Until he came to fair Emmeline's bowre,
When kneeling down he sayd,

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O ladye, I've been with thy own true love,
And he greets thee well by mee;

This night will he be at thy bowre-windowe,
And dye or sette thee free.”

Nowe day was gone and night was come,
And all were fast asleep;

All save the ladye Emmeline,

Who sate in her bowre to weepe:

And soon she heard her true love's voice Lowe whispering at the walle; KNIGHT.-" Awake, awake, my deare ladye, 'T is I, thy true love call.

“Awake, awake, my ladye deare,
Come, mount this faire palfraye;

This ladder of ropes will lette thee downe,
Ile carrye thee hence awaye."

EMMELINE.

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Nowe

nay, nowe nay, Nowe nay, this may not bee;

For

aye should I tint1 my maiden fame,

If alone I should wend with thee."

thou gentle

[knighte,

KNIGHT." O ladye, thou with a knighte so true

Mayst safelye wend alone;

To my ladye mother I will thee bringe,

Where marriage shall make us one.'

EMMELINE."My father he is a baron bolde,

Of lyneage proude and hye;

And what would he saye if his daughter
Awaye with a knighte should fly?

1 Lose.

"Ah! well I wot, he never would rest, Nor his meate should do him no goode, Until he had slain thee, Child of Elle,

And seene thy deare heart's bloode."

KNIGHT.- -"O ladye, wert thou in thy saddle sette, And a little space him fro,

I would not care for thy cruel father,

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Nor the worst that he could doe.

'O ladye, wert thou in thy saddle sette,
And once without this walle,

I would not care for thy cruel father,
Nor the worst that might befalle."

Faire Emmeline sighed, faire Emmeline wept,
And aye her heart was woe:

At length he seized her lilly-white hand,
And downe the ladder he drewe :

And thrice he clasped her to his breaste,
And kist her tenderlie :

The teares that fell from her fair eyes
Ranne like the fountayne free.

He mounted himselfe, on his stede so talle,
And her on a fair palfraye,

And slung his bugle about his necke,
And roundlye they rode awaye.

All this beheard her owne damselle,
In her bed whereas shee ley;

Quoth shee, "My lord shall knowe of this,
So I shall have golde and fee.

"Awake, awake, thou baron bold!
Awake, my noble dame!

Your daughter is fledde with the Childe of Elle, To do the deed of shame."

The baron he woke, the baron he rose,
And called his merrye men all:

"And come thou forth, Sir John, the knighte, Thy ladye is carried to thrall."

Faire Emmeline scant had ridden a mile,

A mile forth of the towne,

When she was aware of her father's men
Come galloping over the downe:

And foremost came the carlish knighte,
Sir John of the north countraye:
"Nowe stop, nowe stop, thou false traitoure,
Nor carry that ladye awaye.

"For she is come of hye lineage,

And was of a ladye borne;

And ill it beseems thee - a false churl's sonne,

To carry her hence to scorne."

"Nowe loud thou lyest, Sir John the knighte, Nowe thou doest lye of mee;

A knighte me bred, and a ladye me bore,
Soe never did none by thee.

"But light nowe downe, my ladye faire,
Light downe, and hold my steed;
While I and this discourteous knighte
Do try this arduous deede.

"But light nowe downe, my deare ladye,
Light downe, and hold my horse;
While I and this discourteous knighte
Do trye our valour's force."

Fair Emmeline sighed, fair Emmeline wept,
And aye her heart was woe,

While 'twixt her love and the carlish knighte
Past many a baneful blowe.

The Child of Elle hee fought soe well,
As his weapon he waved amaine,
That soone he had slaine the carlish knighte
And laid him upon the plaine.

And nowe the baron and all his men
Full fast approached nye:

Ah, what may ladye Emmeline doe?
'T were nowe no boote to flye.

Her lover he put his horne to his mouth,
And blew both loud and shrill,
And soone he saw his owne merry men
Come ryding over the hill.

"Nowe hold thy hand, thou bold baron,
I pray thee hold thy hand,
Nor ruthless rend two gentle hearts
Fast knit in true love's band.

"Thy daughter I have dearly loved,
Full long and many a day;
But with such love as holy kirke
Hath freelye said wee may.

"O give consent shee may be mine,
And bless a faithfull paire:
My lands and livings are not small,
My house and lineage faire :

"My mother she was an earl's daughter,
And a noble knighte my sire."
The baron he frown'd, and turn'd away
With mickle dole and ire.

Fair Emmeline sigh'd, fair Emmeline wept,
And did all tremblinge stand:

At length she sprang upon her knee,
And held his lifted hand.

"Pardon, my lorde and father deare,
This faire younge knighte and mee:
Trust me, but for the carlish knighte,
I never had fled from thee.

"Oft have you called your Emmeline
Your darling and your joye;

O! let not, then, your harsh resolves
Your Emmeline destroye."

The baron he stroakt his dark-brown cheeke,
And turned his heade asyde,

To wipe awaye the starting teare,

He proudly strave to hyde.

In deepe revolving thought he stoode,
And mused a little space;

Then raised faire Emmeline from the grounde,

With many a fond embrace.

"Here, take her, Child of Elle," he sayd,

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And gave her lillye white hand;

Here, take my deare and only child,
And with her half my land.

Thy father once mine honour wrong'd
In days of youthful pride -

Do thou the injurye repayre,
In fondness for thy bride:

"And as thou love her, and hold her deare,
Heaven prosper thee and thine!

And nowe my blessing wend wi' thee,
My lovelye Emmeline!"

OLD BALLAD.