Extracts From the Old Ballads
Marriage of Gilbert Becket
And quickly hied he down the stair;
Of fifteen steps he made but three;
He’s ta’en his bonny love in arms,
And kist, and kist her tenderlie.
Birth of Robin Hood
He took his bonny boy in his arms,
And kist him tenderlie;
Says, “Though I would your father hang,
Your mother’s dear to me.”
He kist him o’er and o’er again:
“My grandson I thee claim;
And Robin Hood in gude greenwood,
And that shall be your name.”
Dowsabell
With that she bent her snow-white knee,
Down by the shepheard kneeled she,
And him she sweetely kist:
With that the shepheard whooped for joy,
Quoth he, “Ther’s never shepheard’s boy
That ever was so blist.”
Gilderoy
Aft on the banks we’d sit us thair,
And sweetly kiss and toy,
Wi’ garlands gay wad deck my hair
My handsome Gilderoy.
Patient Countess
He took her in his armes, as yet
So coyish to be kist,
As mayds that know themselves beloved,
And yieldingly resist.
Friar of Orders Gray
But first upon my true love’s grave
My weary limbs I’ll lay,
And thrice I’ll kiss the green-grass turf
That wraps his breathless clay.
Gentle Herdsman
When thus I saw he loved me well,
I grewe so proud his paine to see,
That I, who did not know myselfe,
Thought scorne of such a youth as hee,
And grewe soe coy and nice to please,
As women’s lookes are often soe,
He might not kisse, nor hand forsooth,
Unlesse I willed him soe to doe.
Fair Rosamond
And falling down all in a swoone
Before King Henry’s face,
Full oft he in his princelye armes
Her bodye did embrace:
And twentye times, with watery eyes,
He kist her tender cheeke,
Untill he had revivde againe
Her senses milde and meeke.
Lunatic Lover
I’ll court you, and think you fair,
Since love does distract my brain:
I’ll go, I’ll wed the night-mare,
And kiss her, and kiss her again.
Child Waters
Shee saies, I had rather have one kisse,
Child Waters, of thy mouth,
Than I wolde have Cheshire and Lancashire both,
That lye by north and south.
Phillida and Corydon
Love, that had bene long deluded,
Was with kisses sweete concluded;
And Phillida with garlands gaye
Was made the lady of the Maye.
Fair Margaret and Sweet William
I’ll do more for thee, Margaret,
Than any of thy kin;
For I will kiss thy pale wan lips,
Though a smile I cannot win.
With that bespake the seven brethren,
Making most piteous moan:
“You may go kiss your jolly brown bride,
And let our sister alone.”
“If I do kiss my jolly brown bride,
I do but what is right;
I ne’er made a vow to yonder poor corpse,
By day, nor yet by night.”
Sweet William’s Ghost
“Thy faith and troth thou’se nevir get,
Of me shalt nevir win,
Till that thou come within my bower
And kiss my cheek and chin.”
“If I should come within thy bower,
I am no earthly man:
And should I kiss thy rosy lipp,
Thy days will not be lang.”
Lady’s Fall
“And there,” quoth hee, “Ile meete my deare,
If God soe lend me life,
On this day month without all fayle
I will make thee my wife.”
Then with a sweete and loving kisse,
They parted presentlye,
And att their partinge brinish teares
Stoode in eche other’s eye.
Waly Waly, Love Be Bonny
But had I wist, before I kisst,
That love had been sae ill to win,
I had lockt my heart in a case of gowd,
And pinned it wi’ a siller pin.
Bride’s Burial
In love as we have livde,
In love let us depart;
And I, in token of my love,
Do kiss thee with my heart.
Children in the Wood
With lippes as cold as any stone,
They kist their children small:
“God bless you both, my children deare;”
With that the teares did fall.
Lucy and Colin
Ah, Colin! give not her thy vows,
Vows due to me alone:
Nor thou, fond maid, receive his kiss,
Nor think him all thy own.
Marriage of Sir Gawaine
Sir Kay beheld that lady’s face,
And looked upon her sweere:16
“Whoever kisses that ladye,” he sayes,
“Of his kisse he stands in feare.”
Sir Kay beheld that ladye againe,
And looked upon her snout:
“Whoever kisses that ladye,” he sayes,
“Of his kisse he stands in doubt.”
Guy and Amarant
The good old man, even overjoyed with this,
Fell on the ground, and wold have kissed Guy’s feete:
“Father,” quoth he, “refraine soe base a kisse,
For age to honor youth I hold unmeete.”