Jamieson's Popular Ballads, I, 114, from Mrs Arrot of
Arberbrothick.
1
Lord Thomas stands in his stable-door,
Seeing his steeds kaimd down;
Lady Ellen sits at her bower-door,
Sewing her silver seam.
2
'O will ye stay at hame, Ellen,
And sew your silver seam?
Or will ye to the rank highlands?
For my lands lay far frae hame.'
3
'I winna stay at hame, Lord Thomas,
And sew my silver seam;
But I'll gae to the rank highlands,
Tho your lands lay far frae hame.'
* * * * *
4
'An asking, an asking, Lord Thomas,
I pray thee grant it me;
How many miles into your fair tower,
And house where you would be?'
5
'Your asking fair, Lady Ellen,' he says,
'Shall now be granted thee;
For to my castle where it stands
Is thirty miles and three:'
'O wae is me,' says Lady Ellen,
'It will never be run by me.'
6
But up and spak the wily pyot,
That sat upon the tree:
'Sae loud, sae loud, ye fause, fause knight,
Sae loud as I hear you lie!
7
'For to your dwelling-house,' it says,
'Of miles it's scantly three:'
'O weel is me,' says Lady Ellen;
'It shall be run by me.'
* * * * *
8
'O mither, mither, mak my bed,
And mak it braid and wide,
And lay my little page at my feet,
Whatever may betide.'
* * * * *
9
'An asking, an asking, Lord Thomas,
I pray thee grant it me;
O grant me a cup of cold water,
Between my young son and me.'
10
'What you do ask, Lady Ellen,
Shall soon be granted thee;
The best bread and the best wine,
Between my young son and thee.'
11
'I ask again, my good Lord Thomas,
I ask again of thee;
The poorest cot-house in your land,
Between my young son and me.'
12
'Your asking now, dear Lady Ellen,
I quickly grant to thee;
The best bower about my tower,
Between my young son and thee.'
G
1
The knight he stands in stable-door,
Says he, I will go ride;
The lady's kilted her gay cloathing,
And ran low by his side.
2
He has ridden, and she has run,
Till they came to yon water wan;
He has ridden, and she has run,
Like to his waiting man.
3
He has ridden, and she has run,
Till they came on to Clyde;
The knight he rode on high horseback,
But the lady she bot wide.
4
The first step that the lady stepped,
She stept into the knee;
The bairn that was between her sides
There he gied spartles three.
5
'Lie still, lie still, my bonny boy,
Ye work your mother woe;
Your father rides on high horseback,
Cares little for us two.'
6
The nextand step that lady stepped.
She stept into the pap;
The bairn that was between her sides
There spartled and he lap.
7
'Ly still, ly still, my bonny boy,
You work your mother's woe;
Your father rides on high horseback,
Cares little for us two.'
8
In the middle of that water
There stands a yird-fast stone;
He turnd his horse head back again,
Said, Lady, loup ye on.
9
She hadna ridden a mile, a mile,
O never a mile but ane,
Till she grew sick, and so weary
She couldna ride nor gang.
10
'Ride on, ride on, my gay lady,
You see not what I see;
For yonder is my father's castle,
A little beyond the lee,
And ye'll get ane of my father's men.
But, lady, neer lippen on me.'
11
There were four and twenty bonny ladies
Led Willie frae bower to ha,
But the bonniest lady among them a'
Led his steed to the sta.
12
When they were at the table set,
And sitting at their dine,
Out it spake his mother dear.
And she spake aye in time.
13
'Sometimes your boy's red, Willie,
And other times he's wan;
He looks like a woman wi bairn,
But no ways like a man.'
14
'Win up, win up, my bonny boy,
Go look your master's steed;
See that his meat be at his head,
And not among his feet.'
15
O healy, healy raise she up,
And healy gaed she down,
And healy opend the stable-door,
And as healy gaed she in,
And even among that big horse feet
She bear her dear young son.
16
As Willie's mother was walking alone,
Between the bower and ha,
She thought she heard a bairn's greet
And lady's moan in the sta.
17
'Gude make ye safe, my ae son Willie,
Gude keep ye safe frae harm;
Ye might hae chosen a lighter foot-boy
Than a women in travilling.'
18
He hit the table wi his foot,
He kept it wi his knee,
Till silver cups and silver spoons
Into the floor did flee.
19
There were fifteen steps into that stair,
I wat he made them a' but three;
He's to the stable gane in haste,
And a' to see his gay lady.
20
'I am not come o sic low kin,
Nor yet sic low degree,
That you needed to banish me frae your sight,
That ye left nae woman wi me.'
21
'I wish I'd drunken the wan water
When I did drink the wine,
Or when I left my lady gay,
And her at sic a time.
22
'But up ye'll take my dear young son,
And wash him wi the milk,
And up ye'll take my lady gay
And row her in the silk;
For her kirking and her fair wedding
Shall baith stand in ae day.'
H
Motherwell's MS., p. 277, from Marjory Johnston, servant
to W. Parker, manufacturer, Paisley.
* * * * *
1
'Turn back, turn back, O Burd Alone,
For the water's both broad and long:'
First she went into the shoulders,
And sine unto the chin.
2
'How far is it to your hall, Lord John?
How far is it? I pray of thee:'
'The nearest way unto my hall
Is thirty miles and three.
3
'Turn back, turn back, O Burd Alone,
Ye'll sink before ye win owre:'
'I am too big with bairn,' she says,
'To sink or I win owre.'
4
'Turn back, turn back, O Burd Alone,
Turn back, I pray of thee;
For I've got a wife and seven bairns,
I like far better than thee.'
5
And then spak a wild parrot,
Sat high upon the tree:
'Gang on, gang on, O Burd Alone,
[He likes nane better nor thee.]
6
'For Lord John has neither wife nor bairns,
He likes better than thee,
And the nearest way to Lord John's hall
Is only short miles three.'
7
When she was come to Lord John's hall,
Lords, knights and ladies braw
Was there to welcome them hame;
But the bravest in the ha,
She waited at Lord John's back,
Serving the tables a'.
8
When she was laid into her bed,
Amang the servants a' ilk ane,
The mother heard a babie greet,
And a lady make a heavy maen.
9
'Rise up, rise up, Lord John,' she said,
'Bind on thy hose and shoon;
Thow might hae got some other lady
Than a lady big wi bairn.'
10
Lord John awa to the hay-loft,
Where his lady lay;
'O rise, O rise, my love,' he says,
'O rise and let me in;
It's I have got no loves without,
But I've got one within.'
11
'I ask three favours of you, Lord John,
I ask three favours of thee;
I ask a bottle of your sma, sma beer,
For your old son and me.'
12
'O rise, O rise, my love,' he says,
'O rise and let me in;
My wine and gin is at your command,
And that of my old son.'
13
'The next favour I ask of you, Lord John,
The next favour I ask of thee,
Is the meanest room in all your house,
For your young son and me.
14
'The next favour I ask of you, Lord John,
The next favour I ask of thee,
Is the meanest maid in a' your house,
To wait on your yong son and me.'
15
'O rise, O rise, my love,' he says,
'O rise and let me in;
For thy bridal and thy banquet day
Shall both be held in ane.'
I
Communicated by Dr Thomas Davidson, as learned from
his aunt at Old Deer, about 185
1
Lord John stands in his stable-door,
Just on his way to ride;
Lady Ellen stands in her bower-door,
Says, Bide, Lord John, abide!
* * * * *
2
He did ride, and she did run,
A lief-lang simmer's day,
Until they came till a wan water,
That a' man did ca Tay.
3
The first step that she steppit in,
She steppit tae the cweet;
An sichan said that gay lady,
I fear this water's deep!
4
The next step that she steppit in,
She steppit tae the knee;
An sichan said that gay lady,
This water's deep for me!
5
Lord John hield down his high horse head,
Said, Lady, will ye ride?
'O no! O no! kind sir,' she said,
'I'll rather choose tae wide.'
6
The next step that she steppit in,
She steppit tae the chin;
An sichan said that gay lady,
I'll wide nae farrer in.
7
The firsten town that they cam till,
She got a leash o huns tae lead,
. . . . . . .
. . . . . . .
* * * * *
8
When bells were rung, and mass was sung,
An a' was ready tae dine,
. . . . . . .
. . . . . . .
9
When bells were rung, and mass was sung,
An a' were bound for bed,
. . . . . . .
. . . . . . .
J
Buchan's Ballads of the North of Scotland, II, 30.
1
The knight stands in his stable-door,
Says he, I will gae ride;
A lady stands in her bower-door,
Says, I'll ride by your side.
2
'Ye shall not follow me, Burd Helen,
Except ye do this deed;
That is, to saddle to me my horse,
And bridle to me my steed,
And every town that ye come to,
A liesh o hounds to lead.'
3
'I will saddle to you your horse,
Sae will I bridle your steed;
And every town that we come to,
A liesh o hounds I'll lead.'
4
Take warning a', ye maidens fair,
That wear scarlet and brown;
In virtue leave your lammas beds,
To follow knights frae town.
5
'My dogs shall eat the white bread, Helen,
And you the dust and bran;
And you will sigh, and say, alas!
That eer our loves began.'
6
'Your dogs may eat the gude white bread,
And I the dust and bran;
Yet will I sing, and say, well's me,
That eer our loves began.'
7
'My horse shall drink the gude red wine,
And you the water wan;
And then you'll sigh, and say, alas!
That eer our loves began.'
8
'Your horse may drink the gude red wine,
And I the water wan;
But yet I'll sing, and say, well's me,
That eer our loves began.'
9
Then Willie lap on his white steed,
And straight awa did ride;
Burd Helen, drest in men's array,
She walked by his side.
10
But he was neer sae lack a knight
As ance woud bid her ride,
And she was neer sae mean a may
As ance woud bid him bide.
11
Sweet Willie rade, Burd Helen ran,
A livelang summer's tide,
Until she came to wan water,
For a' men ca's it Clyde.
12
The first an step that she wade in,
She wadit to the knee;
'Ohon, alas!' said that fair maid,
'This water's nae for me!'
13
The next an step that she wade in,
She wadit to the pap;
The babe within her sides twa,
Cauld water gart it quack.
14
'Lie still, lie still, my bonny bairn,
For a' this winna dee;
Your father rides on high horseback,
Minds neither you nor me.'
15
In the midst of Clyde's water,
There stands a yird-fast stone;
There he leant him ower his saddle-bow,
And set that lady on,
And brought her to the other side,
Then set her down again.
16
'O see ye not yon goodly towers,
And gowd towers stand sae hie?
There is a lady in yonder bower
Will sinder you and me.'
17
'I wish nae ill to your lady,
She neer wishd nane to me;
But I wish the maid maist o your love
That drees far mair for thee.
18
'I wish nae ill to your lady,
She neer comes in my thought;
But I wish the maid maist o your love
That dearest hae you bought.'
19
Four an twenty gay ladies
Led Willie thro bower and ha;
But the fairest lady amo them a'
Led his horse to the sta.
20
Four an twenty gay ladies
Were a' at dinner set;
Burd Helen sat at a by-table,
A bit she coudna eat.
21
Out it spake her Dow Isbel,
A skilly dame was she:
'O whare got ye this fine foot-page
Ye've brought alang wi thee?
22
'Sometimes his colour waxes red,
Sometimes it waxes wan;
He is liker a woman big wi bairn
Nor be a waiting man.'
23
'Win up, win up, my boy,' he says,
'At my bidding to be,
And gang and supper my gude steed,
See he be litterd tee.'
24
Then she is into stable gane,
Shut tee the door wi a pin,
And even amang Willie's horse feet
Brought hame her bonny young son.
25
When day was gane, and night was come,
And a' man bound for bed,
Sweet Willie and Dow Isbel
In ae chamber were laid.
26
They hadna been well lien down,
Nor yet well faen asleep,
Till up it wakens Sweet Willie,
And stood at Dow Isbel's feet.
27
'I dreamd a dreary dream this night,
I wish it may be for guid;
Some rogue hae broke my stable-door,
And stown awa my steed.
28
'Win up, win up now, Dow Isbel,
At my bidding to be,
And ye'll gae to my stable-door,
See that be true or lie.'
29
When she gaed to the stable-door,
She heard a grievous groan;
She thought she heard a bairn greet,
But and a woman's moan.
30
'When I was in my bigly bower,
I wore but what I would;
This night I'm lighter 'mang Willie's horse feet,
I fear I'll die for cold.
31
'When I was in my bigly bower,
I wore gold to my tae;
This night I'm lighter mang Willie's horse feet,
And fear I'll die or day.
32
'When I was in my bigly bower,
I wore scarlet and green;
This night I'm lighter mang Willie's horse feet,
And fear I'll die my lane.'
33
Dow Isbel now came tripping hame,
As fast as gang coud she;
'I thought your page was not a man,
Ye brought alang wi thee.
34
'As I gaed to your stable, Willie,
I heard a grievous groan;
I thought I heard a bairn greet,
But and a woman's moan.
35
'She said, when in her bigly bower,
She wore but what she would;
But this night is lighter mang your horse feet,
And fears she'll die for cold.
36
'She said, when in her bigly bower,
She wore gold to her tae;
But this night is lighter mang your horse feet,
And fears she'll die or day.
37
'Win up, win up, now Sweet Willie,
At my bidding to be,
And speak some comfort to the maid,
That's dreed sae much for thee.'
38
He is to the stable door gane,
As fast as gang coud he;
'O open, O open, Burd Helen,' he says,
'Ye'll open the door to me.'
39
'That was never my mother's custom,
And hope it's never be mine,
A knight into her companie,
When she drees a' her pine.'
40
'O open the door, Burd Helen,' he says,
'O open the door to me;
For as my sword hangs by my gair,
I'll gar it gang in three.'
41
'How can I open, how shall I open,
How can I open to thee,
When lying amang your great steed's feet,
Your young son on my knee?'
42
He hit the door then wi his foot,
Sae did he wi his knee,
Till doors o deal, and locks o steel,
In splinders gart he flee.
43
'An asking, asking, Sweet Willie,
An asking ye'll grant me;
The warst in bower in a' your towers,
For thy young son and me.'
44
'Your asking's nae sae great, Burd Helen,
But granted it shall be;
The best in bower in a' my towers,
For my young son and thee.'
45
'An asking, asking, sweet Willie,
An asking ye'll grant me;
The warst an woman about your bowers,
To wait on him and me.'
46
'The best an woman about my bowers,
To wait on him and thee,
And that's my sister Dow Isbel,
And a gude woman is she.
47
'Ye will take up my little young son,
And wash him wi the milk;
And ye'll take up my gay lady,
And row her in the silk.
48
'Be favourable to my lady,
Be favourable, if ye may;
Her kirking and her fair wedding
Shall baith stand on ae day.
49
'There is not here a woman living
But her shall be my bride,
And all is for the fair speeches
I got frae her at Clyde.'
A.
And throughout for &.
183, 193, 221, 231. four and twenty, MS. has 24.
266. [rich]. Percy.
272. they way.
281. goe thy.
283. ffarest.
285, 295. armes 2.
311. this and itt droue now. The emendation,
made without confidence, assumes, as
does that to 313, and to be used as in 'Sir
Cawline.'
323. did on.
B. a.
b.
11. I forbid you.
13. To leave your father's families.
14. And follow... frae the.
21. I am a gay ladie.
22. wear.
23. father's castle.
31, 3 stands.
32. Says I am boon to ride.
34. Says I'll run by your side.
41. He has mounted on his berry brown steed.
43. She's clad her in a page's weed.
44. And ay as fast.
52. An folks.
53. He's lookd oer.
54. Says Ellen will you ride.
61. O I learnd it when I was a bairn.
71, 81, 91. that ladie.
72. It was aboon her knee.
73. Says Bird Ellen.
82. It was up till.
83. Ohon alas says Bird Ellen.
91. The thirden step.
92. touched her pap.
93. The bairn between her sides twa.
94. begood to.
102. You gie your mother pain.
104. And cares little for us twain.
111. O wanting. Clyde's.
112. There stands.
113. He has turnd about his berry brown steed.
114. And taen her up him behind.
124. Where this night you mean to be.
131. Do not ye see.
132. so far and hie.
133. ladie there, he says.
14.
Altho there be a ladie there,
Should sunder you and me,
Betide my life, betide my death,
I will go thither and see.
152, 162. brown.
153. Then you will.
154. That ever you lovd a man.
161. O 'tis I shall.
163, 4.
But I neer shall live to cry alas,
That ever I lovd a man.
171, 2.
My horse shall eat the baken meat,
And you shall eat the corn.
173. You then will.
181. O I shall eat the baken meat.
183. And I still shall bless.
204. her lane.
212. a' were.
22=a 23. 3. O I can neither eat nor drink.
23=a 22. 3. O I can neither eat nor drink.
243, 4.
My son, where gat ye that foot-page
You have brought hame to me?
251. cheeks look.
252. pale and wan.
253. He looks mair like a ladie wi bairn.
26.
He has looked oer his left shoulder,
And a loud laugh laughed he;
Says, He's a squire's ae dear son,
I got in the north countrie.
271. Win up, win up.
273. And so.
274. As fast as ever I may.
282-4.
And the corn in her right hand,
And she's hied her to the stable-door,
As fast as she could gang.
292. Stand nearer to.
293. between my sides.
She has leand to the manger side
And gien a grieveous groan.
Then out it spake Lord John's mother,
As she stood on the stair,
'I think I hear a woman groan,
And a bairn greeting sair.'
32=a 33.
1. O quickly, quickly raise he up.
3. But hied him to the stable-door.
33, wanting in a.
'Now open the door, Bird Ellen,' he says,
'O open and let me in,
Or baith the door and the door cheeks
Into the floor I'll fling.'
34.
He is struck the door wi his right foot
And pushed it wi his knee,
Till iron bolts and iron bars
In flinders he has gard flee:
'Be not afraid, Bird Ellen,' he says,
'For there's nane win in but me.'
The never a word spake that ladie,
As on the floor she lay,
But hushd her young son in her arms
And turnd his face away.
'Now up ye take my bonny young son
And wash him wi the milk,
And up ye take my fair ladie,
And row her i the silk.'
37.
'And smile on me now, Bird Ellen,
And cast awa your care,
For I'll make you ladie of a' my lands,
And your son shall be my heir.'
38.
'Blessd be the day,' sayd Bird Ellen,
'That I followd you frae the town,
For I'd rather far be your foot-page
Than the queen that wears the crown.'
C.
The stanzas bracketed are those which Kinloch
interpolated in his later copy.
27, 31, 32, were derived from D.
221. In his later copy Kinloch has made the
change, Win up, win up, my bonnie boy.
E.
G.
H.
54. This line is included in () in the MS.,
and was probably supplied by Motherwell.
I.
33, 43, 63. sichan: MS. "sich an, perhaps sichin."
J.
43 seems to be a corruption of I forbid you
leave your families, or something of the
kind: cf. B a 11, 3.
101. The knight seems to be lack (wanting)
rather in not bidding, or letting, her
ride; his lack is nothing but his leave;
but as the idea may conceivably be that
it would be unknightly to ride with a
lady behind—all ballads to the contrary—no
emendation has been attempted.
213. five foot page.
64
FAIR JANET