Glen Collection of printed music > Printed text > Charms of melody, or, Siren medley

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OLD BALLADS,
^Twas 'bout tlie time of curfeu bell.
When, all in black array, '
With crofs to pray, and bearls to tell;
A Palmer came that way.
" Go, page, and call thy lady fair •,"
Aloud he did command ;
"' Tell her a Palmer's waiting here,
" Come from the holy land."
The Palmer faw the foot- page run,
(As he ran at the ring) ,
The Palmer look'd till the bow'r he won, ,
And heard the lady fing :
" Tho' foul befall me for my meed,
" And foul be thought the word,
" Would heav'n me fpeed ! alive or dead,
" To fee my abfent lord !
«' Now welcome, holy Palmer, tell
" Thy tidings unto me."
*' Oh, lady, 'ti> not many a day,
" Since I thy lord did fee."
•' Oh, when will he have done with the wars ?
" Sweet Palmer tell to me."
" Oh, lady, he's now done with the wars,
" In truth I tell to thee."
" Alas ! what wounds hath he got i'th' field ?
" Dear Palmer, tell lo me."
" Oh, he has had wounds, but now they are heal'd,
" In truth I tell to thee."
♦* Eut is there no token he hath fent,
" No token of love to me ?
" No relique o' the rood, or pearl orient,
" Or gaud of the eail country ?"
" Oh, I've no relique, or eaftern gaud,
" Fair lady, to bring to thee ;
" But I come to tell, that thy haplefs lord
" Is dying in the eajl country."
O then the lady's groans and cries
Re-echoed piteoufly ; . ,
The tears that fell from her brilliant eyes
Ran like the fountain free.
" Oh, Palmer, ill befall to thee,
" For what thou fellefl me !
" But now will I wend to the eafl country,
" My dying lord to fee.
'" And tho' foul befall me for my meed,
" And foul be, thought the word,
" Good heav'n me fpeed ! for alive or dead,
" I'll fee my deareft lord.
" And now, my foot-page, run, I pray,
" On thy lady's laft boon ; ' .
" Get a pilgrim's gown of black or grey,
" With fcrip and fandal fhoon :
" And take thefe fiiken gaudes with thee,
And take the kirtle o' green ;
" For 'tis not befitting of widov.'s like me,
" In fuch garb to be feen.
" And cut thefe wanton locks, I pray, '
" And take my gold rings three ;
" For in pilgrim's garb I'll take my way,
" To my lord in the eaft country.
" And now tho' foul befall my meed,
" And foul be thought the word,
" Good heav'n me fpeed ! for, alive or de:id,
" I'll fee my dearell lord."
Then up arofe the Palmer man,
Amaz'd fuch love to fee ;
For the lady already foine pa^es had ran,
In her way to the eaft country.
«' Stay, lady, for from the holy land,
" Thy lord's laft v/ords I bring ;
" And, lo I to my care, from off his haad,
" He pledg'd thy golden ring."
The lady iprang, and leiz'd the ring.
And a Ihow'r of tears fhe Ihed ; *
" Now I know by this pledge, that thou doft bring,
" That my dear lord is dead.
" Yet ftill, the' foVil befall my meed,
" And foul be thought my word,
" Would heav'n me fpeed ! tho* he be dead,
" I'd fee my dear-lov'd.lord."
" Oh, weep not, lady, weep not fo,
" Nor 'gainft thy fad fate ftrive ;
" For fhouldft thou fee him, thoii well doft know,
" \ hou could'ft not make him live.
" But calm thy mind, oh, lady fair !
" But calm thy mind, I pray ;
" Nor let the curfed fiend, defpair,
" Thus 'whelm thee with difmay."
" Oh, cruel Palmer ! fay not fo,
" Nor think to comfort me ;
" And tho' it would but increafe my woe,
" My dead lord I would fee." '
"Alas! alas! thou lady fair ! —
" But if it fo muft be,
" I can by learn'd lore declare,
" How thou thy lord may "ft fee."
" Oh, fay 'ft thou fo, thou Palmer dear?
" Thou ihalt have gold and fee ;
" Then tell me. Palmer, tell me where
" A'ly dear lord I may fee ?"
Then quick thai wily Palmer led
The lady to a bow'r.
And in a book full long he read,
V\hile faft her tears did pour.
" I know well by this difmal book ,
" That he'll appear this night ;
" But white and ghaftly he will look,
" And will thee much affright."
" Oh, I care not," the lady faid ;
" Tho' foul be thought the 'vord,
" Would heav'n me Ipeed ! tho' he be dcad^
" I'd fee my deareft lord."
" On yon kirk green, at dark midnight,
" Thy dead lord will appear :
" Far off you'll fee his haplefs fprite —
" But lady go not near.
" So now go chaunt full many a prayer
" Devout upon thy knee ;
" To the kirlc-green at night repair,
" Thy dead lord for to fee."
Now rofe the moon with folenin pride,
Sw-eet night's enchanting queen,-
And o'er the lonely kirk-yard wide
Was fhed her fiiver flieen ;
And then came forth the lady fair.
And to the kirk-green went —
Cold blew the blaft —and her fweet hair,
Was all with dew befprent.
And now the hours had gone their rounds.
And dreary was the green,
And nought w-as heard fave the lone found
Of blafts that blew fo keen. '
ye.t ftill ftie figh'd, " tho' foul my meed,
"And foul be thought the word,
" Would heav'n me fpeed I tho' he be dead;
" I'd fee my dear luv'd lord."
Scarce had fhe fpoke, when from the eaft
A ghofily form did glide —
She ftarted wild — flie fmote her breaft —
And on the kirk-green dy'd.
The Palmer threv.- afide the fheet.
And frantic rav'd and cry'd ;
Then curs'd his av'rice indifcr«et.
And by the lady d^j'd.—