Jamieson-Brown Manuscript, fol. 17.
| 1 |
O wha woud wish the win to blaw,
Or the green leaves fa therewith?
Or wha wad wish a leeler love
Than Brown Adam the Smith? |
| 2 |
His hammer's o the beaten gold,
His study's o the steel,
His fingers white are my delite,
He blows his bellows well. |
| 3 |
But they ha banishd him Brown Adam
Frae father and frae mither,
An they ha banishd him Brown Adam
Frae sister and frae brither. |
| 4 |
And they ha banishd Brown Adam
Frae the flowr o a' his kin;
An he's biggit a bowr i the good green wood
Betwen his lady an him. |
| 5 |
O it fell once upon a day
Brown Adam he thought lang,
An he woud to the green wood gang,
To hunt some venison. |
| 6 |
He's ta'en his bow his arm oer,
His bran intill his han,
And he is to the good green wood,
As fast as he coud gang. |
| 7 |
O he's shot up, an he's shot down,
The bird upo the briar,
And he's sent it hame to his lady,
Bade her be of good cheer. |
| 8 |
O he's shot up, an he's shot down,
The bird upo the thorn,
And sent it hame to his lady,
And hee'd be hame the morn. |
| 9 |
Whan he came till his lady's bowr-door
He stood a little foreby,
And there he heard a fu fa'se knight
Temptin his gay lady. |
| 10 |
O he's taen out a gay gold ring,
Had cost him mony a poun:
'O grant me love for love, lady,
An this sal be your own.' |
| 11 |
'I loo Brown Adam well,' she says,
'I wot sae does he me;
An I woud na gi Brown Adam's love
For nae fa'se knight I see.' |
| 12 |
Out has he ta'en a purse of gold,
Was a' fu to the string:
'Grant me but love for love, lady,
An a' this sal be thine.' |
| 13 |
'I loo Brown Adam well,' she says,
'An I ken sae does he me;
An I woudna be your light leman
For mair nor ye coud gie.' |
| 14 |
Then out has he drawn his lang, lang bran,
And he's flashd it in her een:
'Now grant me love for love, lady,
Or thro you this sal gang!' |
| 15 |
'O,' sighing said that gay lady,
'Brown Adam tarrys lang!'
Then up it starts Brown Adam,
Says, I'm just at your han. |
| 16 |
He's gard him leave his bow, his bow,
He's gard him leave his bran;
He's gard him leave a better pledge,
Four fingers o his right han. |
