Lord Benner- Roberts (ME) 1932 Barry J REC
[My footnote. From BFSSNE, Vol. 7 with Music, 1934 designated by Barry as Maine J, my Barry J (Maine A-I given in BBM, 1929). Barry's notes follow. He adds more clarity to his "two types of ballad" theory for Child 81.
Though missing some lines, this version is 29 stanzas long (the stanzas in this version equal two normal stanzas). This is obviously dating back to the 1800s but I haven't determined an accurate date yet.
R. Mattesons 2015]
LITTLE MUSGRAVE AND LADY BARNARD
(Child, 81)
The melody is a set of the Drumdelgie air, so named from a Bothy song, Drumdelgie, a grouser's lampoon of the type of Canada I O, sung to it in Aberdeenshire (J. Ord, Bothy Songs, pp. 209-11 Rymour Club, I, 24). Greig comments on the wide diffusion of this air in England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales, (Folk-Song of the Northeast, no. 4). To it are sung not only Little Musgraae and, Lady Barnard, but other Child Ballads, for example, Young Allan and The Keach in the Creel (Greig, Last Leaves, pp. 199-200, 233), as well as such songs of later origin as The Gentleman Soldier (JFSS., V, 156-7). The characteristic feature of this air is the subdominant cadence in the first (sometimes also in the third) phrase. Possibly it is originally a dance tune; one set at least in Levy's Dance Music of Ireland, is called a long dance. There are two copies of one set in The Complete Petrie Collection of Irish Music, 106, 115. When used as a song-tune, it shows a decided tendency to split in two at the half-cadence; a number of sets consist of only the second half of the original air.
Though the Banner type of text of our ballad, distinguished by three traits generally: the name Banner, the reference to the London convention (condemsion, Indemption, Redemption, and the emphasis on Scotland rather than on England as the country where the injured baron is jealous of his reputation for chivalry, is traditional both North and South, there is a difference in the age of the two traditions. The southern are coeval with the texts of the Arnold, type; both types are sung in the South to sets of the original air of the ballad (FSSNE, Bulletin 4, pp. 12-13). The ballad is not sung in the South to the Drumdelgie air. In the North, however, side by side with the old tradition, is a later tradition, represented by Maine A, I, J, L, Vermont A, B, sung to sets of the Drumdelgie air: one of these, Vermont B, was learned by Mrs. Elmer C. Burditt of Springfield from her father, [William MacDonald] born in 1834 in Edinburgh. Thus it appears that the replacement of the original air by Drumdelgie, is of old-country, probably Scottish origin.
* * * *
Maine J. MS of Mrs. Phila Roberts Howard, South Penobscot, Maine, of text as obtained from her brother, Mr. Fred Roberts, south Portland. Air transcribed from phonograph record of Mr. Roberts's singing. The editor on June 6, 1932, called at the from the singer's home in South Portland. Mr. Roberts said he learned the ballad as a boy from Joe Haggerty, a Newfoundland fisherman; Howard, the text, as he sent it to Mrs. was based on his own recollection, assisted in part by Mr. George Clark of South Portland. The singing was porlando, not much rubato, in stanza 10, lines 3-4, the declamatory diction and the breaking up of the musical rhythm was highly dramatic and effective.
[Lord Benner] - Mr. Fred Roberts, South Portland, Maine.
1 Four and twenty fair ladies being at the ball,
Lord Benner's lady being there, the flower of them all,
And young McGrew of Scotland, as fair as the rising sun;
She looked on him, he looked on her--the likes were never none.[1]
2 Saying, "Will you take a ride with me, and will you take a ride?"
"Oh, no, I dare not ride with you; oh. no I for all of my life,
For the ring which you have on your finger there,
you are Lord Benner's wife."
3 "For what if I am Lord Benner's wife, and he is not at home,
He has gone to a condemsion, to serve at Henry's throne."
When one of Lord Benner's servant boys watched all that was said and done
"Say now that I mean that Lord Benner shall know before the rising sun."
4 He ran until he came to the riverside,-- then he jumped in and swam;
And when he reached the other side, he took to his heels and ran.
And when he came to the castle door, he knocked so loud and shrill,
No one half so ready as Lord Benner to rise and let him in.
5 Saying, "Is there any of my castles down, or none of my towers three?"
. . . .
"Oh no, there are none of your castles down and none of your towers three,
But young McGrew of Scotland is in bed with your fair lady."
6 "If this be a lie which you tell to me which I suppose it to be,
Then I will build a gallows and hang-ed you shall be."
"If this be a lie which I tell to you and you suppose it to be,
You need not rig a gallows, but hang me to a tree."
7 Then he called up his merry men, by one, by two, by three,
Saying, 'We will ride down to Scotland, this fair couple for to see."
8 "What is that noise that now I hear that sounds so loud in my ear?"
. . . .
"Lie down, lie down and keep me warm, and keep me from the cold.
For 'tis only Lord Benner's shepherd boy driving his sheep into the fold."
9 They huddled up and cuddled up and both fell fast asleep,
And on the very next morning Lord Benner stood at their feet.
Saying, "How do you like my blankets fine, and how do you like my sheets,
How do you like my-fair lady that lies in your arms asleep?"
10 It's well I like your blankets fine, it's well I like your sheets,
But best of all the fair lady that lies in my arms asleep."
"Arise! Arise! Put on your clothes,-- and quick as ever you can!
I would ne'er have it said in Scotland that I fought with a naked man."
11 "As for to get up and put on my clothes, I dare not for all of my life, --
For you have two broadswords in your sheath, and I not a single knife."
"What if I have two broadswords? They cost me deep in purse,
And you shall take the very best, and I shall take the worst."
12 And you may strike the very first blow, and strike it like a man,
And I will strike the second one, and kill you if I can.
McGrew he struck the very first and struck Lord Benner full sore;
Lord Benner he struck the second blow and left him in his gore.
13 He ran unto his lady fair as you may plainly see,
And clasped his arms around her and gave her kisses three.
. . . .
Saying, "Which one do you like the best,-- young McGrew or me?"
14 "It's well I like your ruby lips-- it's well I like your hair,
It's more I like my young McGrew, for he is twice as fair."
He grasped her by the hair of the head, and dragged her on the floor;
And cut her head from her shoulders! She never arose any more.
15 Then he took back to the hilt of his sword, and the point of it to his breast,
Saying, "There never was three lovers sent to a more peaceful rest.
Go dig me a grave ! Go dig me a grave! And dig it long, wide and deep,--
And place my fair lady at my side and young McGrew at my feet."
1. likes were never known.