Chapter VIII: Appendix (3)

11
'How far is it frae your mither's bouer,
Gude Lord John tell to me?'
'It's therty miles, Lady Margaret,
It's therty miles and three:
And yese be wed to ane o her serving men,
For yese get na mair o me.'

12
Then up bespak the wylie parrot,
As it sat on the tree,
'Ye lee, ye lee, Lord John,' it said,
'Sae loud as I hear ye lee.

13
'Ye say it's therty miles frae your mither's bouer,
Whan it's but barely three;
And she'll neer be wed to a serving man,
For she'll be your ain ladie.'

14
['O dinna ye see yon bonnie castle,
Lies on yon sunny lea?
And yese get ane o my mither's men,
For yese get na mair o me.']

15
['Well see I yon bonnie castle,
Lies on yon sunny lea,
But Ise neer hae nane o your mither's men,
Tho I never gat mair o thee.']

16
[Whan he cam to the porter's yett
He tirled at the pin,
And wha sae ready as the bauld porter
To open and lat him in.]

17
Monie a lord and fair ladie
Met Lord John in the closs,
But the bonniest face amang them a'
Was hauding Lord John's horse.

18
[Monie a lord and lady bricht
Met Lord John on the green,
But the bonniest boy amang them a'
Was standing by, him leen.]

19
Monie a lord and gay ladie
Sat dining in the ha,
But the bonniest face that was there
Was waiting on them a'.

20
O up bespak Lord John's sister,
A sweet young maid was she:
'My brither has brought a bonnie young page,
His like I neer did see;
But the red flits fast frae his cheek,
And the tear stands in his ee.'

21
But up bespak Lord John's mither,
She spak wi meikle scorn:
'He's liker a woman gret wi bairn,
Than onie waiting-man.'

22
'It's ye'll rise up, my bonnie boy,
And gie my steed the hay:'
'O that I will, my dear master,
As fast as I can gae.'

23
She took the hay aneath her arm,
The corn intil her hand,
But atween the stable-door and the staw,
Lady Margret made a stand.

24
[Whan bells were rung, and mass was sung,
And a' men boun for bed,
Lord John, mither, and sister gay
In ae bour they were laid.]

25
[Lord John had na weel gat aff his claise,
Nor was he weel laid doun,
Till his mither heard a bairn greet,
And a woman's heavy moan.]

26
['Win up, win up, Lord John,' she said,
'Seek neither hose nor shoon;
For I've heard a bairn loud greet,
And a woman's heavy moan.']

27
[Lord John raise, put on his claise,
Sought neither hose nor shoon,
Atween the ha and the stable-door
He made na a step but ane.]

28
'O open the door, Lady Margaret,
O open and let me in;
I want to see if my steed be fed,
Or my grey-hounds fit to rin.'

29
'I'll na open the door, Lord John,' she said,
'I'll na open it to thee,
Till ye grant to me my ae request,
And a puir ane it's to me.

30
'Ye'll gie to me a bed in an outhouse,
For my young son and me,
And the meanest servant in a' the place,
To wait on him and me.'

31
[He's tane the door wi his fit,
And he keppd it wi his knee,
He made the door o double deals
In splinders soon to flee.]

32
['An askin, an askin, grant me, Lord John,
An askin ye'll grant me;
The meanest maid about the place
To bring a glass o water to me.']

33
'I grant, I grant, Lady Margret,' he said,
'A' that, and mair frae me,
The very best bed in a' the place
To your young son and thee,
And my mither, and my sister dear,
To wait on him and thee.

34
'And a' thae lands, and a' thae rents,
They sall be his and thine;
Our wedding and our kirking day,
They sall be all in ane.'

35
And he has tane Lady Margaret,
And rowd her in the silk,
And he has tane his ain young son,
And washd him in the milk.

D

Kinloch MSS, VII, 325.

* * * * * * *

24
Lord John rose, put on his clothes,
Sought neither stockens nor shoon,
An between the ha and the stable
He made not a step but one.

25
'O open, open, to me, Burd Ellen,
O open an let me in:'
'O yes, O yes, will I, Lord John,
But not till I can win;
O yes, will I, Lord John,' she says,
'But I'm lyin wi your young son.'

26
He's taen the door wi his foot,
An he kepped it wi his knee;
He made the door of double deals
In splinders soon to flee.

27
'An askin ye'll grant me, Lord John,
An askin ye'll grant me;
May the meanest maid about the place
Bring a glass o water to me?'

28
'O hold your tongue, Burd Ellen,' he said,
'Lat a' your askins be;
For the best maid about the house
Shall bring a glass o wine to thee.

29
'An the best bed about it a',
For my young son an thee;
My mother and my ae sister
Sal bear you company.

30
'Your marriage an your kirkin day
They sal be both in ane,
An a' these ha's an bowers, Burd Ellen,
They sal be yours an mine.'

E

Harris MS., No 8, fol. 12 b: originally from Jannie
Scott, an old nurse in Perthshire, about 1790.

1
'I beg you bide at hame, Margaret,
An sew your silken seam;
If ye waur in the wide Hielands,
Ye wald be owre far frae hame.'

2
'I winna bide at hame,' she said,
'Nor sew my silken seam;
For if I waur in the wide Hielands,
I wald no be owre far frae hame.'

3
'My steed sall drink the blude-red wine,
An you the water wan;
I'll mak you sigh, an say, alace,
That ever I loed a man!'

4
'Though your steed does drink the blude-red wine,
An me the water wan,
Yet will I sing, an merry be,
That ever I loed a man.'

5
'My hounds shall eat the bread o wheat,
An you the bread o bran;
I'll mak you sigh, an say, alace,
That ever you loed Lord John!'

6
'Though your hounds do eat the bread o wheat,
An me the bread o bran,
Yet will I sing, an merrie be,
That ever I loed Lord John.'

7
He turned aboot his high horse head,
An awa he was boun to ride;
She kilted up her green clieden,
An after him she gaed.

8
Whan they cam to that water
Whilk a' man ca the Clyde,
He turned aboot his high horse head,
Said, Ladie, will you ride?

9
'I learnt it in my mother's bour,
I wish I had learnt it weel,
That I could swim this wan water
As weel as fish or eel.'

10
Whan at the middle o that water,
She sat doon on a stone;
He turned aboot his high horse head,
Says, Ladie, will ye loup on?

11
'I learnt in my mother's bour,
I wish I had learnt it better,
That I culd swim this wan water
As weel as eel or otter.'

12
He has taen the narrow ford,
An she has taen the wide;
Lang, lang ere he was at the middle,
She was sittin at the ither side.

13
. . . . . . .
. . . . . . .
Wi sighen said that Fair Margaret,
Alace, I'm far frae hame!

14
'Hoo mony miles is't to your castle?
Noo Lord John, tell to me;'
'Hoo mony miles is't to my castle?
It's thirty miles an three:'
Wi sighen said that Fair Margaret,
It'll never be gane by me!

15
But up it spak the wily bird,
As it sat on the tree,
'Rin on, rin on noo, Fair Margaret,
It scarcely miles is three.'

16
Whan they cam to the wide Hielands,
An lichted on the green,
Every an spak Erse to anither,
But Margaret she spak nane.

17
Whan they waur at table set,
An birlin at the best,
Margaret set at a bye-table,
An fain she wald hain rest.

18
'Oh mither, mither, mak my bed
Wi clean blankets an sheets,
An lay my futeboy at my feet,
The sounder I may sleep.'

19
She has made Lord John his bed,
Wi clean blankets an sheets,
An laid his futeboy at his feet,
But neer a wink culd he sleep.

20
'Win up, win up noo, Fair Margaret,
An see that my steed has meat;
See that his corn is in his travisse,
Nor lyin amang his feet.'

21
Slowly, slowly rase she up,
An slowly put she on,
An slowly gaed she doon the stair,
Aye makin a heavy moan.

* * * * * * *

22
'An asken, an asken, gude Lord John,
I pray you grant it me;
For the warst bed in a' your hoose,
To your young son an me.'

23
'Your asken is but sma, Margaret,
Sune grantet it shall be;
For the best bed in a' my hoose
Is owre little for thee.'

24
'An asken, an asken, gude Lord John,
I pray you grant it me;
For the warst ale in a' your hoose,
That ye wald gie to me.'

25
'Your asken is but sma, Margaret,
Sune grantet it sall be;
For the best wine in a' my hoose
Is owre little for thee.

26
'But cheer up your heart noo, Fair Margaret,
For, be it as it may,
Your kirken an your fair weddin
Sall baith be on one day.'

F

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

Buchan's MSS, II, 129.

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_ &.

18^3, 19^3, 22^1, 23^1. four and twenty, _MS. has 24._

26^6. [rich]. _Percy._

27^2. they way.

28^1. goe thy.

28^3. ffarest.

28^5, 29^5. armes 2.

31^1. this and itt droue now. _The emendation, made
without confidence, assumes, as does that to 32^3, ~and~
to be used as in '~Sir Cawline~.'_

32^3. did on.

#B. a.#

21^2. An a' man.

#b.#

1^1. I forbid you.

1^3. To leave your father's families.

1^4. And follow... frae the.

2^1. I am a gay ladie.

2^2. wear.

2^3. father's castle.

3^{1, 3} stands.

3^2. Says I am boon to ride.

3^4. Says I'll run by your side.

4^1. He has mounted on his berry brown steed.

4^3. She's clad her in a page's weed.

4^4. And ay as fast.

5^2. An folks.

5^3. He's lookd oer.

5^4. Says Ellen will you ride.

6^1. O I learnd it when I was a bairn.

7^1, 8^1, 9^1. that ladie.

7^2. It was aboon her knee.

7^3. Says Bird Ellen.

8^2. It was up till.

8^3. Ohon alas says Bird Ellen.

9^1. The thirden step.

9^2. touched her pap.

9^3. The bairn between her sides twa.

9^4. begood to.

10^2. You gie your mother pain.

10^4. And cares little for us twain.

11^1. O _wanting_. Clyde's.

11^2. There stands.

11^3. He has turnd about his berry brown steed.

11^4. And taen her up him behind.

12^4. Where this night you mean to be.

13^1. Do not ye see.

13^2. so far and hie.

13^3. 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.

15^2, 16^2. brown.

15^3. Then you will.

15^4. That ever you lovd a man.

16^1. O 'tis I shall.

16^{3, 4}.
But I neer shall live to cry alas,
That ever I lovd a man.

17^{1, 2}.
My horse shall eat the baken meat,
And you shall eat the corn.

17^3. You then will.

18^1. O I shall eat the baken meat.

18^3. And I still shall bless.

20^4. her lane.

21^2. a' were.

22==#a# 23. ^3. O I can neither eat nor drink.

23==#a# 22. ^3. O I can neither eat nor drink.

24^{3, 4}.
My son, where gat ye that foot-page
You have brought hame to me?

25^1. cheeks look.

25^2. pale and wan.

25^3. 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.

27^1. Win up, win up.

27^3. And so.

27^4. As fast as ever I may.

28^{2-4}.
And the corn in her right hand,
And she's hied her to the stable-door,
As fast as she could gang.

29^2. Stand nearer to.

29^3. between my sides.

30^{1, 2}.

She has leand to the manger side
And gien a grieveous groan.

30^4. brought home a son.

31==#a# 31, 32.

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.'

_35, wanting in_ #a#.

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.

36==#a# 35.

'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.'

_#a# 36 is wanting in #b#._

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#._

22^1. _In his later copy Kinloch has made the change_,
Win up, win up, my bonnie boy.

#E.#

20^4. Or lyin: _see_ #G# 14.

#G.#

22^6. Aye.

#H.#

5^4. _This line is included in () in the MS., and was
probably supplied by Motherwell._

#I.#

3^3, 4^3, 6^3. sichan: _MS._ "sich an, perhaps sichin."

#J.#

_4^3 seems to be a corruption of ~I forbid you leave your
families~, or something of the kind: cf. #B a# 1^{1, 3}._

10^1. _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._

21^3. five foot page.

[82] Caution is imperative where so much ground is covered, and no man should be confident that he can do absolute justice to poetry in a tongue that he was not born to; but foreign poetry is as likely to be rated too high as to be undervalued. I will give Grundtvig's impression, at least as competent a judge of popular ballads as ever spoke: "Den Rigdom paa stemningsfuld Lyrik, som i det hele taget hjemler den engelsk-skotske Folkevise den højeste poetiske Rang mellem alle sine Søskende, kommer ogsaa her til Syne, fordelt paa alle Opskrifter." Danmarks gamle Folkeviser, V, 187.

[83] Except in Swedish #A#, where, apparently by a mixture of two stories, the issue is tragic.

64

FAIR JANET

#A.# 'Fair Janet,' Sharpe's Ballad Book, p. 1.

#B.# 'Fair Janet and Sweet William,' Motherwell's MS., p.
357.

#C.# 'Willie and Annet,' Herd's Scots Songs, 1769, p. 303.

#D.# 'Lord William,' Motherwell's MS., p. 271.

#E.# 'Willie and Janet,' Kinloch MSS, V, 283, II, 41.

#F.# 'Sweet Willie and Fair Maisry,' Buchan's Ballads of
the North of Scotland, I, 97; Motherwell's MS., p. 606.

#G.# 'Sweet Willie,' Finlay's Scottish Ballads, II, 61.

#G#, as printed by Finlay, was made up from various fragments. Of his twenty-seven stanzas fourteen were taken from #C#, and these are now omitted. #A# 13, #D# 5, #G# 4, 5, #C# 19, are found also in some copies of 'Fair Annie of Lochroyan;' #C# 19 also in 'Sweet Willie and Fair Annie.' The very inappropriate question in #F# 4, "O will ye gang to the cards, Meggie," occurs in Jamieson's 'Clerk Saunders,' I, 84, st. 5. The inquiry in #G# 1, "Will you _burn_ for Sweet Willie?" may probably have been suggested by the ballad of 'Lady Maisry.' We have the oath by the thorn, #G# 13, in 'Glasgerion.' For the conclusion of #A#, #E#, see No 7, I, 96 ff.

Fair Janet, #A#, #B#, #E# [Annet, Maisry], loving Sweet Willie, and on the point of becoming a mother by him, is destined by her father to marry a French lord, #A#; a Southland lord, #B#, #E#, #G#. She implores Willie to fly with her over sea, #B#, #C#; to good green wood, #F#. They set sail, but her condition obliges her to return, #B#; her time comes before they can get away, #C#. She bears a child.[84] To avoid discovery, the babe is taken to Willie's mother, who very readily assumes charge of it. Scarcely has the child been born, when Janet's father comes with orders to busk the bride, #A#, #B#, #C# (?), #E#, #F#. She begs to be tenderly handled, as not being in good plight. They attire her gayly, and she selects Willie to lead her horse, or ride before her on her horse, to church, #A#, #B#, #E#. Her cheek is pale, her color goes and comes; it is suspected, and even suggested, that she has borne a bairn, or is near to doing so, #A# 22, #C# 14, #D# 10, #E# 11, #F# 25. She seeks to clear herself by an ambiguous oath, #E# 12, #G# 26, 27; Willie does this for her, #G# 11. After dinner, or supper, #A#, #B#, dancing is in order. Janet makes excuses to her brothers, her father, the bridegroom's man, and declines very decidedly the bridegroom's own invitation, with marked asperity in #A#, #B#. But with Willie she will dance though her heart should break in three. She takes three turns, and falls down dead. Willie gives the key of his coffer to his man, and bids him tell his mother that his horse has slain him. He would not survive Janet in any pure and full form of the story, and does not in #A#, #C#, #E#.

'Sweet William,' Motherwell's Minstrelsy, p. 307, borrows some stanzas at the beginning from 'Fair Janet.'

There are points of resemblance between 'Fair Janet' and a ballad very popular in Scandinavia and in Germany, which demand notice, though they may not warrant the assumption of community of origin.

The Scandinavian ballad is: #Danish#, 'Kong Valdemar og hans Søster,' Grundtvig, No 126, III, 63 ff, 911 f, #A-I#; #G# from a sixteenth-century manuscript, #A-F# from seventeenth-century manuscripts or print, the two last from recent tradition. #Icelandic#, 'Soffíu kvæði,' Íslenzk Fornkvæði, No 52, II, 152, #A-F#, all of which, according to Grundtvig, must be put, at latest, in the seventeenth century, though some are first met with in the eighteenth. #Färoë#, a single copy, almost Danish, from the beginning of this century, printed by Grundtvig, III, 67 f. #Norwegian#, three copies from recent tradition, Grundtvig, III, 69, 913 f. #Swedish#, all from this century, 'Liten Kerstin och Fru Sofia,' Arwidsson, No 53, I, 335-51, #A-E#; #F#, #G#, in Cavallius and Stephens' collection, Grundtvig, III, 70; #H#, 'Liten Kerstin och drottning Sofia,' Wigström, Folkdiktning, I, 79.[85]

The #German# ballad is: #A.# 'Graf Hans von Holstein und seine Schwester Annchristine,' Müllenhoff, p. 492, No 48. #B.# 'Der grobe Bruder,' Wunderhorn, II, 272, 1808, Birlinger und Crecelius, II, 24. #C.# 'Der grausame Bruder,' Parisius, p. 38, No 12, A. #D.# 'Das Lied vom Pfalzgrafen,' Düntzer und Herder, Briefe Goethe's an Herder, I, 154. #E.# 'Der grausame Bruder,' Erk, Liederhort, p. 153, No 45. #F.# 'Christinchen,' Pröhle, p. 4, No 2. #G.# Wunderhorn, Birlinger und Crecelius, II, 247, No 4. #H.# Parisius, No 12, C. #I.# Reifferscheid, p. 107. #J.# 'Der böse Bruder,' Zuccalmaglio, p. 185, No 89. #K.# 'Der Pfalzgraf vom Rhein,' Wunderhorn, I, 259, 1806, Birlinger und Crecelius, II, 24. #L.# 'Der grausame Bruder,' Hoffmann und Richter, Schlesische Volkslieder, p. 49, No 27. #M.# Parisius, No 12, B. A version in broadside style, Erlach, II, 585, Doenniges, p. 217; compounded copies, Simrock, No 16, Scherer, Jungbrunnen, No 35, A.

According to the Scandinavian story, a king is informed by his queen, her inexorable enemy, that Kirstin, his sister, has just borne a child. The king sends for Kirstin, who is at some distance, to come to him immediately. She is obliged to make the journey on horseback. Upon her arrival the king puts her to a variety of tests, among these a long dance. Kirstin comes off so well that her brother says the queen has belied her. The queen then bares Kirstin's breast and makes milk flow from it. The king hereupon sends for heavy whips, and flogs his sister to the point of death. In the Icelandic and Färöe versions Kirstin dies of the dance, in her brother's arms. In the Swedish versions and in Danish #I# the king is Kirstin's father, not her brother. The Norwegian versions and Swedish #F#, #H# have a false conclusion: Kirstin survives, and is united to her lover. In Danish #A# the king had, before he learned the state of things, promised his sister to the son of the King of England, and in Danish #F#, #H#, #I#, Swedish #F#, and the Färöe ballad, Kirstin's lover is an English prince, who, in Danish #H#, comes to claim his mistress, and, finding her dead, kills the king. In Swedish #A# Kirstin dances with four, dances with five, dances with all the men of the court, and in Swedish #C#, #H# she tires out successively all the courtiers, the king, and the queen.

#A#, far the best preserved of the German versions, makes a hunter ask a count for his sister Annchristine. Being refused, as an unequal match, he tells the count that his sister, for all her nobility, has borne a child. The count maintains Annchristine to be a maid. The hunter says, Send for her, and see. The young lady is required to come on horseback. When her brother sees her approaching, with her long hair flowing, his confidence is strengthened. The hunter says, Make her dance. She dances seven hours, and her brother finds reason to continue of the same mind as before. The hunter says, Let us tighten her lacing, and, when that is done, milk springs from her breasts. Her brother gives her the choice between whipping and the sword. She chooses the former. He beats her till liver and lungs spring from her body. She then calls on him to stop; Prince Frederick of England is his brother-in-law. The count is much troubled, and promises everything if she will live. But Annchristine dies, and presently Prince Frederick appears. He has heard of what the count has done, cuts him to bits, and gives him to the crows.

In the other German versions the informant is generally of low rank, and sometimes professes to be father of the child. In #B#, #C#, #G#, #H#, #K# he is a kitchey-boy, a personage who plays no insignificant part in romantic story. The coming on horseback is wanting. The long dance is found in #B-F#. The father of the child is always the English King, who runs the brother through with his sword, #B#, #D#, #E#, #G#, #K#, #L#, or otherwise gives him his due.

The slight resemblance and the great difference of the Scottish story are apparent. Fair Janet has to go a certain distance on horseback, at a time when she is peculiarly ill fitted to do so, like the hapless Kirstin of the Scandinavian ballads and the German #A#, and she dies from dancing in her weak condition, as the lady does in the Icelandic and Färöe ballad. But both the ride and the dance are incidental to her forced marriage, and neither the ride nor the dance is employed as a test, as the dance always is in the other ballad, and as the ride is expressly devised to be in German #A# 6. The Scottish Janet is not constrained to dance, nor does she dance down all the men in the room. She declines every invitation except Willie's, and this, in some cases, she (very naturally and touchingly) encourages or incites; and her vital powers give way after three turns. All the unspeakably ferocious features of the Norse and German ballads are wanting, and the bound which divides the pathetic from the horrible is never passed.

A Breton ballad, 'Ar C'homt Gwillou,' 'Prinses ar Gwillou,' 'Le Comte Guillou,' 'La Princesse Le Guillou,' Luzel, II, 6-15, in three versions, has the probation by dancing. A count or prince, returning to his mistress after a considerable absence, happens to hear a shepherdess singing a song, of which he himself is unfortunately the subject. The lady has had a child. Fearing to encounter her injured lover, she tries to pass off a younger sister for herself, but, as may be imagined, this desperate artifice does not succeed. She is told what is said of her, and hopes she may melt like butter if ever she had daughter or son. The count calls out, Play up, musicians, that we may see how this damsel will step out. The young woman pleads that she is suffering from fever, and cannot dance just now, but the count strikes her on the breast so that milk spurts on her gown, #A#. He kills her.[86]

There is also a Magyar ballad, in which a jealous or offended lover makes his mistress dance till her boots are full of blood, as Kjersti's are in Norwegian #A#, #B#: 'Darvas Kis Clement,' Aigner, p. 110.

One or two correspondences with the Scandinavian-German ballad will require to be noted under 'Lady Maisry,' which immediately follows.

* * * * *

#A# is translated by Knortz, Schottische Balladen, No 7; #F# by Gerhard, p. 97; a combination of #A#, #C# and others by Grundtvig, No 39.

A

Sharpe's Ballad Book, p. 1, as sung by an old woman in
Perthshire.

1
'Ye maun gang to your father, Janet,
Ye maun gang to him soon;
Ye maun gang to your father, Janet,
In case that his days are dune.'

2
Janet's awa to her father,
As fast as she could hie:
'O what's your will wi me, father?
O what's your will wi me?'

3
'My will wi you, Fair Janet,' he said,
'It is both bed and board;
Some say that ye loe Sweet Willie,
But ye maun wed a French lord.'

4
'A French lord maun I wed, father?
A French lord maun I wed?
Then, by my sooth,' quo Fair Janet,
'He's neer enter my bed.'

5
Janet's awa to her chamber,
As fast as she could go;
Wha's the first ane that tapped there,
But Sweet Willie her jo?

6
'O we maun part this love, Willie,
That has been lang between;
There's a French lord coming oer the sea,
To wed me wi a ring;
There's a French lord coming oer the sea,
To wed and tak me hame.'

7
'If we maun part this love, Janet,
It causeth mickle woe;
If we maun part this love, Janet,
It makes me into mourning go.'

8
'But ye maun gang to your three sisters.
Meg, Marion, and Jean;
Tell them to come to Fair Janet,
In case that her days are dune.'

9
Willie's awa to his three sisters,
Meg, Marion, and Jean:
'O haste, and gang to Fair Janet,
I fear that her days are dune.'

10
Some drew to them their silken hose,
Some drew to them their shoon,
Some drew to them their silk manteils,
Their coverings to put on,
And they're awa to Fair Janet,
By the hie light o the moon.

* * * * * * *

11
'O I have born this babe, Willie,
Wi mickle toil and pain;
Take hame, take hame, your babe, Willie,
For nurse I dare be nane.'

12
He's tane his young son in his arms,
And kisst him cheek and chin,
And he's awa to his mother's bower,
By the hie light o the moon.

13
'O open, open, mother,' he says,
'O open, and let me in;
The rain rains on my yellow hair,
And the dew drops oer my chin,
And I hae my young son in my arms,
I fear that his days are dune.'

14
With her fingers lang and sma
She lifted up the pin,
And with her arms lang and sma
Received the baby in.

15
'Gae back, gae back now, Sweet Willie,
And comfort your fair lady;
For where ye had but ae nourice,
Your young son shall hae three.'

16
Willie he was scarce awa,
And the lady put to bed,
Whan in and came her father dear:
'Make haste, and busk the bride.'

17
'There's a sair pain in my head, father,
There's a sair pain in my side;
And ill, O ill, am I, father,
This day for to be a bride.'

18
'O ye maun busk this bonny bride,
And put a gay mantle on;
For she shall wed this auld French lord,
Gin she should die the morn.'

19
Some put on the gay green robes,
And some put on the brown;
But Janet put on the scarlet robes,
To shine foremost throw the town.

20
And some they mounted the black steed,
And some mounted the brown;
But Janet mounted the milk-white steed,
To ride foremost throw the town.

21
'O wha will guide your horse, Janet?
O wha will guide him best?'
'O wha but Willie, my true-love?
He kens I loe him best.'

22
And when they cam to Marie's kirk,
To tye the haly ban,
Fair Janet's cheek looked pale and wan,
And her colour gaed an cam.

23
When dinner it was past and done,
And dancing to begin,
'O we'll go take the bride's maidens.
And we'll go fill the ring.'

24
O ben than cam the auld French lord.
Saying, Bride, will ye dance with me?
'Awa, awa, ye auld French lord,
Your face I downa see.'

25
O ben than cam now Sweet Willie,
He cam with ane advance:
'O I'll go tak the bride's maidens,
And we'll go tak a dance.'

26
'I've seen ither days wi you, Willie,
And so has mony mae,
Ye would hae danced wi me mysel,
Let a' my maidens gae.'

27
O ben than cam now Sweet Willie,
Saying, Bride, will ye dance wi me?
'Aye, by my sooth, and that I will,
Gin my back should break in three.'

28
She had nae turned her throw the dance,
Throw the dance but thrice,
Whan she fell doun at Willie's feet,
And up did never rise.

29
Willie's taen the key of his coffer,
And gien it to his man:
'Gae hame, and tell my mother dear
My horse he has me slain;
Bid her be kind to my young son,
For father he has nane.'

30
The tane was buried in Marie's kirk,
And the tither in Marie's quire;
Out of the tane there grew a birk,
And the tither a bonny brier.

B

Motherwell's MS., p. 357, from the recitation of Agnes
Lyle, Kilbarchan.

1
'If you do love me weel, Willie,
Ye'll shew to me truelie;
Ye'll build to me a bonnie ship,
And set her on the sea.'

2
He did love her very weel,
He shewed to her trulie;
He builded her a bonnie ship,
And set her on the sea.

3
They had not sailed one league, one league,
One league but only three,
Till sharp, sharp showers fair Janet took,
She grew sick and like to die.

4
'If you do love me weel, Willie,
Ye'll shew to me trulye;
Ye'll tak me to my mother's bower,
Whare I was wont to be.'

5
He did love her very weel,
He shewed to her trulye;
He took her to her mother's bower,
Whare she was wont to be.

6
'It's ye'll stand up at my richt side,
You will on tiptaes stand,
Until you hear your auld son weep,
But an your Janet mourn.

7
'Come take your auld son in your arms,
He is both large and lang;
Come take your auld son in your arms,
And for a nourice gang.'

8
He is to his mother's bowers,
An hour or it struck nine:
'I have a babe into my arms,
He'll die for nouricing.'

9
'Goe home, go home, my son,' she says,
'And mak thy Jenny blythe;
If ae nurse winna sere her son,
It's I'll provide him five.'

10
Fair Janet was nae weel lichter,
Nor weel doun on her side,
Till ben and cam her father dear,
Saying, Wha will busk our bride?

11
Ben and cam her brethren dear,
Saying, Wha will busk our bride?
And wha will saddle our bride's horse?
Whom ahint will she ride?

12
'Hold your tongue, my brethren dear,
And let your folly be,
For I'm sae fair and full of hair
Sma busking will serve me.

13
'Hold your tongue, my brethren dear,
And let your folly be,
For I will ride behint William,
He will best wait on me.

14
'Willie, lay the saddle saft,
And lead the bridle soun,
And when we come to Mary's Kirk,
Ye'll set me hooly down.'

15
Supper scarslie was owre,
Nor musick weel fa'n to,
Till ben and cam the bride's brethren,
Saying, Bride, ye'll dance wi me:
'Awa, awa, my brethren dear,
For dancing's no for me.'

16
Ben and came her ain bridegroom,
Saying, Bride, ye'll dance wi me;
She says, Awa, awa, ye southland dog,
Your face I downa see.

17
Ben and cam then Sweet Willie,
Saying, Bride, ye'll dance wi me:
'Oh I will dance the floor once owre,
Tho my heart should break in three.'

18
'Oh no, oh no,' said Sweet William,
'Let no such things eer be;
But I will cut my glove in two,
And I'll dance for thee and me.'

19
She hadna danced the floor once owre,
I'm sure she hadna thrice,
Till she fell in a deadly swound,
And from it neer did rise.

20
Out and spak her ain bridegroom,
And an angry man was he:
'This day she has gien me the geeks,
Yet she must bear the scorn;
There's not a bell in merry Linkum
Shall ring for her the morn.'

21
Out and spoke then Sweet William,
And a sorry man was he:
'Altho she has gien you the gecks,
She will not bear the scorn;
There's not a bell in merry Linkum
But shall ring for her the morn.'

22
There was not a bell in merry Linkum
But they tinkled and they rang,
And a' the birds that flew above,
They changed their notes and sang.

C

Herd's Scots Songs, 1769, p. 303: I, 162, ed. 1776.