Motherwell's Manuscript, p. 440.
| 1 |
All young maidens fair and gay,
Whatever your station be,
Never lay your love upon a man
Above your own degree. |
| 2 |
I speak it all by Bird Isabel;
She was her father's dear,
She laid her love on Earl Patrick,
Which she rues ever mair. |
| 3 |
'Oh, we began a wark, Patrick,
That we two cannot end;
Go you unto the outer stair
And call some women in.' |
| 4 |
He's gone unto the outer stair,
And up in it did stand,
And did bring in eleven ladies,
With one sign of his hand. |
| 5 |
He did him to the doctor's shop,
As fast as he could gang,
But ere the doctor could get there
Bird Isabel bore a son. |
| 6 |
But he has courted a duke's daughter,
Lived far beyont the sea;
Burd Isabel's parents were but mean,
That had not gear to gie. |
| 7 |
He has courted a duke's daughter,
Lived far beyond the foam;
Burd Isabel was a mean woman,
And tocher she had none. |
| 8 |
Now it fell once upon a day
His wedding day was come;
He's hied him to his great-grand-aunt,
As fast as he could gang. |
| 9 |
Says, Will you go this errand, aunt?
Go you this errand for me,
And if I live and bruick my life
I will go as far for thee. |
| 10 |
'Go and bring me Bird Isbel's son,
Dressed in silks so fine,
And if he live to be a man
He shall heir all my land.' |
| 11 |
Now she went hailing to the door,
And hailing ben the floor,
And Isabel styled her madame,
And she, her Isabel dear. |
| 12 |
'I came to take Earl Patrick's son,
To dress in silks so fine;
For if he live to be a man
He is to heir his land.' |
| 13 |
'Oh is there ever a woman,' she said,
'Of high station or mean,
Daur take this bairn from my knee?
For he is called mine. |
| 14 |
'Oh is there ever a woman,' she said,
'Of mean station or hie,
Daur tak this bairn frae my foot?
For him I bowed my knee.' |
| 15 |
His aunt went hailing to his door,
And hailing ben the floor,
And she has styled him, Patrick,
And [he] her, aunty dear. |
| 16 |
She says, I have been east and west,
And far beyond the sea,
But Isabel is the boldest woman
That ever my eyes did see. |
| 17 |
'You surely dream, my aunty dear,
For that can never be;
Burd Isabel's not a bold woman,
She never was bold to me.' |
| 18 |
Now he went hailing to her door,
And hailing ben the floor,
And she has styled him, Patrick,
And he her, Isabel dear. |
| 19 |
'O ye have angered my great-grand-aunt;
You know she's a lady free;'
'I said naught to your great-grand-aunt
But what I'll say to thee. |
| 20 |
'Oh is there ever a woman, I said,
Of high station or mean,
Daur tak this bairn from my knee?
For he is called mine. |
| 21 |
'Oh is there ever a woman, I said,
Of mean station or hie,
Daur tak this bairn from my foot?
For him I bowed my knee. |
| 22 |
'But I'll cause you stand at good church-door,
For all your noble train;
For selling of your precious soul,
You shall not get further ben.' |
