| 1 |
'I warn ye all, ye gay ladies,
That wear scarlet an brown,
That ye dinna leave your father's house,
To follow young men frae town.' |
| 2 |
'O here am I, a lady gay,
That wears scarlet an brown,
Yet I will leave my father's house,
An follow Lord John frae the town.' |
| 3 |
Lord John stood in his stable-door,
Said he was bound to ride;
Burd Ellen stood in her bowr-door,
Said she'd rin by his side. |
| 4 |
He's pitten on his cork-heeld shoone,
An fast awa rade he;
She's clade hersel in page array,
An after him ran she. |
| 5 |
Till they came till a wan water,
An folks do ca it clyde;
Then he's lookit oer his left shoulder,
Says, Lady, can ye wide? |
| 6 |
'O I learnt it i my father house,
An I learnt it for my weal,
Wenneer I came to a wan water,
To swim like ony eel.' |
| 7 |
But the firstin stap the lady stappit,
The water came til her knee;
'Ohon, alas!' said the lady,
'This water's oer deep for me.' |
| 8 |
The nextin stap the lady stappit,
The water came till her middle;
An sighin says that gay lady,
I've wat my gouden girdle |
| 9 |
The nextin stap the lady stappit,
The water came till her pap;
An the bairn that was in her twa sides
For caul begane to quake. |
| 10 |
'Lye still, lye still, my ain dear babe,
Ye work your mither wae;
Your father rides on high horse-back,
Cares little for us twae.' |
| 11 |
O about the midst o Clyden water
There was a yeard-fast stane;
He lightly turnd his horse about,
An tooke her on him behin. |
| 12 |
'O tell me this now, good Lord John,
An a word ye dinna lee,
How far it is to your lodgin,
Whare we this night maun be?' |
| 13 |
'O see you nae yon castle, Ellen,
That shines sae fair to see?
There is a lady in it, Ellen,
Will sunder you an me. |
| 14 |
'There is a lady in that castle
Will sunder you and I:'
'Betide me well, betide me wae,
I sal go there an try.' |
| 15 |
'O my dogs sal eat the good white bread,
An ye sal eat the bran;
Then will ye sigh, an say, alas!
That ever I was a man!' |
| 16 |
'O I sal eat the good white bread,
An your dogs sal eat the bran;
An I hope to live an bless the day,
That ever ye was a man.' |
| 17 |
'O my horse sal eat the good white meal,
An ye sal eat the corn;
Then will ye curse the heavy hour
That ever your love was born.' |
| 18 |
'O I sal eat the good white meal,
An your horse sal eat the corn;
An I ay sall bless the happy hour
That ever my love was born.' |
| 19 |
O four an twenty gay ladies
Welcomd Lord John to the ha,
But a fairer lady than them a'
Led his horse to the stable sta. |
| 20 |
An four an twenty gay ladies
Welcomd Lord John to the green,
But a fairer lady than them a'
At the manger stood alane. |
| 21 |
Whan bells were rung, an mass was sung,
Ar a' men boun to meat,
Burd Ellen at a bye-table
Amo the foot-men was set. |
| 22 |
'O eat an drink, my bonny boy,
The white bread an the beer:'
'The never a bit can I eat or drink,
My heart's sae full of fear.' |
| 23 |
'O eat an drink, my bonny boy,
The white bread an the wine:'
'O I canna eat nor drink, master,
My heart's sae full of pine.' |
| 24 |
But out it spake Lord John's mother,
An a wise woman was she:
'Whare met ye wi that bonny boy,
That looks sae sad on thee? |
| 25 |
'Sometimes his cheek is rosy red,
An sometimes deadly wan;
He's liker a woman big wi bairn,
Than a young lord's serving man.' |
| 26 |
'O it makes me laugh, my mother dear,
Sic words to hear frae thee;
He is a squire's ae dearest son,
That for love has followd me. |
| 27 |
'Rise up, rise up, my bonny boy,
Gi my horse corn an hay:'
'O that I will, my master dear,
As quickly as I may.' |
| 28 |
She's taen the hay under her arm,
The corn intill her han,
An she's gane to the great stable,
As fast as eer she can. |
| 29 |
'O room ye roun, my bonny broun steeds,
O room ye near the wa;
For the pain that strikes me thro my sides
Full soon will gar me fa.' |
| 30 |
She's leand her back against the wa;
Strong travail seizd her on;
An even amo the great horse feet
Burd Ellen brought forth her son. |
| 31 |
Lord John'[s] mither intill her bowr
Was sitting all alone,
Whan, i the silence o the night,
She heard fair Ellen's moan. |
| 32 |
'Won up, won up, my son,' she says,
'Go se how a' does fare;
For I think I hear a woman's groans,
An a bairn greeting sair.' |
| 33 |
O hastily he gat him up,
Stayd neither for hose nor shoone,
An he's doen him to the stable-door,
Wi the clear light o the moon. |
| 34 |
He strack the door hard wi his foot,
An sae has he wi his knee,
An iron locks an iron bars
Into the floor flung he:
'Be not afraid, Burd Ellen,' he says,
'Ther's nane come in but me.' |
| 35 |
Up he has taen his bonny young son,
An gard wash him wi the milk;
An up has he taen his fair lady,
Gard row her in the silk. |
| 36 |
'Cheer up your heart, Burd Ellen,' he says,
'Look nae mair sad nor wae;
For your marriage an your kirkin too
Sal baith be in ae day.' |
