Motherwell's Manuscript, p. 443.
| 1 |
Word has come to May Margerie,
In her bower where she sat:
'You are bid come to good green-wood,
To make your love a shirt.' |
| 2 |
'I wonder much,' said May Margerie,
'At this message to me;
There is not a month gone of this year
But I have made him three.' |
| 3 |
Then out did speak her mother dear,
A wise woman was she;
Said, Stay at home, my daughter May,
They seek to murder thee. |
| 4 |
'O I'll cast off my gloves, mother,
And hang them up, I say;
If I come never back again,
They will mind you on May. |
| 5 |
'Go saddle my horseback,' she said,
'It's quick as ever you may,
And we will ride to good green-wood;
It is a pleasant day.' |
| 6 |
And when she came to good green-wood,
It's through it they did ride;
Then up did start him Hind Henry,
Just at the lady's side. |
| 7 |
Says, Stop, O stop, you May Margerie,
Just stop I say to thee;
The boy that leads your bridle reins
Shall see you red and blue. |
| 8 |
It's out he drew a long, long brand,
And stroked it ower a strae,
And through and through that lady's sides
He made the cauld weapon gae. |
| 9 |
Says, Take you that now, May Margerie,
Just take you that from me,
Because you love Brown Robin,
And never would love me. |
| 10 |
There was less pity for that lady,
When she was lying dead,
As was for her bony infant boy,
Lay swathed amang her bleed. |
| 11 |
The boy fled home with all his might,
The tear into his ee:
'They have slain my lady in the wood,
With fear I'm like to die.' |
| 12 |
Her sister's ran into the wood,
With greater grief and care,
Sighing and sobbing all the way,
Tearing her cloaths and hair. |
| 13 |
Says, I'll take up that fair infant,
And lull him on my sleeve;
Altho his father should wish me woe,
His mother to me was leeve. |
| 14 |
Now she has taken the infant up,
And she has brought him hame,
And she has called him Brown Robin,
That was his father's name. |
| 15 |
And when he did grow up a bit,
She put him to the lair,
And of all the youths was at that school
None could with him compare. |
| 16 |
And it fell once upon a day
A playtime it was come,
And when the rest went from the school,
Each one to their own home, |
| 17 |
He hied him unto good green-wood,
And leapt from tree to tree;
It was to pull a hollin wand,
To play his ownself wi. |
| 18 |
And when he thus had passed his time,
To go home he was fain,
He chanced to meet him Hind Henry,
Where his mother was slain. |
| 19 |
'O how is this,' the youth cried out,
'If it to you is known,
How all this wood is growing grass,
And on that small spot grows none?' |
| 20 |
'Since you do wonder, bonnie boy,
I shall tell you anon;
That is indeed the very spot
I killed your mother in.' |
| 21 |
He catched hold of Henry's brand,
And stroked it ower a strae,
And thro and thro Hind Henry's sides
He made the cauld metal gae. |
| 22 |
Says, Take you that, O Hind Henry,
O take you that from me,
For killing of my mother dear,
And her not hurting thee. |
