Part 7 (1/2)

”Away” quoth he ”with this silly foole!

In prison fast let her lie: For she is come of the English bloud, And for these words she shall dye.”

With that bespake Lord Thomas Howard, The Queenes chamberlaine that day: ”If that you put Queene Margaret to death, Scotland shall rue it alway.”

Then in a rage King Jamie did say, ”Away with this foolish mome; He shall be hanged, and the other be burned, So soone as I come home.”

At Flodden Field the Scots came in, Which made our English men faine; At Bramstone Greene this battaile was seene, There was King Jamie slaine.

His bodie never could be found, When he was over throwne, And he that wore faire Scotland's crowne That day could not be knowne.

Then presently the Scot did flie, Their cannons they left behind; Their ensignes gay were won all away, Our souldiers did beate them blinde.

To tell you plaine, twelve thousand were slaine, That to the fight did stand, And many prisoners tooke that day, The best in all Scotland.

That day made many [a] fatherlesse child, And many a widow poore, And many a Scottish gay lady Sate weeping in her bower.

Jack with a feather was lapt all in leather, His boastings were all in vaine; He had such a chance, with a new morrice-dance He never went home againe.

This was written to adapt the ballad to the seventeenth century.

Now heaven we laude that never more Such biding shall come to hand; Our King, by othe, is King of both England and faire Scotland.

Helen of Kirkconnell

I wad I were where Helen lies; Night and day on me she cries; O that I were where Helen lies, On fair Kirkconnell lea!

Curst be the heart that thought the thought, And curst the hand that fired the shot, When in my arms burd Helen dropt, And died to succour me!

O think na but my heart was sair When my Love dropt and spak nae mair!

I laid her down wi' meikle care, On fair Kirkconnell lea.

As I went down the water side, Nane but my foe to be my guide, Nane but my foe to be my guide, On fair Kirkconnell lea.

I lighted down my sword to draw, I hacked him in pieces sma', I hacked him in pieces sma', For her sake that died for me.

O Helen fair, beyond compare!

I'll make a garland of thy hair, Shall bind my heart for evermair, Until the day I dee!

O that I were where Helen lies Night and day on me she cries; Out of my bed she bids me rise, Says, ”Haste, and come to me!”

O Helen fair! O Helen chaste!

If I were with thee, I were blest, Where thou lies low and takes thy rest, On fair Kirkconnell lea.