The Old Lady's Collection, Manuscript, No. 20.
| 1 |
Ther was a lady fair an rear,
A lady of birth an fame,
She loyed her father's kittchen-boy,
The greater was her shame. |
| 2 |
She coud never her love revell,
Nor to him take,
Bat in the forestes weed an brade,
Far they wer wont to wake. |
| 3 |
It fell ance apon a day
Her father went fra home,
An she sent for the kitchë-boy
Into her room. |
| 4 |
'Canna ye fance me, Willie?
Cannie ye fance me?
By a' the lords I ever seed,
Ther is nane I cane loie bat ye.' |
| 5 |
'O latt ne this be kent, lady,
O lat ne this be knonen,
For in yer father got word of this,
I von he wad gare me die.' |
| 6 |
'Yer life sall na be tane, Willie,
Yer life sail na be tean;
I rader loss my ain heart-blead
Or thy body gat wrang.' |
| 7 |
We her mouy fair spiches
She made the boy bold,
Till he began to kiss an clap,
An on his love lay hold. |
| 8 |
They hadne kissed an love-clapet,
As lovers fan they meatt,
...
... |
| 9 |
'The master-cook he will on me call,
An ansured be man be;
In it war kent I war in bour we the,
I fear they woud gar me diei.' |
| 10 |
'The master-cook may on ye call,
But ausured he will never be,
For I baa thrie coffers fue of goud,
Yer eyen did never see. |
| 11 |
'An I will buld a bony ship for my love,
An sett her to the seea,
An saill she east, or saill she west,
The ship sall be fair to see.' |
| 12 |
She bas buld a bonny ship,
An sett her to the sea;
The top-masts was of the read goud,
The saill of taffety. |
| 13 |
She gaie him a gay gold ring,
...
To mind him on a gay lady
That ance bair love to him. |
| 14 |
The day was fair, the ship was rair,
Fan that suan sett to sea;
Fan that day tuall-month came an gade,
Att London landed he. |
| 15 |
A lady louked our castell-wa,
Beheld the day gaa doun,
An she beheld that bonny ship,
Came hailing to the toun. |
| 16 |
'Come hear, come hear, my maires a',
Ye see na fat I see;
The bonuest ship is coming to land
Yer eyen did ever see. |
| 17 |
'Ye busk ye, busk ye, my manes a',
Ye busk ye unco fine,
Till I gaa doun to yon shore-side
To invite yon squar to dine. |
| 18 |
'O ye come up, ye gay young squar,
An take we me a dine;
Ye sail eatt of the gued white lofe,
An drink the claret wine.' |
| 19 |
'I thank ye for yer bread,
I thank ye for yer wine,
I thank ye for yer courtice,
Bat indeed I hanna time.' |
| 20 |
'Canna ye fancë me?' she says,
'Cannie ye fance me?
Bay a' the lords an lairds I see,
Ther is nane I fance bat ye.' |
| 21 |
'They are farr awa fra me,' he says,
'The'r farr ayont the sea,
That has my heart an hand,
An my love ay sail be.' |
| 22 |
'Hear is a gued gould ring,
...
It will mind ye on a gay lady
That ance bare love to ye.' |
| 23 |
'I haa a ring on my finger
I lee thrice as well as thine,
Tho yours war of the gued read goud,
An mine bat simpell tin.' |
| 24 |
The day was fair, the ship was rair,
Fan that squar sett to sea;
Fan that day tuall-month came an gaid,
Att hame again landed he. |
| 25 |
The lady's father louked ouer castellwa,
Beheld the day gaa doun,
An lie beheld that bonny ship
Come hailing to the toun. |
| 26 |
'Come hear, my a dother,
Ye see na fat I see;
The bonnest ship is coming to land
My eyen did ever see. |
| 27 |
'Ye busk ye, my dother,
Ye busk ye unco fine,
An I ill gai doun to yon shore-side
An invite yon squer to dine:
I wad gie a' my reants
To haa ye marred to him.' |
| 28 |
'They ar farr awa fra me,' she says,
'The'r far ayout the sea,
That has my heart an hand,
An my love ay sail be.' |
| 29 |
'O will ye come, ye gay bine squar,
An take we me a dine?
Ye sail eat of the gued fait bread
An drink the claret wine.' |
| 30 |
'I thank ye for yer bread,
I thank ye for your wine,
I thank ye for your courtisy,
For indeed I haa na grait time.' |
| 31 |
'O cannie ye fancë me? ' [he says,
'Cannie ye fance me?]
By a' the ladys I eair did see,
Ther is nain I lue bat ye.' |
| 32 |
'They are farr awa fra me,' she sayes,
'They are farr ayont the sea,
That has my heart an ban,
An my love ay sail be.' |
| 33 |
'Hear it is, a gay goud ring,
...
It will mind ye on a gay bin chill
That ance bare love to ye.' |
| 34 |
'O gatt ye that ring on the sea saling?
Or gat ye it on the sand?
Or gat ye it on the shore laying,
On a drouned man's hand?' |
| 35 |
'I got na it on the sea saling,
I got na it on the sand,
Bat I gat it on the shore laying,
On a drouned man's hand. |
| 36 |
'O bonny was his chike,
And lovely was his face!'
'Alass' says she, 'it is ray true-love Willie,
... |
| 37 |
He turned him rond about,
An suitly could he smill;
She turned her round, says, My love Willie,
Hou could ye me biggeall? |
| 38 |
'A prist, a prist,' the old man crayed,
'Latt this tua marred be:'
Bat lettel did the old man keen
It was his ain kittchen-boy. |
