I

1There was a lady fair, fair,Lived low down in yon glen, OAnd she’s been courted far an nearBy several gentlemen. O2At length the laird of LammingtonCame frae the West Country,All to court that pretty girl,And her bridegroom for to be.3He told her father, so did he her mother,And all the rest of her kin,And he has told the lass hersel,And her kind favour has won.4At length the laird of LaughenwaurCame frae the English border,And all to court that pretty girl,Well mounted in good order.5He told her father, so did he her mother,As I heard people say,But he ner told the lass hersel,Till on her wedding-day.6But when the wedding-day was fixed,And married for to be,Then Lamington came to the town,The bridegroom for to see.7‘O are ye come for sport, sir?’ he said,‘Or are ye come for play?Or are ye for a sight o my bonny bride,Upon her wedding-day?’8‘A ‘m neither come for sport, sir,’ he said,‘Nor am I come for play,But if I had one word o the brideI’d mount and go away.’9There was a cup of the good red wineWas filled out them between,And aye she drank to Lammington,Who her true-love had been.10He’s taen her by the milk-white hand,And by the grass-green sleeve;He’s mounted her behind him then,At the bridegroom speered no leave.11The blood ran down by Cowden banks,And down by Cowden brae,And aye they gaured the piper play‘It was a foul, foul play.’12Ye gentlemen of Lochenwaur,That’s laigh in England born,Come ner to Scotland to court a wife,Or be sure ye’l get the scorn.13The’ll keep ye up, and tamper ye at,Until yer wedding-day,And they’l gie ye frogs instead o fish,And they’ll play ye a foul play.

1There was a lady fair, fair,Lived low down in yon glen, OAnd she’s been courted far an nearBy several gentlemen. O

There was a lady fair, fair,

Lived low down in yon glen, O

And she’s been courted far an near

By several gentlemen. O

2At length the laird of LammingtonCame frae the West Country,All to court that pretty girl,And her bridegroom for to be.

At length the laird of Lammington

Came frae the West Country,

All to court that pretty girl,

And her bridegroom for to be.

3He told her father, so did he her mother,And all the rest of her kin,And he has told the lass hersel,And her kind favour has won.

He told her father, so did he her mother,

And all the rest of her kin,

And he has told the lass hersel,

And her kind favour has won.

4At length the laird of LaughenwaurCame frae the English border,And all to court that pretty girl,Well mounted in good order.

At length the laird of Laughenwaur

Came frae the English border,

And all to court that pretty girl,

Well mounted in good order.

5He told her father, so did he her mother,As I heard people say,But he ner told the lass hersel,Till on her wedding-day.

He told her father, so did he her mother,

As I heard people say,

But he ner told the lass hersel,

Till on her wedding-day.

6But when the wedding-day was fixed,And married for to be,Then Lamington came to the town,The bridegroom for to see.

But when the wedding-day was fixed,

And married for to be,

Then Lamington came to the town,

The bridegroom for to see.

7‘O are ye come for sport, sir?’ he said,‘Or are ye come for play?Or are ye for a sight o my bonny bride,Upon her wedding-day?’

‘O are ye come for sport, sir?’ he said,

‘Or are ye come for play?

Or are ye for a sight o my bonny bride,

Upon her wedding-day?’

8‘A ‘m neither come for sport, sir,’ he said,‘Nor am I come for play,But if I had one word o the brideI’d mount and go away.’

‘A ‘m neither come for sport, sir,’ he said,

‘Nor am I come for play,

But if I had one word o the bride

I’d mount and go away.’

9There was a cup of the good red wineWas filled out them between,And aye she drank to Lammington,Who her true-love had been.

There was a cup of the good red wine

Was filled out them between,

And aye she drank to Lammington,

Who her true-love had been.

10He’s taen her by the milk-white hand,And by the grass-green sleeve;He’s mounted her behind him then,At the bridegroom speered no leave.

He’s taen her by the milk-white hand,

And by the grass-green sleeve;

He’s mounted her behind him then,

At the bridegroom speered no leave.

11The blood ran down by Cowden banks,And down by Cowden brae,And aye they gaured the piper play‘It was a foul, foul play.’

The blood ran down by Cowden banks,

And down by Cowden brae,

And aye they gaured the piper play

‘It was a foul, foul play.’

12Ye gentlemen of Lochenwaur,That’s laigh in England born,Come ner to Scotland to court a wife,Or be sure ye’l get the scorn.

Ye gentlemen of Lochenwaur,

That’s laigh in England born,

Come ner to Scotland to court a wife,

Or be sure ye’l get the scorn.

13The’ll keep ye up, and tamper ye at,Until yer wedding-day,And they’l gie ye frogs instead o fish,And they’ll play ye a foul play.

The’ll keep ye up, and tamper ye at,

Until yer wedding-day,

And they’l gie ye frogs instead o fish,

And they’ll play ye a foul play.

Motherwell’s MS., p. 327, “from the recitation of Robert Sim, weaver, in Paisley, 16 July, 1825. It was a song of his father’s, a great reciter of heroick ballads.”

1In Bordershellin there did dwellA comely, handsome may,And Lochinvar he courted her,And stole her heart away.2She loved him but owre weel,And his love drew away;Another man then courted her,And set the wedding-day,3They set the wedding-day so plain,As plain as it might be;She sent a letter to her former love,The wedding to come see.4When Lochinvar the letter read,He sent owre a’ his landFor four and twenty beltit knichts,To come at his command.5They all came to his hand, I say,Upon that wedding-day;He set them upon milk-white steeds,And put them in array.6He set them in array, I say,Most pleasant to be seen,And he’s awa to the wedding-house,A single man his lane.7And when he was to the wedding-house come,They were all sitten down;Baith gentlemen and knichts was there,And lords of high renown.8They saluted him, baith auld and young,Speired how he had spent the day,And what young Lankashires was yonThey saw all in array.9But he answerd them richt scornfullie,Upon their wedding-day;He says, It’s been some Fairy CourtYe’ve seen all in array.10Then rose up the young bridegroom,And an angry man was he:‘Lo, art thou come to fight, young man?Indeed I’ll fight wi thee.’11‘O I am not come to fight,’ he sayd,‘But good fellowship to hae,And for to drink the wine sae red,And then I’ll go away.’12Then they filld him up a brimming glass,And drank it between them twa:‘Now one word of your bonnie bride,And then I’ll go my wa.’13But some were friends, and some were faes,Yet nane o them was freeTo let the bride on her wedding-dayGang out o their companie.14But he took her by the milk-white hand,And by the grass-green sleeve,And set her on a milk-white steed,And at nane o them speerd he leave.15Then the blood ran down the Caylin bank,And owre the Caylin brae;The auld folks knew something o the sport,Which gart them cry, Foul play!16Ye lusty lads of Limberdale,Tho ye be English born,Come nae mair to Scotland to court a maid,For fear ye get the scorn.17For fear that ye do get the scornUpon your wedding-day;Least ye catch frogs instead of fish,And then ye’ll ca’t foul play.

1In Bordershellin there did dwellA comely, handsome may,And Lochinvar he courted her,And stole her heart away.

In Bordershellin there did dwell

A comely, handsome may,

And Lochinvar he courted her,

And stole her heart away.

2She loved him but owre weel,And his love drew away;Another man then courted her,And set the wedding-day,

She loved him but owre weel,

And his love drew away;

Another man then courted her,

And set the wedding-day,

3They set the wedding-day so plain,As plain as it might be;She sent a letter to her former love,The wedding to come see.

They set the wedding-day so plain,

As plain as it might be;

She sent a letter to her former love,

The wedding to come see.

4When Lochinvar the letter read,He sent owre a’ his landFor four and twenty beltit knichts,To come at his command.

When Lochinvar the letter read,

He sent owre a’ his land

For four and twenty beltit knichts,

To come at his command.

5They all came to his hand, I say,Upon that wedding-day;He set them upon milk-white steeds,And put them in array.

They all came to his hand, I say,

Upon that wedding-day;

He set them upon milk-white steeds,

And put them in array.

6He set them in array, I say,Most pleasant to be seen,And he’s awa to the wedding-house,A single man his lane.

He set them in array, I say,

Most pleasant to be seen,

And he’s awa to the wedding-house,

A single man his lane.

7And when he was to the wedding-house come,They were all sitten down;Baith gentlemen and knichts was there,And lords of high renown.

And when he was to the wedding-house come,

They were all sitten down;

Baith gentlemen and knichts was there,

And lords of high renown.

8They saluted him, baith auld and young,Speired how he had spent the day,And what young Lankashires was yonThey saw all in array.

They saluted him, baith auld and young,

Speired how he had spent the day,

And what young Lankashires was yon

They saw all in array.

9But he answerd them richt scornfullie,Upon their wedding-day;He says, It’s been some Fairy CourtYe’ve seen all in array.

But he answerd them richt scornfullie,

Upon their wedding-day;

He says, It’s been some Fairy Court

Ye’ve seen all in array.

10Then rose up the young bridegroom,And an angry man was he:‘Lo, art thou come to fight, young man?Indeed I’ll fight wi thee.’

Then rose up the young bridegroom,

And an angry man was he:

‘Lo, art thou come to fight, young man?

Indeed I’ll fight wi thee.’

11‘O I am not come to fight,’ he sayd,‘But good fellowship to hae,And for to drink the wine sae red,And then I’ll go away.’

‘O I am not come to fight,’ he sayd,

‘But good fellowship to hae,

And for to drink the wine sae red,

And then I’ll go away.’

12Then they filld him up a brimming glass,And drank it between them twa:‘Now one word of your bonnie bride,And then I’ll go my wa.’

Then they filld him up a brimming glass,

And drank it between them twa:

‘Now one word of your bonnie bride,

And then I’ll go my wa.’

13But some were friends, and some were faes,Yet nane o them was freeTo let the bride on her wedding-dayGang out o their companie.

But some were friends, and some were faes,

Yet nane o them was free

To let the bride on her wedding-day

Gang out o their companie.

14But he took her by the milk-white hand,And by the grass-green sleeve,And set her on a milk-white steed,And at nane o them speerd he leave.

But he took her by the milk-white hand,

And by the grass-green sleeve,

And set her on a milk-white steed,

And at nane o them speerd he leave.

15Then the blood ran down the Caylin bank,And owre the Caylin brae;The auld folks knew something o the sport,Which gart them cry, Foul play!

Then the blood ran down the Caylin bank,

And owre the Caylin brae;

The auld folks knew something o the sport,

Which gart them cry, Foul play!

16Ye lusty lads of Limberdale,Tho ye be English born,Come nae mair to Scotland to court a maid,For fear ye get the scorn.

Ye lusty lads of Limberdale,

Tho ye be English born,

Come nae mair to Scotland to court a maid,

For fear ye get the scorn.

17For fear that ye do get the scornUpon your wedding-day;Least ye catch frogs instead of fish,And then ye’ll ca’t foul play.

For fear that ye do get the scorn

Upon your wedding-day;

Least ye catch frogs instead of fish,

And then ye’ll ca’t foul play.

Motherwell’s MS., p. 75, from the recitation of Mrs Thomson, an old woman of Kilbarchan.

1There was a lass, as I heard say,Lived low down in a glen;Her name was Catharine Johnson,Weel known to many men.2Doun cam the laird o Lamingtoun,Doun frae the South Countrie,And he is for this bonnie lass,Her bridegroom for to be.3He’s askd her father and mother,The chief of a’ her kin,And then he askd the bonnie lass,And did her favour win.4Doun cam an English gentleman,Doun frae the English border;He is for this bonnie lass,To keep his house in order.5He askd her father and mother,As I do hear them say,But he never askd the lass hersell,Till on her wedding-day.6But she has wrote a lang letter,And sealed it wi her hand,And sent it to Lord Lamington,To let him understand.7The first line o the letter he read,He was baith glad and fain;But or he read the letter owreHe was baith pale and wan.8Then he has sent a messenger,And out through all his land,And four-and-twenty armed menWas all at his command.9But he has left his merry men,Left them on the lea;And he’s awa to the wedding-house,To see what he could see.10But when he came to the wedding-house,As I do understand,There were four-and-twenty belted knightsSat at a table round.11They rose all for to honour him,For he was of high renown;They rose all for to welcome him,And bade him to sit doun.12O meikle was the good red wineIn silver cups did flow,But aye she drank to Lamingtoun,For with him would she go.13O meikle was the good red wineIn silver cups gaed round;At length they began to whisper words,None could them understand.14‘O came ye here for sport, young man?Or cam ye here for play?Or cam ye for our bonnie bride,On this her wedding-day?’15‘I came not here for sport,’ he said,‘Neither did I for play;But for one word o your bonnie brideI’ll mount and ride away.’16They set her maids behind her,To hear what they would say,But the first question he askd at herWas always [answered] nay;The next question he askd at herWas, ‘Mount and come away.’17It’s up the Couden bank,And doun the Couden brae;And aye she made the trumpet sound,‘It’s a weel won play.’18O meikle was the blood was shedUpon the Couden brae;And aye she made the trumpet sound,‘It’s a’ fair play.’19Come, all ye English gentlemen,That is of England born,Come nae doun to Scotland,For fear ye get the scorn.20They’ll feed ye up wi flattering words,And that’s foul play;And they’ll dress ye frogs instead o fish,Just on your wedding-day.

1There was a lass, as I heard say,Lived low down in a glen;Her name was Catharine Johnson,Weel known to many men.

There was a lass, as I heard say,

Lived low down in a glen;

Her name was Catharine Johnson,

Weel known to many men.

2Doun cam the laird o Lamingtoun,Doun frae the South Countrie,And he is for this bonnie lass,Her bridegroom for to be.

Doun cam the laird o Lamingtoun,

Doun frae the South Countrie,

And he is for this bonnie lass,

Her bridegroom for to be.

3He’s askd her father and mother,The chief of a’ her kin,And then he askd the bonnie lass,And did her favour win.

He’s askd her father and mother,

The chief of a’ her kin,

And then he askd the bonnie lass,

And did her favour win.

4Doun cam an English gentleman,Doun frae the English border;He is for this bonnie lass,To keep his house in order.

Doun cam an English gentleman,

Doun frae the English border;

He is for this bonnie lass,

To keep his house in order.

5He askd her father and mother,As I do hear them say,But he never askd the lass hersell,Till on her wedding-day.

He askd her father and mother,

As I do hear them say,

But he never askd the lass hersell,

Till on her wedding-day.

6But she has wrote a lang letter,And sealed it wi her hand,And sent it to Lord Lamington,To let him understand.

But she has wrote a lang letter,

And sealed it wi her hand,

And sent it to Lord Lamington,

To let him understand.

7The first line o the letter he read,He was baith glad and fain;But or he read the letter owreHe was baith pale and wan.

The first line o the letter he read,

He was baith glad and fain;

But or he read the letter owre

He was baith pale and wan.

8Then he has sent a messenger,And out through all his land,And four-and-twenty armed menWas all at his command.

Then he has sent a messenger,

And out through all his land,

And four-and-twenty armed men

Was all at his command.

9But he has left his merry men,Left them on the lea;And he’s awa to the wedding-house,To see what he could see.

But he has left his merry men,

Left them on the lea;

And he’s awa to the wedding-house,

To see what he could see.

10But when he came to the wedding-house,As I do understand,There were four-and-twenty belted knightsSat at a table round.

But when he came to the wedding-house,

As I do understand,

There were four-and-twenty belted knights

Sat at a table round.

11They rose all for to honour him,For he was of high renown;They rose all for to welcome him,And bade him to sit doun.

They rose all for to honour him,

For he was of high renown;

They rose all for to welcome him,

And bade him to sit doun.

12O meikle was the good red wineIn silver cups did flow,But aye she drank to Lamingtoun,For with him would she go.

O meikle was the good red wine

In silver cups did flow,

But aye she drank to Lamingtoun,

For with him would she go.

13O meikle was the good red wineIn silver cups gaed round;At length they began to whisper words,None could them understand.

O meikle was the good red wine

In silver cups gaed round;

At length they began to whisper words,

None could them understand.

14‘O came ye here for sport, young man?Or cam ye here for play?Or cam ye for our bonnie bride,On this her wedding-day?’

‘O came ye here for sport, young man?

Or cam ye here for play?

Or cam ye for our bonnie bride,

On this her wedding-day?’

15‘I came not here for sport,’ he said,‘Neither did I for play;But for one word o your bonnie brideI’ll mount and ride away.’

‘I came not here for sport,’ he said,

‘Neither did I for play;

But for one word o your bonnie bride

I’ll mount and ride away.’

16They set her maids behind her,To hear what they would say,But the first question he askd at herWas always [answered] nay;The next question he askd at herWas, ‘Mount and come away.’

They set her maids behind her,

To hear what they would say,

But the first question he askd at her

Was always [answered] nay;

The next question he askd at her

Was, ‘Mount and come away.’

17It’s up the Couden bank,And doun the Couden brae;And aye she made the trumpet sound,‘It’s a weel won play.’

It’s up the Couden bank,

And doun the Couden brae;

And aye she made the trumpet sound,

‘It’s a weel won play.’

18O meikle was the blood was shedUpon the Couden brae;And aye she made the trumpet sound,‘It’s a’ fair play.’

O meikle was the blood was shed

Upon the Couden brae;

And aye she made the trumpet sound,

‘It’s a’ fair play.’

19Come, all ye English gentlemen,That is of England born,Come nae doun to Scotland,For fear ye get the scorn.

Come, all ye English gentlemen,

That is of England born,

Come nae doun to Scotland,

For fear ye get the scorn.

20They’ll feed ye up wi flattering words,And that’s foul play;And they’ll dress ye frogs instead o fish,Just on your wedding-day.

They’ll feed ye up wi flattering words,

And that’s foul play;

And they’ll dress ye frogs instead o fish,

Just on your wedding-day.

Buchan’s Gleanings of Scotch, English and Irish Scarce Old Ballads, 1825, pp. 74, 193; “taken down from oral tradition.”

1There lives a lass in yonder dale,In yon bonny borrows-town,Her name it is Catherine Jeffrey,She is loved by mony a ane.2Lord Lochinvar has courted herThese twelve months and a day;With flattering words and fair speechesHe has stown her heart away.3There came a knight from south sea-bank,From north England I mean,He alighted at her father’s yetts,His stile is Lord Lymington.4He has courted her father and mothHer kinsfolk ane and aye,But he never told the lady hersellTill he set the wedding-day.5‘Prepare, prepare, my daughter dear,Prepare, to you I say;For the night it is good Wednesday night,And the morn is your wedding-day.’6‘O tell to me, father,’ she said,‘O tell me who it is wi;For I’ll never wed a man on earthTill I know what he be.’7‘He’s come a knight from the south sea-bank.From north England I mean,For when he lighted at my yetts,His stile is Lord Lymington.’8‘O where will I get a bonny boyWill win baith meet and fee,And will run on to LochinvarAnd come again to me?’9‘O here am I, a bonny boyThat will win baith hose and sheen,And will run on to Lochinvar,And come right seen again.’10‘Where ye find the brigs broken,Bend your bow and swim;Where ye find the grass growing,Slack your bow and run.11‘When ye come on to Lochinvar,Byde not to chap nor ca,But set your bent bow to your breastAnd lightly loup the wa.12‘Bid him mind the words he last spake,When we sendered on the lee;Bid him saddle and ride full fast,If he be set for me.’13Where he found the brigs broken,He bent his bow and swam;Where he found the grass growing,He slackt his bow and ran.14When he came on to Lochinvar,He did not chap nor ca;He set his bent bow till his breastAnd lightly leapt the wa.15‘What news? what news, my bonny boy?What news have ye to me?’‘Bad news, bad news, my lord,’ he said,‘Your lady awa will be.16‘You’r bidden mind the words ye last spake,When we sendered on the lee;You’r bidden saddle and ride full fast,Gin ye set for her be.’17When he came to her father’s yetts,There he alighted down;The cups of gold of good red wineWere going roun and roun.18‘Now came ye here for sport?’ they said,‘Or came ye here for play?Or for a sight of our bonny bride,And then to boun your way? ’19‘I came not here for sport,’ he says,‘Nor came I here for play,But if I had a sight of your bonny brideThen I will boun my way.’20When Lymington he called on her,She would not come at a’,But Lochinvar he called on her,And she was not sweer to draw.21He has taen her by the milk-white hand,And by her silken sleeve,He has mounted her high him behind,He spiered nae mair their leave.22And aye she scoffed and scorned them,And aye she rode away,And aye she gart the trumpet soundThe voice of foul play,To take the bride frae her bridegroomUpon her wedding-day.23As they came in by Foudlin dyke,And in by Foudlin stane,There were mony gallant EnglishmenLay gasping on the green.24Now a’ you that are English lords,And are in England born,Come never here to court your brides,For fear ye get the scorn.25For aye they’ll scoff and scorn you,And aye they’ll ride away;They’ll gie you frogs instead of fish,And call it foul play.

1There lives a lass in yonder dale,In yon bonny borrows-town,Her name it is Catherine Jeffrey,She is loved by mony a ane.

There lives a lass in yonder dale,

In yon bonny borrows-town,

Her name it is Catherine Jeffrey,

She is loved by mony a ane.

2Lord Lochinvar has courted herThese twelve months and a day;With flattering words and fair speechesHe has stown her heart away.

Lord Lochinvar has courted her

These twelve months and a day;

With flattering words and fair speeches

He has stown her heart away.

3There came a knight from south sea-bank,From north England I mean,He alighted at her father’s yetts,His stile is Lord Lymington.

There came a knight from south sea-bank,

From north England I mean,

He alighted at her father’s yetts,

His stile is Lord Lymington.

4He has courted her father and mothHer kinsfolk ane and aye,But he never told the lady hersellTill he set the wedding-day.

He has courted her father and moth

Her kinsfolk ane and aye,

But he never told the lady hersell

Till he set the wedding-day.

5‘Prepare, prepare, my daughter dear,Prepare, to you I say;For the night it is good Wednesday night,And the morn is your wedding-day.’

‘Prepare, prepare, my daughter dear,

Prepare, to you I say;

For the night it is good Wednesday night,

And the morn is your wedding-day.’

6‘O tell to me, father,’ she said,‘O tell me who it is wi;For I’ll never wed a man on earthTill I know what he be.’

‘O tell to me, father,’ she said,

‘O tell me who it is wi;

For I’ll never wed a man on earth

Till I know what he be.’

7‘He’s come a knight from the south sea-bank.From north England I mean,For when he lighted at my yetts,His stile is Lord Lymington.’

‘He’s come a knight from the south sea-bank.

From north England I mean,

For when he lighted at my yetts,

His stile is Lord Lymington.’

8‘O where will I get a bonny boyWill win baith meet and fee,And will run on to LochinvarAnd come again to me?’

‘O where will I get a bonny boy

Will win baith meet and fee,

And will run on to Lochinvar

And come again to me?’

9‘O here am I, a bonny boyThat will win baith hose and sheen,And will run on to Lochinvar,And come right seen again.’

‘O here am I, a bonny boy

That will win baith hose and sheen,

And will run on to Lochinvar,

And come right seen again.’

10‘Where ye find the brigs broken,Bend your bow and swim;Where ye find the grass growing,Slack your bow and run.

‘Where ye find the brigs broken,

Bend your bow and swim;

Where ye find the grass growing,

Slack your bow and run.

11‘When ye come on to Lochinvar,Byde not to chap nor ca,But set your bent bow to your breastAnd lightly loup the wa.

‘When ye come on to Lochinvar,

Byde not to chap nor ca,

But set your bent bow to your breast

And lightly loup the wa.

12‘Bid him mind the words he last spake,When we sendered on the lee;Bid him saddle and ride full fast,If he be set for me.’

‘Bid him mind the words he last spake,

When we sendered on the lee;

Bid him saddle and ride full fast,

If he be set for me.’

13Where he found the brigs broken,He bent his bow and swam;Where he found the grass growing,He slackt his bow and ran.

Where he found the brigs broken,

He bent his bow and swam;

Where he found the grass growing,

He slackt his bow and ran.

14When he came on to Lochinvar,He did not chap nor ca;He set his bent bow till his breastAnd lightly leapt the wa.

When he came on to Lochinvar,

He did not chap nor ca;

He set his bent bow till his breast

And lightly leapt the wa.

15‘What news? what news, my bonny boy?What news have ye to me?’‘Bad news, bad news, my lord,’ he said,‘Your lady awa will be.

‘What news? what news, my bonny boy?

What news have ye to me?’

‘Bad news, bad news, my lord,’ he said,

‘Your lady awa will be.

16‘You’r bidden mind the words ye last spake,When we sendered on the lee;You’r bidden saddle and ride full fast,Gin ye set for her be.’

‘You’r bidden mind the words ye last spake,

When we sendered on the lee;

You’r bidden saddle and ride full fast,

Gin ye set for her be.’

17When he came to her father’s yetts,There he alighted down;The cups of gold of good red wineWere going roun and roun.

When he came to her father’s yetts,

There he alighted down;

The cups of gold of good red wine

Were going roun and roun.

18‘Now came ye here for sport?’ they said,‘Or came ye here for play?Or for a sight of our bonny bride,And then to boun your way? ’

‘Now came ye here for sport?’ they said,

‘Or came ye here for play?

Or for a sight of our bonny bride,

And then to boun your way? ’

19‘I came not here for sport,’ he says,‘Nor came I here for play,But if I had a sight of your bonny brideThen I will boun my way.’

‘I came not here for sport,’ he says,

‘Nor came I here for play,

But if I had a sight of your bonny bride

Then I will boun my way.’

20When Lymington he called on her,She would not come at a’,But Lochinvar he called on her,And she was not sweer to draw.

When Lymington he called on her,

She would not come at a’,

But Lochinvar he called on her,

And she was not sweer to draw.

21He has taen her by the milk-white hand,And by her silken sleeve,He has mounted her high him behind,He spiered nae mair their leave.22And aye she scoffed and scorned them,And aye she rode away,And aye she gart the trumpet soundThe voice of foul play,To take the bride frae her bridegroomUpon her wedding-day.

He has taen her by the milk-white hand,

And by her silken sleeve,

He has mounted her high him behind,

He spiered nae mair their leave.

And aye she scoffed and scorned them,

And aye she rode away,

And aye she gart the trumpet sound

The voice of foul play,

To take the bride frae her bridegroom

Upon her wedding-day.

23As they came in by Foudlin dyke,And in by Foudlin stane,There were mony gallant EnglishmenLay gasping on the green.

As they came in by Foudlin dyke,

And in by Foudlin stane,

There were mony gallant Englishmen

Lay gasping on the green.

24Now a’ you that are English lords,And are in England born,Come never here to court your brides,For fear ye get the scorn.

Now a’ you that are English lords,

And are in England born,

Come never here to court your brides,

For fear ye get the scorn.

25For aye they’ll scoff and scorn you,And aye they’ll ride away;They’ll gie you frogs instead of fish,And call it foul play.

For aye they’ll scoff and scorn you,

And aye they’ll ride away;

They’ll gie you frogs instead of fish,

And call it foul play.

Macmath MS., p. 72, communicated January 13, 1883, by Dr Robert Trotter, as remembered from the recitation of his father, Dr Robert Trotter, of Dalry, Kirkcudbrightshire.

1They askëd him and speirëd him,And unto him did say,‘O saw ye ocht o an armed band,As ye cam on your way?’2He jested them and jeerëd them,And thus to them did say,‘O I saw nocht but a fairy troop,As I rode on my way.’

1They askëd him and speirëd him,And unto him did say,‘O saw ye ocht o an armed band,As ye cam on your way?’

They askëd him and speirëd him,

And unto him did say,

‘O saw ye ocht o an armed band,

As ye cam on your way?’

2He jested them and jeerëd them,And thus to them did say,‘O I saw nocht but a fairy troop,As I rode on my way.’

He jested them and jeerëd them,

And thus to them did say,

‘O I saw nocht but a fairy troop,

As I rode on my way.’

The second copy has some different spellings, and drops the secondthein111. 3, 5are5, 3in both. Sense requires the change: cf. alsoF5,H5,I4.

14. to many. 3==the MS.3. 44. All mounted.

The first copy is written in long lines (two to a stanza); neither is divided into stanzas. There are differences of spelling.31, 53, fereseems to be meant forfair:cf.C53. 44. At her,both: cf.E7,G4,H8. 52.Both copies havedoom. 52, 154.First, behold, garned,in my copy, probably by error. Second, beheld, gard.

The second copy has these variations.23. got the. 31, 53. ferewanting. 151. thingwanting. 161. that are.

The first edition of the ballad in Scott’s Minstrelsy is made up as follows (it being remembered that the editor did not profess or practice a servile fidelity in the treatment of his materials):B1–6;B10,A7;A8,B11;A9;B12;B13 (but mostly Scott’s);A11,B14;B15;B16;A13.

12 of these 15 stanzas are repeated in the later edition; the new stanzas in that copy are 1–5, 14–16, 20. These are substantiallyC1–5, 12–14, 16.

Some variations will be noticed underC.

O,the tag to the second and fourth lines, is not written in2, 4, 162, 174.

12. intowritten overup.

24. Weelin the margin againstA’.

32. reststruck out beforelave.

41. Upstruck out beforeOut. Faughan Wood,here and71;in121, Faughan Wood.

71. Up the then.

91. gudestruck out beforered,andredwritten over.

151.Originallydown by; downstruck out.

152.Originallyin by; instruck out. These last two changes, and others, seem to be editorial.

1–5, 12–14, 16, with variations, are 1–5, 14–16, 20 of the later edition of the ballad in Scott’s Minstrelsy. Slight alterations, such as Scott was accustomed to make, do not require notice.

Scott, 31,2. He told nain the Minstrelsy: almost certainly an arbitrary change, and not a good one, since it makes the hardship to Lauderdale the less.

41. Lochinvar (also in141)forLord Faughanwood;introduced fromD.

152. clad in the Johnstone grey:for which no authority is known.

163. Leader ladsforladies gay:probably a conjectural emendation.

204. For fear of sic disorder:presumably a change for rhyme, disordersuggested by24.

91. 24.

121. It’sis of later insertion, perhaps editorial.

141. I came not here:obscured in the process of binding.

20.This must be a mixture of two stanzas. The third line has no sense, and is not much improved by readingtemper good,as inC171.

Written mostly in long lines, without separation of stanzas, sometimes without a proper separation of verses. The division here made is partly conjectural.

21. She courted him.

34. entreidorentried:indistinct.

6, 71,2.His father an his mother came they came abut he came noIt was a foul play LochinvarAs his comrades sat drinkine at the wine

6, 71,2.

His father an his mother came they came a

but he came no

It was a foul play Lochinvar

As his comrades sat drinkine at the wine

73. ... on.

132. LodgedforLoved.

163. Gae man glass me your.

172,3.between them tva manMan I see,etc.

172,3.

between them tva man

Man I see,etc.

231.We have had a similar verse in the north-Scottish version of‘Hugh Spencer,’ No 158,C11: O bridles brak and great horse lap.

114. It was awful foul foul play. Awfulwas probably a misunderstanding ofa foul.

83. Lank-a-Shires.

143. Heis written overAnd.

151. bank,the original reading, is changed toheuch.

121. Oh.

154. gois written override.Motherwell made two slight changes in his printed copy.

14. my mony.

21. Loch-in-var;and always.

31. South sea bank.

71. the South sea bank.

103. ForforWhere:probably a misprint, perhaps a preservation of the northernfforwh.

133. the brigs broken,wrongly repeated.

162. When we,preserved from122.

233. Englishman.

“The story of the ballad was that Lochinvar went to Netherby with a band of men dressed in green, whom he concealed near the tower, and with whose assistance he forcibly abducted the young lady.”

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