Until he came to fair Emmeline's bowre, 65 O ladye, I've been with thy own true love, This night will he be at thy bowre-windowe, Nowe day was gone and night was come, All save the ladye Emmeline, Who sate in her bowre to weepe: And soon she heard her true love's voice Lowe whispering at the walle; KNIGHT.-" Awake, awake, my deare ladye, 'T is I, thy true love call. “Awake, awake, my ladye deare, This ladder of ropes will lette thee downe, EMMELINE. 66 Nowe nay, nowe nay, Nowe nay, this may not bee; For aye should I tint1 my maiden fame, If alone I should wend with thee." thou gentle [knighte, KNIGHT." O ladye, thou with a knighte so true Mayst safelye wend alone; To my ladye mother I will thee bringe, Where marriage shall make us one.' EMMELINE."My father he is a baron bolde, Of lyneage proude and hye; And what would he saye if his daughter 1 Lose. "Ah! well I wot, he never would rest, Nor his meate should do him no goode, Until he had slain thee, Child of Elle, And seene thy deare heart's bloode." KNIGHT.- -"O ladye, wert thou in thy saddle sette, And a little space him fro, I would not care for thy cruel father, 66 Nor the worst that he could doe. 'O ladye, wert thou in thy saddle sette, I would not care for thy cruel father, Faire Emmeline sighed, faire Emmeline wept, At length he seized her lilly-white hand, And thrice he clasped her to his breaste, The teares that fell from her fair eyes He mounted himselfe, on his stede so talle, And slung his bugle about his necke, All this beheard her owne damselle, Quoth shee, "My lord shall knowe of this, "Awake, awake, thou baron bold! Your daughter is fledde with the Childe of Elle, To do the deed of shame." The baron he woke, the baron he rose, "And come thou forth, Sir John, the knighte, Thy ladye is carried to thrall." Faire Emmeline scant had ridden a mile, A mile forth of the towne, When she was aware of her father's men And foremost came the carlish knighte, "For she is come of hye lineage, And was of a ladye borne; And ill it beseems thee - a false churl's sonne, To carry her hence to scorne." "Nowe loud thou lyest, Sir John the knighte, Nowe thou doest lye of mee; A knighte me bred, and a ladye me bore, "But light nowe downe, my ladye faire, "But light nowe downe, my deare ladye, Fair Emmeline sighed, fair Emmeline wept, While 'twixt her love and the carlish knighte The Child of Elle hee fought soe well, And nowe the baron and all his men Ah, what may ladye Emmeline doe? Her lover he put his horne to his mouth, "Nowe hold thy hand, thou bold baron, "Thy daughter I have dearly loved, "O give consent shee may be mine, "My mother she was an earl's daughter, Fair Emmeline sigh'd, fair Emmeline wept, At length she sprang upon her knee, "Pardon, my lorde and father deare, "Oft have you called your Emmeline O! let not, then, your harsh resolves The baron he stroakt his dark-brown cheeke, To wipe awaye the starting teare, He proudly strave to hyde. In deepe revolving thought he stoode, Then raised faire Emmeline from the grounde, With many a fond embrace. "Here, take her, Child of Elle," he sayd, 66 66 And gave her lillye white hand; Here, take my deare and only child, Thy father once mine honour wrong'd Do thou the injurye repayre, "And as thou love her, and hold her deare, And nowe my blessing wend wi' thee, OLD BALLAD. |