Sacred Texts
Legends & Sagas
England
Index
Previous
Next
293A: John of Hazelgreen
293A.1 INTO a sweet May morning,
As the sun clearly shone,
I heard a propper damsell
Making a heavy moan;
Making a heavy moan,
I marvelled what she did mean,
And it was for a gentleman,
Sir John of Hasillgreen.
293A.2 What aileth thee now, bony maid
To mourn so sore into the tide?
O happy were the man, he sayes,
That had thee to his bride,
To ly down by his side;
Then he were not to mean;
But still she let the tears down fall
For pleasant Hasilgreen.
293A.3 Oh what for a man is Hasillgreen?
Sweet heart, pray tell to me.
He is a propper gentleman,
Dwels in the South Countrie;
With shoulders broad and arms long,
And comely to be seen;
His hairs are like the threeds of gold,
My pleasant Hasilgreen.
293A.4 Now Hasilgreen is married,
Let all this talking be.
If Hasilgreen be married,
This day then woe to me;
For I may sigh and sob no more,
But close my weeping een,
And hold my peace and cry no more,
But dy for Hasilgreen.
293A.5 Will you let Hasilgreen alone,
And go along with me?
Ill marry you on my eldest son,
Make you a gay lady.
Make me a gay lady? she sayes,
I am a maid too mean;
Ill rather stay at home, she cries,
And dy for Hasilgreen.
293A.6 He takes this pretty maid him behind
And fast he spurred the horse,
And theyre away to Bigger toun,
The in to Biggar Cross.
Their lodging was far sought,
And so was it foreseen;
But still she let the tears doun fall
For pleasant Hasillgreen.
293A.7 Hes taen this pretty maid by the hand,
And he is doun the toun;
He bought for her a pettycoat,
Yea, and a trailing goun;
A silken kell fitt for her head,
Laid oer with silver sheen;
But still she let the tears doun fall
For pleasant Hasilgreen.
293A.8 Hes taen this bony mey him behind,
And he is to the Place,
Where there was mirth and merryness,
And ladyes fair of face;
And ladyes fair of face,
Right seemly to be seen,
But still she let the tears doun fall
For pleasant Hasilgreen.
293A.9 Young Hasilgreen ran hastilie
To welcome his father dear;
Hes taen that pretty maid in his arms,
And kist off her falling tear:
O bony mey, now for thy sake
I would be rent and rien;
I would give all my fathers lands
To have thee in Hasilgreen.
293A.10 O hold your tongue now, son, he sayes,
Let no more talking be;
This maid has come right far from home
This day to visit thee.
This day should been your wedding-day,
It shall be thy bridall-een,
And thou s get all thy fathers lands,
And dwell in Hasillgreen.
293B: John of Hazelgreen
293B.1 IT was on a morning early,
Before day-licht did appear,
I heard a pretty damsel
Making a heavy bier;
Making a heavy bier,
I wonderd what she did mean;
But ay the tears they rappit doun,
Crying, O Jock o Hazelgreen!
293B.2 O whare is this Hazelgreen, maid?
That I may him see.
He is a ticht and a proper man,
Lives in the South Cuntree.
His shoulders broad, his arms lang,
O hes comely to be seen!-+--+-
But ay the tears they drappit doun
For Jock o Hazelgreen.
293B.3 Will ye gang wi me, fair maid?
. . . . . . .
And Ill marry ye on my son,
. . . . . . .
Afore Id go along wi you,
To be married on your son,
Id rather choose to stay at hame,
And die for Hazelgreen.
293B.4 But he has tane her up behind,
And spurred on his horse,
Till ance he cam to Embro toun,
And lichted at the corss.
He bought to her a petticoat,
Besides a handsome goun;
He tied a silver belt about her waist,
Worth thrice three hunder pund.
293B.5 And whan he cam to Hazelyetts,
He lichted doun therein;
Monie war the brave ladies there,
Monie ane to be seen.
She lichted doun amang them aw,
She seemed to be the queen;
But ay the tears they rappit doun
For Jock o Hazelgreen.
293B.6 Young Hazelgreen took her by the hand
And led her out and in:
Said, Bonnie lady, for your sake,
I could be baith rent and rien;
I wad gie aw my lands and rents,
Tho I had kingdoms three,
If I could hae the great pleasure
To enjoy thy fair bodie.
293B.7 No more of this, his father said,
Of your mourning let abee;
I brought the damsel far frae hame,
Shes thrice as wae for thee.
The morn is your bridal-day,
The nicht is your bridal-een,
And Ill gie you aw my lands and rents,
My pleasing son, Hazelgreen.
293C: John of Hazelgreen
293C.1 As I gaed out in a may morning,
Afore that I could see,
And there I heard a pretty fair may
Making sweet melodie.
She was making sic melodie,
I wonderd what she could mean;
But ay she sang and sang about
Sweet John o Hazelgreen.
293C.2 O what na man is Hazelgreen?
Fair may, pray tell to me.
He is a stout and a tall young man
As in a the South Countrie.
He is a stout and a tall young man,
And comely to be seen;
But still O I maun weep and wail
For John o Hazelgreen.
293C.3 Hold your tongue, fair maid, he says,
And let your weeping alane;
Ill marry you to my eldest son,
And you shall be cad my dame.
293C.4 He has tane her on ahint him,
And fast he spurred the steed;
For Edinbro town he there was bound,
Where they soon came wi speed.
293C.7 Hes tane her to the Luckenbooths,
Coft her a braw new gown,
A handsome feather for her hat,
And a pair o silken shoon.
293C.8 He has tane the fair may up again,
And fast awa rode he;
For Hazelgreen now he was bound,
Her lodging there to be.
293C.9 She jumped aff frae ahint him,
As fair as any queen;
Come down, come down, Lord John, he says,
And welcome your lady hame.
293C.10 It is the tall and comely youth,
Sweet John o Hazelgreen;
If we canna see it bridal-day,
It shall be bridal-een
293D: John of Hazelgreen
293D.1 As I went forth to take the air
Intill an evening clear,
And there I spied a lady fair,
Making a heavy bier;
Making a heavy bier, I say,
But and a piteous meen,
And aye she sighd, and said, Alas,
For John o Hazelgreen!
293D.2 The sun was sinking in the west,
The stars were shining clear,
When thro the thickets o the wood,
A gentleman did appear.
Says, Who has done you the wrong, fair maid,
And left you here alane?
Or who has kissd your lovely lips,
That ye ca Hazelgreen?
293D.3 Hold your tongue, kind sir, she said,
And do not banter so;
How will ye add affliction
Unto a lovers woe?
For nones done me the wrong, she said,
Nor left me here alane;
Nor none has kissd my lovely lips,
That I ca Hazelgreen.
293D.4 Why weep ye by the tide, lady?
Why weep ye by the tide?
How blythe and happy might he be
Gets you to be his bride!
Gets you to be his bride, fair maid,
And him Ill no bemean;
But when I take my words again,
Whom call ye Hazelgreen?
293D.5 What like a man was Hazelgreen?
Will ye show him to me?
He is a comely, proper youth
I in my sleep did see;
Wi arms tall, and fingers small,
Hes comely to be seen;
And aye she loot the tears down fall
For John o Hazelgreen.
293D.6 If yell forsake young Hazelgreen,
And go along with me,
Ill wed you to my eldest son,
Make you a lady free.
Its for to wed your eldest son
I am a maid oer mean;
Ill rather stay at home, she says
And die for Hazelgreen.
293D.7 If yell forsake young Hazelgreen,
And go along with me,
Ill wed you to my second son,
And your weight o gowd Ill gie.
Its for to wed your second son
I am a maid oer mean;
Ill rather stay at home, she says,
And die for Hazelgreen.
293D.8 Then hes taen out a siller comb,
Combd down her yellow hair;
And look d in a diamond bright,
To see if she were fair.
My girl, ye do all maids surpass
That ever I have seen;
Cheer up your heart, my lovely lass,
And hate young Hazelgreen.
293D.9 Young Hazelgreen he is my love,
And ever mair shall be;
Ill nae forsake young Hazelgreen
For a the gowd yell gie.
But aye she sighd, and said, Alas!
And made a piteous meen,
And aye she loot the tears down fa
For John o Hazelgreen.
293D.10 He look d high, and lighted low,
Set her upon his horse;
And they rode on the Edinburgh,
To Edinburghs own cross.
And when she in that city was,
She lookd like ony queen:
Tis a pity such a lovely lass
Shoud love young Hazelgreen.
293D.11 Young Hazelgreen, he is my love,
And ever mair shall be;
Ill nae forsake young Hazelgreen
For a the gowd yell gie.
And aye she sighd, and said, Alas!
And made a piteous meen,
And aye she loot the tears down fa
For John o Hazelgreen.
293D.12 Now hold your tongue, my well-fard maid,
Lat a your mourning be,
And a endeavours I shall try
To bring that youth to thee,
If yell tell me where your love stays,
His stile and proper name.
Hes laird o Taperbank, she says,
His stile, Young Hazelgreen.
293D.13 Then he has coft for that lady
A fine silk riding-gown,
Likewise he coft for that lady
A steed, and set her on;
Wi menji feathers in her hat,
Silk stockings and siller sheen,
And they are on to Taperbank,
Seeking young Hazelgreen.
293D.14 They nimbly rode along the way,
And gently spurrd their horse,
Till they rode on to Hazelgreen,
To Hazelgreens own close.
Then forth he came, young Hazelgreen,
To welcome his father free:
Youre welcome here, my father dear,
And a your companie.
293D.15 But when he lookd oer his shoulder,
A light laugh then gae he;
Says, If I getna this lady,
Its for her I must die.
I must confess this is the maid
I ance saw in a dream,
A walking thro a pleasant shade,
As fairs a cypress queen.
293D.16 Now hold your tongue, young Hazelgreen,
Lat a your folly be;
If ye be wae for that lady,
Shes thrice as wae for thee.
Shes thrice as wae for thee, my son,
As bitter doth complain;
Well is she worthy o the rigs
That lie on Hazelgreen.
293D.17 Hes taen her in his arms twa,
Led her thro bower and ha:
Cheer up your heart, my dearest dear,
Yere flower out-oer them a.
This night shall be our wedding-een,
The morn well say, Amen;
Yese never mair hae cause to mourn,
Yere lady o Hazelgreen.
293E: John of Hazelgreen
293E.1 WHY weep ye by the tide, ladye?
Why weep ye by the tide?
Ill wed ye to my youngest son,
And ye sall be his bride.
And ye sall be his bride, ladye,
Sae comely to be seen;
But aye she loot the tears down fa
For John o Hazelgreen.
293E.2 O whaten a man is Hazelgreen?
I pray thee tell to me.
O theres not a handsomer gentleman
In a the South Countrie.
His arms are long, his shoulder broad,
Sae comely to be seen!
And aye she loot the tears down fa
For John o Hazelgreen.
Next: 294. Dugal Quin