Buchan Manuscripts, I, 46.
| 1 |
O wha woud wish the win to blaw,
The green leaves fa therewith?
O wha would wish a leeler luve
Than Brown Adam the Smith? |
| 2 |
O he forsook the royal court,
And knights and lords sae gude,
And he is to the black smithy,
To learn to shoe a steed. |
| 3 |
His hammer-shaft o gude red gowd,
His studdy o the steel,
His fingers whyte, and maids' delight,
And blaws his bellows weel. |
| 4 |
He being a favourite with the king
Caused him get mony a fae,
And sae their plots they did contrive
To work him grief and wae. |
| 5 |
Of treason then he was accused
By his fause enemie,
Which caused the king to make a vow
That banishd he shoud be. |
| 6 |
Then banishd hae they Brown Adam,
Frae father and frae mither,
And banished hae they him Brown Adam
Frae sister and frae brither. |
| 7 |
And they hae banishd him Brown Adam,
The flower o a' his kin;
He built a bower in gude green wood,
For his true love and him. |
| 8 |
But it fell ance upon a day
The king's young son thought lang,
And minded him on Brown Adam,
Oft rade on his right han. |
| 9 |
Then he sent for him Brown Adam,
To shoe his milk-white steed,
That he might see him ance in court,
Mang knights o noble bleed. |
| 10 |
When Brown Adam he read these lines,
A light laugh then gae hee:
'What's this that's made their hearts to fa,
They lang sae sair for mee?' |
| 11 |
Then out it speaks his gay ladye:
Brown Adam, bide wi mee;
For if ye gang to court, I fear
Your face I'll never see. |
| 12 |
'Cheer up your heart, my ain true-love,
Let naething cause your grief;
Though I be absent for some days,
Ye seen will get relief.' |
| 13 |
Then he has kissd his gay ladye,
And rade alang the lay,
And hunted a' the wild birds there,
As he rade on the way. |
| 14 |
He shot the bunting o the bush,
The linnet o the brier,
And sent them on to gude green wood,
His ladye's heart to cheer. |
| 15 |
He shot the bunting o the bush,
The linnet o the wand,
And sent them on to his ladye,
Forbade her to think lang. |
| 16 |
He shot the bunting o the bush,
The linnet o the thorn,
And sent them on to his ladye,
Said he'd be hame the morn. |
| 17 |
A thought then came into his mind,
As he rade on the way,
Some evil in his absence might
Befa his ladye gay. |
| 18 |
Now when he had the prince' steed shod,
And bound again to ryde,
He turned his horse to Ringlewood;
Some days he meant to byde. |
| 19 |
But when he turned to Ringlewood;
Ae foot's horse woudna ryde;
Whan he turned to his luver's bower,
He flew like ony glyde. |
| 20 |
When he drew near to his luve's bower,
There he alighted down,
For the hearing o his great horse tramp
Ere he wan to the town. |
| 21 |
Whan he came to his luver's bower,
He heard a dolefu din;
He wasna aware o a fu fause knight,
His true-love's bower within. |
| 22 |
He bound his steed to his ain stall,
And gae him corn and hay,
And listened at a shott-window,
To hear what he would say. |
| 23 |
The first and thing the knight drew out,
It was a coffer fine;
It was as fu o gude black silk,
Make ladyes for to shine. |
| 24 |
'Ye are too lack o luve, ladye,
And that's a hatefu thing;
Luve me, and lat Brown Adam be,
And a' this shall be thine.' |
| 25 |
'O well I like Brown Adam,' she said,
'I wyte hee hates nae mee;
I winna forsake him Brown Adam
For a' your gifts an thee.' |
| 26 |
The next and thing the knight drew out,
It was a coffer small;
It was as fou o shambo gluves,
Woud had her hands frae caul. |
| 27 |
'Ye are too lack o luve, ladye,
An that's a hatefu thing;
Luve me, an lat Brown Adam be,
An a' this shall be thine.' |
| 28 |
'O well like I Brown Adam,' she said,
'I'm sure he hates nae me;
I winna forsake him Brown Adam
For a' your gifts an thee.' |
| 29 |
The next and thing the knight drew out
It was a coffer fine;
It was as fu of gude red gowd
As a guinnea coud get in. |
| 30 |
'You are too lack o luve, ladye,
And that's a hatefu thing;
Luve me, and lat Brown Adam be,
And a' this shall be thine.' |
| 31 |
'O well I like Brown Adam,' she said,
'I'm sure hee hates nae mee;
I winna forsake him Brown Adam
For a' the gowd ye'll gie.' |
| 32 |
Then his mild mood did quickly change,
And grew mair fierce and cruel,
And then drew out a trusty brand,
Which made her heart to pruel. |
| 33 |
'Since I by you am slighted sae,
Since I frae you maun part,
I swear a vow before I gae,
That this shall pierce your heart.' |
| 34 |
'But still I like Brown Adam,' she said,
'I wat hee hates nae mee;
And if he knew my troubles now
At my call woud hee be. |
| 35 |
'Although he were sax miles awa,
He'd seen be at my han;
But wae is me, sae may I say,
Brown Adam tarries lang!' |
| 36 |
He hit the door then wi his foot,
Made a' the bands to flee:
'Cheer up your heart, my luve Janet,
Your love's nae far frae thee.' |
| 37 |
Then he drew out a trusty brand,
And chassd him thro the ha;
The knight jumpd to a shott-window,
And woud hae been awa. |
| 38 |
'Stay still, stay still,' Brown Adam said,
'Make nae sic haste frae mee'
You or I maun rue the race
That I came ower the lee.' |
| 39 |
Then frae the knight he's taen a wad,
His mantle and his brand;
Likewise he's taen anither wad,
His sword and his sword-hand. |
| 40 |
He threw him ower the shott-window,
Bade him lie there wi care,
And never come back to gude green wood
To marr fair ladies mair. |
| 41 |
'O I am brown,' said Brown Adam,
'And I was never whyte;
But my love has robes o different hues,
To wear at her delyght. |
| 42 |
'Her kirchies be o cambricks fine,
Wi gowd pinnd to the chin;
Her robes shall be o the scarlet hue
She shall gang daily in.' |
