Now when St. George did surely know
This lady was a virgin true,

His heart was glad, that erst was woe,
And all his love did soon renew:

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He set her on a palfrey steed,

And towards England came with speed.

Where being in short space arriv'd

Unto his native dwelling place; Therein with his dear love he liv'd, And fortune did his nuptials grace:

They many years of joy did see,

And led their lives at Coventry.

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III.

Love will find out the Way.

THIS excellent song is ancient: but we could only give it from a modern copy.

OVER the mountains,

And over the waves;

Under the fountains,

And under the graves;

Under floods that are deepest,

Which Neptune obey;

Over rocks that are steepest,

Love will find out the way.

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Where there is no place

For the glow-worm to lye ;

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Where there is no space

For receipt of a fly;

Where the midge dares not venture,

Lest herself fast she lay;

If love come, he will enter,

And soon find out his way.

You may esteem him

A child for his might;

Or you may deem him

A coward from his flight:

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But if she, whom love doth honour,

Be conceal'd from the day,

Set a thousand guards upon her,

Love will find out the way.

Some think to lose him,

By having him confin'd;

And some do suppose him,

Poor thing, to be blind;
But if ne'er so close ye wall him,

Do the best that you may,

Blind love, if so ye call him,

Will find out his way.

You may train the eagle

To stoop to your fist;

SEEMS to be composed (not without improvements) out of two ancient English ones, printed in the former part of this volume. See book i., ballad xv.; and book ii., ballad iv. If this had been the original, the authors of those two ballads would hardly have adopted two such different stories: besides, this contains enlargements not to be found in either of the others. It is given, with some corrections, from a MS. copy transmitted from Scotland.

LORD THOMAS and fair Annet

Sate a' day on a hill;

Whan night was cum, and sun was sett,
They had not talkt their fill.

Lord Thomas said a word in jest,

Fair Annet took it ill:
A'! I will nevir wed a wife

Against my ain friends will.

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A wife wull neir wed yee.

Sae he is hame to tell his mither,

And knelt upon his knee:

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O rede, O rede, mither, he says,

A gude rede gie to mee:

O sall I tak the nut-browne bride,

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And let faire Annet bee?

The nut-browne bride haes gowd and
Fair Annet she has gat nane;
And the little beauty fair Annet has,

gear,

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O it wull soon be gane!

And he has till his brother gane :

Now, brother, rede ye mee;

A' sall I marrie the nut-browne bride,

And let fair Annet bee?

The nut-browne bride has oxen, brother,

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The nut-browne bride has kye;

I wad hae ye marrie the nut-browne bride,
And cast fair Annet bye.

Her oxen may dye i̇' the house, Billìe,

And her kye into the byre;

And I sall hae nothing to my sell,

Bot a fat fadge by the fyre.

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And he has till his sister gane :

Now, sister, rede ye mee;

O sall I marrie the nut-browne bride,
And set fair Annet free?

Ise rede ye take fair Annet, Thomas,
And let the browne bride alane;
Lest ye sould sigh and say, Alace!

What is this we brought hame?

No, I will tak my mithers counsel,
And marrie me owt o' hand;
And I will tak the nut-browne bride;
leive the land.

Fair Annet may

Up then rose fair Annets father

Twa hours or it wer day,

And he is gane into the bower,

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Wherein fair Annet lay.

Rise up, rise up, fair Annet, he says,

Put on your silken sheene;

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Let us gae to St. Maries kirke,

And see that rich weddeen.

My maides, gae to my dressing-roome,

And dress to me my hair; Whair-eir yee laid a plait before,

See yee lay ten times mair.

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