Motherwell's Manuscript, p. 321, from Agnes Laird, Kilbarchan,
June 21, 1825.
| 1 |
Lord Robert and Mary Florence,
They were twa children young;
They were scarse seven years of age
Till love began to spring. |
| 2 |
Lord Robert loved Mary Florence,
And she lovd him above power;
But he durst not for his cruel mother
Bring her unto his bower. |
| 3 |
It was nineteen miles to Strawberry Castle,
As good as ever was rode or gane,
But the lord being light, and the steed being swift,
Lord Robert was hame gin noon. |
| 4 |
'A blessing, a blessing, dear mother,' he cries,
'A blessing I do crave!'
'A blessing, a blessing, my son Lord Robert,
And a blessing thou shalt have.' |
| 5 |
She called on her chamber-maid
To fill up a glass of wine,
And so clever was her cursed fingers
To put the rank poison in. |
| 6 |
'O wae be to you, mother dear,' he cries,
'For working such a wae;
For poisoning of your son Lord Robert,
And children you have nae mae. |
| 7 |
'O where will I get a pretty little boy
That'll rin him my errands sune?
That will rin unto Strawberry Castle,
And tell Mary Florence to cum?' |
| 8 |
'Here am I, a pretty little boy,
Your eldest sister's son,
That will rin unto Strawberry Castle,
And tell Mary Florence to come.' |
| 9 |
When he came unto Strawberry Castle
He tirled at the pin,
And so ready was Mary Florence hersell
To open and let him in. |
| 10 |
'What news, what news, my pretty little boy?
What news hast thou brocht here?'
With sichin and sabbin and wringing his hands,
No message he could refer. |
| 11 |
'The news that I have gotten,' he says,
'I cannot weel declair;
But my grandmother has prepard a feast,
And fain she would hae thee thair.' |
| 12 |
She called on her stable-groom
To dress her swiftest steed;
For she knew very weel by this pretty little boy
That Lord Robert was dead. |
| 13 |
And when she came to Knotingale Castle
She tirled at the pin,
And so ready was Lord Robert's mother
To open and let her in. |
| 14 |
'What news, what news, Mary Florence?' she says,
'What news has thou to me?'
'I came to see your son Lord Robert,
And fain would I him see. |
| 15 |
'I came not for his gude red gold,
Nor for his white monie,
But for the ring on his wee finger,
And fain would I it see.' |
| 16 |
'That ring thou cannot see, Mary Florence,
That ring thou'll never see;
For death was so strong in Lord Robert's breast
That the gold ring burst in three.' |
| 17 |
She has set her foot unto a stone,
Her back unto a tree;
Before she left Knotingale Castle
Her heart it brak in three. |
