English and Scottish Ballads Volume III Part 47

And gladness through the palace spread, Wi' mickle game and glee; And blythe were a' for fair Annie, Her bridal day to see. 180

And now untill her father's land This young bride she is gane; And her sister Annie's youngest son She hame wi' her has ta'en.

LADY MARGARET. See p. 205.

From Kinloch's _Ancient Scottish Ballads_, p. 180.

"The corn is turning ripe, Lord John, The nuts are growing fu', And ye are bound for your ain countrie; Fain wad I go wi' you."

"Wi me, Marg'ret, wi me, Marg'ret, 5 What wad ye do wi' me?

I've mair need o' a pretty little boy, To wait upon my steed."

"It's I will be your pretty little boy, To wait upon your steed; 10 And ilka town that we come to, A pack of hounds I'll lead."

"My hounds will eat o' the bread o' wheat, And ye of the bread of bran: And then you will sit and sigh, 15 That e'er ye loed a man."

The first water that they cam to, I think they call it Clyde, He saftly unto her did say,-- "Lady Marg'ret, will ye ride?" 20

The first step that she steppit in, She steppit to the knee; Says, "Wae be to ye, waefu' water, For through ye I maun be."

The second step that she steppit in, 25 She steppit to the middle, And sigh'd, and said, Lady Margaret, "I've stain'd my gowden girdle."

The third step that she steppit in, She steppit to the neck; 30 The pretty babe within her sides, The cauld it garr'd it squake.

"Lie still my babe, lie still my babe, Lie still as lang's ye may, For your father rides on horseback high, 35 Cares little for us twae."

It's whan she cam to the other side, She sat doun on a stane; Says, "Them that made me, help me now, For I am far frae hame. 40

"How far is it frae your mither's bouer, Gude Lord John tell to me?"

"It's therty miles, Lady Margaret, It's therty miles and three: And ye'se be wed to ane o' her serving men, 45 For ye'se get na mair o' me."

Then up bespak the wylie parrot, As it sat on the tree;-- "Ye lee, ye lee, Lord John," it said, "Sae loud as I hear ye lee. 50

"Ye say it's thirty miles frae your mither's bouer, Whan it's but barely three; And she'll ne'er be wed to a serving man, For she'll be your ain ladie."

Monie a lord and fair ladie 55 Met Lord John in the closs, But the bonniest face amang them a', Was hauding Lord John's horse.

Monie a lord and gay ladie Sat dining in the ha', 60 But the bonniest face that was there, Was waiting on them a'.

O up bespak Lord John's sister, A sweet young maid was she: "My brither has brought a bonnie young page, His like I ne'er did see; 66 But the red flits fast frae his cheek, And the tear stands in his ee."

But up bespak Lord John's mither, She spak wi' meikle scorn: 70 "He's liker a woman gret wi' bairn, Than onie waiting-man."

"It's ye'll rise up, my bonnie boy, And gie my steed the hay:"-- "O that I will, my dear master, 75 As fast as I can gae."

She took the hay aneath her arm, The corn intil her hand; But atween the stable door and the staw, Lady Marg'ret made a stand. 80

"O open the door, Lady Margaret, O open and let me in; I want to see if my steed be fed, Or my grey hounds fit to rin."

"I'll na open the door, Lord John," she said, 85 "I'll na open it to thee, Till ye grant to me my ae request, And a puir ane it's to me.

"Ye'll gie to me a bed in an outhouse, For my young son and me, 90 And the meanest servant in a' the place, To wait on him and me."

"I grant, I grant, Lady Marg'ret," he said, "A' that, and mair frae me, The very best bed in a' the place To your young son and thee: 95 And my mither, and my sister dear, To wait on him and thee.

"And a' thae lands, and a' thae rents, They sall be his and thine; 100 Our wedding and our kirking day, They sall be all in ane."

And he has tane Lady Margaret, And row'd her in the silk; And he has tane his ain young son, 105 And wash'd him in the milk.

EARL RICHARD (B). See p. 260.

From Kinloch's _Ancient Scottish Ballads_, p. 15.

There was a shepherd's dochter Kept sheep on yonder hill; Bye cam a knicht frae the king's court, And he wad hae his will.

Whan he had got his wills o' her, 5 His will as he has tane; "Wad ye be sae gude and kind, As tell to me your name?"

"Some ca's me Jock, some ca's me John, Some disna ken my name; 10 But whan I'm in the king's court, Mitchc.o.c.k is my name."

"Mitchc.o.c.k! hey!" the lady did say, And spelt it oure again; "If that's your name in the Latin tongue, 15 Earl Richard is your name!"

O jumpt he upon his horse, And said he wad gae ride; Kilted she her green claithing, And said she wad na bide. 20

And he was never sae discreet, As bid her loup on and ride; And she was ne'er sae meanly bred, As for to bid him bide.

And whan they cam to yon water, 25 It was running like a flude; "I've learnt it in my mither's bouer, I've learnt it for my gude, That I can soum this wan water, Like a fish in a flude. 30

"I've learnt it in my father's bouer, Ive learnt it for my better, And I will soum this wan water, As tho' I was ane otter."

"Jump on behind, ye weill-faur'd may, 35 Or do ye chuse to ride?"

"No, thank ye, sir," the lady said, "I wad rather chuse to wyde;"

And afore that he was 'mid-water, She was at the ither side. 40

"Turn back, turn back, ye weill-faur'd may, My heart will brak in three;"

"And sae did mine, on yon bonnie hill-side, Whan ye wad na let me be."

"Whare gat ye that gay claithing, 45 This day I see on thee?"

"My mither was a gude milk-nurse, And a gude nourice was she, She nurs'd the Earl o' Stockford's ae dochter, And gat a' this to me." 50