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

20D BALLADS ancjent Ain> modern, LEGENDARIES, &t.
" Awake, Kwalce, my lady dear,
" Come, mount this fair palfry ;
" This ladder of ropes will let thee down,
" 1*11 carry thee hence away."
" Now nay, nov/ nay, thou gentle knight,
" Now nay, this may not -be.;
" For, ah, I fhould ftain my maiden fame;,
" If alone I fliould wend with thee."
," O lady, thou with a knight fo true,
" Mayfl fafely wend alone,
" To my lady mother I will thee bring,
" where marriage fiiall make us one."
■" My father'he is a baron bold,
" Of lyneage proud and high,
" And vvihat would he lay if his daughter
" Away with a knight ftiould tiy?
•" Ah, well I'know he never would reft,
" Nor his meat fhould do him good,
" Till he had flain thee, Child of^Elle,
" And feen thy dear heart's blood."
•' O, lady, were thou in thy faddle fet,
" And a little fpace him fro,
" I would not for thy father care,
" Not the v/orft that he could do.
'^' O, lady, were thou in thy faddle fet,
" And once within this wall,
(" I would not for thy father care,
" Or worft that might befall."
Fair EmmeUne figh'd, fair Emmeline wept.
And, ah, her heart was woe,
At length he feiz'd her lily-white hand.
And down the ladder drew.
And thrice he clafp'd her to his breaft.
And kijs'd her tenderly ;
The tears that fell from her fair ^yes
Ran like the fountain tree.
He mounted then hisfteed fo tall,
And her on a fair palfry,
.And flung his bugle about his neck.
And brifkly rode away.
All this beheard her own damfel,
In her bed, where fhe' lay.
Quoth fhe, " my lord fhall know of this,
" And I'll get gold anVi fee.
" Awake, awake, thou baron bold !
" Awake, my noble dame !
■ " Your daughter is fled with the Child of Elk,
" To do the deed of fhame."
The baron awoke, the baron, arofe.
And called his merry men all •,
«' And come thou forth. Sir John, the knight,
" Thy lady is carry 'd to thrall."
Fair Emmeline fcarce had ridden a mile,
A mile forth of the town.
When fhe was aware of her father's men,
Come galloping o'er the down.
And foremoft came the carlifh knight,
(^zV 'John, of the North Country)
■H Now flop, now flop, thou falfe traitor,
" Nor carry that lady away :
'"■ For fhe is come of high lyneage,
" And was of a lady born ;
" And ill it befeems thee, a falfe churl's fon,
" To carry her hence to fcorn."
" Now loijd thou lielt, Sir Johi, the knight,
" Now thou do'ft lye of me;
" A knight me got, and a lady me bore,
" So ne'er did aoi>e by thee.
" But light now down, my dear lady;
" Light down, and hold my horfe,
" While I, and jhls diicourteoi^s knight
" Do try our valour's force."
Fair Emmeline figh'd, inir Emindine VJe^t,
And, ah, h-er heart was woe ;
While 'twixt her love and the carlifh knight,
Paft many a baleful blow.
The Child of EUe he fought fo well.
As his weapon he wav'd amain.
That foon he had flain the carlifh knight,
And laid him on the plain.
And now the baron, and all his men,
Full faff approached nigh.
Ah, what may lady Emmeline do !
"Twere now no time to fly.
Her lover he put his horn to his mouth,
And blew both loud and fhrill.
And foon he faw his own merry men
Come riding o'er the hill.
"Now hold thy haad, thou baron boltjj
" I pray thee hold thy hand,;
" Nor ruthlefs rend two gentle hearts,
" Faft:knit in true-love's band.
" Thy daughter I have dearly lov'd,
" Full long and many a day,
-" But with fuch love, as holy kirk
"Hath freely faid we may.
" O give confent flie may be, mine,
" And blcfs a faithful pair ;
"My lands and livings are not fmall,
" My houfe and.lyneagefair.
" My mother file was an earl's daughter.
And a noble knight my fire"
The baron he frown'd, and turn'd away.
With mickle dole and ire.
Fair Emmeline figh'd, fair Emmeline wept,
, Anddid all trembling ftand ;
At length Ihc fprang upon her knee.
And held his lifted hand.
" Pardon, my lord and father dear,
" This fair young knight and me,
" Triifl.me, but for the carlifh knight,
"I ne'er had fled from thee.
" Oft have you eall'd your Emmeline,
" Your darling, and your joy;
■" O let not then your harfh refolves _
" Y oar .E,mmcline deftroy."
The baron he flrok'd his dark brown cheekj
And turn'd his head afide,
.To wipe away the iianing tear
He proudly ftrove to hide.
Jn deep revolving thought he flood,
And mus'd a. little fpace ;
Then rais'd fair Emmeline from the ground,
With many a fond embrace.
".Here, take her. Child of Elle," he faid,
And ga^'e her lily hand ;
" Here take my dear and only child,
- " And with her half my land.
" Thy father once mine honoiiV wrong'd,
" In days of youthful pride,
" Do thou the injury repair,
" In fondnefs for thy bride.
" And as thou love and hold her dear,
" Heaven profper thee ^nd thine ;
-" And now mj bleffing v/end wi' that,
" My lovely E-mmdine.