Edward

Edward

Original Text
The English and Scottish Popular Ballads, ed. Francis James Child, 5 vols. (1884-1898; New York: Dover, 1965), I: 169-70 (13B).
2   Edward, Edward,
3Why dois your brand sae drap wi bluid,
5“O I hae killed my hauke sae guid,
6   Mither, mither,
7O I hae killed my hauke sae guid,
8  And I had nae mair bot hee O.”
9“Your haukis bluid was nevir sae reid,
10   Edward, Edward,
11Your haukis bluid was nevir sae reid,
12  My deir son I tell thee O.”
13“O I hae killed my reid-roan steid,
14   Mither, mither,
15O I hae killed my reid-roan steid,
17“Your steid was auld, and ye hae gat mair,
18   Edward, Edward,
19Your steid was auld, and ye hae gat mair,
21“O I hae killed my fadir deir,
22   Mither, mither,
23O I hae killed my fadir deir,
24  Alas, and wae is mee O!”
25“And whatten penance wul ye drie, for that,
26   Edward, Edward,
27And whatten penance will ye drie for that?
28  My deir son, now tell me O.”
30   Mither, mither,
31Ile set my feit in yonder boat,
32  And Ile fare ovir the sea O.”
34   Edward, Edward?
35And what wul you doe wi your towirs and your ha,
36  That were sae fair to see O?”
38   Mither, mither,
39Ile let thame stand till they down fa,
42   Edward, Edward?
43And what wul ye leive to your bairns and your wife,
44  Whan ye gang ovir the sea O?”
46   Mither, mither,
47The warldis room, late them beg thrae life,
48  For thame nevir mair wul I see O.”
49“And what wul ye leive to your ain mither deir,
50   Edward, Edward?
51And what wul ye leive to your ain mither deir?
52  My deir son, now tell me O.”
54   Mither, mither,
55The curse of hell frae me sall ye beir,

Notes

1] brand: sword. sae: so. drap: drop. Back to Line
4] gang: go. Back to Line
16] erst: before. Back to Line
20] dule: grief. drie: suffer. Back to Line
29] feit: feet. Back to Line
33] ha: hall. Back to Line
37] tul: till. Back to Line
40] maun: must. Back to Line
41] bairns: children. Back to Line
45] room: wide. thrae: through. Back to Line
53] sall: shall. beir: bear, endure. Back to Line
56] Sic: such. Back to Line
Publication Start Year
1765
Publication Notes
Percy's Reliques (1765), I:53.
RPO poem Editors
Ian Lancashire
Rhyme