Earl Richard- Herd (Scotland) 1776 Child G
[This fragment of the ballad appears without title or comment in Herd's Scottish Songs, 1776, I, p. 148. I've titled it Earl Richard- in Herd's Table of Contents, the first Line is used, "She has Call'd To Her, Her Bower-Maidens."]
[Earl Richard]- Version G; Child 68 Young Hunting
Herd's Manuscripts, I, 34; Herd's Scottish Songs, 1776, I, 148.
1 She has call'd to her her bower-maidens,
She has calld them one by one:
'There is a dead man in my bower,
I wish that he was gone.'
2 They have booted him, and spurred him,
As he was wont to ride,
A hunting-horn around his waist,
A sharp sword by his side.
3 Then up and spake a bonie bird,
That sat upon the tree:
'What hae ye done wi Earl Richard?
Ye was his gay lady.'
4 'Cum down, cum down, my bonie bird,
Cum sit upon my hand;
And ye sall hae a cage o the gowd,
Where ye hae but the wand.'
5 'Awa, awa, ye ill woman,
Nae ill woman for me;
What ye hae done to Earl Richard,
Sae wad ye do to mee.'
* * * * *
6 'O there's a bird intill your bowir
That sings sae sad and sweet;
O there's a bird intill your bour
Kept me frae my nicht's sleep.'
* * * * *
7 And she sware by the grass sae greene,
Sae did she by the corn,
That she had not seen Earl Richard
Sen yesterday at morn.
* * * * *