Somewhat After the Style of Our Old English Ballads

Joanna Baillie (1762–1851) · 1790

common measure · ABAB · 164 lines · from Poems (1790)

All shrouded in the winter snow,The maiden held her way;Nor chilly winds that roughly blow,Nor dark night could her stay.

O'er hill and dale, through bush and briar,She on her journey kept;Save often when she 'gan to tire,She stop'd awhile and wept.

Wild creatures left their caverns drear,To raise their nightly yell;But little doth the bosom fear,Where inward troubles dwell.

No watch-light from the distant spire,To cheer the gloom so deep,Nor twinkling star, nor cottage fireDid thro' the darkness peep.

Yet heedless still she held her way,Nor fear'd the crag nor dell;Like ghost that thro' the gloom to stray,Wakes with the midnight bell.

Now night thro' her dark watches ran,Which lock the peaceful mind;And thro' the neighb'ring hamlets 'ganTo wake the yawning hind.

Yet bark of dog, nor village cock,That spoke the morning near;Nor gray-light trembling on the rock,Her 'nighted mind could cheer.

The whirling flail, and clacking millWake with the early day;And careless children, loud and shrill,With new-made snow-balls play.

And as she pass'd each cottage door,They did their gambols cease;And old men shook their locks so hoar,And wish'd her spirit peace.

For sometimes slow; and sometimes fast,She held her wav'ring pace;Like early spring's inconstant blast,That ruffles evening's face.

At length with weary feet she came,Where in a shelt'ring wood,Whose master bore no humble name,A stately castle stood.

The open gate, and smoking fires,Which cloud the air so thin;And shrill bell tinkling from the spires,Bespoke a feast within.

With busy looks, and hasty tread,The servants cross the hall;And many a page, in buskins red,Await the master's call.

Fair streaming bows of bridal whiteOn ev'ry shoulder play'd;And clean, in lily kerchief dight,Trip'd every houshold maid.

She ask'd for neither lord nor dame,Nor who the mansion own'd;But straight into the hall she came,And sat her on the ground.

The busy crew all crouded nigh,And round the stranger star'd;But still she roll'd her wand'ring eye,Nor for their questions car'd.

"What dost thou want, thou storm-beat' maid,That thou these portals past?Ill suiteth here thy looks dismay'd,Thou art no bidden guest."

"O chide not!" said a gentle page,And wip'd his tear-wet cheek,"Who would not shun the winter's rage?The wind is cold and bleak.

"Her robe is stiff with drizly snow,And rent her mantle grey;None ever bade the wretched goUpon his wedding-day."

Then to his lord he hied him straight,Where round on silken seatSat many a courteous dame and knight.And made obeisance meet,

"There is a stranger in your hall,Who wears no common mien;Hard were the heart, as flinty wall,That would not take her in.

"A fairer dame in hall or bowerMine eyes did ne'er behold;Tho' shelter'd in no father's tower,And turn'd out to the cold.

"Her face is like an early morn,Dimm'd with the nightly dew;Her skin is like the sheeted torn,Her eyes are wat'ry blue.

"And tall and slender is her form,Like willow o'er the brook;But on her brow there broods a storm,And restless is her look,

"And well her troubled motions shewThe tempest in her mind;Like the unshelter'd sapling boughVex'd with the wintry wind.

"Her head droops on her ungirt breast,And scatter'd is her hair;Yet lady brac'd in courtly vestWas never half so fair."

Reverse, and cold the turning bloodThe bridegroom's cheek forsook:He shook and stagger'd as he stood,And falter'd as he spoke.

"So soft and fair I know a maid,There is but only she;A wretched man her love betrayed,And wretched let him be."

Deep frowning, turn'd the bride's dark eye,For bridal morn unmeet;With trembling steps her lord did hieThe stranger fair to greet.

Tho' loose in scatter'd weeds array'd,And ruffled with the storm;Like lambkin from its fellows stray'd,He knew her graceful form.

But when he spy'd her sunken eye,And features sharp and wan,He heav'd a deep and heavy sigh,And down the big tears ran.

"Why droops thy head, thou lovely maid,Upon thy hand of snow?Is it because thy love betray'd,That thou art brought so low?"

Quick from her eye the keen glance cameWho question'd her to see:And oft she mutter'd o'er his name,And wist not it was he.

Full hard against his writhing browsHis clenched hands he prest;Full high his lab'ring bosom rose,And rent its silken vest.

"O cursed be the golden price,That did my baseness prove!And cursed be my friends advice,That wil'd me from thy love!

"And cursed be the woman's art,That lur'd me to her snare!And cursed be the faithless heartThat left thee to despair!

"Yet now I'll hold thee to my side,Tho' worthless I have been,Nor friends, nor wealth, nor dizen'd bride,Shall ever stand between.

"When thou art weary and depress'd,I'll lull thee to thy sleep;And when dark fancies vex thy breast,I'll sit by thee and weep.

"I'll tend thee like a restless childWhere'er thy rovings be;Nor gesture keen, nor eye-ball wild,Shall turn my love from thee.

"Night shall not hang cold o'er thy head,And I securely lie;Nor drizly clouds upon thee shed,And I in covert dry.

"I'll share the cold blast on the heath,I'll share thy wants and pain:Nor friend nor foe, nor life nor death,Shall ever make us twain."

Words in this poem 30

briar n.: A plant with a slender woody stem bearing stout prickles; especially, species of Rosa, Rubus, and Smilax. [OE. brere, brer, AS. brer, brær; cf. Ir. briar prickle, thorn, brier, pin, Gael. preas bush, brier, W. prys, prysg.]
awhile adv.: For a while; for some time; for a short time. [Adj. a + while time, interval.]
drear n.: Sadness; dismalness.
nightly a.: Of or pertaining to the night, or to every night; happening or done by night, or every night; as, nightly shades; he kept nightly vigils.
dwell v. i.: To delay; to linger. [OE. dwellen, dwelien, to err, linger, AS. dwellan to deceive, hinder, delay, dwelian to err; akin to Icel. dvelja to delay, tarry, Sw. dväljas to dwell, Dan. dv]
twinkling n.: The act of one who, or of that which, twinkles; a quick movement of the eye; a wink; a twinkle. Holland.
crag n.: The neck or throat [A form of craw: cf. D. kraag neck, collar, G. kragen. See Craw.]
dell n.: A small, retired valley; a ravine. [AS. del, akin to E. dale; cf. D. delle, del, low ground. See Dale.]
ghost n.: The spirit; the soul of man. [OE. gast, gost, soul, spirit, AS. gast breath, spirit, soul; akin to OS. g spirit, soul, D. geest, G. geist, and prob. to E. gaze, ghastly.]
spoke n.: The radius or ray of a wheel; one of the small bars which are inserted in the hub, or nave, and which serve to support the rim or felly. [OE. spoke, spake, AS, spaca; akin to D. speek, LG. speke, OHG. speihha, G. speiche. sq. root170. Cf. Spike a nail.]
shook v. t.: To pack, as staves, in a shook.
hoar v. t.: To become moldy or musty. [AS. harian to grow gray.]
await v. t.: To watch for; to look out for. [OF. awaitier, agaitier; (L. ad) + waitier, gaitier to watch, F. guetter. See Wait.]
streaming a.: Sending forth streams.
dight v. t.: To prepare; to put in order; hence, to dress, or put on; to array; to adorn. [OF. dihten, AS. dihtan to dictate, command, dispose, arrange, fr. L. dictare to say often, dictate, order; cf. G. dichten to write poetry, fr. L. dictare. See D]
dame n.: A mistress of a family, who is a lady; a womam in authority; especially, a lady. [F. dame, LL. domna, fr. L. domina mistress, lady, fem. of dominus master, ruler, lord; akin to domare to tame, subdue. See Tame, and cf. Dam mother, Dan, Danger]
mansion n.: A dwelling place, -- whether a part or whole of a house or other shelter. [OF. mansion, F. maison, fr. L. mansio a staying, remaining, a dwelling, habitation, fr. manere, mansum, to stay, dwell; akin to Gr. Manse, Manor, Menagerie, Men]
bade: A form of the pat tense of Bid.
morn n.: The first part of the day; the morning; -- used chiefly in poetry. [OE. morwen, morgen, AS. morgen; akin to D. morgen, OS. morgan, G. morgen, Icel. morginn, morgunn, Sw. morgon, Dan. morgen, Goth. maúrgins. Cf. Morrow, Morning.]
shew n.: Show. [Obs. except in shewbread.]
wintry a.: Suitable to winter; resembling winter, or what belongs to winter; brumal; hyemal; cold; stormy; wintery. [AS. wintrig.]
courtly a.: Relating or belonging to a court. [From Court.]
vest n.: An article of clothing covering the person; an outer garment; a vestment; a dress; a vesture; a robe. [L. vestis a garment, vesture; akin to Goth. wasti, and E. wear: cf. F. veste. See Wear to carry on the person, and cf. Divest, Invest, Travesty.]
unmeet a.: Not meet or fit; not proper; unbecoming; unsuitable; -- usually followed by for.
prest a.: Ready; prompt; prepared. [OF. prest, F. prêt, fr. L. praestus ready. Cf. Presto.]
cursed a.: Deserving a curse; execrable; hateful; detestable; abominable.
wealth n.: Weal; welfare; prosperity; good. [OE. welthe, from wele; cf. D. weelde luxury. See Weal prosperity.]
shall v. i.: To owe; to be under obligation for. [OE. shal, schal, imp. sholde, scholde, AS. scal, sceal, I am obliged, imp. scolde, sceolde, inf. sculan; akin to OS. skulan, pres. skal, imp. skolda, D. zullen,]
lull v. t.: To cause to rest by soothing influences; to compose; to calm; to soothe; to quiet. [Akin to OD. lullen to sing to sleep, G. lullen, Dan. lulle, Sw. lulla; all of imitative origin. Cf. Loll, Lollard.]
twain a.: Two;- nearly obsolete in common discourse, but used in poetry and burlesque. [OE. twein, tweien, tweyne, AS. twegen, masc. See Two.]

Definitions and etymologies from Webster's Unabridged Dictionary, 1913.

About this text

Somewhat After the Style of Our Old English Ballads is in the public domain. This text is taken from Poems, &c. (1790) Wherein It Is Attempted To Describe Certain Views Of Nature And Of Rustic Manners; And Also, To Point Out, In Some Instances, The Different Influence Which The Same Circumstances Produce On Different Characters, Project Gutenberg ebook #14617; the transcription's header, footer and licence were removed and nothing else was changed. You may copy, print and reuse it freely.

Cite as: Joanna Baillie, Somewhat After the Style of Our Old English Ballads, in Poems (1790) (1790), text of Project Gutenberg ebook #14617, Laurel, https://laurelpoetry.com/poem/baillie-poems/somewhat-after-the-style-of-our-old-english-ballads.html, id L09862.

Form and metre

Somewhat After the Style of Our Old English Ballads is 164 lines in 41 stanzas of 4 lines each. The rhyme scheme is ABAB, complete in 31 of its 41 stanzas. The metre is common measure, measured from the stress the words themselves fix (confidence 93%). 98% of its stressed syllables fall where the metre puts the beat. The lines average 7.1 syllables. 7 lines end on an unstressed syllable, a feminine ending. 10% of the lines run on without a stop at the line end.

See other poems in common measure.

Measured by Laurel's pipeline, not copied from a handbook: how stress and metre are counted, how rhyme is lettered, how a drifted rhyme is found. Where the dictionary cannot confirm a rhyme the letter is withheld, not guessed.

Rhyme words, stanza by stanza

The word that ends each line, lettered by the rhyme it makes; a dash is a line whose rhyme the dictionary could not confirm.

1 ABAB snow^A · way^B · blow^A · stay^B
2 ABAB briar^A · kept^B · tire^A · wept^B
3 ABAB drear^A · yell^B · fear^A · dwell^B
4 ABAB spire^A · deep^B · fire^A · peep^B
5 ABAB way^A · dell^B · stray^A · bell^B
6 ABAB ran^A · mind^B · gan^A · hind^B
7 ABAB cock^A · near^B · rock^A · cheer^B
8 ABAB mill^A · day^B · shrill^A · play^B
9 ABAB door^A · cease^B · hoar^A · peace^B
10 ABAB fast^A · pace^B · blast^A · face^B
11 ABAB came^A · wood^B · name^A · stood^B
12 ABAB fires^A · thin^B · spires^A · within^B
13 ABAB tread^A · hall^B · red^A · call^B
14 ABAB white^A · play'd^B · dight^A · maid^B
15 A-A- dame^A · own'd · came^A · ground
16 ABAB nigh^A · star'd^B · eye^A · car'd^B
17 A-A- maid^A · past · dismay'd^A · guest
18 ABAB page^A · cheek^B · rage^A · bleak^B
19 ABAB snow^A · grey^B · go^A · day^B
20 -A-A straight · seat^A · knight · meet^A
21 ABAB hall^A · mien^B · wall^A · in^B
22 ABAB bower^A · behold^B · tower^A · cold^B
23 ABAB morn^A · dew^B · torn^A · blue^B
24 ABAB form^A · brook^B · storm^A · look^B
25 -A-A shew · mind^A · bough · wind^A
26 ABAB breast^A · hair^B · vest^A · fair^B
27 A-A- blood^A · forsook · stood^A · spoke
28 ABAB maid^A · she^B · betrayed^A · be^B
29 -A-A eye · unmeet^A · hie · greet^A
30 ABAB array'd^A · storm^B · stray'd^A · form^B
31 A-A- eye^A · wan · sigh^A · ran
32 ABAB maid^A · snow^B · betray'd^A · low^B
33 ABAB came^A · see^B · name^A · he^B
34 -A-A brows · prest^A · rose · vest^A
35 ABAB price^A · prove^B · advice^A · love^B
36 ABAB art^A · snare^B · heart^A · despair^B
37 A-A- side^A · been · bride^A · between
38 ABAB depress'd^A · sleep^B · breast^A · weep^B
39 ABAB child^A · be^B · wild^A · thee^B
40 ABAB head^A · lie^B · shed^A · dry^B
41 -A-A heath · pain^A · death · twain^A

Scansion, line by line

Each line with its syllable count and the stresses the words themselves fix: / stressed, ˘ unstressed, · a syllable the word leaves free and the metre decides. Read against common measure. How this is done.

Line	Syl.	Stress
All shrouded in the winter snow,	8	·/˘··/˘·
The maiden held her way;	6	·/˘···
Nor chilly winds that roughly blow,	8	·/˘··/˘·
Nor dark night could her stay.	6	······
O'er hill and dale, through bush and briar,	9	·······/˘
She on her journey kept;	6	···/˘·
Save often when she 'gan to tire,	9	·/˘····/˘
She stop'd awhile and wept.	6	··˘/··
Wild creatures left their caverns drear,	8	·/˘··/˘·
To raise their nightly yell;	6	···/˘·
But little doth the bosom fear,	8	·/˘··/˘·
Where inward troubles dwell.	6	·/˘/˘·
No watch-light from the distant spire,	8	·····/˘·
To cheer the gloom so deep,	6	······
Nor twinkling star, nor cottage fire	10	·/˘˘··/˘/˘
Did thro' the darkness peep.	6	···/˘·
Yet heedless still she held her way,	8	·/˘·····
Nor fear'd the crag nor dell;	6	······
Like ghost that thro' the gloom to stray,	8	········
Wakes with the midnight bell.	6	···/··
Now night thro' her dark watches ran,	8	·····/˘·
Which lock the peaceful mind;	6	···/˘·
And thro' the neighb'ring hamlets 'gan	8	·····/˘·
To wake the yawning hind.	6	···/˘·
Yet bark of dog, nor village cock,	8	·····/˘·
That spoke the morning near;	6	···/˘·
Nor gray-light trembling on the rock,	9	···/˘˘···
Her 'nighted mind could cheer.	6	·/˘···
The whirling flail, and clacking mill	8	·/˘··/˘·
Wake with the early day;	6	···/˘·
And careless children, loud and shrill,	8	·/˘/˘···
With new-made snow-balls play.	6	······
And as she pass'd each cottage door,	8	·····/˘·
They did their gambols cease;	6	······
And old men shook their locks so hoar,	8	········
And wish'd her spirit peace.	6	···/˘·
For sometimes slow; and sometimes fast,	8	·˘/··˘/·
She held her wav'ring pace;	6	······
Like early spring's inconstant blast,	8	·/˘·˘/˘·
That ruffles evening's face.	6	·/˘/˘·
At length with weary feet she came,	8	···/˘···
Where in a shelt'ring wood,	6	······
Whose master bore no humble name,	8	·/˘··/˘·
A stately castle stood.	6	·/˘/˘·
The open gate, and smoking fires,	9	·/˘··/˘/˘
Which cloud the air so thin;	6	······
And shrill bell tinkling from the spires,	9	···/˘˘···
Bespoke a feast within.	6	˘/····
With busy looks, and hasty tread,	8	·/˘··/˘·
The servants cross the hall;	6	·/˘···
And many a page, in buskins red,	9	·/˘······
Await the master's call.	6	˘/·/˘·
Fair streaming bows of bridal white	8	·/˘··/˘·
On ev'ry shoulder play'd;	6	···/˘·
And clean, in lily kerchief dight,	8	···/˘/˘·
Trip'd every houshold maid.	7	·/˘˘···
She ask'd for neither lord nor dame,	8	···/˘···
Nor who the mansion own'd;	6	···/˘·
But straight into the hall she came,	8	········
And sat her on the ground.	6	······
The busy crew all crouded nigh,	8	·/˘·····
And round the stranger star'd;	6	···/˘·
But still she roll'd her wand'ring eye,	8	········
Nor for their questions car'd.	6	···/˘·
"What dost thou want, thou storm-beat' maid,	8	········
That thou these portals past?	6	···/˘·
Ill suiteth here thy looks dismay'd,	8	·/˘···˘/
Thou art no bidden guest."	6	···/˘·
"O chide not!" said a gentle page,	8	·····/˘·
And wip'd his tear-wet cheek,	6	······
"Who would not shun the winter's rage?	8	·····/˘·
The wind is cold and bleak.	6	······
"Her robe is stiff with drizly snow,	8	········
And rent her mantle grey;	6	···/˘·
None ever bade the wretched go	8	·/˘··/˘·
Upon his wedding-day."	6	···/˘·
Then to his lord he hied him straight,	8	········
Where round on silken seat	6	···/˘·
Sat many a courteous dame and knight.	10	·/˘·/˘˘···
And made obeisance meet,	6	··˘/˘·
"There is a stranger in your hall,	8	···/˘···
Who wears no common mien;	6	···/˘·
Hard were the heart, as flinty wall,	8	·····/˘·
That would not take her in.	6	······
"A fairer dame in hall or bower	9	·/˘····/˘
Mine eyes did ne'er behold;	6	····˘/
Tho' shelter'd in no father's tower,	9	·/˘··/˘/˘
And turn'd out to the cold.	6	······
"Her face is like an early morn,	8	·····/˘·
Dimm'd with the nightly dew;	6	···/˘·
Her skin is like the sheeted torn,	8	·····/˘·
Her eyes are wat'ry blue.	6	···/˘·
"And tall and slender is her form,	8	···/˘···
Like willow o'er the brook;	6	·/····
But on her brow there broods a storm,	8	········
And restless is her look,	6	·/˘···
"And well her troubled motions shew	9	···/˘˘/˘·
The tempest in her mind;	6	·/˘···
Like the unshelter'd sapling bough	8	·····/˘·
Vex'd with the wintry wind.	6	···/˘·
"Her head droops on her ungirt breast,	8	········
And scatter'd is her hair;	6	·/˘···
Yet lady brac'd in courtly vest	8	·/˘··/˘·
Was never half so fair."	6	·/˘···
Reverse, and cold the turning blood	8	˘/···/˘·
The bridegroom's cheek forsook:	6	·/··˘/
He shook and stagger'd as he stood,	8	···/˘···
And falter'd as he spoke.	6	·/˘···
"So soft and fair I know a maid,	8	········
There is but only she;	6	···/˘·
A wretched man her love betrayed,	9	·/˘···˘/˘
And wretched let him be."	6	·/˘···
Deep frowning, turn'd the bride's dark eye,	8	·/˘·····
For bridal morn unmeet;	6	·/˘·˘/
With trembling steps her lord did hie	9	·/˘˘·····
The stranger fair to greet.	6	·/˘···
Tho' loose in scatter'd weeds array'd,	8	···/˘·˘/
And ruffled with the storm;	6	·/˘···
Like lambkin from its fellows stray'd,	8	·/˘··/˘·
He knew her graceful form.	6	···/˘·
But when he spy'd her sunken eye,	8	·····/˘·
And features sharp and wan,	6	·/˘···
He heav'd a deep and heavy sigh,	8	·····/˘·
And down the big tears ran.	6	······
"Why droops thy head, thou lovely maid,	8	·····/˘·
Upon thy hand of snow?	6	······
Is it because thy love betray'd,	8	······˘/
That thou art brought so low?"	6	······
Quick from her eye the keen glance came	8	········
Who question'd her to see:	6	·/˘···
And oft she mutter'd o'er his name,	8	···/˘···
And wist not it was he.	6	······
Full hard against his writhing brows	8	·····/˘·
His clenched hands he prest;	5	·····
Full high his lab'ring bosom rose,	8	·····/˘·
And rent its silken vest.	6	···/˘·
"O cursed be the golden price,	7	····/˘·
That did my baseness prove!	6	···/˘·
And cursed be my friends advice,	7	·····˘/
That wil'd me from thy love!	6	······
"And cursed be the woman's art,	7	····/˘·
That lur'd me to her snare!	6	······
And cursed be the faithless heart	7	····/˘·
That left thee to despair!	6	····˘/
"Yet now I'll hold thee to my side,	8	········
Tho' worthless I have been,	6	·/˘···
Nor friends, nor wealth, nor dizen'd bride,	8	········
Shall ever stand between.	6	·/˘···
"When thou art weary and depress'd,	8	···/˘·˘/
I'll lull thee to thy sleep;	6	······
And when dark fancies vex thy breast,	8	···/˘···
I'll sit by thee and weep.	6	······
"I'll tend thee like a restless child	8	·····/˘·
Where'er thy rovings be;	7	˘˘/·/˘·
Nor gesture keen, nor eye-ball wild,	8	·/˘·····
Shall turn my love from thee.	6	······
"Night shall not hang cold o'er thy head,	8	········
And I securely lie;	6	··˘/˘·
Nor drizly clouds upon thee shed,	8	········
And I in covert dry.	6	···/˘·
"I'll share the cold blast on the heath,	8	········
I'll share thy wants and pain:	6	······
Nor friend nor foe, nor life nor death,	8	········
Shall ever make us twain."	6	·/˘···

The reader shows the same poem with its rhymes coloured and a stress row above each line, the notes beside their stanzas, and any word's definition on a tap; the analysis page takes the whole book apart. How every part of this site was made.

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