Chapter XXI: Part III: , p. 24, Part IV, p. xxxi, taken down from James Olver, (8)

7
‘O I will stay at the Otter burn
The space of days two or three,
And if ye do not meet me there,
I will talk of thy coardie.’

8
O he hes staid at the Otter burn
The space of days two or three;
He sent his page unto his tent-door,
For to see what ferleys he could see.

9
‘O yonder comes yon gallent knight,
With all bonny banners high;
It wad do ony living good
For to see the bonny coulers fly.’

10
‘If the tale be true,’ Earl Douglass says,
‘The tidings ye have told to me,
The fairest maid in Otterburn
Thy bedfellow sure shall she be.

11
‘If the tale be false,’ Earl Douglass says,
‘The tidings that ye tell to me,
The highest tree in Otterburn,
On it high hangëd shall ye be.’

12
Earl Douglass went to his tent-door,
To see what ferleys he could see;
His little page came him behind,
And ran him through the fair body.

13
‘If I had a little time,’ he says,
‘To set in order my matters high,
Ye Gordons gay, to you I say,
See that ye let not my men away.

14
‘Ye Linseys light, both wise and wight,
Be sure ye carry my coulers high;
Ye Gordons gay, again I say,
See that ye let not my men away.

15
‘Sir Heugh Montgomery, my sistir’s son,
I give you the vangaurd over all;
Let it neer be said into old England
That so little made a true Scot fall.

16
‘O lay me dowen by yon brecken-bush,
That grows upon yon liley lea;
Let it neer be said into old England
That so little made a true Scot die.’

17
At last those two stout knights did meet,
And O but they were wonderous keen!
The foght with sowards of the temperd steel,
Till the drops of blood ran them betwen.

18
‘O yeald thee, Percie,’ Montgomery crys,
‘O yeald ye, or I’ll lay the low;’
‘To whome should I yeald? to whom should I yeald?
To whom should I yeald, since it most be so?’

19
‘O yeald ye to yon breckan-bush,
That grows upon yon lilley lea;
And if ye will not yeald to this,
In truth, Earl Percey, I’ll gar ye die.’

20
‘I will not yeald to a breckan-bush,
Nor yet will I yeald to a brier;
But fain wad I yeald to Earl Douglass,
Or Sir Heugh Montgomery, if he were here.’

21
O then this lord begun to faint,
And let his soward drop to the ground;
Sir Heugh Montgomery, a courtious knight,
He bravely took him by the hand.

22
This deed was done at the Otter burn,
Betwen the sunshine and the day;
Brave Earl Douglass there was slain,
And they carried Percie captive away.

* * * * *

6^3, 7^1, 8^1, 22^1. Otterburn.

292 b, 2d paragraph, 9th line. =C= 20^{3,4} may have been supplied by Scott; not in Hogg’s copy. See IV, 500, st. 21.

294, 520 a, IV, 499. St George, Our Lady’s Knight.

O seynt George, oure lady knyght,
To that lady thow pray for me!

Lydgate, Kalendare, vv. 113, 114, ed. Horstmann, in Herrig’s Archiv, LXXX, 121.

O blessyd Lady, Cristes moder dere,
And thou Seynt George, that called art her knyght!

Fabyan’s Chronicles, ed. Ellis, 1811, p. 601. (G. L. K.)

162. The Hunting of the Cheviot.

P. 306, IV, 502. Fighting on stumps. Agolafre, fighting on his knees after his legs were broken, ‘had wyþ ys axe a-slawe an hep of frenschemen:’ Sir Ferumbras, v. 4603 ff., ed. Herrtage, The English Charlemagne Romances, I, 143. (The French text does not represent him as fighting on his knees: Fierabras, ed. Kroeber and Servois, 1860, v. 4878 ff., p. 147.) (G. L. K.)

163. The Battle of Harlaw.

P. 317 a, 2d paragraph. Of course Sir James the Rose and Sir John the Gryme came in from the ballad of ‘Sir James the Rose.’

164. King Henry Fifth’s Conquest of France.

P. 323. There is a copy (‘The Battle of Agincourt’) in C. K. Sharpe’s “first collection,” p. 29, from which some variations may be given.

n. 2^4. And bring home the tribute that’s due to me.

4^{1-3}.

My master the king salutes thee well,
Salutes thee well, most graciously;
You must go send, etc.

5^{2-4}.

And darna come to my degree;
Go bid him play with his tenish balls,
For in French lands he dare no me see.

7^{3,4}.

Such tidings from the king of France
As I’m sure with him you can ner agree.

8^3. He bids you play with these tenish balls.

10^4. They were a jovial good company.

_After_ 10: He counted oer his merry men, Told them by thirty and by three, And when the were all numberd oer He had thirty thousand brave and three.

12 The first that fird, it was the French, Upon our English men so free, But we made ten thousand of them fall, And the rest were forc’d for there lives to flee.

13^1. Soon we entered Paris gates.

13^2. trumpets sounding high.

13^4. Have mercy on [my] men and me.

14^{1,2}.

Take home your tribute, the king he says,
And three tons of gold I will give to thee.

There is also a copy in “The Old Lady’s Collection,” No 7, but it is not worth collating.

167. Sir Andrew Barton.

P. 338 b, IV, 502 b. Gold to bury body. Apollonius of Tyre. So in Gower, Confessio Amantis, bk. viii, ed. Pauli, III, 312; in the English prose Kynge Apollyn of Thyre, Wynkyn de Worde, 1510, c. 19, fol. 48, of Ashbee’s fac-simile, 1870; in the German prose Appollonius Tyrus and Appolonius von Tiria, C. Schröder, Griseldis, Apollonius von Tyrus, aus Handschriften herausg., pp. 46, 110, Leipzig, 1873. (G. L. K.)

170. The Death of Queen Jane.

P. 372. Communicated by Rev. S. Baring-Gould, as recited by Samuel Force.

H

1
Queen Jane, O! Queen Jane, O! what a lady was she!
And six weeks and a day in labour was she;
Queen Jane was in labour for six weeks and more,
Till the women grew weary and fain would give oer.

2
‘O women, O women, good wives as ye be,
Go send for King Henry and bring him to me.’
King Henry was sent for, and to her he came:
‘Dear lady, fair lady, your eyes they look dim.’

3
King Henry came to her, he came in all speed,
In a gown of red velvet, from the heel to the head:
‘King Henry, King Henry, if kind you will be,
Send for a good doctor, and let him come to me.’

4
The doctor was sent for, he came with all speed,
In a gown of black velvet from the heel to the head;
The doctor was sent for and to her he came:
‘Dear lady, fair lady, your labour’s in vain.’

5
‘Dear doctor, dear doctor, will you do this for me?
O open my right side, and save my baby:’
Then out spake King Henry, That never can be,
I’d rather lose the branches than the top of the tree.

6
The doctor gave a caudle, the death-sleep slept she,
Then her right side was opened and the babe was set free;
The babe it was christened, and put out and nursd,
But the royal Queen Jane lay cold in the dust.

I

Macmath MS., p. 99. Received November, 1892, from the recitation of Mary Cochrane (Mrs Joseph Garmory), Abbey-yard, Crossmichael, Kirkcudbrightshire. Written down by her husband.

1
Queen Jeanie was in labor for seven weeks in summer,
The women all being tired and quite gave her over:
‘O women, dear women, if women you be,
Send for my mother to come and see me.’

2
Her mother was sent for and instantly came,
Knelt down at the bedside where Queen Jeanie lay on:
‘O mother, dear mother, if mother you be,
Send for my father to come and see me.’

3
The father was sent for and instantly came,
Knelt down by the bedside where Queen Jeanie lay on:
‘O father, dear father, if father you be,
Send for King Henry to come and see me.’

4
King Henry was sent for and instantly came,
Knelt down by the bedside where Queen Jeanie lay on:
‘O Henry, King Henry, if Henry you be,
Send for the doctor to come and see me.’

5
The doctor was sent for and instantly came,
Knelt down by the bedside where Queen Jeanie lay on:
‘O doctor, dear doctor, if doctor you be,
Open my left side and let the babe free.’

6
Her left side was opened, the young prince was found:
‘O doctor, dear doctor, lay me down on the ground.’

7
Her bones were all broken and laid at her feet,
And they anointed her body with the ointment so sweet,
And ay as they weeped they wrung their hands sore,
For the fair flower of England will flourish no more.

173. Mary Hamilton.

P. 379. Stanzas 1, 2, 10 of =C= are printed in Motherwell’s Minstrelsy, p. 315, and 4, 9 of =L= at p. 316.

380 a, line 13. Say Stewart, or stewart.

384. =A= =a=. Found in a small MS. volume, with the title “Songs” on the cover, entirely in Sharpe’s handwriting, p. 29. The only variations, besides a few in spelling, are these:

9^1. stairs.

17^3. the night’s.

18^2. they’l.

389. =F.= This version was rendered by Skene with comparative fidelity. Still, the original, ‘Quin Mary’s Marreys,’ No 12 of “The Old Lady’s Collection,” would of course have been given if it had been in hand, and should be substituted, opportunity occurring. It is therefore printed here.

1
‘My father was the Duck of York,
My mother a lady frie,
My sell a dainnty damisall,
Quin Mary sent for me.

2
‘The quin’s meat it was so suit,
An her clething was sae rair,
It made me lang for Suit Willie’s bed,
An I ill rue it ever mare.

3
‘Mary Beeten, an Mary Sitton,
An Lady Livenston, a’ three,
We’ll never mett in Quin Mary’s bour nou,
Marrys tho we be.’

4
Quin Mary satt in her bour,
Suing her selver seam;
She thought she hard a baby greet
Bat an a lady mean.

5
She throu her neddel frae her,
Her seam out of her han,
An she is on to Lady Marry’s bour,
As fast as she could gang.

6
‘Open yer dor, Lady Mary,’ she says,
‘An lat me come in;
For I hear a baby greet,
Bat an a lady meen.’

7
‘Ther is nae bab in my bour, madam the Quin,
Nor never thinks to be,
Bat the strong pains of gravell
This night has sesed me.’

8
She paat her fitt to the dor,
Bat an her knee,
Bolts of brass an irn bands
In flinders she gart flee.

9
She pat a han to her bed-head
A nether to her bed-feet,
An bonny was the bab
Was blabring in its bleed.

10
‘Wae worth ye, Lady Mary,
An ill dead sall ye die!
For in ye widne keepet the bonny bab
Ye might ha gen ’t to me.’

11
‘Lay na the witt on me, madam,
Lay na the witt on me,
For my fals love bare the v[e]pan att his side
That gared my bern dee.’

12
‘Gett up, Lady Betton, get up, Lady Setton,
An Lady Livenston, three,
An we will on to Edenbrugh
An tray this gay lady.’

13
As she cam in the Cannogate,
The burgers’ wives they crayed hon, ochon, ochree!

14
‘O had yer still, ye burgers’ wives,
An make na mane for me;
Seek never grace out of a graslass face,
For they ha nan to gee.

15
‘Ye merchants an ye mareners,
That trad on the sea,
Ye dinnë tell in my country
The dead I am gaine to dee.

16
‘Ye merchants an ye mareners,
That traid on the fame,
Dinnë tell in my countray
Bat fatt I am coming hame.

17
‘Littel did my father think,
Fan he brouch[t] me our the sea,
That he woud see my yallou lokes
Hang on a gallou-tree.

18
‘Littel did my midder think,
Fan she brought me fra hame,
That she maugt see my yallou lokes
Hang on a gallou-pine.

19
‘. . . . . .
O had yer han a wee!
For yonder comes my father,
I am sure he’ll borrou me.

20
‘O some of yer goud, father,
An of yer well won fee,
To safe me [fra the high hill],
[An] fra the gallage-tree.’

21
‘Ye’s gett nane of my goud,
Ner of my well wone fee,
For I wead gee five hundred poun
To see ye hanged hee.’

22
‘. . . . .
O had yer han a wee!
Yonder is my love Willie,
He will borrou me.

23
‘O some of yer goud, my love Wille,
An some of yer well wone fee,
To save me fraa the high hill,
An fraie the gallou-tree.’

24
‘Ye’s gett a’ my goud,
An a’ my well won fee,
To save ye fra the heading-hill,
An fra the galla-tree.’

* * * * *

4^2. _Perhaps_ silver.

6^3. lady greet: _cf._ 4^3.

7^1. næ.

11^2. watt.

11^3. vpan?

23^1. son Willë.

392 a, =H= 8^4. The nine. “Anciently the supreme criminal court of Scotland was composed of nine members.” Kinloch’s note, Ancient Scottish Ballads, p. 259. This may afford a date.

=I. b.= The three stanzas were given as written down from memory by Finlay: see VIII, 507 b.

174. Earl Bothwell.

The following entry in the Stationers’ Registers may refer to this ballad: “24 March, 1579, Thomas Gosson. Receaved of him for a ballad concerninge the murder of the late Kinge of Scottes.” Arber, II, 349.

178. Captain Car, or, Edom o Gordon.

P. 423, IV, 513.

I

From “The Old Lady’s Collection,” No 28, ‘Edom of Achendoon.’

1
It fell about the Martimas time,
Fan the wind blue loud an calld,
Said Edom of Gordon to his men,
We man dra till a hall.

2
‘An fatten a hall will we dra tell,
My merry men a’ an me?
We will to the house of Rothes,
An see that gay lady.’

3
The lady louked our castell-wa,
Beheld the day ga doun,
An she saa Edun of Gordon,
Fase Edom of Ach[en]doun.

4
‘Gee our yer house, ye gay lady,
Gee our yer house to me;
The night ye’s be my leall leman,
The morn my lady free.’

5
‘I winnë gee our my bonny house,
To leard nor yet to loun,
Nor will I gee our my bonny house
To fase Edom of Achendoun.

6
‘Bat ye gett me Cluny, Gight, or Glack,
Or get him young Lesmore,
An I ell gee our my bonny house
To ony of a’ the four.’

7
‘Ye’s nether gett Cluny, Gight, nor Glack,
Nor yet him young Lesmore,
An ye man gee our yer bonny house,
Winten ony of a’ the four.’

8
The ladie shot out of a shot-windou,
It didne hurt his head,
It only grased his knee
. . . . . .

9
‘Ye hast, my merry men a’,
Gather hathorn an fune,
. . . . . . .
To see gin this lady will burn.’

10
‘Wai worth ye, Joke, my man!
I paid ye well yer fee,
An ye tane out the quinë-stane,
Laten in the fire to me.

11
‘Wae worth ye, Joke, my man!
I paid ye well yer hair,
An ye t[a]en out the qunie-stane,
To me laten in the fire.’

12
‘Ye paid me well my meatt, lady,
Ye paid me well my fee,
Bat nou I am Edom of Gordon’s man,
Mane eather dee’d or dree.

13
‘Ye paid me well my meatt, lady,
Ye paid me well my hire,
But nou I am Edom of Gordon’s man,
To ye mane lat the fire.’

14
Out spak her doughter,
She was bath jimp an smaa;
‘Ye take me in a pair of shets,
Lat me our the castell-waa.’

15
The pat her in a pair of shets,
Lute her oure the castell-waa;
On the point of Edom of Gordon’s lance
She got a deadly faa.

16
Cherry, cherry was her cheeks,
An bonny was her eyen;
. . . . . . .
. . . . . . .

17
He turned her about,
. . . . . . .
‘I might haa spared that bonny face
To ha ben some man’s delight.

18
‘Chirry is yer chik,
An bonny is yer eayn;
Ye’r the first face I ever saa dead
I wist liveng agen.’

19
Out spak one of his men,
As he stad by a stane;
‘Lat it never be sade brave Edom of Gordon
Was dantoned by a dame.’

20
Out spake the bonny barn,
It sat on the nurce’s knee;
‘Gee our yer house, my mider dear,
The reak it smothers me.’

21
‘I wad gee a’ my silks,’ she says,
‘That lays in mony a fall,
To haa ye on the head of Mont Ganell,
To gett three gasps of the call.

22
‘I wad gee a’ my goud,’ she says,
‘Far it lays out an in,
To haa ye on the head of Mount Ganill,
To get three gasps of the wind.’

23
. . . . . . . that gued lord,
As he came fraa the sea,
‘I see the house of Rothes in fire,
God safe my gay ladie!’

* * * * *

15^3. land.

VOL. IV.

190. Jamie Telfer of the Fair Dodhead.

P. 4. I am now able to give the unprinted copy, referred to in the Border Minstrelsy, in which the Elliots take the place assigned in the other version to the Scotts. This I do by the assistance of Mr Macmath, the present possessor of the manuscript, which was formerly among the papers of Charles Kirkpatrick Sharpe. The hand “is a good and careful one of about the beginning of this century, with a slight shake in it, and probably that of a person advanced in life.” Be it observed that the title, in this case, is ‘Jamie Telfer in the Fair Dodhead,’ signifying, according to Scottish usage, that Telfer was tenant simply, whereas ‘of’ would make him proprietor.

Hogg, writing to Sir W. Scott (Letters, vol. i, No 44), says that ‘Jamie Telfer,’ as printed in the Minstrelsy, differs in many particulars from his mother’s way of giving it. Mrs Hogg’s version may very likely have been a third copy.

In this version, Telfer, after the loosing of his nolt and the ranshakling of his house, runs eight miles to Branxholm, to seek aid of Buccleugh, who refers him to Martin Elliot, to whom, and not to himself, Buccleugh affirms, Telfer has paid blackmail. Telfer, as in the other version, runs up the water-gate to Coultart Cleugh, and invokes the help of Jock Grieve, who sets him on a bonny black to take the fray to Catlock Hill, as in the other version again. Catlock Hill Mr R. B. Armstrong considers to be probably Catlie Hill, marked in Blaeu’s map as near Braidlie. It was occupied by an Elliot in 1541. At Catlock Hill Martin’s Hab sets Telfer on a bonny black to take the fray to Prickenhaugh, a place which, Mr Armstrong observes, is put in Blaeu’s map near Larriston. Auld Martin Elliot is at Prickenhaugh, and he orders Simmy, his son, to be summoned, and the water-side to be warned, including the Currers and Willie o Gorrenberry, who in the other version, st. 27, are warned as owing fealty to Scott; but an Archibald Elliot is described as “in Gorrenberrie” in 1541,[121] and Will Elliot of Gorrombye was concerned in the rescue of Kinmont Willie in 1596, Sim Elliot takes the lead in the pursuit of the marauders which Willie Scott has in the other version, and like him is killed. Martin Elliot of Braidley had among his sons, in 1580, a Sym, an Arche, and a Hob,[121] and was, during a portion of the second half of the sixteenth century, says Mr Armstrong, perhaps the most important person of his name.[122] This Martin Elliot would fit very well into our ballad, but that he should be described as of Prickenhaugh, not of Braidley, raises a difficulty. Braidley, at the junction of the Braidley burn with the Hermitage water, is well placed for our purposes; Prickenhaugh, down by the Liddel water, seems rather remote.

5, 582. See more as to Dodhead in The Saturday Review, May 20, 1893, p. 543.

Jamie Telfer in the Fair Dodhead.

1
It fell about the Martinmas,
When steads were fed wi corn and hay,
The Captain of Bewcastle said to his lads,
We’ll into Tiviotdale and seek a prey.

2
The first ae guide that they met with
Was high up in Hardhaugh swire,
The second guide that they met with
Was laigh down in Borthick water.

3
‘What tidings, what tidings, my bonny guide?’
‘Nae tidings, nae tidings I hae to thee;
But if ye’ll gae to the Fair Dodhead
Mony a cow’s calf I’ll let ye see.’

4
When they came to the Fair Dodhead,
Right hastily they clam the peel,
They loosd the nolt out, ane and a’,
And ranshakled the house right weel.

5
Now Jamie’s heart it was right sair,
The tear ay rowing in his eye;
He pled wi the Captain to hae his gear,
Or else revengëd he would be.

6
Bat the Captain turnd himsel about,
Said, Man, there’s naething in thy house
But an auld sword without a scabbard,
That scarcely now would fell a mouse.

7
The moon was up and the sun was down,
’Twas the gryming of a new-fa’n snaw;
Jamie Telfer has run eight miles barefoot
Between Dodhead and Branxholm Ha.

8
And when he came to Branxholm Ha
He shouted loud and cry’d well he,
Till up bespake then auld Buccleugh,
‘Whae’s this that brings the fray to me?’

9
‘It’s I, Jamie Telfer i the Fair Dodhead,
And a harried man I think I be;
There’s naething left i the Fair Dodhead
But only wife and children three.’

10
‘Gae seek your succour frae Martin Elliot,
For succour ye’s get nane frae me;
Gae seek your succour where ye paid blackmail,
For, man, ye never paid money to me.’

11
Jamie he’s turnd him round about,
And ay the tear blinded his eye:
‘I’se never pay mail to Scott again,
Nor the Fair Dodhead I’ll ever see.’

12
Now Jamie is up the water-gate,
Een as fast as he can drie,
Till he came to the Coultart Cleugh,
And there he shouted and cry’d weel he.

13
Then up bespake him auld Jock Grieve,
‘Whae’s this that bring[s] the fray to me?’
‘It’s I, Jamie Telfer i the Fair Dodhead,
And a harried man I think I be.

14
‘There’s naething left i the Fair Dodhead
But only wife and children three,
And sax poor calves stand i the sta,
A’ routing loud for their minnie.’

15
‘Alack, wae’s me!’ co auld Jock Grieve,
‘Alack, alack, and wae is me!
For ye was married t’ the auld sister,
And I t’ the younges[t] o the three.’

16
Then he’s taen out a bonny black,
It was weel fed wi corn and hay,
And set Jamie Telfer on his back,
To the Catlock hill to take the fray.

17
When he came to the Catlock hill,
He shouted loud and cry’d weel he;
‘Whae’s that, whae’s that?’ co Martin’s Hab,
‘Whae’s this that brings the fray to me?’

18
‘It’s I, Jamie Telfer i the Fair Dodhead,
And a harried man I think I be;
There’s neathing left i the Fair Dodhead
But only wife and children three.’

19
‘Alack, wae’s me!’ co Martin’s Hab,
‘Alack, awae, my heart is sair!
I never came bye the Fair Dodhead
That ever I faund thy basket bare.’

20
Then he’s taen out a bonny black,
It was weel fed wi corn and hay,
And set Jamie Telfer on his back
To the Pricken haugh to take the fray.

21
When he came to the Pricken haugh,
He shouted loud and cry’d weel he;
Up then bespake auld Martin Elliot,
‘Whae’s this that brings the fray to me?’

22
‘It’s I, Jamie Telfer i the Fair Dodhead,
And a harried man I think I be;
There’s naething left i the Fair Dodhead
But only wife and children three.’

23
‘Ever alack!’ can Martin say,
‘And ay my heart is sair for thee!
But fy, gar ca on Simmy my son,
And see that he come hastily.

24
‘Fy, gar warn the water-side,
Gar warn it soon and hastily;
Them that winna ride for Telfer’s kye,
Let them never look i the face o me.

25
‘Gar warn the water, braid and wide,
And warn the Currers i the shaw;
When ye come in at the Hermitage slack,
Warn doughty Willie o Gorrenberry.’

26
The gear was driven the Frostily up,
From the Frostily into the plain;
When Simmie lookëd him afore,
He saw the kye right fast driving.

27
‘Whae drives the kye,’ then Simmy can say,
‘To make an outspeckle o me?’
‘It’s I, the Captain o Bewcastle, Simmy,
I winna lain my name frae thee.’

28
‘O will ye let the gear gae back?
Or will ye do ony thing for me?’
‘I winna let the gear gae back,
Nor naething, Simmy, I’ll do for the[e].

29
‘But I’ll drive Jamie Telfer’s kye
In spite o Jamie Telfer’s teeth and thee;’
‘Then by my sooth,’ can Simmy say,
‘I’ll ware my dame’s calfskin on thee.

30
‘Fa on them, lads!’ can Simmy say,
‘Fy, fa on them cruelly!
For or they win to the Ritter ford
Mony toom saddle there shall be.’

31
But Simmy was striken oer the head,
And thro the napskape it is gane,
And Moscrop made a dolefull rage
When Simmy on the ground lay slain.

32
‘Fy, lay on them!’ co Martin Elliot,
‘Fy, lay on them cruelly!
For ere they win to the Kershop ford
Mony toom saddle there shall be.’

33
John o Biggam he was slain,
And John o Barlow, as I heard say,
And fifteen o the Captain’s men
Lay bleeding on the ground that day.

34
The Captain was shot through the head,
And also through the left ba-stane;
Tho he had livd this hundred years,
He’d neer been loed by woman again.

35
The word is gane unto his bride,
Een in the bower where she lay,
That her good lord was in ’s enemy’s land
Since into Tiviotdale he led the way.

36
‘I loord a had a winding sheed
And helpd to put it oer his head,
Or he’d been taen in ’s enemy’s lands,
Since he oer Liddle his men did lead.’

37
There was a man in our company,
And his name was Willie Wudëspurs:
‘There is a house in the Stanegarside,
If any man will ride with us.’

38
When they came to the Stanegarside,
They bangd wi trees and brake the door,
They loosd the kye out, ane and a’,
And set them furth our lads before.

39
There was an auld wif ayont the fire,
A wee bit o the Captain’s kin:
‘Whae loo[s]es out the Captain’s kye,
And sae mony o the Captain’s men wi[t]hin?’

40
‘I, Willie Wudëspurs, let out the kye,
I winna lain my name frae thee,
And I’ll loose out the Captain’s kye
In spite o the Captain’s teeth and thee.’

41
Now on they came to the Fair Dodhead,
They were a welcome sight to see,
And instead of his ain ten milk-kye
Jamie Telfer’s gotten thirty and three.

* * * * *

16^2. feel fed: _cf._ 20^2.

195. Lord Maxwell’s Last Goodnight.

P. 34 b, 525 a. =B.= The ballad has no title in the Glenriddell MS. The table of contents was the work of a copyist.

196. The Fire of Frendraught.

P. 39 b. Thirteen stanzas of =C= are given, in the course of an article on The Burning of the House of Frendraucht, in the Aberdeen Magazine, 1832, II, 561.

P. 44. =A a.= Collation with Sharpe’s MS. and with another copy of the same pieces in “North Country Ballads,” Miscellanea Curiosa, Abbotsford Library.

4^1. Well, turn.

12^5. were.

15^4. Let Rothiemay may ly, may ly. But Rothiemay lie, _written under, probably as an emendation by Sharpe_ (_not in Scott_).

16^4. Turn _in Scott, an easy misreading of_ Twin.

26^1. Ahon. _With a few slight differences of spelling._

we _in_ 9^2 _is a misprint for_ he.

IV, 522 a. The Satyr begins:

O world of woes, O grief of griefs, to see
This damned den wher sure brave sp’rits did dye.

197. James Grant.

These verses occur in a manuscript collection of C. K. Sharpe’s (“second collection”), with slight verbal differences. They are written in long lines not divided into stanzas. Sir W. Scott remarks, Sharpe’s Ballad Book, 1880, p. 145, “I conceive Ballindalloch, being admitted by Grant, set upon him, and that there should be asterisks between the fourth line [the second stanza] and those which follow.”

1^1. Away, away now, James the Grant.

1^2. You’ll.

1^3. For Ballendalloch is at your gate.

2^{1,4}. Badendalloch.

2^2. Nor I.

2^3. Set up my gat both.

2^4. And let.

3^1. James the.

3^4. no get so.

4^3. he get but one mile in the highland hill.

4^4. defy the.

198. Bonny John Seton.

P. 52. =A.= Found in a MS. of Charles Kirkpatrick Sharpe, and in “North Country Ballads,” Miscellanea Curiosa, Abbotsford Library (another copy of the same pieces), with the following variations.

Sharpe. 1^3. The Southeron lords to.

2^1. And bonny: Pitmedden, _and always_.

2^2. bald.

2^4. And the.

3^4. Sat on.

5^2. Cried, Brave soldiers.

5^5. my steed back.

5^6. But let me never see thee.

6^3. And his.

7^4. That dang Pitmedden’s middle in three.

8^{1,2}. rade.

8^3. But bonny John Seton of Pitmedden.

9^1. Then up it came a.

9^2. from Drimmorow.

9^3. Says, There thou lies.

9^4. ride thee thorow.

10^1. Craigyvar (_always_): man.

10^2. your fiddle.

10^3. land.

12^1. They’ve taken.

14^4. ring.

15^1. For cannons roars: summer’s.

15^2. Like thunder.

15^4. cannons fair.

Scott (_also_).--3^1. lands.

_None of the readings in Aytoun given in the notes at p. 53 were derived from Sharpe’s copy except_ =A= 8^3, _and all of them may now be dropped._

199. The Bonnie House o Airlie.

P. 56. In a small MS. volume with the title “Songs” on the cover, entirely in Sharpe’s handwriting. =A a= is found at p. 24 (with some variations, undoubtedly arbitrary) prefaced with these words: “This song [referring to a copy presently to be given], like most others, would suffer amendment: here follows a copy somewhat improved. I have availed myself of a fragment in a former page of this work, and introduced a stanza [9] marked *, picked up in Perthshire.” Had =A a= been known to be an “improved” copy, it would not have been made so prominent.

The fragment (of slight value) was “from the recitation of Miss Oliphant of Gask, now Mrs Nairn” (afterwards Lady Nairne). It is (p. 21)--disregarding things misunderstood or avowedly added:

‘Come down, come down, my lady Ogilvie,
Come down, and tell us your dower:’
‘It’s east and west yon wan water side,
And it’s down by the banks of the Airly.

‘Had my lord Ogilvie been at hame,
As he was wi King Charlie,
There durst nae a Campbel in a’ Argyle
Avowd to the plundering o Airly.’

‘Come down, come down, ye lady fair,
Come down, and kiss me fairly:’
‘I wunna come down, ye fause Argyle,
If ye sudna leave a standing stane in Airly.

The unimproved copy, p. 22, is as follows.

1
It fell on a day, and a bonny summer day,
When corn grew green and yellow,
That there fell out a great dispute
Between Argyll and Airly.

2
Argyll has raisd an hundred men,
An hundred men, and so many,
And he is away by the back of Dunkeld
For to plunder the bonny house of Airly.

3
Lady Margaret looks oer her bower-window,
And O but she looks weary!
And there she spied the great Argyll,
Coming to plunder the bonny house of Airly.

4
‘Come down, come down, Lady Margret,’ he said,
‘Come down, and kiss me fairly:’
‘O I will not kiss the great Argyll,
If he should not leave a standing stone in Airly.’

5
He hath taken her by the left shoulder,
Says, Lady, where lyes thy dowry?
‘It’s up and it’s down by the bonny bank-side,
Amongst the planting of Airly.’

6
They have sought it up, they have sought it down,
They have sought it both late and early,
And they have found it in the bonny plumb-tree
That shines on the bowling-green of Airly.

7
He hath taken her by the middle so small,
And O but she lookd weary!
He hath laid her down by the bonny burn-side
Till he hath plunderd the bonny house of Airly.

8
‘If my good lord were at home this night,
As he is with Prince Charly,
Nouther you nor no Scottish lord
Durst have set a foot on the bowling-green of Airly.

9
‘Ten bonny sons I have born unto him,
And the eleventh neer saw his daddy;
Although I had an hundred more,
I would give them all to Prince Charly.’

* * * * *

58 c. This is one of the pieces contained in “The Old Lady’s Collection,” No 1. The differences from Skene (save spelling) are as follows:

3^1. ore castell-waa.

3^3. an his three hundred men.

4^{1,2}. Come doun the stare, Lady Airly, he says, an kiss me fairly.

4^4. Altho ye live no.

5^2. An tell fare layes yer.

7^2. An he leed.

10^2 (7^2). his.

10^3 (7^3). An tho.

10^4 (7^4). I wad gie them a’.

200. The Gypsy Laddie.

P. 66. =B a.= A copy of this version in C. K. Sharpe’s papers, “written from recitation in Nithisdale, November, 1814,” shows that improvements had been introduced by two hands, one of them Sharpe’s, neither of them the writer’s. The changes are of no radical importance; simply of the familiar kind which almost every editor has, for some reason, felt himself called upon to make. It may be thought that they are no more worth indicating than they were worth making, but it has been an object in this book to give things exactly as they were delivered. The original readings are as follows.

1^1. C _for_ Cassilis _throughout_.

1^3, so.

1^4. Till.

2^4. cast.

3^1. to _wanting_.

3^{2,3}, give.

3^4. rings of her fingers.

4^{1,2}. you.

4^3. hilt of.

4^4, 9^4, 16^4. no more.

6^{1,3}. Jackie.

7^3, 8^3. farmer’s barn.

8^3, 11^3. most.

8^4. crae.

9^{1,2}. O _wanting_.

10^3, 11^1, 14^3. on water.

11^1. Many a time have.

17^4. mother bore me.

18^3. And _wanting_.

73.

L

Communicated to the Journal of The Gypsy Society, II, 85, by Mr John Sampson, from the dictation of Lias Robinson, a Gypsy. A translation into Gypsy, by Robinson and his brothers, is given at p. 84 of the same.

1
A band of gypsies, all in a road,
All so black and brawny, oh
Away come a lady all dressed in silk,
To follow the roving gypsies, oh
The gypsies, oh!
The gypsies, oh!
To follow the roving gypsies, oh!

2
Her husband came home at ten o’clock of night,
And asked for his lady fair;
The servant informed him very soon
She had gone with the roving gypsies.

3
‘Saddle to me my bonny gray mare,
Saddle to me my pony;
I will go where the green grass grow,
To find out the roving gypsies.

4
‘Last night she slept in a fair feather-bed,
And blankets by bonins;
Tonight she sleeps in a cold shed-barn,
Through following the roving gypsies.

5
‘Why did you leave your houses and your lands?
Why did you leave your babies?
Why did you leave your decent married man,
To follow the roving gypsies?’

6
‘What cares I for my houses and my lands?
What cares I for my babies?
What cares I for my decent married man?
I will go with the roving gypsies.’

* * * * *

1^2. _Var._ and bonny.

From a small MS. volume, “Songs,” entirely in C. K. Sharpe’s handwriting, p. 32 (corresponding to =B= 11, =D= 6, =E= 7.)

Yestreen I rade yon wan water,
Wi my gude lord before me;
The day I maun pit down my bonnie fit and wade,
What ever may come oer me.

201. Bessy Bell and Mary Gray.

P. 76 a, 4th paragraph, 1st line. The date 1666 is corrected to 1645 by Cant in his Errata.

77. In the small MS. volume, “Songs,” entirely in C. K. Sharpe’s handwriting, p. 26, =a= 3 is given “from the Catalogue of the Edinburgh Exhibition of Pictures, 1810” as here, excepting that in the second line the reading is (absurdly) “royal kin.”

203. The Baron of Brackley.

P. 79. Fragment from Findlay MSS, I, 209, derived from Mrs McKenzie, Advie, Morayshire.

1
‘O are ye sleepin, baul B[r]achlie, or are ye at hame?
For the caterans are at ye, an a’ your kye ’s taen.’

2
. . . . . . . .
‘Ye’ll fling your rocks, lasses, we’ll fecht them our lane.

3
‘We’ll fecht them an fleg them, an gar them rin hame,
We’ll stand them in battle, as gin we were men.

4
‘There’s four-an-twenty milk-white kine in Glentanner free,
In the parks o Glentanner sae fain’s I wad be!’

5
He’s called on his lady to give him his gun:
‘I’m gaun oot, Katie, but I’ll never come home.’

6
She’s a’ her gates wide open flung, an she’s welcomed them in,
An she sleeps wi the villain that slew her baron.

* * * * *

1^1. Baulbachlie.

5^2. home _originally_; _altered to_ in.

_The stanzas have been arranged by the light of_ =A=.

87. =D=, as it stands in “The Old Lady’s Collection,” No 25, ‘The Barron of Breachell.’

1
‘Barron of Breachell, are ye withen?
The sharp sourd is att yer gate, Breachell, will gar yer blod spine.’

2
‘The’r at yer gate, Brichell, the’r nether men nor lads,
Bat silly heard widifaus, we belted plaids.

3
‘O if I had a man,’ she says, ‘as it louks I haa nean,
He widne sit in the house an see my kay tean.

4
‘Bat, lasses, tak doun yer rokes, an we will defend,’
. . . . . . . . ..

5
‘O kiss me, d[ea]r Peggey, an gee me doun my gun,
I may well gaa out, bat I ill never come in.’

6
Out spak his brother, says, Gee me your hand,
I [ill] fight in your caus as lang as I may stan.

7
Fan the Barron of Brechell came to the closs,
A braver barron never read upon horse.

8
. . . . . . . . . .
‘I think the silly heard widdefus are groun fighten men.’

9
First they killed an, and sayn they killed tua,
An the Barron of Brichell is dead an awa.

10
They killed Sandy Gordon, Sandy Gordon of the Knok,
The miller an his three sons, that lived att Glenmuke.

11
First they killed ane, an sayn they killed tua,
An the Barron of Brichell is dead an awaa.

12
Up came Crigevar an a’ his fighten men:
‘Had I come an houre sinner, he sudna ben slain.’

13
For first they killed an, an sayn they killed tua,
An the Barron of Breachell is dead an awa.

14
‘O came ye by Brechell, lads? was ye in ther?
Saw ye Peggie Doun, raving her hear?’

15
‘We came by Breache[l], lads, we was in ther;
We saa Peggie Doun, curling her hear.

16
‘She ate we them, drank we them, bad them come in
To her haas an her bours that had slain her barron.’

17
‘Come in, gentelmen, ate an drink we me;
Tho ye have slain my barron, I ha na ill well att thee.’

18
‘O was ye att Glenmuck, lads? was ye in ther?
Saa ye Catren Gordon, raving her hear?’

19
‘We was att Gleanmuck, lads, we was in ther,
We saa Catren Gordon, ravi[n]g her hear.

20
‘We the tear in her eay,. . . . . .
Seven bearns att her foot, the eaght on her knee.

21
They killed Peater Gordon, Peater Gordon of the Knok.
The miller an his three sons, that lives att Glenmuck.

22
First they killed an, an sayn they killed twa,
An the Barron of Breachell is dead an awaa.

208. Lord Derwentwater.

P. 116 b. Add at the end of the first paragraph: Robert Patten, The History of the Rebellion in the Year 1715, 4th ed., 1745, p. 47.

123. From “The Old Lady’s Collection,” second part, p. 6.

J

1
The king has written a brod letter,
An sealled it our with gould,
An sent it to Lord Darnwater,
To read it if he could.

2
Whan Lord Darnwater saa the letter,
A light laughter lough he;
Bat or he read it to an end
The tear blinded his eye,
An sighan said him good Lord Darnwater,
I am near the day to dei.

3
Out spak his lady,
In child-bed wher she lay;
‘My d[ea]r Lord Darnweter, what is to becom of me,
An my young famely?’

4
‘I will leave my young famely
As well as I cane;
For I will leave to my lady
The third part of my land,
An I will live to my e[l]dest son,
The tua part of my land.

5
‘An I will live to my eldest daught[er]
Five thousand pound of gold,
An I will live to my second daughter
Three thousand pound of gold.

6
‘Ye saddel to me my littel gray horse,
That I had wont to ried;
. . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . .

7
The first stape Lord Darnwater staped,
He stumbled on a ston;
Said Lord Darnwater,
I feer I ill never come home.

8
When he came to fair London city,
An near unt[o] the toun,
‘A trater! a trater!’ said they,
‘A trator we see!’

9
‘A trater?’ said good Lord Darnwater,
‘A trator I nier could be,
Unless it was bringen three hundred men
To fight for young Jamie.’

10
But when he came to Tour Hill
Befor him came a bold man,
. . . . . . . .
With a broad aix in his hand.

11
. . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . .
‘Hear is five ginies of gold an my green velvet coat,
For to be your fee.’

12
‘Ye nobels all,
Come hear to see me die,
An ye peopell of fair Sco[t]land,
Be kind to my family.’

13
Lord Darnuater was dumed to die, to die,
Good Lord Darnwater was dumed to die.

* * * * *

2^5. sigh an.

2^6. am _doubtful_.

4^4, 5^4, 9^3. 3.

4^5. will live _twice_.

4^6, 5^3. 2.

5^2, 11^3. 5.

7^3, 9^1. L. D.

13^2. Daruan Water.

314. The Braes o Yarrow.

P. 160 ff., 522 ff.

S

Findlay’s MSS, I, 181; The Dowie Dens o Yarrow, “from Banffshire, through James Milne, Arbroath.”

1
There lived a lady in the South,
Ye would scarcely find her marrow;
She was courted by nine gentlemen
An a ploughman-lad frae Yarrow.

2
Ae nicht the nine sat drinkin wine
To the lass wha had nae marrow,
When the ploughman swore, tho they were a score
He wad fecht them a’ in Yarrow.

3
It’s he’s gane ower yon high, high hill,
And doon yon glen sae narrow,
An there he saw nine armëd men,
To fecht wi him in Yarrow.

4
‘There’s nine o you an I’m but ane,
An that’s an unequal marrow,
But wi this gude blade and powerfu arm
I’ll lay you low on Yarrow.’

5
It’s three he slew, and three withdrew,
And three lay dead on Yarrow,
But in behind cam her brother John,
An pierced his body thorough.

6
‘Gae hame, gae hame, you fause young man,
An tell your sister sorrow,
That her true-love John lies dead and gone
In the dowie dens o Yarrow.’

7
‘O father dear, I’ve dreamed a dream,
I’m feared it will prove sorrow;
I dreamed I was puin the heather-bells sweet
On the bonny braes o Yarrow.’

8
‘O daughter dear, your dream is read,
I’m feared it will prove sorrow;
Your true-love John lies dead and gone
In the dowie dens o Yarrow.’

9
It’s she’s gane ower yon high, high hill,
An doon yon glen sae narrow,
An there she saw her true-love John
Lyin cauld an dead on Yarrow.

10
She washed his face an combed his hair,
Wi muckle grief an sorrow,
She rowed him i the plaid she wore,
In the dowie dens o Yarrow.

11
Her hair it was three quarters lang,
The colour being yellow;
She tied it round his middle sma,
An carried him hame frae Yarrow.

12
‘O daughter dear, I pray forbear,
I’ll wed you to another marrow;
I’ll wed you to some fitter match
Than the lad that died on Yarrow.’

13
‘O father dear, you hae seven sons,
Should you wed them a’ to-morrow,
A fairer flower never grew in June
Than the lad that died on Yarrow.’

14
This lady, being six months with child
To the ploughman lad of Yarrow,
She fell into her father’s arms
An died wi grief on Yarrow.

* * * * *

5^1. slew _should of course be_ wounded, _or_ hurt, _as in_ =A= 9^1, =B= 9^1, =D= 7^1, =E= 8^1, =I= 7^1, =K= 7^1, =Q= 6^{1,2}.

215. Rare Willie drowned in Yarrow, or, The Water o Gamrie.

P. 180. =D= stands as follows in “The Old Lady’s Collection,” No 10, ‘The Water of Gamry.’

1
‘Willie is fair, an Willë’s rair,
An Willë’s wondres bonny,
An Willë has promised to marey me,
Gin ever he marred ony.’

2
‘Ye’s gett Jeamie, or ye’s gett Jonny,
Or ye’s gett bonny Piter;
Ye’s gett the walle of a’ my sins,
Bat live to me Willë the writter.’

3
‘I winnë ha Jamie, I winnë ha Jonny,
Nor will I ha bonny Peter;
I winnë ha ony of yer sins,
In I gett na Willie the writter.’

4
Ther was three score an ten brisk young men
Was boun to brid-stell we him.

5
‘Ride on, ride on, my merry men a’,
I forget some thing behine me;
I [ha] forgetten my mider’s blissing,
To boun to bridstell we me.’

6
‘God’s blissing an mine gae we ye, my son Willie,
A’ the blissings of God ga we ye;
For y’er na an hour but bare ninten,
Fan y’er gain to meet yer Meggey.’

7
They road on, an ferder on,
Till they came to the water of Gamry;
An they all wen safe throu,
Unless it was Suet Willie.

8
For the first an step att Willie’s hors steped,
He steped to the bridel;
The nixt an step att Wellie’s hors steped,
Toom grue Willë’s sadle.

9
They rod on, an forder on,
Till they came to the kirk of Gamry,
. . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . .

10
. . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . .
‘A rounin, a rouning,’ she says,
‘An fat means a’ this rouning?’

11
Out spak the bonny bried,
Just att the kirk of Gamrie;
‘Far is the man that was to gee me his han
This day att the kirk of Gamry?’

12
Out spak his breder John,
An O bat he was sorry!
‘It fears me sair, my bonny brid,
He slipes our sune in Gamry.’

13
The ribbons they wer on her hare,
They wer thik an mony;
She rive them a’, late them doun faa,
An she is on to the water of Gamry.

14
She sought it up, she sought it doun,
She sought it braid an narrow,
An the depest pot in a’ Gamry,
Ther she got Suit Willie.

15
She has kissed his comly mouth,
As she had don befor, O:
‘Baith our miders sall be alike sory,
For we’s baith slep soun in Gamry.’

216. The Mother’s Malison, or, Clyde’s Water.

P. 187. =A= is now given as it stands in “The Old Lady’s Collection,” ‘Clide’s Water,’ No 11. It will be observed that 19, 20 repeat No 215, =D=, 13, 14 (14, 15, of the copy just given).

1
‘Ye gie corn to my hors,
An meatt to my man,
For I will gai to my true-love’s gates
This night, gin I can wine.’

2
‘O stay att home, my son Willie,
This a bare night we me;
The best bed in a’ my house
Sall be well made to the.’

3
‘I care na for your beds, mider,
I care na a pin;
For I ill gae to my love’s gates
This night, gin I can wine.’

4
‘O stay, my son Willie,
This night we me;
The best hen in a’ mey reast
Sall be well made ready for the.’

5
‘I care na for your heans, midder,
I care na a pin;
For I ull gae to my love’s gates
This night, gin I can wine.’

6
‘Gin ye winnë stay, my son Willie,
This a bare night we me,
Gin Claid’s water be dip an fue of flud,
My malicen droun ye in.’

7
He road up yon high hill,
An doun yon douë den;
The roring of Clid’s water
Wod ha flied ten thousand men.

8
‘O spair me, Claid’s water,
Spare me as I gaa!
Make me yer wrak as I come back,
Bat spare me as I gaa!’

9
He raid in, an forder in,
Till he came to the chin;
An he raid in, an forder in,
Till he came to dray lan.

10
An fan he came to his love’s gates
He tirled att the pin:
‘Open yer gates, May Meggie,
Open yer gates to me,
For my bets is fue of Claid’s water,
An the rain rins on a’ my chine.’

11
‘I ha ne loves therout,’ she says,
‘I haa ne love theren;
My true-love is in my arms tua,
An nean will I latt in.’

12
‘Open yer gates, Meggie,
This night to me,
For Clide’s water is full of flood,
An my mider’s mallison will droun me in.’

13
‘An of my chambers is full of corn,’ she says,
‘Anether is full of hay,
The other is full of gentelmen,
An they winnë remove till day.’

14
Out waked her May Meggie,
Out of her drussie dream:
‘I dreamed a dream nou san the streen,
God read a’ dreams to gued!
That my true-love Willie
Was staning att my bed-feet.’

15
‘Nou lay still, my a dather,
An keep my back fraa the call;
It’s na the space of haf an hour
Sayn he gade fra your hall.’

16
‘Hey, Willie! an hou, Willie!
An Willie, winnë ye turn agen?’
But ay the louder that she crayed
He read agenst the wind.

17
He raid up yon high hill,
An doun yon douë den,
An the roring that was in Clid’s water
Wad ha fleed ten thousand men.

18
He raid in
Tell he came to the chine,
An he raid forder in,
Bat never mare came out agen.

19
She sought him up, she sought him doun,
She sought him braid an narrou;
In the depest pot in a’ Claid’s water,
Ther she gat Suit Willie.

20
She has kissed his comly mouth,
As she had den afore:
‘Baith our midders sall be alike sorry,
For we’s bath slipe soun in Clide’s water.’

21
Ther was na mare seen of that gued lord
Bat his hat frae his head;
There was na mare seen of that gued lady
Bat her keem an her sneed.

22
Ther mideers went up an doun the water,
Saying, Clayd’s water din us wrong!

* * * * *

10^6. on =a=.

18^4. ther _follows_ agen, _intended perhaps as a beginning of_ 21.

217. The Broom of Cowdenknows.

P. 195. =D b.= Macmath MS., p. 105; from the recitation of Mary Cochrane (Mrs Garmory), Abbey-yard, Crossmichael, August 12, 1893.

1
Bonny May to the ewe-buchts is gane,
To milk her daddie’s yowes,
And aye as she sang, her bonny voice it rang
Outoer the taps o the knowes, knowes,
Outoer the taps o the knowes.

2
. . . . . .
. . . . . .
A troop o noble gentlemen
Came riding merrily by.

5
He took her by the middle sae sma,
And by the green gown sleeve,
And he’s laid her down on the dewy, dewy ground,
And he’s askëd no man’s leave.

9
He’s mounted on his milk-white steed,
And he’s rode after his men,
And all that his merry men said to him
Was, Dear master ye’ve tarried long.

10
‘I have ridden east and I have ridden west,
And I’ve ridden among the knowes,
But the bonniest lass that eer I saw
Was milking her daddie’s yowes.’