192THE LOCHMABEN HARPER

A. a.‘The Blind Harper of Lochmaben,’ Glenriddell MSS, XI, 42, 1791.b.‘The Blind Harper,’ Johnson’s Museum, No 579, 1803.c.‘The Lochmaben Harper,’ Minstrelsy of the Scottish Border, 1802, I, 65; 1833, I, 422.

B.‘Lochmaben Harper,’ Glenriddell MSS, XI, 39.

C.‘The Auld Harper,’ The Edinburgh Topographical, Traditional, and Antiquarian Magazine, 1849, p. 58.

D.Macmath MS, p. 35.

E.‘The Jolly Harper,’ Buchan’s MSS, I, 35; Dixon, Scottish Traditional Versions of Ancient Ballads, Percy Society, vol. xvii, p. 37.

The Stationers’ Registers, 22 July, 1564–22 July, 1565, Arber, I, 260, have an entry of a fee from Owyn Rogers for license to print “a ballett intituled The Blende Harper, etc.”; and again, the following year, Arber, I, 294, of a fee from Lucas Haryson for license to print “a ballet intituled The Blynde Harpers, with the Answere.” Nothing further is known of this ballet.

Boyd, the translator of Dante, had a recollection of a ballad of a Scotch minstrel who stole a horse from one of the Henries of England: Ritson, Scotish Song, I, xxxvi, note 25, 1794.

Printed in Scott’s Minstrelsy, 1802 (A c), and the next year in the Musical Museum (A b), as communicated by Burns. Burns’s copy differs very slightly fromA a, however he came by it. Scott had access to the Glenriddell collection, and his ballad (of which he gives no account) was made by changingA ato his taste, substituting one stanza of his own in place of 18, and the last two ofB, with alterations, for the last ofA a. To reduce improbabilities, Scott put the Lord Warden for King Henry.

Cwas pointed out to me, and transcribed from the short-lived periodical in which it was printed, by Mr James Barclay Murdoch, to whom I have been from the beginning indebted for the most essential help.

OfDMr Macmath writes: This version was copied by me in fac-simile from the original manuscript in the handwriting of the late Rev. George Murray, of Troquhain, minister of Balmaclellan, in the Stewartry of Kirkcudbright, and was in possession of his son, the Rev. George Murray, to whose kindness I was indebted for the loan of it. The late Mr Murray took down the ballad from the singing of Sarah Rae, a poor weak-minded woman of his parish. Sarah Rae was the last person known to Mr Murray—and he was a keen observer of such matters—to use the distaff. The present Mr George Murray wrote to me on 12th January, 1883: “I may add that I have heard her sing the ballad myself, to a very simple but particularly plaintive lilt—more like a rapid chant than an ordinary song—which rings in my ear yet, although I only heard it once, when a lad.”[8]

A-C.A harper of Lochmaben (blind,A,B) who means to steal the Wanton Brown, a horse of King Henry’s, consults with his wife before setting about the business, and gets a few valuable hints; among them, to leave his mare’s foal at home. He goes up to England, and has the good luck, so common in ballads,of finding King Henry at his gate. The king wants to hear some of his harping, and, as the harper makes a difficulty about the stabling of his mare, orders the beast to be put into his own stable. The harper harps all his hearers asleep; then makes his way softly to the stable, slips a halter over the Wanton’s nose and ties him to the mare’s tail, and turns the mare out. She goes straight to Lochmaben, to her foal, neighs at the harper’s house, and is let in by the servant-lass, who exclaims at the braw foal that the mare has got. In the morning they find in England that both the Wanton Brown and the mare have been stolen. The harper breaks out into ‘allaces:’ he has lost a foal in Scotland and had his mare stolen in England! The king quiets him with a promise of a better mare and pay for his foal to boot.

InD,E, the harper steals the horse on a wager, which, however, is passed over lightly inD. The wager inEis with two knights of Stirling, five ploughs of land with one and five thousand pounds with the other, and “John” has to go all the way to London to win it. The knights pay their loss and then restore the Wanton Brown to Henry!—so great an improvement upon the dealings of the Scots with English horseflesh as to compel one to assign this particular version of the story to the nineteenth, if not the twentieth, century.[9]

The twelve armed men in armor bright that guard the stable night and day inE23 remind us of popular tales; as of the Grimms’ ‘Master Thief.’

A bis loosely translated by Knortz, Schottische Balladen, No 16, p. 58.

a.Glenriddell MS. XI, 42, 1791; “from a MS. collection of Mr Henderson.”b.Johnson’s Museum, No 579, VI, 598, 1803, communicated by Burns,c.Scott’s Minstrelsy, 1802, I, 65.

1Heard ye eer of the silly blind harper,That long livd in Lochmaben town,How he wad gang to fair England,To steal King Henry’s Wanton Brown?Sing, Faden dilly and faden dillySing, Faden dilly and deedle dan2But first he gaed to his gude wife,Wi a’ the speed that he coud thole;‘This wark,’ quo he, ‘will never workWithout a mare that has a foal.’3Quo she, Thou has a gude gray mare,That’al rin oer hills baith law and hie;Gae tak the gray mare in thy hand,And leave the foal at hame wi me.4‘And tak a halter in thy hose,And o thy purpose dinna fail;But wap it oer the Wanton’s nose,And tie her to the gray mare’s tail.5‘Syne ca her out at yon back geate,Oer moss and muir and ilka dale;For she’ll neer let the Wanton biteTill she come hame to her ain foal.’6So he is up to England gane,Even as fast as he can hie,Till he came to King Henry’s geate;And wha was there but King Henry?7‘Come in,’ quo he, ‘thou silly blind harper,And of thy harping let me hear;’‘O, by my sooth,’ quo the silly blind harper,‘I’d rather hae stabling for my mare.’8The king he looks oer his left shoulder,And says unto his stable-groom,Gae tak the silly poor harper’s mare,And tie her side my Wanton Brown.9And ay he harpit, and ay he carpit,Till a’ the lords had fitted the floor;They thought the music was sae sweet,And they forgot the stable-door.10And ay he harpit, and ay he carpit,Till a’ the nobles were sound asleep;Than quietly he took aff his shoon,And safly down the stair did creep.11Syne to the stable-door he hies,Wi tread as light as light coud be,And when he opned and gaed in,There he fand thirty gude steads and three.12He took the halter frae his hose,And of his purpose did na fail;He slipt it oer the Wanton’s nose,And tied it to his gray mare’s tail.13He ca’d her out at yon back geate,Oer moss and muir and ilka dale,And she loot neer the Wanton bite,But held her still gaun at her tail.14The gray mare was right swift o fit,And did na fail to find the way,For she was at Lochmaben geateFu lang three hours ere ’twas day.15When she came to the harper’s door,There she gave mony a nicher and sneer;‘Rise,’ quo the wife, ‘thou lazey lass,Let in thy master and his mare.’16Then up she rose, pat on her claes,And lookit out through the lock-hole;‘O, by my sooth,’ then quoth the lass,‘Our mare has gotten a braw big foal!’17‘Come had thy peace, thou foolish lass,The moon’s but glancing in thy eye;I’ll wad my hail fee against a groat,It’s bigger than eer our foal will be.’18The neighbours too that heard the noiseCried to the wife to put hir in;‘By my sooth,’ then quo the wife,‘She’s better than ever he rade on.’19But on the morn, at fair day light,When they had ended a’ thier chear,King Henry’s Wanton Brown was stawn,And eke the poor old harper’s mare.20‘Allace! allace!’ says the silly blind harper,‘Allace, allace, that I came here!In Scotland I’ve tint a braw cowte-foal,In England they’ve stawn my gude gray mare.’21‘Come had thy tongue, thou silly blind harper,And of thy allacing let me be;For thou shalt get a better mare,And weel paid shall thy cowte-foal be.’

Heard ye eer of the silly blind harper,

That long livd in Lochmaben town,

How he wad gang to fair England,

To steal King Henry’s Wanton Brown?

Sing, Faden dilly and faden dilly

Sing, Faden dilly and deedle dan

2But first he gaed to his gude wife,Wi a’ the speed that he coud thole;‘This wark,’ quo he, ‘will never workWithout a mare that has a foal.’

But first he gaed to his gude wife,

Wi a’ the speed that he coud thole;

‘This wark,’ quo he, ‘will never work

Without a mare that has a foal.’

3Quo she, Thou has a gude gray mare,That’al rin oer hills baith law and hie;Gae tak the gray mare in thy hand,And leave the foal at hame wi me.

Quo she, Thou has a gude gray mare,

That’al rin oer hills baith law and hie;

Gae tak the gray mare in thy hand,

And leave the foal at hame wi me.

4‘And tak a halter in thy hose,And o thy purpose dinna fail;But wap it oer the Wanton’s nose,And tie her to the gray mare’s tail.

‘And tak a halter in thy hose,

And o thy purpose dinna fail;

But wap it oer the Wanton’s nose,

And tie her to the gray mare’s tail.

5‘Syne ca her out at yon back geate,Oer moss and muir and ilka dale;For she’ll neer let the Wanton biteTill she come hame to her ain foal.’

‘Syne ca her out at yon back geate,

Oer moss and muir and ilka dale;

For she’ll neer let the Wanton bite

Till she come hame to her ain foal.’

6So he is up to England gane,Even as fast as he can hie,Till he came to King Henry’s geate;And wha was there but King Henry?

So he is up to England gane,

Even as fast as he can hie,

Till he came to King Henry’s geate;

And wha was there but King Henry?

7‘Come in,’ quo he, ‘thou silly blind harper,And of thy harping let me hear;’‘O, by my sooth,’ quo the silly blind harper,‘I’d rather hae stabling for my mare.’

‘Come in,’ quo he, ‘thou silly blind harper,

And of thy harping let me hear;’

‘O, by my sooth,’ quo the silly blind harper,

‘I’d rather hae stabling for my mare.’

8The king he looks oer his left shoulder,And says unto his stable-groom,Gae tak the silly poor harper’s mare,And tie her side my Wanton Brown.

The king he looks oer his left shoulder,

And says unto his stable-groom,

Gae tak the silly poor harper’s mare,

And tie her side my Wanton Brown.

9And ay he harpit, and ay he carpit,Till a’ the lords had fitted the floor;They thought the music was sae sweet,And they forgot the stable-door.

And ay he harpit, and ay he carpit,

Till a’ the lords had fitted the floor;

They thought the music was sae sweet,

And they forgot the stable-door.

10And ay he harpit, and ay he carpit,Till a’ the nobles were sound asleep;Than quietly he took aff his shoon,And safly down the stair did creep.

And ay he harpit, and ay he carpit,

Till a’ the nobles were sound asleep;

Than quietly he took aff his shoon,

And safly down the stair did creep.

11Syne to the stable-door he hies,Wi tread as light as light coud be,And when he opned and gaed in,There he fand thirty gude steads and three.

Syne to the stable-door he hies,

Wi tread as light as light coud be,

And when he opned and gaed in,

There he fand thirty gude steads and three.

12He took the halter frae his hose,And of his purpose did na fail;He slipt it oer the Wanton’s nose,And tied it to his gray mare’s tail.

He took the halter frae his hose,

And of his purpose did na fail;

He slipt it oer the Wanton’s nose,

And tied it to his gray mare’s tail.

13He ca’d her out at yon back geate,Oer moss and muir and ilka dale,And she loot neer the Wanton bite,But held her still gaun at her tail.

He ca’d her out at yon back geate,

Oer moss and muir and ilka dale,

And she loot neer the Wanton bite,

But held her still gaun at her tail.

14The gray mare was right swift o fit,And did na fail to find the way,For she was at Lochmaben geateFu lang three hours ere ’twas day.

The gray mare was right swift o fit,

And did na fail to find the way,

For she was at Lochmaben geate

Fu lang three hours ere ’twas day.

15When she came to the harper’s door,There she gave mony a nicher and sneer;‘Rise,’ quo the wife, ‘thou lazey lass,Let in thy master and his mare.’

When she came to the harper’s door,

There she gave mony a nicher and sneer;

‘Rise,’ quo the wife, ‘thou lazey lass,

Let in thy master and his mare.’

16Then up she rose, pat on her claes,And lookit out through the lock-hole;‘O, by my sooth,’ then quoth the lass,‘Our mare has gotten a braw big foal!’

Then up she rose, pat on her claes,

And lookit out through the lock-hole;

‘O, by my sooth,’ then quoth the lass,

‘Our mare has gotten a braw big foal!’

17‘Come had thy peace, thou foolish lass,The moon’s but glancing in thy eye;I’ll wad my hail fee against a groat,It’s bigger than eer our foal will be.’

‘Come had thy peace, thou foolish lass,

The moon’s but glancing in thy eye;

I’ll wad my hail fee against a groat,

It’s bigger than eer our foal will be.’

18The neighbours too that heard the noiseCried to the wife to put hir in;‘By my sooth,’ then quo the wife,‘She’s better than ever he rade on.’

The neighbours too that heard the noise

Cried to the wife to put hir in;

‘By my sooth,’ then quo the wife,

‘She’s better than ever he rade on.’

19But on the morn, at fair day light,When they had ended a’ thier chear,King Henry’s Wanton Brown was stawn,And eke the poor old harper’s mare.

But on the morn, at fair day light,

When they had ended a’ thier chear,

King Henry’s Wanton Brown was stawn,

And eke the poor old harper’s mare.

20‘Allace! allace!’ says the silly blind harper,‘Allace, allace, that I came here!In Scotland I’ve tint a braw cowte-foal,In England they’ve stawn my gude gray mare.’

‘Allace! allace!’ says the silly blind harper,

‘Allace, allace, that I came here!

In Scotland I’ve tint a braw cowte-foal,

In England they’ve stawn my gude gray mare.’

21‘Come had thy tongue, thou silly blind harper,And of thy allacing let me be;For thou shalt get a better mare,And weel paid shall thy cowte-foal be.’

‘Come had thy tongue, thou silly blind harper,

And of thy allacing let me be;

For thou shalt get a better mare,

And weel paid shall thy cowte-foal be.’

Glenriddell MSS, XI, 39, 1791; “from Dr Clapperton, of Lochmaben.”

1Hard ye tell of the silly blind harper?Long he lived in Lochmaben town;He’s away to fair Carlisle,To steal King Henry’s Wanton Brown.Sing, Fadle didle dodle didleSing, Fadle didle fadle doo2He has mounted his auld gray mare,And ridden oer both hills and mire,Till he came to fair Carlisle town,And askd for stabling to his mare.3‘Harp on, harp on, thou silly blind harper,‘Some of thy harping let us hear;’‘By my sooth,’ says the silly blind harper,‘I would rather hae stabling to my mare.’4The king looked oer his left shoulderAnd called to his stable-groom:‘Gae stable up the harper’s mare,And just beyond the Wanton Brown.’5Ay he carped, and ay he harped,Till a’ the lords gaed thro the floor;But and the musick was sae sweetThe groom forgot the key o the stable-door.6Ay he harped, and ay he carped,Till a’ the lords fell fast asleep,And, like a fause deceiver as he was,He quickly down the stair did creep.7He pulld a colt-halter out o his hoe,On purpose as I shall to you tell;He sliped it oer the Wanton’s nose,And tyed it to his gray mare’s tail.8‘My blessing light upon my wife!I think she be a daily flower;She told me to ken my ain gray mareWhen eer I felt her by the ewer.’9‘Harp on, harp on, thou silly blind harper,Some of thy harping let us hear:’‘Oh and alas!’ says the silly blind harper,‘Oh and alas that eer I came here!10‘For in Scotland I lost a good brown foal,And in England a good gray mare,. . . . . . .. . . . . . .11‘Harp on, harp on, thou silly blind harper,Some of thy harping let us hear,And thy brown foal shall be well payed,And thou’s hae a far better gray mare.’12Ay he harped, and ay he carped,And some of his harping he let them hear,And his brown foal it was well payed,And he got a better gray mare.13His mare’s away to Lochmaben,Wi mony a nicker and mony a sneer;His wife cry’d, Rise up, you lazy lass,Let in your master and his mare.14The lazy lass was loth to rise;She looked through a little hole;‘By my troth,’ crys the lazy lass,‘Our mare has brought a bonie foal.’15‘Rise up, rise up, thou lazy lass,And, een as the sun it shines sae clear,I’ll wager my life against a groatThe foal was better than ever the mare.’

1Hard ye tell of the silly blind harper?Long he lived in Lochmaben town;He’s away to fair Carlisle,To steal King Henry’s Wanton Brown.Sing, Fadle didle dodle didleSing, Fadle didle fadle doo

Hard ye tell of the silly blind harper?

Long he lived in Lochmaben town;

He’s away to fair Carlisle,

To steal King Henry’s Wanton Brown.

Sing, Fadle didle dodle didle

Sing, Fadle didle fadle doo

2He has mounted his auld gray mare,And ridden oer both hills and mire,Till he came to fair Carlisle town,And askd for stabling to his mare.

He has mounted his auld gray mare,

And ridden oer both hills and mire,

Till he came to fair Carlisle town,

And askd for stabling to his mare.

3‘Harp on, harp on, thou silly blind harper,‘Some of thy harping let us hear;’‘By my sooth,’ says the silly blind harper,‘I would rather hae stabling to my mare.’

‘Harp on, harp on, thou silly blind harper,

‘Some of thy harping let us hear;’

‘By my sooth,’ says the silly blind harper,

‘I would rather hae stabling to my mare.’

4The king looked oer his left shoulderAnd called to his stable-groom:‘Gae stable up the harper’s mare,And just beyond the Wanton Brown.’

The king looked oer his left shoulder

And called to his stable-groom:

‘Gae stable up the harper’s mare,

And just beyond the Wanton Brown.’

5Ay he carped, and ay he harped,Till a’ the lords gaed thro the floor;But and the musick was sae sweetThe groom forgot the key o the stable-door.

Ay he carped, and ay he harped,

Till a’ the lords gaed thro the floor;

But and the musick was sae sweet

The groom forgot the key o the stable-door.

6Ay he harped, and ay he carped,Till a’ the lords fell fast asleep,And, like a fause deceiver as he was,He quickly down the stair did creep.

Ay he harped, and ay he carped,

Till a’ the lords fell fast asleep,

And, like a fause deceiver as he was,

He quickly down the stair did creep.

7He pulld a colt-halter out o his hoe,On purpose as I shall to you tell;He sliped it oer the Wanton’s nose,And tyed it to his gray mare’s tail.

He pulld a colt-halter out o his hoe,

On purpose as I shall to you tell;

He sliped it oer the Wanton’s nose,

And tyed it to his gray mare’s tail.

8‘My blessing light upon my wife!I think she be a daily flower;She told me to ken my ain gray mareWhen eer I felt her by the ewer.’

‘My blessing light upon my wife!

I think she be a daily flower;

She told me to ken my ain gray mare

When eer I felt her by the ewer.’

9‘Harp on, harp on, thou silly blind harper,Some of thy harping let us hear:’‘Oh and alas!’ says the silly blind harper,‘Oh and alas that eer I came here!

‘Harp on, harp on, thou silly blind harper,

Some of thy harping let us hear:’

‘Oh and alas!’ says the silly blind harper,

‘Oh and alas that eer I came here!

10‘For in Scotland I lost a good brown foal,And in England a good gray mare,. . . . . . .. . . . . . .

‘For in Scotland I lost a good brown foal,

And in England a good gray mare,

. . . . . . .

11‘Harp on, harp on, thou silly blind harper,Some of thy harping let us hear,And thy brown foal shall be well payed,And thou’s hae a far better gray mare.’

‘Harp on, harp on, thou silly blind harper,

Some of thy harping let us hear,

And thy brown foal shall be well payed,

And thou’s hae a far better gray mare.’

12Ay he harped, and ay he carped,And some of his harping he let them hear,And his brown foal it was well payed,And he got a better gray mare.

Ay he harped, and ay he carped,

And some of his harping he let them hear,

And his brown foal it was well payed,

And he got a better gray mare.

13His mare’s away to Lochmaben,Wi mony a nicker and mony a sneer;His wife cry’d, Rise up, you lazy lass,Let in your master and his mare.

His mare’s away to Lochmaben,

Wi mony a nicker and mony a sneer;

His wife cry’d, Rise up, you lazy lass,

Let in your master and his mare.

14The lazy lass was loth to rise;She looked through a little hole;‘By my troth,’ crys the lazy lass,‘Our mare has brought a bonie foal.’

The lazy lass was loth to rise;

She looked through a little hole;

‘By my troth,’ crys the lazy lass,

‘Our mare has brought a bonie foal.’

15‘Rise up, rise up, thou lazy lass,And, een as the sun it shines sae clear,I’ll wager my life against a groatThe foal was better than ever the mare.’

‘Rise up, rise up, thou lazy lass,

And, een as the sun it shines sae clear,

I’ll wager my life against a groat

The foal was better than ever the mare.’

The Edinburgh Topographical, Traditional, and Antiquarian Magazine, 1849, p. 58; communicated by W. G. “from the recitation of a friend, who learned it many years ago from her grandfather,” a farmer in Wigtonshire, who died in 1813, at the age of ninety-four.

1It’s hae ye heard tell o the auld harperThat lang lived in Lochmaben town,How he maun awa to England fair,To steal King Henry’s Wanton Brown?Faw aiden diden an diden an didenFaw aiden diden faw aiden dee2Out then bespak his gude auld wife,I wat she spak out very wiselie;‘Ye’ll ride the mear to England fair,But the foal ye’ll leave at hame wi me.3‘Ye’ll hide your halter in o your hose,And o your purpose ye’ll no fail;Ye’ll cast a hook on the Wanton’s nose,And tie him to the gray mear’s tail.4‘Ye’ll lead them awa by a back yett,And hound them out at a wee hole;The mear she’ll neer [let] the Wanton baitTill hame at Lochmaben town wi her foal.’5Awa then rade the auld harper,I wat he rade right merrilie,Until he cam to England fair,Where wonned the gude King Henerie.6‘Light down, light down, ye auld harper,And some o your harping let me hear;‘O williwa!’ quo the auld harper,Will I get stabling for my mear?’* * * * * *7And aye he harped and he carped,Till a’ the lordlings fell asleep;Syne bundled his fiddles upon his back,And down the stairs fu fast did creep.8He’s taen the halter out o his hose,And o his purpose he didna fail;He’s cast a hook on the Wanton’s nose,And tied him to the gray mear’s tale.9He’s led them awa by the back yett,And hounded them out at a wee hole;The mear she neer let the Wanton baitTill hame at Lochmaben town wi her foal.10And when they cam to the house-end,Wi mony a nicker but an a neigh,They waukend the auld wife out o her sleep;She was a-dreaming she was fouie.11‘Rise up, rise up, my servant-lass,Let in your master and his mear;’‘It’s by my sooth,’ the wee lassie goud say,‘I’m in a sleeping drowsy air.’12Wi mony a gaunt she turned her round,And keekit through at a wee hole;‘It’s by my sooth!’ the wee lassie goud say,‘Our mear has gotten a braw brown foal!’13‘Lie still, lie still, ye lazy lass,It’s but the moon shines in your ee;’‘Na, by my sooth,’ the lassie goud say,‘And he’s bigger than ony o his degree.’14Then lightly rose the gude auld wife,I wat the first up in a’ the town;She took the grit oats intil her lapAnd fodderd King Henry’s Wanton Brown.15King Henry’s groom rase in the morn,And he was of a sorry cheer:‘King Henry’s Wanton Brown’s awa,And sae is the silly auld harper’s mear!’16Up then rase the auld harper,And loudly he did curse and swear:‘In Scotland they but steald my foal,In England ye hae steald my mear!’17‘It’s haud your tongue,’ King Henry did say,‘Ye’ll hae nae cause to curse or swear;Here’s thirty guineas for your foal,And three times thirty for your mear.’

It’s hae ye heard tell o the auld harper

That lang lived in Lochmaben town,

How he maun awa to England fair,

To steal King Henry’s Wanton Brown?

Faw aiden diden an diden an diden

Faw aiden diden faw aiden dee

2Out then bespak his gude auld wife,I wat she spak out very wiselie;‘Ye’ll ride the mear to England fair,But the foal ye’ll leave at hame wi me.

Out then bespak his gude auld wife,

I wat she spak out very wiselie;

‘Ye’ll ride the mear to England fair,

But the foal ye’ll leave at hame wi me.

3‘Ye’ll hide your halter in o your hose,And o your purpose ye’ll no fail;Ye’ll cast a hook on the Wanton’s nose,And tie him to the gray mear’s tail.

‘Ye’ll hide your halter in o your hose,

And o your purpose ye’ll no fail;

Ye’ll cast a hook on the Wanton’s nose,

And tie him to the gray mear’s tail.

4‘Ye’ll lead them awa by a back yett,And hound them out at a wee hole;The mear she’ll neer [let] the Wanton baitTill hame at Lochmaben town wi her foal.’

‘Ye’ll lead them awa by a back yett,

And hound them out at a wee hole;

The mear she’ll neer [let] the Wanton bait

Till hame at Lochmaben town wi her foal.’

5Awa then rade the auld harper,I wat he rade right merrilie,Until he cam to England fair,Where wonned the gude King Henerie.

Awa then rade the auld harper,

I wat he rade right merrilie,

Until he cam to England fair,

Where wonned the gude King Henerie.

6‘Light down, light down, ye auld harper,And some o your harping let me hear;‘O williwa!’ quo the auld harper,Will I get stabling for my mear?’

‘Light down, light down, ye auld harper,

And some o your harping let me hear;

‘O williwa!’ quo the auld harper,

Will I get stabling for my mear?’

* * * * * *

7And aye he harped and he carped,Till a’ the lordlings fell asleep;Syne bundled his fiddles upon his back,And down the stairs fu fast did creep.

And aye he harped and he carped,

Till a’ the lordlings fell asleep;

Syne bundled his fiddles upon his back,

And down the stairs fu fast did creep.

8He’s taen the halter out o his hose,And o his purpose he didna fail;He’s cast a hook on the Wanton’s nose,And tied him to the gray mear’s tale.

He’s taen the halter out o his hose,

And o his purpose he didna fail;

He’s cast a hook on the Wanton’s nose,

And tied him to the gray mear’s tale.

9He’s led them awa by the back yett,And hounded them out at a wee hole;The mear she neer let the Wanton baitTill hame at Lochmaben town wi her foal.

He’s led them awa by the back yett,

And hounded them out at a wee hole;

The mear she neer let the Wanton bait

Till hame at Lochmaben town wi her foal.

10And when they cam to the house-end,Wi mony a nicker but an a neigh,They waukend the auld wife out o her sleep;She was a-dreaming she was fouie.

And when they cam to the house-end,

Wi mony a nicker but an a neigh,

They waukend the auld wife out o her sleep;

She was a-dreaming she was fouie.

11‘Rise up, rise up, my servant-lass,Let in your master and his mear;’‘It’s by my sooth,’ the wee lassie goud say,‘I’m in a sleeping drowsy air.’

‘Rise up, rise up, my servant-lass,

Let in your master and his mear;’

‘It’s by my sooth,’ the wee lassie goud say,

‘I’m in a sleeping drowsy air.’

12Wi mony a gaunt she turned her round,And keekit through at a wee hole;‘It’s by my sooth!’ the wee lassie goud say,‘Our mear has gotten a braw brown foal!’

Wi mony a gaunt she turned her round,

And keekit through at a wee hole;

‘It’s by my sooth!’ the wee lassie goud say,

‘Our mear has gotten a braw brown foal!’

13‘Lie still, lie still, ye lazy lass,It’s but the moon shines in your ee;’‘Na, by my sooth,’ the lassie goud say,‘And he’s bigger than ony o his degree.’

‘Lie still, lie still, ye lazy lass,

It’s but the moon shines in your ee;’

‘Na, by my sooth,’ the lassie goud say,

‘And he’s bigger than ony o his degree.’

14Then lightly rose the gude auld wife,I wat the first up in a’ the town;She took the grit oats intil her lapAnd fodderd King Henry’s Wanton Brown.

Then lightly rose the gude auld wife,

I wat the first up in a’ the town;

She took the grit oats intil her lap

And fodderd King Henry’s Wanton Brown.

15King Henry’s groom rase in the morn,And he was of a sorry cheer:‘King Henry’s Wanton Brown’s awa,And sae is the silly auld harper’s mear!’

King Henry’s groom rase in the morn,

And he was of a sorry cheer:

‘King Henry’s Wanton Brown’s awa,

And sae is the silly auld harper’s mear!’

16Up then rase the auld harper,And loudly he did curse and swear:‘In Scotland they but steald my foal,In England ye hae steald my mear!’

Up then rase the auld harper,

And loudly he did curse and swear:

‘In Scotland they but steald my foal,

In England ye hae steald my mear!’

17‘It’s haud your tongue,’ King Henry did say,‘Ye’ll hae nae cause to curse or swear;Here’s thirty guineas for your foal,And three times thirty for your mear.’

‘It’s haud your tongue,’ King Henry did say,

‘Ye’ll hae nae cause to curse or swear;

Here’s thirty guineas for your foal,

And three times thirty for your mear.’

Taken down by the Rev George Murray from the singing of Sarah Rae, a weak-minded woman of Balmaclellan, Kirkcudbright, 1866. Communicated by Mr Macmath.

1There was a poor silly harper-man,And he lived in Lochmaben toon,And he has wagered wi lairds and lords,And mony a guinea against a croon.Tum tid iddlyDodaly diddelyTidaly diddalyDodaly dan2And he has wagered wi lairds and lords,And mony a guinea against a croon,That into England he would go,And steal King Henerie’s Wanton Broun.3Out spak the silly poor harper’s wife,And O but she spak wililie:‘If into England you do go,Leave the wee-wee foal wi me.’4The harper he got on to ride,And O but he rode richt highlie!The very first man that he did meet,They said it was King Henerie.5‘Licht doon, licht doon, ye silly poor harper,And oyour harping let me hear;’‘And by my sooth,’ quoth the silly poor harper,‘I’d rather hae stabling for my mear.’6O he lookit ower his left shoulder,And saw ane of the stable-grooms:‘Go take the sillie poor harper’s mear,And stable her by my Wanton Brown.’7And aye he harpit, and aye he carpit,Till a’ the nobles fell on the floor,And aye he harpit, and aye he carpit,Till they forgot the key of the stable-door.8And aye he harpit, and aye he carpit,Till a’ the nobles fell fast asleep;He has taen his harp upon his back,And doon the stair did softly creep.9He has taen a halter frae his hose,And o his purpose did not fail;He coost a wap on Wanton’s nose,And tyed her to his ain mear’s tail.10He ca’d her through at the bye-yett,Through mony a syre and mony a hole;She never loot Wanton licht till sheWas at Lochmaben, at her foal.11And she came oer Lochmaben heights,Wi mony a nicker and mony a sneeze,And waukend the silly poor harper’s wife,As she was a sleeping at her ease.12‘Rise up, rise up, ye servant-lass,Let in the maister and the mear;’‘By my sooth,’ quoth the servant-lass,‘I think my maister be na here.’13Up then rose the servant-lass,And lookit through a wee, wee hole;‘By my sooth,’ quoth the servant-lass,‘Our mear has gotten a waly foal.’14‘Ye clatter, ye clatter, ye servant-lass,It is the moon shines in your ee;’‘By my sooth,’ quoth the servant-lass,‘It’s mair than ever her ain will be.’16It’s whan the stable-groom awoke,Put a’ the nobles in a fear;King Henerie’s Wanton Brown was stown,And Oh! the silly poor harper’s mear.16Out then spak the silly poor harper,Says, Oh, this loss I douna thole!In England fair a guid grey mear,In fair Scotland a guid cout-foal.17‘Haud your tongue, ye sillie poor harper,And wi your carping let me be;Here’s ten pounds for your auld gray mear,And a weel paid foal it’s be to thee!’18And O the silly poor harper’s wife,She’s aye first up in Lochmaben toun;She’s stealing the corn and stealing the hay,And wappin it oer to Wanton Broun.

1There was a poor silly harper-man,And he lived in Lochmaben toon,And he has wagered wi lairds and lords,And mony a guinea against a croon.Tum tid iddlyDodaly diddelyTidaly diddalyDodaly dan

There was a poor silly harper-man,

And he lived in Lochmaben toon,

And he has wagered wi lairds and lords,

And mony a guinea against a croon.

Tum tid iddly

Dodaly diddely

Tidaly diddaly

Dodaly dan

2And he has wagered wi lairds and lords,And mony a guinea against a croon,That into England he would go,And steal King Henerie’s Wanton Broun.

And he has wagered wi lairds and lords,

And mony a guinea against a croon,

That into England he would go,

And steal King Henerie’s Wanton Broun.

3Out spak the silly poor harper’s wife,And O but she spak wililie:‘If into England you do go,Leave the wee-wee foal wi me.’

Out spak the silly poor harper’s wife,

And O but she spak wililie:

‘If into England you do go,

Leave the wee-wee foal wi me.’

4The harper he got on to ride,And O but he rode richt highlie!The very first man that he did meet,They said it was King Henerie.

The harper he got on to ride,

And O but he rode richt highlie!

The very first man that he did meet,

They said it was King Henerie.

5‘Licht doon, licht doon, ye silly poor harper,And oyour harping let me hear;’‘And by my sooth,’ quoth the silly poor harper,‘I’d rather hae stabling for my mear.’

‘Licht doon, licht doon, ye silly poor harper,

And oyour harping let me hear;’

‘And by my sooth,’ quoth the silly poor harper,

‘I’d rather hae stabling for my mear.’

6O he lookit ower his left shoulder,And saw ane of the stable-grooms:‘Go take the sillie poor harper’s mear,And stable her by my Wanton Brown.’

O he lookit ower his left shoulder,

And saw ane of the stable-grooms:

‘Go take the sillie poor harper’s mear,

And stable her by my Wanton Brown.’

7And aye he harpit, and aye he carpit,Till a’ the nobles fell on the floor,And aye he harpit, and aye he carpit,Till they forgot the key of the stable-door.

And aye he harpit, and aye he carpit,

Till a’ the nobles fell on the floor,

And aye he harpit, and aye he carpit,

Till they forgot the key of the stable-door.

8And aye he harpit, and aye he carpit,Till a’ the nobles fell fast asleep;He has taen his harp upon his back,And doon the stair did softly creep.

And aye he harpit, and aye he carpit,

Till a’ the nobles fell fast asleep;

He has taen his harp upon his back,

And doon the stair did softly creep.

9He has taen a halter frae his hose,And o his purpose did not fail;He coost a wap on Wanton’s nose,And tyed her to his ain mear’s tail.

He has taen a halter frae his hose,

And o his purpose did not fail;

He coost a wap on Wanton’s nose,

And tyed her to his ain mear’s tail.

10He ca’d her through at the bye-yett,Through mony a syre and mony a hole;She never loot Wanton licht till sheWas at Lochmaben, at her foal.

He ca’d her through at the bye-yett,

Through mony a syre and mony a hole;

She never loot Wanton licht till she

Was at Lochmaben, at her foal.

11And she came oer Lochmaben heights,Wi mony a nicker and mony a sneeze,And waukend the silly poor harper’s wife,As she was a sleeping at her ease.

And she came oer Lochmaben heights,

Wi mony a nicker and mony a sneeze,

And waukend the silly poor harper’s wife,

As she was a sleeping at her ease.

12‘Rise up, rise up, ye servant-lass,Let in the maister and the mear;’‘By my sooth,’ quoth the servant-lass,‘I think my maister be na here.’

‘Rise up, rise up, ye servant-lass,

Let in the maister and the mear;’

‘By my sooth,’ quoth the servant-lass,

‘I think my maister be na here.’

13Up then rose the servant-lass,And lookit through a wee, wee hole;‘By my sooth,’ quoth the servant-lass,‘Our mear has gotten a waly foal.’

Up then rose the servant-lass,

And lookit through a wee, wee hole;

‘By my sooth,’ quoth the servant-lass,

‘Our mear has gotten a waly foal.’

14‘Ye clatter, ye clatter, ye servant-lass,It is the moon shines in your ee;’‘By my sooth,’ quoth the servant-lass,‘It’s mair than ever her ain will be.’

‘Ye clatter, ye clatter, ye servant-lass,

It is the moon shines in your ee;’

‘By my sooth,’ quoth the servant-lass,

‘It’s mair than ever her ain will be.’

16It’s whan the stable-groom awoke,Put a’ the nobles in a fear;King Henerie’s Wanton Brown was stown,And Oh! the silly poor harper’s mear.

It’s whan the stable-groom awoke,

Put a’ the nobles in a fear;

King Henerie’s Wanton Brown was stown,

And Oh! the silly poor harper’s mear.

16Out then spak the silly poor harper,Says, Oh, this loss I douna thole!In England fair a guid grey mear,In fair Scotland a guid cout-foal.

Out then spak the silly poor harper,

Says, Oh, this loss I douna thole!

In England fair a guid grey mear,

In fair Scotland a guid cout-foal.

17‘Haud your tongue, ye sillie poor harper,And wi your carping let me be;Here’s ten pounds for your auld gray mear,And a weel paid foal it’s be to thee!’

‘Haud your tongue, ye sillie poor harper,

And wi your carping let me be;

Here’s ten pounds for your auld gray mear,

And a weel paid foal it’s be to thee!’

18And O the silly poor harper’s wife,She’s aye first up in Lochmaben toun;She’s stealing the corn and stealing the hay,And wappin it oer to Wanton Broun.

And O the silly poor harper’s wife,

She’s aye first up in Lochmaben toun;

She’s stealing the corn and stealing the hay,

And wappin it oer to Wanton Broun.

Buchan’s MSS, I, 35; Dixon, Scottish Traditional Versions of Ancient Ballads, p. 37, Percy Society, vol. xvii.

1There was a jolly harper-man,That harped aye frae toun to toun;A wager he made, with two knights he laidTo steal King Henry’s Wanton Brown.2Sir Roger he wagered five ploughs o land,Sir Charles wagered five thousand pound,And John he’s taen the deed in hand,To steal King Henry’s Wanton Brown.3He’s taen his harp into his hand,And he gaed harping thro the toun,And as the king in his palace sat,His ear was touched wi the soun.4‘Come in, come in, ye harper-man,Some o your harping let me hear;’‘Indeed, my liege, and by your grace,I’d rather hae stabling to my mare.’5‘Ye’ll gang to yon outer court,That stands a little below the toun;Ye’ll find a stable snug and neat,Where stands my stately Wanton Brown.6He’s down him to the outer court,That stood a little below the toun;There found a stable snug and neat,For stately stood the Wanton Brown.7Then he has fixd a good strong cordUnto his grey mare’s bridle-rein,And tied it unto that steed’s tail,Syne shut the stable-door behin.8Then he harped on, an he carped on,Till all were fast asleep;Then down thro bower and ha he’s gone,Even on his hands and feet.9He’s to yon stable snug and neat,That lay a little below the toun;For there he placed his ain grey mare,Alang wi Henry’s Wanton Brown.10‘Ye’ll do you down thro mire an moss,Thro mony bog an lairy hole;But never miss your Wanton slack;Ye’ll gang to Mayblane, to your foal.’11As soon’s the door he had unshut,The mare gaed prancing frae the town,An at her bridle-rein was tiedHenry’s stately Wanton Brown.12Then she did rin thro mire an moss,Thro mony bog an miery hole;But never missed her Wanton slackTill she reachd Mayblane, to her foal.13When the king awaked from sleepHe to the harper-man did say,O waken ye, waken ye, jolly John,We’ve fairly slept till it is day.14‘Win up, win up, ye harper-man,Some mair o harping ye’ll gie me:’He said, My liege, wi a’ my heart,But first my gude grey mare maun see.15Then forth he ran, and in he came,Dropping mony a feigned tear:‘Some rogue[s] hae broke the outer court,An stown awa my gude grey mare.’16‘Then by my sooth,’ the king replied,‘If there’s been rogues into the toun,I fear, as well as your grey mare,Awa is my stately Wanton Brown.’17‘My loss is great,’ the harper said,‘My loss is twice as great, I fear;In Scotland I lost a gude grey steed,An here I’ve lost a gude grey mare.’18‘Come on, come on, ye harper-man,Some o your music lat me hear;Well paid ye’se be, John, for the same,An likewise for your gude grey mare.’19When that John his money received,Then he went harping frae the toun,But little did King Henry kenHe’d stown awa his Wanton Brown.20The knights then lay ower castle-wa,An they beheld baith dale an down,An saw the jolly harper-manCome harping on to Striveling toun.21Then, ‘By my sooth,’ Sir Roger said,‘Are ye returned back to toun?I doubt my lad ye hae ill spedOf stealing o the Wanton Brown.’22‘I hae been into fair England,An even into Lunan toun,An in King Henry’s outer court,An stown awa the Wanton Brown.’23‘Ye lie, ye lie,’ Sir Charles he said,‘An aye sae loud’s I hear ye lie;Twall armed men, in armour bright,They guard the stable night and day.’24‘But I did harp them all asleep,An managed my business cunninglie;If ye make light o what I say,Come to my stable an ye’ll see.25‘My music pleasd the king sae wellMair o my harping he wishd to hear;An for the same he paid me well,And also for my gude grey mare.’26Then he drew out a gude lang purse,Well stored wi gowd an white monie,An in a short time after thisThe Wanton Brown he lat them see.27Sir Roger produced his ploughs o land,Sir Charles produced his thousand pounds,Then back to Henry, the English king,Restored the stately Wanton Brown.

1There was a jolly harper-man,That harped aye frae toun to toun;A wager he made, with two knights he laidTo steal King Henry’s Wanton Brown.

There was a jolly harper-man,

That harped aye frae toun to toun;

A wager he made, with two knights he laid

To steal King Henry’s Wanton Brown.

2Sir Roger he wagered five ploughs o land,Sir Charles wagered five thousand pound,And John he’s taen the deed in hand,To steal King Henry’s Wanton Brown.

Sir Roger he wagered five ploughs o land,

Sir Charles wagered five thousand pound,

And John he’s taen the deed in hand,

To steal King Henry’s Wanton Brown.

3He’s taen his harp into his hand,And he gaed harping thro the toun,And as the king in his palace sat,His ear was touched wi the soun.

He’s taen his harp into his hand,

And he gaed harping thro the toun,

And as the king in his palace sat,

His ear was touched wi the soun.

4‘Come in, come in, ye harper-man,Some o your harping let me hear;’‘Indeed, my liege, and by your grace,I’d rather hae stabling to my mare.’

‘Come in, come in, ye harper-man,

Some o your harping let me hear;’

‘Indeed, my liege, and by your grace,

I’d rather hae stabling to my mare.’

5‘Ye’ll gang to yon outer court,That stands a little below the toun;Ye’ll find a stable snug and neat,Where stands my stately Wanton Brown.

‘Ye’ll gang to yon outer court,

That stands a little below the toun;

Ye’ll find a stable snug and neat,

Where stands my stately Wanton Brown.

6He’s down him to the outer court,That stood a little below the toun;There found a stable snug and neat,For stately stood the Wanton Brown.

He’s down him to the outer court,

That stood a little below the toun;

There found a stable snug and neat,

For stately stood the Wanton Brown.

7Then he has fixd a good strong cordUnto his grey mare’s bridle-rein,And tied it unto that steed’s tail,Syne shut the stable-door behin.

Then he has fixd a good strong cord

Unto his grey mare’s bridle-rein,

And tied it unto that steed’s tail,

Syne shut the stable-door behin.

8Then he harped on, an he carped on,Till all were fast asleep;Then down thro bower and ha he’s gone,Even on his hands and feet.

Then he harped on, an he carped on,

Till all were fast asleep;

Then down thro bower and ha he’s gone,

Even on his hands and feet.

9He’s to yon stable snug and neat,That lay a little below the toun;For there he placed his ain grey mare,Alang wi Henry’s Wanton Brown.

He’s to yon stable snug and neat,

That lay a little below the toun;

For there he placed his ain grey mare,

Alang wi Henry’s Wanton Brown.

10‘Ye’ll do you down thro mire an moss,Thro mony bog an lairy hole;But never miss your Wanton slack;Ye’ll gang to Mayblane, to your foal.’

‘Ye’ll do you down thro mire an moss,

Thro mony bog an lairy hole;

But never miss your Wanton slack;

Ye’ll gang to Mayblane, to your foal.’

11As soon’s the door he had unshut,The mare gaed prancing frae the town,An at her bridle-rein was tiedHenry’s stately Wanton Brown.

As soon’s the door he had unshut,

The mare gaed prancing frae the town,

An at her bridle-rein was tied

Henry’s stately Wanton Brown.

12Then she did rin thro mire an moss,Thro mony bog an miery hole;But never missed her Wanton slackTill she reachd Mayblane, to her foal.

Then she did rin thro mire an moss,

Thro mony bog an miery hole;

But never missed her Wanton slack

Till she reachd Mayblane, to her foal.

13When the king awaked from sleepHe to the harper-man did say,O waken ye, waken ye, jolly John,We’ve fairly slept till it is day.

When the king awaked from sleep

He to the harper-man did say,

O waken ye, waken ye, jolly John,

We’ve fairly slept till it is day.

14‘Win up, win up, ye harper-man,Some mair o harping ye’ll gie me:’He said, My liege, wi a’ my heart,But first my gude grey mare maun see.

‘Win up, win up, ye harper-man,

Some mair o harping ye’ll gie me:’

He said, My liege, wi a’ my heart,

But first my gude grey mare maun see.

15Then forth he ran, and in he came,Dropping mony a feigned tear:‘Some rogue[s] hae broke the outer court,An stown awa my gude grey mare.’

Then forth he ran, and in he came,

Dropping mony a feigned tear:

‘Some rogue[s] hae broke the outer court,

An stown awa my gude grey mare.’

16‘Then by my sooth,’ the king replied,‘If there’s been rogues into the toun,I fear, as well as your grey mare,Awa is my stately Wanton Brown.’

‘Then by my sooth,’ the king replied,

‘If there’s been rogues into the toun,

I fear, as well as your grey mare,

Awa is my stately Wanton Brown.’

17‘My loss is great,’ the harper said,‘My loss is twice as great, I fear;In Scotland I lost a gude grey steed,An here I’ve lost a gude grey mare.’

‘My loss is great,’ the harper said,

‘My loss is twice as great, I fear;

In Scotland I lost a gude grey steed,

An here I’ve lost a gude grey mare.’

18‘Come on, come on, ye harper-man,Some o your music lat me hear;Well paid ye’se be, John, for the same,An likewise for your gude grey mare.’

‘Come on, come on, ye harper-man,

Some o your music lat me hear;

Well paid ye’se be, John, for the same,

An likewise for your gude grey mare.’

19When that John his money received,Then he went harping frae the toun,But little did King Henry kenHe’d stown awa his Wanton Brown.

When that John his money received,

Then he went harping frae the toun,

But little did King Henry ken

He’d stown awa his Wanton Brown.

20The knights then lay ower castle-wa,An they beheld baith dale an down,An saw the jolly harper-manCome harping on to Striveling toun.

The knights then lay ower castle-wa,

An they beheld baith dale an down,

An saw the jolly harper-man

Come harping on to Striveling toun.

21Then, ‘By my sooth,’ Sir Roger said,‘Are ye returned back to toun?I doubt my lad ye hae ill spedOf stealing o the Wanton Brown.’

Then, ‘By my sooth,’ Sir Roger said,

‘Are ye returned back to toun?

I doubt my lad ye hae ill sped

Of stealing o the Wanton Brown.’

22‘I hae been into fair England,An even into Lunan toun,An in King Henry’s outer court,An stown awa the Wanton Brown.’

‘I hae been into fair England,

An even into Lunan toun,

An in King Henry’s outer court,

An stown awa the Wanton Brown.’

23‘Ye lie, ye lie,’ Sir Charles he said,‘An aye sae loud’s I hear ye lie;Twall armed men, in armour bright,They guard the stable night and day.’

‘Ye lie, ye lie,’ Sir Charles he said,

‘An aye sae loud’s I hear ye lie;

Twall armed men, in armour bright,

They guard the stable night and day.’

24‘But I did harp them all asleep,An managed my business cunninglie;If ye make light o what I say,Come to my stable an ye’ll see.

‘But I did harp them all asleep,

An managed my business cunninglie;

If ye make light o what I say,

Come to my stable an ye’ll see.

25‘My music pleasd the king sae wellMair o my harping he wishd to hear;An for the same he paid me well,And also for my gude grey mare.’

‘My music pleasd the king sae well

Mair o my harping he wishd to hear;

An for the same he paid me well,

And also for my gude grey mare.’

26Then he drew out a gude lang purse,Well stored wi gowd an white monie,An in a short time after thisThe Wanton Brown he lat them see.

Then he drew out a gude lang purse,

Well stored wi gowd an white monie,

An in a short time after this

The Wanton Brown he lat them see.

27Sir Roger produced his ploughs o land,Sir Charles produced his thousand pounds,Then back to Henry, the English king,Restored the stately Wanton Brown.

Sir Roger produced his ploughs o land,

Sir Charles produced his thousand pounds,

Then back to Henry, the English king,

Restored the stately Wanton Brown.

A. a.

“I have here given another copy of this Border Ballad, which I took from a MS. collection of Mr Henderson. It varies a little from the former [A], which I had from Dr Clapperton of Lochmaben.”

44, 134, 184.The Wanton Brown is a mare: sob, andD, 94. But the Brown is a stallion inC, 34, 84, 134, and is so made to be inA c, 134, 173: rightly, I should suppose.

82. say.

124.to wanting.

The third and fourth lines are repeated as burden.

11. O heard ye of a silly harper.

12. Livd long.

13. he did.

81. hewanting.

92. lords gaed through.

94. That they forgat.

144. ere it.

152. gae.

161. raise.

171. then (misprint)forthose.

173. gainst.

213. shall.

No burden.

11. O heard ye na o.

12. How lang he lived.

13. And how.

14. steal the Lord Warden’s.

22. the haste.

23. will neer gae weel.

31. hast.

32. That can baith lance oer laigh.

33. Sae set thee on the gray mare’s back.

4, 5,wanting.

62. And even: he may drie.

63. And when he cam to Carlisle gate.

64. O whae: but the Warden, he.

71. into my hall, thou.

74. I wad.

81. The Warden lookd ower.

82. said.

83. silly blind. 84. beside.

91. Then aye.

92. the lordlings footed.

93. But an the.

94. The groom had nae mind o.

102. were fast.

111hied.

114. gudewanting.

121. took a cowt halter.

122. he did.

131. He turned them loose at the castle gate.

132. muir and moss.

133. neer let: bait.

134. But kept him a-galloping hame to her foal.

141. The mare she was: foot.

142. She didna.

144. A lang: before the day.

153. Rise up.

161. cloathes.

162. keekit through at the.

163. then cried.

164. braw brown.

171. haud thy tongue, thou silly wench.

172. morn’s: in your ee.

173. He’s.

18.Now all this while, in merry Carlisle,The harper harped to hie and law,And the fiend thing dought they do but listen him to,Untill that the day began to daw.

18.

Now all this while, in merry Carlisle,

The harper harped to hie and law,

And the fiend thing dought they do but listen him to,

Untill that the day began to daw.

193. Behold the Wanton Brown was gane.

194. poor blind.

201. quo the cunning auld.

202. And ever allace.

203. I lost a.

21, 22,alteration ofB11, 12:

Come cease thy allacing, thou silly blind harper,And again of thy harping let us hear;And weel payd sall thy cowt-foal be,And thou sall have a far better mare.Then aye he harped, and aye he carped,Sae sweet were the harpings he let them hear!He was paid for the foal he had never lost,And three times ower for the gude gray mare.

Come cease thy allacing, thou silly blind harper,And again of thy harping let us hear;And weel payd sall thy cowt-foal be,And thou sall have a far better mare.

Come cease thy allacing, thou silly blind harper,

And again of thy harping let us hear;

And weel payd sall thy cowt-foal be,

And thou sall have a far better mare.

Then aye he harped, and aye he carped,Sae sweet were the harpings he let them hear!He was paid for the foal he had never lost,And three times ower for the gude gray mare.

Then aye he harped, and aye he carped,

Sae sweet were the harpings he let them hear!

He was paid for the foal he had never lost,

And three times ower for the gude gray mare.

12. in a Bell town:see131.

5.The burden is here: Sing, Fadle fidle, etc.

“The following is an oral version of a ballad which appears in the first volume of the ‘Minstrelsy.’ I have written it down from the recitation of a friend who learned it many years ago from her grandfather, a Mr John Macreddie, farmer, Little Laight parish of Inch, Wigtonshire. He died in 1813, at the age of ninety-four, and is supposed to have acquired the song from tradition in his youth. On comparison, it will be found to differ in several respects from Sir Walter’s version. 11 Hill Street, Anderston, Glasgow. W. G.”

32, 42, 61, 181, oh. 101, at, 161, then,added by Mr Murray in pencil above the line, as if on reading over what he had written down.

184.Dr Mitchell gives: An waps. “ The ower-word,”he adds, “was something like the following:”

Hey tum tidlyDoodlem didlyHey tum tidlyDoodley dan.

Hey tum tidly

Doodlem didly

Hey tum tidly

Doodley dan.

22.The reading is perhapspounds.

72,3.Absurdity could be avoided by exchanginggrey mareandsteed.

242. byformy.

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