261LADY ISABEL
‘Lady Isabel,’ Buchan’s Ballads of the North of Scotland, I, 129.
‘Lady Isabel,’ Buchan’s Ballads of the North of Scotland, I, 129.
‘Lady Isabel,’ Buchan’s Ballads of the North of Scotland, I, 129.
Lady Isabel’s step-mother accuses her of being her father’s leman; he gives her finer gowns than he gives his wife. Isabel replies that, in the first place, she is young, which is reason enough why her gowns should be fairer; but that, as a matter of fact, a lover of hers over seas sends her ten gowns to one that her father buys her. The step-mother invites Isabel to take wine with her. Isabel wishes first to go to a church. At this church she sees her own mother, and asks whether she shall flee the country or drink what has been prepared for her. Her mother enjoins her to drink the dowie drink; before she is cold she will be in a better place. Upon returning, Isabel is again pressed to take wine, and again begs to be excused for the moment; she wishes to see her maids in the garden. She gives her maids ring and brooch. A third time the step-mother proposes that they shall take wine together; the daughter, with due courtesy, begs the elder to begin. The step-mothergoes through certain motions customary in ballads of this description, and swallows not a drop; Isabel duly repeats the mummery, but drinks. She has time to tell this wicked dame that their beds will be made very far apart. The step-mother goes mad.
Stanzas 20, 21, as has already been intimated, are a commonplace, and a foolish one. Stanza 24, in various forms, not always well adapted to the particular circumstances, ends several ballads: as No 64,F; No 65,H; No 66,A28, 29,B20, 21; No 67,B; No 70,B.
Translated by Gerhard, p. 161.
1‘T was early on a May morningLady Isabel combd her hair;But little kent she, or the mornShe woud never comb it mair.2‘T was early on a May morningLady Isabel rang the keys;But little kent she, or the mornA fey woman she was.3Ben it came her step-mother,As white ‘s the lily flower:‘It’s tauld me this day, Isabel,You are your father’s whore.’4‘O them that tauld you that, mother,I wish they neer drink wine;For if I be the same womanMy ain sell drees the pine.5‘And them that’s tauld you that, mother,I wish they neer drink ale;For if I be the same womanMy ain sell drees the dail.’6‘It may be very well seen, Isabel,It may be very well seen;He buys to you the damask gowns,To me the dowie green.’7‘Ye are of age and I am young,And young amo my flowers;The fairer that my claithing be,The mair honour is yours.8‘I hae a love beyond the sea,And far ayont the faem;For ilka gown my father buys me,My ain luve sends me ten.’9‘Come ben, come ben now, Lady Isabel,And drink the wine wi me;I hae twa jewels in ae coffer,And ane o them I’ll gie [ye].’10‘Stay still, stay still, my mother dear,Stay still a little while,Till I gang into Marykirk;It’s but a little mile.’11When she gaed on to Marykirk,And into Mary’s quire,There she saw her ain motherSit in a gowden chair.12‘O will I leave the lands, mother?Or shall I sail the sea?Or shall I drink this dowie drinkThat is prepar’d for me?’13‘Ye winna leave the lands, daughter,Nor will ye sail the sea,But ye will drink this dowie drinkThis woman’s prepar’d for thee.14‘Your bed is made in a better placeThan ever hers will be,And ere ye’re cauld into the roomYe will be there wi me.’15‘Come in, come in now, Lady Isabel,And drink the wine wi me;I hae twa jewels in ae coffer,And ane o them I’ll gie [ye].’16‘Stay still, stay still, my mother dear,Stay still a little wee,Till I gang to yon garden green,My Maries a’ to see.’17To some she gae the broach, the broach,To some she gae a ring;But wae befa her step-mother!To her she gae nae thing.18‘Come in, come in now, Lady Isabel,And drink the wine wi me;I hae twa jewels in ae coffer,And ane o them I’ll gie [ye].’19Slowly to the bower she came,And slowly enterd in,And being full o courtesie,Says, Begin, mother, begin.20She put it till her cheek, her cheek,Sae did she till her chin,Sae did she till her fu fause lips,But never a drap gaed in.21Lady Isabel put it till her cheek,Sae did she till her chin,Sae did she till her rosy lips,And the rank poison gaed in.22‘O take this cup frae me, mother,O take this cup frae me;My bed is made in a better placeThan ever yours will be.23‘My bed is in the heavens high,Amang the angels fine;But yours is in the lowest hell,To drie torment and pine.’24Nae moan was made for Lady IsabelIn bower where she lay dead,But a’ was for that ill woman,In the fields mad she gaed.
1‘T was early on a May morningLady Isabel combd her hair;But little kent she, or the mornShe woud never comb it mair.2‘T was early on a May morningLady Isabel rang the keys;But little kent she, or the mornA fey woman she was.3Ben it came her step-mother,As white ‘s the lily flower:‘It’s tauld me this day, Isabel,You are your father’s whore.’4‘O them that tauld you that, mother,I wish they neer drink wine;For if I be the same womanMy ain sell drees the pine.5‘And them that’s tauld you that, mother,I wish they neer drink ale;For if I be the same womanMy ain sell drees the dail.’6‘It may be very well seen, Isabel,It may be very well seen;He buys to you the damask gowns,To me the dowie green.’7‘Ye are of age and I am young,And young amo my flowers;The fairer that my claithing be,The mair honour is yours.8‘I hae a love beyond the sea,And far ayont the faem;For ilka gown my father buys me,My ain luve sends me ten.’9‘Come ben, come ben now, Lady Isabel,And drink the wine wi me;I hae twa jewels in ae coffer,And ane o them I’ll gie [ye].’10‘Stay still, stay still, my mother dear,Stay still a little while,Till I gang into Marykirk;It’s but a little mile.’11When she gaed on to Marykirk,And into Mary’s quire,There she saw her ain motherSit in a gowden chair.12‘O will I leave the lands, mother?Or shall I sail the sea?Or shall I drink this dowie drinkThat is prepar’d for me?’13‘Ye winna leave the lands, daughter,Nor will ye sail the sea,But ye will drink this dowie drinkThis woman’s prepar’d for thee.14‘Your bed is made in a better placeThan ever hers will be,And ere ye’re cauld into the roomYe will be there wi me.’15‘Come in, come in now, Lady Isabel,And drink the wine wi me;I hae twa jewels in ae coffer,And ane o them I’ll gie [ye].’16‘Stay still, stay still, my mother dear,Stay still a little wee,Till I gang to yon garden green,My Maries a’ to see.’17To some she gae the broach, the broach,To some she gae a ring;But wae befa her step-mother!To her she gae nae thing.18‘Come in, come in now, Lady Isabel,And drink the wine wi me;I hae twa jewels in ae coffer,And ane o them I’ll gie [ye].’19Slowly to the bower she came,And slowly enterd in,And being full o courtesie,Says, Begin, mother, begin.20She put it till her cheek, her cheek,Sae did she till her chin,Sae did she till her fu fause lips,But never a drap gaed in.21Lady Isabel put it till her cheek,Sae did she till her chin,Sae did she till her rosy lips,And the rank poison gaed in.22‘O take this cup frae me, mother,O take this cup frae me;My bed is made in a better placeThan ever yours will be.23‘My bed is in the heavens high,Amang the angels fine;But yours is in the lowest hell,To drie torment and pine.’24Nae moan was made for Lady IsabelIn bower where she lay dead,But a’ was for that ill woman,In the fields mad she gaed.
1‘T was early on a May morningLady Isabel combd her hair;But little kent she, or the mornShe woud never comb it mair.
1
‘T was early on a May morning
Lady Isabel combd her hair;
But little kent she, or the morn
She woud never comb it mair.
2‘T was early on a May morningLady Isabel rang the keys;But little kent she, or the mornA fey woman she was.
2
‘T was early on a May morning
Lady Isabel rang the keys;
But little kent she, or the morn
A fey woman she was.
3Ben it came her step-mother,As white ‘s the lily flower:‘It’s tauld me this day, Isabel,You are your father’s whore.’
3
Ben it came her step-mother,
As white ‘s the lily flower:
‘It’s tauld me this day, Isabel,
You are your father’s whore.’
4‘O them that tauld you that, mother,I wish they neer drink wine;For if I be the same womanMy ain sell drees the pine.
4
‘O them that tauld you that, mother,
I wish they neer drink wine;
For if I be the same woman
My ain sell drees the pine.
5‘And them that’s tauld you that, mother,I wish they neer drink ale;For if I be the same womanMy ain sell drees the dail.’
5
‘And them that’s tauld you that, mother,
I wish they neer drink ale;
For if I be the same woman
My ain sell drees the dail.’
6‘It may be very well seen, Isabel,It may be very well seen;He buys to you the damask gowns,To me the dowie green.’
6
‘It may be very well seen, Isabel,
It may be very well seen;
He buys to you the damask gowns,
To me the dowie green.’
7‘Ye are of age and I am young,And young amo my flowers;The fairer that my claithing be,The mair honour is yours.
7
‘Ye are of age and I am young,
And young amo my flowers;
The fairer that my claithing be,
The mair honour is yours.
8‘I hae a love beyond the sea,And far ayont the faem;For ilka gown my father buys me,My ain luve sends me ten.’
8
‘I hae a love beyond the sea,
And far ayont the faem;
For ilka gown my father buys me,
My ain luve sends me ten.’
9‘Come ben, come ben now, Lady Isabel,And drink the wine wi me;I hae twa jewels in ae coffer,And ane o them I’ll gie [ye].’
9
‘Come ben, come ben now, Lady Isabel,
And drink the wine wi me;
I hae twa jewels in ae coffer,
And ane o them I’ll gie [ye].’
10‘Stay still, stay still, my mother dear,Stay still a little while,Till I gang into Marykirk;It’s but a little mile.’
10
‘Stay still, stay still, my mother dear,
Stay still a little while,
Till I gang into Marykirk;
It’s but a little mile.’
11When she gaed on to Marykirk,And into Mary’s quire,There she saw her ain motherSit in a gowden chair.
11
When she gaed on to Marykirk,
And into Mary’s quire,
There she saw her ain mother
Sit in a gowden chair.
12‘O will I leave the lands, mother?Or shall I sail the sea?Or shall I drink this dowie drinkThat is prepar’d for me?’
12
‘O will I leave the lands, mother?
Or shall I sail the sea?
Or shall I drink this dowie drink
That is prepar’d for me?’
13‘Ye winna leave the lands, daughter,Nor will ye sail the sea,But ye will drink this dowie drinkThis woman’s prepar’d for thee.
13
‘Ye winna leave the lands, daughter,
Nor will ye sail the sea,
But ye will drink this dowie drink
This woman’s prepar’d for thee.
14‘Your bed is made in a better placeThan ever hers will be,And ere ye’re cauld into the roomYe will be there wi me.’
14
‘Your bed is made in a better place
Than ever hers will be,
And ere ye’re cauld into the room
Ye will be there wi me.’
15‘Come in, come in now, Lady Isabel,And drink the wine wi me;I hae twa jewels in ae coffer,And ane o them I’ll gie [ye].’
15
‘Come in, come in now, Lady Isabel,
And drink the wine wi me;
I hae twa jewels in ae coffer,
And ane o them I’ll gie [ye].’
16‘Stay still, stay still, my mother dear,Stay still a little wee,Till I gang to yon garden green,My Maries a’ to see.’
16
‘Stay still, stay still, my mother dear,
Stay still a little wee,
Till I gang to yon garden green,
My Maries a’ to see.’
17To some she gae the broach, the broach,To some she gae a ring;But wae befa her step-mother!To her she gae nae thing.
17
To some she gae the broach, the broach,
To some she gae a ring;
But wae befa her step-mother!
To her she gae nae thing.
18‘Come in, come in now, Lady Isabel,And drink the wine wi me;I hae twa jewels in ae coffer,And ane o them I’ll gie [ye].’
18
‘Come in, come in now, Lady Isabel,
And drink the wine wi me;
I hae twa jewels in ae coffer,
And ane o them I’ll gie [ye].’
19Slowly to the bower she came,And slowly enterd in,And being full o courtesie,Says, Begin, mother, begin.
19
Slowly to the bower she came,
And slowly enterd in,
And being full o courtesie,
Says, Begin, mother, begin.
20She put it till her cheek, her cheek,Sae did she till her chin,Sae did she till her fu fause lips,But never a drap gaed in.
20
She put it till her cheek, her cheek,
Sae did she till her chin,
Sae did she till her fu fause lips,
But never a drap gaed in.
21Lady Isabel put it till her cheek,Sae did she till her chin,Sae did she till her rosy lips,And the rank poison gaed in.
21
Lady Isabel put it till her cheek,
Sae did she till her chin,
Sae did she till her rosy lips,
And the rank poison gaed in.
22‘O take this cup frae me, mother,O take this cup frae me;My bed is made in a better placeThan ever yours will be.
22
‘O take this cup frae me, mother,
O take this cup frae me;
My bed is made in a better place
Than ever yours will be.
23‘My bed is in the heavens high,Amang the angels fine;But yours is in the lowest hell,To drie torment and pine.’
23
‘My bed is in the heavens high,
Amang the angels fine;
But yours is in the lowest hell,
To drie torment and pine.’
24Nae moan was made for Lady IsabelIn bower where she lay dead,But a’ was for that ill woman,In the fields mad she gaed.
24
Nae moan was made for Lady Isabel
In bower where she lay dead,
But a’ was for that ill woman,
In the fields mad she gaed.