Buchan's Ballads of the North of Scotland, I, 56.
| 1 |
'My mother was an ill woman,
In fifteen years she marrid me;
I hadna wit to guide a man,
Alas! ill counsel guided me. |
| 2 |
'O Warriston, O Warriston,
I wish that ye may sink for sin!
I was but bare fifteen years auld,
Whan first I enterd your yates within. |
| 3 |
'I hadna been a month married,
Till my gude lord went to the sea;
I bare a bairn ere he came hame,
And set it on the nourice knee. |
| 4 |
'But it fell ance upon a day,
That my gude lord returnd from sea;
Then I did dress in the best array,
As blythe as ony bird on tree. |
| 5 |
'I took my young son in my arms,
Likewise my nourice me forebye,
And I went down to yon shore-side,
My gude lord's vessel I might spy. |
| 6 |
'My lord he stood upon the deck,
I wyte he haild me courteouslie:
Ye are thrice welcome, my lady gay,
Whae's aught that bairn on your knee?' |
| 7 |
She turnd her right and round about,
Says, 'Why take ye sic dreads o me?
Alas! I was too young married,
To love another man but thee.' |
| 8 |
'Now hold your tongue, my lady gay,
Nae mair falsehoods ye'll tell to me;
This bonny bairn is not mine,
You've loved another while I was on sea.' |
| 9 |
In discontent then hame she went,
And aye the tear did blin her ee;
Says, Of this wretch I'll be revenged
For these harsh words he's said to me. |
| 10 |
She's counselld wi her father's steward
What way she coud revenged be;
Bad was the counsel then he gave,
It was to gar her gude lord dee. |
| 11 |
The nourice took the deed in hand,
I wat she was well paid her fee;
She kiest the knot, and the loop she ran,
Which soon did gar this young lord dee. |
| 12 |
His brtother lay in a room hard by,
Alas! that night he slept too soun;
But then he wakend wi a cry,
'I fear my brother's putten down. |
| 13 |
'O get me coal and candle light,
And get me some gude companie;'
But before the light was brought,
Warriston he was gart dee. |
| 14 |
They've taen the lady and fause nourice,
In prison strong they hae them boun;
The nourice she was hard o heart,
But the bonny lady fell in swoon. |
| 15 |
In it came her brother dear,
And aye a sorry man was he:
'I woud gie a' the lands I heir,
O bonny Jean, to borrow thee.' |
| 16 |
'O borrow me, brother, borrow me?
O borrowd shall I never be;
For I gart kill my ain gude lord,
And life is nae pleasure to me.' |
| 17 |
In it came her mother dear,
I wyte a sorry woman was she:
'I woud gie my white monie and gowd,
O bonny Jean, to borrow thee.' |
| 18 |
'Borrow me, mother, borrow me?
O borrowd shall I never be;
For I gart kill my ain gude lord,
And life's now nae pleasure to me.' |
| 19 |
Then in ti came her father dear,
I wyte a sorry man was he;
Says, 'Ohon, alas! my bonny Jean,
If I had you at hame wi me! |
| 20 |
Seven daughters I hae left at hame,
As fair women as fair can be;
But I woud gie them ane by ane,
O bonny Jean, to borrow thee.' |
| 21 |
'O borrow me, father, borrow me?
O borrowd shall I never be;
I that is worthy o the death,
It is but right that I shoud dee.' |
| 22 |
Then out is speaks the king himsell,
And aye as he steps in the fleer;
Says, 'I grant you your life, lady,
Because you are of tender year.' |
| 23 |
'A boon, a boon, my liege the king,
The boon I ask, ye'll grant to me;'
'Ask on, ask on, my bonny Jean,
Whateer ye ask it's granted be.' |
| 24 |
'Cause take me out at night, at night,
Lat not the sun upon me shine,
And take me to yon heading-hill,
Strike aff this dowie head o mine. |
| 25 |
'Ye'll take me out at night, at night,
When there are nane to gaze and see,
And hae me to yon heading-hill,
And ye'll gar head me speedilie.' |
| 26 |
They've taen her out at nine at night,
Loot not the sun upon her shine,
And had her to yon heading-hill,
And headed her baith neat and fine. |
| 27 |
Then out it speaks the king himsell,
I wyte a sorry man was he:
'I've travelld east, I've travelld west,
And sailed far beyond the sea,
But I never saw a woman's face
I was sae sorry to see dee. |
| 28 |
'But Warriston was sair to blame,
For slighting o his lady so;
He had the wyte o his ain death,
And bonny lady's overthrow.' |
