THE RICHARD BARD BALLAD
(Also known as "The Woeful Ballad", or "Bard's Lament".) (*3 Vol I Pg 14)
L.N. = Loudon's Narrative
On a woeful day the heathen came, - Judge Bard Narrative & W.H.R. submission begins
And did us captive(s) make: (s) - Only in W.H.R. submission
And then the miseries commenced,
Of which we did partake.
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Nineteen the number of them was,
And in the house they came:
But battle unto them we gave,
And drove them out again.
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One of the foremost that came - Bard Book Begins -Pg 301
With him a cutlass brought:
But cousin Potter took the same:
As they together fought. - B. B. Stops -Pg 301
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At one a pistol I did snap,
But off it did not go:
"A pistol! pistol!" he cries out,
And from the door they go.
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But ere they go they at us shoot,
Us thinking for to kill;
But 'mazingly God them deprived
Of their malicious will.
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O' terrifying were the screams
That we from them did hear;
As also was the sight because,
They naked did appear.
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Back of the house they soon appear,
"Surrender," they request;
And since their number was so great,
We thought the same was best.
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Then quickly came they in the house,
And made of us their prey:
They did us bind and house did rob,
And so all went away. all went=went all (W.H.R.)
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With us our child they captive take,
A child of tender age:
Five more young persons are
Exposed to cruel rage.
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And now together when we're summed,
The number is just nine:
Which these most cruel Indians
Have captured at this time.
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Not far, however, did we go - B. B. Restarts -Pg 164, 301
Ere came we to a hill, =Ere to a hill we came (J.B.N. & W.H.R)
Where they our cousin Potter's blood
Inhumanly did spill. - B. B. Stops -Pg 301
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Those hardened savages did act
As though they did no wrong,
And in his head a tomahawk left,
And brought his scalp along.
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Out of my arms my child they took,
As we along did go,
And to the helpless babe they did
Their cruel malice show. cruel=crued (J.B.N.)
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Both head and heart the tomahawk pierced,
In order him to slay,
And then they robbed him of his clothes,
And brought his scalp away. - B.B. Stops -pg 164
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But God the cries of innocent blood,
Undoubtedly will hear:
And he the same for to avenge
Will certainly appear.
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"If you do speak," they say to me,
"We'll surely at you fire,"
When leave to speak unto my wife
I did from them desire. =I from them did desire (W.H.R.)
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To do a favor leave was asked
By my beloved, that she
Her love might there manifest,
And it express to me.
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But they do aggravate our grief,
Throughout each doleful hour:
No privilege they would allow
To speak unto each other.
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As we were travelling, they saw
A man and at him shot.
Power and mercy here appeared,
For get him they did not.
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But forty miles now having gone, - B.B. Restarts -pg 168
This day is at an end;
They halt, and here to stay this night
Is what they do intend.
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And here, the fire and us between,
Our infant's scalp they place;
Thinking that while we viewed the same,
Our sorrows would increase. - B.B. Stops -pg 168
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And ere they do themselves compose
In order for to rest,
An unseen way they take to bind
The poor and the oppressed.
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And when the morning's light appears,
And we the road pursue,
An awful sight is on the same
Presented to our view.
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For in our sight they tomahawked
One who with us was taken: =One who with us taken (W.H.R.)
And for a bed for this poor man a bed for=a bed to (W.H.R.)
His blood by them was given.
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O, terrifying 'twas indeed
To hear his dying screams,
And from his head and heart to view
Those red and running streams.
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But at his terror they did laugh,
They mock his dying groans:
Most artfully they imitate
His last expiring moans.
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By reason of the rugged road rugged=ragged (W.H.R.) - B.B. Restarts -pg 170
Our raiment it all tore,
And down our legs the blood doth run,
Unfelt the like before.
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Whilst on the dismal road I think,
With wondering filled am I,
How it could be that my poor wife
Could cross those mountains high.
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For I myself did almost faint did almost=almost did (W.H.R.)
Under their cruel hands;
But it was God that strengthened us,
Against their hard commands. - B.B. Stops -pg 170
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O, may all those that never saw
Or felt the like of this,
Unto the Lord give praise and thanks,
And God forever bless.
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With great barbarity we're used,
As guilty of a fault,
If, we without acquainting them,
To take a drink do halt.
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But now to Allegheny Hill,
At length we come unto,
Where those inhuman savages
Expose some of us do.
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As we ascend this lofty hill, - B.B.Restarts -pg 171
No wonder we're amazed
To hear the awful sound that's made
When war-halloos were raised. were=are (J.B.N.) & (W.H.R.)
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For every scalp and pris'ner gained,
A loud halloo they make:
As if it were their great delight
A human life to take. - B.B. Stops -pg 171
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The night that we lay on the hill,
A snow on us did fall:
This was a night of sore distress
Unto each of us all.
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For we could not come near the fire,
Through all that night:
O had not God sustained us
We sure had died outright.
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When in the morning we arise, - B.B. Restarts -pg 172
"March on" by them we're told;
But this to us is misery great,
Our feet being sore and cold.
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At Laurel Hill we found a creek
Both high and swift the stream, high=nigh (W.H.R.)
So by the hand I took my wife,
To help her o'er the same.
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But for this love I showed to her
At me they're in a rage,
And nothing else but me to beat.
Their anger to assuage. to=can (J.B.N.) & (W.H.R.)
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So great the strokes the cruel foes the=our (W.H.R.)
Have given to me here,
That for ten days the bruises do
Exceeding plain appear.
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The load to carry which they here
Did give to me this day,
I an account will minute down.
From truth I will not stray.
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Two bear skins, very large indeed,
And one bed quilt also,
Two blankets and six pounds of meat,
All on my back must go. - B.B. Stops -pg 173
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Bare six score miles now we have mark'd,
- Loudon Narrative
Begins -pg
53
='Bove six score miles we now have marched
(J.B.N.)
='Bove six score
miles we now have marced
(W.H.R.)
But fifty doth remain,
But=Yet (W.H.R.)
Between us and the bloody place.
Where standeth fort Duquane. fort Duquane=Fort Duquesne (J.B.N.) & (W.H.R.)
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At three rods distance from a run,
Encamp'd this night are we, Encamp'd=Encamped (J.B.N.) & (W.H.R.)
But when for drink they do me send
No more they do me see. =No more they see of me (J.B.N.) & (W.H.R.)
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Alas! for me to go 'tis hard
Whilst with them is my wife, Whilst=Since (J.B.N.) & (W.H.R.)
Yet 'tis the way that God ordained
For me to save my life.
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But after me they quickly run
Not doubting of their prize; Not=Nor (J.B.N.)
But God turns into foolishness
The wisdom of the wise.
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O cruel man! In vain you strive
In vain you follow me,
For since the Lord gainsaith I can
No longer captive be. =No more your captive be (J.B.N.) & (W.H.R.)
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God the device can disappoint
Of wicked men and wise, =Of crafty folk and wise (J.B.N.) & (W.H.R.)
So to perform they can't always to=that (J.B.N.) & (W.H.R.)
Their cruel enterprise.
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But now although at liberty
Through mercy I am set,
Yet miserable is my life
For want of food to eat.
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O dreadful sore my sufferings were sufferings=feelings (J.B.N.) & (W.H.R.)
Which force me to depart force=forced (W.H.R.)
Whilst no provisions I had got
My life for to support.
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O'er hills that's high and swamps that's deep, hills=hill (J.B.N.) & (W.H.R.)
I now alone must go,
Travelling on I suffer much on=oh (J.B.N.) & (W.H.R.), Travelling=Traveling (W.H.R.)
From briers poison do. =For bruise my feet I do (J.B.N.) & (W.H.R.)
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Unto a hill, I now arrive,
About four miles it's broad, it's='tis (J.B.N.) & (W.H.R.)
And o'er this hill the snow doth lye =All over this the snow doth lie (J.B.N.) & (W.H.R.)
Though elsewhere it is thaw'd. thaw'd=thawed (J.B.N.) & (W.H.R.)
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Much laurel is upon this hill
Its leaves are fill'd with snow, fill'd=filled (J.B.N.) & (W.H.R.)
So I upon my hands and knees
Under the same must go.
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My hands thro' this excessive cold thro'=Through (J.B.N.) & (W.H.R.)
Extremely swelled are
Of sufferings I in this place sufferings=miseries (J.B.N.) & (W.H.R.)
Abundantly do share.
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But 'tis not only in the day
That hardships do abound,
For in the night they also do
Encompass me around.
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In hollow logs 'mongst the leaves, 'mongst=amongst (J.B.N.) & (W.H.R.)
At night is mine abode;
No better lodgings, wet or dry
Throughout this lonely road.
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Three days I've traveled since escape. I've traveled since=have passed since my (J.B.N.)&(W.H.R.)
But there is three days more But there is=And now for (J.B.N.) & (W.H.R.)
In which I have for to lay by I must lie by and quiet be (J.B.N.) & (W.H.R.)
My foot's so very sore.
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Amazingly my foot is swell'd swell'd=swelled (J.B.N.) & (W.H.R.)
With heat is in a flame, is='tis (J.B.N.) & (W.H.R.)
And though I'm in this desart land this desart=the desert (J.B.N.) & (W.H.R.)
Can't walk I am so lame. so lame=so very lame (J.B.N.) & (W.H.R.)
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Not wholly from my pained foot =But it is not my foot alone (J.B.N.) & (W.H.R.)
That causes pain to me, =That misery is to me (J.B.N.) & (W.H.R.)
For by not having food to eat
My woes encreased be.
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Almost five days I now have been
Without the least supply, supply=supplies (J.B.N.) & (W.H.R.)
Except bark buds, which I did pull buds=bud (J.B.N.) & (W.H.R.)
As I did pass them by.
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Though I'm not able now to walk, - B.B. Restarts -pg 177
I creep upon my knees:
To gather herbs that I may eat,
My stomach to appease. - B.B. Stops -pg 177
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But whilst I'm roving thus about,
A rattle snake at speed,
I view a running unto me,
This mercy is indeed.
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For by this snake I'm supplied I'm=I am (J.B.N.) & (W.H.R.)
When kill the same I do,
How timeously this mercy came =reasonable this mercy is (J.B.N.) & (W.H.R.)
None but myself can know.
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A rattlesnake, both flesh and bone, A=This (L.N.)=The (J.B.N.)&(W.H.R.) - B.B. Restarts -pg177
All but the head I eat;
And though 'twas raw, it seemed to me 'twas raw, it seemed='tis now, it seem'd (L.N.)
Exceeding pleasant meat. - B.B. Ends -Pg 177
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Full souls do loathe the honey comb - Not in (L.N.)
When they've enough to eat: - Not in (L.N.)
But unto him that hungry is, - Not in (L.N.)
Each bitter thing is sweet. - Not in (L.N.)
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When ripen'd is my beeling foot, ripened, healing (J.B.N.), ripened, bealing (W.H.R.)
Which mightily did ake, ake=ache (J.B.N.) & (W.H.R.)
I with a thorne did pierce the same, thorne=thorn (J.B.N.) & (W.H.R.), pierce=pearce (W.H.R.)
And thereby ease partake. thereby=so of (J.B.N.) & (W.H.R.)
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But least my foot I further hurt least=lest (J.B.N.) & (W.H.R.)
My breeches tear I do,
And round my feet I do them tye, feet=foot, tye=tie (J.B.N.) & (W.H.R.)
That I along might go. might=may (J.B.N.) & (W.H.R.)
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But when to walk I do attempt
Gives me excessive pain,
Yet I must travel with sore foot
Or die and here remain.
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So when a few miles I did go,
Unto a hill I come
Whilst on the lofty top thereof
I thought I heard a drum;
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And judging people near to be near to be=to be near (J.B.N.) & (W.H.R.)
On them I gave a call,
But sure there was not one to hear not=no (J.B.N.)
Being weak, conceit was all.
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But by these calls for help I gave, - Not in (L.N.)
I evidently see, - Not in (L.N.)
That I'm more spent than what I thought, - Not in (L.N.)
Or judged myself to be. - Not in (L.N.)
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For though I'd raise my voice as high, - Not in (L.N.)
As I had power to do, - Not in (L.N.)
'Bove fifty rods it can't be heard, - Not in (L.N.)
'Tis so exceeding low. - Not in (L.N.)
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Being now eight days since I escap'd escap'd=escaped (J.B.N.) & (W.H.R.)
Unto a river came, Unto=I (J.B.N.) & (W.H.R.)
Whilst wading it I suffered much
Being so very lame.
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But having Juniatta cross'd Juniatta=Juniata (J.B.N.) & (W.H.R.)
I to a mountain came,
With cold I ne'er was so distress'd distress'd=distressed (J.B.N.) & (W.H.R.)
As I was on the same.
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For in a night that's very cold
I there my lodging take, there my lodging=here my lodgings (J.B.N.) & (W.H.R.)
And as my clothes were wholly wet wholly=lately (J.B.N.) & (W.H.R.)
I tremble did and shake.
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My hand by this excessive cold hand=hands (J.B.N.) & (W.H.R.)
Is so benum'd that I Is=Are, benum'd=benumbed (J.B.N.) & (W.H.R.)
Can't move, no, not a single joint,
Were it a world to buy.
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Then I although the night was dark although=though (J.B.N.) , thought (W.H.R.)
Did homewards march away,
Least I should perish with the cold Least=Lest (J.B.N.) & (W.H.R.)
Should I for day light stay.
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But on my journey in this night
With joy a fire I see,
This was the strangest providence
That ever happened me.
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For when I by the same had staid had staid=did stay (J.B.N.) =do stay (W.H.R.)
Until the light appear
I see a road just at my hand
Which doth my spirits cheer. spirits=spirit (W.H.R.)
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If I had not beheld this fire
This Indian path I'd cross'd cross'd=crossed (J.B.N.) & (W.H.R.)
And then from all appearance I from=to (J.B.N.) & (W.H.R.)
Forever had been lost. Forever had=Must surely have (J.B.N.) =Most surely have(W.H.R.)
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Along this path I went with haste with=in (J.B.N.)
As much as I could make, much=far (J.B.N.)
But 'twas not fast that I could go
I was so very weak.
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Now having been nine days and nights Now having=For I (J.B.N.) & (W.H.R.)
In a most starving state
Not having food of any kind food of any kind=any means of strength (J.B.N.) & (W.H.R.)
Except four snakes to eat. four snakes to=the snake I ate (J.B.N.) & (W.H.R.)
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But on the evening of this day
I met with Indians three
Surprised I was and really thought
Them enemies to be;
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But they proved kind and brought me to
A place where English dwell,
Fort Littleton, the place by me
Was known exceeding well. known by me exceeding (W.H.R.)
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The time since first I captive was first I=I first (J.B.N.) & (W.H.R.)
This is the fourteenth day,
Five with the Indians and nine since
From them I ran away.
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Thanks to the Lord, because he did, - Only in W.H.R. submission
Incline the enemies heart, - Only in W.H.R. submission
To give an opportunity - Only in W.H.R. submission
To me from them to depart. - Only in W.H.R. submission
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Thanks to the Lord who did provide
Food in the wilderness
For me, as much as did preserve =For me, as did preserve (J.B.N.) & (W.H.R.)
My life whilst in distress.
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Thanks to the Lord because that he
In desarts, pathless way, desarts=deserts (J.B.N.) & (W.H.R.)
Directed me so that I did
At no time go astray.
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And now from bondage though I'm freed,
Yet she that's my belov'd, belov'd=beloved (J.B.N.) & (W.H.R.)
Is to a land that's far remote,
By Indians remov'd.
remov'd=removed (J.B.N.) & (W.H.R.)
- Ends (J.B.N.)
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Alas! alas! for my poor wife poor=dear (W.H.R.)
That's gone to heathen lands,
There to obey their very hard
And their unjust commands.
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By thinking on your misery
Increased is my wo; wo=woe (W.H.R.)
Yea pained is my aking heart aking=aching (W.H.R.)
For what you undergo.
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Were all things of this spacious globe
Offered to ease my mind,
Alas! all would abortive prove
Whilst Ketty is confined. Ketty=Kitty (W.H.R.)
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The thoughts of you my loving wife
Embitters unto me,
The sweetest comforts that can by
A world produced be. world produced=word pronounced (W.H.R.)
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Oh now I may like to a dove
In her bewildered state, bewildered=bewoldering (W.H.R.)
Bemoan the loss of my dear wife,
My true and loving mate. - Loudon Narrative Ends -pg 60
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But though we in this life ne're more - Only in W.H.R. submission
Partake of other love, - Only in W.H.R. submission
God grant that we one day may meet - Only in W.H.R. submission
In joy and peace above. - Only in W.H.R. submission
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O Kitty dear where'er you be, - Only in W.H.R. submission
God will you keep, I know: - Only in W.H.R. submission
And in and through his blessed Son, - Only in W.H.R. submission
Unto you mercy show. - Only in W.H.R. submission
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And may he by this sore distress, - Only in W.H.R. submission
Prepare you for a fight - Only in W.H.R. submission
Unto the great inheritance - Only in W.H.R. submission
Of blessed saints in light.
100th.
Verse - Only in W.H.R.
submission
- W.H.R. submission Ends.
Notes:
The typed W.H.R. version of the Ballad is unique in
some ways in comparison to the other known versions of the Ballad such
as the Bard Book, The Judge Bard Narrative, and Loudon's Narrative.
We do know that some of the more personal or revealing portions of the
Ballad (towards the end of it) were initially held back by Richard Bard
when his wife Catharine (Poe) Bard was successfully ransomed and
returned home from captivity. And we know that that there are different
versions that were published in different books. Sometimes the
different versions have completely new verses and other times they have
a similar verse, but with some different words or different sentence
structure.
What we don't know is who W.H.R. is and which book he used to type up
or transcribe the Ballad for "submission" (apparently to a newspaper,
magazine or some other such publication).
It is a typed group of pages that appear to have been transcribed from
a book, but to date, we have not found that book. It has the somewhat
unusual title not normally seen in other published versions:
"A Ballad" A minute of the capture of Richard Bard, and others -
His own escape, &c.," and "Written By Himself."
I'm not sure how we received these "W.H.R." pages or who W.H.R. is. We
assume that it was in the information that was passed down to us via
Thomas Henderson Bard (our Grandfather) and Thomas Dysart Bard (our
father), but beyond that we've never been able to find out from which
book it was taken.
We can find no one in our family who has those initials. I suppose the
identification of W.H.R. is of secondary importance, but this version
still had to come from some source, some manuscript or book, so if
anyone has any ideas who W.H.R. might be, or which book s/he used to
copy out this version of the Ballad, be sure to let us know...
I've attached an image at the end of this page to show the first page
& header reference of these W.H.R. Ballad pages. The first page
header (see below) is the ONLY information we have about this person
and this version of the Ballad. According to this document header text,
W.H.R. mentions "Homer City, this county." Homer City is a borough in
Indiana County, Pennsylvania (according to Wiki.) So it would appear
that this person (W.H.R.) who submitted this version of the Ballad
lived there (I.e.: in Indiana County). Then he states that only "part of this ballad was published
by the Pennsylvania Historical Society some twenty years ago."
Click here to
Download: The Richard
Bard Ballad PDF - (The Judge Bard Narrative)
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