Jamieson-Brown Manuscript, fol. 8.
| 1 |
O Willy was as brave a lord
As ever saild the sea,
And he has gane to the English court,
To serve for meat and fee. |
| 2 |
He had nae been at the kingis court
A twelvemonth and a day,
Till he longd for a sight o the king's daughter,
But ane he coud never see. |
| 3 |
O it fell ance upon a day
To the green wood she has gane,
An Willy he has followd her,
With the clear light o the moon. |
| 4 |
He looted him low, by her did go,
Wi his hat intill his hand:
'O what's your will wi me, Sir Knight?
I pray keep your hat on.' |
| 5 |
'O I am not a knight, Madam,
Nor never thinks to be;
For I am Willy o Douglassdale,
An I serve for meat and fee.' |
| 6 |
'O I'll gang to my bowr,' she says,
'An sigh baith even an morn
That ever I saw your face, Willy,
Or that ever ye was born. |
| 7 |
'O I'll gang to my bowr,' she says,
'An I'll pray baith night an day,
To keep me frae your tempting looks,
An frae your great beauty.' |
| 8 |
O in a little after that
He keepit Dame Oliphant's bowr,
As the love that passd between this twa,
It was like paramour. |
| 9 |
'O narrow, narrow's my gown, Willy,
That wont to be sae wide;
An short, short is my coats, Willy,
That wont to be sae side;
An gane is a' my fair colour,
An low laid is my pride. |
| 10 |
'But an my father get word of this,
He'll never drink again;
An gin my mother get word of this,
In her ain bowr she'll go brain;
An gin my bold brothers get word this,
I fear, Willy, you'll be slain.' |
| 11 |
'O will you leave your father's court,
An go along wi me?
I'll carry you unto fair Scotland,
And mak you a lady free.' |
| 12 |
She pat her han in her pocket
An gae him five hunder poun:
'An take you that now, Squire Willy,
Till awa that we do won.' |
| 13 |
Whan day was gane, and night was come,
She lap the castle-wa;
But Willy kepit his gay lady,
He was laith to let her fa. |
| 14 |
Whan night was gane, an day come in,
An lions gaed to their dens,
An ay the lady followd him,
An the tears came hailing down. |
| 15 |
'O want ye ribbons to your hair?
Or roses to your shoone?
Or want ye as meickle dear bought love
As your ain heart can contain?' |
| 16 |
'I want nae ribbons to my hair,
Nor roses till my shoone;
An Ohone, alas, for dear bought love!
I have mair nor I can contain.' |
| 17 |
O he's pu'd the oak in good green wood,
An he's made to her a fire;
He coverd it oer wi withred leaves,
An gard it burn thro ire. |
| 18 |
He made a bed i the good green wood,
An he's laid his lady down,
An he's coverd her oer wi fig-tree leaves,
But an his ain night-gown. |
| 19 |
'O had I a bunch o yon red roddins,
That grows in yonder wood,
But an a drink o water clear,
I think it woud do me good.' |
| 20 |
He's pu'd her a bunch o yon red roddins,
That grew beside yon thorn,
But an a drink o water clear,
Intill his hunting-horn. |
| 21 |
He's bent his bow, and shot the deer,
An thro the green wood gane,
An ere that he came back again
His lady took travailing. |
| 22 |
'O up ye tak that horn,' she says,
'An ye blaw a blast for me;
Gin my father be in good green wood,
Sae seen's he'll come me ti.' |
| 23 |
'O gin there be a man on earth
That ye loo better nor me,
Ye blaw the horn yoursel,' he says,
'For it's never be blawn by me.' |
| 24 |
O he's bent his bow, an shot the deer,
An thro the green wood has he gane,
An lang or he came back again
His lady bare him a son. |
| 25 |
O up has he tane his bonny young son,
An washn him wi the milk,
An up has he tane his gay lady,
An rowd her i the silk. |
| 26 |
He's bent his bow, and shot the deer,
An thro the green wood has he gane,
Till he met wi a well-fard may,
Her father's flock feeding. |
| 27 |
'Ye leave your father's flock feeding,
An go along wi me;
I'll carry you to a lady fair,
Will gi you both meat and fee.' |
| 28 |
O whan she came the lady before,
She's fa'n down on her knee:
'O what's your will wi me, my dame?
An a dame you seem to be.' |
| 29 |
'O I'm Dame Oliphant, the king's daughter,
Nae doubt but ye've heard o me;
Will you leave your father's flock feeding,
An go to Scotlan wi me? |
| 30 |
'An ye sal get a nouriship
Intill an earldome,
An I will gar provide for the
To marry some brave Scotsman.' |
| 31 |
The may she keepit the bonny boy,
An Willy led his lady,
Untill they took their fair shippin,
Then quickly hame came they. |
| 32 |
The win was fair, an the sea was clear,
An they a' wan safe to lan;
He's haild her lady of Douglassdale,
Himsel the lord within. |
