Hi,

Thanks for the posts.

Mick, you're right Kloss is brilliant. I've emailed him about one of his other excellent articles "The Water is Wide" which I used in part for my "died for love" studies. He finds some rare versions and unknown broadsides- TY Kloss.

Brian- her rejection of the Elphin (Elfin) Knight shows he has no magic power over her. The herbs used in the refrains are used to cast off evil spirits or neutralize magical or supernatural powers. Also I've wondered about "the wind hath blown thy Plaid awa" refrain which is a reference to loss of virginity and has spawned a number of songs including one fragment sung by Jeannie Robertson. If you notice in the
Pepys that the end stanzas have changed- the "wind hath -not- blown thy Plaid awa" meaning she has not lost her virginity as reflected in the text of the stanza you mentioned.

Steve- I got my copy of the original Pepys from UCSB English Broadside Ballad Archive. So in your opinion it was printed in London? Are there any other Elfin Knight broadsides that Child missed?

Richie