Skene Manuscript, p. 81; taken down in the north of Scotland
1802-3.
| 1 |
Bonny Cathrin Jaffray,
That proper maid sae fare,
She has loved young Lochinvar,
She made him no compare. |
| 2 |
He courted her the live-long winter-night,
Sae has he the simmer's day;
He has courted her sae long
Till he sta her heart away. |
| 3 |
But the lusty laird of Lamendall
Came frae the South Country,
An for to gain this lady's love
In entreid he. |
| 4 |
. . . .
. . .
He has gained her friends' consent,
An sett the wedding-day. |
| 5 |
The wedding-day being set,
An a' man to it . . . ,
She sent for her first fair love,
The wedding to come to. |
| 6 |
His father an his mother came,
. . .
They came a', but he came no;
It was a foul play. |
| 7 |
Lochinvar, as his comrads
Sat drinkine at the wine,
['Fie] on you,' said his comrads,
'Tak yer bride for shame. |
| 8 |
'Had she been mine, as she was yours,
An done as she has done to you,
I wad tak her on her bridal-day,
Fra a' her companie. |
| 9 |
'Fra a' her companie,
Without any other stay;
I wad gie them frogs insted o fish,
An tak their bride away.' |
| 10 |
He gat fifty young men,
They were gallant and gay,
An fifty maidens,
An left them on a lay. |
| 11 |
Whan he cam in by Callien bank,
An in by Callien brae,
He left his company
Dancing on a lay. |
| 12 |
He cam to the bridal-house,
An in entred he;
. . .
. . . |
| 13 |
'There was young man in this place
Loved well a comly may,
But the day she gaes an ither man's bride,
An played him foul play. |
| 14 |
'Had it been me as it was him,
An don as she has don him tee,
I wad he geen them frogs instead a fish,
An taen their bride away.' |
| 15 |
The English spiered gin he wad fight;
It spak well in his mind;
. . .
. . . |
| 16 |
'It was no for fightin I cam here,
But to bear good fellowship;
Gae me a glass wi your bridegroom,
An so I go my way.' |
| 17 |
The glass was filled o guid red wine,
. . . between them twa:
'Man, man I see yer bride,
An so I gae my waa.' |
| 18 |
He was on guid horseback,
An whipt the bride him wi;
She grat an wrang her hands,
An said, 'It is foul play. |
| 19 |
. . . .
'An this I dare well say,
For this day I gaed anither man's bride,
An it's been foul play.' |
| 20 |
But now sh's Lochinvar's wife,
. . . .
He gaed them frogs instead o fish,
An tain their bride away. |
