Motherwell's Manuscript, p. 226. From the recitation of Widow
McCormick, Westbrae, Paisley, 1825; learned of an old
woman in Dumbarton, thirty or forty years before.
| 1 |
There was a shepherd's daughter,
Kept sheep on yonder hill;
O by comes a courtier,
And fain wud hae his will.
We'll go no more a roving,
A roving in the night,
We'll go no more a roving,
Let the moon shine neer so bright.
O we'll go [no] more a roving. |
| 2 |
He took her by the middle so small,
And by the grass-green sleeve;
He bended her body unto the ground,
And of her parents he askd no leave.
We'll go no more a roving,
A roving in the night,
We'll go no more a roving,
Let the moon shine neer so bright.
O we'll go [no] more a roving. |
| 3 |
'Now since you've got your will o me,
And brought my fair bodie to shame,
All the request I ask of you is,
Pray tell me what's your name.'
We'll go no more a roving,
A roving in the night,
We'll go no more a roving,
Let the moon shine neer so bright.
O we'll go [no] more a roving. |
| 4 |
'O some do call me Jack,' he says,
'And some do call me John,
But when I am in the king's court,
My name is Sweet William.'
We'll go no more a roving,
A roving in the night,
We'll go no more a roving,
Let the moon shine neer so bright.
O we'll go [no] more a roving. |
| 5 |
She took her petticoats by the band,
Her mantle oer her arm,
And she's awa to the king's court,
As fast as she could run.
We'll go no more a roving,
A roving in the night,
We'll go no more a roving,
Let the moon shine neer so bright.
O we'll go [no] more a roving. |
| 6 |
When she came to the king's court,
She tinkled at the ring;
Who was so ready as the king himsel
To let this fair maid in!
We'll go no more a roving,
A roving in the night,
We'll go no more a roving,
Let the moon shine neer so bright.
O we'll go [no] more a roving. |
| 7 |
And when she came before the king,
She kneeled low by his knee;
'What's this? what's this, fair maid,' he says,
'What's this you ask of me?'
We'll go no more a roving,
A roving in the night,
We'll go no more a roving,
Let the moon shine neer so bright.
O we'll go [no] more a roving. |
| 8 |
. . . . .
. . . . .
'There is a knight into your court
This day has robbed me.'
We'll go no more a roving,
A roving in the night,
We'll go no more a roving,
Let the moon shine neer so bright.
O we'll go [no] more a roving. |
| 9 |
'If he robbed you of your gold,' he said,
'It's hanged he must be;
If he's robbed you of your maidenhead,
His body I grant to thee.'
We'll go no more a roving,
A roving in the night,
We'll go no more a roving,
Let the moon shine neer so bright.
O we'll go [no] more a roving. |
| 10 |
'He's not robbed me of my gold,' she said,
'Nor of my white money,
But he's robbed me of my maidenhead,
The flower of my bodie.'
We'll go no more a roving,
A roving in the night,
We'll go no more a roving,
Let the moon shine neer so bright.
O we'll go [no] more a roving. |
| 11 |
He's called down his merry men all,
By one, by two, by three;
John used to be the foremost man,
But the hindmost man was he.
We'll go no more a roving,
A roving in the night,
We'll go no more a roving,
Let the moon shine neer so bright.
O we'll go [no] more a roving. |
| 12 |
He took a long purse of gold
And wrapped it in a glove:
'Here's to thee, my dearest dear,
Go seek some other love.'
We'll go no more a roving,
A roving in the night,
We'll go no more a roving,
Let the moon shine neer so bright.
O we'll go [no] more a roving. |
| 13 |
'I'll have none of your gold,' she says,
'Nor any of your white money,
But I'll just have your own bodie
The king has granted to me.'
We'll go no more a roving,
A roving in the night,
We'll go no more a roving,
Let the moon shine neer so bright.
O we'll go [no] more a roving. |
| 14 |
'I wish I was drinking the well-water
When I drank of the ale,
Before a shepherd's daughter
Would tell me such a tale.'
We'll go no more a roving,
A roving in the night,
We'll go no more a roving,
Let the moon shine neer so bright.
O we'll go [no] more a roving. |
| 15 |
He got her on a milk-white steed,
Himself upon a grey,
Then on a day . . .
This couple rode away.
We'll go no more a roving,
A roving in the night,
We'll go no more a roving,
Let the moon shine neer so bright.
O we'll go [no] more a roving. |
| 16 |
It's when they were coming by the nettle-bush,
She said, So well may you grow!
For many a day my mammy and me
Hae pickled at your pow.
We'll go no more a roving,
A roving in the night,
We'll go no more a roving,
Let the moon shine neer so bright.
O we'll go [no] more a roving. |
| 17 |
When they cam by the mill-door, she said,
So well may you clatter!
For many a day my mammy and me
Pickled at your happer.
We'll go no more a roving,
A roving in the night,
We'll go no more a roving,
Let the moon shine neer so bright.
O we'll go [no] more a roving. |
| 18 |
When they came to the king's court,
They reckoned up their kin;
She was a king's one dochter,
And he but a blacksmith's son.
We'll go no more a roving,
A roving in the night,
We'll go no more a roving,
Let the moon shine neer so bright.
O we'll go [no] more a roving. |
