Motherwell's Manuscript, p. 418.
From the singing of a servant-girl at Halkhead.
| 1 |
I never saw my love before,
With a hey lillelu and a ho lo lan
Till I saw her thro an oger bore.
With a hey down and a hey diddle downie |
| 2 |
She gave to me a gay gold ring,
With a hey lillelu and a ho lo lan
With three shining diamonds set therein.
With a hey down and a hey diddle downie |
| 3 |
And I gave to her a silver wand,
With a hey lillelu and a ho lo lan
With three singing lavrocks set thereon.
With a hey down and a hey diddle downie |
| 4 |
'What if these diamonds lose their hue,
With a hey lillelu and a ho lo lan
Just when your love begins for to rew?'
With a hey down and a hey diddle downie |
| 5 |
He's left the land, and he's gone to sea,
With a hey lillelu and a ho lo lan
And he's stayd there seven years and a day.
With a hey down and a hey diddle downie |
| 6 |
But when he looked this ring upon,
With a hey lillelu and a ho lo lan
The shining diamonds were both pale and wan.
With a hey down and a hey diddle downie |
| 7 |
He's left the seas and he's come to the land,
With a hey lillelu and a ho lo lan
And there he met with an auld beggar man.
With a hey down and a hey diddle downie |
| 8 |
'What news, what news, thou auld beggar man
With a hey lillelu and a ho lo lan
For it is seven years sin I've seen lan.'
With a hey down and a hey diddle downie |
| 9 |
'No news,' said the old beggar man, 'at all,
With a hey lillelu and a ho lo lan
But there is a wedding in the king's hall.'
With a hey down and a hey diddle downie |
| 10 |
'Wilt thou give to me thy begging coat?
With a hey lillelu and a ho lo lan
And I'll give to thee my scarlet cloak.
With a hey down and a hey diddle downie |
| 11 |
'Wilt thou give to me thy begging staff?
With a hey lillelu and a ho lo lan
And I'll give to thee my good gray steed.'
With a hey down and a hey diddle downie |
| 12 |
The old beggar man was bound for to ride,
With a hey lillelu and a ho lo lan
But Young Hynd Horn was bound for the bride.
With a hey down and a hey diddle downie |
| 13 |
When he came to the king's gate,
With a hey lillelu and a ho lo lan
He asked a drink for Young Hynd Horn's sake.
With a hey down and a hey diddle downie |
| 14 |
The news unto the bonnie bride came
With a hey lillelu and a ho lo lan
That at the yett there stands an auld man.
With a hey down and a hey diddle downie |
| 15 |
'There stands an auld man at the king's gate;
With a hey lillelu and a ho lo lan
He asketh a drink for young Hyn Horn's sake.'
With a hey down and a hey diddle downie |
| 16 |
'I'll go thro nine fires so hot,
With a hey lillelu and a ho lo lan
But I'll give him a drink for Young Hyn Horn's sake.'
With a hey down and a hey diddle downie |
| 17 |
She gave him a drink out of her own hand;
With a hey lillelu and a ho lo lan
He drank out the drink and he dropt in the ring.
With a hey down and a hey diddle downie |
| 18 |
'Got thou't by sea, or got thou't by land?
With a hey lillelu and a ho lo lan
Or got thou't out of any dead man's hand?'
With a hey down and a hey diddle downie |
| 19 |
'I got it not by sea, but I got it by land,
With a hey lillelu and a ho lo lan
For I got it out of thine own hand.'
With a hey down and a hey diddle downie |
| 20 |
'I'll cast off my gowns of brown,
With a hey lillelu and a ho lo lan
And I'll follow thee from town to town.
With a hey down and a hey diddle downie |
| 21 |
'I'll cast off my gowns of red,
With a hey lillelu and a ho lo lan
And along with thee I'll beg my bread.'
With a hey down and a hey diddle downie |
| 22 |
'Thou need not cast off thy gowns of brown,
With a hey lillelu and a ho lo lan
For I can make thee lady of many a town.
With a hey down and a hey diddle downie |
| 23 |
'Thou need not cast off thy gowns of red,
With a hey lillelu and a ho lo lan
For I can maintain thee with both wine and bread.'
With a hey down and a hey diddle downie |
| 24 |
The bridegroom thought he had the bonnie bride wed,
With a hey lillelu and a ho lo lan
But Young Hyn Horn took the bride to bed.
With a hey down and a hey diddle downie |
