'The Laird of Logie,' Scotch Ballads, Materials
for Border Minstrelsy, No. 8 a, Abbotsford.
Sent to Scott September 11, 1502,
by William Laidlaw; received by him from Mr.
Bartram of Biggar.
| 1 |
I will sing, if ye will harken,
An ye wad listen unto me;
I'll tell ye of a merry passage
Of the wanton laird of Young Logie. |
| 2 |
Young Logie's laid in Edinborough chapel,
Carmichaell's keeper of the key;
I heard a may lamenting sair,
All for the laird of Young Logie. |
| 3 |
'Lament, lament na, May Margret,
And o your weeping let me be;
For ye maun to the king your sell,
And ask the life of Young Logie.' |
| 4 |
May Margaret has kilted her green deeding,
And she's currld back her yellow hair,
And she's away to the king hersell,
And adieu to Scotland for ever mair! |
| 5 |
When she came before the king,
She fell low down on her knee:
'It's what's your will wi me, May Margret,
And what makes all this courtesey?'
'Naething, naething, my sovreign liege,
But grant me the life of Young Logie.' |
| 6 |
'O no, O no, May Margret,
No, in sooth it maun na be;
For the morn, or I taste meat or drink,
Hee hanged shall Young Logie be.' |
| 7 |
She has stolen the king's reeding-comb,
But an the queen her wedding-knife,
And she has sent it to Carmichaell,
To cause Young Logie come by life. |
| 8 |
She sent him a purse of the red gold,
Another of the white money,
And sent him a pistol into each hand,
And bade him shoot when he got fra. |
| 9 |
When lie came to the Tolbooth stair,
There he loot his volley flee,
Which made the king in his chamber start,
Even in the chamber where he lay. |
| 10 |
'Gae out, gae out, my merrie men,
And gar Carmichael come speake wi me,
For I'll lay my life the pledge of that,
That yon's the volley of Young Logie.' |
| 11 |
When Carmichael came before the king,
He fell low down on his knee;
The very first word that the king spake,
'How dois the laird o Young Logie?' |
| 12 |
Carmichael turnd him round about,
A wait the salt tear blint his eye:
'There came a tacken frae the king
Has tean the laird awa frae me.' |
| 13 |
'Hast thou playd me that, Carmichael?
Hast thou playd me that?' quo he;
'The morn the Justice Court's to stand,
And Logie's place ye maun supply.' |
| 14 |
Carmichal's awa to May Margr[e]t's bower,
Een as fast as he may dree:
'It's if Young Logie be within,
Tell him to come speak to me.' |
| 15 |
May Margret's turnd her round about,
A wait a loud laughter gae she:
'The egg is cheeped and the bird is flown,
And seek ye the laird of Young Logie' |
| 16 |
The one is sheppd at the pier o Leith,
The other at the Queen's Ferry,
And she has gotten a father to her bairn,
The wanton laird of Young [Logie]. |
