Buchan's Manuscripts, I, 66.
| 1 |
'Learn, O learn, Fair Annie,' he said,
'O learn to lie your lane;
For I am going ower the sea,
To woo and to bring hame |
| 2 |
'A brighter and a fairer dame
Than ever ye hae been;
For I am going ower the sea,
To chuse and bring her hame.' |
| 3 |
'What aileth thee, my ain gude lord,
What aileth thee at me?
For seven braw sons hae I born
Unto your fair bodie. |
| 4 |
'The eldest o your sons, my lord,
Is heir o a' your land;
The second o your braw young sons
He rises at your right hand. |
| 5 |
'The third o your braw young sons
He serves you when you dine;
The fourth o your braw sons, my lord,
He bring to you the wine. |
| 6 |
'The fifth o your braw young sons
Right well can use the pen;
The sixth o your braw young sons,
He's travelling but and ben. |
| 7 |
'The seventh o your braw young sons,
He lies on my breast-bane,
The fairest flower amo them a',
That lay my sides between.' |
| 8 |
'But I am going ower the sea,
To woo and to bring hame
A lady wi some gowd and gear;
Wi you I never got nane.' |
| 9 |
'Ye staw me awa in twall years auld,
Ye sought nae gowd wi me;
Ye put me to the schools o Ayr
For fully years three. |
| 10 |
'But wha'll be cook in your kitchen,
And butler in your ha?
And wha will govern your merry young men,
When ye are far awa?' |
| 11 |
'O ye'll be cook in my kitchen,
And butler in my ha,
And ye'll wait on my merry young men,
And serve them ane and a'.' |
| 12 |
'But wha will bake your bridal bread,
And wha will brew your ale?
And wha will welcome that lady
That ye bring ower the dale. |
| 13 |
'O ye will bake my bridal bread,
And ye will brew my ale,
And ye will welcome that lady
That I bring ower the dale. |
| 14 |
'Ye'll bake bread, and ye'll brew ale,
For three score knights and ten;
That day month I gang awa,
The same day I'll come again.' |
| 15 |
'O I will bake your bridal bread,
And I will brew your ale;
But oh, to welcome another woman
My heart will nae be hale.' |
| 16 |
'Ye will put roses in your hair,
And ribbons in your sheen,
And ye will look fair maiden like,
Though maiden ye be nane.' |
| 17 |
'O I'll put roses in my hair,
And ribbons in my sheen,
And may be look as maiden-like
As the bride ye bring hame.' |
| 18 |
Two of his sons he sent before,
And two rade by his side,
And three he left at hame wi her,
She was the brightest bride. |
| 19 |
As she was gazing her around,
To view the rural plain,
And there she saw the bridal folk,
Merrily coming hame. |
| 20 |
'Come here, come here, my boys a',
Ye see not what I see;
For here I see your fair father,
And a step-mother to thee. |
| 21 |
'O shall I call him honey, Sandy,
Husband, or my gude lord?
Or shall I call him my gude master,
Let well or woe betide?' |
| 22 |
'Ye winna call him honey, mother,
For angering o the bride;
But ye'll call him your gude master,
Let well or woe betide.' |
| 23 |
She buskd her bonny boys in black,
Herself in simple green,
A kaim o gowd upon her hair,
As maiden she had been. |
| 24 |
She's taen the white bread in her lap,
The wine glass in her hand,
And she's gane out upo the green,
To welcome the bride hame. |
| 25 |
She woudna ca him her ain gude lord,
For angering o the bride:
'Ye're welcome hame, my gude master,
Your lands lie braid and wide.' |
| 26 |
'O fair mat fa you, Fair Annie,
Sae well's ye've welcomd me;
Ye might hae welcomd my new bride;
Some gift to you she'll gie.' |
| 27 |
'Ye're welcome hame, ye new-come bride,
To your ha's and your bowers;
Ye're welcome hame, my lady gay,
Ye're whiter that the flowers.' |
| 28 |
'O wha is this,' the bride did say,
'Sae well that welcomes me?
If I'm lang lady o this place
Some gift to her I'll gie. |
| 29 |
'She's likest to my dear sister
That eer my eyes did see;
A landit lord staw her awa,
An ill death mat he die! |
| 30 |
'I hae a brother here this day,
Fairer ye neer did see;
And I woud think nae ill a match
Unto this fair ladie.' |
| 31 |
'Ye'll wed your brother on a stock,
Sae do ye on a stane;
I'll wed me to the kingdom of heaven,
For I'll neer wed a man.' |
| 32 |
She servd the footmen o the beer,
The nobles o the wine;
But nane did cross her pale, pale lips,
For changing o her min. |
| 33 |
When she came in unto the room
She leuch amo them a',
But when she turnd her back about
She loot the saut tears fa. |
| 34 |
She hanged up a silken cloath
Upon a siller pin;
It was to dry her twa blue eyes,
As she went out and in. |
| 35 |
Her heart wi sorrow sair was filld,
Her breast wi milk ran out;
She aft went ot a quiet chamber,
And let her young son suck. |
| 36 |
'There is a woman in this house
This day has served me;
But I'll rise up, let her sit down,
She's ate, that I may see. |
| 37 |
'O wha is this,' the bride coud say,
'That serves this day sae well?
And what means a' this bonny boys,
That follow at her heel?' |
| 38 |
'This is my sister, Fair Annie,
That serves this day sae well,
And these are a' her bauld brothers,
That follow at her heel.' |
| 39 |
Then out it speaks the new-come bride,
Was full o jealousie:
'I fear there's something new, my lord,
Ye mean to hide frae me. |
| 40 |
'But if she be your light leman
Has me sair beguild,
She shall gae out at my window,
And range the woods sae wild.' |
| 41 |
When day was dane, and night drew on,
And a' man bound for bed,
The bridegroom and the new-come bride
In ae chamber were laid. |
| 42 |
The lady being left alone,
Nursing her fair young son,
She has taen up her gude lord's harp,
She harped and she sung. |
| 43 |
'Seven braw sons hae I born
To the lord o this place;
I wish they were seven hares
To run the castle race,
And I mysel a gude greyhound,
To gie them a' a chace.' |
| 44 |
'Lie near, lie near, my ain gude lord,
Lie near and speak wi me;
There is a woman in the house,
She will be wild ere day.' |
| 45 |
'Lie still, lie still, my new-come bride,
Lie still and take your rest;
The pale's out o my wine-puncheon,
And lang it winna rest.' |
| 46 |
She held the harp still in her hand,
To harp them baith asleep,
And aye she harped and she sang,
And saut tears she did weep. |
| 47 |
'Seven braw sons hae I born
To the gude lord o this ha;
I wish that they were seven brown rats,
To climb the castle wa,
And I mysel a gude grey cat,
To take them ane and a'.' |
| 48 |
'Lie near, lie near, my ain gude lord,
Lie near and speak wi me;
There is a woman in this house,
She will be wild ere day.' |
| 49 |
'Lie yond, lie yond, my new-come bride,
My sheets are wonderous cauld;
I woudna hear my love's lament
For your gowd ten thousand fauld.' |
| 50 |
'O wae be to you, ye fause lord,
Some ill death mat ye die!
For that's the voice o my sister Ann,
Was stown frae yont the sea.' |
| 51 |
'Fair mat fa ye, ye buirdly bride,
A gude death mat ye die!
For that's the voice o your sister Ann,
Was stown frae yont the sea;
I came seeking Annie's tocher,
I was not seeking thee.' |
| 52 |
'Seven gude ships I hae brought here,
In seven I'se gae hame;
And a' the gowd that I brought here,
It's a' gang back again.' |
| 53 |
'Seven ships they brought you here,
But ye'll gang hame in ane;
Ye'll leave the rest to tocher Ann,
For wi her I got nane.' |
| 54 |
'Seven ships they brought me here,
But I'll gang hame in ane;
I'll get my sister's eldest son
To hae me maiden hame. |
| 55 |
'My father wants not gowd nor gear,
He will get me a man;
And happy, happy will he be
To hear o his daughter Ann. |
| 56 |
'I hae my sheen upon my feet,
My gloves upon my hand,
And ye'll come to your bed, Annie,
For I've dane you nae wrang.' |
