Motherwell's Manuscript, p. 510, from the singing of Mrs. Storic,
wife of William Storie, laborer, Lochwinnoch. A song of
Mrs. Storie's grandmother.
| 1 |
Bob Norice is to the grein-wud gane,
He is awa wi the wind;
His horse is siller-shod afore,
In the shynand gowd ahind. |
| 2 |
He said unto his wee boy John,
I sie what ye dinna sie;
I see the [first] woman that I eer luvit,
Or ever luvit me. |
| 3 |
'Gae tak to hir this pair o gluvis,
They're o the siller-gray,
And tell her to cum to the merrie grein-wud
An speik to Bob Norice. |
| 4 |
'Gae tak to her this gay gowd ring,
And it's aw gowd but the stane,
And tell her to cum to the merrie grein-wud,
And ask the leive o nane. |
| 5 |
'Gae tak to her this braw manteil,
It's a' silk but the sleive,
And tell her to cum to the merrie green-wud,
And ax nae bauld Barnet's leive.' |
| 6 |
'I daurna gang to Lord Barnet's castel,
I daurna gang for my lyfe;
I daurna gang to Lord Barnet's castell,
To twyne him o his wife.' |
| 7 |
'Do I nae pay you gowd?' he said,
'Do I nae pay you fee?
How daur you stand my bidding, Sir,
Whan I bid you to flee?' |
| 8 |
'Gif I maun gang to Lord Barnet's castel,
Sae sair agane my will,
I vow a vow, and I do protest,
It sall be dune for ill.' |
| 9 |
But whan he came to Lord Barnet's castel
He tinklet at the ring;
Tha war nane sae ready as Lord Barnet himsell
To let the wee calland in. |
| 10 |
'What news, what news, my bonnie wee boy?
What news hae ye to me?'
'Nae news, nae news, Lord Barnet,' he said,
'But you ladie I fain would see. |
| 11 |
'Here is a pair o gluves to her,
Thay'r o the silver gray;
And tell her to cum to the merrie green-wud,
And speik to Bob Norice. |
| 12 |
'Here is a gay gowd ring to her,
It's aw gowd but the stane;
And she maun cum to the merrie green-wud,
And speir the leive o nane. |
| 13 |
'Here is a gay manteil to her,
It's aw silk but the sleive;
And she maun cum to the merrie grein-wud,
And ask not bauld Barnet's leive.' |
| 14 |
Then out bespack the yellow nurse,
Wi the babie on her knee,
Sayand, Gif thay be cum frae Bob Norice,
They are welcum to me. |
| 15 |
'O haud your tung, ye yellow nurse,
Aloud an I heir ye lie;
For they're to Lord Barnet's lady,
I trew that this be she.' |
| 16 |
Lord Barnet's to a dressing-room,
And buskt him in woman's array,
And he's awa to the merrie green-wud,
To speik to Bob Norrice. |
| 17 |
Bob Norrice he sits on a tree,
He is whissland and singand;
Says, Merrie, merrie may my hert be,
I see my mither cumand. |
| 18 |
Bob Norice he cam doun frae the trie,
To help his mother to licht fra her horss;
'Och alace, alace,' says Bob Norice,
'My mither was neer sae gross!' |
| 19 |
mither was neer sae gross!' |
| 19 |
Lord Barnet had a not-brown sword,
That hung down by his knee,
And he has cut Bob Norice heid
Aff frae his fair bodie. |
| 20 |
He tuke the bluidy head in his hand,
And he brocht it to the ha,
And flang it into his lady's lap,
Sayand, Lady, there is a ba! |
| 21 |
She took the bluidy heid in her hand,
And kisst it frae cheik to chin,
Sayand, Better I lyke that weil faurit face
Nor aw my royal kin. |
| 22 |
'Whan I was in my father's bour,
A' in my dignity,
An Englis lord a visit came,
Gat Bob Norice wi me.' |
| 23 |
Then out bespak Lord Barnet syne,
And a wae, wae man was he,
Sayand, Gif I had kent he was your son,
He wuld neer been killit be me. |
