EARL RICHARD.

NEVER BEFORE PUBLISHED.

There are two Ballads in Mr HERD’S MSS. upon the following Story, in one of which the unfortunate Knight is termed YOUNG HUNTIN. A Fragment, containing from the sixth to the tenth verse, has been repeatedly published.  The best verses are here selected from both copies, and some trivial alterations have been adopted from tradition.

  “O lady, rock never your young son young,
   “One hour langer for me;
  “For I have a sweetheart in Garlioch Wells,
   “I love far better than thee.

  “The very sole o’ that ladye’s foot
   “Than thy face is far mair white.”—­
  “But, nevertheless, now, Erl Richard,
   “Ye will bide in ray bower a’ night?”

  She birled[A] him with the ale and wine,
    As they sat down to sup;
  A living man he laid him down,
    But I wot he ne’er rose up.

  Then up and spak the popinjay,
    That flew aboun her head;
  “Lady! keep weel your green cleiding
    “Frae gude Erl Richard’s bleid.”

  “O better I’ll keep my green cleiding
    “Frae gude Erl Richard’s bleid,
  “Than thou canst keep thy clattering toung,
    “That trattles in thy head.”

  She has call’d upon her bower maidens,
    She has call’d them ane by ane;
  “There lies a deid man in my bour: 
    “I wish that he were gane!”

  They hae booted him, and spurred him,
    As he was wont to ride;—­
  A hunting-horn tied round his waist,
    A sharp sword by his side;
  And they hae had him to the wan water,
    For a’ men call it Clyde.

  Then up and spak the popinjay,
   That sat upon the tree—­
  “What hae ye done wi’ Erl Richard? 
   “Ye were his gay ladye.”

  “Come down, come down, my bonny bird,
   “And sit upon my hand;
  “And thou sall hae a cage o’ gowd,
   “Where thou hast but the wand.”

  “Awa! awa! ye ill woman: 
   “Nae cage o’ gowd for me;
  “As ye hae dune to Erl Richard,
   “Sae wad ye do to me.”

  She hadna cross’d a rigg o’ land,
   A rigg, but barely ane;
  When she met wi’ his auld father,
   Came riding all alane.

  “Where hae ye been, now, ladye fair,
   “Where hae ye been sae late?”
  “We hae been seeking Erl Richard,
   “But him we canna get.”

  “Erl Richard kens a’ the fords in Clyde,
   “He’ll ride them ane by ane,
  “And though the night was ne’er sae mirk,
   “Erl Richard will he hame.”

  O it fell anes, upon a day,
   The king was boun’ to ride;
  And he has mist him, Erl Richard,
   Should hae ridden on his right side.

  The ladye turn’d her round about,
   Wi’ meikle mournfu’ din—­
  “It fears me sair o’ Clyde water,
   “That he is drown’d therein.”