Chapter XVIII: Appendix: The Lovely Northerne Lasse (2)

2
At length the laird of Lammington
Came frae the West Country,
All to court that pretty girl,
And her bridegroom for to be.

3
He told her father, so did he her mother,
And all the rest of her kin,
And he has told the lass hersel,
And her kind favour has won.

4
At length the laird of Laughenwaur
Came frae the English border,
And all to court that pretty girl,
Well mounted in good order.

5
He told her father, so did he her mother,
As I heard people say,
But he ner told the lass hersel,
Till on her wedding-day.

6
But when the wedding-day was fixed,
And married for to be,
Then Lamington came to the town,
The bridegroom for to see.

7
‘O are ye come for sport, sir?’ he said,
‘Or are ye come for play?
Or are ye for a sight o my bonny bride,
Upon her wedding-day?’

8
‘A ‘m neither come for sport, sir,’ he said,
‘Nor am I come for play,
But if I had one word o the bride
I’d mount and go away.’

9
There was a cup of the good red wine
Was filled out them between,
And aye she drank to Lammington,
Who her true-love had been.

10
He’s taen her by the milk-white hand,
And by the grass-green sleeve;
He’s mounted her behind him then,
At the bridegroom speered no leave.

11
The blood ran down by Cowden banks,
And down by Cowden brae,
And aye they gaured the piper play
‘It was a foul, foul play.’

12
Ye gentlemen of Lochenwaur,
That’s laigh in England born,
Come ner to Scotland to court a wife,
Or be sure ye’l get the scorn.

13
The’ll keep ye up, and tamper ye at,
Until yer wedding-day,
And they’l gie ye frogs instead o fish,
And they’ll play ye a foul play.

* * * * *

I

Motherwell’s MS., p. 327, “from the recitation of Robert Sim,
weaver, in Paisley, 16 July, 1825. It was a song of his father’s, a
great reciter of heroick ballads.”

1
In Bordershellin there did dwell
A comely, handsome may,
And Lochinvar he courted her,
And stole her heart away.

2
She loved him but owre weel,
And his love drew away;
Another man then courted her,
And set the wedding-day,

3
They set the wedding-day so plain,
As plain as it might be;
She sent a letter to her former love,
The wedding to come see.

4
When Lochinvar the letter read,
He sent owre a’ his land
For four and twenty beltit knichts,
To come at his command.

5
They all came to his hand, I say,
Upon that wedding-day;
He set them upon milk-white steeds,
And put them in array.

6
He set them in array, I say,
Most pleasant to be seen,
And he’s awa to the wedding-house,
A single man his lane.

7
And when he was to the wedding-house come,
They were all sitten down;
Baith gentlemen and knichts was there,
And lords of high renown.

8
They saluted him, baith auld and young,
Speired how he had spent the day,
And what young Lankashires was yon
They saw all in array.

9
But he answerd them richt scornfullie,
Upon their wedding-day;
He says, It’s been some Fairy Court
Ye’ve seen all in array.

10
Then rose up the young bridegroom,
And an angry man was he:
‘Lo, art thou come to fight, young man?
Indeed I’ll fight wi thee.’

11
‘O I am not come to fight,’ he sayd,
‘But good fellowship to hae,
And for to drink the wine sae red,
And then I’ll go away.’

12
Then they filld him up a brimming glass,
And drank it between them twa:
‘Now one word of your bonnie bride,
And then I’ll go my wa.’

13
But some were friends, and some were faes,
Yet nane o them was free
To let the bride on her wedding-day
Gang out o their companie.

14
But he took her by the milk-white hand,
And by the grass-green sleeve,
And set her on a milk-white steed,
And at nane o them speerd he leave.

15
Then the blood ran down the Caylin bank,
And owre the Caylin brae;
The auld folks knew something o the sport,
Which gart them cry, Foul play!

16
Ye lusty lads of Limberdale,
Tho ye be English born,
Come nae mair to Scotland to court a maid,
For fear ye get the scorn.

17
For fear that ye do get the scorn
Upon your wedding-day;
Least ye catch frogs instead of fish,
And then ye’ll ca’t foul play.

* * * * *

J

Motherwell’s MS., p. 75, from the recitation of Mrs Thomson, an old
woman of Kilbarchan.

1
There was a lass, as I heard say,
Lived low down in a glen;
Her name was Catharine Johnson,
Weel known to many men.

2
Doun cam the laird o Lamingtoun,
Doun frae the South Countrie,
And he is for this bonnie lass,
Her bridegroom for to be.

3
He’s askd her father and mother,
The chief of a’ her kin,
And then he askd the bonnie lass,
And did her favour win.

4
Doun cam an English gentleman,
Doun frae the English border;
He is for this bonnie lass,
To keep his house in order.

5
He askd her father and mother,
As I do hear them say,
But he never askd the lass hersell,
Till on her wedding-day.

6
But she has wrote a lang letter,
And sealed it wi her hand,
And sent it to Lord Lamington,
To let him understand.

7
The first line o the letter he read,
He was baith glad and fain;
But or he read the letter owre
He was baith pale and wan.

8
Then he has sent a messenger,
And out through all his land,
And four-and-twenty armed men
Was all at his command.

9
But he has left his merry men,
Left them on the lea;
And he’s awa to the wedding-house,
To see what he could see.

10
But when he came to the wedding-house,
As I do understand,
There were four-and-twenty belted knights
Sat at a table round.

11
They rose all for to honour him,
For he was of high renown;
They rose all for to welcome him,
And bade him to sit doun.

12
O meikle was the good red wine
In silver cups did flow,
But aye she drank to Lamingtoun,
For with him would she go.

13
O meikle was the good red wine
In silver cups gaed round;
At length they began to whisper words,
None could them understand.

14
‘O came ye here for sport, young man?
Or cam ye here for play?
Or cam ye for our bonnie bride,
On this her wedding-day?’

15
‘I came not here for sport,’ he said,
‘Neither did I for play;
But for one word o your bonnie bride
I’ll mount and ride away.’

16
They set her maids behind her,
To hear what they would say,
But the first question he askd at her
Was always [answered] nay;
The next question he askd at her
Was, ‘Mount and come away.’

17
It’s up the Couden bank,
And doun the Couden brae;
And aye she made the trumpet sound,
‘It’s a weel won play.’

18
O meikle was the blood was shed
Upon the Couden brae;
And aye she made the trumpet sound,
‘It’s a’ fair play.’

19
Come, all ye English gentlemen,
That is of England born,
Come nae doun to Scotland,
For fear ye get the scorn.

20
They’ll feed ye up wi flattering words,
And that’s foul play;
And they’ll dress ye frogs instead o fish,
Just on your wedding-day.

* * * * *

K

Buchan’s Gleanings of Scotch, English and Irish Scarce Old Ballads,
1825, pp. 74, 193; “taken down from oral tradition.”

1
There lives a lass in yonder dale,
In yon bonny borrows-town,
Her name it is Catherine Jeffrey,
She is loved by mony a ane.

2
Lord Lochinvar has courted her
These twelve months and a day;
With flattering words and fair speeches
He has stown her heart away.

3
There came a knight from south sea-bank,
From north England I mean,
He alighted at her father’s yetts,
His stile is Lord Lymington.

4
He has courted her father and moth
Her kinsfolk ane and aye,
But he never told the lady hersell
Till he set the wedding-day.

5
‘Prepare, prepare, my daughter dear,
Prepare, to you I say;
For the night it is good Wednesday night,
And the morn is your wedding-day.’

6
‘O tell to me, father,’ she said,
‘O tell me who it is wi;
For I’ll never wed a man on earth
Till I know what he be.’

7
‘He’s come a knight from the south sea-bank.
From north England I mean,
For when he lighted at my yetts,
His stile is Lord Lymington.’

8
‘O where will I get a bonny boy
Will win baith meet and fee,
And will run on to Lochinvar
And come again to me?’

9
‘O here am I, a bonny boy
That will win baith hose and sheen,
And will run on to Lochinvar,
And come right seen again.’

10
‘Where ye find the brigs broken,
Bend your bow and swim;
Where ye find the grass growing,
Slack your bow and run.

11
‘When ye come on to Lochinvar,
Byde not to chap nor ca,
But set your bent bow to your breast
And lightly loup the wa.

12
‘Bid him mind the words he last spake,
When we sendered on the lee;
Bid him saddle and ride full fast,
If he be set for me.’

13
Where he found the brigs broken,
He bent his bow and swam;
Where he found the grass growing,
He slackt his bow and ran.

14
When he came on to Lochinvar,
He did not chap nor ca;
He set his bent bow till his breast
And lightly leapt the wa.

15
‘What news? what news, my bonny boy?
What news have ye to me?’
‘Bad news, bad news, my lord,’ he said,
‘Your lady awa will be.

16
‘You’r bidden mind the words ye last spake,
When we sendered on the lee;
You’r bidden saddle and ride full fast,
Gin ye set for her be.’

17
When he came to her father’s yetts,
There he alighted down;
The cups of gold of good red wine
Were going roun and roun.

18
‘Now came ye here for sport?’ they said,
‘Or came ye here for play?
Or for a sight of our bonny bride,
And then to boun your way? ’

19
‘I came not here for sport,’ he says,
‘Nor came I here for play,
But if I had a sight of your bonny bride
Then I will boun my way.’

20
When Lymington he called on her,
She would not come at a’,
But Lochinvar he called on her,
And she was not sweer to draw.

21
He has taen her by the milk-white hand,
And by her silken sleeve,
He has mounted her high him behind,
He spiered nae mair their leave.
22
And aye she scoffed and scorned them,
And aye she rode away,
And aye she gart the trumpet sound
The voice of foul play,
To take the bride frae her bridegroom
Upon her wedding-day.

23
As they came in by Foudlin dyke,
And in by Foudlin stane,
There were mony gallant Englishmen
Lay gasping on the green.

24
Now a’ you that are English lords,
And are in England born,
Come never here to court your brides,
For fear ye get the scorn.

25
For aye they’ll scoff and scorn you,
And aye they’ll ride away;
They’ll gie you frogs instead of fish,
And call it foul play.

* * * * *

L

Macmath MS., p. 72, communicated January 13, 1883, by Dr Robert
Trotter, as remembered from the recitation of his father, Dr Robert
Trotter, of Dalry, Kirkcudbrightshire.

1
They askëd him and speirëd him,
And unto him did say,
‘O saw ye ocht o an armed band,
As ye cam on your way?’

2
He jested them and jeerëd them,
And thus to them did say,
‘O I saw nocht but a fairy troop,
As I rode on my way.’

* * * * *

#A.#

#a.#

_The second copy has some different spellings, and drops the
second_ the _in_ 11^1. 3, 5 _are_ 5, 3 _in both. Sense requires
the change: cf. also_ #F# 5, #H# 5, #I# 4.

#b.#

1^4. to many. 3==_the MS._ 3. 4^4. All mounted.

#B.#

_The first copy is written in long lines (two to a stanza);
neither is divided into stanzas. There are differences of
spelling._ 3^1, 5^3, fere _seems to be meant for_ fair: _cf._
#C# 5^3. 4^4. At her, _both: cf._ #E# 7, #G# 4, #H# 8. 5^2.
_Both copies have_ doom. 5^2, 15^4. _First_, behold, garned, _in
my copy, probably by error. Second_, beheld, gard.

_The second copy has these variations._ 2^3. got the. 3^1, 5^3.
fere _wanting_. 15^1. thing _wanting_. 16^1. that are.

_The first edition of the ballad in Scott’s Minstrelsy is made up
as follows (it being remembered that the editor did not profess
or practice a servile fidelity in the treatment of his
materials)_: #B# 1–6; #B# 10, #A# 7; #A# 8, #B# 11; #A# 9; #B#
12; #B# 13 (_but mostly Scott’s_); #A# 11, #B# 14; #B# 15; #B#
16; #A# 13.

_12 of these 15 stanzas are repeated in the later edition; the new
stanzas in that copy are 1–5, 14–16, 20. These are
substantially_ #C# 1–5, 12–14, 16.

_Some variations will be noticed under_ #C#.

#C.#

O, _the tag to the second and fourth lines, is not written in_ 2,
4, 16^2, 17^4.

1^2. into _written over_ up.

2^4. Weel _in the margin against_ A’.

3^2. rest _struck out before_ lave.

4^1. Up _struck out before_ Out. Faughan Wood, _here and_ 7^1;
_in_ 12^1, Faughan Wood.

7^1. Up the then.

9^1. gude _struck out before_ red, _and_ red _written over_.

15^1. _Originally_ down by; down _struck out_.

15^2. _Originally_ in by; in _struck out. These last two changes,
and others, seem to be editorial._

_1–5, 12–14, 16, with variations, are 1–5, 14–16, 20 of the later
edition of the ballad in Scott’s Minstrelsy. Slight alterations,
such as Scott was accustomed to make, do not require notice._

Scott, 3^{1,2}. He told na _in the Minstrelsy: almost certainly an
arbitrary change, and not a good one, since it makes the
hardship to Lauderdale the less._

4^1. Lochinvar (_also in_ 14^1) _for_ Lord Faughanwood;
_introduced from_ #D#.

15^2. clad in the Johnstone grey: _for which no authority is
known_.

16^3. Leader lads _for_ ladies gay: _probably a conjectural
emendation_.

20^4. For fear of sic disorder: _presumably a change for rhyme_,
disorder _suggested by_ 2^4.

#D.#

9^1. 24.

12^1. It’s _is of later insertion, perhaps editorial._

14^1. I came not here: _obscured in the process of binding_.

20. _This must be a mixture of two stanzas. The third line has no
sense, and is not much improved by reading_ temper good, _as in
#C# 17^1._

#E.#

_Written mostly in long lines, without separation of stanzas,
sometimes without a proper separation of verses. The division
here made is partly conjectural._

2^1. She courted him.

3^4. entreid _or_ entried: _indistinct_.

6, 7^{1,2}.
His father an his mother came they came a
but he came no
It was a foul play Lochinvar
As his comrades sat drinkine at the wine

7^3. ... on.

13^2. Lodged _for_ Loved.

16^3. Gae man glass me your.

17^{2,3}.
between them tva man
Man I see, _etc._

#F.#

23^1. _We have had a similar verse in the north-Scottish version
of_ ‘Hugh Spencer,’ No 158, #C# 11: O bridles brak and great
horse lap.

#H.#

11^4. It was awful foul foul play. Awful _was probably a
misunderstanding of_ a foul.

#I.#

8^3. Lank-a-Shires.

14^3. He _is written over_ And.

15^1. bank, _the original reading, is changed to_ heuch.

#J.#

12^1. Oh.

15^4. go _is written over_ ride. _Motherwell made two slight
changes in his printed copy._

#K.#

1^4. my mony.

2^1. Loch-in-var; _and always_.

3^1. South sea bank.

7^1. the South sea bank.

10^3. For _for_ Where: _probably a misprint, perhaps a
preservation of the northern_ f _for_ wh.

13^3. the brigs broken, _wrongly repeated_.

16^2. When we, _preserved from_ 12^2.

23^3. Englishman.

#L.#

“The story of the ballad was that Lochinvar went to Netherby with
a band of men dressed in green, whom he concealed near the
tower, and with whose assistance he forcibly abducted the young
lady.”

222

BONNY BABY LIVINGSTON

#A.# ‘Bonny Baby Livingston.’ #a.# Jamieson-Brown MS. #b.# Jamieson’s
Popular Ballads, II, 135.

#B.# ‘Barbara Livingston,’ Buchan’s MSS, I, 77.

#C.# Motherwell’s MS., p. 375; ‘Barbara Livingston,’ Motherwell’s
Minstrelsy, p. 304.

#D.# ‘Annie Livingston,’ Campbell MSS, II, 254.

#E.# ‘Baby Livingstone,’ Kinloch MSS, V, 355.

Mrs Brown was not satisfied with #A b#, which Jamieson had taken down from her mouth, and after a short time she sent him #A a#. The verbal differences are considerable. We need not suppose that Mrs Brown had heard two “sets” or “ways,” of which she blended the readings; the fact seems to be that, at the time when she recited to Jamieson, she was not in good condition to remember accurately.

#A a.# Glenlion carries off Barbara Livingston from Dundee and takes her to the Highlands. She is in a stupor of grief. Glenlion folds her in his arms, and says that he would give all his flocks and herds for a kind look. She tells him that he shall never get look or smile unless he takes her back to Dundee; and he her that she shall never see Dundee till he has married her. His brother John tries to dissuade him; he himself would scorn a hand without a heart; but Glenlion has long loved her, and is resolved to keep her, nevertheless. Glenlion’s three sisters receive Baby kindly, and the youngest begs her to disclose the cause of her grief. Baby tells the sympathetic Jean that she has been stolen from her friends and from her lover, and obtains not only the means of writing a letter to Johny Hay, the lover, but a swift-footed boy to carry it to Dundee. Johny Hay, with a band of armed men, makes all speed to Glenlion’s castle. He calls to Baby to jump, and he will catch her; she, more prudently, slips down on her sheets; her lover takes her on his horse and rides away. Glenlion hears the ring of a bridle and thinks it is the priest come to marry him. His brother corrects the mistake; there are armed men at the castle-gate, and it turns out that there are enough of them to deter Glenlion’s Highlanders from an attack. So Johny Hay conveys Baby Livingstone safely back to Dundee.

The other versions give the story a tragical catastrophe. In #B#, Barbara is forced into Glenlion’s bed. Afterwards she exclaims that if she had paper and pen she would write to her lover in Dundee. No difficulty seems to be made; she writes her letter, and sends it by the ever-ready boy. Geordie, lying in a window, sees the boy, asks for news, and is told that his love is stolen by Glenlion. He orders his horse, in fact three horses, and also a mourning hat and cloak; but though he tires out all three horses, his love is dead before he reaches Glenlion. This copy is pieced out with all sorts of commonplaces from other ballads: see 9 (which is nonsense), 10, 13, 14, 19, 21, 23, 25, 27, 29, 30.

#C# is a briefer, that is, an unfarced, form of #B#. Glenlion is corrupted to Linlyon.

#D# has its commonplaces again. For Barbara we have Annie, and Glendinning for Glenlion, and a brother Jemmy instead of a lover. In #E# the ravisher is Lochell.

Dr Joseph Robertson in his Adversaria, MS., p. 87, gives these two lines of ‘Baby Livingston:’

O bony Baby Livingston
Was playin at the ba.[122]

The kidnapping of women for a compulsory marriage was a practice which prevailed for hundreds of years, and down to a late date, and, of course, not only in Great Britain. The unprotected female, especially if she had any property, must have been in a state of miserable insecurity, and even a convent was far from furnishing her an asylum. See for England, in the first half of the fifteenth century, Beamont’s Annals of the Lords of Warrington, pp. 256–61 and 265 f.; for Scotland, in the same century and the two following, Sharpe’s Ballad Book, p. 99 ff., R. Chambers’s Domestic Annals of Scotland, 1858, I, 223–5, 415 f.; for Ireland, Froude, The English in Ireland in the Eighteenth Century, 1872, I, 417 ff. Other Scottish ballads celebrating similar abductions are ‘Eppie Morrie,’ ‘The Lady of Arngosk,’ and ‘Rob Roy,’ which immediately follow.[123]

#A b# is translated by Grundtvig, Engelske og skotske Folkeviser, p. 126, No 18.

* * * * *

A

#a.# Jamieson-Brown MS., Appendix, p. xii, sent by Mrs Brown to
Jamieson, in a letter dated September 15, 1800. #b.# Jamieson’s
Popular Ballads, II, 135, as taken from Mrs Brown’s recitation a
short time before a was written down.

1
O bonny Baby Livingston
Went forth to view the hay,
And by it came him Glenlion,
Sta bonny Baby away.

2
O first he’s taen her silken coat,
And neest her satten gown,
Syne rowd her in a tartan plaid,
And hapd her round and rown.

3
He has set her upon his steed
And roundly rode away,
And neer loot her look back again
The live-long summer’s day.

4
He’s carried her oer hills and muirs
Till they came to a Highland glen,
And there he’s met his brother John,
With twenty armed men.

5
O there were cows, and there were ewes,
And lasses milking there,
But Baby neer anse lookd about,
Her heart was filld wi care.

6
Glenlion took her in his arms,
And kissd her, cheek and chin;
Says, I’d gie a’ these cows and ewes
But ae kind look to win.

7
‘O ae kind look ye neer shall get,
Nor win a smile frae me,
Unless to me you’ll favour shew,
And take me to Dundee.’

8
‘Dundee, Baby? Dundee, Baby?
Dundee you neer shall see
Till I’ve carried you to Glenlion
And have my bride made thee.

9
‘We’ll stay a while at Auchingour,
And get sweet milk and cheese,
And syne we’ll gang to Glenlion,
And there live at our ease.’

10
‘I winna stay at Auchingour,
Nor eat sweet milk and cheese,
Nor go with thee to Glenlion,
For there I’ll neer find ease.’

11
Than out it spake his brother John,
‘O were I in your place,
I’d take that lady hame again,
For a’ her bonny face.

12
‘Commend me to the lass that’s kind,
Tho na so gently born;
And, gin her heart I coudna gain,
To take her hand I’d scorn.’

13
‘O had your tongue now, John,’ he says,
‘You wis na what you say;
For I’ve lood that bonny face
This twelve month and a day.

14
‘And tho I’ve lood her lang and sair
A smile I neer coud win;
Yet what I’ve got anse in my power
To keep I think nae sin.’

15
When they came to Glenlion castle,
They lighted at the yate,
And out it came his sisters three,
Wha did them kindly greet.

16
O they’ve taen Baby by the hands
And led her oer the green,
And ilka lady spake a word,
But bonny Baby spake nane.

17
Then out it spake her bonny Jean,
The youngest o the three,
‘O lady, dinna look sae sad,
But tell your grief to me.’

18
‘O wherefore should I tell my grief,
Since lax I canna find?
I’m stown frae a’ my kin and friends,
And my love I left behind.

19
‘But had I paper, pen, and ink,
Before that it were day,
I yet might get a letter sent
In time to Johny Hay.’

20
O she’s got paper, pen, and ink,
And candle that she might see,
And she has written a broad letter
To Johny at Dundee.

21
And she has gotten a bonny boy,
That was baith swift and strang,
Wi philabeg and bonnet blue,
Her errand for to gang.

22
‘O boy, gin ye’d my blessing win
And help me in my need,
Run wi this letter to my love,
And bid him come wi speed.

23
‘And here’s a chain of good red gowd,
And gowdn guineas three,
And when you’ve well your errand done,
You’ll get them for your fee.’

24
The boy he ran oer hill and dale.
Fast as a bird coud flee,
And eer the sun was twa hours height
The boy was at Dundee.

25
And when he came to Johny’s door
He knocked loud and sair;
Then Johny to the window came,
And loudly cry’d, ‘Wha’s there?’

26
‘O here’s a letter I have brought,
Which ye maun quickly read,
And, gin ye woud your lady save,
Gang back wi me wi speed.’

27
O when he had the letter read,
An angry man was he;
He says, Glenlion, thou shalt rue
This deed of villany!

28
‘O saddle to me the black, the black,
O saddle to me the brown,
O saddle to me the swiftest steed
That eer rade frae the town.

29
‘And arm ye well, my merry men a’.
And follow me to the glen,
For I vow I’ll neither eat nor sleep
Till I get my love again.’

30
He’s mounted on a milk-white steed,
The boy upon a gray,
And they got to Glenlion’s castle
About the close of day.

31
As Baby at her window stood,
The west wind saft did bla;
She heard her Johny’s well-kent voice
Beneath the castle wa.

32
‘O Baby, haste, the window jump!
I’ll kep you in my arm;
My merry men a’ are at the yate,
To rescue you frae harm.’

33
She to the window fixt her sheets
And slipped safely down,
And Johny catchd her in his arms,
Neer loot her touch the ground.

34
When mounted on her Johny’s horse,
Fou blithely did she say,
‘Glenlion, you hae lost your bride!
She’s aff wi Johny Hay.’

35
Glenlion and his brother John
Were birling in the ha,
When they heard Johny’s bridle ring,
As first he rade awa.

36
‘Rise, Jock, gang out and meet the priest,
I hear his bridle ring;
My Baby now shall be my wife
Before the laverocks sing.’

37
‘O brother, this is not the priest;
I fear he’ll come oer late;
For armed men with shining brands
Stand at the castle-yate.’

38
‘Haste Donald, Duncan, Dugald, Hugh!
Haste, take your sword and spier!
We’ll gar these traytors rue the hour
That eer they ventured here.’

39
The Highland men drew their claymores,
And gae a warlike shout,
But Johny’s merry men kept the yate,
Nae ane durst venture out.

40
The lovers rade the live-lang night,
And safe gat on their way,
And bonny Baby Livingston
Has gotten Johny Hay.

41
‘Awa, Glenlion! fy for shame!
Gae hide ye in some den!
You’ve lettn your bride be stown frae you.
For a’ your armed men.’

* * * * *

B

Buchan’s MSS, I, 77.

1
Bonny Barbara Livingston
Went out to take the air,
When came the laird o Glenlyon
And staw the maiden fair.

2
He staw her in her cloak, her cloak,
He staw her in her gown;
Before he let her look again,
Was mony mile frae town.

3
So they rade over hills and dales,
Through m[o]ny a wilsome way,
Till they came to the head o yon hill,
And showed her ewes and kye.

4
‘O will ye stay with me, Barbara,
And get good curds and whey?
Or will ye go to Glenlyon,
And be a lady gay?’

5
‘The Highlands is nae for me, kind sir,
The Highlands is nae for me,
But, gin ye woud my favour win,
Have me to bonny Dundee.’

6
‘Dundee, Barbara? Dundee, Barbara?
That town ye’se never see;
I’ll hae you to a finer place
Than eer was in Dundee.’

7
But when she came to Glenlyon,
And lighted on the green,
Every lady spake Earse to her,
But Barbara could speak nane.

8
When they were all at dinner set,
And placed the table round,
Every one took some of it,
But Barbara took nane.

9
She put it to her cheek, her cheek,
She put it to her chin,
And put it to her rosey lips,
But neer a bit gaed in.

10
When day was gone, and night was come,
And a’ man bound for bed,
Glenlyon and that fair lady
To one chamber were laid.

11
‘O strip, O strip, my love,’ he said,
‘O strip and lay you down;’
‘How can I strip? How can I strip,
To bed wi an unco man?’

12
He’s taen out his little pen-knife,
And he slit down her gown,
And cut her stays behind her back,
And forc’d her to lie down.

13
‘O day, dear sir! O day, dear sir!
O dear! if it were day,
And me upon my father’s steed,
I soon shoud ride away.’

14
‘Your father’s steed is in my stable,
Eating good corn and hay,
And ye are in my arms twa;
What needs you lang for day?’

15
‘If I had paper, pens, and ink,
And light that I may see,
I woud write a broad, broad letter
To my love in Dundee.’

16
They brought her paper, pen, and ink,
And light that she might see,
And she has written a broad letter
To her love in Dundee.

17
And aye she wrote, and aye she grat,
The saut tear blinded her ee;
And aye at every verse’s end,
‘Haste, my bonny love, to me!’

18
‘If I had but a little wee boy,
Would work for meat and fee,
Would go and carry this letter
To my love in Dundee!’

19
‘O here am I, a little wee boy
Will work for meat and fee,
Will go and carry that letter
To your love in Dundee.’

20
Upstarts the morn, the boy he ran
Oer mony a hill and dale,
And he wan on to bonny Dundee
About the hour o twall.

21
There Geordy oer a window lay,
Beholding dale and down;
And he beheld a little wee boy
Come running to the town.

22
‘What news? what news, my little wee boy,
You run sae hastilie?’
‘Your love is stown by Glenlyon,
And langs your face to see.’

23
‘Gae saddle to me the black, the black,
Gae saddle to me the brown;
Gae saddle to me the swiftest steed
Will hae me to the town.

24
‘Get me my hat, dyed o the black,
My mourning-mantle tee,
And I will on to Glenlyon,
See my love ere she die.’

25
First he tired the black, the black,
And then he tired the brown,
And next he tired the swiftest steed
Ere he wan to the town.

26
But for as fast as her love rade,
And as fast as he ran,
Before he wan to Glenlyon
His love was dead and gane.

27
Then he has kissd her cheek, her cheek,
And he has kissd her chin,
And he has kissd her comely mouth,
But no life was therein.

28
‘O wae mat worth you, Glenlyon,
An ill death mat ye die!
Ye’ve twind me and the fairest flower
My eyes did ever see.

29
‘But I will kiss your cheek, Barbara,
And I will kiss your chin,
And I will kiss your comely mouth,
But neer woman’s again.

30
‘Deal well, deal well at my love’s lyke
The beer but and the wine,
For ere the morn at this same time
Ye’ll deal the same at mine.’

* * * * *

C

Motherwell’s MS., p. 375, from the recitation of Agnes Lyle of
Kilbarchan.

1
Four-and-twenty ladies fair
Was playing at the ba,
And out cam Barbra Livingston,
The flower amang them a’.

2
Out cam Barbra Livingston,
The flower amang them a’;
The lusty laird of Linlyon
Has stown her clean awa.

3
‘The Hielands is no for me, kind sir,
The Hielands is no for me;
But, if you wud my favour win,
You’ll tak me to Dundee.’

4
‘The Hielands’ll be for thee, my dear,
The Hielands will be for thee;
To the lusty laird o Linlyon
A-married ye shall be.’

5
When they came to Linlyon’s yetts,
And lichted on the green,
Every ane spak Earse to her,
The tears cam trinkling down.

6
When they went to bed at nicht,
To Linlyon she did say,
‘Och and alace, a weary nicht!
Oh, but it’s lang till day!’

7
‘Your father’s steed in my stable,
He’s eating corn and hay,
And you’re lying in my twa arms;
What need you long for day?’

8
‘If I had paper, pen, and ink,
And candle for to see,
I wud write a lang letter
To my love in Dundee.’

9
They brocht her paper, pen, and ink,
And candle for to see,
And she did write a lang letter
To her love in Dundee.

10
When he cam to Linlyon’s yetts,
And lichtit on the green,
But lang or he wan up the stair
His love was dead and gane.

11
‘Woe be to thee, Linlyon,
An ill death may thou die!
Thou micht hae taen anither woman,
And let my lady be.’

* * * * *

D

Campbell MSS, II, 254.

1
Bonnie Annie Livingstone
Was walking out the way,
By came the laird of Glendinning,
And he’s stolen her away.
The Highlands are no for me, kind sir,
The Highlands are no for me,
And, if you wad my favour win,
You’d take me to Dundee.

2
He mounted her on a milk-white steed,
Himself upon a grey,
He’s taen her to the Highland hills,
And stolen her quite away.

3
When they came to Glendinning gate,
They lighted on the green;
There many a Highland lord spoke free,
But fair Annie she spake nane.

4
When bells were rung, and mass begun,
And a’ men bound for bed,
Bonnie Annie Livingstone
Was in her chamber laid.

5
‘O gin it were but day, kind sir!
O gin it were but day!
O gin it were but day, kind sir,
That I might win away!’

6
‘Your steed stands in the stall, bonnie Ann,
Eating corn and hay,
And you are in Glendinning’s arms;
What need ye long for day?’

7
‘O fetch me paper, pen, and ink,
A candle that I may see,
And I will write a long letter
To Jemmy at Dundee.’

8
When Jemmie looked the letter on,
A loud laughter gave he;
But eer he read the letter oer
The tear blinded his ee.

9
‘Gar saddle,’ he cried, ‘my war-horse fierce,
Warn a’ my trusty clan,
And I’ll away to Glendinning Castle
And see my sister Ann.’

10
When he came to Glendinning yet,
He lighted on the green,
But ere that he wan up the stair
Fair Annie she was gane.

11
‘The Highlands were not for thee, bonnie Ann,
The Highlands were not for thee,
And they that would have thy favour won
Should have brought you home to me.

12
‘O I will kiss thy cherry cheeks,
And I will kiss thy chin,
And I will kiss thy rosy lips,
For they will neer kiss mine.’

* * * * *

E

Kinloch MSS, V, 355, in the handwriting of John Hill Burton.

1
Bonny Baby Livingstone
Went out to view the hay,
And by there came a Hieland lord,
And he’s stown Baby away.

2
He’s stown her in her coat, her coat,
And he’s stown her in her gown,
And he let not her look back again
Ere she was many a mile from town.

3
He set her on a milk-white steed,
Himself upon another,
And they are on to bonny Lochell,
Like sister and like brother.

4
The bells were rung, the mass was sung,
And all men bound to bed,
And Baby and her Hieland lord
They were both in one chamber laid.

5
‘Oh day, kind sir! Oh day, kind sir!
Oh day fain would I see!
I would gie a’ the lands o Livingstone
For day-light, to lat me see.’

6
‘Oh day, Baby? Oh day, Baby?
What needs you long for day?
Your steed is in a good stable,
And he’s eating baith corn and hay.

7
‘Oh day, Baby? Oh day, Baby?
What needs you long for day?
You’r lying in a good knight’s arms,
What needs you long for day?’

8
‘Ye’ll get me paper, pen, and ink,
And light to let me see,
Till I write on a broad letter
And send ‘t to Lord ...’

* * * * *

#A.#

“On the other page you will find the whole ballad of Bonny Baby
Livingston. I found upon recollection that I had the whole story
in my memory, and thought it better to write it out entire, as
what I repeated to you was, I think, more imperfect.” _Mrs
Brown, MS., Appendix, p. xv._

#a.#

35^4. first _may be_ fast, _as in_ #b#.

#b.#

1^2. gaed out.

2^1. And first.

2^3. in his.

3^1. He’s mounted her upon a.

4^1. oer yon hich hich hill.

4^2. Intill #a.#

4^3. He met.

5^1. And there.

5^2. And there were kids sae fair.

5^3. But sad and wae was bonny Baby.

5^4. was fu o.

6^1. He’s taen her in his arms twa.

6^3. I wad gie a’ my flocks and herds.

6^4. Ae smile frae thee to.

7.
A smile frae me ye’se never win,
I’ll neer look kind on thee;
Ye’ve stown me awa frae a’ my kin,
Frae a’ that’s dear to me.

Dundee, kind sir, Dundee, kind sir,
Tak me to bonny Dundee!
For ye sall neer my favour win
Till it ance mair I see.

8^3. But I will carry you.

8^4. Where you my bride shall be.

9^1. Or will ye stay at.

9^2. And get.

9^3. Or gang wi me to.

9^4. we’ll live.

10^2. I care neither for milk nor.

10^3. gang.

11^2. If I were in.

11^3. I’d send.

12^3. coudna win.

13^1. tongue, my brother John.

13^3. I hae.

13^4. This mony a year and day.

14^1. I’ve lued her lang and lued her weel.

14^2. But her love I.

14^3. And what I canna fairly gain.

14^4. To steal.

15^3. they cam, his three sisters.

15^4. Their brother for to greet.

16^1. And they have taen her bonny Baby.

17^3. why look ye sae.

17^4. Come tell.

18^3. I’m far frae.

19^2. Afore.

19^3. letter wrate.

19^4. And sent to.

_After 19_:

And gin I had a bonny boy
To help me in my need,
That he might rin to bonny Dundee,
And come again wi speed.

20. _Wanting._

21^1. And they hae.

21^2. Their errand for to gang.

21^3. And bade him run to bonny Dundee.

21^4. And nae to tarry lang.

22, 23. _Wanting._

24^1. oer muir.

24^2. As fast as he.

25, 26. _Wanting._

27.
Whan Johnie lookit the letter on,
A hearty laugh leuch he;
But ere he read it till an end
The tear blinded his ee.

O wha is this, or what is that,
Has stown my love frae me?
Although he were my ae brither,
An ill dead sall he die.

28^1. Gae saddle to me the black, he says.

28^{2,3}. Gae.

29^1. He’s called upon his merry.

29^2. To follow him to.

29^3. And he’s vowd he’d neither.

29^4. he got his. 30^1. him on.

30^2. And fast he rade away.

30^3. And he’s come to Glenlyon’s yett.

31^2. And the.

31^4. Aneath.

32^1. window loup.

34. _Wanting._

35^4. As fast.

36^4. laverock.

37^1. nae the.

#B.#

3^4. ewes. _Indistinctly written._

5^2. fore.

223

EPPIE MORRIE

‘Eppie Morrie,’ Maidment’s North Countrie Garland, p. 40, 18

“This ballad,” says Maidment, “is probably much more than a century old, though the circumstances which have given rise to it were unfortunately too common to preclude the possibility of its being of a later date.” He does not tell us where the ballad came from, and no other editor seems to know of it. Two stanzas, 10, 11, occur in a copy of ‘Rob Roy’ (No 225, #J#) which had once been in Maidment’s hands, and perhaps was obtained from the same region.

Four-and-twenty Highlanders, the leader of whom is one Willie, come to Strathdon from Carrie (Carvie?) side to steal away Eppie Morrie, who has refused to marry Willie. They tie her on a horse and take her to a minister, whom Willie, putting a pistol to his breast, orders to marry them. The minister will not consent unless Eppie is willing, and she strenuously refuses; so they take her to Carrie side and put her to bed. She defends herself successfully, and in the morning comes in her lover, Belbordlane, or John Forsyth, well armed, and we presume well supported, who carries her back to her mother, to be his bride.

Scott, Introduction to Rob Roy, Appendix, No V, cites two stanzas of a ballad derived from tradition which, if we had the whole, might possibly turn out to be the same story with different names.

Four-and-twenty Hieland men
Came doun by Fiddoch side,
And they have sworn a deadly aith
Jean Muir suld be a bride.

And they have sworn a deadly aith,
Ilke man upon his durke,
That she should wed with Duncan Ger,
Or they’d make bloody worke.

* * * * *

1
Four-and-twenty Highland men
Came a’ from Carrie side
To steal awa Eppie Morrie,
Cause she would not be a bride.

2
Out it’s came her mother,
It was a moonlight night,
She could not see her daughter,
Their swords they shin’d so bright.

3
‘Haud far awa frae me, mother,
Haud far awa frae me;
There’s not a man in a’ Strathdon
Shall wedded be with me.’

4
They have taken Eppie Morrie,
And horse back bound her on,
And then awa to the minister,
As fast as horse could gang.

5
He’s taken out a pistol,
And set it to the minister’s breast:
‘Marry me, marry me, minister,
Or else I’ll be your priest.’

6
‘Haud far awa frae me, good sir,
Haud far awa frae me;
For there’s not a man in all Strathdon
That shall married be with me.’

7
‘Haud far awa frae me, Willie,
Haud far awa frae me;
For I darna avow to marry you,
Except she’s as willing as ye.’

8
They have taken Eppie Morrie,
Since better could nae be,
And they’re awa to Carrie side,
As fast as horse could flee.

9
When mass was sung, and bells were rung,
And all were bound for bed,
Then Willie an Eppie Morrie
In one bed they were laid.

10
‘Haud far awa frae me, Willie,
Haud far awa frae me;
Before I’ll lose my maidenhead,
I’ll try my strength with thee.’

11
She took the cap from off her head
And threw it to the way;
Said, Ere I lose my maidenhead,
I’ll fight with you till day.

12
Then early in the morning,
Before her clothes were on,
In came the maiden of Scalletter,
Gown and shirt alone.

13
‘Get up, get up, young woman,
And drink the wine wi me;’
‘You might have called me maiden,
I’m sure as leal as thee.’

14
‘Wally fa you, Willie,
That ye could nae prove a man
And taen the lassie’s maidenhead!
She would have hired your han.’

15
‘Haud far awa frae me, lady,
Haud far awa frae me;
There’s not a man in a’ Strathdon
The day shall wed wi me.’

16
Soon in there came Belbordlane,
With a pistol on every side:
‘Come awa hame, Eppie Morrie,
And there you’ll be my bride.’

17
‘Go get to me a horse, Willie,
And get it like a man,
And send me back to my mother
A maiden as I cam.

18
‘The sun shines oer the westlin hills;
By the light lamp of the moon,
Just saddle your horse, young John Forsyth,
And whistle, and I’ll come soon.’

* * * * *

5^1. pistol, and.

5^2. Set.

16^1. their.

224

THE LADY OF ARNGOSK

Sharpe’s Ballad Book, 1823, p. 99.

“The following fragment,” says Sharpe in his preface (he had not then recovered the second stanza), “I cannot illustrate either from history or tradition.” Very soon after the publication of the Ballad Book, full particulars of the carrying off of the Lady of Arngosk were procured for him by David Webster, the bookseller. Webster addressed himself to Mrs Isobell Dow, otherwise Mrs Mac Leish, of Newburgh, Fife, whose mother, he had learned, was waiting-maid to the lady at the time of the rape. “In my very early years,” he wrote, July 4, 1823, “I have listened with great delight to my mother when she sung me a song the first stanza of which was this:

The Highlandmen are a’ cum down,
They’re a’ cum down almost,
They’ve stowen awa the bonny lass,
The lady of Arngosk.

“Now Miss Finlay informs me that Isobel Stewart, your mother, was waiting-maid to the ‘bonny lass’ at the time she was ‘stowen awa,’ and that you are the most likely person now alive who will be able to recollect the song, or the particulars that gave rise to it. My reason for requesting this favour from a lady I have not the pleasure to know is, some gentlemen, my acquaintance, are making a collection of old Scots songs, which is printing, and they are anxious to have it as full as possible. We therefore wish a copy of the song entire, if you can recollect it, and the name of the lady who was the ‘bonny lass,’” etc. Mrs Dow replied, July 8, through John Masterton, that she was “sorrow” to say that she could not recollect more of the song than Webster was already in possession of, but the story she could never forget, having heard her mother repeat it so often: and this story Masterton proceeds to give in Mrs Dow’s own words. Although Mrs Dow was liberal of details, Webster seems to have wanted to hear more, and accordingly Masterton writes at greater length July 30, repeating what had been said before, with “some particular incidents” omitted in the former letter, but nothing very material except that Miss Gibb was rich, and that Isobell Dow had “brought to her recolection another verse of the song” (st. 2). The earlier letter even is somewhat out of proportion to so meagre a relic of verse, an intolerable deal of bread to a half-penny worth of sack; but it is very readable, and has some value as a chapter from domestic life in Scotland in the first half of the last century.[124]

NEWBURGH, _8 July, 1823_.

DEAR SIR. I am directed by Isobell Dow to acknowledge the receipt of
your letter, and to write you an answer to your request respecting
the stealing awa the Lady of Arngosk. She is sorrow to say she
cannot recolect any more of the song than what you are in possession
off already. As for the truth of the story, she can never forget,
having heard her mother repeat it so often. I will therefore give
you it in her own words.

Yours, &c.,

JN MASTERSON.

My mother was waiting-maid to the Lady of Arngask, whose name was
Miss Margret Gibb, at which time two gentlemen paid addresses to
her; the one a Mr Jamieson, a writer in Strathmiglo, the other a Mr
Graham, of Bracko Castle, who was the subject of the story; but his
love did not meet with a return suitable to his wishes; he therefore
came to the strong resolution of taking her away by force. It will
be proper to mention that he came two nights previous, when my
mother was in the barn dighting corn, and accosted her thus: Tiby, I
want to see Margret. She answerd: I doubt, Mr Graham, you canna see
her the night, but I’ll gang an tell her. She went and was orderd to
tell him that he could not see her; which put him in such a frenzy
that he ran up and down the barn through chaff and corn up to the
middle; however, he forced in to her company, but what passed
betwixt them my mother did not know. But on the second night after,
at midnight, when in bed (my mother alway sleeping with Miss
Gibb),[125] a very sharp knock was heard at the door, which alarmd
them very much, it being a lonely place. My mother went and called,
who was there; she was answered, Open the door, Tiby, and see. She
said: Keep me! Mr Graham, what way are you here at this time? Ye
canna won in the night. She drew the bar, and was almost frighted
out of her sences by the appearance of above thirty Hillandmen on
horseback, all armed with swords and dirks, &c. She atempted to shut
the door again, but Mr Graham pressed his knee in and forced his
way. He went ben, and ordered them to put on their clothes an go
along with him. Miss Gibb insisted on stoping ere daylight, and she
would go with good will; but he would admit of no delay, but ordered
her to dress herself imediately, otherwise he would do it by force.
She then said she would not go unless Tiby acompanied her, which he
said he intended to propose had she not mentioned it; but my mother
would not go, she said, to ride behind none of these Hillandmen. Mr
Graham then proposed to take her behind himself. They did then all
mount; he at the same time used the precaution of placing sentries
on the houses where the other servants lodged, to prevent them
giving the alarm, and also three stout men at the bell of the
church, to prevent it being rung. They kept their posts till they
thought them a sufficient distance on the way, Mr Graham always
joking to my mother about something or other, asuring her so soon as
he had all over he would make her happy and comfortable all the days
of her life. They rode on over hill and dale till within sight of
Bracko Castle, when all of a sudden the Hillanmen dispersed, or
deserted them, excepting his own imediate servants; which my mother
thought was because he had deceived them, saying that the lady was
willing to marry him but her friends would not alow, which by this
time they must have found out. He told my mother that a minister was
waiting them at Bracko, but he must have been disappointed, for the
minister never appeared; else, she always thought, they would been
married. Report said that Mr Jamieson had so contrived to stop his
arrival. My mother and Miss Margret were then secured in an uper
room in the castle till the next day, when there appeared mostly all
the men of the parishes of Arngask and Strathmiglo, demanding their
lady; my father among the rest, demanding my mother as his intended
wife. It seemed so soon as the Hillan sentries were gone from the
houses and church-bell of Arngask, that the servants ran to the
bell, and rang such a peal as made all the Ochles resound wi the sad
news that their lady was stowen awa by Graham an his clan. Mr
Jamieson was no less busy in alarming and rousing the indignation of
the good folk of Strathmiglo, who were much atached to her interest,
so that both parishes rose to a man, and armed themselves with
whatever came in the way, and marched in a body to make an attack on
the castle, and rescue their much esteemed lady. But on their making
their appearance before the castle in such formidable array, Mr
Graham thought it prudent to surender rather than sustain the attack
of such a body of desperate men. Mr Graham conducted them down
stairs with his cap in hand (the gentlemen in those days wore velvet
caps), and addressed her thus: I shall see you on your horse,
Margret, for a’ the ill you’ve done me, and bade her a long and
lasting farewell; at which she stamped with her foot and recommended
him to the devil. They all came home in safety, and the bells, that
so lately rang to alarm and spread the dismal news, were again rung
to proclaim the happy return of the lady that was stowen awa.
Bonefires were also erected on the highest of the Ochles. She was
married that same year to Mr Jamieson, and I suppose some of their
children are alive to this day. It was generaly reported that Mr
Graham was so much affronted at the dissapointment that he left the
country soon after.