I didn't find this in the database. No copyright problems - the source is Songs of Scotland, Vol II - 1877. It seems to be referred to as very old - but I can't find even a circa date... Anyone have any information on it beyond what I have here?

Child refers to it as a tiresome and affected tune "much esteemed" in a time which I figure to be the 1700s.

According to Bruce's site the tune for Chevy Chase was Isle of Kell and James Dick says this is the same as Hardy Knute. Bruce has not been able to verify this. Certainly the two tunes I have for each are very different. However, as with many folksongs they could have been sung to several different airs.

This ballad is said to commemorate The Battle of Largs (August 1, 1263) between Alexander III of Scotland and Haakon Haakonsson of Norway. The Scots won. Hardyknute had died some 200 years before the battle.

Stately stept he East the wa',
And stately stept he West;
Full sev'nty zeirs he now had seen
With skerfs sevin ziers of rest.

He livit quhen Birton's breach of faith
Wroucht Scotland Meickle wae,
And ay his sword tauld to their skaith,
He was their deidly fae.

Hie on a hill his castle stude,
With halls and towers a hicht,
And guidly chambers fair to se
Quhair he lodgit mony a knight.

Songs of Scotland refers to but doesn't give "twelve and more verses - anyone know more???

MIDI file: knute.mid

Timebase: 120

Name: Hardyknute
Text:
TimeSig: 3/4 24 8
Key: C
Tempo: 109 (545455 microsec/crotchet)
Tempo: 110 (540687 microsec/crotchet)
Tempo: 110 (543134 microsec/crotchet)
Tempo: 110 (540687 microsec/crotchet)
Start
0240 1 66 085 0119 0 66 000 0001 1 66 085 0119 0 66 000 0001 1 69 085 0089 0 69 000 0001 1 71 085 0029 0 71 000 0001 1 73 085 0089 0 73 000 0001 1 73 085 0029 0 73 000 0001 1 76 085 0119 0 76 000 0001 1 71 085 0089 0 71 000 0001 1 69 085 0029 0 69 000 0001 1 66 085 0119 0 66 000 0001 1 71 085 0119 0 71 000 0001 1 71 085 0089 0 71 000 0001 1 69 085 0029 0 69 000 0001 1 66 085 0239 0 66 000 0121 1 66 085 0179 0 66 000 0001 1 69 085 0059 0 69 000 0001 1 64 085 0089 0 64 000 0001 1 61 085 0029 0 61 000 0001 1 59 085 0059 0 59 000 0001 1 61 085 0059 0 61 000 0001 1 64 085 0119 0 64 000 0001 1 59 085 0089 0 59 000 0001 1 57 085 0029 0 57 000 0001 1 59 085 0119 0 59 000 0001 1 59 085 0119 0 59 000 0001 1 61 085 0089 0 61 000 0001 1 64 085 0029 0 64 000 0001 1 66 085 0239 0 66 000 1320 1 66 085 0119 0 66 000 0001 1 66 085 0119 0 66 000 0001 1 69 085 0089 0 69 000 0001 1 71 085 0029 0 71 000 0001 1 73 085 0089 0 73 000 0001 1 73 085 0029 0 73 000 0001 1 76 085 0119 0 76 000 0001 1 71 085 0089 0 71 000 0001 1 69 085 0029 0 69 000 0001 1 66 085 0119 0 66 000 0001 1 71 085 0119 0 71 000 0001 1 71 085 0089 0 71 000 0001 1 69 085 0029 0 69 000 0001 1 66 085 0239 0 66 000 0121 1 66 085 0179 0 66 000 0001 1 69 085 0059 0 69 000 0001 1 64 085 0089 0 64 000 0001 1 61 085 0029 0 61 000 0001 1 59 085 0059 0 59 000 0001 1 61 085 0059 0 61 000 0001 1 64 085 0119 0 64 000 0001 1 59 085 0089 0 59 000 0001 1 57 085 0029 0 57 000 0001 1 59 085 0119 0 59 000 0001 1 59 085 0119 0 59 000 0001 1 61 085 0089 0 61 000 0001 1 64 085 0029 0 64 000 0001 1 66 085 0239 0 66 000 1322 1 66 085 0119 0 66 000 0001 1 66 085 0119 0 66 000 0001 1 69 085 0089 0 69 000 0001 1 71 085 0029 0 71 000 0001 1 73 085 0089 0 73 000 0001 1 73 085 0029 0 73 000 0001 1 76 085 0119 0 76 000 0001 1 71 085 0089 0 71 000 0001 1 69 085 0029 0 69 000 0001 1 66 085 0119 0 66 000 0001 1 71 085 0119 0 71 000 0001 1 71 085 0089 0 71 000 0001 1 69 085 0029 0 69 000 0001 1 66 085 0239 0 66 000 0121 1 66 085 0179 0 66 000 0001 1 69 085 0059 0 69 000 0001 1 64 085 0089 0 64 000 0001 1 61 085 0029 0 61 000 0001 1 59 085 0059 0 59 000 0001 1 61 085 0059 0 61 000 0001 1 64 085 0119 0 64 000 0001 1 59 085 0089 0 59 000 0001 1 57 085 0029 0 57 000 0001 1 59 085 0119 0 59 000 0001 1 59 085 0119 0 59 000 0001 1 61 085 0089 0 61 000 0001 1 64 085 0029 0 64 000 0001 1 66 085 0239 0 66 000
End

This program is worth the effort of learning it.

To download the March 10 MIDItext 98 software and get instructions on how to use it click here

ABC format:

X:1
T:Hardyknute
M:3/4
Q:1/4=110
K:C
^F6|^F2A3/2B/2^c3/2^c/2|e2B3/2A/2^F2|B2B3/2A/2^F2|
-^F4^F2|-^FAE3/2^C/2B,^C|E2B,3/2A,/2B,2|B,2^C3/2E/2^F2|
-^F6|^F6|-^F6|^F6|^F6|-^F6|^F6|-^F6|^F2^F4|
-^F6|^F6|-^F4A2|-A6|A11/2B/2|-B6|^c6|-^c3/2^c/2e2B3/2A/2|
^F2B2B3/2A/2|^F6|^F3AE3/2^C/2|B,^CE2B,3/2A,/2|
B,2B,2^C3/2E/2|^F6|-^F6|^F6|-^F6|^F2^F4|-^F6|
^F6|-^F4^F2|-^F6|^F6|A6|-A6|A3/2B9/2|-B2^c3/2^c/2e2|
B3/2A/2^F2B2|B3/2A/2^F4|-^F2^F3A|E3/2^C/2B,^CE2|
B,3/2A,/2B,2B,2|^C3/2E/2^F4||

Hope these work - I sometimes I have trouble with "translations" and have no clue how to fix them!