Buchan's Ballads of the North of Scotland, I, 103.
| 1 |
There stands a stane in wan water,
It's lang ere it grew green;
Lady Maisry sits in her bower door,
Sewing at her silken seam. |
| 2 |
Word's gane to her mother's kitchen,
And to her father's ha,
That Lady Maisry is big wi bairn-+-
And her true-love's far awa. |
| 3 |
When her brother got word of this,
Then fiercely looked he:
'Betide me life, betide me death,
At Maisry's bower I'se be. |
| 4 |
'Gae saddle to me the black, the black,
Gae saddle to me the brown;
Gae saddle to me the swiftest steed,
To hae me to the town.' |
| 5 |
When he came to Maisry's bower,
He turnd him round about,
And at a little shott-window,
He saw her peeping out. |
| 6 |
'Gude morrow, gude morrow, Lady Maisry,
God make you safe and free!'
'Gude morrow, gude morrow, my brother dear,
What are your wills wi me?' |
| 7 |
'What's come o a' your green claithing,
Was ance for you too side?
And what's become o your lang stays,
Was ance for you too wide?' |
| 8 |
'O he that made my claithing short,
I hope he'll make them side;
And he that made my stays narrow,
I hope he'll make them wide.' |
| 9 |
'O is it to a lord o might,
Or baron o high degree?
Or is it to any o your father's boys,
Rides in the chase him wi?' |
| 10 |
'It's no to any Scottish lord,
Nor baron o high degree;
But English James, that little prince,
That has beguiled me.' |
| 11 |
'O was there not a Scots baron
That could hae fitted thee,
That thus you've lovd an Englishman,
And has affronted me?' |
| 12 |
She turnd her right and round about,
The tear blinded her ee:
'What is the wrang I've done, brother,
Ye look sae fierce at me?' |
| 13 |
'Will ye forsake that English blude,
When your young babe is born?'
'I'll nae do that, my brother dear,
Tho I shoud be forlorn.' |
| 14 |
'I'se cause a man put up the fire,
Anither ca in the stake,
And on the head o yon high hill
I'll burn you for his sake. |
| 15 |
'O where are all my wall-wight men,
That I pay meat and fee,
For to hew down baith thistle and thorn,
To burn that lady wi?' |
| 16 |
Then he has taen her, Lady Maisry,
And fast he has her bound;
And he causd the fiercest o his men
Drag her frae town to town. |
| 17 |
Then he has causd ane of his men
Hew down baith thistle and thorn;
She carried the peats in her petticoat-lap,
Her ainsell for to burn. |
| 18 |
Then ane pat up this big bauld fire,
Anither ca'd in the stake;
It was to burn her Lady Maisry,
All for her true-love's sake. |
| 19 |
But it fell ance upon a day,
Prince James he thought full lang;
He minded on the lady gay
He left in fair Scotland. |
| 20 |
'O where will I get a little wee boy,
Will win gowd to his fee,
That will rin on to Adam's high tower,
Bring tidings back to me?' |
| 21 |
'O here am I, a little wee boy,
Will win gowd to my fee,
That will rin on to Adam's high tower,
Bring tidings back to thee.' |
| 22 |
Then he is on to Adam's high tower,
As fast as gang coud he,
And he but only wan in time
The fatal sight to see. |
| 23 |
He sat his bent bow to his breast,
And ran right speedilie,
And he is back to his master,
As fast as gang coud he. |
| 24 |
'What news, what news, my little wee boy?
What news hae ye to me?'
'Bad news, bad news, my master dear,
Bad news, as ye will see.' |
| 25 |
'Are ony o my biggins brunt, my boy?
Or ony o my towers won?
Or is my lady lighter yet,
O dear daughter or son?' |
| 26 |
'There's nane o your biggins brunt, master,
Nor nane o your towers won,
Nor is your lady lighter yet,
O dear daughter nor son. |
| 27 |
'There's an has been [put up] a big bauld fire,
Anither ca'd in the stake,
And on the head o yon high hill,
They're to burn her for your sake.' |
| 28 |
'Gae saddle to me the black, the black,
Gae saddle to me the brown;
Gae saddle to me the swiftest steed,
To hae me to the town.' |
| 29 |
Ere he was three miles near the town,
She heard his horse-foot patt:
'Mend up the fire, my fause brother,
It scarce comes to my pap.' |
| 30 |
Ere he was twa miles near the town,
She heard his bridle ring:
'Mend up the fire, my fause brother,
It scarce comes to my chin. |
| 31 |
'But look about, my fause brother,
Ye see not what I see;
I see them coming here, or lang
Will mend the fire for thee.' |
| 32 |
Then up it comes him little Prince James,
And fiercely looked he:
'I'se make my love's words very true
She said concerning me. |
| 33 |
'O wha has been sae bauld,' he said,
'As put this bonfire on?
And wha has been sae bauld,' he said,
'As put that lady in?' |
| 34 |
Then out it spake her brother then,
He spoke right furiouslie;
Says, I'm the man that put her in:
Wha dare hinder me? |
| 35 |
'If my hands had been loose,' she said,
'As they are fastly bound,
I woud hae looted me to the ground,
Gien you up your bonny young son.' |
| 36 |
'I will burn, for my love's sake,
Her father and her mother;
And I will burn, for my love's sake,
Her sister and her brother. |
| 37 |
'And I will burn, for my love's sake,
The whole o a' her kin;
And I will burn, for my love's sake,
Thro Linkum and thro Lin. |
| 38 |
'And mony a bed will I make toom,
And bower will I make thin;
And mony a babe shall thole the fire,
For I may enter in.' |
| 39 |
Great meen was made for Lady Maisry,
On that hill whare she was slain;
But mair was for her ain true-love,
On the fields for he ran brain. |
