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Updated: May 6, 2025
'O up and spake an eldern knight, Sat at the King's right knee: "Sir Patrick Spens is the best sailor That ever sailed the sea." "Now I'll write my letter," said the king, who was endeavouring to make himself comfortable in his somewhat contracted tower. 'The King has written a braid letter And sealed it with his hand; And sent it to Sir Patrick Spens, Was walking on the strand.
Be the matter as it may, with the "eldern dames" it was otherwise. When they got to the byre, Margaret appeared more willing to resume the former subject than to look at her neighbour's chattels.
There are many versions of this ballad, but I give you here one of the shortest and perhaps the most beautiful. "The king sits in Dumferling toune Drinking the blude reid wine: 'O whar will I get a guid sailor, To sail this schip of mine? Up and spak an eldern knicht, Sat at the king's richt kne: 'Sir Patrick Spence is the best sailor That sails upon the se.
'The King sits in Dunfermline tower, Drinking the bluid-red wine. "O whaur will I get a skeely skipper To sail this new ship o' mine?" A dead silence ensued, whereupon the king said testily, "Now, Dandie, you never remember you're the eldern knight; go on!" Thus reminded, Dandie recited:
"Ay, ay," answered Rob, "she's under lawfu' authority now; and full time, for she was a daft hempie But she's a mettle quean. It's a pity his Excellency is a thought eldern. The like o' yourself, or my son Hamish, wad be mair sortable in point of years."
Her chiefest pride is in the multitude of her suitors, and by them she gains; for one serves to draw on another, and with one at last she shoots out another, as boys do pellets in eldern guns. She commends to them a single life, as horse-coursers do their jades, to put them away. Her fancy is to one of the biggest of the Guard, but knighthood makes her draw in in a weaker bow.
"No," he answered gravely; "it's a great help, of course, to know it, but it isn't necessary. I keep the words in my pocket to prompt Dandie, and the Wrig can only say two lines, she's so little." Rafe is the king, and Dandie is the 'eldern knight, you remember him?" "Certainly; he sat at the king's right knee." "Yes, yes, that's the one!
"Ay, ay," answered Rob, "she's under lawfu' authority now; and full time, for she was a daft hempie But she's a mettle quean. It's a pity his Excellency is a thought eldern. The like o' yourself, or my son Hamish, wad be mair sortable in point of years."
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