{"collection":"Northern European Mythology","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/browse/neu/eng/child/ch208.htm","path":"neu/eng/child/ch208.htm","source_url":"https://sacred-texts.com/neu/eng/child/ch208.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 208A: Lord Dernwentwater\n \n \n 208A.1 OUR king has wrote a lang letter,\n And sealed it owre with gold;\n He sent to my lord Dunwaters,\n To read it if he could.\n 208A.2 He has not sent it with a boy, with a boy,\n Nor with anie Scotch lord;\n But he\u2019s sent it with the noblest knight\n Eer Scotland could afford.\n 208A.3 The very first line that my lord did read,\n He gave a smirkling smile;\n Before he had the half o\u2019t read,\n The tears from his eyes did fall.\n 208A.4 \u2018Come saddle to me my horse,\u2019 he said,\n \u2018Come saddle to me with speed;\n For I must away to fair London town,\n For me was neer more need.\u2019\n 208A.5 Out and spoke his lady gay,\n In child-bed where she lay:\n \u2018I would have you make your will, my lord Dunwaters,\n Before you go away.\u2019\n 208A.6 \u2018I leave to you, my eldest son,\n My houses and my land;\n I leave to you, my second son,\n Ten thousand pounds in hand.\n 208A.7 \u2018I leave to you, my lady gay-+--+-\n You are my wedded wife-+--+-\n I leave to you, the third of my estate;\n That\u2019ll keep you in a lady\u2019s life.\u2019\n 208A.8 They had not rode a mile but one,\n Till his horse fell owre a stane:\n \u2018It\u2019s warning gude eneuch,\u2019 my lord Dunwaters said,\n \u2018Alive I\u2019ll neer come hame.\u2019\n 208A.9 When they came into fair London town,\n Into the courtiers\u2019 hall,\n The lords and knichts in fair London town\n Did him a traitor call.\n 208A.10 \u2018A traitor! a traitor!\u2019 says my lord,\n \u2018A traitor! how can that be,\n An it was na for the keeping of five thousand men\n To fight for King Jamie?\n 208A.11 \u2018O all you lords and knichts in fair London town,\n Come out and see me die;\n O all you lords and knichts into fair London town,\n Be kind to my ladie.\n 208A.12 \u2018There\u2019s fifty pounds in my richt pocket,\n Divide it to the poor;\n There\u2019s other fifty pounds in my left pocket,\n Divide it from door to door.\u2019\n \n \n \n 208B: Lord Dernwentwater\n \n \n 208B.1 THE king he wrote a love-letter,\n And he sealed it up with gold,\n And he sent it to Lord Derwentwater,\n For to read it if he could.\n 208B.2 The first two lines that he did read,\n They made him for to smile;\n But the next two lines he looked upon\n Made the tears from his eyes to fall.\n 208B.3 \u2018Oh,\u2019 then cried out his lady fair,\n As she in child-bed lay,\n \u2018Make your will, make your will, Lord Derwentwater,\n Before that you go away.\u2019\n 208B.4 \u2018Then here\u2019s for thee, my lady fair,\n . . . .\n A thousand pounds of beaten gold,\n To lead you a lady\u2019s life.\u2019\n 208B.5 . . . .\n . . his milk-white steed,\n The ring dropt from his little finger,\n And his nose it began to bleed.\n 208B.6 He rode, and he rode, and he rode along,\n Till he came to Westminster Hall,\n Where all the lords of England\u2019s court\n A traitor did him call.\n 208B.7 \u2018Oh, why am I a traitor?\u2019 said he;\n \u2018Indeed, I am no such thing;\n I have fought the battles valiantly\n Of James, our noble king.\u2019\n 208B.8 O then stood up an old gray-headed man,\n With a pole-axe in his hand:\n \u2018\u2019Tis your head, \u2019tis your head, Lord Derwentwater,\n \u2019Tis your head that I demand.\u2019\n 208B.9 . . . .\n His eyes with weeping sore,\n He laid his head upon the block,\n And words spake never more.\n \n \n \n 208C: Lord Dernwentwater\n \n \n 208C.1 THE king has written a broad letter,\n And seald it up with gold,\n And sent it to the lord of Derwentwater,\n To read it if he would.\n 208C.2 He sent it with no boy, no boy,\n Nor yet with eer a slave,\n But he sent it with as good a knight\n As eer a king could have.\n 208C.3 When he read the three first lines,\n He then began to smile;\n And when he read the three next lines\n The tears began to sile.\n \n \n \n 208D: Lord Dernwentwater\n \n \n 208D.1 THE king has written a braid letter,\n And seald it up wi gowd,\n And sent it to Lord Derntwater,\n To read it if he coud.\n 208D.2 The first lines o\u2019t that he read,\n A blythe, blythe man was he;\n But ere he had it half read through,\n The tear blinded his ee.\n 208D.3 \u2018Go saddle to me my milk-white horse,\n Go saddle it with speed;\n For I maun ride to Lun[n]on town,\n To answer for my head.\u2019\n 208D.4 \u2018Your will, your will, my lord Derntwater,\n Your will before ye go;\n For you will leave three dochters fair,\n And a wife to wail and woe.\u2019\n 208D.5 \u2018My will, my will, my lady Derntwater?\n Ye are my wedded wife;\n Be kind, be kind to my dochters dear,\n If I should lose my life.\u2019\n 208D.6 He set his ae fit on the grund,\n The tither on the steed;\n The ring upon his finger burst,\n And his nose began to bleed.\n 208D.7 He rode till he cam to Lunnon town,\n To a place they ca Whiteha;\n And a\u2019 the lords o merry England\n A traitor him gan ca.\n 208D.8 \u2018A traitor! a traitor! O what means this?\n A traitor! what mean ye?\u2019\n \u2018It\u2019s a\u2019 for the keeping o five hundred men\n To fecht for bonny Jamie.\u2019\n 208D.9 Then up started a gray-headed man,\n Wi a braid axe in his hand:\n \u2018Your life, your life, my lord Derntwater,\n Your life\u2019s at my command.\u2019\n 208D.10 \u2018My life, my life, ye old gray-headed man,\n My life I\u2019ll freely gie;\n But before ye tak my life awa\n Let me speak twa words or three.\n 208D.11 \u2018I\u2019ve fifty pounds in ae pocket,\n Go deal it frae door to door;\n I\u2019ve fifty five i the other pocket,\n Go gie it to the poor.\n 208D.12 \u2018The velvet coat that I hae on,\n Ye may take it for your fee;\n And a\u2019 ye lords o merry Scotland\n Be kind to my ladie!\u2019\n \n \n \n 208E: Lord Dernwentwater\n \n \n 208E.1 THE king wrote a letter to my lord Derwentwater,\n And he sealed it with gold;\n He sent it to my Lord Derwentwater,\n To read it if he could.\n 208E.2 He sent it by no boy,\n He sent it by no slave,\n But he sent it by as true a knight\n As heart could wish or have.\n 208E.3 The very first line that he looked upon\n Made him for to laugh and to smile;\n The very next line that he looked upon,\n The tears from his eyes did fall.\n 208E.4 He called to his stable-boy\n To saddle his bonny grey steed,\n \u2018That I unto loving London\n May ride away with speed.\u2019\n 208E.5 \u2018His wife heard him say so,\n In childbed as she lay;\n Says she, \u2018My lord Derwentwater,\n Make thy will before thou goest away.\u2019\n 208E.6 \u2018It\u2019s to my little son I give\n My houses and my land,\n And to my little daughter\n Ten thousand pounds in hand.\n 208E.7 \u2018And unto thee, my lady gay,\n Who is my wedded wife,\n The third part of my estate thou shalt have,\n To maintain thee through thy life.\u2019\n 208E.8 He set his foot in the level stirrup,\n And mounted his bonny grey steed;\n The gold rings from his fingers did break,\n And his nose began for to bleed.\n 208E.9 He had not ridden past a mile or two,\n When his horse stumbled over a stone;\n \u2018These are tokens enough,\u2019 said my lord Derwentwater,\n \u2018That I shall never return.\u2019\n 208E.10 He rode and he rode till he came to merry London,\n And near to that famous hall;\n The lords and knights of merry London,\n They did him a traitor call.\n 208E.11 \u2018A traitor! a traitor! a traitor!\u2019 he cried,\n \u2018A traitor! how can that be,\n Unless it\u2019s for keeping five hundred men\n For to fight for King Jamie?\u2019\n 208E.12 It\u2019s up yon steps there stands a good old man,\n With a broad axe in his hand;\n Says he, \u2018Now, my lord Derwentwater,\n Thy life\u2019s at my command.\u2019\n 208E.13 \u2018My life, my life, thou good old man,\n My life I\u2019ll give to thee,\n And the green coat of velvet on my back\n Thou mayst take it for thy fee.\n 208E.14 \u2018There\u2019s fifty pounds and five in my right pocket,\n Give that unto the poor;\n There\u2019s twenty pounds and five in my left pocket,\n Deal that from door to door.\u2019\n 208E.15 Then he laid his head on the fatal block,\n * * * * *\n \n \n \n 208F: Lord Dernwentwater\n \n \n 208F.1 THE king has written a broad letter,\n And seald it with his hand,\n And sent it on to Lord Arnwaters,\n To read and understand.\n 208F.2 Now he has sent it by no boy,\n No boy, nor yet a slave,\n But one of England\u2019s fairest knights,\n The one that he would have.\n 208F.3 When first he on the letter lookd,\n Then he began to smile;\n But ere he read it to an end,\n The tears did trickling fall.\n 208F.4 He calld upon his saddle-groom\n To saddle his milk-white steed,\n \u2018For I unto London must go,\n For me there is much need.\u2019\n 208F.5 Out then speaks his gay lady,\n In child-bed where she lay:\n \u2018Make your will, make your will, my knight,\n For fear ye rue the day.\u2019\n 208F.6 \u2018I\u2019ll leave unto my eldest son\n My houses and my lands;\n I\u2019ll leave unto my youngest son\n Full forty thousand pounds.\n 208F.7 \u2018I\u2019ll leave unto my gay lady,\n And to my loving wife,\n The second part of my estate,\n To maintain a lady\u2019s life.\u2019\n 208F.8 He kissd her on the pillow soft,\n In child-bed where she lay,\n And bade farewell, neer to return,\n Unto his lady gay.\n 208F.9 He put his foot in the stirup,\n His nose began to bleed;\n The ring from \u2019s finger burst in two\n When he mounted on his steed.\n 208F.10 He had not rode a mile or two\n Till his horse stumbled down;\n \u2018A token good,\u2019 said Lord Arnwaters,\n \u2018I\u2019ll never reach London town.\u2019\n 208F.11 But when into Westminster Hall,\n Amongst the nobles all,\n \u2018A traitor, a traitor, Lord Arnwaters,\n A traitor,\u2019 they did him call.\n 208F.12 \u2018A traitor? a traitor how call ye me?\n And a traitor how can I be\n For keeping seven thousand valiant men\n To fight for brave Jamie?\u2019\n 208F.13 Up then came a brave old man,\n With a broad ax in his hand:\n \u2018Your life, your life, Lord Arnwaters,\n Your life\u2019s at my command.\u2019\n 208F.14 \u2018My life, my life, my brave old man,\n My life I\u2019ll give to thee,\n And the coat of green that\u2019s on my back\n You shall have for your fee.\n 208F.15 \u2018There\u2019s fifty pounds in one pocket,\n Pray deal\u2019t among the poor;\n There\u2019s fifty and four in the other pocket,\n Pray deal\u2019t from door to door.\n 208F.16 \u2018There\u2019s one thing more I have to say,\n This day before I die;\n To beg the lords and nobles all\n To be kind to my lady.\u2019\n \n \n \n 208G: Lord Dernwentwater\n \n \n 208G.1 THE king has wrote a long letter,\n And sealed it with his han,\n And he has sent it to my lord Dunwaters,\n To read it if he can.\n 208G.2 The very first line he lookit upon,\n It made him to lauch and to smile;\n The very next line he lookit upon,\n The tear from his eye did fall.\n 208G.3 \u2018As for you, my auldest son,\n My houses and my land;\n And as for you, my youngest son,\n Ten thousand pound in hand.\n 208G.4 \u2018As for you, my gay lady,\n You being my wedded wife,\n The third of my estate I will leave to you,\n For to keep you in a lady\u2019s life.\u2019\n * * * * *\n \n \n \n 208H: Lord Dernwentwater\n \n \n 208H.1 THE king he wrote a letter,\n And seal d it with gold,\n And sent it to Lor Derwentwater,\n To read it if he could.\n 208H.2 The first three lines he looked upon,\n They made him to smile;\n And the next three lines he looked upon\n Made tears fall from his eyes.\n 208H.3 O then bespoke his gay lady,\n As she on a sick-bed lay:\n \u2018Make your will, my lord,\n Before you go away.\u2019\n 208H.4 \u2018O there is for my eldest son\n My houses and my land,\n And there is for my youngest son\n Ten thousand pounds in hand.\n 208H.5 \u2018There is for you, my gay lady,\n My true and lawful wife,\n The third part of my whole estate,\n To maintain you a lady\u2019s life.\u2019\n 208H.6 Then he called to his stable-groom\n To bring him his gray steed;\n For he must to London go,\n The king had sent indeed.\n 208H.7 When he put his foot in the stirrup,\n To mount his grey steed,\n His gold ring from his finger burst,\n And his nose began to bleed.\n 208H.8 He had not gone but half a mile\n When it began to rain;\n \u2018Now this is a token,\u2019 his lordship said,\n \u2018That I shall not return again.\u2019\n 208H.9 When he unto London came,\n A mob did at him rise,\n And they call d him a traitor,\n Made the tears fall from his eyes.\n 208H.10 \u2018A traitor, a traitor!\u2019 his lordship said,\n . . . .\n Is it for keeping eight score men\n To fight for pretty Jimmee?\u2019\n 208H.11 O then bespoke a grave man,\n With a broad axe in his hand:\n \u2018Hold your tongue, Lord Derwentwater,\n Your life lies at my command.\u2019\n 208H.12 \u2018My life, my life,\u2019 his lordship said,\n \u2018My life I will give to thee,\n And the black velvet coat upon my back,\n Take it for thy fee.\u2019\n 208H.13 Then he laid his head upon the block,\n He did such courage show,\n And asked the executioner\n To cut it off at one blow.\n \n \n \n 208I: Lord Dernwentwater\n \n \n 208I.1 KING GEORGE he did a letter write,\n And sealed it up with gold,\n And sent it to Lord Derwentwater,\n To read it if he could.\n 208I.2 He sent his letter by no post,\n He sent it by no page,\n But sent it by a gallant knight\n As eer did combat wage.\n 208I.3 The first line that my lord lookd on\n Struck him with strong surprise;\n The second, more alarming still,\n Made tears fall from his eyes.\n 208I.4 He called up his stable-groom,\n Saying, Saddle me well my steed,\n For I must up to London go,\n Of me there seems great need.\n 208I.5 His lady, hearing what he said,\n As she in child-bed lay,\n Cry\u2019d, My dear lord, pray make your will\n Before you go away.\n 208I.6 \u2018I\u2019ll leave to thee, my eldest son,\n My houses and my land;\n I\u2019ll leave to thee, my younger son,\n Ten thousand pounds in hand.\n 208I.7 \u2018I\u2019ll leave to thee, my lady gay,\n My lawful married wife,\n A third part of my whole estate,\n To keep thee a lady\u2019s life.\u2019\n 208I.8 He knelt him down by her bed-side,\n And kissed her lips so sweet;\n The words that passd, alas! presaged\n They never more should meet.\n 208I.9 Again he calld his stable-groom,\n Saying, Bring me out my steed,\n For I must up to London go,\n With instant haste and speed.\n 208I.10 He took the reins into his hand,\n Which shook with fear and dread;\n The rings from off his fingers dropt,\n His nose gushd out and bled.\n 208I.11 He had but ridden miles two or three\n When stumbling fell his steed;\n \u2018Ill omens these,\u2019 Derwentwater said,\n \u2018That I for James must bleed.\u2019\n 208I.12 As he rode up Westminster street,\n In sight of the White Hall,\n The lords and ladies of London town\n A traitor they did him call.\n 208I.13 \u2018A traitor!\u2019 Lord Derwentwater said,\n \u2018A traitor how can I be,\n Unless for keeping five hundred men\n Fighting for King Jemmy?\u2019\n 208I.14 Then started forth a grave old man,\n With a broad-mouthd axe in hand:\n \u2018Thy head, thy head, Lord Derwentwater,\n Thy head\u2019s at my command.\u2019\n 208I.15 \u2018My head, my head, thou grave old man,\n My head I will give thee;\n Here\u2019s a coat of velvet on my back\n Will surely pay thy fee.\n 208I.16 \u2018But give me leave,\u2019 Derwentwater said,\n \u2018To speak words two or three;\n Ye lords and ladies of London town,\n Be kind to my lady.\n 208I.17 \u2018Here\u2019s a purse of fifty sterling pounds,\n Pray give it to the poor;\n Here\u2019s one of forty-five beside\n You may dole from door to door.\u2019\n 208I.18 He laid his head upon the block,\n The axe was sharp and strong,\n . . . .\n . . .\n \n \n \n 208[J]: Lord Dernwentwater\n \n \n 208[J].1\tThe king has written a brod letter,\n An sealled it our with gould,\n An sent it to Lord Darnwater,\n To read it if he could.\n 208[J.2]\tWhan Lord Darnwater saa the letter,\n A light laughter lough he;\n Bat or he read it to an end\n The tear blinded his eye,\n An sighan said him good Lord Darnwater,\n I am near the day to dei.\n 208[J.3]\tOut spak his lady,\n In child-bed wher she lay;\n \u2018My d[ea]r Lord Darnweter, what is to becom of me,\n An my young famely?\u2019\n 208[J.4]\t\u2018I will leave my young famely\n As well as I cane;\n For I will leave to my lady\n The third part of my land,\n An I will live to my e[l]dest son,\n The tua part of my land.\n 208[J.5]\t\u2018An I will live to my eldest daught[er]\n Five thousand pound of gold,\n An I will live to my second daughter\n Three thousand pound of gold.\n 208[J.6]\t\u2018Ye saddel to me my littel gray horse,\n That I had wont to ried;\n . . . . . . . .\n . . . . . . . .\n 208[J.7]\tThe first stape Lord Darnwater staped,\n He stumbled on a ston;\n Said Lord Darnwater,\n I feer I ill never come home.\n 208[J.8]\tWhen he came to fair London city,\n An near unt[o] the toun,\n \u2018A trater! a trater!\u2019 said they,\n \u2018A trator wee see!\u2019\n 208[J.9]\t\u2018A trater?\u2019 said good Lord Darnwater,\n \u2018A trator I nier could be,\n Unless it was bringen three hundred men\n To fight for young Jamie.\u2019\n 208[J.10]\tBut when he came to Tour Hill\n Befor him came a bold man,\n . . . . . . . .\n With a broad aix in his hand.\n 208[J.11]\t. . . . . . . .\n . . . . . . . .\n \u2018Hear is five ginies of gold an my green velvet coat,\n For to be your fee.\u2019\n 208[J.12]\t\u2018Ye nobels all,\n Come hear to see me die,\n An ye peopell of fair Sco[t]land,\n Be kind to my family.\u2019\n 208[J.13]\tLord Darnuater was dumed to die, to die,\n Good Lord Darnwater was dumed to die.\n \n \n \n \n \n \n Next: 209. Geordie","title":"The Child Ballads: 208. Lord Dernwentwater","type":"page"}