Outlandish Knight- W. Hands (Glou) 1930 Carpenter
[From James Madison Carpenter Collection, JMC/1/5/1/N, pp. 08474-08475/ Reference Code: AFC 1972/001, MS pp. 04929- 04931. Standard version missing one stanza, the "prattle" stanza.
R. Matteson 2018]
Outlandish Knight- sung William Hands of Willersley, Glouchester, England. Collected by Carpenter about 1930.
1. An outlandish knight came from the northlands
An' he came a-wooing to me;
He told me he'd take me unto the northlands,
An' there he would marry me.
2 "Go fetch me some of your father's gold,
An' some of your mother's fee,
An' two of the best nags out of the stable,
Where there stands thirty an' three."
3 She fetched him some of her father's gold,
An' some of her mother's fee,
An' two of the best nags out of the stable,
Where there stood thirty an' three.
4 She mounted her on her milk-white steed,
An' he on the dapple grey;
They rode till they came unto the seaside,
Three hours before it was day.
5 "Mount off, mount off thy milk-white steed,
An' deliver it unto me;
For six pretty maidens have I drowned here,
An' thou the seventh one thou shalt be.
6 "Pull off, pull off thy silken gown,
An' deliver it unto me;
Methinks that's too rich an' costly
To rot all in the salt sea.
7 "Pull off, pull off thy Holland smock,
An' deliver them unto me;
For I think it they are too rich an' costly
To rot all in the salt sea."
8 "If I must pull off my Holland smock,
Pray turn your back unto me;
For it's not fitting that such a ruffian
A naked woman should see."
9 He turned his back right unto her
An' gazed at the leaves so green;
She caught him round the middle so small,
An' plunged him into the stream.
10 He grooped high and he grooped low,
Until he came to the side;
"Catch hold of my hand, my pretty Polly,
An' I'll make you my bride.'
11 "Lie there, lie there, you false-hearted knight,
Lie there instead o' me;
For six pretty maidens have you drowned here,
But the seventh hath drowned thee.'
12 She mounted on her milk-white steed,
An' led the dapple grey;
She rode till she came to her own father's hall,
Three hours before it was day.
13 The parrot being up in the window so high,
An' hearing his lady, did say,
"I fear that some ruffian hath led you astray,
That you have tarry so long before day."
14 Her father being up in the chamber so high,
An' hearing the parrot did say,
"What ails you, what ails you, my pretty parrot,
That you prattle so long before day?"
15 "It's no laughing matter," the parrot did say,
"So loudly I cry unto thee,
The cat has gotten up in the window so high,
An' I was afraid he would have me."
16 "Well answered, well answered, my pretty parrot,
Well answered back for me;
Thy cage shall be made of the glittering gold,
An' the door of the best ivory."