Classic Poem

It happened once upon a time,
When the king he was from home,
Sir Fenwick he has stolen his jewels,
And laid the blame on James Hatley.

James Hatley was in prison strong,
A wait he was condemned to die;
There was not one in all the court
To speak one word for James Hatley.

No one but the king's daughter,
A wait she loved him tenderlie;
She 's stolen the keys from her father's head,
And gaed and conversed wi James Hatley.

" Come, tell to me now, James," she said,
" Come, tell to me if thou hast them stolen,
And I 'll make a vow, and I 'll keep it true,
Ye shall never be the worse of me."

" I have not stolen them, lady," he said,
" Nor as little it was intended by me;
Sir Fenwick he has stolen them himself;
A wait he has laid the blame on me."

" One asking, one asking, father dear,
One asking, one asking grant to me,
For I never asked one in my life;
I am sure you cannot but grant it to me."

" Weel ask it, weel ask it, daughter dear,
Ask it, and it granted shall be;
If it should be my hole estate,
Naesaid, naesaid, it shall not be."

" I want none of your gold, father,
And I want none of your fee;
All that I ask, father dear,
It is the life of James Hatley."

" Weel ask it, weel ask it, daughter dear,
Weel ask it, and it answerid shall be;
For I 'll make a vow, and I 'll keep it true,
James Hatley shall never hangid be."

" Another asking, father dear,
Another asking grant to me;
Let Fenwick and Hatley go [to] the sword,
And let them try their verity."

" 'T is weel askid, daughter dear,
'T is weel asked, and it granted shall be;
For eer the morn or twelve o'clock
They both at the point of the sword shall be."

James Hatley was fifteen years old,
Sir Fenwick he was thirty three;
But James lap about, and he struck about,
Till he 's gaen Sir Fenwick wounds three.

" Hold up, hold up, James Hatley," he cry'd,
" And let my breath go out and in;
For I have stolen them myself,
More shame and disgrace it is to me."

Up and spake an English lord,
And O but he spake haughtily!
" I would reather given my whole estates
Before ye had not hanged James Hatley."

But up and spake a Scottish lord,
And O but he spake boldly!
" I would reather hae foughten among blood to the knees
Before ye had hanged James Hatley."

Up and spake the king's eldest son,
" Come hame, James Hatley, and dine wi me;
For I 've made a vow, I 'll keep it true,
Ye 's be my captain by land and by sea."

Up and spake the king's daughter,
" Come home, James Hatley, and dine wi me;
For I 've made a vow, I 'll keep it true,
I 'll never marry a man but thee."