173. hinderen.

211. thy thy.

223. Eppie Morrie.

P. 239. Collated with a MS. of Charles Kirkpatrick Sharpe’s, and with another copy of the same pieces, “North Country Ballads,” in Miscellanea Curiosa, Abbotsford Library.

Sharpe, p. 21.

12. all.

13. away.

14. Because.

21. Out it.

22. moonlighty.

31,2. Hald.

34. That shall be wedded.

51. He has.

52. it wanting.

53. Says, Marry.

61,2, 71,2, 101,2, 151,2. Hold.

64. be married.

73. dare not avow to marrying.

74. she were.

82. could not.

83. are away.

91. bells was.

92. all men bound.

101,2, 151,2. away from.

103. I loss.

123. Scallater.

131. Says, Get.

134. sure I am: as ye.

141. fall.

142. you could not.

143. taken.

144. kis[s]ed your hand.

153. For there’s.

154. that’s be wedded to me.

161. in it came Belbardlane.

163. Says, come away home.

172. And get to me.

174. came.

182. and hey the light.

Written in long lines, without division into stanzas.

Scott. Norrie throughout.

22. moonlight.

163. home wanting.

225. Rob Roy.

P. 245. A. This version is No 9 of “The Old Lady’s Collection,” and was copied by Skene without much variation. The following original readings may be noted.

23. Or she.

31. serundad.

34. fra each other.

64. to me has.

74. Him sell beside her.

81. came by Black.

84. not be.

101,2. Be content twice only.

112, 122. lady wanting.

121. land.

122. for his.

123. An wanting.

124. took them.

131. he wanting.

133. pound.

141. Y’er.

249. E. In Sharpe’s small MS. volume, “Songs,” p. 42.

12. Cam to.

21. It’s when.

24. her to.

53. hasted.

73. cries for sighs.

74. was laid behind.

81. He says to her, etc., Oh, be.

Readings from A 1, 2, are added, in a later hand, in the margin of 1, 3.

254.

L

From a copy formerly in the possession of Charles Kirkpatrick Sharpe, now belonging to Mr Macmath. The paper on which it is written has the water-mark 1822. This version closely resembles C and K.

1
Rob Roy’s from the Highlands come
Down to the Lowland border,
And there he’s stole a fair lady away,
To keep his house in order.
2
As he came in by Blackhill gate,
Twenty men his arms did carry,
And he has stole a fair lady away,
On purpose hir to marry.
3
No tidings came unto the house,
Nor none went in before him,
Or else she had been run away,
For she did still abhor him.
4
But with his men he surunded the house,
Himself went in unto hir,
And when that he had found her out
He profest how much he lovt hir.
5
‘O wilt thou be my dear?’ he says,
‘O wilt thou be my hony?
O wilt thou be my wedded wife?
For I love you far better than ony.’
6
‘I will not be your dear,’ she says,
‘I will not be your honey,
I will not be your wedded wife;
You love me for my money.’
7
But he hir drew amongst his crew,
She holding by hir mother;
With doleful cries and watry eyes
The parted from each other.
8
He gave hir no time for to dress
As brides do when the marry,
But fast he hurried hir away,
And rowd hir in his plaidy.
9
He set hir on a milk-white steed,
Himself lept on behind hir,
And he has carried hir away,
Hir friends the could not find hir.
10
The lady’s cries were oftimes heard,
But none durst venture to hir;
She gaurded was on every side,
Hir friends could not rescue hir.
11
As the went over hills and rocks,
The lady oftimes fainted;
Cries, Wo be to my curst mony,
These roads to me invented.
12
As the came in by Drummond town
And at Bachannan tarried,
He bought to her a cloak and gown,
Yet wad she not be married.
13
And when she came the priest before
He askd if she would marry,
But the parson’s zeal it was so hot
For her will he did not tarry.
14
Four held hir up before the priest,
Tow laid hir in hir bed, O,
But still she cried, with watry eyes,
When she was by him laid O.
15
‘Now you’r to the Highlands come,
Out of your native clime, lady,
Never think of going back,
But tak it for your hame, lady.
16
‘Be content, be content,
Be content to stay, lady,
Now you are my wedded wife,
Until your dying day, lady.
17
‘Rob Roy was my father calld,
McGregor was his name, lady,
And all the country where he dwelt
None could exceed his fame, lady.
18
‘I’ll be kind, I’ll be kind,
I’ll be kind to thee, lady,
A’ thy kindred for thy sake
Shall truly favoured be, lady.
19
‘My father reignd as Highland king,
And ruled at his will, lady,
There was nether lord nor duke
Durst do him ony ill, lady.
20
‘Ay through time, ay through time,
Ay through time was he, lady,
Filled was w[ith] sweet revenge
On a’ his enemys, lady.
21
‘He was a hedge about his friends,
A heckle till his foes, lady,
And every ane that did him rang,
He took them oer the nose, lady.
22
‘I’m as bold, I’m as bold,
[As bold] as forest boar, lady,
Every ane that does thee rang
Shall feell my stell claymore, lady.
23
‘Neer a man from Highlands came
That ever did him dare, lady,
But if those persons did escape
He sized upon there gear, lady.
Ay through time, etc.
24
‘My father dealt in horse and cows,
But thou in goats and sheep, lady,
Thre and twenty thousand merk
Makes me a man complete, lady.
Be content, etc.
25
‘Of all the exploits my father did
I do him now outshine, lady;
He never took a prize in ’s life
With sic a face as thine, lady.’

Title: Old Song, Rob Roy. Tune, Jonny Fa, the Gipsy Laddy.

After 14. Tune, Had away frae me, Donald.

Here may be added, as an appendix, a fragment of a ballad on the “Abduction of Nelly Symon.” “The chorus is in Gaelic and the song is sung to one of the finest native airs.” From The Aberdeen Herald and Weekly Free Press, February 3, 1883.

1
They hoised her up upon a mare;
It was not for her gowd nor gear;
’T was for her beauty, keen and rare,
That they stealt Ellen Symon.
Se ho or so gur tallum tallum,
Se ho or so gur e so hallum;
Bheir mis ma chinteach ghuds gur tallum,
Chaileig, Eilie Symon.
2
Her father made a bow o bere,
Her uncle he gae twa pound mair,
To hang the rogue he vowed and sware
That stealt his Ellen Symon.
3
When they came on till Allanqooich,
They drank the whisky oot o a quaich,
And ilka are was blythe eneuch,
But wae was Ellen Symon.
4
When they came to the brig o Don,
Peter swore he would move on;
Says Charlie, Lad, ye sanna win,
For my brave Ellen Symon.

226. Lizie Lindsay.

P. 255.

H

From “The Old Lady’s Collection,” No 39.

1
Ther lives a maid in Edinbrugh citty,
Elisa Lindsy they call her by name;
Monye an came to court her,
But a’ ther suit was in vain.
2
Out spak the hear of Carnussë,
An out spak he;
‘Fat wad ye think of me if I wad gae to Edinbrugh citty
An bring this fair creatur we me?’
3
‘If ye gae to Edinbrugh city
An bring this fair creatur we the,
Bring her home we ne flatry,
But by grait policy.’
4
Fan he came to the Netherbou,
Elisa Lindsy for to see,
She drank we him a bottel of cherry,
And bare him gued company.
5
‘Will ye goo to the Hillands we me, Lisee?
Will ye go to [the] Hillands we me?
.   .   .   .   .   .   .   .
Ye’s gett cruds an grean why.’
6
Out spak Lissy’s mother,
An out spak she;
‘If ye say so to my daughter,
[I] swaer I ell gar ye die.’
7
‘Keep well yer dother, old lady,
Keep well yer dother fra me,
For I care as littel for yer dother
As she dos for me.’
8
Out spak Lissie Lindsy,
We the tear in her eay;
‘I will gie ye ten gunies,
If ye wad bat sitt in my roum bat a whill
Till I dra you[r] picter,
To mind me on your swit smill.’
9
‘I care as littel for your ten gunies
As ye dou for mine,
But if ye love my person,
Goo we me if ye inclayn.’

10
Fan they came to Carnusie, an even to the glen,
Out came the old day:
‘Ye’r welcom home, Sir Donall, ye’r welcom home,
An that fair creatur ye we.’
11
‘Caa na me mare Sir Donald,
Bat caa me Donall, yer son,
An I’ll caa ye my mother,
An caa me Donall, yer son:’
The words wer spoken in Ears,
Lissie she had nean.
12
‘Gett us a supper of cruds,
[A supper of cruds] an green whay,
An a bed of the best of yeer rushes,
Besids a covering of gray.’
13
Lissy Lindsy bieng weary,
She lay over long in they day:
‘Win up, Lissy Lindsy,
Ye haa layen our lang in the day;
Ye might haa ben out we my mider,
Milken the eus an the kay.’
14
Out spak Lissie Lindsy,
The tear in her eay;
‘I wiss I wer in Edenbrugh citty,
I cannë milk eus nor kay.’
15
‘Hold your toung, Lissie Lindsy,
An dou not freat on me,
For I will haa ye back to Edenbrugh citty,
Nou we grait safity.’
16
Out spak Lissie Lindsy,
The tear in her eay;
‘If I wer in Edenbrugh citty,
They woud think littel of me.’
17
He touk her by the milk-white hand,
Some other forest to vue;
.   .   .   .   .   .   .   .
.   .   .   .   .   .   .   .
18
Fan they came to Carnusy, out came Donal’s father,
A gay old knight was he;
Out cam Donald’s father,
An four-an-tuenty him we.
19
‘Ye’r welcom, Lissie Lends[y],
Dear welcom to me;
Ye’s be Lady Carnusie,
An gett Donal, my son.’
20
Out came Donald’s mother,
An four-an-tuenty her we:
‘Ye’r welcom, my son,
An that fair creatur ye we.’

172. Forest: doubtful.

227. Bonny Lizie Baillie.

P. 266. h. ‘Elisa Bailly,’ “The Old Lady’s Collection,” No 37.

3
As I came in by Carron sid,
An in nou by Dumblain,
Ther I mett we Dugall Grame:
He said he wad see me hame.
4
‘My bonny Lisey Ballie,
I ill rou ye in my plady,
An ye wad gaa along we me,
I wad make ye a Heallend lady.’
5
‘If I wad gaa along we ye,
They wad say I wer na wise;
For I cane nether milk cou nor ewe,
Nor can I speak Ears.’
6
‘My bonny Lisie Bailly,
For that ye nead na fear;
For onye that I cane dou,
I ill learn to you, my dear.’
19, 21
‘Then I ill cast off my bra nou goun,
Made of the silk an saten,
An I ell pitt on the hame-made grays,
To skip among the breachan.’
‘My bonny Lisie Bailly,
I ill rou ye in my plaidy,
An ye will go along we me,
I ill make ye a Healand lady.’
20
‘Then I ell cast aff my bra nou shous,
Made of the Turky lader,
An I ell pit on the hame-made broges,
To skip among the header.’
‘My bonny Lisie Bailly,
I ell rou ye in my plady;
Since ye’r to goo along we me,
I ell make ye a Healend lady.’
16
Foull faa the logarheaded Loland lads
That lives near Castell Carey,
Has latten the bonny lass away
The Heallend lad to marry.

162. Carey written so as to look like Carly.

228. Glasgow Peggie.

P. 271. A is extant among Sharpe’s relics, written on paper having 1819 in the water-mark, in two hands: stanzas 1-6, 8, 91, in one, 7 (inserted in the margin) and the rest in another. Sharpe has made a few slight changes in the text, besides regulating the spelling. The ballad is now given as it stands in the original copy.

1
‘As I cam in by boney Glassgow town,
The Highland troops were a’ before me,
And the bon[ey]est lass that ere I saw,
She lives in Glassgow, tha ca her Peggy.
2
‘I wad gie my boney black horse,
So wad I my good gray nagie,
If I were a hundred miles in the North,
And nan wee me but my boney Peggy.’
3
Up then spoke her father dear,
Dear vow! but he was wondrous sorey;
‘Weel may yea steel a cow or a ewe,
But ye darna steel my boney Peggy.’
4
Up then spoke her mother dear,
Dear vow! but she spoke wondrious sorey;
‘Now, since I’ve brought ye up this length,
Wod ye gang awa wee a Highland fellow?’
5
He set her on his boney black horse,
He set himsel on his good gray nagy;
They have riden over hill[s] and dales,
Now he is awa wee his boney Peggy.
6
They are riden or hills and dales,
They have riden or mountains maney,
Untill that thay com to a low, low glen,
And there he’s lain down wee his boney Peggy.
7
Up then spoke the Earll o Argyle,
Dear vow! bet he spoke wondrous sorry;
‘The bonniest lass in a’ Scotland
Is af an awa wi [a] Highland fellow!’
8
There bed was of the boney green grass,
There blankets was o the hay sa boney;
He falded his philabeg below her head,
Now he’s lawing down wee his boney Peggy.
9
Up then spoke the boney Lawland lass,
And oh, but she spoke wondrous sorry;
‘A’s warruant my mother would hae a gae soir heart
To see me lian here wi you, my Willie!’
10
‘In my father’s house there’s feather-beds,
Feather-beds an blankets many;
The’re a’ mine, an the’ll shoon be thine,
An what needs your mother be sae sorry, Peggie?
11
‘Dinna you see yon nine score o kye,
Feding on yon hill sae boney?
The’re a’ mine, an the’ll shoon be thine,
An what needs your mother be sorry, Peggie?
12
‘Dinna you see yon nine score o sheep,
Feeding on yon brae sae bonny?
The’re a’ mine, an the’ll shoon be thine,
An what needs your mother be sorry for you?
13
‘Dinna you see yon bonny white house,
Shining on yon brae sae bonny?
An I am the earl o the Isle o Sky,
And surely my Peggie will be calle[d] a lady.’

12, 23. where.

23. a: not unlike 2, but really a.

92. she sape.

93. soir: i not dotted.

103. be the thene.

275.

G

Macmath MS., p. 93. Taken down at Crossmichael, Kirkcudbrightshire, 24th August, 1892, from the recitation of Miss Jane Webster, who had learned it more than fifty years before, at Airds of Kells, from the singing of Rosanna McGinnies.

1
It was on a day, and a fine summer’s day,
When the Lowlands they were making ready,
There I espied a weel-far’d lass,
She was gaun to Glasgow, and they ca her Peggy.
2
It’s up then spak a silly auld man,
And O but he spak wondrous poorly!
Sayin, Ye may steal awa my cows and my ewes,
But ye’ll never steal awa my bonny Peggy.
3
‘O haud yer tongue, ye silly auld man,
For ye hae said eneugh already,
For I’ll never steal awa yer cows and yer ewes,
But I’ll steal awa yer bonny Peggy.’
4
So he mounted her on a milk-white steed,
Himsel upon a wee grey naigie,
And they hae ridden ower hill and dale,
And over moors and mosses many.
5
They rade till they cam to the head o yon glen,
It might hae frightened anybody;
He said, Whether will ye go alongst with me,
Or will ye return back again to your mammie?
*   *   *   *   *   *
6
Their bed was o the green, green grass,
And their blankets o the bracken sae bonnie,
And he’s laid his trews beneath their head,
And Peggy’s lain doun wi her Heilan laddie.
7
They lay till it cam to the break o day,
Then up they rose and made them ready;
He said, Whether will ye go alongst with me,
Or will ye return back again to your mammie?
8
‘I’ll follow you through frost and snow,
I’ll follow you through dangers many,
And wherever ye go I will go alongst with you,
For I’ll never return back again to my mammie.’
9
‘I hae four-and-twenty gude milk-kye,
They’re a’ bun in yon byre sae bonny,
And I am the earl o the Isle o Skye,
And why should not Peggy be called a lady?
10
‘I hae fifty acres o gude land,
A’ ploughed ower and sawn sae bonny,
And I am young Donald o the Isle o Skye,
And wherever I’m laird I’ll make ye lady.’

231. The Earl of Errol.

P. 284. B as it stands in “The Old Lady’s Collection,” No 26.

1
Earell is a bonny place,
Itt stands upon yon plain;
The gratest faut about the toun,
Earell’s na a man.
For fat ye caa the danton o’tt,
According as ye ken,
For the pearting   .   .   .   .,
Lady Earel lays her lean.
2
Eearel is a bonny place,
It stans upon yon plain;
The rosses they grou read an whit,
An the apples they grou green.
3
‘Fatt nead I my apron wash
An hing upon yon pinn?
For lang will I gaa out an in
Or I hear my barn’s dinn.
4
‘Fatt nead I my apron wash,
Or hang upon yon dor?
For side an wid is my petecot,
An eaen doun afore.
5
‘Bat I will laice my stays agean,
My middel jump an smaa;
I ull gaa a’ my days a meaden,
Awaa, Earell, awaa!’
6
It fell ance upon a day Lord Earell
Went to hunt him lean,
.   .   .   .   .   .   .   .
.   .   .   .   .   .   .   .
7
He was na a mill fra the toun,
Nor yett sae far awaa,
Till his lady is on to Edinbrugh,
To tray him att the laa.
8
Littel did Lord Earell think,
Fan he satt doun to dine,
That his lady was one to Edinbrugh,
Nor fatt was in her mind.
9
Till his best servant came
For to latt him kenn,
.   .   .   .   .   .
.   .   .   .   .   .
10
She was na in att the toun-end,
Nor yett sa far awa,
Till Earell he was att her back,
His goudy lokes to sha.
11
She was na in att the toun-head,
Nor just att the eand,
Till Earell he was att her back,
Her earent for to ken.
12
‘As lang as they caa ye Kett Carnegë,
An me Sir Gilbert Hay,
I us gar yer father sell Kinnerd,
Yer tougher for to pay.’
13
‘For to gar my father sell Kennerd,
It wad be a sin,
To gee’t to ony naughty knight
That a toucher canna wine.’
14
Out spak the first lord,
The best among them a’;
‘I never seed a lady come to Edinbrugh
We sick matters to the laue.’
15
Out spak the nixt lord,
The best of the toun;
‘Ye gett fiften weell-fared maids,
An pitt them in a roun,
An Earl in the midst of them,
An latt him chouss out ane.’
16
They ha gotten fiften well-fared maids,
An pat them in a roun,
An Earel in the mids of them,
An bad him chuse out ane.
17
He voued them a’ intell a rau,
Even up an doun,
An he has chossen a well-fared may,
An Meggie was her name.
18
He touk her by the hand,
Afore the nobles a’,
An tuenty times he kissed her moue,
An lead her throu the haa.
19
‘Louk up, Meggie, luke up, Meggie,
An thinkne sham[e];
As lang as ye see my goudy loks,
Lady Earel’s be yer name.’
20
Thir was fifteen nobelmen,
An as mony ladys gay,
To see Earel proven a man
.   .   .   .   .   .
21
‘Ye tak this well-fared may,
An keep her three roun reaths of a year,
An even att the three raiths’ end
I ull draue near.’
22
They ha tane that well-fared may,
An kepeed her three roun reaths of a year,
An even att the three raiths’ end
Earel’s son she bare.
23
The gentelmen they ga a shout,
The ladys gaa a caa,
Fair mat faa him Errel,
But vou to his lady!
24
He was na in at the toun-head,
Nor just att the end,
Till the letters they wer metting him
That Errol had a son.
25
‘Luke up, Megie, luk up, Meggie,
An think na shame;
As lang as ye see my bra blak hat,
Lady Earrol’s be yer name.
26
‘I will gie my Meggie a mill,
Bat an a pice of land,
.   .   .   .   .   .
To foster my young son.
27
‘Fare is a’ my merry men a’,
That I pay meat an gair,
For to convë my Meggie hame,
.   .   .   .   .   ?’
28
.   .   .   .   .   .   .
.   .   .   .   .   .   .
Even in Lord Earrel’s coach
They conved the lassie hame.
29
‘Tak hame yer dother, Lord Kennard,
An take her to the glen,
For Earell canno pleas her,
Earell nor a’ his men.’
30
‘Had I ben lady of Earrol,
Of sick a boony place,
I wadne gain to Edinbrugh
My husband to disgrace.’

Refrain. Given only at the end.

154, 162. roum.

202. gay ladys.

244. that that.

288. E is also in the small MS. volume of C. K. Sharpe’s, “Songs,” p. 17. The reading in 34 is “toss,” “top” being a mis-copy.

289. Findlay MSS, I, 135; ‘Airlie,’ from Miss Butchart, Arbroath.

1
Lord Airlie’s courted mony a lady,
He’s courted mony a ane, O
An he’s awa to bonny Kinnaird,
Lady Katrine’s love to win. O
2
An when he cam to bonny Kinnaird,
An on the bowlin-green,
There he saw his ain Katrine,
Was walking there alane.
3
‘O will ye go to bonnie Airlie,
Alang wi me to dine?
Or will ye go to bonny Airlie,
To be my lady fine?’
4
‘I winna go to bonny Airlie
Alang wi you to dine,
But I will go to bonny Airlie
To be your lady fine.’
*   *   *   *   *   *
5
He would not hae the lady gay,
That rustled in her silk,
But he would hae the country-girl,
Goin to sell her milk.
6
He took his Peggie by the hand
An led her through the ha,
An twenty times he kissëd her,
Before the nobles a’.
7
He took his Peggie by the hand
An led her through the trance,
An twenty times he kissëd her
Before he bade her dance.