Buchan's Manuscripts, I, 27; Scottish Traditional Versions of
Ancient Ballads, Percy Society, XVII, 21.
| 1 |
Four and twenty handsome youths
Were a' playing at the ba,
When forth it came him Little Munsgrove,
The flower out ower them a'. |
| 2 |
At times he lost, at times he wan,
Till the noon-tide o the day,
And four an twenty gay ladies
Went out to view the play. |
| 3 |
Some came down in white velvet,
And other some in green;
Lord Burnett's lady in red scarlet,
And shin'd like ony queen. |
| 4 |
Some came down in white velvet,
And other some in pale;
Lord Burnett's lady in red scarlet,
Whose beauty did excell. |
| 5 |
She gae a glance out ower them a',
As beams dart frae the sun;
She fixed her eyes on Little Munsgrove,
For him her love lay on. |
| 6 |
'Gude day, gude day, ye handsome youth,
God make ye safe and free;
What woud ye gie this day, Munsgrove,
For ae night in bower wi me?' |
| 7 |
'I darena for my lands, lady,
I darena for my life;
I ken by the rings on your fingers
Ye are Lord Burnett's wife.' |
| 8 |
'It woud na touch my heart, Munsgrove,
Nae mair than 'twoud my tae,
To see as much o his heart's blood
As twa brands coud let gae. |
| 9 |
'I hae a bower in fair Strathdon,
And pictures round it sett,
And I hae ordered thee, Munsgrove,
In fair Strathdon to sleep.' |
| 10 |
Her flattering words and fair speeches,
They were for him too strong,
And she's prevailed on Little Munsgrove
With her to gang along. |
| 11 |
When mass was sung, and bells were rung,
And a' man bound for bed,
Little Munsgrove and that lady
In ae chamber were laid. |
| 12 |
'O what hire will ye gie your page,
If he the watch will keep,
In case that your gude lord come hame
When we're fair fast asleep?' |
| 13 |
'Siller, siller's be his wage,
And gowd shall be his hire;
But if he speak ae word o this,
He'll die in a burning fire.' |
| 14 |
'The promise that I make, Madam,
I will stand to the same;
I winna heal it an hour langer
Than any master comes hame.' |
| 15 |
She's taen a sharp brand in her hand,
Being in the tidive hour;
He ran between her and the door,
She never saw him more. |
| 16 |
Where he found the grass grow green,
He slacked his shoes an ran,
And where he found the brigs broken,
He bent his bow an swam. |
| 17 |
Lord Burnett ower a window lay,
Beheld baith dale and down;
And he beheld his ain foot-page
Come hastening to the town. |
| 18 |
'What news, what news, my little wee boy,
Ye bring sae hastilie?'
'Bad news, bad news, my master,' he says,
'As ye will plainly see.' |
| 19 |
'Are any of my biggins brunt, my boy?
Or are my woods hewed down?
Or is my dear lady lighter yet,
O dear daughter or son?' |
| 20 |
'There are nane o your biggins brunt, master,
Nor are your woods hewn down;
Nor is your lady lighter yet,
O dear daughter nor son. |
| 21 |
'But ye've a bower in fair Strathdon,
And pictures round it sett,
Where your lady and Little Munsgrove
In fair Strathdon do sleep.' |
| 22 |
'O had your tongue! why talk you so
About my gay ladye?
She is a gude and chaste woman
As in the North Countrie.' |
| 23 |
'A word I dinna lie, my lord,
A word I dinna lie;
And if ye winna believe my word,
Your ain twa een shall see.' |
| 24 |
'Gin this be a true tale ye tell,
That ye have tauld to me,
I'll wed you to my eldest daughter,
And married you shall be. |
| 25 |
'But if it be a fause story
That ye hae tauld to me,
A high gallows I'll gar be built,
And hanged shall ye be.' |
| 26 |
He's called upon his landlady,
The reckoning for to pay,
And pulled out twa hands fou o gowd;
Says, We'll reckon anither day. |
| 27 |
He called upon his stable-groom,
To saddle for him his steed,
And trampled ower yon rocky hills
Till his horse hoofs did bleed. |
| 28 |
There was a man in Lord Burnett's train
Was ane o Munsgrove's kin,
And aye as fast as the horsemen rade,
Sae nimbly's he did rin. |
| 29 |
He set a horn to his mouth,
And he blew loud and sma,
And aye at every sounding's end,
'Awa, Munsgrove, awa!' |
| 30 |
Then up it raise him Little Munsgrove,
And drew to him his sheen;
'Lye still, lye still,' the lady she cried,
'Why get ye up sae seen?' |
| 31 |
'I think I hear a horn blaw,
And it blaws loud and sma;
And aye at every sounding's end,
Awa, Munsgrove, awa!' |
| 32 |
'Lye still, lye still, ye Little Munsgrove,
Had my back frae the wind;
It's but my father's proud shepherd,
Caing his hogs to town.' |
| 33 |
'I think I hear a horn blaw,
And it blaws loud and shrill,
And aye at every sounding's end
Bids Munsgrove take the hill.' |
| 34 |
'Lye still, my boy, lye still, my sweet,
Had my back frae the cauld;
It's but the sugh o the westlin wind,
Blawing ower the birks sae bauld.' |
| 35 |
He turned him right and round about,
And he fell fast asleep;
When up it started Lord Burnett,
And stood at their bed-feet. |
| 36 |
'Is't for love o my blankets, Munsgrove?
Or is't for love o my sheets?
Or is't for love o my gay lady?
Sae soun in your arms she sleeps!' |
| 37 |
'It's nae for love o your blankets, my lord,
Nor yet for love o your sheets;
But wae be to your gay ladye,
Sae soun in my arms she sleeps!' |
| 38 |
'Win up, win up, ye Little Munsgrove,
Put all your armour an;
It's never be said anither day
I killed a naked man. |
| 39 |
'I hae twa brands in ae scabbard,
Cost me merks twenty-nine;
Take ye the best, gie me the warst,
For ye're the weakest man.' |
| 40 |
The firs an stroke that Munsgrove drew
Wounded Lord Burnett sair;
The next an stroke Lord Burnett drew,
Munsgrove he spake nae mair. |
| 41 |
He turned him to his ladye then,
And thus to her said he:
'All the time we've led our life
I neer thought this o thee. |
| 42 |
'How like ye now this well-faird face,
That stands straight by your side?
Or will ye hate this ill-faird face,
Lyes weltering in his blude?' |
| 43 |
'O better love I this well-faird face,
Lyes weltering in his blude,
Then eer I'll do this ill-faird face,
That stands straight by my side.' |
| 44 |
Then he's taen out a sharp dagger,
It was baith keen and smart,
And he has wounded that gay ladye
A deep wound to the heart. |
| 45 |
'A grave, a grave,' cried Lord Burnett,
'To bury these two in;
And lay my ladye in the highest flat,
She's chiefest o the kin. |
| 46 |
'A grave, a grave,' said Lord Burnett,
'To bury these two in;
Lay Munsgrove in the lowest flat,
He's deepest in the sin. |
| 47 |
'Ye'll darken my windows up secure,
Wi staunchions round about,
And there is not a living man
Shall eer see me walk out. |
| 48 |
'Nae mair fine clothes my body deck,
Nor kame gang in my hair,
Nor burning coal nor candle light
Shine in my bower mair.' |
