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bUI of becoming pregnant 10 boOl; their redemptive suffering is,
presumably, proportionate to theircrirne. 1
Renwick's proposition underlines the moral message of these stories of viohtlion and
punishment All villains get their deserts: false lovers as well as abusive parents, who.
hoping 10 preserve their daughter from a poor match, plot against her humble lover, and
lose her in grief for him. Revenge, if needs be, is effected by supernatural means, such as
by revenants, duly visiting their wrongdoers and giving them their due for their past
treatment. Voiced here is the popular idea of immanent justice, which is commonly found
among religious people of low instrllction. 2 Renwick's suggestion that all love somehow
entails transgression could be surprising; the sense in which I understand and support his
view is that in which it relates to morals in social and family conflict. The course of love
never did run smooth, not even when it is innocent and sincere, and its achievemelll entails
impediments, such as exile, separation, and trickery conflicting with social and family rule.
The often failing lovers in this attempt, at the worst, achieve in death··i.e. beyond the
power of any eanhly authority--the union which they were not granted in life. So, for
those victimized in life, there is redemption in death, but far yet from any romantic idea thal
death, for that matter, is preferable to life:
The Rosy Banks of Green 3
1. Come all ye good people, I pray ye will attend,
To the faith of those two lovers in sorrow will remain,
It was by her lords and squires, and she said it was in vain,
BUI she dearly loved the sailor on the rosy banks of green.
2. These two they had been school·mates in childhood's early days,
He was but a schoolboy, he stole her hem away;
It was by her lords and squires, and she said it was in vain,
But she dearly loved the sailor on the rosy banks of green.
3. It was on one morning early down in her father's grove,
Sat Josephine conversing with the boy she dearly loved;
With your kisses and embraces and your own dear Josephine,
And we never shall be paned on the rosy banks of greC11.
4. The father overheard them and his anger could not stand,
He jumped around upon them with a loaded gun in hand,
Saying, "Die ye bloody hoope.rs and no more you'll plow the main
And tonight you shall be parted on the rosy banks of green."
I Renwick. Eng/iJI! 42-3.
2Lacroix 46.
3Peacock. SongJ 3: 701·2.