{"collection":"Northern European Mythology","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/browse/neu/eng/child/ch244.htm","path":"neu/eng/child/ch244.htm","source_url":"https://sacred-texts.com/neu/eng/child/ch244.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 244A: James Hatley\n \n \n 244A.1 IT happened once upon a time,\n When the king he was from home,\n Sir Fenwick he has stolen his jewels,\n And laid the blame on James Hatley.\n 244A.2 James Hatley was in prison strong,\n A wait he was condemned to die;\n There was not one in all the court\n To speak one word for James Hatley.\n 244A.3 No one but the king\u2019s daughter,\n A wait she loved him tenderlie;\n She\u2019s stolen the keys from her father\u2019s head,\n And gaed and conversed wi James Hatley.\n 244A.4 \u2018Come, tell to me noe, James,\u2019 she said,\n \u2018Come, tell to me if thou hast them stolen,\n And I\u2019ll make a vow, and I\u2019ll keep it true,\n Ye shall never be the worse of me.\u2019\n 244A.5 \u2018I have not stolen them, lady,\u2019 he said,\n \u2018Nor as little it was intended by me;\n Sir Fenwick he has stolen them himself;\n A wait he has laid the blame on me.\u2019\n 244A.6 \u2018One asking, one asking, father dear,\n One asking, one asking grant to me,\n For I never asked one in my life;\n I am sure you cannot but grant it to me.\u2019\n 244A.7 \u2018Weel ask it, weel ask it, daughter dear,\n Ask it, and it granted shall be;\n If it should be my hole estate,\n Naesaid, naesaid, it shall not be.\u2019\n 244A.8 \u2018I want none of your gold, father,\n And I want none of your fee;\n All that I ask, father dear,\n It is the life of James Hatley.\u2019\n 244A.9 \u2018Weel ask it, weel ask it, daughter dear,\n Weel ask it, and it answer d shall be;\n For I\u2019ll make a vow, and I\u2019ll keep it true,\n James Hatley shall never hang d be.\u2019\n 244A.10 \u2018Another asking, father dear,\n Another asking grant to me;\n Let Fenwick and Hatley go [to] the sword,\n And let them try their verity.\u2019\n 244A.11 \u2019Tis weel asked, daughter dear,\n \u2019Tis weel asked, and it granted shall be;\n For eer the morn or twelve o\u2019clock\n They both at the point of the sword shall be.\u2019\n 244A.12 James Hatley was fifteen years old,\n Sir Fenwick he was thirty three;\n But James lap about, and he struck about,\n Till he\u2019s gaen Sir Fenwick wounds three.\n 244A.13 \u2018Hold up, hold, James Hatley,\u2019 he cry\u2019d,\n \u2018And let my breath go out an;\n For I have stolen them myself,\n More shame and disgrace it is to me.\u2019\n 244A.14 Up and spake an English lord,\n And O but he spake haughtily!\n \u2018I would reather given my whole estates\n Before ye had not hanged James Hatley.\u2019\n 244A.15 But up and spake a Scottish lord,\n And O but he spake boldly!\n \u2018I would reather hae foughten among blood to the knees\n Before ye had hanged James Hatley.\u2019\n 244A.16 Up and spake the king\u2019s eldest son,\n \u2018Come hame, James Hatley, and dine wi me;\n For I\u2019ve made a vow, I\u2019ll keep it true,\n Ye\u2019s be my captain by land and by sea.\u2019\n 244A.17 Up and spake the king\u2019s daughter,\n \u2018Come home, James Hatley, and dine wi me;\n For I\u2019ve made a vow, I\u2019ll keep it true,\n I\u2019ll never marry a man but thee.\u2019\n \n \n \n 244B: James Hatley\n \n \n 244B.1 IT happened once upon a time,\n When the king he was from home,\n False Fennick he has stolen his jewels,\n And laid the blame on James Hately.\n 244B.2 The day was sett . .\n And the wind blew shill oer the lea;\n There was not one in all the court\n To speak a word for James Hately.\n 244B.3 James is to the prince\u2019s chamber gone,\n And he\u2019s bowd low down on his knee:\n \u2018What will ye do for me, my little pretty prince?\n O what will ye do for your page, James Hately?\u2019\n 244B.4 . . . .\n . . . .\n \u2018And I will away to my father, the king,\n And see if your life can sav d be.\u2019\n 244B.5 Hte prince he\u2019s to his father gone,\n And he\u2019s bowed low down on his knee:\n \u2018What will ye do for me, my father?\n O what will ye do for my page, James Hatley?\u2019\n 244B.6 \u2018James Hately has my jewels stolen,\n A Norland lord hath told it to me;\n James Hately has my jewels stolen,\n And oer the barras he maun die.\u2019\n 244B.7 The prince he drew his little brown sword-+--+-\n It was made of the metal so free-+--+-\n And he swore he would fight them man by man\n That would lay the blame on James Hately.\n 244B.8 Up then spoke the false Fennick,\n And an ill-spoken man was he;\n \u2018James Hately has the king\u2019s jewels stolen,\n . . . . \u2019\n 244B.9 The prince he drew his little brown sword-+--+-\n It was made of the metal so free-+--+-\n And he\u2019s thrust it in false Fennick\u2019s side,\n And given him death-wounds two or three.\n 244B.10 \u2018O hold your hand, my little pretty prince,\n And let my breath go out and in,\n For spilling of my noble blood\n And shaming of my noble kin.\n 244B.11 \u2018O hold your hand, my little pretty prince,\n And let my breath go out and in,\n And there\u2019s the key of my coffer,\n And you\u2019ll find the king\u2019s jewels lying therein.\u2019\n 244B.12 \u2018If this be true,\u2019 the king he said,\n \u2018If this be true ye tell to me,\n I will take your lands, false Fennick,\u2019 he said,\n \u2018And give them all to James Hatley.\u2019\n \n \n \n 244C: James Hatley\n \n \n 244C.1 THERE was a fause knicht in the court,\n And he was fu o treacherie,\n And he staw the queen\u2019s jewels in the nicht,\n And left the wyte on Jamie O\u2019Lee.\n 244C.2 The king he wrate a braid letter,\n And sealed it richt tenderlie,\n And he sent it to his only son,\n To come and speak to him speedilie.\n 244C.3 When he cam afore the king,\n He kneeled low down on his knee:\n \u2018What is your will, my sovereign leige?\n What is your will? cum tell to me.\u2019\n 244C.4 \u2018Jamie O\u2019Lee has my jewels stown,\n As the English lord tells unto me,\n And out o Scotland he shall be sent,\n And sent awa to Germanie.\u2019\n 244C.5 \u2018O no, O no,\u2019 then said the prince,\n \u2018Sic things as that can never be;\n But get me a man that will take on hand\n The morn to fecht young Jamie O\u2019Lee.\u2019\n 244C.6 Syne out and spak the fause Phenix,\n And oh, he spak richt spitefullie;\n \u2018I am the man will tak on han\n To fecht and conquer Jamie O\u2019Lee.\u2019\n 244C.7 \u2018Oh no, oh no,\u2019 syne said the prince,\n \u2018Sic things as that can never bee,\n For Jamie O\u2019Lee\u2019s no fifteen years auld,\n And ye, fause Phenix, are thretty three.\u2019\n 244C.8 The prince he mounted then wi speed,\n He\u2019s aff wi tidings to Jamie O\u2019Lee,\n Saying, The morn\u2019s morning ye maun fecht,\n Or out o England banisht bee.\n 244C.9 When Jamie O\u2019Lee the tidings heard,\n Fast the saut tear blindit his ee;\n \u2018I\u2019m saikless o thae jewels,\u2019 he said,\n \u2018As the bairn that sits on the nourice knee.\u2019\n 244C.10 Then Phenix munted a scaffold hie,\n A\u2019 for to shaw his veritie;\n Whilk gart the nobles a\u2019 to cry\n \u2018A dead man are ye, Jamie O\u2019Lee!\u2019\n 244C.11 The first straik the fause Phenix gied,\n He gart the blude rin speedilie;\n It gart the prince\u2019s heart to ache,\n And cry, Oh, alace for my Jamie O\u2019Lee!\n 244C.12 Jamie O\u2019Lee he stepped back,\n Waiting for opportunitie,\n And wi his sword baith lang and sharp\n He ran it thro Phenix fause bodie.\n 244C.13 \u2018O haud your hand, Jamie O\u2019Lee,\u2019 he said,\n \u2018And let the breath remain in me,\n And skail nae mair o my noble blude,\n \u2019Tis a great disgrace to my loyaltie.\u2019\n 244C.14 \u2018Confess, confess, ye fause Phenix,\n Confess your faults this day to me;\n Were there nae mair men in a\u2019 England,\n My ain twa hands your death suld be.\u2019\n 244C.15 \u2018Ye were sae great wi king and queen,\n I thocht I wuld hae banisht thee,\n And I staw the queen\u2019s jewels in the nicht,\n And left the wyte on Jamie O\u2019Lee.\u2019\n 244C.16 Syne out and spak the king himsell,\n Saying, Jamie O\u2019Lee, come hame wi me,\n And there\u2019s no a knicht in a\u2019 my court\n But what at your command sall be.\n 244C.17 Syne out and spak the queen hersell,\n Saying, Jamie O\u2019Lee, come hame wi me,\n And there\u2019s no a month in a\u2019 the year\n But changed a brothered ye sall be.\n 244C.18 Syne out and spak the prince himsell,\n Saying, Jamie O\u2019Lee, come hame wi me,\n I hae free lands in a\u2019 Scotland,\n And at your command they a\u2019 sall be.\n 244C.19 \u2018I thank ye, king, and I thank ye, queen,\n I thank ye a\u2019 nobilitie,\n But a prince\u2019s page I was a\u2019 my life,\n And a prince\u2019s page I yet will be.\u2019\n 244C.20 The king gied him a silk waistcoat,\n And it was lined wi the taffetie,\n Wi a band o gowd around his neck,\n And a prince\u2019s page he seems to be.\n \n \n \n \n \n \n Next: 245. Young Allan","title":"The Child Ballads: 244. James Hatley","type":"page"}