Buchan's Ballads of the North of Scotland, I, 145.
| 1 |
Earl Richard had but ae daughter,
A maid o birth and fame;
She loved her father's kitchen-boy,
The greater was her shame. |
| 2 |
But she could neer her true-love see,
Nor with him could she talk,
In towns where she had wont to go,
Nor fields where she could walk. |
| 3 |
But it fell ance upon a day
Her father went from home;
She's calld upon the kitchen boy
To come and clean her room. |
| 4 |
'Come ye sit down by me, Willie,
Come sit ye down by me;
There's nae a lord in a' the north
That I can love but thee.' |
| 5 |
'Let never the like be heard, lady,
Nor let it ever be;
For if your father get word o this
He will gar hang me hie.' |
| 6 |
'O ye shall neer be hangd, Willie,
Your blude shall neer be drawn;
I'll lay my life in pledge o thine
Your body's neer get wrang.' |
| 7 |
'Excuse me now, my comely dame,
No langer here I'll stay;
You know my time is near expir'd,
And now I must away. |
| 8 |
'The master-cook will on me call,
And answered he must be;
If I am found in bower with thee,
Great anger will there be.' |
| 9 |
'The master-cook will on you call,
But shall not answerd be;
I'll put you in a higher place
Than any cook's degree. |
| 10 |
'I have a coffer full of gold,
Another of white monie,
And I will build a bonny ship,
And set my love to sea. |
| 11 |
'Silk shall be your sailing-clothes,
Gold yellow is your hair,
As white like milk are your twa hands,
Your body neat and fair.' |
| 12 |
This lady, with her fair speeches,
She made the boy grow bold,
And he began to kiss and clap,
And on his love lay hold. |
| 13 |
And she has built a bonny ship,
Set her love to the sea,
Seven score o brisk young men
To bear him companie. |
| 14 |
Then she's taen out a gay gold ring,
To him she did it gie:
'This will mind you on the ladie, Willie,
That's laid her love on thee.' |
| 15 |
Then he's taen out a piece of gold,
And he brake it in two:
'All I have in the world, my dame,
For love I give to you.' |
| 16 |
Now he is to his bonny ship,
And merrily taen the sea;
The lady lay oer castle-wa,
The tear blinded her ee. |
| 17 |
They had not saild upon the sea
A week but barely three
When came a prosperous gale of wind,
On Spain's coast landed he. |
| 18 |
A lady lay oer castle-wa,
Beholding dale and down,
And she beheld the bonny ship
Come sailing to the town. |
| 19 |
'Come here, come here, my maries a',
Ye see not what I see;
For here I see the bonniest ship
That ever saild the sea. |
| 20 |
'In her there is the bravest squire
That eer my eyes did see;
All clad in silk and rich attire,
And comely, comely 's he. |
| 21 |
'O busk, O busk, my maries all,
O busk and make ye fine;
And we will on to yon shore-side,
Invite yon squire to dine. |
| 22 |
'Will ye come up to my castle
Wi me and take your dine?
And ye shall eat the gude white bread,
And drink the claret wine.' |
| 23 |
'I thank you for your bread, lady,
I thank you for your wine;
I thank you for your kind offer,
But now I have not time.' |
| 24 |
'I would gie all my land,' she says,
'Your gay bride were I she;
And then to live on a small portion
Contented I would be.' |
| 25 |
'She's far awa frae me, lady,
She's far awa frae me
That has my heart a-keeping fast,
And my love still she'll be.' |
| 26 |
'But ladies they are unconstant,
When their loves go to sea,
And she'll be wed ere ye gae back;
My love, pray stay wi me.' |
| 27 |
'If she be wed ere I go back,
And prove sae false to me,
I shall live single all my life;
I'll neer wed one but she.' |
| 28 |
Then she's taen out a gay gold ring,
And gae him presentlie:
''Twill mind you on the lady, young man,
That laid her love on thee.' |
| 29 |
'The ring that's on my mid-finger
Is far dearer to me,
Tho yours were o the gude red gold,
And mine the metal free.' |
| 30 |
He viewd them all, baith neat and small,
As they stood on the shore,
Then hoist the mainsail to the wind,
Adieu, for evermore! |
| 31 |
He had not saild upon the sea
A week but barely three
Until there came a prosperous gale,
In scotland landed he. |
| 32 |
But he put paint upon his face,
And oil upon his hair,
Likewise a mask above his brow,
Which did disguise him sair. |
| 33 |
Earl Richard lay oer castle-wa,
Beholding dale and down,
And he beheld the bonny ship
Come sailing to the town. |
| 34 |
'Come here, come here, my daughter dear,
Ye see not what I see;
For her I see the bonniest ship
That ever saild the sea. |
| 35 |
'In her there is the bravest squire
That eer my eyes did see;
O busk, O busk, my daughter dear,
Come here, come here, to me. |
| 36 |
'O busk, O busk, my daughter dear,
O busk, and make ye fine,
And we will on to the shore-side,
Invite yon squire to dine.' |
| 37 |
'He's far awa frae me, father,
He's far awa frae me
Who has the keeping o my heart,
And I'll wed nane but he.' |
| 38 |
'Whoever has your heart in hand,
Yon lad's the match for thee,
And he shall come to my castle
This day and dine wi me. |
| 39 |
'Will ye come up to my castle
With me and take your dine?
And ye shall eat the gude white bread,
And drink the claret wine.' |
| 40 |
'Yes, I'll come up to your castle
With you and take my dine,
For I would give my bonny ship
Were your fair daughter mine.' |
| 41 |
'I would give all my lands,' he said,
'That your bride she would be;
Then to live on a small portion
Contented would I be.' |
| 42 |
As they gaed up from yon sea-strand
And down the bowling-green,
He drew the mask out-oer his face,
For fear he should be seen. |
| 43 |
He's done him down from bower to bower,
Likewise from bower to ha,
And there he saw that lady gay,
The flower out-oer them a'. |
| 44 |
He's taen her in his arms twa,
And haild her courteouslie:
'Excuse me, sir, there's no strange man
Such freedom use with me.' |
| 45 |
Her father turnd him round about,
A light laugh then gave he:
'Stay, I'll retire a little while,
Perhaps you may agree.' |
| 46 |
Now Willie's taen a gay gold ring,
And gave her presentlie;
Says, Take ye that, ye lady fair,
A love-token from me. |
| 47 |
O got ye 't on the sea sailing?
Or got ye 't on the sand?
Or got ye 't on the coast of Spain,
Upon a dead man's hand?' |
| 48 |
'Fine silk it was his sailing-clothes,
Gold yellow was his hair;
It would hae made a hale heart bleed
To see him lying there. |
| 49 |
'He was not dead as I passd by,
But no remeid could be;
He gave me this token to bear
Unto a fair ladie. |
| 50 |
'And by the marks he has descryvd
I'm sure that you are she;
So take this token of free will,
For him you'll never see.' |
| 51 |
In sorrow she tore her mantle,
With care she tore her hair:
'Now since I've lost my own true-love,
I'll neer love young men mair.' |
| 52 |
He drew the mask from off his face,
The lady sweetly smiled:
'Awa, awa, ye fause Willie!
How have you me beguiled?' |
| 53 |
Earl Richard he went thro the ha,
The wine-glass in his hand,
But little thought his kitchen-boy
Was heir oer a' his land. |
| 54 |
But this she kept within her heart,
And never told to one
Until nine months they were expir'd,
That her young son came home. |
| 55 |
She told it to her father dear;
He said, Daughter, well won;
You've married for love, not for gold,
Your joys will neer be done. |
