K
Laing’s Thistle of Scotland, p. 93; compounded, with some alterations, from two copies, one from Miss Harper, Kildrummy, the other from the Rev. R. Scott, Glenbucket.
1Rob Roy frae the Highlands cameDoun to our Lowland border;It was to steal a lady away,To haud his house in order.2With four-and-twenty Highland men,His arms for to carry,He came to steal Blackhill’s daughter,That lady for to marry.3Nae are kend o his comming,Nae tiddings came before him,Else the lady woud hae been away,For still she did abhore him.4They guarded doors and windows round,Nane coud their plot discover;Rob Roy enterd then alane,Expressing how he lovd her.5‘Come go with me, my dear,’ he said,‘Come go with me, my honey,And ye shall be my wedded wife,For I love you best of any.’6‘I will not go with you,’ she said,‘I’ll never be your honey;I will not be your wedded wife,Your love is for my money.’7They woud noc stay till she was drestAs ladies when thei’r brides, O,But hurried her awa in haste,And rowd her in their plaids, O.8He drew her out among his crew,She holding by her mother;With mournful cries and watry eyesThey parted from each other.9He placed her upon a steed,Then jumped on behind her,And they are to the Highlands gone,Her friends they cannot find her.10With many a heavy sob and wail,They saw, as they stood by her,She was so guarded round aboutHer friends could not come nigh her.11Her mournful cries were often heard,But no aid came unto her;They guarded her on every sideThat they could not rescue her.12Over rugged hills and dalesThey rode; the lady fainted;Cried, Woe be to my cursed goldThat has such roads invented!13As they came in by Drimmen townAnd in by Edingarry,He bought to her both cloak and gown,Still thinking she would marry.14As they went down yon bonny burn-side,They at Buchanan tarried;He clothed her there as a bride,Yet she would not be married.15Without consent they joind their hands,Which law ought not to carry;His passion waxed now so hotHe could no longer tarry.16Two held her up before the priest,Four laid her in the bed then,With sighs and cries and watery eyesWhen she was laid beside him.17‘Ye are come to our Highland hills,Far frae thy native clan, lady;Never think of going back,But take it for thy home, lady.18‘I’ll be kind, I’ll be kind,I’ll be kind to thee, lady;All the country, for thy sake,Shall surely favourd be, lady.19‘Rob Roy was my father calld,MacGregor was his name, lady,And all the country where he dweltHe did exceed for fame, lady.20‘Now or then, now or then,Now or then deny, lady;Don’t you think yourself well ofWith a pretty man like I, lady?21‘He was a hedge about his friends,A heckle to his foes, lady,And all that did him any wrong,He took them by the nose, lady.22‘Don’t think, don’t think,Don’t think I lie, lady,Ye may know the truth by whatWas done in your country, lady.23‘My father delights in cows and horse,Likewise in goats and sheep, lady,And you with thirty thousand marksMakes me a man complete, lady.24‘Be content, be content,Be content and stay, lady;Now ye are my wedded wifeUntill your dying day, lady.25‘Your friends will all seek after me,But I’ll give them the scorn, lady;Before dragoons come oer the Forth,We shall be doun by Lorn, lady.26‘I am bold, I am bold,But bolder than before, lady;Any one dare come this wayShall feel my good claymore, lady.27‘We shall cross the raging seas,We shall go to France, lady;There we’ll gar the piper play,And then we’ll have a dance, lady.28‘Shake a foot, shake a foot,Shake a foot wi me, lady,And ye shall be my wedded wifeUntil the day ye die, lady.’
1Rob Roy frae the Highlands cameDoun to our Lowland border;It was to steal a lady away,To haud his house in order.2With four-and-twenty Highland men,His arms for to carry,He came to steal Blackhill’s daughter,That lady for to marry.3Nae are kend o his comming,Nae tiddings came before him,Else the lady woud hae been away,For still she did abhore him.4They guarded doors and windows round,Nane coud their plot discover;Rob Roy enterd then alane,Expressing how he lovd her.5‘Come go with me, my dear,’ he said,‘Come go with me, my honey,And ye shall be my wedded wife,For I love you best of any.’6‘I will not go with you,’ she said,‘I’ll never be your honey;I will not be your wedded wife,Your love is for my money.’7They woud noc stay till she was drestAs ladies when thei’r brides, O,But hurried her awa in haste,And rowd her in their plaids, O.8He drew her out among his crew,She holding by her mother;With mournful cries and watry eyesThey parted from each other.9He placed her upon a steed,Then jumped on behind her,And they are to the Highlands gone,Her friends they cannot find her.10With many a heavy sob and wail,They saw, as they stood by her,She was so guarded round aboutHer friends could not come nigh her.11Her mournful cries were often heard,But no aid came unto her;They guarded her on every sideThat they could not rescue her.12Over rugged hills and dalesThey rode; the lady fainted;Cried, Woe be to my cursed goldThat has such roads invented!13As they came in by Drimmen townAnd in by Edingarry,He bought to her both cloak and gown,Still thinking she would marry.14As they went down yon bonny burn-side,They at Buchanan tarried;He clothed her there as a bride,Yet she would not be married.15Without consent they joind their hands,Which law ought not to carry;His passion waxed now so hotHe could no longer tarry.16Two held her up before the priest,Four laid her in the bed then,With sighs and cries and watery eyesWhen she was laid beside him.17‘Ye are come to our Highland hills,Far frae thy native clan, lady;Never think of going back,But take it for thy home, lady.18‘I’ll be kind, I’ll be kind,I’ll be kind to thee, lady;All the country, for thy sake,Shall surely favourd be, lady.19‘Rob Roy was my father calld,MacGregor was his name, lady,And all the country where he dweltHe did exceed for fame, lady.20‘Now or then, now or then,Now or then deny, lady;Don’t you think yourself well ofWith a pretty man like I, lady?21‘He was a hedge about his friends,A heckle to his foes, lady,And all that did him any wrong,He took them by the nose, lady.22‘Don’t think, don’t think,Don’t think I lie, lady,Ye may know the truth by whatWas done in your country, lady.23‘My father delights in cows and horse,Likewise in goats and sheep, lady,And you with thirty thousand marksMakes me a man complete, lady.24‘Be content, be content,Be content and stay, lady;Now ye are my wedded wifeUntill your dying day, lady.25‘Your friends will all seek after me,But I’ll give them the scorn, lady;Before dragoons come oer the Forth,We shall be doun by Lorn, lady.26‘I am bold, I am bold,But bolder than before, lady;Any one dare come this wayShall feel my good claymore, lady.27‘We shall cross the raging seas,We shall go to France, lady;There we’ll gar the piper play,And then we’ll have a dance, lady.28‘Shake a foot, shake a foot,Shake a foot wi me, lady,And ye shall be my wedded wifeUntil the day ye die, lady.’
1Rob Roy frae the Highlands cameDoun to our Lowland border;It was to steal a lady away,To haud his house in order.
1
Rob Roy frae the Highlands came
Doun to our Lowland border;
It was to steal a lady away,
To haud his house in order.
2With four-and-twenty Highland men,His arms for to carry,He came to steal Blackhill’s daughter,That lady for to marry.
2
With four-and-twenty Highland men,
His arms for to carry,
He came to steal Blackhill’s daughter,
That lady for to marry.
3Nae are kend o his comming,Nae tiddings came before him,Else the lady woud hae been away,For still she did abhore him.
3
Nae are kend o his comming,
Nae tiddings came before him,
Else the lady woud hae been away,
For still she did abhore him.
4They guarded doors and windows round,Nane coud their plot discover;Rob Roy enterd then alane,Expressing how he lovd her.
4
They guarded doors and windows round,
Nane coud their plot discover;
Rob Roy enterd then alane,
Expressing how he lovd her.
5‘Come go with me, my dear,’ he said,‘Come go with me, my honey,And ye shall be my wedded wife,For I love you best of any.’
5
‘Come go with me, my dear,’ he said,
‘Come go with me, my honey,
And ye shall be my wedded wife,
For I love you best of any.’
6‘I will not go with you,’ she said,‘I’ll never be your honey;I will not be your wedded wife,Your love is for my money.’
6
‘I will not go with you,’ she said,
‘I’ll never be your honey;
I will not be your wedded wife,
Your love is for my money.’
7They woud noc stay till she was drestAs ladies when thei’r brides, O,But hurried her awa in haste,And rowd her in their plaids, O.
7
They woud noc stay till she was drest
As ladies when thei’r brides, O,
But hurried her awa in haste,
And rowd her in their plaids, O.
8He drew her out among his crew,She holding by her mother;With mournful cries and watry eyesThey parted from each other.
8
He drew her out among his crew,
She holding by her mother;
With mournful cries and watry eyes
They parted from each other.
9He placed her upon a steed,Then jumped on behind her,And they are to the Highlands gone,Her friends they cannot find her.
9
He placed her upon a steed,
Then jumped on behind her,
And they are to the Highlands gone,
Her friends they cannot find her.
10With many a heavy sob and wail,They saw, as they stood by her,She was so guarded round aboutHer friends could not come nigh her.
10
With many a heavy sob and wail,
They saw, as they stood by her,
She was so guarded round about
Her friends could not come nigh her.
11Her mournful cries were often heard,But no aid came unto her;They guarded her on every sideThat they could not rescue her.
11
Her mournful cries were often heard,
But no aid came unto her;
They guarded her on every side
That they could not rescue her.
12Over rugged hills and dalesThey rode; the lady fainted;Cried, Woe be to my cursed goldThat has such roads invented!
12
Over rugged hills and dales
They rode; the lady fainted;
Cried, Woe be to my cursed gold
That has such roads invented!
13As they came in by Drimmen townAnd in by Edingarry,He bought to her both cloak and gown,Still thinking she would marry.
13
As they came in by Drimmen town
And in by Edingarry,
He bought to her both cloak and gown,
Still thinking she would marry.
14As they went down yon bonny burn-side,They at Buchanan tarried;He clothed her there as a bride,Yet she would not be married.
14
As they went down yon bonny burn-side,
They at Buchanan tarried;
He clothed her there as a bride,
Yet she would not be married.
15Without consent they joind their hands,Which law ought not to carry;His passion waxed now so hotHe could no longer tarry.
15
Without consent they joind their hands,
Which law ought not to carry;
His passion waxed now so hot
He could no longer tarry.
16Two held her up before the priest,Four laid her in the bed then,With sighs and cries and watery eyesWhen she was laid beside him.
16
Two held her up before the priest,
Four laid her in the bed then,
With sighs and cries and watery eyes
When she was laid beside him.
17‘Ye are come to our Highland hills,Far frae thy native clan, lady;Never think of going back,But take it for thy home, lady.
17
‘Ye are come to our Highland hills,
Far frae thy native clan, lady;
Never think of going back,
But take it for thy home, lady.
18‘I’ll be kind, I’ll be kind,I’ll be kind to thee, lady;All the country, for thy sake,Shall surely favourd be, lady.
18
‘I’ll be kind, I’ll be kind,
I’ll be kind to thee, lady;
All the country, for thy sake,
Shall surely favourd be, lady.
19‘Rob Roy was my father calld,MacGregor was his name, lady,And all the country where he dweltHe did exceed for fame, lady.
19
‘Rob Roy was my father calld,
MacGregor was his name, lady,
And all the country where he dwelt
He did exceed for fame, lady.
20‘Now or then, now or then,Now or then deny, lady;Don’t you think yourself well ofWith a pretty man like I, lady?
20
‘Now or then, now or then,
Now or then deny, lady;
Don’t you think yourself well of
With a pretty man like I, lady?
21‘He was a hedge about his friends,A heckle to his foes, lady,And all that did him any wrong,He took them by the nose, lady.
21
‘He was a hedge about his friends,
A heckle to his foes, lady,
And all that did him any wrong,
He took them by the nose, lady.
22‘Don’t think, don’t think,Don’t think I lie, lady,Ye may know the truth by whatWas done in your country, lady.
22
‘Don’t think, don’t think,
Don’t think I lie, lady,
Ye may know the truth by what
Was done in your country, lady.
23‘My father delights in cows and horse,Likewise in goats and sheep, lady,And you with thirty thousand marksMakes me a man complete, lady.
23
‘My father delights in cows and horse,
Likewise in goats and sheep, lady,
And you with thirty thousand marks
Makes me a man complete, lady.
24‘Be content, be content,Be content and stay, lady;Now ye are my wedded wifeUntill your dying day, lady.
24
‘Be content, be content,
Be content and stay, lady;
Now ye are my wedded wife
Untill your dying day, lady.
25‘Your friends will all seek after me,But I’ll give them the scorn, lady;Before dragoons come oer the Forth,We shall be doun by Lorn, lady.
25
‘Your friends will all seek after me,
But I’ll give them the scorn, lady;
Before dragoons come oer the Forth,
We shall be doun by Lorn, lady.
26‘I am bold, I am bold,But bolder than before, lady;Any one dare come this wayShall feel my good claymore, lady.
26
‘I am bold, I am bold,
But bolder than before, lady;
Any one dare come this way
Shall feel my good claymore, lady.
27‘We shall cross the raging seas,We shall go to France, lady;There we’ll gar the piper play,And then we’ll have a dance, lady.
27
‘We shall cross the raging seas,
We shall go to France, lady;
There we’ll gar the piper play,
And then we’ll have a dance, lady.
28‘Shake a foot, shake a foot,Shake a foot wi me, lady,And ye shall be my wedded wifeUntil the day ye die, lady.’
28
‘Shake a foot, shake a foot,
Shake a foot wi me, lady,
And ye shall be my wedded wife
Until the day ye die, lady.’
A.
61,2.In one line: By the way this lady aftimes fainted.Cf.B7,C9,etc.
122. prickle:a bad reading forheckle.
15, 16.Each written in two lines in the MS.
B.
153. wi me and thirty merks.Corrupted fromwi,orand, thirty thousand merks:cf.K, 238.
C.
“Tune, Gipsy Laddy,” 1–12.
13. “Tune changes to Haud awa fra me, Donald.”
14, 16, 18are written as a burden to the stanzas precedingthem.
78. weepinoriginally written forwatery,and erased.
182. as bold I’ll roar: morewritten overroar.
D.
After 7: Answer to Rob Roy. 8–15are written in four stanzas of long lines.
94. Robstruck out beforeRoy’s.
E.
“The first part [1–7] is sung to the air of Bonny House of Airly, and the last, Haud awa frae me, Donald.”
74. was laid behind, O: behindwrongly forby him.Cf.A 94,etc.
94. succeed the fame.SoI10nearly:F8 did exceed the fame.This line evidently troubled reciters. Another set, says Pitcairn, gives. It did exceed the same.B11,C15,K19have a reading which we may take to be near the original.
F.
14. To keep (haud).
G.
In stanzas of eight lines.“Tune, a rude set of Mill, Mill O.”After 4: “The song went on to narrate the forcing her to bed; when the tune changes to something like Jenny dang the weaver.”
I.
124.As a variation, but wrongly(see134), Did feel his good claymore, lady.
J.
“I had the first copy from Miss Harper, Kildrummy; but fearing imperfections, I made application, and by chance got another copy from the Rev. R. Scott, Glenbucket. These I blended together and formed a very good copy; but I have taken the liberty of altering the order of some of the stanzas, and in particular, taking out the ninth and making it the eleventh, and changing some of the words to make it more agreeable.” p. 97.Original readings in 22, specified by Laing, have been restored, and his 11 put back to 9. What follows 16 has the title, Variation.