Glenriddell's Manuscripts, vol. xi, No. 17.
| 1 |
I forbid ye, maidens a',
That wear goud on your gear,
To come and gae by Carterhaugh,
For young Tom Line is there. |
| 2 |
There's nane that gaes by Carterhaugh
But they leave him a wad.
Either their things or green mantles,
Or else their maidenhead. |
| 3 |
But Janet has kilted her green kirtle
A little above her knee,
And she has broded her yellow hair
A little above her bree,
And she has gaen for Carterhaugh,
As fast as she can hie. |
| 4 |
When she came to Carterhaugh
Tom Line was at the well,
And there she fand his steed standing,
But away was himsell. |
| 5 |
She hadna pu'd a double rose,
A rose but only twae,
Till up then started young Tom Line,
Says, Lady, thou's pu nae mae. |
| 6 |
Why pu's thou the rose, Janet?
Why breaks thou the wand?
Why comest thou to Carterhaugh
Withouthen my command? |
| 7 |
'Fair Carterhaugh it is my ain,
My daddy gave it me;
I'll come and gae by Carterhaugh,
And ask nae leave at thee.'
* * * * * |
| 8 |
Janet has kilted her green kirtle
A little aboon her knee,
And she has snooded her yellow hair
A little aboon her bree,
And she is on to her father's ha,
As fast as she can hie. |
| 9 |
Four and twenty ladies fair
Were playing at the ba,
And out then came fair Janet,
The flowr amang them a'. |
| 10 |
Four and twenty ladies fair
Were playing at the chess,
Out then came fair Janet,
As green as ony glass. |
| 11 |
Out spak an auld grey-headed knight,
Lay owre the castle wa,
And says, Alas, fair Janet,
For thee we'll be blam'd a'. |
| 12 |
'Had your tongue, you auld grey knight,
Some ill dead may ye die!
Father my bairn on whom I will,
I'll father nane on thee.' |
| 13 |
Out then spak her father dear,
He spak baith thick and milde;
'And ever alas, sweet Janet,' he says,
'I think ye gae wi childe.' |
| 14 |
'If that I gae wi child, father,
Mysell bears a' the blame;
There's not a laird about your ha
Shall get the bairnie's name. |
| 15 |
'If my lord were an earthly knight,
As he's an elfish grey,
I wad na gie my ain true-love
For nae lord that ye hae.' |
| 16 |
Janet has kilted her green kirtle
A little aboon her knee,
And she has snooded her yellow hair
A little aboon her bree,
And she's away to Carterhaugh,
As fast as she can hie. |
| 17 |
When she came to Carterhaugh,
Tom Line was at the well,
And there she faund his steed standing,
But away was himsell. |
| 18 |
She hadna pu'd a double rose,
A rose but only twae,
Till up then started young Tom Line,
Says, Lady, thou's pu na mae. |
| 19 |
Why pu's thou the rose, Janet,
Out owr yon groves sae green,
And a' to kill your bonny babe,
That we gat us between? |
| 20 |
'O tell me, tell me, Tom,' she says,
'For's sake who died on tree,
If eer ye were in holy chapel,
Or christendom did see.' |
| 21 |
'Roxburgh he was my grandfather,
Took me with him to bide,
And ance it fell upon a day
That wae did me betide. |
| 22 |
'Ance it fell upon a day,
A cauld day and a snell,
When we were frae the hunting come,
That from my horse I fell. |
| 23 |
'The Queen of Fairies she came by,
Took me wi her to dwell,
Evn where she has a pleasant land
For those that in it dwell,
But at the end o seven years,
They pay their teind to hell. |
| 24 |
'The night it is gude Halloween,
The fairie folk do ride,
And they that wad their true-love win,
At Miles Cross they maun bide.' |
| 25 |
'But how shall I thee ken, Thomas,
Or how shall I thee knaw,
Amang a pack o uncouth knights
The like I never saw?' |
| 26 |
'The first company that passes by,
Say na, and let them gae;
The next company that passes by,
Say na, and do right sae;
The third company that passes by,
Then I'll be ane o thae. |
| 27 |
'Some ride upon a black, lady,
And some ride on a brown,
But I ride on a milk-white steed,
And ay nearest the town:
Because I was an earthly knight
They gae me that renown. |
| 28 |
'My right hand will be glovd, lady,
My left hand will be bare,
And thae's the tokens I gie thee,
Nae doubt I will be there. |
| 29 |
'Then hie thee to the milk-white steed,
And pu me quickly down,
Cast thy green kirtle owr me,
And keep me frae the rain. |
| 30 |
'They'll turn me in thy arms, lady,
An adder and a snake;
But hold me fast, let me na gae,
To be your warldly mate. |
| 31 |
'They'll turn me in your arms, lady,
A grey greyhound to girn;
But hald me fast, let me na gae,
The father o your bairn. |
| 32 |
'They'll turn me in your arms, lady,
A red het gad o iron;
Then haud me fast, and be na feard,
I'll do to you nae harm. |
| 33 |
'They'll turn me in your arms, lady,
A mother-naked man;
Cast your green kirtle owr me,
To keep me frae the rain. |
| 34 |
'First dip me in a stand o milk,
And then a stand o water;
Haud me fast, let me na gae,
I'll be your bairnie's father.' |
| 35 |
Janet has kilted her green kirtle
A little aboon her knee,
And she has snooded her yellow hair
A little aboon her bree,
And she is on to Miles Cross,
As fast as she can hie. |
| 36 |
The first company that passd by,
She said na, and let them gae;
The next company that passed by,
She said na, and did right sae;
The third company that passed by,
Then he was ane o thae. |
| 37 |
She hied her to the milk-white steed,
And pu'd him quickly down;
She cast her green kirtle owr him,
To keep him frae the rain;
Then she did all was orderd her,
And sae recoverd him. |
| 38 |
Then out then spak the Queen o Fairies,
Out o a bush o broom:
'They that hae gotten young Tom Line
Hae got a stately groom.' |
| 39 |
Out then spak the Queen o Fairies,
Out o a bush of rye:
'Them that has gotten young Tom Line
Has the best knight in my company. |
| 40 |
'Had I kend, Thomas,' she says,
'A lady wad hae borrowd thee,
I wad hae taen out thy twa grey een,
Put in twa een o tree. |
| 41 |
'Had I but kend, Thomas,' she says,
'Before I came frae hame,
I had taen out that heart o flesh,
Put in a heart o stane.' |
