Transcribed from the 1913 Thomas J. Wise pamphlet by DavidPrice,
by
GEORGE BORROW
London:
printed for private circulation
1913
It was the little Engel, he
So handsome was and gay;
To Upland rode he on a tide
And bore a maid away.
In ill hour he to Upland rode
And made a maid his prize;
The first night they together lay
Was down by Vesteryse.
It was the little Engel he
Awoke at black midnight,
And straight begins his dream to state
In terror and affright.
p.6“Methought the wolf-whelp and his dam,
The laidly she-wolf gray,
Tore out my heart, and twixt their teeth
Did hold it as I lay.”
“That thou dream’st little Engel thus
Can cause slight wonderment,
When me thou’st ta’en by might and main
Nor asked my friends’ consent.”
In came Solwey Johnsen then
And stood before the table;
He was I ween, a clever lad,
And well to speak was able.
“Hear thou, my lord, Little Engel,
Rise up and straight begone;
For here Sir Godey Loumand comes
By four ways to the town.”
“I fear not four, Solwey Johnsen,
Nor five fear I, nor ten!
I fear not Godey Sir Loumand, though
He come with thirty men.”
p.7“O there are more than four, Sir,
Or five, Sir, or than ten;
Here cometh Godey Sir Loumand with
A hundred armed men.”
It was the little Engel, he
Took Malfred in his arm:
“Now, dearest heart, some counsel give
May free us from this harm.”
It was the little Engel, her
Upon the white cheek kiss’d:
“Now do thou hear, my bosom’s dear,
With counsel us assist.”
“The best advice that I can give
I’ll give thee in this case;
To Mary’s Church we will retire,
They’ll ne’er destroy that place.
“We’ll gold and silver take, and on
The scale we’ll pile them high;
To-morrow from the Churchmen we
The holy place will buy.
p.8“Around you call your merry men all
To whom you’ve given bread;
For refuge we to the Kirk will flee
Since we are thus bestead.
“Do you take all your merry men who
Your coursers’ backs have prest;
We’ll hie us to our Lady’s church,
And set our hearts at rest.
“That’s the best counsel, love, I know,
A simple woman I;
In Mary’s house we’ll lock ourselves,
And there our foes defy.”
It was the little Engel,
Into the church he went:
Sir Loumand to beleaguer him
A hundred men has sent.
Before the kirk his men they lay
Till full five months were past;
It was Godey Sir Loumand
So wrathful grew at last.
p.9Then spake the mother of little Malfred,
With hate ’gainst her was fill’d:
“The Kirk of Maria burn with fire,
And it with gold rebuild.”
The fire began to burn, to burn,
The sparkles in they flew;
At that adread was little Malfred,
And ashy pale she grew.
It was so hot in the Kirk yard when
Abroad the blazes sped;
But in the Kirk still hotter when