{"collection":"Northern European Mythology","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/browse/neu/eng/child/ch107.htm","path":"neu/eng/child/ch107.htm","source_url":"https://sacred-texts.com/neu/eng/child/ch107.htm","text":"Sacred Texts\u00a0\n Legends & Sagas\u00a0\n England\u00a0\n Index\u00a0\n Previous\u00a0\n Next\u00a0\n \n \n \n 107A: Will Steward and John\n \n \n 107A.1\tADLATTS parke is wyde and broad,\n And grass growes greene in our countrye;\n ??\tADLATTS parke is wyde and broad,\n And grass growes greene in our countrye;\n Eche man can gett the loue of his ladye,\n But alas, I can gett none of mine!\n 107A.2\tItt\u2019s by two men I sing my song,\n Their names is William Stewart and Iohn;\n William he is the elder brother,\n But Iohn hee is the wiser man.\n 107A.3\tBut William he is in care-bed layd,\n And for the loue of a faire ladye;\n If he haue not the loue of the Erle of Mar\u2019s daughter,\n In faith for loue that he must dye.\n 107A.4\tfaith for loue that he must dye.\n 107A.4\tThen Iohn was sorry for his brother,\n To see him lye and languish soe:\n \u2018What do you mourne for, brother?\u2019 he saies,\n \u2018I pray you tell to me your woe.\n 107A.5\t\u2018Doe [you] mourne for gold, brother?\u2019 he saies,\n \u2018Or doe you mourne for fee?\n Or doe you mourne for a likesome ladye,\n \u2018Or doe you mourne for fee?\n Or doe you mourne for a likesome ladye,\n You neuer saw her with your eye?\u2019\n Or doe you mourne for a likesome ladye,\n You neuer saw her with your eye?\u2019\n Or doe you mourne for a likesome ladye,\n You neuer saw her with your eye?\u2019\n Or doe you mourne for a likesome ladye,\n You neuer saw her with your eye?\u2019\n 107A.6\t\u2018I doe not mourne for gold,\u2019 he saies,\n \u2018Nor I doe not mourne for any fee;\n But I doe mourne for a likesome ladye,\n I neere blinke on her with mine eye.\u2019\n 107A.7\t\u2018But when haruest is gotten, my deere brother-+-\n All this is true that I tell thee-+-\n Gentlemen, they loue hunting well,\n And giue wight-men their cloth and fee.\n 107A.8\t\u2018Then I\u2019le goe a wooing for thy sake,\n In all the speed that I can gone,\n And for to see this likesome ladye,\n And hope to send thee good tydings home.\u2019\n 107A.9\tIohn Stewart is gone a wooing for his brother,\n Soe farr into faire Scottland,\n And left his brother in mikle feare,\n Vntill he heard the good tydand.\n 107A.10\tAnd when he came to the Erle of Mar\u2019s his house,\n Soe well he could his curtesye,\n And when he came before the erle,\n He kneeled low downe vpon his knee.\n 107A.11\t\u2018O rise vp, rise vp, Iohn Steward,\n Rise vp, now, I doe bidd thee;\n ??\t\u2018O rise vp, rise vp, Iohn Steward,\n Rise vp, now, I doe bidd thee;\n How doth thy father, Iohn Stewart,\n And all the lords in his countrye?\u2019\n 107A.12\t\u2018And itt please you, my lord, my father is dead;\n My brother and I cannott agree;\n My brother and I am fallen att discord,\n And I am come to craue a service of thee.\u2019\n 107A.13\t\u2018O welcome, welcome, Iohn Stewart,\n A welcome man thou art to me;\n I\u2019le make thee chamberlaine to my daughter,\n And for to tend of that ladye soe free.\n 107A.14\t\u2018And if thou wilt haue a better office,\n Aske, and thou shall haue itt of mee;\n And where I giue other men a penny of wage,\n Inffaith, Iohn, thou shalt haue three.\u2019\n 107A.15\tAnd then bespake him Iohn Stewart,\n And these were the words said hee:\n There is no office in your court\n This day that better pleaseth mee.\n 107A.16\tThe Ffryday is gone, the Sunday is come-+-\n All this is true that I doe say-+-\n And to the church that they be gone,\n Iohn Stewart and the lady gay.\n 107A.17\tAnd as they did come home againe-+-\n I-wis itt was a meeten mile-+-\n Iohn Stewart and the lady gay.\n They thought itt but a [little] while.\n 107A.18\t\u2018I am a messenger, ladye,\u2019 he saies,\n \u2018I am a messenger to thee:\u2019\n \u2018O speake for thy selfe, Iohn Stewart,\u2019 shee saies,\n \u2018A welcome man that thou shalt bee.\u2019\n 107A.19\t\u2018Nay, by my faith,\u2019 saies Iohn Stewart,\n \u2018Which euer, alas that may not bee!\n He hath a higher degree in honour,\n Allas, ladye, then euer I!\n 107A.20\t\u2018He is a lord now borne by birth,\n And an erle affter his father doth dye;\n His haire is yellow, his eyes beene gray;\n All this is true that I tell yee.\n 107A.21\t\u2018He is fine in the middle, and small in the wast,\n And pleasant in a woman\u2019s eye;\n And more nor this, he dyes for your loue,\n Therefore, lady, show some pittye.\u2019\n 107A.22\t\u2018If this be soe,\u2019 then saies the lady,\n \u2018If this be true that thou tells mee,\n By my faith then, Iohn Stewart,\n I can loue him hartilye.\n 107A.23\t\u2018Bidd him meete me att St Patr[i]cke\u2019s Church\n On Sunday after St Andrew\u2019s day;\n The flower of Scottland will be there,\n And then begins our summer\u2019s play.\n 107A.24\t\u2018And bidd him bring with him a hundred gunners,\n And rawnke ryders lett them bee,\n And lett them bee of the rankest ryders\n That\tbe to be found in that countrye.\n 107A.25\t\u2018They best and worst, and all in like,\n Bidd him cloth them in one liuerye;\n And for his men, greene is the best,\n And greene now lett their liueryes bee.\n 107A.26\t\u2018And clothe himselfe in scarlett redd,\n That\tis soe seemlye for to see;\n Ffor scarlett is a faire coulour,\n And pleasant allwayes in a woman\u2019s eye.\n 107A.27\t\u2018He must play sixteene games att ball,\n Against the men of this countrye,\n And if he winn the greater part,\n Then I shall love him more tenderlye.\u2019\n 107A.28\tWhat the lady said, Iohn Stewart writt,\n And to Argyle Castle sent it hee;\n And [when] Willie Steward saw the letter,\n Fforth of care-bed then lope hee.\n 107A.29\tHee mustered together his merry men all,\n Hee mustered them soe louelilye;\n Hee thought hee had had scarson halfe a hundred,\n Then had hee eleuen score and three.\n 107A.30\tHe chose forth a hundred of the best\n That\twere to be found in that countrye,\n He cladd them all in one coulour,\n And greene i-wis their liueryes bee.\n 107A.31\tHe cladd himselfe in scarlett redd,\n That\tis soe seemelye for to see;\n Ffor scarlett is a faire coulor,\n And seemlye in a woman\u2019s eye.\n 107A.32\tAnd then towards Patricke Church he went,\n With all his men in braue array,\n To gett a sight, if he might,\n And speake with his lady gay.\n 107A.33\tWhen they came to Patricke\u2019s churche,\n Shee kneeled downe by her mother trulye:\n \u2018O mother, if itt please you to giue me leaue,\n The Stewart\u2019s horsse faine wold I see.\u2019\n 107A.34\t\u2018I\u2019le giue you leaue, my deere daughter,\n And I and my maide will goe with yee:\u2019\n The lady had rather haue gone her selfe\n Then haue had her mother\u2019s companye.\n 107A.35\tWhen they came before Willie Steward,\n Soe well hee cold his curtesye:\n \u2018I wold kisse your daughter, ladye,\u2019 he said,\n \u2018And if your will that soe itt bee.\u2019\n 107A.36\tThe ladye\u2019s mother was content\n To doe a straunger that curtesye;\n And when Willie had gotten a kisse,\n I-wis shee might haue teemed him three.\n 107A.37\tSixteen games were plaid that day there-+-\n This is the truth as I doe say-+-\n Willie Stewart and his merry men,\n Th carryed twelue of them away.\n 107A.38\tAnd when they games that they were done,\n And all they folkes away were gone\n But the Erle of Marr and William Stewart,\n The erle wold needs haue William home.\n 107A.39\tAnd when they came vnto the erle\u2019s howse,\n They walked to a garden greene;\n Ffor to confferr of their bussines,\n Into the garden they be gone.\n 107A.40\t\u2018I loue your daughter,\u2019 saies William Stewart,\n \u2018But I cannott tell whether she loueth mee:\u2019\n \u2018Marry, God defend,\u2019 saies the Erle of Mar,\n \u2019That euer soe that itt shold bee!\n 107A.41\t\u2018I had rather a gallowes there was made,\n And hange thee for my daughter\u2019s sake;\n I had rather a fyer were made att a stake,\n And burne thee for my daughter\u2019s sake!\n 107A.42\t\u2018To chamber, to chamber, gay ladye,\u2019 he saies,\n \u2018In the deuill\u2019s name now I bidd thee!\n And thou gett thee not to the chamber soone,\n I\u2019le beate thee before the Stewart\u2019s eye.\u2019\n 107A.43\tAnd then bespake William Stewart,\n These were the words said hee:\n \u2018If thou beate thy daughter for my sake,\n Thou\u2019st beate a hundred men and mee.\u2019\n 107A.44\tThen bespake Iohn Stewart-+-\n Lord! an angry man was hee-+-\n \u2018O churle, if thou wouldest not haue macht with my brother,\n Thou might haue answerd him curteouslye.\u2019\n 107A.45\t\u2018O hold thy peace, Iohn Stewart,\n And chamber thy words now, I bidd thee;\n If thou chamber not thy words soone,\n Thou\u2019st loose a good service; soe shalt thou doe me.\u2019\n 107A.46\t\u2018Marry! hang them that cares,\u2019 saies Iohn Stewart,\n \u2018Either for thy service or for thee;\n Services can I haue enoughe,\n But brethren wee must euer bee.\u2019\n 107A.47\tWilliam Stewart and his brother Iohn,\n To Argyle Castle gon they bee;\n And when Willye came to Argyle Castle,\n Into care-bedd then lope hee.\n 107A.48\tA parlaiment att Edenborrow was made,\n The king and his nobles all mett there;\n Th sent for William Stewart and Iohn,\n To come amongst the other peeres.\n 107A.49\tTheir clothing was of scarlett redd,\n That\twas soe seemelye for to see;\n Blacke hatts, white feathers plewed with gold,\n And sett all on their heads trulye.\n 107A.50\tTheir stockings were of twisted silke,\n With garters fringed about with gold;\n Their shoes were of the cordevine,\n And all was comelye to behold.\n 107A.51\tAnd when they came to Edenborrowe,\n They called for Iohn Stewart and Willie:\n \u2018I answer in a lord\u2019s roome,\u2019 saies Will Stewart,\n \u2018But an erle I hope to bee.\u2019\n 107A.52\t\u2018Come downe, come downe,\u2019 saies the Lord of Marr,\n \u2018I knew not what was thy degree:\u2019\n \u2018O churle, if I might not haue macht with thy daughter,\n Itt had not beene long of my degree.\n 107A.53\t\u2018My father, hee is the king his brother,\n And then the king is vnckle to me;\n O churle, if I might not haue macht with thy daughter,\n Itt had not beene long of my degree.\u2019\n 107A.54\t\u2018O hold your peace,\u2019 then sayd the king,\n \u2018Cozen William, I doe bidd thee;\n Infaith, cozen William, he loues you the worsse\n Because you are a-kinn to mee.\n 107A.55\t\u2018I\u2019le make thee an erle with a siluer wande,\n And adde more honors still to thee;\n Thy brother Iohn shall be a lord,\n Of the best att home in his countrye.\n 107A.56\t\u2018Thy brother Kester shalbe a knight,\n Lands and liuings I will him giue,\n And still hee shall liue in court with mee,\n And I\u2019le maintaine him whilest he doth liue.\u2019\n 107A.57\tAnd when the parlaiment was done,\n And all the folkes away were gone,\n Willye Stewart and Iohn his brother,\n To Argyle Castle they be gone.\n 107A.58\tBut when they came to Argyle Castle,\n That was soe farr in that countrye,\n He thought soe much then of his loue\n That\tinto care-bedd then lope hee.\n 107A.59\tIohn Stewart did see his brother soe ill,\n Lord in his heart that hee was woe!\n \u2018I will goe wooing for thy sake\n Againe yonder gay ladye to.\n 107A.60\t\u2018I\u2019le cloth my selfe in strange array,\n In a beggar\u2019s habbitt I will goe,\n That\twhen I come before the Erle of Marr\n My clothing strange he shall not knowe.\u2019\n 107A.61\tIohn hee gott on a clouted cloake,\n Soe meete and low then by his knee,\n With four garters vpon one legg,\n Two aboue, and towe below trulye.\n 107A.62\t\u2018But if thou be a beggar, brother,\n Thou art a beggar that is vnknowne;\n Ffor thou art one of the stoutest beggars\n That\teuer I saw since I was borne.\n 107A.63\t\u2018Heere, geeue the lady this gay gold ringe,\n A token to her that well is knowne;\n And if shee but aduise itt well,\n Shee\u2019le know some time itt was her owne.\u2019\n 107A.64\t\u2018Stay, by my faith, I goe not yett,\u2019\n Iohn Stewart he can replye;\n \u2018I\u2019le haue my bottle full of beere,\n The best that is in thy butterye.\n 107A.65\t\u2018I\u2019le haue my sachell filld full of meate,\n I am sure, brother, [it] will doe noe harme;\n Ffor, before I come to the Erle of Marr\u2019s his house,\n My lipps, I am sure, they wilbe warme.\u2019\n 107A.66\tAnd when he came to the Erle of Marr\u2019s house,\n By chance itt was of the dole-day;\n But Iohn cold find no place to stand,\n Vntill he came to the ladye gaye.\n 107A.67\tBut many a beggar he threw downe,\n And made them all with weeping say,\n He is the devill, hee is no beggar,\n That\tis come forth of some strange countrye.\n 107A.68\tAnd now the dole that itt is delte,\n And all the beggars he gon away,\n Sauing Iohn Stewart, that seemed a beggar,\n And the ladye that was soe gay.\n 107A.69\tby my clothes you may thinke that I bee;\n As by my clothes you may thinke that I bee;\n I am your servant, Iohn Stewart,\n And I am sent a messenger to thee.\u2019\n 107A.70\t\u2018But if thou be Iohn Stewart,\n As I doe thinke that thou bee,\n Avayle thy capp, avayle thy hoode,\n And I will stand and speake to thee.\n 107A.71\t\u2018How doth thy brother, Iohn Stewart,\n And all the lords in his countrye?\u2019\n \u2018O fye vpon thee, wicked woman!\n My brother he doth the worsse for thee.\u2019\n 107A.72\tWith that the teares stood in her eyes;\n O lord, shee wept soe tenderlye!\n Sais, Ligg the blame vnto my father;\n I pray you, Iohn Stewart, lay itt not to mee.\n 107A.73\tComend me to my owne true-loue,\n That\tliues soe farr in the North countrye,\n And bidd him meete me att Martingsdale,\n That\tliues soe farr in the North countrye,\n And bidd him meete me att Martingsdale,\n Ffullye w[i]thin these dayes three.\n 107A.74\tHang them, sais the lady gay,\n That\tletts their father witting bee!\n I\u2019le proue a ladye full of loue,\n And be there by the sunn be a quarter highe.\n 107A.75\tAnd bidd him bring with him a hundred gunners,\n And ranke riders lett them bee;\n Lett them be of the rankest ryders\n That\tbe to be found in that countrye.\n 107A.76\tThe best and worse, and all in like,\n Bidd him clothe them in one liuerye;\n And for his men, greene is the best,\n And greene now lett their lyueryes bee.\n 107A.77\tAnd cloth himselfe in scarlett redd,\n That\tis soe seemelye for to see;\n For scarlett is a faire coulor,\n And pleasant in a woman\u2019s eye.\n 107A.78\tWhat they lady sayd, Iohn Stewart writt,\n To Argyle Castle sent itt hee;\n His bagg and his dish and showing horne,\n Unto three beggars he gaue them all three.\n 107A.79\tAnd when Willie Stewart saw the letter,\n Fforth of care-bed then lope hee;\n He thought himselfe as lustye and sound\n As any man in that countrye.\n 107A.80\tHe mustered together his merrymen all,\n He mustered them soe louinglye;\n He thought he had had scarce halfe a hundred,\n Then had hee eleuen score and three.\n 107A.81\tHe chose forth a hundred of the best\n That\twere to be found in that companye,\n And presentlye they tooke their horsse,\n And to Martingsdale posted hee.\n 107A.82\tAnd when he came to Martingsdale,\n He found his loue staying there trulye,\n For shee was a lady true of loue,\n And was there by [the] sunn was a qwarter highe.\n 107A.83\tShee kisst William Stewart and his brother Iohn,\n Soe did shee part of his merry men:\n \u2018If the churle, thy father, hee were here,\n He shold not haue thee backe againe.\u2019\n 107A.84\tThey sent for preist, they sent for clarke,\n And they were marryed there with speede;\n William tooke the lady home with him,\n And they liued together long time indeed.\n 107A.85\tAnd in twelue monthe soe they wrought,\n The lady shee was great with childe;\n The sent Iohn Stewart to the Erle off Marre,\n To come and christen the barne soe milde.\n 107A.86\t\u2018And if this be soe,\u2019 sayes the Erle of Marre,\n \u2018Iohn Stewart, as thou tells mee,\n I hope in God you haue marryed my daughter,\n And put her bodye to honestye.\u2019\n 107A.87\t\u2018Nay, by my faith,\u2019 then saies Iohn Stewart,\n \u2018Ffor euer alas that shall not bee;\n Ffor now wee haue put her body to shame,\n Thou\u2019st haue her againe hame to thee.\u2019\n 107A.88\t\u2018I had rather make thee Erle of Marre,\n And marry my daughter vnto thee;\n For by my faith,\u2019 sais the Erle of Marr,\n \u2018Her marryage is marrd in our countrye.\u2019\n 107A.89\t\u2018If this be soe,\u2019 then sais Iohn Stewart,\n \u2018A marryage soone that thou shalt see;\n Ffor my brother William, my father\u2019s heyre,\n Shall marry thy daughter before thine eye.\u2019\n 107A.90\tThey sent for preist, th sent for clarke,\n And marryed there they were with speed;\n And William Stewart is Erle of Marr,\n And his father-in-law dwells with him indeed.\n \n \n \n 107B: Will Steward and John\n \n \n 107B.1\t\u2018SPEAK for yoursell, John Stewart,\u2019 he did say,\n \u2018Speak for yoursell, John Stewart,\u2019 he did say,\n \u2018Speak for yoursell, John Stewart,\u2019 he did say,\n \u2018And soon an answer I will gie to thee;\n The highest service I can give thee\n Is to wait on my daughter Ailly.\n 107B.2\t\u2019. . . . .\n \n . . . . .\n If ever I gie a man a penny wage,\n I\u2019m sure, John Stewart, ye shall hae three.\u2019\n 107B.3\t\u2018I speak not for mysell,\u2019 John Stewart he did say,\n \u2018I speak for a lord of a higher degree;\n The message is from my brother William,\n Your loving daughter\u2019s husband to be.\u2019\n 107B.4\t\u2019. . . . . .\n . . . . . .\n NN3\ti\u2019ll rather beat fair Ailly in my leather bang,\n As lang as she can either stand or gang.\u2019\n 107B.5\t. . . . .\n . . . . .\n \u2018Ye hadna beat her before my face\n Or ye\u2019ll beat three hundred men and me.\u2019\n 107B.6\tWhen william came to Mulbery Hall,\n He kissd the ladies one and all;\n But when he cam to fair Ailly,\n She thought he might hae gaen her twa or three.\n 107B.7\tBetween the kitchen and the garden\n It is calld a measured mile;\n That lady and that lord fell into discourse,\n And they thought they rode it in a short while.\n Chorus: Tring dilly, tring dilly, tring ding dido,\n Tring dilly, tring dilly, dolo dee.\n \n \n \n \n \n \n Next: 108. Christopher White","title":"The Child Ballads: 107. Will Steward and John","type":"page"}