Skene Manuscript, p. 16;
taken down in the North of Scotland, 1802-1803
| 1 |
Lord Ingram and Gil Viett
Were baith born in ae ha;
They laid their love on ae lady,
An fate they coud na fa. |
| 2 |
Lord Ingram and Gil Viett
Were baith laid in ae wame;
They laid their love on ae lady,
The greater was their shame. |
| 3 |
Lord Ingram wood her Lady Masery
Frae father and frae mither;
Gill Viett wood her Lady Masery
Frae sister and frae brither. |
| 4 |
Lord Ingram courted her Lady Masery
Among the company a';
Gill Viett he wood her Lady Masery
Among the sheets so sma. |
| 5 |
'Get up, my daughter dear,
Put on your bridal gown;
This day's your bridal day
Wi Lord Ingram.' |
| 6 |
'How can I get up,
An put on my bridal gown,
Or how marry the ae brither,
An the tither's babe in my womb?'
* * * * * |
| 7 |
'O laugh you at mysell, brither,
Or at my companie?
Or laugh ye at my bonnie bride,
She wad na laugh at thee?' |
| 8 |
'I laugh na at yoursel, brither,
Nor at your companie;
Nor laugh I at your buirlie bride,
She wad na laugh at me. |
| 9 |
'But there's a brotch on a breast-bane,
A garlan on ane's hair;
Gin ye kend what war under that,
Ye wad neer love woman mair. |
| 10 |
'There is a brotch on a breast-bane,
An roses on ane's sheen;
Gin ye kend what war under that,
Your love wad soon be deen.' |
| 11 |
Whan bells were rung, and mass was sung,
And a' man boun to bed,
Lord Ingram and Lady Masery
In ae chamer were laid. |
| 12 |
He put his hand out oure his bonnie bride,
The babe between her sides did quake:
. . . . . .
. . . . . |
| 13 |
'O father your babe on me, Lady Masery,
O father your babe on me.'
. . . . . .
. . . . . |
| 14 |
'I may father my babe on a stock,
Sae may I on a stane,
But my babe shall never hae
A father but its ain.' |
| 15 |
He took out a brand,
And laid it atween them twa;
. . . . . .
. . . . . |
| 16 |
Gill Viett took out a long brand,
And stroakd it oer a stro,
An thro and thro Lord Ingram's bodie
He made it come and go. |
| 17 |
'Wae mat worth ye, Gill Viett,
An ill died mat ye die!
For I had the cup in my hand
To hae drunken her oer to thee.' |
| 18 |
'[For] ae mile [I wad gae] for Gil Viett,
For Lord Ingram I wad hae gaen three;
An a' for that in good kirk-door
Fair wedding he gave me.' |
| 19 |
Gil Viett took a long brand,
An stroakd it on a stro,
An through and thro his own bodie
He made it come and go. |
| 20 |
There was nae mean made for that godd lords,
In bowr whar they lay slain,
But a' was for that lady,
In bowr whar she gaed brain. |
| 21 |
There was nae mean made for that lady,
In bowr whar she lay dead,
But a' was for the bonnie babe
That lay blabbering in her bleed. |
