To the green leaf of the tree;
It does not fit a mansworn man
A naked woman to see.’
11 He turnd him quickly round about,
To the green leaf of the tree;
She took him hastly in her arms
And flung him in the sea.
12 ‘Now lye you there, you falsh Mess John,
My mallasin go with thee!
You thought to drown me naked and bare,
But take your cloaths with thee,
And if there be seven king’s daughters there
Bear you them company.’
13 She lap on her milk steed
And fast she bent the way,
And she was at her father’s yate
Three long hours or day.
14 Up and speaks the wylie parrot,
So wylily and slee:
‘Where is the man now, May Collin,
That gaed away wie thee?’
15 ‘Hold your tongue, my wylie parrot,
And tell no tales of me,
And where I gave a pickle befor
It’s now I’ll give you three.’
-------------------
187 Banks of Green Willow
(Mrs Cranstone)
1. Oh it's of a young sea-captain
Lived by the seaside o -
He courted a farmer's daughter
And he made her his bride o -.
2. Go, and fetch some of your father's gold
Likewise your mother's money.
And you shall sail along with me,
And I'll make you my honey.
3. She fetched him some of her father's gold,
Likewise her money’s [sic] money,
And she did sail along with him,
To the Banks of Green Willow.
4. They had not been aboard ship
6 months or so many,
Before she wanted woman's help
And she couldn't get any.
5. "Pray what is your woman's help
Cannot I do it for thee!"
"No you can't do it for me,
For love nor for money."
6. "Come bind a napkin round my head
Come bind it so softly,
And throw me ed her overboard
Both me & my she & her baby."
7. So he bound the napkin round her head
He bound it so softly,
And then throwed her overboard,
Both she and her baby.
8. O look you boys, O look you there
O see how she quivers.
She swam till she came
To the banks of green willows.
9. O my love shall have a coffin made
Lined with gold & bright silver.
And she shall be buried
On the banks of green willow.
10. Come you toll the bell come toll the bell.
Come you toll it so softly,
For its my true love that is dead & gone,
Whom I once loved so dearly.
Banks of Green Willow
George Butterworth Manuscript Collection (GB/4/10)
Title
Banks of Green Willow
First Line
Performer
Cranstone, (Mrs.)
Date collected
1907 - 1911
Place
England : Sussex : Billingshurst
Collector
Butterworth, George
---------
2nd version
Title
The Banks of Green Willow
First Line
Performer
Cranstone, (Mr. & Mrs.)
England : Sussex : Billingshurst
Collector
Butterworth, George
1. Oh its of a young sea-captain
Lved by the seaside o
And he courted a farmer's daughter,
And he made her his bride o
2. "Go and fetch some of your father's gold,
Likewise your mother's money,
And you shall sail along with me,
And I'll make you my honey."
3. She fetched him some of her father's gold,
Likewise her mother's money,
And she did sail along with him
To the Banks of Green Willow.
4. They had not been aboard ship
Six months or so many,
Before she wanted woman's help,
And she couldn't get any
5. "Pray what is your woman's help,
Cannot I do it for thee?"
"No you can't do it for me,
For love not for money."
6. "Come bind a napkin round my head,
Come bind it so softly,
And then throw me overboard,
Both me and my baby."
7. So he bound the napkin round her head,
He bound it so softly,
And then he throwed her overboard,
Both she and her baby.
Journal ll. 33
----------------------
Notes and Queries: A Medium of Inter-Communication for Literary ..., Volume 3, 1851
Ballad Editing — The “Outlandish Knight" (Vol. iii., p. 49.).—I was exceedingly glad to see Mr. F. Sheldon's “valuable contribution to our stock of ballad literature” in the hands of Mr. Rimbault, and thought the treatment it received no better than it deserved. Blackwood, May, 1847, reviewed Mr. Sheldon's book, and pointed out several instances of his “godfathership:” among others, his ballad of the “Outlandish Knight,” which he obtained from “a copy in the possession of a gentleman at Newcastle,” was condemned by the reviewer as “a vamped version of the Scotch ballad of ‘May Collean.'" It may be as the reviewer states, but the question I would wish answered is one affecting the reviewer himself; for, if I mistake not, the Southron “Outlandish Knight” is the original of “May Collean” itself. I have by me a copy, in black letter, of the “Outlandish Knight,” English in every respect, and as such differing considerably from Mr. Sheldon's border edition, and from “May Collean ;" and, with some slight alterations, the ballad I have is yet popularly known through the midland counties. If any of your correspondents can oblige me with a reference to the first appearance of “May Collean,” sheet or book, | shall esteem it a favour. EMUN.
Birmingham.
__________
Scottish Notes and Queries - Page 3
https://books.google.com/books?id=nYgDAAAAMAAJ
John Bulloch, John Alexander Henderson - 1927 - Snippet view - More editions
It is well known that the wandering minstrels, so heartily welcomed into the baronial halls during the feudal period, were much in the habit of attiring the names of the persons, places and local colouring of their songs to suit the districts in which they sojourned for the time, and we are disposed to believe that this legend was carried by them into south Ayrshire from the north of Scotland, where a ballad, under the title of "May Colvin," and precisely similar in incident, was equally popular
1868 Notes and Queries
What I want to know is this: Can any contributor to “N. & Q.” prove that “The Outlandish Knight” is not a modern antique? I fancy I have seen in Blackwood [May 1847] a ballad so called, but may be mistaken. Certainly there is a very suspicious resemblance in style between the alleged old ballad and its modern sequel, and I should like to know on what evidence the alleged antiquity rests. I appeal particularly to MR. WILLIAM ČHAPPELL, Mr. JAMES HENRY Dixon, and DR. RIMBAULT.
- R. W. DIXON. Seaton-Carew co. Durham
-------
Ballad Of "May Culzean; Or, False Sir John."—I want very much an exact copy of the black-letter broadside which was in the possession of your Birmingham correspondent Emun when he wrote to "N. & Q.," 1" S. iii. 208; also of the printed stall ballad, of about 1749, entitled The Western Tragedy, which is mentioned by Motherwell at p. lxx of the Introduction to his Minstrelsy; and I should be glad to have the later stall print called The Historical Ballad of May Culzean, referred to by Motherwell at the same place. To prevent misunderstanding, I will say that I have the Roxburghe copy, and all that are printed in collections. F. J. Child.
Harvard College, Cambridge, Mass., U.S.A.
-----------
Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine - Volume 61 - Page 635
1847
A review of Sheldon's Outlandish Knight:
We next come to a ballad entitled “The Outlandish Knight,” whereof Mr Sheldon gives us the following history. “This ballad I have copied from a broadsheet, in the possession of a gentleman of Newcastle; it has also been published in 'Richardson's Table Book.' The verses with inverted commas, I added at the suggestion of a friend, as it was thought that the IXnight was not rendered sufficiently odious, without this new trait of his dishonour.”
So far well; but Mr Sheldon ought, at the same time, to have had the candour to tell us the source from which he pilfered those verses. His belief in the ignorance and gullibility of the public must indeed be unbounded, if he expected to pass off without discovery a vamped version of “May Collean.” That fine ballad is to be found in the collections of Herd, Sharpe, Motherwell, and Chambers; and seldom, indeed, have we met with a case of more palpable cribbage, as the following specimen will demonstrate:
[gives a few stanzas of each]
MAY COLLEAN. OUTLANDISH KNIGHT
This, it must be acknowledged, is, to use the mildest phrase, an instance of remarkable coincidence.
Notwithstanding the glibness of his preface, and the scraps of antique information which he is constantly parading, Mr Sheldon absolutely knows less about ballad poetry than any writer who has yet approached the subject. As an editor, he was in duty bound to have looked over former collections, and to have ascertained the originality of the wares which he now proffers for our acceptance. He does not seem, however, to have read through any one compilation of the Scottish ballads, and is perpetually betraying his ignorance.
----------------------
Musical Traditions Records' third CD release of 2005: Songs from the Golden Fleece: A song tradition today (MTCD335-6).
Roger Grimes - although mainly known as the leader of the Grand Union dance band, Roger is a fine singer with a big repertoire featuring many fine ballads. Of himself, Roger says 'Originally from Hertfordshire, I moved to Gloucester via Leicester and Nottingham, where I ran Nottingham Traditional Music Club in the mid '70s, and playing in various dance bands. As well as being a solo singer I also sang with Notts Alliance.
15 - The Outlandish Knight (Roud 21,Child 4)
Sung by Roger Grimes
An outlandish Knight from the northlands came
And he came a-wooing of me,
And he told he’d take me to the Northernlands
And there he would marry me.
Oh, go and fetch your father's gold
And some of your mother's fee,
And fetch three horses from out the stable
Where they stand thirty and three.
So she has got her father's gold
And some of her mother's fee,
And she’s brought three horses from out the stable
Where they stand thirty and three.
He mounted on the milk white horse
And she upon the grey,
And away they did ride ‘til they came to a stream,
Three hours before it was day.
"Unlight, unlight, my pretty fair maid,
Unlight unlight" cried he,
"For it's six pretty maids have I drownded here before,
And the seventh it shall be thee.
"Take off, take off your silken gown
And deliver it unto me,
For I fear it is too fine and too fair
To perish all in the salt sea."
She said "Go get a sickle to crop the thistle
That grows beside the brim,
That it will not tangle with my curly locks
Nor harm my milk white skin."
So he got a sickle to crop the thistle
That grew beside the brim,
And she's grabbed him around the middle so small
And he's gone tumbling in.
"Lie there, lie there, you false hearted knight,
Lie there, lie there" cried she.
"For it's six pretty maidens
You have drownded here before
But seventh one she have drownded thee."
Then she’s mounted on the milk white horse
And she has led the grey,
And she's rode 'til she's come to her father's own door
Three hours before it was day.
But the parrot being in the window so high,
A-hearing his young mistress did say,
"I'm afraid some ruffian have led you astray
That you tarry so long before it's day"
"Oh, don’t you prittle, don’t prattle, my pretty Polly,
And tell no tales on me,
And your cage shall be made of that finest beaten gold,
And your perch of the best ivory."
But her father being in the bedroom so high,
A-hearing of that parrot did say
"What’s the matter with you, my pretty Polly,
That you prattle so long before it's day?"
"Why, there came an old cat on the top of me cage
To take my sweet life away.
I was just a-calling on my young mistress
To frighten that old pussy away.
I was just a-calling on my young mistress
To frighten that old pussy away."
Probably my all-time favourite song. It’s got everything; great story, the magical time period, the parrot, sickle and a wonderful tune.
Originally from the Penguin Book of Folk Songs (sung by Mr Hilton of South Walsham, Norfolk) and unconsciously altered over the course of thirty five odd years
--------------
https://www.vwml.org/search?q=Go%20fetch%20me%20some%20of%20your%20father%27s%20gold&is=1
LXII The Outlandish Knight
A.
1.[There rode a knight when the moon shone brightthis my restoration
He rode to a lady’s hall,very confused.
He sang her a lay, bade her come away
And follow him at his call.]
2.He courted her many a long winter’s night
And many a short winter’s day
And he laid in wait both early & late
To take her sweet life away.
3.Go fetch me some of your father’s gold,
And some of your mother’s fee
To a land we will go [where droppeth no snow] far far away.
Thou shalt there be my lady.
4.She fetched some of her father’s gold,
And some of her mother’s fee.
And she went afore to the stable door,
Where stood her white palfrey.
5.She mounted with speed on her milk white steed
And he on his iron grey,
And away they did ride to a clear water’s side
Six hours before the day.
6.Unlight! unlight! my lady bright,
Unlight, unlight! I pray.
Six pretty maids have I drowned here,
Thou shalt be the seventh today.
7.Take off, take off thy robe of silk,
And lay it upon a stone,
Thy gay, gay gown be all too good
To lie in a watery tomb.
8.Then she took off her robe of silk
And laid it upon a stone,
And he put his hand in her pocket
And drew out five hundred crown.
9.Take off, take off thy Holland smock
And lay it upon a stone.
Thy Holland smock be all too fine
To lie in a watery tomb.
10.If I must take off my Holland smock
Then turn away from me.
For it ill befits that such as thee
Should see /view a stark lady.
11.And never blink, but stoop on the brink
And pick the thistles away,
That they may not entangle my curly hair,
Nor my milk-white skin may fray.
12.He never did blink to stoop at the brink
And pick the thistles away.
That they might not entangle her curly hair
Nor her lily-white skin might fray.
13.She gave him a push, & a hearty push,
And the fiend knight pushed in.
Saying, swim, O swim thou false-hearted knight
Thou never the land shalt win.
14.Saying, go, O go [where droppeth no snow] (?so)?
O go to thine own country
But I will abide by the clear water-side
And well am I rid of thee.
15.She mounted with speed on her milk white steed
And she led the iron-grey.
And away she did ride to the castle’s side,
Three hours before the day.
16.The parrot he sat in the kitchen window
And the parrot he did say,
O where have you been, my pretty fair quean,
So early before the day?
17.Hush! question me not, thou saucy parrot
Hush! question not of me.
Thee a cage shall hold of the glittering gold (?so)?
With a door of ivory.
18.Her father he was not so sound asleep,
But he heard what the parrot did say.
And he called, what waketh my pretty parrot
So early before the day?
19.The cat was up at the kitchen-window,
And the cat he would me slay.
So loud did I cry for help to be nigh,
To drive the cat away.
20.Well turned, well turned, my pretty parrot,
A good turn done unto me.
Thee a cage shall hold of the glittering gold (?so) ?
With a door of ivory.
Taken down from Richd. Gregory, moorman, Two Bridges, Jan. 1889. Will Setter sang the “Outlandish Knight” afore. Gregory said it was not right & sang the above, but I was not able to take it verbally, only dot down the beginnings & leading words.
----
Many theories have been offered as to the origin of this ballad (closely connected with the Franko-Dutch tale of Halwijn). The most widely known is Bugge's theory that this is a corrupt form of the tale of Judith, found in the Apocryphal/Deuterocanonical books of the Bible.
It should be noted, however, that the only actual parallel between Judith and Lady Isabel is that both end with the bad guy being killed by the heroine.
A comprehensive study of the origins of this piece is offered by Holger Olof Nygard in "Ballad Source Study: Child Ballad No. 4 as Exemplar" (first printed in the Journal of American Folklore, LXV, 1952; see now MacEdward Leach and Tristram P. Coffin, eds, The Critics and the Ballad, pp. 189- 203). Nygard concludes that none of the theories of origin is accurate, and I heartily agree. This piece stands on its own. - RBW
MacColl & Seeger cite a German broadside, c. 1550. - PJS
Of course, most of the alleged parallels to this piece (few of which are *truly* parallel) are in German and Scandinavian literature. - RBW