The Ballad of Earl Brand
by Phillips Barry
Modern Language Notes, Vol. 25, No. 4 (Apr., 1910), pp. 104-105
THE BALLAD OF EARL BRAND.
This interesting archaic ballad, well preserved even at this late day, may be added to the large and increasing number of British ballads of the better sort whose currency in America is attested. (Folk-Songs of the North Atlantic States, collected by Phillips Barry.
Earl Brand
-A. Re-cited by D. L., Thornton, N. H., September 8, 1909.
1 "Rise up, rise up, my seven sons all,
And put on your armor so gay,
And take care of your eldest sister
Or the younger man will carry her away."
2 Lord Billy mounts his milk-white steed,
Little Margaret on her gray,
With his bugle horn lopped down by his side,
This Lord went riding away.
3 He looked east, he looked west,
He looked all under the sun, -
'T was who did he spy but her seven brothers all,
And her daddy that she loved more dear.
4 "Dismount, dismount ! " Lord Billy he said, " And hold my steed in your hand, Whilst I fight your seven brothers all, For your daddy is now at hand." 5 She held his steed in her lily-white hand, And never shed one tear, Until she saw her seven brothers fall, And her daddy she loved more dear. 6 "Forbear. forbear, Lord Billy! " she cried, " For you have got wounded full sore, Sweethearts, I can have many of them, But my daddy I never know more! " 7 Then out of her pocket she drew a hankerchief, That was made of the holland so fine, And there she wiped her old daddy's wounds, That run more redder than wine. 8 "Agree, agree, little Margaret," he said, " Whether to go or abide," "H ow can I stay, Lord Billy," she cries, " You have left me now disguised ! " 9 Lord Billy mounts his milk-white steed, Little Margaret all on her gray, With his buglet horn lopped down by his side, This Lord went bleeding away. 10 Lord Billy rode, little Margaret rode, By the clear shining of the moon, They rode till they came to the fair ocean side, By the brink of the water so warm. 11 "What is that, Lord Billy," she cries, "That runs so red in the stream?" "It is nothing but the shadow of my scarlet robe, That runs in the watery main." 12 Lord Billy he mounts his milk-white steed, Little Margaret on the gray, With his buglet horn lopped down by his side, This Lord went bleeding away.
13 Lord Billy rode, little Margaret rode, By the clear shining of the moon, They rode till they came to his own mammy's door, And there alighted down. 14 "Open the door, dear mammy," he said, " And let Lord Billy in; For I have got my own death wound, If it's a fair lady I have won I " 15 "Make up my bed, dear mammy," he said, "And lay my pillows all under my sheets, And lie my true love down by my side, That the sounder I might sleep." 16 Lord Billy died at the middle of the night, Little Margaret at the break of day, And they were both buried in the high churchyard, Both side and side together. 17 Out of Lord Billy's breast there grew a red rose, Out of little Margaret a briar, And they grew till they came to the high church top, And tangled into each other. D. L. is a typical folk-singer. He says he knew at least one hundred and five songs. PHILLIPS BARRY. Boston, Massachusetts.