"Scotch Ballads, Materials for Border Minstrelsy," No
64, Manuscript of Thomaa Wilkie, 1813-15, p. 50, Abbotsford. " I
took this down from the recitation of Janet Scott, Bowden,
who sung it to a beautiful plaintive old air."
| 1 |
There was a battle i the north
Among the nobles many,
The Laird of Gigh he's killd a man,
The brother of his lady. |
| 2 |
'Where will I get a man or boy,
That will win both goud and money,
That will run into the north,
And fetch to me my lady?' |
| 3 |
Up then spake a bonny boy,
He was both blythe and merry;
'O I will run into the north,
And fetch to you your lady.' |
| 4 |
'You may tell her to sew me a gude side shirt,
She'll no need to sew me mony;
Tell her to bring me a gude side shirt,
It will be the last of any.' |
| 5 |
He has written a broad letter,
And he's seald it sad and sorry;
He's gaen it to that bonny boy,
To take to his fair lady. |
| 6 |
Away the bonny boy he's gaen,
He was both blythe and merrie;
He's to that fair lady gane,
And taen her word frae Geordie. |
| 7 |
When she looked the letter on,
She was both sad and sorrie:
'O I'll away to fair Edinburgh town
Myself and see my Geordie. |
| 8 |
'Gar saddle to me the black,' she says,
'The brown was neer sae bonny;
And I'll straight to Edinburgh
Myself and see my Geordie.' |
| 9 |
When she came to that wan water,
The boats was not yet ready;
She wheeld her horse's head around,
And swimd at the Queen's Ferry. |
| 10 |
When she came to the Parliament Close,
Amang the poor folks many,
She dealt the crowns with duckatoons,
And bade them pray for Geordy. |
| 11 |
When she came to the Parliament House,
Among the nobles many,
The rest sat all wi hat on head,
But hat in hand sat Geordie. |
| 12 |
Up bespake an English lord,
And he spake blythe and merrie;
'Was Geordie's head upon the block,
I am sure I would have his lady.' |
| 13 |
Up bespake that lady fair,
And O but she was sorrie!
'If Geordie's head were on the block,
There's never a man gain his lady. |
| 14 |
'I have land into the north,
And I have white rigs many,
And I could gie them a' to you
To save the life of Geordie. |
| 15 |
'I have seven children in the north,
And they seem very bonnie,
And I could bear them a' over again
For to win the life o Geordie.' |
| 16 |
Up bespake the gude Argyle;
He has befriended many;
'If ye'll tell down ten hundred crowns,
Ye's win the life o Geordie.' |
| 17 |
Some gaed her shillings, some her crowns,
And some gaed her guineas many,
And she's telld down ten hundred crowns,
And she's wone the life o Geordie. |
| 18 |
When she came down through Edinborough,
And Geordie in her hand, O,
'Where will I get a writer's [house],
A writer's house so ready,
That I may write into the north
I have wone the life o Geordie'? |
