Sir Patrick Spens
The king sits in Dumferling town,
Drinking the blood-red wine:
"0 where will I get a good sailor,
To sail this ship of mine?"
Up and spoke an ancient knight,
Sat at the king's right knee:
"Sir Patrick Spens is the best sailor,
That sails upon the sea."
The king has written a broad letter,
And signed it with his hand,
And sent it to Sir Patrick Spens,
Was walking on the sand.
The first line that Sir Patrick read,
A loud laugh laughed he;
The next line that Sir Patrick read,
The tear blinded his eye.
"0 who is this has done this deed,
This ill deed done to me,
To send me out this time of the year,
To sail upon the sea!
"Make haste, make haste, my merry men all
Our good ship sails the morn:"
"0 say not so, my master dear,
For I fear a deadly storm.
"Late, late yesterday evening I saw the new moon,
With the old moon in her arm,
And I fear, I fear, my dear master,
That we will come to harm."
O our Scots nobles were right loath
To wet their cork-heeled shoes,
But long before the play were played,
Their hats they swam above.
O long, long may their ladies sit,
With their fans into their hand,
Or ever they see Sir Patrick Spens
Come sailing to the land.
O long, long may the ladles stand,
With their gold combs in their hair,
Waiting for their own dear lords,
For they'll see them no more.
Halfway over, halfway over to Aberdour,
It's fifty fathoms deep
And there lies good Sir Patrick Spens,
With the Scots lords at his feet.
Group 2 Guide Questions
1)What problem does the king face at the beginning of the ballad?
2) From whom does the king get the idea of having Sir Patrick Spens
sail for him? How might this ancient knight differ from Sir Patrick
Spens?
3) How does Sir Patrick Spens react to the king's letter?
4) Why do you think the king's wine is described as "blood-red"?
What does this imply about the king?
5) Why does Sir Patrick Spens view the king's request as an "ill
deed"?
6) In the seventh stanza, why does the sailor think the voyage is illfated?
7) What happens to the Scots lords who dislike the idea of getting
their "cork-heeled shoes" wet? How do you know? How is this
outcome ironic?