Outlandish Knight- R. Gregory (Dev) 1889 Baring-Gould

Outlandish Knight- R. Gregory (Dev) 1889 Baring Gould

[Bronson 41, some slight variation in text. From Baring Gould MS, he writes;  "​this, my restoration."
https://www.vwml.orgsearch?q=Go%20fetch%20me%20some%20of%20your%20father%27s%20gold&is=1

R. Matteson 2018]


 
LXII The Outlandish Knight

A. Taken down from Richd. Gregory, moorman, Two Bridges, Jan. 1889. Will Setter sang the “Outlandish Knight” afore. Gregory said it was not right & sang the above, but I was not able to take it verbally, only dot down the beginnings & leading words.

1.​ [There rode a knight when the moon shone bright
He rode to a lady’s hall,​very confused.
He sang her a lay, bade her come away
And follow him at his call.]

2. ​He courted her many a long winter’s night
And many a short winter’s day
And he laid in wait both early & late
To take her sweet life away.

3.​ Go fetch me some of your father’s gold,
And some of your mother’s fee
To a land we will go [where droppeth no snow] far, far away.
Thou shalt there be my lady.

4.​ She fetched some of her father’s gold,
And some of her mother’s fee.
And she went afore to the stable door,
Where stood her white palfrey.

5.​ She mounted with speed on her milk white steed
And he on his iron grey,
And away they did ride to a clear water’s side
Six hours before the day.

6.​ Unlight! unlight! my lady bright,
Unlight, unlight! I pray.
Six pretty maids have I drowned here,
Thou shalt be the seventh today.

7.​ Take off, take off thy robe of silk,
And lay it upon a stone,
Thy gay, gay gown be all too good
To lie in a watery tomb.

8. ​Then she took off her robe of silk
And laid it upon a stone,
And he put his hand in her pocket
And drew out five hundred crown.

9.​ Take off, take off thy Holland smock
And lay it upon a stone.
Thy Holland smock be all too fine
To lie in a watery tomb.

10.​ If I must take off my Holland smock
Then turn away from me.
For it ill befits that such as thee
Should see (view) a stark lady.

11.​ And never blink, but stoop on the brink
And pick the thistles away,
That they may not entangle my curly hair,
Nor my milk-white skin may fray.

12.​ He never did blink to stoop at the brink
And pick the thistles away.
That they might not entangle her curly hair
Nor her lily-white skin might fray.

13.​ She gave him a push, & a hearty push,
And the fiend knight pushed in.
Saying, swim, O swim thou false-hearted knight
Thou never the land shalt win.

14. ​Saying, go, O go [where droppeth no snow] ​ ​
O go to thine own country
But I will abide by the clear water-side
And well am I rid of thee.

15. ​She mounted with speed on her milk white steed
And she led the iron-grey.
And away she did ride to the castle’s side,
Three hours before the day.

16.​The parrot he sat in the kitchen window
And the parrot he did say,
O where have you been, my pretty fair queen,
So early before the day?

17.​ Hush! question me not, thou saucy parrot
Hush! question not of me.
Thee a cage shall hold of the glittering gold
With a door of ivory.

18. ​Her father he was not so sound asleep,
But he heard what the parrot did say.
And he called, what waketh my pretty parrot
So early before the day?

19. ​The cat was up at the kitchen-window,
And the cat he would me slay.
So loud did I cry for help to be nigh,
To drive the cat away.

20.​ Well turned, well turned, my pretty parrot,
A good turn done unto me.
Thee a cage shall hold of the glittering gold
With a door of ivory.