And before seven years have an end,
Come back again love and marry me."

Now seven long years are gone and past,
And sore she long'd her love to see;
For ever a voice, within her breast,

Said "Beichan has broken his vow to thee."
So she's set her foot on the good ship board,
And turned her back on her own countrie. 1

She sailed east, she sailed west,

Till to fair England's shore came she;
Where a bonnie shepherd she espied
Feeding his sheep upon the lea.

"What news, what news, thou bonnie shepherd?
What news hast thou to tell to me?"

"Such news I hear ladye," he said—
The like was never in this countrie."

There is a wedding in yonder hall,
[I hear the sound of the minstrelsie,]
But young Lord Beichan slights his bride,
For love of one that's ayond the sea.

She's putten her hand in her pocket,

Gi'en him the gold and white monie ; "Here take ye that my bonnie boy,

For the good news thou tell'st to me."

When she came to Lord Beichan's gate,
She tirled softly at the pin;

And ready was the proud warder
To open and let this ladye in.

When she came to Lord Beichan's castle,
So boldly she rang the bell—

1 She pack'd up all her gay cloathing,

And swore Lord Bateman she would go see." Ibid.

2 In Jamieson's copy, we are told that the wedding "Has lasted thirty days and three." But this does not agree with the porter's saying in a subsequent verse, "This is the day of his weddin." 1 have therefore inserted the passage in brackets to make the story more consistent.

"Who's there, who's there, cried the proud porter,
"Who's there, unto me come tell."

"O is this lord Beichan's castle,

Or is that noble lord within?"

"Yea he is in the hall among them all,
And this is the day of his weddin."

"And has he wed anither love-
And has he clean forgotten me?"
And sighing said that ladye gay,

"I wish I was in my own countrie."

And she has ta'en her gay gold ring,

That with her love she brake so free; "Gie him that ye proud porter,

And bid the bridegroom speak to me.

Away, and away went the proud porter,
Away, and away, and away went he,
Until he came to Lord Beichan's presence-
Down he fell on his bended knee.
"What aileth thee, my proud porter,
Thou art so full of courtesie."

I've been porter at your gates

Its thirty long years now and three,
But there stands a ladye at them now,
The like of her I ne'er did see."

For on every finger she has a ring.
And on her mid-finger she has three;

1 Pine-Saxon, grief.

"Well I wote that in this world gret pine is."

Chaucer. The Knighte's Tale, line 1326. "who coude suppose

The wo that in min herte was and the pine?

Chaucer. Wif of Bathe, line €369.

And as much gay gold above her brow
As would an earldom buy to me:
And as much gay cloathing round about her
As would buy all Northumberlea." 1

Its out then spak the bride's mother-
Aye and an angry woman was she-
"Ye might have excepted the bonnie bride,
And two or three of our companie.'

"O hold your tongue ye silly frow,
Of all your folly let me be;
She's ten times fairer than the bride,
And all that's in your companie.

She asks one sheave of my lord's white bread,
And a cup of his red, red wine;

And to remember the ladye's love,
That kindly freed him out of pine."

Lord Beichan then in a passion flew,
And broke his sword in splinters three;

"O well a day" did Beichan say,

"That I so soon have married thee

For it can be none but dear Saphia,

That's cross'd the deep for love of me.” 2

And quickly hied he down the stair,

Of fifteen steps he made but three;
He's ta'en his bonnie love in his arms,
And kist, and kist her tenderly.

"O have ye taken another bride,

And have ye quite orgotten me?

And have ye quite forgotten one

That gave you life and liberty."

1 Northumberlea-this is for the sake of the rhyme. In the ballad as originally written I think it probable that all the verses terminated in such syllables as lea, ie, ee, &c. &c. This verse was a particular favourite with the late Allan Cunningham, who would often quote it to his friends; he has introduced it in his beautiful prose tale of "Gowden Gibbie."

2 “I will give all my father's riches,

That if Sophia has cross'd the sea." C. Eng. B. S. Lord Bateman.

She looked o'er 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."

"O never, never my Saphia,

For surely this can never be;

Nor ever shall I wed but her

That's done and dreed so much for me."

Then out and spake the forenoon bride,

66

'My Lord your love it changeth soon; This morning I was made your bride,

And another's chose, ere it be noon."

"O sorrow not, thou forenoon bride,
Our hearts could ne'er united be;
Ye must return to your own countrie,

A double dower I'll send with thee."

And up and spake the young bride's mother,
Who never was heard to speak so free-
"And so you treat my only daughter,
Because Saphia has cross'd the sea."

"I own I made a bride of your daughter,
She ne'er a whit the worse can be,

She came to me with her horse and saddle,
She may go back in her coach and three."

He's ta'en Saphia by the white hand,
And gently led her up and down;

And aye as he kist her rosy lips,

"Ye're welcome dear one to your own."

1 By "fountain stane" is meant one of those natural rocky basins, which the early British christians consecrated as baptisteries, and dedicated to the Virgin, or some of the saints. Converts from heathenism were not allowed to enter the churches, unless the rite of baptism by immersion had been previously submitted to at these sacred wells. The Ladye wells" mentioned in the first volume of the Table Book, were of the same description.

Her name he's changed from Saphia,

And he's called his bonnie love Lady Jane.

Lord Beichan prepared another marriage,
And sang with heart so full of glee,
"I'll range no more in foreign countries,
Now since my love has cross'd the sea."

HE village of Woodhorn stands near the seashore, on the coast of Northumberland. The vicarage of this parish, half a century ago, was the residence of the Rev. Mr. LATTON and his family. My mother was then a young girl, the daughter of respectable parents; but the youngest of a numerous family, and not above holding the situation of child's-maid in a clergyman's house.

On being married, she lived to preside long as a help-meet to her pious husband, at the head of their own numerous household,-was placed over many servants,—and after having set an example to handmaids, she became also a model for mistresses. Having tended some of the vicar's children in their infancy, and been the companion of their elder sisters; and being kindly regarded by them and their parents in return, she felt ever after much interested in their history, and retained a fond recollection of the spot which had been the scene of many an innocent gambol in the season of juvenile hilarity. I also have felt an interest in their history, for that mother's sake; and have visited Woodhorn upon no other errand than to see the parsonage house, where she was once an inmate, and peep into the window of the church where Mr. Latton used to preach, and try to identify the pew in which his family sat, well knowing that my mother had been