Skene Manuscript, p. 113; taken down from recitation in the
north of Scotland, 1802-3.
| 1 |
Earell is a bonny place,
It stands upon yon plain;
The greatest faut about the place
Earell's no a man.
What ye ca the danting o 't,
According as ye ken,
For the pearting . . .
Lady Earell lyes her lane. |
| 2 |
Earell is a bonny place,
It stands upon yon plain;
The roses they graw red an white,
An apples they graw green. |
| 3 |
'What need I my apron wash
An hing upon yon pin?
For lang will I gae out an in
Or I hear my bairnie's din. |
| 4 |
'What need I my apron wash
An hing upo yon door?
For side and wide is my petticoat,
An even down afore. |
| 5 |
'But I will lace my stays again,
My middle jimp an sma;
I'l gae a' my days a maiden,
[Awa], Earell, awa!' |
| 6 |
It fell ance upon a day Lord Earell
Went to hunt him lane,
. . . .
. . . |
| 7 |
He was na a mile fra the town,
Nor yet sae far awa,
Till his lady is on to Edinburgh,
To try hir all the law. |
| 8 |
Little did Lord Earell think,
Whan he sat down to dine,
That his lady was on to Edinburgh,
Nor what was in her mind. |
| 9 |
Till his best servant came
For to lat him ken
. . . .
. . . |
| 10 |
She was na in at the toun-end,
Nor yet sae far awa,
Till Earell was at her back,
His gaudy locks to sha. |
| 11 |
She was na in at the loan-head,
Nor just at the end,
Till Earell he was at her back,
Her errand for to ken. |
| 12 |
As lang as they ca ye Kate Carnegie,
An me Sir Gilbert Hay,
I's gar yer father sell Kinaird,
Yer tocher for to pay.' |
| 13 |
'For to gar my father sell Kinnaird,
It wad be a sin,
To gee it to ony naughty knight
That a tocher canna win.' |
| 14 |
Out spak the first lord,
The best amang them a';
'I never seed a lady come
Wi sick matters to the law.' |
| 15 |
Out spak the neest lord,
The best o the town;
'Ye get fifteen well-fared maids,
An put them in a roun,
An Earell in the midst o them,
An lat him chuse out ane.' |
| 16 |
They ha gotten fifteen well-fared maids,
An pit them in a roun,
An Earell in the mids o them,
An bad him chuse out ane. |
| 17 |
He viewed them a' intill a raw,
Even up and down,
An he has chosen a well-fared may,
An meggie was her name. |
| 18 |
He took her by the hand,
Afore the nobles a',
An twenty times he kissed her mou,
An led her thro the ha. |
| 19 |
'Look up, Megie, look up, Megie,
[Look up,] an think na shame;
As lang as ye see my gaudy locks,
Lady Earell's be yer name.' |
| 20 |
There were fifteen noblemen,
An as mony laides gay,
To see Earell proven a man
. . . . |
| 21 |
'Ye tak this well-fared may,
And keep her three roun raiths o a year,
An even at the three raiths' end
I sall draw near.' |
| 22 |
They hae taen that well-fared may,
An keepd her three roun raiths o a year,
And even at the three raiths' end
Earell's son she bare. |
| 23 |
The gentlemen they ga a shout,
The ladies ga a caa,
Fair mat fa him Earell!
But ran to his lady. |
| 24 |
He was na in at the town-head,
Nor just at the end,
Till the letters they were waiting him
That Earell had a son. |
| 25 |
'Look up, Meggie, look up, Meggie,
[Look up,] an think na shame;
As lang as ye see my bra black hat,
Lady Earell's be yer name. |
| 26 |
'I will gie my Meggie a mill,
But an a piece o land,
. . . .
To foster my young son. |
| 27 |
'Faur is a' my merry men a',
That I pay meat an gaire,
To convey my Meggy hame,
. . . ?' |
| 28 |
. . .
. . .
Even in Lord Earell's coach
They conveyed the lassie hame. |
| 29 |
'Take hame yer daughter, Lord Kinnaird,
An take her to the glen,
For Earell canna pleas her,
Earell nor a' his men.' |
| 30 |
'Had I ben Lady Earell,
Of sic a bonny place,
I wad na gaen to Edinburgh
My husband to disgrace.' |
