The Retrogressive Period 1400-1500 Optional Ballads Chevy Chase. Robin Hood And The Monk. SIR PATRICK SPENS The king sits in Dumferling toune, "O whar will I get guid sailor, 5 Up and spake an eldern knicht, ΙΟ * 15 "Sir Patrick Spence is the best sailor, The king has written a braid letter, And sent it to Sir Patrick Spence, Was walking on the sand. The first line that Sir Patrick red, A loud lauch lauched he; The next line that Sir Patrick red, The teir blinded his ee. "O wha is this has done this deid, This ill deid don to me, 20 25 30 To send me out this time o' the yeir, "Mak hast, mak haste, my mirry men all, Our guid schip sails the morne : "O say na sae, my master deir, For I feir a deadlie storme. "Late late yestreen I saw the new moone, That we will cum to harme." O our Scots nobles wer richt laith O lang, lang may their ladies sit, 40 O lang, lang may the ladies stand, Haf owre, haf owre to Aberdour, It's fiftie fadom deip, And thair lies guid Sir Patrick Spence, Wi the Scots lords at his feit. Define a folk-ballad. Note the common ballad-metre. Observe the historical, enveloping action of this ballad. THE NUT-BROWN MAID "Be it ryght or wrong, these men among A labour spent in vayne 5 To love them wele, for never a dele ΙΟ Theyr favour to attayne, Theyr first true lover than Laboureth for nought, for from her thought “I say nat nay, but that all day It is bothe writ and sayd, 15 That womans faith is, as who sayth, All utterly decayd; 20 25 30 But neverthelesse, ryght good wytnesse That they love true, and continue : Recorde the Not-browne Mayde; Which, when her love came, her to prove, Wolde nat depart, for in her hart "Than betwaine us late us dyscus Betwayne them two; we wyll also Wherefore all ye that present be, I am the knyght, I come by nyght, As secret as I can, 6 35 Sayinge, Alas! thus standeth the case, I am a banyshed man.'" 40 SHE. "And I your wyll for to fulfyll Trustying to shewe, in wordes fewe, That men have an yll use (To theyr own shame), women to blame, And causelesse them accuse : Therfore to you I answere nowe, All women to excuse, 45 'Myne owne hart dere, with you what chere? I pray you tell anone: 50 For in my mynde, of all mankynde I love but you alone.'” HE. "It standeth so: a dede is do Wherof grete harme shall growe. My destiny is for to dy A shamefull deth, I trowe, Or elles to fle: the one must be: None other way I knowe, 55 But to withdrawe as an outlawe, And take me to my bowe. 60 Wherfore, adue, my owne hart true, For I must to the grene wode go SHE. "O Lord, what is thys worldys blysse That changeth as the mone! My somers day in lusty May Is derked before the none. 65 I here you say farewell: Nay, nay, We depart nat so sone. "I can beleve it shall you greve, And somewhat you dystrayne; 75 But aftyrwarde your paynes harde, 80 Why sholde ye ought? for, to make thought Your labour were in vayne: And thus I do, and pray you to, As hartely as I can : For I must to the grene wode go Alone, a banyshed man." SHE. 85 "Now syth that ye have shewed to me I shall be playne to you agayne, |