Minstrelsy of the Scottish Border, Volume 2 eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 315 pages of information about Minstrelsy of the Scottish Border, Volume 2.

Minstrelsy of the Scottish Border, Volume 2 eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 315 pages of information about Minstrelsy of the Scottish Border, Volume 2.

  “The primrose is the ae first flower,
   “Springs either on moor or dale;
  “And the thistlecock is the bonniest bird;
   “Sings on the evening gale.”

  “But what’s the little coin,” she said,
   “Wald buy my castle bound? 
  “And what’s the little boat,” she said,
   “Can sail the world all round?”

  “O hey, how mony small pennies
   “Make thrice three thousand pound? 
  “Or hey, how mony small fishes
   “Swim a’ the salt sea round.”

  “I think you maun be my match,” she said,
   “My match, and something mair;
  “You are the first e’er got the grant
   Of love frae my father’s heir.

  “My father was lord of nine castles,
   “My mother lady of three;
  “My father was lord of nine castles,
   “And there’s nane to heir but me.

  “And round about a’ thae castles,
   “You may baith plow and saw,
  “And on the fifteenth day of May,
   “The meadows they will maw.”

  “O hald your tongue, lady Margaret,” he said,
   “For loud I hear you lie! 
  “Your father was lord of nine castles,
   “Your mother was lady of three;
  “Your father was lord of nine castles,
   “But ye fa’ heir to but three.

  “And round about a’ thae castles,
   “You may baith plow and saw,
  “But on the fifteenth day of May
   “The meadows will not maw.

  “I am your brother Willie,” he said,
   “I trow ye ken na me;
  “I came to humble your haughty heart,
   “Has gar’d sae mony die.”

  “If ye be my brother Willie,” she said,
   “As I trow weel ye be,
  “This night I’ll neither eat nor drink,
   “But gae alang wi’ thee.”

  “O hold your tongue, lady Margaret,” he said. 
   “Again I hear you lie;
  “For ye’ve unwashen hands, and ye’ve unwashen feet,[B]
   “To gae to clay wi’ me.

  “For the wee worms are my bedfellows,
   “And cauld clay is my sheets;
  “And when the stormy winds do blow,
   “My body lies and sleeps.”

[Footnote A:  Syde—­Long or low.]

[Footnote B:  Unwashen hands and unwashen feet—­Alluding to the custom of washing and dressing dead bodies.]

THE ORIGINAL BALLAD OF THE BROOM OF COWDENKNOWS.

The beautiful air of Cowdenknows is well known and popular.  In Ettrick Forest the following words are uniformly adapted to the tune, and seem to be the original ballad.  An edition of this pastoral tale, differing considerably from the present copy, was published by Mr HERD, in 1772.  Cowdenknows is situated upon the river Leader, about four miles from Melrose, and is now the property of Dr HUME.

  O the broom, and the bonny bonny broom,
   And the broom of the Cowdenknows! 
  And aye sae sweet as the lassie sang,
   I’ the bought, milking the ewes.

  The hills were high on ilka side,
   An’ the bought i’ the lirk o’ the hill,
  And aye, as she sang, her voice it rang
   Out o’er the head o’ yon hill.

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Project Gutenberg
Minstrelsy of the Scottish Border, Volume 2 from Project Gutenberg. Public domain.