223EPPIE MORRIE
‘Eppie Morrie,’ Maidment’s North Countrie Garland, p. 40, 18
‘Eppie Morrie,’ Maidment’s North Countrie Garland, p. 40, 18
‘Eppie Morrie,’ Maidment’s North Countrie Garland, p. 40, 18
“This ballad,” says Maidment, “is probably much more than a century old, though the circumstances which have given rise to it were unfortunately too common to preclude the possibility of its being of a later date.” He does not tell us where the ballad came from, and no other editor seems to know of it. Two stanzas, 10, 11, occur in a copy of ‘Rob Roy’ (No 225,J) which had once been in Maidment’s hands, and perhaps was obtained from the same region.
Four-and-twenty Highlanders, the leader of whom is one Willie, come to Strathdon from Carrie (Carvie?) side to steal away Eppie Morrie, who has refused to marry Willie. They tie her on a horse and take her to a minister, whom Willie, putting a pistol to his breast, orders to marry them. The minister will not consent unless Eppie is willing, and she strenuously refuses; so they take her to Carrie side and put her to bed. She defends herself successfully, and in the morning comes in her lover, Belbordlane, or John Forsyth, well armed, and we presume well supported, who carries her back to her mother, to be his bride.
Scott, Introduction to Rob Roy, Appendix, No V, cites two stanzas of a ballad derived from tradition which, if we had the whole, might possibly turn out to be the same story with different names.
Four-and-twenty Hieland menCame doun by Fiddoch side,And they have sworn a deadly aithJean Muir suld be a bride.And they have sworn a deadly aith,Ilke man upon his durke,That she should wed with Duncan Ger,Or they’d make bloody worke.
Four-and-twenty Hieland menCame doun by Fiddoch side,And they have sworn a deadly aithJean Muir suld be a bride.And they have sworn a deadly aith,Ilke man upon his durke,That she should wed with Duncan Ger,Or they’d make bloody worke.
Four-and-twenty Hieland menCame doun by Fiddoch side,And they have sworn a deadly aithJean Muir suld be a bride.
Four-and-twenty Hieland men
Came doun by Fiddoch side,
And they have sworn a deadly aith
Jean Muir suld be a bride.
And they have sworn a deadly aith,Ilke man upon his durke,That she should wed with Duncan Ger,Or they’d make bloody worke.
And they have sworn a deadly aith,
Ilke man upon his durke,
That she should wed with Duncan Ger,
Or they’d make bloody worke.
1Four-and-twenty Highland menCame a’ from Carrie sideTo steal awa Eppie Morrie,Cause she would not be a bride.2Out it’s came her mother,It was a moonlight night,She could not see her daughter,Their swords they shin’d so bright.3‘Haud far awa frae me, mother,Haud far awa frae me;There’s not a man in a’ StrathdonShall wedded be with me.’4They have taken Eppie Morrie,And horse back bound her on,And then awa to the minister,As fast as horse could gang.5He’s taken out a pistol,And set it to the minister’s breast:‘Marry me, marry me, minister,Or else I’ll be your priest.’6‘Haud far awa frae me, good sir,Haud far awa frae me;For there’s not a man in all StrathdonThat shall married be with me.’7‘Haud far awa frae me, Willie,Haud far awa frae me;For I darna avow to marry you,Except she’s as willing as ye.’8They have taken Eppie Morrie,Since better could nae be,And they’re awa to Carrie side,As fast as horse could flee.9When mass was sung, and bells were rung,And all were bound for bed,Then Willie an Eppie MorrieIn one bed they were laid.10‘Haud far awa frae me, Willie,Haud far awa frae me;Before I’ll lose my maidenhead,I’ll try my strength with thee.’11She took the cap from off her headAnd threw it to the way;Said, Ere I lose my maidenhead,I’ll fight with you till day.12Then early in the morning,Before her clothes were on,In came the maiden of Scalletter,Gown and shirt alone.13‘Get up, get up, young woman,And drink the wine wi me;’‘You might have called me maiden,I’m sure as leal as thee.’14‘Wally fa you, Willie,That ye could nae prove a manAnd taen the lassie’s maidenhead!She would have hired your han.’15‘Haud far awa frae me, lady,Haud far awa frae me;There’s not a man in a’ StrathdonThe day shall wed wi me.’16Soon in there came Belbordlane,With a pistol on every side:‘Come awa hame, Eppie Morrie,And there you’ll be my bride.’17‘Go get to me a horse, Willie,And get it like a man,And send me back to my motherA maiden as I cam.18‘The sun shines oer the westlin hills;By the light lamp of the moon,Just saddle your horse, young John Forsyth,And whistle, and I’ll come soon.’
1Four-and-twenty Highland menCame a’ from Carrie sideTo steal awa Eppie Morrie,Cause she would not be a bride.2Out it’s came her mother,It was a moonlight night,She could not see her daughter,Their swords they shin’d so bright.3‘Haud far awa frae me, mother,Haud far awa frae me;There’s not a man in a’ StrathdonShall wedded be with me.’4They have taken Eppie Morrie,And horse back bound her on,And then awa to the minister,As fast as horse could gang.5He’s taken out a pistol,And set it to the minister’s breast:‘Marry me, marry me, minister,Or else I’ll be your priest.’6‘Haud far awa frae me, good sir,Haud far awa frae me;For there’s not a man in all StrathdonThat shall married be with me.’7‘Haud far awa frae me, Willie,Haud far awa frae me;For I darna avow to marry you,Except she’s as willing as ye.’8They have taken Eppie Morrie,Since better could nae be,And they’re awa to Carrie side,As fast as horse could flee.9When mass was sung, and bells were rung,And all were bound for bed,Then Willie an Eppie MorrieIn one bed they were laid.10‘Haud far awa frae me, Willie,Haud far awa frae me;Before I’ll lose my maidenhead,I’ll try my strength with thee.’11She took the cap from off her headAnd threw it to the way;Said, Ere I lose my maidenhead,I’ll fight with you till day.12Then early in the morning,Before her clothes were on,In came the maiden of Scalletter,Gown and shirt alone.13‘Get up, get up, young woman,And drink the wine wi me;’‘You might have called me maiden,I’m sure as leal as thee.’14‘Wally fa you, Willie,That ye could nae prove a manAnd taen the lassie’s maidenhead!She would have hired your han.’15‘Haud far awa frae me, lady,Haud far awa frae me;There’s not a man in a’ StrathdonThe day shall wed wi me.’16Soon in there came Belbordlane,With a pistol on every side:‘Come awa hame, Eppie Morrie,And there you’ll be my bride.’17‘Go get to me a horse, Willie,And get it like a man,And send me back to my motherA maiden as I cam.18‘The sun shines oer the westlin hills;By the light lamp of the moon,Just saddle your horse, young John Forsyth,And whistle, and I’ll come soon.’
1Four-and-twenty Highland menCame a’ from Carrie sideTo steal awa Eppie Morrie,Cause she would not be a bride.
1
Four-and-twenty Highland men
Came a’ from Carrie side
To steal awa Eppie Morrie,
Cause she would not be a bride.
2Out it’s came her mother,It was a moonlight night,She could not see her daughter,Their swords they shin’d so bright.
2
Out it’s came her mother,
It was a moonlight night,
She could not see her daughter,
Their swords they shin’d so bright.
3‘Haud far awa frae me, mother,Haud far awa frae me;There’s not a man in a’ StrathdonShall wedded be with me.’
3
‘Haud far awa frae me, mother,
Haud far awa frae me;
There’s not a man in a’ Strathdon
Shall wedded be with me.’
4They have taken Eppie Morrie,And horse back bound her on,And then awa to the minister,As fast as horse could gang.
4
They have taken Eppie Morrie,
And horse back bound her on,
And then awa to the minister,
As fast as horse could gang.
5He’s taken out a pistol,And set it to the minister’s breast:‘Marry me, marry me, minister,Or else I’ll be your priest.’
5
He’s taken out a pistol,
And set it to the minister’s breast:
‘Marry me, marry me, minister,
Or else I’ll be your priest.’
6‘Haud far awa frae me, good sir,Haud far awa frae me;For there’s not a man in all StrathdonThat shall married be with me.’
6
‘Haud far awa frae me, good sir,
Haud far awa frae me;
For there’s not a man in all Strathdon
That shall married be with me.’
7‘Haud far awa frae me, Willie,Haud far awa frae me;For I darna avow to marry you,Except she’s as willing as ye.’
7
‘Haud far awa frae me, Willie,
Haud far awa frae me;
For I darna avow to marry you,
Except she’s as willing as ye.’
8They have taken Eppie Morrie,Since better could nae be,And they’re awa to Carrie side,As fast as horse could flee.
8
They have taken Eppie Morrie,
Since better could nae be,
And they’re awa to Carrie side,
As fast as horse could flee.
9When mass was sung, and bells were rung,And all were bound for bed,Then Willie an Eppie MorrieIn one bed they were laid.
9
When mass was sung, and bells were rung,
And all were bound for bed,
Then Willie an Eppie Morrie
In one bed they were laid.
10‘Haud far awa frae me, Willie,Haud far awa frae me;Before I’ll lose my maidenhead,I’ll try my strength with thee.’
10
‘Haud far awa frae me, Willie,
Haud far awa frae me;
Before I’ll lose my maidenhead,
I’ll try my strength with thee.’
11She took the cap from off her headAnd threw it to the way;Said, Ere I lose my maidenhead,I’ll fight with you till day.
11
She took the cap from off her head
And threw it to the way;
Said, Ere I lose my maidenhead,
I’ll fight with you till day.
12Then early in the morning,Before her clothes were on,In came the maiden of Scalletter,Gown and shirt alone.
12
Then early in the morning,
Before her clothes were on,
In came the maiden of Scalletter,
Gown and shirt alone.
13‘Get up, get up, young woman,And drink the wine wi me;’‘You might have called me maiden,I’m sure as leal as thee.’
13
‘Get up, get up, young woman,
And drink the wine wi me;’
‘You might have called me maiden,
I’m sure as leal as thee.’
14‘Wally fa you, Willie,That ye could nae prove a manAnd taen the lassie’s maidenhead!She would have hired your han.’
14
‘Wally fa you, Willie,
That ye could nae prove a man
And taen the lassie’s maidenhead!
She would have hired your han.’
15‘Haud far awa frae me, lady,Haud far awa frae me;There’s not a man in a’ StrathdonThe day shall wed wi me.’
15
‘Haud far awa frae me, lady,
Haud far awa frae me;
There’s not a man in a’ Strathdon
The day shall wed wi me.’
16Soon in there came Belbordlane,With a pistol on every side:‘Come awa hame, Eppie Morrie,And there you’ll be my bride.’
16
Soon in there came Belbordlane,
With a pistol on every side:
‘Come awa hame, Eppie Morrie,
And there you’ll be my bride.’
17‘Go get to me a horse, Willie,And get it like a man,And send me back to my motherA maiden as I cam.
17
‘Go get to me a horse, Willie,
And get it like a man,
And send me back to my mother
A maiden as I cam.
18‘The sun shines oer the westlin hills;By the light lamp of the moon,Just saddle your horse, young John Forsyth,And whistle, and I’ll come soon.’
18
‘The sun shines oer the westlin hills;
By the light lamp of the moon,
Just saddle your horse, young John Forsyth,
And whistle, and I’ll come soon.’
51. pistol, and.
52. Set.
161. their.