Skene Manuscript, p. 20; taken down in the north of Scotland,
1802-3.
| 1 |
The Laird of Leys is on to Edinbrugh,
To shaw a fit o his follie;
He drest himsel in the crimson-brown,
An he provd a rantin laddie. |
| 2 |
Ben came a weel-faird lass,
Says, Laddie, how do they ca ye?
'They ca me this, an they ca me that,
Ye wudna ken fat they ca me;
But whan I'm at home on bonnie Deeside
They ca me The Rantin Laddie.' |
| 3 |
They sought her up, they sought her down,
They sought her in the parlour;
She couldna be got but whar she was,
In the bed wi The Rantin Laddie. |
| 4 |
'Tell me, tell me, Baron of Leys,
Ye tell me how they ca ye!
Your gentle blood moves in my side,
An I dinna ken how they ca ye.' |
| 5 |
'They ca me this, an they ca me that,
Ye couldna ken how they ca me;
But whan I'm at home on bonnie Deeside
They ca me The Rantin Laddie.' |
| 6 |
'Tell me, tell me, Baron of Leys,
Ye tell mo how they ca ye!
Your gentle blood moves in my side,
An I dinna ken how to ca ye.' |
| 7 |
'Baron of Leys, it is my stile,
Alexander Burnett they ca me;
Whan I'm at hame on bonnie Deeside
My name is The Rantin Laddie.' |
| 8 |
'Gin your name be Alexander Burnett,
Alas that ever I saw ye!
For ye hae a wife and bairns at hame,
An alas for lyin sae near ye! |
| 9 |
'But I'se gar ye be headit or hangt,
Or marry me the morn,
Or else pay down ten thousand crowns
For giein o me the scorn.' |
| 10 |
'For my head, I canna want;
I love my lady dearly;
But some o my lands I maun lose in the case,
Alas for lyin sae near ye!' |
| 11 |
Word has gane to the Lady of Leys
That the laird he had a bairn;
The warst word she said to that was,
'I wish I had it in my arms. |
| 12 |
'For I will sell my jointure-lands —
I am broken an I'm sorry —
An I'll sell a', to my silk gowns,
An get hame my rantin laddie.' |
