47. Childe Maurice. Quiller-Couch, Arthur, ed. 1910. The Oxford Book of Ballads

Verse > Anthologies > Arthur Quiller-Couch, ed. > The Oxford Book of Ballads

CONTENTS · BIBLIOGRAPHIC RECORD

Arthur Quiller-Couch, ed. (1863–1944). The Oxford Book of Ballads. 1910.

47. Childe Maurice

CHILDE MAURICE hunted the Silver Wood,

He whistled and he sang:

‘I think I see the woman yonder

That I have lovèd lang.’

He callèd to his little man John,

‘You don’t see what I see;

For yonder I see the very first woman

That ever lovèd me.’

III

He says, ‘Come hither, my little man John,

That I pay meat and fee,

For thou shalt go to John Steward’s wife

And greet her well from me;

‘And as it falls as many times

As knots be knit in a kell,

Or merchantmen go to leeve Londòn

To buy ware or to sell;

‘And as it falls as many times

As any heart can think,

Or school-masters are in any school

Writing with pen and ink.

‘Here is a glove, a glove,’ he says,

‘Lined wi’ the silver-gris;

Bid her to come to Silver Wood

To speak with Childe Maurice.

VII

‘And here is a ring, a ring,’ he says,

‘A ring of the precious stone:

He prays her come to Silver Wood

And ask the leave of none.’—

VIII

‘Well do I love your errand, master,

But better I love my life.

Would ye have me go to John Steward’s castle,

To tryst away his wife?’—

‘Do not I give you meat?’ he says,

‘Do not I give you fee?

How daur you stop my errand

When that I bid you flee?’

This little man John one while he yode,

Another while he ran;

Until he came to John Steward’s castle

I wis he never blan.

He ask’d no porter’s leave, but ran

Up hall and bower free,

And when he came to John Steward’s wife,

Says, ‘God you save and see!

XII

‘I come, I am come from Childe Maurice—

A message unto thee!

And Childe Maurice he greets you well,

And ever so well from me,

XIII

‘And as it falls as oftentimes

As knots be knit in a kell,

Or merchantmen go to leeve Londòn

To buy ware or to sell;

XIV

‘And as oftentimes he greets you well

As any heart can think,

Or schoolmasters are in any school

Writing with pen and ink.

‘Here is a glove, a glove,’ he says,

‘Lined wi’ the silver-gris;

Ye’re bidden to come to Silver Wood

To speak with Childe Maurice.

XVI

‘And here is a ring, a ring of gold,

Set wi’ the precious stone:

He prays you to come to Silver Wood

And ask the leave of none.’—

XVII

‘Now peace, now peace, thou little man John,

For Christ’s sake I pray thee!

For gif my lord heard one o’ thy words

Thou must be hangèd hie!’

XVIII

O aye she stampèd with her foot

And winkèd with her e’e;

But for all that she could say or do

Forbidden he would not be.

XIX

‘It’s surely to my bower-woman,

It cannot be to me!’—

‘Nay, I brought it to John Steward’s lady,

And I trow that thou art she.’

Out then spake the wily nurse,

Wi’ the bairn just on her knee:

‘If this be come from Childe Maurice

It’s dear welcome to me.’—

XXI

‘Thou liest, thou liest, thou wily nurse,

So loud as I hear thee lie!

I brought it to John Steward’s lady,

And I trow thou be not she.’

XXII

Then up and rose him John Steward,

And an angry man was he:

‘Did I think there was a lord in the world

My lady loved but me!’

XXIII

He struck the table wi’ his foot,

And kepp’d it with his knee,

Till silver cup and ezar dish

In flinders they did flee.

XXIV

He call’d unto his horse-keeper,

‘Make ready you my steed!’

So did he to his chamberlain,

‘Go fetch my lady’s weed!’

XXV

O he dress’d himself in the holland smock,

[The mantle and the snood],

And he cast a lease upon his back,

And he rode to Silver Wood.

100

XXVI

And when he came to Silver Wood,

No body saw he there

But Childe Maurice upon a block

Combing his yellow hair.

XXVII

Childe Maurice sat in Silver Wood,

105

He whistled and he sang:

I think I see the woman come

That I have lovèd lang.’

XXVIII

But then stood up him Childe Maurice

His mother to help from horse:

110

‘O alas, alas!’ says Childe Maurice,

‘My mother was ne’er so gross!’

XXIX

‘No wonder, no wonder,’ John Steward he said,

‘My lady loved thee well,

For the fairest part of my body

115

Is blacker than thy heel.’

XXX

John Steward had a little brown sword

That hung low down by his knee;

He has cut the head off Childe Maurice

And the body put on a tree.

120

XXXI

And he prick’d the head on his sword’s point,

Went singing there beside,

And he rode till he came to the castle

Whereas his lady ly’ed

XXXII

And when he came to his lady—

125

Look’d o’er the castle-wall—

He threw the head into her lap,

Saying ‘Lady, tak’ the ball!’

XXXIII

Says, ‘Dost thou know Childe Maurice’ head,

If that thou dost it see?

130

And lap it soft, and kiss it oft,

For thou loved’st him better than me.’

XXXIV

But when she look’d on Childe Maurice’ head

She ne’er spake words but three:

‘I never bare no child but one,

135

And you have slain him, trulye.’

XXXV

And she has taken the bloody head

And kiss’d it, cheek and chin:

‘I was once as full o’ Childe Maurice

As the hip is o’ the stane.

140

XXXVI

‘I got him in my mother’s bower

Wi’ mickle sin and shame;

I brought him up in the good greenwood

Under the shower and rain.’

XXXVII

And she has taken her Childe Maurice

145

And kiss’d him, mouth and chin:

‘O better I love my Childe Maurice

Than all my royal kin!’

XXXVIII

‘Woe be to thee!’ John Steward he said,

And a woe, woe man was he;

150

For if you had told me he was your son

He had never been slain by me.’

XXXIX

Says, ‘Wicked be my merry men all,

I gave meat, drink and cloth!

But could they not have holden me

155

When I was in all that wrath?’

GLOSS: kell] hair-net, i.e. give her as many greetings as there are meshes in a net. leeve] lovely. silver-gris] a fur of silver-grey. yode] walked. blan] stopped, stayed. kepp’d] caught. ezar]?for ‘mazer,’ maple. weed] clothing. lease] leash, thong. lyed] lived. tak’] take, catch.

CONTENTS · BIBLIOGRAPHIC RECORD

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