Kinloch Manuscripts, I, 93; from the recitation of Mary Barr,
Lesmahago, Lanarkshire, May, 1827, and learned by her
about sixty years before from an old dey at Douglas
Castle.
| 1 |
I was a lady of high renown
As lived in the north countrie;
I was a lady of high renown
Whan Earl Douglas loved me. |
| 2 |
Whan we came through Glasgow toun,
We war a comely sight to see;
My gude lord in velvet green,
And I mysel in cramasie. |
| 3 |
Whan we cam to Douglas toun,
We war a fine sight to behold;
My gude lord in cramasie,
And I myself in shining gold. |
| 4 |
Whan that my auld son was born,
And set upon the nurse's knee,
I was as happy a woman as eer was born,
And my gude lord he loved me. |
| 5 |
But oh, an my young son was born,
And set upon the nurse's knee,
And I mysel war dead and gane,
For a maid again I'll never be! |
| 6 |
There cam a man into this house,
And Jamie Lockhart was his name,
And it was told to my gude lord
That I was in the bed wi him. |
| 7 |
There cam anither to this house,
And a bad friend he was to me;
He put Jamie's shoon below my bed-stock,
And bade my gude lord come and see. |
| 8 |
O wae be unto thee, Blackwood,
And ae an ill death may ye dee!
For ye was the first and the foremost man
That parted my gude lord and me. |
| 9 |
Whan my gude lord cam in my room,
This grit falsehood for to see,
He turnd about, and, wi a gloom,
He straucht did tak farewell o me. |
| 10 |
'O fare thee well, my once lovely maid!
O fare thee well, once dear to me!
O fare thee well, my once lovely maid!
For wi me again ye sall never be.' |
| 11 |
'Sit doun, sit doun, Jamie Douglas,
Sit thee doun and dine wi me,
And Ill set thee on a chair of gold,
And a silver towel on thy knee.' |
| 12 |
'Whan cockle-shells turn silver bells,
And mussels they bud on a tree,
Whan frost and snaw turns fire to burn,
Then I'll sit down and dine wi thee.' |
| 13 |
O wae be unto thee, Blackwood,
And ae an ill death may ye dee!
Ye war the first and the foremost man
That parted my gude lord and me. |
| 14 |
Whan my father he heard word
That my gude lord had forsaken me,
He sent fifty o his brisk dragoons
To fesh me hame to my ain countrie. |
| 15 |
That morning before I did go,
My bonny palace for to leave,
I went into my gude lord's room,
But alas! he wad na speak to me. |
| 16 |
'Fare thee well, Jamie Douglas!
Fare thee well, my ever dear to me!
Fare thee well, Jamie Douglas!
Be kind to the three babes I've born to thee.' |
