The Old Lady's Collection, Manuscript, No. 9 ; north
of Scotland; copied in Skene's Manuscript, p. 41, with
a few slight changes.
| 1 |
Rob Roy, frae the high Highlands,
Came to the Lawlan border;
It was to steel a lady away,
To keep his Highland house in order. |
| 2 |
As he came in by White House,
He sent nae ane before him;
Or she wad hae secured the house,
For she did ay abhor him. |
| 3 |
Twenty men serundad the house, an twenty they went in,
They found her wi her mither;
Wi sighs an cries an watery eyes
They parted fra each other. |
| 4 |
'O will ye be my dear?' he says,
'Or will ye be my honnie?
O will ye be my wedded wife?
I lee you best of ony.' |
| 5 |
'I winna be your dear,' [she says,]
' Nor will I be your honnie,
Nor will I be your wedded wife;
Ye lee me for my money.' |
| 6 |
... by the way,
This lady aftimes fainted;
Says, Woe be to my cursed gold,
This road to me has invented! |
| 7 |
He gave her no time for to dress
Like ladies when they're ridin,
But set her on hie horseback,
Himsell beside her. |
| 8 |
Whan they came by Black House,
And at Stirling tarried,
There he bought her coat an gown,
But she would not be married. |
| 9 |
Four men held her to the priest,
An four they did her bed,
Wi sighs an cries an watery eyes
Whan she by him was laid. |
| 10 |
'Be content, [be content,]
Be content wi me, lady;
Now ye are my wedded wife
Untill the day ye die, lady. |
| 11 |
'My father was a Highlan laird,
McGrigor was his name, [lady];
A' the country roun about
They dreadit his great fame, lady. |
| 12 |
'He kept a hedge about his land,
A prickle for his foes, [lady,]
Every ane that did him wrang,
He took them by the nose, lady. |
| 13 |
'My father delights in nout and goats,
[An] me in horse and sheep, lady;
You an twenty thousan pound
Makes me a man complete, lady. |
| 14 |
'Y'er welcome to this Highlan lan,
It is my native plain, lady;
Think nae mair of gauin back,
But tak it for your hame, lady. |
| 15 |
'I'm gauin, [I'm gauin,]
I'm gauin to France, lady;
Whan I come back
I'll learn ye a dance, lady. |
| 16 |
'Set your foot, [set your foot,]
Set your foot to mine, lady;
Think nae mair of gauin back,
But tak it for your hame, lady.' |
