Kinloch Manuscripts, I, 137; from Mrs. Boutchart.
| 1 |
There was a may, a maiden sae gay,
Went out wi her milking-pail;
Lang she foucht or her ewes wad bucht,
And syne she a milking fell. |
| 2 |
And ay as she sang the rocks they rang,
Her voice gaed loud and shill;
Ye wad hae heard the voice o the maid
On the tap o the ither hill. |
| 3 |
And ay she sang, and the rocks they rang,
Her voice gaed loud and hie;
Till by there cam a troop o gentlemen,
A riding up that way. |
| 4 |
'Weel may ye sing, ye bonnie may,
Weel and weel may ye sing!
The nicht is misty, weet, and mirk,
And we hae ridden wrang.' |
| 5 |
'Haud by the gate ye cam, kind sir,
Haud by the gate ye cam;
But tak tent o the rank river,
For our streams are unco strang.' |
| 6 |
'Can ye na pity me, fair may,
Canna ye pity me?
Canna ye pity my puir steed,
Stands trembling at yon tree?' |
| 7 |
'What pity wad ye hae, kind sir?
What wad ye hae frae me?
If he has neither corn nor hay,
He has gerss at libertie.' |
| 8 |
'Can ye na pity me, fair may,
Can ye na pity me?
Can ye na pity a gentle knicht
That's deeing for love o thee?' |
| 9 |
He's tane her by the milk-white hand,
And by the gerss-green sleeve;
He's laid her laigh at the bucht-end,
At her kin speird na leave. |
| 10 |
'After ye hae tane your will o me,
Your will as ye hae tane,
Be as gude a gentle knicht
As tell to me your name.' |
| 11 |
'Some do call me Jack,' says he,
'And some do call me John;
But whan I'm in the king's hie court
Duke William is my name. |
| 12 |
'But I ken by your weel-faurd face,
And by your blinking ee,
That ye are the Maid o the Cowdenknows,
And seem very weel to be.' |
| 13 |
'I am na the maid o the Cowdenknows,
Nor does not thnk to be;
But I am ane o her best maids,
That's aft in her companie. |
| 14 |
'But I ken by your black, black hat,
And by your gay gowd ring,
That ye are the Laird o Rochna hills,
Wha beguiles a' our women.' |
| 15 |
'I am na the Laird o Rochna hills,
Nor does na think to be;
But I am ane o his best men,
That's aft in his companie.' |
| 16 |
He's put his hand in his pocket
And tane out guineas three;
Says, Tak ye that, my bonnie may;
It'll pay the nourice fee. |
| 17 |
She's tane her cog upon her head,
And fast, fast gaed she hame:
'Whare hae ye been, my dear dochter?
Ye hae na been your lane. |
| 18 |
'The nicht is misty, weet, and mirk;
Ye may look out and see;
The ewes war skippin oure the knowes,
They wad na bucht in for me. |
| 19 |
'But wae be to your shepherd, father,
An ill death may he dee!
He bigget the buchts sae far frae the toun,
And he trysted a man to me. |
| 20 |
'There cam a tod amang the flock,
The like o him I neer did see;
Afore he had tane the lamb that he took,
I'd rather he'd tane ither three.' |
| 21 |
Whan twenty weeks war past and gane,
Twenty weeks and three,
The lassie begoud to spit and spue,
And thought lang for 's blinkin ee. |
| 22 |
'Twas on a day, and a day near bye,
She was ca'ing out the kye,
That by cam a troop o merry gentlemen,
Cam riding bye that way. |
| 23 |
'Wha's gien ye the scorn, bonnie may?
O wha's done ye the wrang?'
'Na body, na body, kind sir,' she said,
'My baby's father's at hame.' |
| 24 |
'Ye lee, ye lee, fause may,' he said,
'Sae loud as I hear ye lee!
Dinna ye mind o the mirk misty nicht
I buchted the ewes wi thee?' |
| 25 |
'Weel may I mind yon mirk misty nicht,
Weel may I mind,' says she;
'For ay when ye spak ye lifted up your hat,
Ye had a merry blinkin ee.' |
| 26 |
He's turned him round and richt about,
And tane the lassie on;
'Ca out your kye, auld father,' he said,
'She sall neer ca them again. |
| 27 |
'For I am the Laird o Rochna hills,
O thirty plows and three;
And I hae gotten the bonniest lass
O a' the west countrie.' |
| 28 |
'And I'm the Maid o the Cowdenknows,
O twenty plows and three;
And I hae gotten the bonniest lad
In a' the north countrie.' |
