'Commend me to my grey father,
That wished my saul gude rest,
But wae be to my cruel step-dame,
Garrd burn me on the breast.'
And mother, 373, is changed to sisters. The
step-mother clearly does not belong to this ballad.
97
BROWN ROBIN
A. 'Brown Robin.' a. Jamieson-Brown MS., fol. 37.
b. Abbotsford MS., "Scottish Songs."
B. 'Love Robbie,' Christie's Traditional Ballad Airs,
I, 136.
C. 'Brown Robyn and Mally,' Buchan's Ballads of the
North of Scotland, II, 299.
'Brown Robin' was No 7 in William Tytler's
Brown MS. The first stanza is cited by
Anderson, Nichols's Literary Illustrations,
VII, 177, and there were twenty-one stanzas,
as in A a. A b may have been a copy of the
Tytler-Brown version. It does not seem to
have been tampered with so much as other
ballads in the same manuscript. The story
undoubtedly stops at the right point in A,
with the escape of the two lovers to the wood.
The sequel in C is not at all beyond the inventive
ability of Buchan's blind beggar, and
some other blind beggar may have contrived
the cane and the whale, the shooting and the
hanging, in B.
Brown Robin is lover or husband of May
Margerie, or May a Roe=Lillie Flower, in
'Jellon Grame,' No 90, B 14, C 7, and again
of White Lilly in 'Rose the Red and White
Lilly,' No 103, A 7 ff.
We have money given over the wall by an
eloping lady, as in B 4, 5, C 5, also in 'Willie
o Douglas Dale,' No 101, C 4, 5.
A 1, nearly, is stanza 5 in Jamieson's 'Glenkindie;'
see p. 141 of this volume, note to B.
C is translated by Gerhard, p. 175.
A
a. Jamieson-Brown MS., fol. 37. b. Abbotsford MS.,
"Scottish Songs."
1
The king but an his nobles a'} bis
Sat birling at the wine;}
He would ha nane but his ae daughter
To wait on them at dine.
2
She's servd them butt, she's servd them ben,
Intill a gown of green,
But her ee was ay on Brown Robin,
That stood low under the rain.
3
She's doen her to her bigly bowr,
As fast as she coud gang,
An there she's drawn her shot-window,
An she's harped an she sang.
4
'There sits a bird i my father's garden,
An O but she sings sweet!
I hope to live an see the day
Whan wi my love I'll meet.'
5
'O gin that ye like me as well
As your tongue tells to me,
What hour o the night, my lady bright,
At your bowr sal I be?'
6
'Whan my father an gay Gilbert
Are baith set at the wine,
O ready, ready I will be
To lat my true-love in.'
7
O she has birld her father's porter
Wi strong beer an wi wine,
Untill he was as beastly drunk
As ony wild-wood swine:
She's stown the keys o her father's yates
An latten her true-love in.
8
Whan night was gane, an day was come,
An the sun shone on their feet,
Then out it spake him Brown Robin,
I'll be discoverd yet.
9
Then out it spake that gay lady:
My love, ye need na doubt;
For wi ae wile I've got you in,
Wi anither I'll bring you out.
10
She's taen her to her father's cellar,
As fast as she can fare;
She's drawn a cup o the gude red wine,
Hung't low down by her gare;
An she met wi her father dear
Just coming down the stair.
11
'I woud na gi that cup, daughter,
That ye hold i your han
For a' the wines in my cellar,
An gantrees whare the stan.'
12
'O wae be to your wine, father,
That ever't came oer the sea;
'T'is pitten my head in sick a steer
I my bowr I canna be.'
13
'Gang out, gang out, my daughter dear,
Gang out an tack the air;
Gang out an walk i the good green wood,
An a' your marys fair.'
14
Then out it spake the proud porter—
Our lady wishd him shame—
We'll send the marys to the wood,
But we'll keep our lady at hame.'
15
'There's thirty marys i my bowr,
There's thirty o them an three;
But there's nae ane amo them a'
Kens what flowr gains for me.'
16
She's doen her to her bigly bowr,
As fast as she could gang,
An she has dresst him Brown Robin
Like ony bowr-woman.
17
The gown she pat upon her love
Was o the dainty green,
His hose was o the saft, saft silk,
His shoon o the cordwain fine.
18
She's pitten his bow in her bosom,
His arrow in her sleeve,
His sturdy bran her body next,
Because he was her love.
19
Then she is unto her bowr-door,
As fast as she coud gang;
But out it spake the proud porter—
Our lady wishd him shame—
We'll count our marys to the wood,
An we'll count them back again.'
20
The firsten mary she sent out
Was Brown Robin by name;
Then out it spake the king himsel,
'This is a sturdy dame.'
21
O she went out in a May morning,
In a May morning so gay,
But she came never back again,
Her auld father to see.
B
Christie's Traditional Ballad Airs, I, 136, from the recitation
of an old woman in Buckie, Enzie, Banffshire.
1
'A feathered fowl's in your orchard, father,
O dear, but it sings sweet!
What would I give, my father dear,
That bonnie bird to meet!'
What would I give, etc.
2
'O hold your tongue, my daughter Mary,
Let a' your folly be;
There's six Scots lords tomorrow, child,
That will a' dine wi me,
And ye maun serve them a', Mary,
As't were for meat and fee.'
3
She served them up, sae has she down,
The footmen a' the same,
But her mind was aye on Love Robbie,
Stood out below the rain.
4
A hundred pun o pennies roun,
Tied in a towel so sma,
She has gien to him Love Robbie,
Out oer the castle-wa;
Says, Tak ye that, my love Robbie.
And mysel ye may hae.
5
A hundred pun o pennies roun,
Tied in a napkin white,
She has gien to him Love Robbie,
Out oer the garden-dyke;
Says, Tak ye that, my Love Robbie,
And mysel gin ye like.
6
'If this be true ye tell to me,
As your tongue woudna lee,
I shall be in your bigly bower
Before the clock strike three;
I shall be in your bigly bower,
Dressd like a gay ladye.'
7
When bells were rung, and mass was sung,
And all men bound for bed,
Love Robbie came to Mary's bower,
Dressd like a comely maid.
8
They had not kissd nor love clappëd,
As lovers when they meet,
Till sighing said he Love Robbie,
My life, my life I doubt.
9
'Your life, your life, you Love Robbie,
Your life you needna doubt;
For it was wiles brought in Robbie,
And wiles will lat him out.'
10
Then in it came her father dear,
And stood upon the floor,
And she filld the cup of good red wine,
Said, Father, will ye drink more?
11
'O better I love the cup, Mary,
The cup that's in your hand,
Than all my barrels full of wine,
On the gantrees where they stand.'
12
'O woe be to your wine, father,
It eer came oer the sea!
If I getna the air o good greenwood
O I will surely dee.'
13
'There's seven maries in your bower,
There's seven o them and three,
And I'll send them to good greenwood,
For flowers to shortsome thee.'
14
'There's seven maries in my bower,
There's seven o them and three,
But there's nae a mary mang them a'
Can pu flowers to shortsome me:'
'Then by my sooth,' said her father dear,
'Let yoursel gang them wi.'
15
She dressd hersel in the royal red,
Love Robbie was in dainty green;
Love Robbie's brand was about his middle,
And he shone like ony queen.
16
The firsten ane that took the floor,
Love Robbie was that ane:
'Now by my sooth,' said the proud porter,
'She is a sonsie dame;
I would not care now very much
To turn her in again.'
17
'I'd fain see any woman or man,
Of high or low degree,
Would turn a mary in again
That once came out with me.'
18
They had not been in good greenwood,
Pu'd a flower but only three,
Till the porter stood behind a bush,
And shot him Love Robbie.
19
Now word has come to her father dear,
In the chamber where he lay,
Lady Mary's sick in good greenwood,
And cannot come away.
20
He's taen his mantle him about,
His cane into his han,
And he is on to good greenwood,
As fast as he could gang.
21
'O want you fish out o the fleed,
Or whale out o the sea?
Or is there any one alive
This day has angerd thee?'
22
'I want not fish out o the fleed,
Nor whale out o the sea;
But woe be to your proud porter,
Sae sair's he's angerd me!
He's shot the fairest flower this day,
That would hae comfort me.'
23
'O hold your tongue, my daughter Mary,
Let a' your folly be;
Tomorrow ere I eat or drink
High hangëd shall he be.'
C
Buchan's Ballads of the North of Scotland, II, 299.
1
'There is a bird in my father's orchard,
And dear, but it sings sweet!
I hope to live to see the day
This bird and I will meet.'
2
'O hold your tongue, my daughter Mally,
Let a' your folly be;
What bird is that in my orchard
Sae shortsome is to thee?
3
'There are four-an-twenty noble lords
The morn shoud dine wi me;
And ye maun serve them a', Mally,
Like one for meat and fee.'
4
She servd the nobles all as one,
The horsemen much the same;
But her mind was aye to Brown Robyn,
Beneath the heavy rain.
5
Then she's rowd up a thousand pounds
Intil a servit white,
And she gae that to Brown Robyn,
Out ower the garden-dyke:
Says, Take ye that, my love Robyn,
And mysell gin ye like.
6
'If this be true, my dame,' he said,
'That ye hae tauld to me,
About the hour o twall at night,
At your bower-door I'll be.'
7
But ere the hour o twall did chap,
And lang ere it was ten,
She had hersell there right and ready
To lat Brown Robyn in.
8
They hadna kissd nor love clapped
Till the birds sang on the ha;
'O,' sighing says him Brown Robyn,
'I wish I were awa!'
9
They hadna sitten muckle langer
Till the guards shot ower the way;
Then sighing says him Brown Robyn,
'I fear my life this day.'
10
'O had your tongue, my love Robyn,
Of this take ye nae doubt;
It was by wiles I brought you in,
By wiles I'll bring you out.'
11
Then she's taen up a cup o wine,
To her father went she;
'O drink the wine, father,' she said,
'O drink the wine wi me.'
12
'O well love I the cup, daughter,
But better love I the wine;
And better love I your fair body
Than a' the gowd in Spain.'
13
'Wae be to the wine, father,
That last came ower the sea;
Without the air o gude greenwood,
There's nae remeid for me.'
14
'Ye've thirty maries in your bower,
Ye've thirty and hae three;
Send ane o them to pu a flower,
Stay ye at hame wi me.'
15
'I've thirty maries in my bower,
I've thirty o them and nine;
But there's nae a marie amo them a'
That kens my grief and mind.
16
'For they may pu the nut, the nut,
And sae may they the slae,
But there's nane amo them a' that kens
The herb that I woud hae.'
17
'Well, gin ye gang to gude greenwood,
Come shortly back again;
Ye are sae fair and are sae rare,
Your body may get harm.'
18
She dressd hersell into the red,
Brown Robyn all in green,
And put his brand across his middle,
He was a stately dame.
19
The first ane stepped ower the yett,
It was him Brown Robyn;
'By my sooth,' said the proud porter,
'This is a stately dame.
20
'O wi your leave, lady,' he said,
'And leave o a' your kin,
I woudna think it a great sin
To turn that marie in.'
21
'O had your tongue, ye proud porter,
Let a' your folly be;
Ye darena turn a marie in
That ance came forth wi me.'
22
'Well shall I call your maries out,
And as well shall I in;
For I am safe to gie my oath
That marie is a man.'
23
Soon she went to gude greenwood,
And soon came back again;
'Gude sooth,' replied the proud porter,
'We've lost our stately dame.'
24
'My maid's faen sick in gude greenwood,
And sick and liken to die;
The morn before the cocks do craw,
That marie I maun see.'
25
Out it spake her father then,
Says, Porter, let me know
If I will cause her stay at hame,
Or shall I let her go?
26
'She says her maid's sick in the wood,
And sick and like to die;
I really think she is too gude
Nor ever woud make a lie.'
27
Then he whispered in her ear,
As she was passing by,
'What will ye say if I reveal
What I saw wi my eye?'
28
'If ought ye ken about the same,
O heal that well on me,
And if I live or brook my life,
Rewarded ye shall be.'
29
Then she got leave o her father
To gude greenwood again,
And she is gane wi Brown Robyn,
But't was lang ere she came hame.
30
O then her father began to mourn,
And thus lamented he:
'O I woud gie ten thousand pounds
My daughter for to see.'
31
'If ye will promise,' the porter said,
'To do nae injury,
I will find out your daughter dear,
And them that's gane her wi.'
32
Then he did swear a solemn oath,
By a' his gowd and land,
Nae injury to them's be dune,
Whether it be maid or man.
33
The porter then a letter wrote,
And seald it wi his hand,
And sent it to that lady fair,
For to return hame.
34
When she came to her father's ha,
He received her joyfullie,
And married her to Brown Robyn;
Now a happy man was he.
35
She hadna been in her father's ha
A day but barely three,
Till she settled the porter well for life,
Wi gowd and white monie.
A. a.
Written in stanzas of two long lines.
The first stanza, as given by Anderson, is:
The king Val(?) and his nobles a'
Sat drinking at the wine;
He woud ha nane but his ae daughter
To wait on them at dine.
181. boson: the king's daughter must have
been "a sturdy dame" too.
212. so gray. The sun was up: see stanza
8.
b.
12. Were drinking.
21. She served them butt.
22. Baith knights and gallants sheen.
23. was still.
32. might gang.
33. And she has.
41. in yonder tree.
42. vow but he.
44. my love and I shall.
51. Gin ye luve me as weel, fair maid.
61. my auld father.
62. Sit drinking.
63. will I.
71. has hired the proud porter.
72. Wi the ale but and the.
75, 6.
She's slipped aff hir silken sheen,
And saftly trippd she down;
She's stown the key o hir father's yate,
And let hir true love in.
82. shined.
83. out and spake.
91. O out and spake.
93. As wi ae wile I hae brought.
101, 2. wanting.
105. she has met her auld.
106. Came creeping up.
11. wanting.
122. ever it crossd.
123. It has put.
124. canna stay.
134. Wi a'
141. and spake.
142. send him.
144. But keep the princess.
154. flowr's gude.
161. hied her.
162. Sae fast as she might.
163, 4.
She's putten a goun upon hir love
Was of the dainty green.
171, 2.
The girdle round his stately waist
Wi gowd and silver shone.
173. His stockings o.
174. And his shune o the cordovan.
181. She put.
182. up her.
183. her fair side next.
19. wanting.
203. By the faith o my body, then said the
king.
204. a lusty.
211. gaed out.
212. sae gay.
98
BROWN ADAM
A. 'Brown Adam,' Jamieson-Brown MS., fol. 17.
B. 'Broun Edom,' Harris MS., fol. 27 b, No 26.
C. 'Brown Adam the Smith,' Buchan MSS, I, 46.
'Brown Adam' was No 14 of the fifteen
ballads furnished William Tytler by Mrs
Brown in 1783: Anderson, in Nichols's Illustrations,
VII, 178. The ballad was first
printed in the Minstrelsy of the Scottish Border,
II, 16, 1802, with the omission of Mrs
Brown's second stanza, and some changes.
Scott remarks that he had seen a copy printed
on a single sheet.
C 1, 3, 6, 7 are very close to A 1, 2, 3, 4.
A 2 was not printed by Scott, and if these
stanzas were borrowed, A 2 must have been
taken from the Jamieson MS., to which other
cases of correspondence warrant a suspicion
that one of Buchan's contributors had access.
C has the usual marks of Buchan's copies,
great length, vulgarity, and such extravagance
and absurdity as are found in stanzas 23, 26,
29.
A Danish ballad, from manuscripts of the
sixteenth century and later, has a remote likeness
to 'Brown Adam:' 'Den afhugne Haand,'
Grundtvig, No 199, IV, 153. Lawi Pedersøn,
who has shown bad faith to women, makes
love to Lutzelil, who knows his ways, and rejects
him summarily. Lawi rides off in wrath,
saying that she shall be sorry for it. The
maid is afraid to go to church for nine months,
but ventures at Easter. Lawi stops her in a
wood. She begs him to do her no harm,
feigns to be amenable, and gives him an assignation
at an off-lying apartment in which
she sleeps with her maids; then rides away,
laughing over her successful evasion. She
tells her father how she has met Lawi, and
begs him to be on the watch. Lawi comes at
night, knocks, and is answered, according to
the formula of Danish ballads, that she has
made no appointment and he cannot come in.
Lawi threatens to take off the door, and does
so. Lutzelil's father is standing ready with
his sword, and cuts off Lawi's hand.
The copy in Scott's Minstrelsy is translated
by Grundtvig, Engelske og skotske Folkeviser,
No 45, p. 291; by Schubart, p. 65; Arndt,
Blütenlese, p. 231; Rosa Warrens, Schottische
Volkslieder, No 29, p. 130; Knortz, Schottische
Balladen, No 2, p. 5.
A
Jamieson-Brown MS., fol. 17.
1
O wha woud wish the win to blaw,
Or the green leaves fa therewith?
Or wha wad wish a leeler love
Than Brown Adam the Smith?
2
His hammer's o the beaten gold,
His study's o the steel,
His fingers white are my delite,
He blows his bellows well.
3
But they ha banishd him Brown Adam
Frae father and frae mither,
An they ha banishd him Brown Adam
Frae sister and frae brither.
4
And they ha banishd Brown Adam
Frae the flowr o a' his kin;
An he's biggit a bowr i the good green wood
Betwen his lady an him.
5
O it fell once upon a day
Brown Adam he thought lang,
An he woud to the green wood gang,
To hunt some venison.
6
He's ta'en his bow his arm oer,
His bran intill his han,
And he is to the good green wood,
As fast as he coud gang.
7
O he's shot up, an he's shot down,
The bird upo the briar,
An he's sent it hame to his lady,
Bade her be of good cheer.
8
O he's shot up, an he's shot down,
The bird upo the thorn,
And sent it hame to his lady,
And hee'd be hame the morn.
9
Whan he came till his lady's bowr-door
He stood a little foreby,
And there he heard a fu fa'se knight
Temptin his gay lady.
10
O he's taen out a gay gold ring,
Had cost him mony a poun:
'O grant me love for love, lady,
An this sal be your own.'
11
'I loo Brown Adam well,' she says,
'I wot sae does he me;
An I woud na gi Brown Adam's love
For nae fa'se knight I see.'
12
Out has he ta'en a purse of gold,
Was a' fu to the string:
'Grant me but love for love, lady,
An a' this sal be thine.'
13
'I loo Brown Adam well,' she says,
'An I ken sae does he me;
An I woudna be your light leman
For mair nor ye coud gie.'
14
Then out has he drawn his lang, lang bran,
And he's flashd it in her een:
'Now grant me love for love, lady,
Or thro you this sal gang!'
15
'O,' sighing said that gay lady,
'Brown Adam tarrys lang!'
Then up it starts Brown Adam,
Says, I'm just at your han.
16
He's gard him leave his bow, his bow,
He's gard him leave his bran;
He's gard him leave a better pledge,
Four fingers o his right han.
B
Harris MS., fol. 27 b, No 26.
1
. . . . . . .
. . . . . . .
For wha ere had a lealer luve
Than Broun Edom the smith?
2
His studie was o the beaten gowd,
His hammer o the pith;
His cords waur o the gude green silk,
That blew his bellows with.
3
It fell out ance upon a time
Broun Edom he thoucht lang,
That he wald gae to see his luve,
By the le licht o the mune.
C
1
O wha woud wish the win to blaw,
The green leaves fa therewith?
O wha would wish a leeler luve
Than Brown Adam the Smith?
2
O he forsook the royal court,
And knights and lords sae gude,
And he is to the black smithy,
To learn to shoe a steed.
3
His hammer-shaft o gude red gowd,
His studdy o the steel,
His fingers whyte, and maids' delight,
And blaws his bellows weel.
4
He being a favourite with the king
Caused him get mony a fae,
And sae their plots they did contrive
To work him grief and wae.
5
Of treason then he was accused
By his fause enemie,
Which caused the king to make a vow
That banishd he shoud be.
6
Then banishd hae they Brown Adam
Frae father and frae mither,
And banishd hae they him Brown Adam
Frae sister and frae brither.
7
And they hae banishd him Brown Adam,
The flower o a' his kin;
He built a bower in gude green wood,
For his true love and him.
8
But it fell ance upon a day
The king's young son thought lang,
And minded him on Brown Adam,
Oft rade on his right han.
9
Then he sent for him Brown Adam,
To shoe his milk-white steed,
That he might see him ance in court,
Mang knights o noble bleed.
10
When Brown Adam he read these lines,
A light laugh then gae hee:
'What's this that's made their hearts to fa,
They lang sae sair for mee?'
11
Then out it speaks his gay ladye:
Brown Adam, bide wi mee;
For if ye gang to court, I fear
Your face I'll never see.
12
'Cheer up your heart, my ain true-love,
Let naething cause your grief;
Though I be absent for some days,
Ye seen will get relief.'
13
Then he has kissd his gay ladye,
And rade alang the lay,
And hunted a' the wild birds there,
As he rade on the way.
14
He shot the bunting o the bush,
The linnet o the brier,
And sent them on to gude green wood,
His ladye's heart to cheer.
15
He shot the bunting o the bush,
The linnet o the wand,
And sent them on to his ladye,
Forbade her to think lang.
16
He shot the bunting o the bush,
The linnet o the thorn,
And sent them on to his ladye,
Said he'd be hame the morn.
17
A thought then came into his mind,
As he rade on the way,
Some evil in his absence might
Befa his ladye gay.
18
Now when he had the prince' steed shod,
And bound again to ryde,
He turned his horse to Ringlewood;
Some days he meant to byde.
19
But when he turned to Ringlewood,
Ae foot's horse woudna ryde;
Whan he turned to his luver's bower,
He flew like ony glyde.
20
When he drew near to his luve's bower,
There he alighted down,
For the hearing o his great horse tramp
Ere he wan to the town.
21
Whan he came to his luver's bower,
He heard a dolefu din;
He wasna aware o a fu fause knight,
His true-love's bower within.
22
He bound his steed to his ain stall,
And gae him corn and hay,
And listened at a shott-window,
To hear what he would say.
23
The first and thing the knight drew out,
It was a coffer fine;
It was as fu o gude black silk,
Make ladyes for to shine.
24
'Ye are too lack o luve, ladye,
And that's a hatefu thing;
Luve me, and lat Brown Adam be,
And a' this shall be thine.'
25
'O well I like Brown Adam,' she said,
'I wyte hee hates nae mee;
I winna forsake him Brown Adam
For a' your gifts an thee.'
26
The next and thing the knight drew out,
It was a coffer small;
It was as fou o shambo gluves,
Woud had her hands frae caul.
27
'Ye are too lack o luve, ladye,
An that's a hatefu thing;
Luve me, an lat Brown Adam be,
An a' this shall be thine.'
28
'O well like I Brown Adam,' she said,
'I'm sure he hates nae me;
I winna forsake him Brown Adam
For a' your gifts an thee.'
29
The next and thing the knight drew out
It was a coffer fine;
It was as fu of gude red gowd
As a guinea coud get in.
30
'You are too lack o luve, ladye,
And that's a hatefu thing;
Luve me, and lat Brown Adam be,
And a' this shall be thine.'
31
'O well I like Brown Adam,' she said,
'I'm sure hee hates nae mee;
I winna forsake him Brown Adam
For a' the gowd ye 'll gie.'
32
Then his mild mood did quickly change,
And grew mair fierce and cruel,
And then drew out a trusty brand,
Which made her heart to pruel.
33
'Since I by you am slighted sae,
Since I frae you maun part,
I swear a vow before I gae,
That this shall pierce your heart.'
34
'But still I like Brown Adam,' she said,
'I wat hee hates nae mee;
And if he knew my troubles now
At my call woud hee be.
35
'Although he were sax miles awa,
He'd seen be at my han;
But wae is me, sae may I say,
Brown Adam tarries lang!'
36
He hit the door then wi his foot,
Made a' the bands to flee:
'Cheer up your heart, my luve Janet,
Your love's nae far frae thee.'
37
Then he drew out a trusty brand,
And chassd him thro the ha;
The knight jumpd to a shott-window,
And woud hae been awa.
38
'Stay still, stay still,' Brown Adam said,
'Make nae sic haste frae mee;
You or I maun rue the race
That I came ower the lee.'
39
Then frae the knight he's taen a wad,
His mantle and his brand;
Likewise he's taen anither wad,
His sword and his sword-hand.
40
He threw him ower the shott-window,
Bade him lie there wi care,
And never come back to gude green wood
To marr fair ladies mair.
41
'O I am brown,' said Brown Adam,
'And I was never whyte;
But my love has robes o different hues,
To wear at her delyght.
42
'Her kirchies be o cambricks fine,
Wi gowd pinnd to the chin;
Her robes shall be o the scarlet hue
She shall gang daily in.'
A.