Finlay's Scottish Ballads, II, 1, a collation of three
copies, one of which was M.
| 1 |
When I fell sick, an very sick,
An very sick, just like to die,
A gentleman of good account
He came on purpose to visit me;
But his blackie whispered in my lord's ear
He was owre lang in the room wi me. |
| 2 |
'Gae, little page, an tell your lord,
Gin he will come and dine wi me
I'll set him on a chair of gold
And serve him on my bended knee.' |
| 3 |
The little page gaed up the stair:
'Lord Douglas, dine wi your ladie;
She'll set ye on a chair of gold,
And serve you on her bended knee.' |
| 4 |
'When cockle-shells turn silver bells,
When wine drieps red frae ilka tree,
When frost and snaw will warm us a',
Then I'll cum down an dine wi thee."] |
| 5 |
But whan my father gat word o this,
O what an angry man was he!
He sent fourscore o his archers bauld
To bring me safe to his countrie. |
| 6 |
When I rose up then in the morn,
My goodly palace for to lea,
I knocked at my lord's chamber-door,
But neer a word wad he speak to me. |
| 7 |
But slowly, slowly, rose he up,
And slowly, slowly, cam he down,
And when he saw me set on my horse,
He caused his drums and trumpets soun. |
| 8 |
'Now fare ye weel, my goodly palace!
And fare ye weel, my children three!
God grant your father grace to love you
Far more than ever he loved me.' |
| 9 |
He thocht that I was like himsel,
That had a woman in every hall;
But I could swear, by the heavens clear,
I never loved man but himsel. |
| 10 |
As on to Embro town we cam,
My guid father he welcomed me;
He caused his minstrels meet to sound,
It was nae music at a' to me. |
| 11 |
'Now haud your tongue, my daughter dear,
Leave off your weeping, let it be;
For Jamie's divorcement I'll send over;
Far better lord I'll provide for thee.' |
| 12 |
'Now haud your tongue, my father dear,
And of such talking let me be;
For never a man shall come to my arms,
Since my lord has sae slighted me.' |
| 13 |
O an I had neer crossed the Tweed,
Nor yet been owre the river Dee,
I might hae staid at Lord Orgul's gate,
Where I wad hae been a gay ladie. |
| 14 |
The ladies they will cum to town,
And they will cum and visit me;
But I'll set me down now in the dark,
For ochanie! who'll comfort me? |
| 15 |
An wae betide ye, black Fastness,
Ay, and an ill deid may ye die!
Ye was the first and foremost man
Wha parted my true lord and me. |
