English & Other Versions 95.The Maid Freed from the Gallows
CONTENTS:
Notes and queries: Volume 66 - Page 476
William White - 1882
A Lancashire Ballad (6th S. vL 269, 415).— I can remember something of this "ballad." It was Bung in Forfarshire forty years ago by girls during the progress of some game, which I do not now distinctly recollect. A lady at the point of being executed cries "Stop, stop! I think I see my father coming." Then, addressing her father, she asks:—
"O hae ye brocht my silken cloak
Or my golden key,
Or hae ye come to see me hanged
On this green gallows tree?"
To which the father replies:—
"I 've neither brocht your silken cloak
Nor your golden key,
But I am come to see you hanged
On this green gallows tree."
Mother, brother, and sister are each addressed in turn, and give the same answer. Last of all the fair sinner sees her lover coming, and on putting the question to him is answered thus:—
"I 've neither brocht your silken cloak
Nor your golden key,
But I am come to set you free
From this green gallows tree!"
Whereupon the game ends. W. F.(2).
Saline Manse, Fife.
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Notes and Queries
The Folk-Lore Journal, Vol. 6, No. 2 (1888), pp. 142-146
An old Ballad.-Has the following ballad ever been printed, and if so where? I heard it from a relative of Dr. Birkbeck Hill's, in
whose family it is traditional. A young man on his way to the gallows appeals to his parents and brethren in the following terms:-
"Hold up, hold up your hands so high,
Hold up your hands so high,
For I think I see my own mother coming o'er yonder stile to me.
Oh mother hast thou any gold for me,
Any money to buy me free,
To save my body from the cold clay ground and my head from the gallows tree?"
Mother, father, and brethren all refuse him aid:-
"Oh no, I have no gold for thee,
No money to buy thee free,
For I have come to see thee hanged, and hanged thou shalt be."
But his sweetheart is kinder and buys him off. At the end of each verse is the refrain-
"Oh the briars, the prickly briars,
They prick my heart full sore.
If ever I get free
From the gallows tree
I never get there any more."
ALFRED NUTT
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From One Hundred English Folksongs
The Briery Bush
O Hangman, stay thy hand,
And stay it for a while,
For I fancy I see my father
A coming across the yonder stile.
O, father, have you my gold?
And can you set me free?
Or are you come to see me hung?
All on the gallows tree?
No, I've not brought thee gold,
And I can't set thee free;
But I have come to see thee hung
All on the gallows tree.
Oh the briery bush,
That prickes my heart so sore
If I once get out of the briery bush,
I'll never get in any more.
O Hangman, stay thy hand,
And stay it for a while,
For I fancy I see my father
A coming across the yonder stile.
Repeat the verses above with
other relatives -
Mother, Brother, Sister, etc.
The song concludes with
The arrival of her "True Love" as below:
O Hangman, stay thy hand,
And stay it for a while
For I fancy I see my true love
A coming across the yonder stile.
O true-love, have you my gold?
And can you set me free?
Or are you come to see me hung
All on the gallows tree?
O yes, I've brought thee gold,
And I can set thee free;
And I've not come to see thee hung
All on the gallows tree.
O the briery bush,
That pricks my heart so sore;
Now I've got out of the briery bush,
I'll never get in any more.
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4. "The Prickly Bush" Bronson
Hammond, /FSS, V, No. 19 (1915), p. 230(2). Sung by H. Way, Bridport, Dorset, May 1906.
a I/M (compass of a sixth)
"O hangman, hold thy hand,
And hold it for a while,
I think I sec my own dear mother
Coming over yonder stile!
Oh! have you brought me gold?
Or can you set me free?
Or bb you come to see me hanged
All on the gallows-tree?"
"Oh, I a'n't brought You gold,
Nor I can't set you free,
But I am come to see you hang-ed
All on the gallows-tree."
Chorus; Oh! the Prickly bush
That pricks my heart most sore!
If ever I get out of the Prickly Bush,
I'll never get in no more!
The verses run thus, until she has seen her father, brother and sister likewise arrive, and then:
"O hangman, hold thy hand,
And hold it for a while;
I think I sec my own sweetheart
Coming over yonder stile!
Oh! have you brought me goldl
Or can you set me free I
Or be you come to see me hangcd
All on the gallows-tree l"
"Oh! I have brought you gold,
And I can set you frce,
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49. "The Briary Bush"
Sharp MSS., 2030/1902. Also in Sharp, 5th serics. 1909- p. 54; and- in Sharp, 1916, p. 42. Sung iy Mrs. 'O";;A;
Langport, |anuary 4, 1909.
Cf. the Polish analogue cited in the headnote abovce.
O hangman hold (stay) thy hand
And hold (stay) it for a while
For I fancy I sec my father
A-coming across the yonder stile.
O father have you got my gold
And can you set me free
O are you come to see me hung
All on the gallus tree?
No I have not brought thee gold
And I can't set thee free
But I havc come to see thee hung
All on thc gallus tree.
O the briary bush
That pricks my heart so sorc
If I once get out of the briarY bush
I'll nevcr get in it any more.
Some with mother, brother, sister,
and thcn fnallY:
O hangman stay thY hand
And hold it for a while
For I fancy I see mY true love
Coming aiross them yonder stile.
O true love have you got my gold
And can you set me free
Or are you come to see me hung
All on this gallus tree ?
Yes my dear I brought thee gold
And I can set thee free
And I've not come to see thee
Hung on the gallus tree,
O the prickly bush, etc.
==================
51. "The Prickly Bush" Sharp MSS., 800/. Sung by Mrs. Betsy Pike, Somerset; January 18, 1906.
Now I am over the prickly bush
That pricks most wonderful sore
If I once get out of the prickly bush
I'll never get in any more any more any more
I'll never get in any more
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The Prikly Briar- sung by Rev. D. M. Ross Langport December 1908, Sharp MS
O the prickly briar
It pricks my heart so sore
If I oncc get out of the prickly bush
I'll never get in it no morc.
O hangman hold your hand
And hold it for a while
For I think I see my father coming
Across thc yonder stile.
O the prickly briar, etc.
O have you got my gold
And can you set me free
Or are you come to see me hung
Upon the gallows tree I
O the prickly briar, etc.
O I've not got your gold
Nor I can't set you free
But I have come to see you hung
Upon thc gallows tre.
O the prickly, etc.
Song continucd ad lib with various relationt,
mother, brother, sister, etc., cnding uith:
. . .
For I fancy I see my true love coming
Across thc yonder stile
O the prickly, etc.
O have you got my gold
And can you set me free
Or are you come to see me hung
Upon the gallows tree?
O thc prickly, etc.
O yes I'vc got your gold
And I can set you free
For I'm not coming to see you hung
Upon the gallows tree.
O thc prickly briar
It pricks my hcart so sore
Now I've once got out of that prickly bush
I'll never get in it again.