Part 21

5 ‘O woe be unto woman’s wit! It has beguiled many; She promised to come hersel, But she sent three men to slay me.’

* * * * *

B

Skene MS., p. 10; taken down in the north of Scotland, 1802–3.

1 ‘Ye are the Duke of Athol’s nurse, And I’m the new-come darling; I’ll gie you my gay gold rings To get ae word of my leman.’

2 ‘I am the Duke of Athol’s nurse, And ye’re the new-come darling; Keep well your gay gold rings, Ye sall get twa words o your leman.’

3 He leand oure his saddle-bow, It was not for to kiss her: ‘Anither woman has my heart, And I but come here to see ye.’

4 ‘If anither woman has your heart, O dear, but I am sorry! Ye hie you down to yon ale house, And stay untill ‘t be dawing, And if I be a woman true I’ll meet you in the dawing.’

5 He did him down to yon ale-house, And drank untill ’twas dawing; He drank the bonnie lassie’s health That was to clear his lawing.

6 He lookit out of a shot-window, To see if she was coming, And there he seed her seven brithers, So fast as they were running!

7 He went up and down the house, Says, ‘Landlady, can you save me? For yonder comes her seven brithers, And they are coming to slay me.’

8 So quick she minded her on a wile How she might protect him! She dressd him in a suit of woman’s attire And set him to her baking.

9 ‘Had you a quarterer here last night, Or staid he to the dawing? Shew us the room the squire lay in, We are come to clear his lawing.’

10 ‘I had a quarterer here last night, But he staid not to the dawing; He called for a pint, and paid as he went, You have nothing to do with his lawing.’

11 They searchd the house baith up and down, The curtains they spaird not to rive em, And twenty times they passd The squire at his baking.

* * * * *

C

Kinloch MSS, I, 335.

1 As I went down by the Duke of Athole’s gates, Where the bells of the court were ringing, And there I heard a fair maid say, O if I had but ae sight o my Johnie!

2 ‘O here is your Johnie just by your side; What have ye to say to your Johnie? O here is my hand, but anither has my heart, So ye’ll never get more o your Johnie.’

3 ‘O ye may go down to yon ale-house, And there do sit till the dawing; And call for the wine that is very, very fine, And I’ll come and clear up your lawing.’

4 So he’s gane down to yon ale-house, And he has sat till the dawing; And he’s calld for the wine that’s very, very fine, But she neer cam to clear up his lawing.

5 Lang or the dawing he oure the window looks, To see if his true-love was coming, And there he spied twelve weel armd boys, Coming over the plainstanes running.

6 ‘O landlady, landlady, what shall I do? For my life it’s not worth a farthing!’ ‘O young man,’ said she, ‘tak counsel by me, And I will be your undertaking.

7 ‘I will clothe you in my own body-clothes And I’ll send you like a girl to the baking:’ And loudly, loudly they rapped at the door, And loudly, loudly they rappëd.

8 ‘O had you any strangers here late last night? Or were they lang gane or the dawing? O had you any strangers here late last night? We are now come to clear up his lawing.’

9 ‘O I had a stranger here late last night, But he was lang gane or the dawing; He called for a pint, and he paid it as he went, And ye’ve no more to do with his lawing.’

10 ‘O show me the room that your stranger lay in, If he was lang gane or the dawing:’ She showed them the room that her stranger lay in, But he was lang gane or the dawing.

11 O they stabbed the feather-bed all round and round, And the curtains they neer stood to tear them; And they gade as they cam, and left a’ things undone, And left the young squire by his baking.

* * * * *

D

Kinloch MSS, I, 337.

1 As I cam in by the Duke of Athole’s gate, I heard a fair maid singing, Wi a bonny baby on her knee, And the bells o the court were ringing.

2 ‘O it’s I am the Duke of Athole’s nurse, And the place does well become me; But I would gie a’ my half-year’s fee Just for a sight o my Johnie.

* * * * * *

3 ‘If ye’ll gae down to yon ale-house, And stop till it be dawing, And ca for a pint o the very, very best, And I’ll come and clear up your lawing.’

4 O he’s gane down to yon ale-house, And stopt till it was dawing; He ca’d for a pint o the very, very best, But she cam na to clear up his lawing.

5 He looked out at the chamber-window, To see if she was coming; And there he spied ten armed men, Across the plain coming running.

6 ‘O landlady, landlady, what shall I do? For my life is not worth a farthing; I paid you a guinea for my lodging last night, But I fear I’ll never see sun shining.’

7 ‘If ye will be advised by me, I’ll be your undertaking; I’ll dress you up in my ain body-clothes And set you to the baking.’

8 So loudly at the door they rapt, So loudly are they calling, ‘O had you a stranger here last night, Or is he within your dwalling?’

9 ‘O I had a stranger here last night, But he wos gane or dawing; He ca’d for a pint, and he paid it or he went, And I hae nae mair to do wi his lawing.’

10 They stabd the feather-beds round and round, The curtains they spared na to tear them; But they went as they came, and left a’ things undone, And the young man busy baking.

* * * * *

E

#a.# Kinloch MSS, VII, 171; from the recitation of Mrs Charles, Torry. #b.# Kinloch’s Ancient Scottish Ballads, p. 127.

1 ‘I am the Duke o Athole’s nurse, My part does weill become me, And I wad gie aw my half-year’s fee For ae sicht o my Johnie.’

2 ‘Keep weill, keep weill your half-year’s fee, For ye’ll soon get a sicht o your Johnie; But anither woman has my heart, And I’m sorry for to leave ye.’

3 ‘Ye’ll dow ye doun to yon changehouse, And ye’ll drink till the day be dawin; At ilka pint’s end ye’ll drink my health out, And I’ll come and pay for the lawin.’

4 Ay he ranted and he sang, And drank till the day was dawin, And ay he drank the bonnie lassy’s health That was coming to pay the lawin.

5 He spared na the sack, tho it was dear, The wine nor the sugar-candy, . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

6 He’s dune him to the shot-window, To see an she was coming, And there he spied twelve armed men, That oure the plain cam rinning.

7 He’s dune him doun to the landlady, To see gin she wad protect him; She’s buskit him up into women’s claiths And set him till a baking.

8 Sae loudly as they rappit at the yett, Sae loudly as they callit, ‘Had ye onie strangers here last nicht, That drank till the day was dawin?’

* * * * * *

* * * * *

F

#a.# Buchan’s Ballads of the North of Scotland, II, 23. #b.# Christie’s Traditional Ballad Airs, I, 80.

1 As I gaed in yon greenwood-side, I heard a fair maid singing; Her voice was sweet, she sang sae complete That all the woods were ringing.

2 ‘O I’m the Duke o Athole’s nurse, My post is well becoming; But I woud gie a’ my half-year’s fee For ae sight o my leman.’

3 ‘Ye say, ye’re the Duke o Athole’s nurse, Your post is well becoming; Keep well, keep well your half-year’s fee, Ye’se hae twa sights o your leman.’

4 He leand him ower his saddle-bow And cannilie kissd his dearie: ‘Ohon and alake! anither has my heart, And I darena mair come near thee.’

5 ‘Ohon and alake! if anither hae your heart, These words hae fairly undone me; But let us set a time, tryst to meet again, Then in gude friends you will twine me.

6 ‘Ye will do you down to yon tavern-house And drink till the day be dawing, And, as sure as I ance had a love for you, I’ll come there and clear your lawing.

7 ‘Ye’ll spare not the wine, altho it be fine, Nae Malago, tho it be rarely, But ye’ll aye drink the bonnie lassie’s health That’s to clear your lawing fairly.’

8 Then he’s done him down to yon tavern-house And drank till day was dawing, And aye he drank the bonny lassie’s health That was coming to clear his lawing.

9 And aye as he birled, and aye as he drank, The gude beer and the brandy, He spar’d not the wine, altho it was fine, The sack nor the sugar candy.

10 ‘It’s a wonder to me,’ the knight he did say, ‘My bonnie lassie’s sae delaying; She promisd, as sure as she loved me ance, She woud be here by the dawing.’

11 He’s done him to a shott-window, A little before the dawing, And there he spied her nine brothers bauld, Were coming to betray him.

12 ‘Where shall I rin? where shall I gang? Or where shall I gang hide me? She that was to meet me in friendship this day Has sent nine men to slay me!’

13 He’s gane to the landlady o the house, Says, ‘O can you supply me? For she that was to meet me in friendship this day Has sent nine men to slay me.’

14 She gae him a suit o her ain female claise And set him to the baking; The bird never sang mair sweet on the bush Nor the knight sung at the baking.

15 As they came in at the ha-door, Sae loudly as they rappit! And when they came upon the floor, Sae loudly as they chappit!

16 ‘O had ye a stranger here last night, Who drank till the day was dawing? Come show us the chamber where he lyes in, We’ll shortly clear his lawing.’

17 ‘I had nae stranger here last night That drank till the day was dawing; But ane that took a pint, and paid it ere he went, And there’s naething to clear o his lawing.’

18 A lad amang the rest, being o a merry mood, To the young knight fell a-talking; The wife took her foot and gae him a kick, Says, Be busy, ye jilt, at your baking.

19 They stabbed the house baith but and ben, The curtains they spared nae riving, And for a’ that they did search and ca, For a kiss o the knight they were striving.

#E. a.#

1^1. nurse _altered to_ nurice.

3^3. drink the bonnie out, _originally_.

4^1. drank _struck out for_ sang.

7^2. and _struck out before_ gin.

8^2. callit _changed in pencil to_ were calling.

#b.#

_The printed copy seems to have been made up from_ #a# _and Kinloch’s other versions._

1. _Preceded by these two lines, taken from_ #D#:

As I cam in by Athol’s yetts, I heard a fair maid singing.

1^2. And I wat it weel does set me.

3^2. ye’ll _omitted_. 3^3. drink the lass’ health.

3^4. That’s coming to pay the. (_This stanza occurs in Motherwell’s Note-Book,_ p. 46, _where it is credited to a MS._)

_After 3_:

He hied him doun to yon change-house, And he drank till the day was dawing, And at ilka pint’s end he drank the lass’ health That was coming to pay for his lawing.

4^1. and aye.

6^2. see gin she war.

6^3. There he saw the duke and a’ his merry men.

6^4. the hill. 7^1. doun _omitted_.

7^3. She buskit: woman’s.

8^2. they war calling.

8^3. Had ye a young man here yestreen.

_After 8_:

‘He drank but ae pint, and he paid it or he went, And ye’ve na mair to do wi the lawing.’ They searchit the house a’ round and round, And they spared na the curtains to tear them,

While the landlady stood upo the stair-head, Crying, ‘Maid, be busy at your baking!’ They gaed as they cam, and left a’ undone, And left the bonnie maid at her baking.

#F. b.#

_“Some alterations made from the way it was sung” by the editor’s maternal grandfather._

4^2. And kindly said, My dearie.

6^3. as you ance had a love for me.

11^4. That were.

12^2. Where shall I gang to hide me.

14^4. Than the.

213

SIR JAMES THE ROSE

‘Sir James the Rose.’ #a.# From a stall-tract of about 1780, Abbotsford library. #b.# Motherwell’s Minstrelsy, p. 321. #c.# Sir James the Rose’s Garland, one of a volume of the like from Heber’s library. #d.# Motherwell’s MS., p. 281; from the recitation of Mrs Gentles, of Paisley. #e.# Herd’s MSS, I, 82. #f.# The same, II, 42. #g.# ‘Sir James the Rose,’ Pinkerton’s Scottish Tragic Ballads, 1781, p. 61.

#b#, says Motherwell, “is given as it occurs in early stall-prints, and as it is to be obtained from the recitations of elderly people.” Most of the variations are derived from #d#. #c# may have been printed earlier than #a#, but is astonishingly faulty. #d#, well remembered from print, is what Motherwell meant by “the recitations of elderly people.” #e# was obtained by Herd, probably from recitation, as early as 1776, but must have been learned from print. #f# is #e# with a few missing lines supplied. #g#, says Pinkerton, “is given from a modern edition in one sheet 12mo,” but was beyond question considerably manipulated by the editor. All the important variations are certainly his work.

The copy in Buchan’s Gleanings, p. 9, is #g#. Whitelaw, in his Book of Scotish Ballads, p. 39, has combined #b# and #g#.

Half a dozen lines preserved by Burns, Cromek’s Select Scotish Songs, II, 196 (see the preface to No 212), seem to belong to this ballad.

‘Sir James the Ross, A Historical Ballad’ (sometimes called ‘The Buchanshire Tragedy’), was composed by the youthful Michael Bruce ([+] 1767) upon the story of the popular ballad, and has perhaps enjoyed more favor with “the general” than the original.[93] ‘Elfrida and Sir James of Perth,’ Caw’s Poetical Museum, 1784, p. 290 (probably taken, as most of the pieces are by the collector said to be, from some periodical publication), looks more like an imitation of Bruce’s ballad than of its prototype. It is in fact a stark plagiarism.

Sir James the Rose has killed a squire, and men are out to take him. A nurse at the house of Marr is his leman, and he resorts to her in the hope that she may befriend him. She advises him to go to an ale-house for the night, promising to meet him there in the morning; he says he will do so, but, perhaps from distrust, which proves to be well grounded, prefers to wrap himself in his plaid and sleep under the sky. The party sent out to take him question the nurse, who at first makes a deceptive answer, then gives them a direction to his hiding-place. They find James the Rose asleep and take away his arms; he wakes and begs for mercy, and is told that he shall have such as he has given. He appeals to his servant to stay by him till death, and then to take his body to Loch Largan (Loughargan), for which service the man shall have his clothes and valuables. The avengers cut out his heart and take it to his leman at the house of Marr; she raves over her treachery, and is ‘born away’ bodily, to be seen no more.

#e#, #f#, it may be by accident, lack the vulgar passage 18, 19, which may be a later addition, for nothing is said of a man being in attendance when Sir James goes to his lair. The leader of the band that takes Sir James the Rose is Sir James the Graham, Sir James Graham, in #c#, #e#, #f#; a simple error, evidently. No motive is furnished in #a-f# for the woman’s betraying her leman. #g# makes her offer information on condition of getting a proper reward, and she is promised Sir James’s purse and brechan, but in the end is tendered his bleeding heart and his bleeding tartan, whatever that may be other than his brechan. This must be one of Pinkerton’s improvements. The moral tag, st. 24, is dropped, or wanting, in #c#, #e#, #f#, #g#.

The topography of traditional ballads frequently presents difficulties, both because it is liable to be changed, wholly, or, what is more embarrassing, partially, to suit a locality to which a ballad has been transported, and again because unfamiliar names, when not exchanged, are exposed to corruption. Some of the places, also, have not a dignity which entitles them to notice in gazetteers. The first point, in the case before us, would be to settle the whereabouts of the House of Marr, in the vicinity of which the scene is laid. This I am unable to do. There is a Ballechin in Logierait Parish, Perthshire. There is said to be a Baleichan in Forfarshire.[94] It is not easy to see why the heir of either of these places (Buleighan and the rest may stand for either) should wish to have his body taken to Loch Largon in Invernesshire, if Loch Largon means Loch Laggan, as seems likely.[95]

Translated by Knortz, Schottische Balladen, p. 79, after Aytoun.

* * * * *

1 O heard ye of Sir James the Rose, The young heir of Buleighen? For he has killd a gallant squire, An ‘s friends are out to take him.

2 Now he’s gone to the House of Marr, Where the nourrice was his leman; To see his dear he did repair, Thinking she would befriend him.

3 ‘Where are you going, Sir James?’ she says, ‘Or where now are you riding?’ ‘O I am bound to a foreign land, For now I’m under hiding.

4 ‘Where shall I go? Where shall I run? Where shall I go to hide me? For I have killd a gallant squire, And they’re seeking to slay me.’

5 ‘O go ye down to yon ale-house, And I’ll pay there your lawing; And, if I be a woman true, I’ll meet you in the dawing.’

6 ‘I’ll not go down to yon ale-house, For you to pay my lawing; There’s forty shillings for one supper, I’ll stay in ‘t till the dawing.’

7 He’s turnd him right and round about And rowd him in his brechan, And he has gone to take a sleep, In the lowlands of Buleighen.

8 He was not well gone out of sight, Nor was he past Milstrethen, Till four and twenty belted knights Came riding oer the Leathen.

9 ‘O have you seen Sir James the Rose, The young heir of Buleighen? For he has killd a gallant squire, And we’re sent out to take him.’

10 ‘O I have seen Sir James,’ she says, ‘For he past here on Monday; If the steed be swift that he rides on, He’s past the gates of London.’

11 But as they were going away, Then she calld out behind them; ‘If you do seek Sir James,’ she says, ‘I’ll tell you where you’ll find him.

12 ‘You’ll seek the bank above the mill, In the lowlands of Buleighen, And there you’ll find Sir James the Rose, Lying sleeping in his brechan.

13 ‘You must not wake him out of sleep, Nor yet must you affright him, Till you run a dart quite thro his heart, And thro the body pierce him.’

14 They sought the bank above the mill, In the lowlands of Buleighan, And there they found Sir James the Rose, A sleeping in his brechan.

15 Then out bespoke Sir John the Græme, Who had the charge a keeping; ‘It’s neer be said, dear gentlemen, We’ll kill him when he’s sleeping.’

16 They seizd his broadsword and his targe, And closely him surrounded; But when he wak’d out of his sleep, His senses were confounded.

17 ‘O pardon, pardon, gentlemen! Have mercy now upon me!’ ‘Such as you gave, such you shall have, And so we’ll fall upon thee.’

18 ‘Donald my man, wait me upon, And I’ll give you my brechan, And, if you stay here till I die, You’ll get my trews of tartan.

19 ‘There is fifty pounds in my pocket, Besides my trews and brechan; You’ll get my watch and diamond ring; And take me to Loch Largon.’

20 Now they have taken out his heart And stuck it on a spear, Then took it to the House of Marr, And gave it to his dear.

21 But when she saw his bleeding heart She was like one distracted; She smote her breast, and wrung her hands, Crying, ‘What now have I acted!

22 ‘Sir James the Rose, now for thy sake O but my heart’s a breaking! Curst be the day I did thee betray, Thou brave knight of Buleighen.’

23 Then up she rose, and forth she goes, All in that fatal hour, And bodily was born away, And never was seen more.

24 But where she went was never kend, And so, to end the matter, A traitor’s end, you may depend, Can be expect’d no better.

* * * * *

#a.#

_From_ “A collection of Popular Ballads and Tales,” _in six volumes_, “formed by me,” _says Sir W. Scott_, “when a boy, from the baskets of the travelling pedlars.... It contains most of the pieces that were popular about thirty years since.” (“1810.”) _Vol._ IV, _No_ 21. _In stanzas of eight lines._

#b.#

1^2. Buleighan, _and always_.

2^3. To seek (#d#).

5^2. there pay.

5^3. maiden true (#d#).

11^1. As they rode on, man after man.

11^2. she cried.

11^3. James the Rose.

12^1. Seek ye the bank abune.

13^3. you drive (#d#).

13^4. through his (#d#).

14^1. abune (#d#).

14^4. Lying sleeping (#d#).

15^1. Up then spake (#d#).

15^3. It shall (#d#).

15^4. We killed: when a (#d#).

16^3. And (#d#).

17^4. we fall (#d#).

20^1. they’ve taen out his bleeding heart (#d#).

21^3. wrung her hands and tore her hair (#d#).

21^4. Oh, what have I.

22^1. It’s for your sake, Sir J. the R. (#d#).

22^2. That my poor heart’s (#d#).

23^3. She bodily.

24^4. Can never be no.

#c.#

1^1. Did you hear.

1^2. That young.

1^2, 7^4, 9^2. Belichan.

1^3. For _wanting_.

1^4. Who was sent out.

2^1. Now _wanting_.

2^2. nurse she was his layman.

3^2. where are you a.

3^3. I am going to some land.

3^4. For I am.

4^1. Where must: I turn.

4^2. I run.

4^3, 9^3. esquire.

4^4. And my friends are out to take me.

5^1. Go you.

5^2. There you’ll stay till the dawning.

5^4. I’ll come and pay your lawing.

6^1. down _wanting_.

6^2. To stay unto the dawning.

6^3. Now if you be a woman true.

6^4. [D] o (?) come and pay the lawning.

7^1. himself quite round.

7^3. he is.

8^1. not quite out.

8^2. _Wanting._

8^4. ore Beligham.

9^1. did you see.

9^2. That.

9^3. For _wanting_.

9^4. Who was sent.

10^1. Oh yes, I seed S. J. the R.

10^2. He passed by here.

10^3. His steed was: rid.

10^4. And past.

11^1. Just as.

11^2. They thought no more upon him.

11^3. Oh if you want S. J. the R.

12^2. And the: Belighan.

12^3. And _wanting_.

13 _as_ 14.

13^1. him from his.

13^2. you _wanting_.

13^3. But in his breast must run a dart.

14 _as_ 13.

14^2. And lowlands.

14^4. Lying sleeping.

15^1. up bespoke Sir James the Graham.

15^2. charge in.

15^3. Let it neer: gentleman.

15^4. We killd a man a sleeping.

16^1. They have taken from him his sword and target.

16^3. wakened out of sleep.

16^4. was.

17^1. O _wanting_.

17^2. And now have mercy on.

17^3. Which as.

17^4. And so shall fall upon you.

18^2. Until I be a dead man.

18^3. You’ll get my hose, likewise my shoes.

18^4. Likewise my Highland brichan.

19^{1,2}. _Wanting._

19^{3,4} _with_ 20^{1,2}: 20^{3,4} _with_ 21^{1,2}: 21^{3,4} _with_ 22^{3,4}: 22^{1,2} _wanting_.

19^3. You shall have my.

19^4. If you’ll carry me to Loughargan.

20^1. tane out his bleeding heart.

20^2. And fetched it on a spear man.

20^3. And locked it to the Marr.

20^4. A present to. 21^2. She ran.

21^3. She wrung her hands and smote her breast.

21^4. Oh what have I done, what have I acted.

22^3. day I you betrayd.

22^4. of Brichan.

23^1. Then _wanting_.

23^2. And in.

23^3. Her body by.

23^4. never was heard tell of: more _wanting_.

24. _Wanting._

#d.#

1^2. Buleichan, _and always_.

1^4. And his.

2^1. Now _wanting_.

2^3. To seek.

3. _Wanting._

4^4. They’re seeking for to.

5^2. there I’ll pay.

5^3. a maiden.

6^1. no gae.

6^3. thirty shillings for your.

6^4. And stay until the.

8^1. He had.

8^2. And past the Mill strethan.

10^1. S. J. the Rose.

11^1. But _wanting_.

11^2. She cried out.

11^3. S. J. the Rose.

12^1. Search the.

13^3. you drive.