The Maid and the Palmer- Percy c.1650 Child A
Version A; Child 21; The Maid and the Palmer
Percy Manuscript, p. 461. Furnivall, IV, 96.
1 The maid shee went to the well to washe,
Lillumwham, lillumwham!
The mayd shee went to the well to washe,
Whatt then? what then?
The maid shee went to the well to washe,
Dew fell of her lilly white fleshe.
Grandam boy, grandam boy, heye!
Leg a derry, leg a merry, mett, mer, whoope, whir!
Driuance, larumben, grandam boy, heye!
2 While shee washte and while shee ronge,
Lillumwham, lillumwham!
While shee washte and while shee ronge,
Whatt then? what then?
While shee washte and while shee ronge,
While shee hangd o the hazle wand.
Grandam boy, grandam boy, heye!
Leg a derry, leg a merry, mett, mer, whoope, whir!
Driuance, larumben, grandam boy, heye!
3 There came an old palmer by the way,
Lillumwham, lillumwham!
There came an old palmer by the way,
Whatt then? what then?
There came an old palmer by the way,
Sais, 'God speed thee well, thou faire maid!'
Grandam boy, grandam boy, heye!
Leg a derry, leg a merry, mett, mer, whoope, whir!
Driuance, larumben, grandam boy, heye!
4 'Hast either cupp or can,
Lillumwham, lillumwham!
'Hast either cupp or can,
Whatt then? what then?
'Hast either cupp or can,
To giue an old palmer drinke therin?'
Grandam boy, grandam boy, heye!
Leg a derry, leg a merry, mett, mer, whoope, whir!
Driuance, larumben, grandam boy, heye!
5 Sayes, 'I have neither cupp nor cann,
Lillumwham, lillumwham!
Sayes, 'I have neither cupp nor cann,
Whatt then? what then?
Sayes, 'I have neither cupp nor cann,
To giue an old palmer drinke therin.'
Grandam boy, grandam boy, heye!
Leg a derry, leg a merry, mett, mer, whoope, whir!
Driuance, larumben, grandam boy, heye!
6 'But an thy lemman came from Roome,
Lillumwham, lillumwham!
'But an thy lemman came from Roome,
Whatt then? what then?
'But an thy lemman came from Roome,
Cupps and canns thou wold find soone.'
Grandam boy, grandam boy, heye!
Leg a derry, leg a merry, mett, mer, whoope, whir!
Driuance, larumben, grandam boy, heye!
7 She sware by God & good St. John,
Lillumwham, lillumwham!
She sware by God & good St. John,
Whatt then? what then?
She sware by God & good St. John,
Lemman had shee neuer none.
Grandam boy, grandam boy, heye!
Leg a derry, leg a merry, mett, mer, whoope, whir!
Driuance, larumben, grandam boy, heye!
8. Sais, 'Peace, faire mayd, you are forsworne!
Lillumwham, lillumwham!
Sais, 'Peace, faire mayd, you are forsworne!
Whatt then? what then?
Sais, 'Peace, faire mayd, you are forsworne!
Nine children you haue borne.
Grandam boy, grandam boy, heye!
Leg a derry, leg a merry, mett, mer, whoope, whir!
Driuance, larumben, grandam boy, heye!
9. 'Three were buryed vnder thy bed's head,
Lillumwham, lillumwham!
'Three were buryed vnder thy bed's head,
Whatt then? what then?
'Three were buryed vnder thy bed's head,
Other three vnder thy brewing leade.
Grandam boy, grandam boy, heye!
Leg a derry, leg a merry, mett, mer, whoope, whir!
Driuance, larumben, grandam boy, heye!
10 'Other three on yon play greene;
Lillumwham, lillumwham!
'Other three on yon play greene;
Whatt then? what then?
'Other three on yon play greene;
Count, maid, and there be 9.'
Grandam boy, grandam boy, heye!
Leg a derry, leg a merry, mett, mer, whoope, whir!
Driuance, larumben, grandam boy, heye!
11. 'But I hope you are the good old man
Lillumwham, lillumwham!
'But I hope you are the good old man
Whatt then? what then?
'But I hope you are the good old man
That all the world beleeues vpon.
Grandam boy, grandam boy, heye!
Leg a derry, leg a merry, mett, mer, whoope, whir!
Driuance, larumben, grandam boy, heye!
12. 'Old palmer, I pray thee,
Lillumwham, lillumwham!
'Old palmer, I pray thee,
Whatt then? what then?
'Old palmer, I pray thee,
Pennaunce that thou wilt giue to me.'
Grandam boy, grandam boy, heye!
Leg a derry, leg a merry, mett, mer, whoope, whir!
Driuance, larumben, grandam boy, heye!
13. 'Penance I can giue thee none,
Lillumwham, lillumwham!
'Penance I can giue thee none,
Whatt then? what then?
'Penance I can giue thee none,
But 7 yeere to be a stepping-stone.
Grandam boy, grandam boy, heye!
Leg a derry, leg a merry, mett, mer, whoope, whir!
Driuance, larumben, grandam boy, heye!
14 'Other seaven a clapper in a bell,
Lillumwham, lillumwham!
'Other seaven a clapper in a bell,
Whatt then? what then?
'Other seaven a clapper in a bell,
Other 7 to lead an ape in hell.
Grandam boy, grandam boy, heye!
Leg a derry, leg a merry, mett, mer, whoope, whir!
Driuance, larumben, grandam boy, heye!
15 'When thou hast thy penance done,
Lillumwham, lillumwham!
'When thou hast thy penance done,
Whatt then? what then?
'When thou hast thy penance done,
Then thoust come a mayden home.'
Grandam boy, grandam boy, heye!
Leg a derry, leg a merry, mett, mer, whoope, whir!
Driuance, larumben, grandam boy, heye!
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Popular ballads of the olden time: Volume 2 - Page 152; Frank Sidgwick - 1904
THE MAID AND THE PALMER
The Text is from the Percy Folio Ms. The only other known text is a fragment from Sir Walter Scott's recollection, printed in C. K. Sharpe's Ballad Bonk.
The Story is well known in the folklore of Europe, and is especially common in the Scandinavian languages. As a rule, however, all these ballads blend the story of the woman of Samaria with the traditions concerning Mary Magdalen that were extant in mediaeval times.
From the present ballad it could hardly be gathered (except, perhaps, from stanza 11) that the old palmer represents Christ. This point is at once obvious in the Scandinavian and other ballads.
The extraordinary burden in the English ballad is one of the most elaborate in existence, and is quite as inexplicable as any.
The expression 'to lead an ape in hell' (14.2) occurs constantly in Elizabethan and later literature, always in connection with women who die, or expect to die, unmarried. Dyce says the expression 'never has been (and never will be) satisfactorily explained'; but it was suggested by Steevens that women who had no mate on earth should adopt in hell an ape as a substitute.
THE MAID AND THE PALMER
1. The maid shee went to the well to washe,
Lillumwham, Lillumwham The mayd shee went to the well to washe, Whatt then, what then? The maid shee went to the well to washe, Dew ffell of her lilly white fleshe. Grandam boy, grandam boy, heye! Leg a derry Leg a merry mett mer whoope whir Drivance, Larumben, Grandam boy, heye! 2. White shee washed & white shee ronge, White shee hang'd o' the hazle wand. 3. There came an old palmer by-the way, Sais, ' God speed thee well, thou faire maid.
4. 'Hast either cupp or can,
To give an old palmer drinke therin?'
5. Sayes, ' I have neither cupp nor cann, To give an old palmer drinke therin.'
6. 'But an thy lemman came from Roome, Cuppes & cannes thou wold ffind soone.'
7. Shee sware by God & good St. John, Lemman had shee never none.
2 1.2 'White': so in the Ms. ; perhaps should be 'while' in each case. 'washed' is washee in the Ms.
8. Saies, 'Peace, ffaire mayd, you are ffor
sworne; Nine children you have borne. 9. 'Three were buryed under thy bed's head; Other three under thy brewing leade;
10. 'Other three on yon play greene; Count, maide, & there be nine.'
11. 'But I hope you are the good old man That all the world beleeves upon. 12. 'Old palmer, I pray thee, Pennaunce that thou wilt give to me.' 13. 'Penance I can give thee none,
But seven yeere to be a stepping-stone.
14. 'Other seaven a clapper in a bell; Other seven to lead an ape in hell.
15. 'When thou hast thy penance done, Then thou 'st come a mayden home.'
9.1 'Three,' Percy's emendation of They in the Ms. 9.5'leade,'vat. 10.1 'yon': Ms. won.
10.2 '&' for and= .