Young Beichan and Susie Pye- 1806 Child E
[Below Child's text, at the bottom of this page, is the same text supplied by Jamieson with two notes. Here are Child's notes for E.
64-6 was introduced, with other metrical passages, into a long tale of 'Young Beichan and Susy Pye,' which Motherwell had heard related, and of which he gives a specimen at p. xv. of his Introduction: "Well, ye must know that in the Moor's castle there was a massymore, which is a dark dungeon for keeping prisoners. It was twenty feet below the ground, and into this hole they closed poor Beichan. There he stood, night and day, up to his waist in puddle water; but night or day it was all one to him, for no ae styme of light ever got in. So he lay there a lang and weary while, and thinking on his heavy weird, he made a murnfu sang to pass the time, and this was the sang that he made, and grat when he sang it, for he never thought of ever escaping from the massymore, or of seeing his ain country again:
'My hounds they all run masterless,
My hawks they flee from tree to tree;
My youngest brother will heir my lands,
And fair England again I'll never see.
'Oh were I free as I hae been,
And my ship swimming once more on sea,
I'd turn my face to fair England,
And sail no more to a strange countrie.'
"Now the cruel Moor had a beautiful daughter, called Susy Pye, who was accustomed to take a walk every morning in her garden, and as she was walking ae day she heard the songh o Beichan's sang, coming as it were from below the ground," etc., etc.]
Young Beichan and Susie Pye- Version E; Child 53 Young Beichan
Jamieson's Popular Ballads, II, 117, compounded from A, a manuscript and stall copy from Scotland, a recited copy from the north of England, and a short version picked off a wall in London. (The parts which repeat A are in smaller type.)
1 In London was Young Beichan born,
He longed strange countries for to see,
But he was taen by a savage Moor,
Who handled him right cruellie.
2 For he viewed the fashions of that land,
Their way of worship viewed he,
But to Mahound or Termagant
Would Beichan never bend a knee.
3 So in every shoulder they've putten a bore,
In every bore they've putten a tree,
And they have made him trail the wine
And spices on his fair bodie.
4 They've casten him in a dungeon deep,
Where he could neither hear nor see,
For seven years they kept him there,
Till he for hunger's like to die.
5 This Moor he had but ae daughter,
Her name was called Susie Pye,
And every day as she took the air,
Near Beichan's prison she passed by.
6 O so it fell upon a day
She heard Young Beichan sadly sing:
'My hounds they all go masterless,
My hawks they flee from tree to tree,
My younger brother will heir my land,
Fair England again I'll never see!'
7 All night long no rest she got,
Young Beichan's song for thinking on;
She's stown the keys from her father's head,
And to the prison strong is gone.
8 And she has opend the prison doors,
I wot she opend two or three,
Ere she could come Young Beichan at,
He was locked up so curiouslie.
9 But when she came Young Beichan before,
Sore wonderd he that may to see;
He took her for some fair captive:
'Fair Lady, I pray, of what countrie?'
10 'O have ye any lands,' she said,
'Or castles in your own countrie,
That ye could give to a lady fair,
From prison strong to set you free?'
11 'Near London town I have a hall,
With other castles two or three;
I'll give them all to the lady fair
That out of prison will set me free.'
12 'Give me the truth of your right hand,
The truth of it give unto me,
That for seven years ye'll no lady wed,
Unless it be along with me.'
13 'I'll give thee the truth of my right hand,
The truth of it I'll freely gie,
That for seven years I'll stay unwed,
For the kindness thou dost show to me.'
14 And she has brib'd the proud warder
Wi mickle gold and white monie,
She's gotten the keys of the prison strong,
And she has set Young Beichan free.
15 She's gien him to eat the good spice-cake,
She's gien him to drink the blood-red wine,
She's bidden him sometimes think on her,
That sae kindly freed him out of pine.
16 She's broken a ring from her finger,
And to Beichan half of it gave she:
'Keep it, to mind you of that love
The lady bore that set you free.
17 'And set your foot on good ship-board,
And haste ye back to your own countrie,
And before that seven years have an end,
Come back again, love, and marry me.'
18 But long ere seven years had an end,
She longd full sore her love to see,
For ever a voice within her breast
Said, 'Beichan has broke his vow to thee:'
So she's set her foot on good ship-board,
And turnd her back on her own countrie.
19 She sailed east, she sailed west,
Till to fair England's shore she came,
Where a bonny shepherd she espied,
Feeding his sheep upon the plain.
20 'What news, what news, thou bonny shepherd?
What news hast thou to tell to me?'
'Such news I hear, ladie,' he says,
'The like was never in this countrie.
21 'There is a wedding in yonder hall,
Has lasted these thirty days and three;
Young Beichan will not bed with his bride,
For love of one that's yond the sea.'
22 She's put her hand in her pocket,
Gien him the gold and white monie:
'Hae, take ye that, my bonny boy,
For the good news thou tellst to me.'
23 When she came to Young Beichan's gate,
She tirled softly at the pin;
So ready was the proud porter
To open and let this lady in.
24 'Is this Young Beichan's hall,' she said,
'O is that noble lord within?'
'Yea, he's in the hall among them all,
And this is the day o his weddin.'
25 'And has he wed anither love?
And has he clean forgotten me?'
And sighin said that gay ladie,
I wish I were in my own countrie!
26 And she has taen her gay gold ring,
That with her love she brake so free;
Says, Gie him that, ye proud porter,
And bid the bridegroom speak to me.
27 When the porter came his lord before,
He kneeled down low on his knee:
'What aileth thee, my proud porter,
Thou art so full of courtesie?'
28 'I've been porter at your gates,
It's thirty long years now and three;
But there stands a lady at them now,
The like o her did I never see.
29 'For on every finger she has a ring,
And on her mid-finger she has three,
And as meickle gold aboon her brow
As would buy an earldom to me.'
30 It's out then spak the bride's mother,
Aye and an angry woman was shee:
'Ye might have excepted our bonny bride,
And twa or three of our companie.'
31 'O hold your tongue, thou bride's mother,
Of all your folly let me be;
She's ten times fairer nor the bride,
And all that's in your companie.
32 'She begs one sheave of your white bread,
But and a cup of your red wine,
And to remember the lady's love
That last relievd you out of pine.'
33 'O well-a-day!' said Beichan then,
'That I so soon have married thee!
For it can be none but Susie Pye,
That sailed the sea for love of me.'
34 And quickly hied he down the stair;
Of fifteen steps he made but three;
He's taen his bonny love in his arms,
And kist and kist her tenderlie.
35 'O hae ye taen anither bride?
And hae ye quite forgotten me?
And hae ye quite forgotten her
That gave your life and libertie?'
36 She looked oer her left shoulder,
To hide the tears stood in her ee:
'Now fare thee well, Young Beichan,' she says,
'I'll try to think no more on thee.'
37 'O never, never, Susie Pye,
For surely this can never be,
Nor ever shall I wed but her
That's done and dreed so much for me.'
38 Then out and spak the forenoon bride:
'My lord, your love it changeth soon;
This morning I was made your bride,
And another chose ere it be noon.'
39 O hold thy tongue, thou forenoon bride,
Ye're neer a whit the worse for me,
And whan ye return to your own countrie,
A double dower I'll send with thee.'
40 He's taen Susie Pye by the white hand,
And gently led her up and down,
And ay as he kist her red rosy lips,
'Ye're welcome, jewel, to your own.'
41 He's taen her by the milk-white hand,
And led her to yon fountain stane;
He's changed her name from Susie Pye,
And he's call'd her his bonny love, Lady Jane.
_________________
[From Jamieson's Popular Ballads, II, p. 117]
YOUNG BEICHAN AND SUSIE PYE
FROM TRADITION.
This Ballad, and that which succeeds it in this collection, (both on the same subject,) are given from copies taken from Mrs Brown's recitation, collated with two other copies procured from Scotland, one in MS., another very good one printed for the stalls; a third, in the possession of the late Reverend Jonathan Boucher of Epsom, taken from recitation" in the North of England; and a fourth, about one third as long as the others, which the Editor picked off an old wall in Piccadilly.
In London was young Beichan born,
He longed strange countries for to see;
But he was taen by a savage moor,
Who handled him right cruellie;
For he viewed the fashions of that land;
Their way of worship viewed he;
But to Mahound, or Termagant,
Would Beichan never bend a knee.
So, in every shoulder they've putten a bore;
In every bore they've putten a tree;
And they have made him trail the wine
And spices on his fair bodie.
They've casten him in a dungeon deep,
Where he could neither hear nor see;
For seven years they kept him there,
Till he for hunger's like to die.
This Moor he had but ae daughter,
Her name was called Susie Pye;
And every day as she took the air,
Near Beichan's prison she passed by.
[And bonny, meek, and mild was she,
Though she was come of an ill kin;
And oft she sigh'd, she knew not why,
For him that lay the dungeon in.]
O so it fell, upon a day
She heard young Beichan sadly sing ;
[And ay and ever in her ears
The tones of hopeless sorrow ring.]
"My hounds they all go masterless;
My hawks they flee from tree to tree;
My younger brother will heir my land;
Fair England again I'll never see!"
[The doleful sound, from under ground,
Died slowly on her listening ear;
But let her listen ever so long,
The never a word more could she hear.]
[And] all night long no rest she got,
Young Beichan's song for thinking on;
She's stown the keys from her father's head,
And to the prison strong is gone.
And she has open'd the prison doors,
I wot she open'd two or three,
Ere she could come young Beichan at,
fie was locked up so curiouslie.
But when she came young Beichan before,
Sore wonder'd he that may to see;
He took her for some fair captive
"Fair Lady, I pray, of what countrie?
"O have ye any lands," she said,
"Or castles in your own countrie,
That ye could give to a lady fair,
From prison strong to set you free ?"
"Near London town I have a hall,
With other castles two or three;
I'll give them all to the lady fair
That out of prison will set me free."
"Give me the truth of your right hand,
The truth of it give unto me,
That for seven years ye'll no lady wed,
Unless it be along with me."
"I'll give thee the truth of my right hand,
The truth of it I'll freely gie,
That for seven years I'll stay unwed,
For the kindness thou dost show to me."
And she has brib'd the proud warder
Wi' mickle gold and white monie;
She's gotten the keys of the prison strong,
And she has set young Beichan free.
She's gi'en him to eat the good spice-cake,
She's gi'en him to drink the blood-red wine;
She's bidden him sometimes think on her,
That sae kindly freed him out of pine.
She's broken a ring from her finger,
And to Beichan half of it gave she:
"Keep it, to mind you of that love
The lady bore that set you free.
"And set your foot on good ship-board,
And haste ye back to your own countrie;
And before that seven years have an end,
Come back again, love, and marry me."
But long ere seven years had an end,
She long'd full sore her love to see;
For ever a voice within her breast
Said, "Beichan has broke his vow to thee."
So she's set her foot on good ship-board,
And turn'd her back on her own countrie.
She sailed east, she sailed west,
Till to fair England's shore she came;
Where a bonny shepherd she espied,
Feeding his sheep upon the plain.
"What news, what news, thou bonny shepherd?
What news hast thou to tell to me?"
"Such news I hear, ladie," he says,
"The like was never in this countrie.
"There is a wedding in yonder hall,
Has lasted these thirty days and three;
Young Beichan will not bed with his bride,
For love of one that's yond the sea."
She's put her hand in her pocket,
Gi'en him the gold and white monie;
"Hae, take ye that, my bonny boy,
For the good news thou tell'st to me."
When she came to young Beichan's gate,
She tirled softly at the pin;
So ready was the proud porter
To open and let this lady in.
Is this young Beichan's hall," she said
"Or is that noble lord within?"
Yea, he's in the hall among them all,
And this is the day o' his weddin."
"And has he wed anither love?
And has he clean forgotten me?
"And, sigh in', said that gay ladie,
"I wish I were in my own countrie."
And she has taen her gay gold ring,
That with her love she brake so free;
Says, " Gie him that, ye proud porter,
And bid the bridegroom speak to me."
When the porter came his lord before,
He kneeled down low on his knee
"What aileth thee, my proud porter,
Thou art so full of courtesie?" *
"I've been porter at your gates,
It's thirty long years now and three;
But there stands a lady at them now,
The like o' her did I never see;
"For on every finger she has a ring,
And on her mid finger she has three;
And as meiekle gold aboon her brow
As would buy an earldom to me."
Its out then spak the bride's mother,
Aye and an angry woman was shee;
"Ye might have excepted our bonny bride, A
nd twa or three of our companie."
"O hold your tongue, thou bride's mother;
Of all your folly let me be ;
She's ten times fairer nor the bride,
And all that's in your companie.
"She begs one sheave of your white bread,
But and a cup of your red wine;
And to remember the lady's love,
That last reliev'd you out of pine."
"O well-a-day!" said Beichan then,
"That I so soon have married thee!
For it can be none but Susie Pye,
That sailed the sea for love of me."
And quickly hied he down the stair;
Of fifteen steps he made but three;
He's ta'en his bonny love in his arms,
And kist, and kist her tenderlie.
"O hae ye ta'en anither bride?
And hae ye quite forgotten me?
And hae ye quite forgotten her,
That gave you life and libertie?"
She looked o'er her left shoulder,
To hide the tears stood in her e'e:
"Now fare thee well, young Beichan," she says,
I'll try to think no more on thee."
"O never, never, Susie Pye,
For surely this can never be;
Nor ever shall I wed but her
That's done and dree'd so much for me."
Then out and spak the forenoon bride,—
"My lord, your love it changeth soon;
This morning I was made your bride,
And another chose ere it be noon."
"O hold thy tongue, thou forenoon bride;
Ye're ne'er a whit the worse for me ;
And whan ye return to your own countrie,
A double dower I'll send with thee."
He's taen Susie Pye by the white hand,
And gently led her up and down;
And ay as he kist her red rosy lips,
"Ye're welcome, jewel, to your own."
He's taen her by the milk-white hand,
And led her to yon fountain stane;
He's changed her name from Susie Pye,
And he's call'd her his bonny love, Lady Jane.
Footnote:
* When Tommy came his master before,
He kneeled down upon his knee;
" What tidings hast thou brought, my man,
As that thou makes such courtesie?
Ritsons Ant. Songs, p. 253.
Footnote at end of Young Bekie:
It has been suggested to the editor, that the names in the two foregoing romantic tales ought to be not Beichan, &c. but Buchan; but as he has found them as here given in all the copies, and as they appeared to him to be English ballads, slightly tinctured with the Scotish dialect, from the circumstance of their having been procured from that quarter, he has chosen to leave the titles as he found them.