Popular British Ballads, Ancient and Modern, Vol. 2 (of 4)

In Short

This collection gathers centuries of traditional English and Scottish verse, tracking ordinary lives, dramatic feuds, and haunting supernatural encounters. The poems range from bloody border raids and tragic domestic betrayals to lighthearted broadside humour and chilling ghost stories. Passed down through generations by oral tradition and printed cheaply on broadsheets, these pieces endure because they distill universal human passions—jealousy, grief, loyalty, and defiance—into memorable, rhythmic narratives that still resonate today.

The Story

The collection opens with the supernatural and the macabre, introducing King Henry encountering a monstrous, terrifying spirit that demands his hunting hounds and horses before sparing his life. The arc shifts immediately into human treachery and tragic love, moving through the clandestine romance of Clerk Saunders, whose secret tryst ends in a bloody assassination by jealous brothers, leaving Lady Margaret to vow a seven-year mourning of bare feet and uncombed hair.

The turbulence of regional feuds surfaces in the border ballads, where loyalties ignite sudden violence, as seen when young Johnnie of Breadislee is hunted down by foresters in the woods, or when Kinmont Willy is dramatically rescued from captivity. Domestic spaces prove just as perilous, illustrated by the tragic fate of the Laird of Waristoun, murdered at the hands of his wife and her conspirators, and the devastating misunderstandings between the brothers Sir John and Sir William, whose wrestling match turns fatal.

Midway through, the collection explores unconventional courtships and social defiance. Young Akin claims a king's daughter in the woods, while across other tales, heroines take bold measures to escape forced matches or rescue their true loves, such as Lady Maisry refusing Lord Ingram, and the clever maid who helps Brown Robin slip past a watchful porter. Ballads like "Eppie Morrie" and the tale of the Laird of Drum examine the tensions of class and marriage, where brides are either forcibly abducted or forced to navigate the cold receptions of proud noble in-laws.

The journey continues toward the sea and the marketplace, touching upon the fateful voyage of a doomed ship meeting a mermaid's wrath, and the legendary exploits of outlaws like Robin Hood outwitting a greedy monk with the help of Little John. Broadside comic verses offer lighter relief, featuring lively courtship tales like "Young Roger of the Valley" and the merry mishaps of country folk.

Finally, the collection turns toward mortality and moral reckoning. The biblical tragedy of Rich Diverus and poor Lazarus maps out contrasting fates in the afterlife, while a church-going lady confronts the grim reality of bodily decay upon seeing a corpse. The volume closes on notes of haunting remembrance and quiet grief, with grieving lovers speaking to the dead across cold graves, preserving an unyielding connection between life and the beyond.

How It Unfolds

• The supernatural intrusion: King Henry slays a deer in his hunting hall, only to be confronted by a colossal, ghastly ghost that forces him to sacrifice his horses and hounds.
• The midnight murder: Clerk Saunders lies sleeping beside Margaret until her seven brothers discover them, and the youngest drives a brand through his body.
• The border skirmish: Young Johnnie of Breadislee rests among his dogs in the forest before he is ambushed and fatally wounded by local foresters.
• The fatal wrestling: Two brothers go to school together, but a friendly wrestling match on the road ends with a hidden knife delivering a mortal wound.
• The noble's bride: The Laird of Drum marries a shepherd's lassie, facing the open disdain of his aristocratic brothers who view the match as a social stain.
• The jailbreak: Little John tricks a gullible sheriff with a tale of an abbot's promotion, enabling him to slip into the Nottingham prison and free Robin Hood.
• The watery doom: A crew sets sail and encounters a mermaid warning them of disaster before their ship circles three times and sinks to the bottom.
• The final reckoning: Rich Diverus ignores starving Lazarus at his gate, leading to a grim judgment where serpents guide the wealthy man to hell while angels carry the poor man to heaven.

The People

• King Henry is a powerful ruler humbled in his own hunting hall, forced to helplessly slaughter his most prized animals and submit to a terrifying otherworldly bride.
• Clerk Saunders is a devoted lover caught in a forbidden tryst, whose quiet sleep is violently ended by a brother-in-law's blade, leaving his partner to endure years of desolate grief.
• Lady Margaret is a fiercely loyal partner who hides her slain lover from discovery, ultimately vowing to reject all comfort, shoes, and hair-combing for seven long years.
• Johnnie of Breadislee is a young, skilled hunter who roams the woods with his hounds, ultimately falling victim to foresters who cut down his youth in the greenwood.
• The Laird of Drum is a wealthy landowner who defies social convention by marrying a shepherd's girl, standing firmly by his choice despite his family's open mockery.
• Little John is Robin Hood's quick-witted companion who uses clever deception and disguise to outmaneuver authorities and rescue his imprisoned leader.

In Its Own Voice

"And in there came a grisly ghost, Stood stamping on the floor."

King Henry's royal hall is abruptly invaded by a monstrous apparition that terrifies his huntsmen.

"A better lord was never born Than him I lost on Yarrow."

Sarah refuses her father's attempts to comfort her or offer a new match following the violent death of her husband.

"There is na a man in a' Strathdon Shall wedded be with me."

Eppie Morrie voices fierce defiance against her forced abduction and marriage.

What It's Really About

The collection explores the fragility of human order when confronted by raw passion, class rigidity, and inevitable mortality. It questions the justice of social hierarchies, contrasting the rigid demands of family honor and rank against genuine human affection. Beneath the violent plots and supernatural visitations lies an inquiry into grief and loyalty: how individuals endure catastrophic loss, whether through ritualized mourning, defiance, or spiritual retribution. The texts weigh the cost of transgression, examining how society treats those who step outside accepted boundaries of class, obedience, and tradition.

Why Read It Today

Readers who love rich folklore, haunting lyricism, and the raw, unfiltered energy of oral storytelling will find much to treasure here. Reading these pieces feels like sitting by a hearth while an elder recounts local legends, filled with dark woods, sudden blades, and sorrowful ghosts. The language requires patience, as the Scottish and northern dialects demand attention to glossaries and rhythm, while period attitudes toward women and class reflect the harsh realities of their historical moment. Yet, the emotional core remains entirely immediate. The stubborn grief of a lover at a graveside, the sudden shock of betrayal, and the defiant songs of outlaws stay with the reader long after the book is closed, offering an unvarnished window into the fears and heartbreaks of past generations.