"And at the waking of your first sleepe, We will a hott drinke make; And at the waking of your next sleepe,[L75] 75 Your sorrowes we will slake."
He put a silk cote on his backe, And mail of manye a fold; And hee putt a steele cap on his head, Was gilt with good red gold. 80
He layd a bright browne sword by his side, And another att his feete: [And twentye good knights he placed at hand, To watch him in his sleepe.]
And about the middle time of the night, 85 Came twentye-four traitours inn; Sir Giles he was the foremost man, The leader of that ginn.
Old Robin with his bright browne sword, Sir Gyles head soon did winn; 90 And scant of all those twenty-four Went out one quick agenn.
None save only a litle foot-page, Crept forth at a window of stone; And he had two armes when he came in, 95 And he went back with one.
Upp then came that ladie gaye, With torches burning bright; She thought to have brought Sir Gyles a drinke, Butt she found her owne wedd knight. 100
The first thinge that she stumbled on It was Sir Gyles his foote; Sayes, "Ever alacke, and woe is mee! Here lyes my sweete hart-roote."
The next thinge that she stumbled on 105 It was Sir Gyles his heade; Sayes, "Ever alacke, and woe is me! Heere lyes my true love deade."
Hee cutt the pappes beside her brest, And didd her body spille; 110 He cutt the eares beside her heade, And bade her love her fille.
He called up then up his litle foot-page, And made him there his heyre; And sayd, "Henceforth my worldlye goodes, 115 And countrie I forsweare."
He shope the crosse on his right shoulder,[L117] Of the white clothe and the redde,[L118] And went him into the holy land, Wheras Christ was quicke and dead. 120
117. Every person who went on a Croisade to the Holy Land usually wore a cross on his upper garment, on the right shoulder, as a badge of his profession. Different nations were distinguished by crosses of different colors: the English wore white, the French red, &c. This circumstance seems to be confounded in the ballad. PERCY.
First published in _Minstrelsy of the Scottish Border_, iii. 220.
"This ballad has been popular in many parts of Scotland. It is chiefly given from Mrs. Brown of Falkland's MSS. The expression,
"The boy stared wild like a gray goss-hawk," _v._ 31,