Book Description

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1858 edition. Excerpt: ... WILLIE O' WYBURN. PART I. How Willie o' Wyburn goes to study with the Monks of Elverslie. Wyburn Willie was pale and thin, And he was ten years old; He dwelt with his mother, a widow poor, And books loved more than gold. Willie, when he was a little child, He did not rave and cry; His spirit was meek as a little saint's, Yet bright was his dark blue eye. Willie, he did not run about With the forest-boys at play; But he sate beside his mother's door A-reading all the day. The long, long words he could spell them, And their meaning he could tell; And, by the time he was five years old, He could read the missal well. There was not a prayer to any saint, But he the prayer did know; Nor a carol good, nor ballad sweet, That he could not sing also. "Now, where gat ye this learning, Willie?" Said a monk of Elverslie, "And where did ye get this learning, For no scholar's son ye be? "Your mother she cannot read, poor soul, Nor is it meet she should; Then how did ye get this learning, All in this lonesome wood?" "My learning, methinks, is small," said Willie, "The aves and tho creed, And the prayers, out of a missal old, I learned them to read. "And the forest-folk they sing their songs All in the forest dim; And whenever a wandering harper comes, I learn a deal from him. "I'm full of thought when the organ peals, Or when the bells are rung; And I often go down to Elverslie, To hear the masses sung." "Thou shalt dwell with me," said the good old monk, "In the house at Elverslie; For thy Latin is spoken sore amiss. And I'll make a clerk of thee." Said Willie, "'Twould break my mother's heart, If with her I do not stay; Therefore I will go to Elverslie, If it please you, every day." Now Willie goes down to Elverslie, Through the forest doth he go, In...