| 1 |
'There was a battle i the north
Amang our nobles many,
And they have killed Sir Charles Hay,
And they've taen thrae me my Geordie.' |
| 2 |
'O where'll I gett a wi bit boy,
A bonnie boy that's ready,
That will gae in to my biggin
With a letter to my ladie?' |
| 3 |
Then up and startit a wi bit boy,
An a bonnie boy was ready:
'It's I'll gae in to your biggin
Wi a letter to your ladie.' |
| 4 |
When the day was fair an the way was clear,
An the wi bit boy was ready,
An he's gane in to his biggin,
Wi a letter to his ladie. |
| 5 |
When she lookd the letter on,
She was no a wearit ladie;
But when she lookit the other side,
She mourned for her Geordie. |
| 6 |
'Gar sadle to me the black,' she says,
'For the brown rade neer sey bonnie,
An I'll gae down to Enbro town,
An see my true-love Geordie.' |
| 7 |
When she cam to the water-side,
The cobles war na ready;
She's turnd her horse's head about,
An in by the Queen's Ferry. |
| 8 |
When she cam to the West Port,
There war poor folks many;
She dealt crowns an the ducatdowns,
And bade them pray for Geordie. |
| 9 |
When she cam to the Parliament Closs,
There amang our nobles many,
Cravats an caps war standing there,
But low, low lay her Geordie. |
| 10 |
When she gaed up the tolbooth-stairs,
Amang our nobles manie,
The napkin's tyed oer Geordie's face,
And the gallows makin ready. |
| 11 |
'O wad ye hae his lands or rents?
Or wad ye hae his monie?
Take a', a' frae him but his sark alone,
Lesve me my true-love Geordie.' |
| 12 |
The captain pu'd her on his knee,
An ca'd her heart an honey:
'An ye wad wait se'en years for me,
Ye wad never jump for Geordie.' |
| 13 |
'O hold your tongue, you foolish man,
Your speech it's a' but folly;
For an ye wad wait till the day ye die,
I wad neer take John for Geordie.' |
| 14 |
'Twas up and spak the Lord Corstarph,
The ill gae wi his body!
'O Geordie's neck it war on a block,
Gif I had his fair ladie!' |
| 15 |
'O haud yer tongue, ye foolish man,
Yer speech is a' but folly;
For if Geordie's neck war on a block,
Ye soud neer enjoy his ladie. |
| 16 |
'It's I hae se'en weel gawn mills,
I wait they a' gang daily;
I'll gie them a' an amang ye a'
For the sparin o my Geordie. |
| 17 |
'I hae ele'en bairns i the wast,
I wait the're a' to Geordie;
I'd see then a' streekit afore mine eyes
Afore I lose my Geordie. |
| 18 |
'I hae ele'en bairns i the wast,
The twalt bears up my body;
The youngest's on his nurse's knee,
An he never saw his dadie. |
| 19 |
'I hae se'en uncles in the north,
They gang baith proud an lordly;
I'd see them a' tread down afore my eyes
Afore I lose my Geordie.' |
| 20 |
Then out an spak an English lord,
The ill gae wi his bodie!
'It's I gard hang Sir Francie Grey,
An I'll soon gar hang your Geordie.' |
| 21 |
It's out an spak than a Scottish lord,
May the weel gae wi his body!
'It's I'll cast of my coat an feght
Afore ye lose your Geordie.' |
| 22 |
It's out then spak an English lord,
May the ill gae wi his bodie!
'Before the morn at ten o'clock,
I's hae the head o Geordie.' |
| 23 |
Out then spak the Scottish lord,
May the weel gae wi his body!
'I'll fight i bluid up to the knees
Afore ye lose your Geordie.' |
| 24 |
But out an spak the royal king,
May the weel gae wi his body!
'There's be bluidie heads amang us a'
Afore ye lose your Geordie.' |
| 25 |
'Twas up than spak the royal queen,
'May the weel gae wi his body!
Tell down, tell down five hunder pound,
An ye's get wi you yer Geordie.' |
| 26 |
Some gae her gold, some gae her crowns,
Some gae her ducats many,
An she's telld down five hundred pound,
An she's taen away her Geordie. |
| 27 |
An ay she praisd the powers above,
An a' the royal family,
An ay she blessed the royal queen,
For sparin o her Geordie. |
| 28 |
. . . .
. . . .
Nae bird sang sweeter in the bush
Than she did wi her Geordie. |
| 29 |
'It's wo be to my Lord Costorph,
It's wo be to him daily!
For if Geordie's neck had been on the block
He had neer enjoyd his ladie. |
| 30 |
'Gar print me ballants weel,' she said,
'Gar print me ballants many,
Gar print me ballants weel,' she said,
'That I am a worthy ladie.' |
