Part 30

3 But the lusty laird of Lamendall Came frae the South Country, An for to gain this lady’s love In entreid he.

4 . . . . . . . . . . . . . He has gained her friends’ consent, An sett the wedding-day.

5 The wedding-day it being set, An a’ man to it . . . , She sent for her first fair love, The wedding to come to.

6 His father an his mother came, . . . . . . . They came a’, but he came no; It was a foul play.

7 Lochinvar, as his comrads Sat drinkine at the wine, [‘Fie] on you,’ said his comrads, ‘Tak yer bride for shame.

8 ‘Had she been mine, as she was yours, An done as she has done to you, I wad tak her on her bridal-day, Fra a’ her companie.

9 ‘Fra a’ her companie, Without any other stay; I wad gie them frogs insted o fish, An tak their bride away.’

10 He gat fifty young men, They were gallant and gay, An fifty maidens, An left them on a lay.

11 Whan he cam in by Callien bank, An in by Callien brae, He left his company Dancing on a lay.

12 He cam to the bridal-house, An in entred he; . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

13 ‘There was a young man in this place Loved well a comly may, But the day she gaes an ither man’s bride, An played him foul play.

14 ‘Had it been me as it was him, An don as she has don him tee, I wad ha geen them frogs instead o fish, An taen their bride away.’

15 The English spiered gin he wad fight; It spak well in his mind; . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

16 ‘It was no for fightin I cam here, But to bear good fellowship; Gae me a glass wi your bridegroom, An so I go my way.’

17 The glass was filled o guid red wine, . . . between them twa: ‘Man, man I see yer bride, An so I gae my waa.’

18 He was on guid horseback, An whipt the bride him wi; She grat an wrang her hands, An said, ‘It is foul play.

19 . . . . . . . ‘An this I dare well say, For this day I gaed anither man’s bride, An it’s been foul play.’

20 But now sh’s Lochinvar’s wife, . . . . . . . He gaed them frogs instead o fish, An tain their bride away.

* * * * *

F

Kinloch MSS, V, 315, in the handwriting of John Hill Burton.

1 Bonny Catherine Janferry, The dainty dame so fair, She’s faun in love wi young Lochinvar, And she loved him without compare.

2 She loved him well, and wondrous well To change her mind away; But the day she goes another man’s bride, And plays him foul play.

3 Home came the Laird o Lauderdale, A’ from the South Countree, And a’ to court this weel-fart may, And I wat good tent took he.

4 Gold nor gear he did no spare, She was so fair a may, And he agreed wi her friends all, And set the wedding-day.

5 She sent for her first true-love, Her wedding to come tee; His father and his mother both, They were to come him wi.

6 His father and his mother both, They were to come him wi; And they came both, and he came no, And this was foul play.

7 He’s sent a quiet messenger Now out thro a’ the land, To warn a hundred gentlemen, O gallant and good renown.

8 O gallant and good renown, And all o good aray, And now he’s made his trumpet soun A voss o foul play.

9 As they came up by Caley buss, And in by Caley brae, ‘Stay still, stay still, my merry young men, Stay still, if that you may.

10 ‘Stay still, stay still, my merry young men, Stay still, if that you may; I’ll go to the bridal-house, And see what they will say.’

11 When he gaed to the bridal-house, And lighted and gaed in, There were four and twenty English lords, O gallant and good renown.

12 O gallant and good renown, And all o good aray, But aye he garred his trumpets soun A voss o foul play.

13 When he was at the table set, Amang these gentlemen, He begoud to vent some words They couldna understan.

14 The English lords, they waxed wroth What could be in his mind; They stert to foot, on horseback lap, ‘Come fecht! what’s i your mind?’

15 ‘I came na here to feght,’ he said, ‘But for good sport and play; And one glass wi yer bonny bridegroom, And I’ll go boun away.’

16 The glass was filled o good reed wine, And drunken atween the twa; ‘And one glass wi your bonny bride, And I’se go boun away.’

17 Her maiden she stood forbye, And quickly she said, ‘Nay I winna gee a word o her To none nor yet to thee.’

18 ‘Oh, one word o yer bonny bride! Will ye refuse me one? Before her wedding-day was set, I would hae gotten ten.

19 ‘Take here my promise, maiden, My promise and my hand, Out oer her father’s gates this day Wi me she shanna gang.’

20 He’s bent him oer his saddle-bow, To kiss her ere he gaed, And he fastened his hand in her gown-breast, And tust her him behind.

21 He pat the spurs into his horse And fast rade out at the gate; Ye wouldna hae seen his yellow locks For the dust o his horse feet.

22 Fast has he ridden the wan water, And merrily taen the know, And then the battle it began; I’me sure it was na mow.

23 Bridles brack, and weight horse lap, And blades flain in the skies, And wan and drousie was the blood Gaed lapperin down the lays.

24 Now all ye English lords, In England where ye’r borne, Come never to Scotland to woo a bride, For they’le gie you the scorn.

25 For they’le gie you the scorn, The scorn, if that they may; They’ll gie you frogs instead of fish, And steal your bride away.

* * * * *

G

Maidment’s North Countrie Garland, p. 34.

1 O bonny Catharine Jaffery, That dainty maid so fair, Once lovd the laird of Lochinvar, Without any compare.

2 Long time she lood him very well, But they changed her mind away, And now she goes another’s bride, And plays him foul play.

3 The bonny laird of Lauderdale Came from the South Countrie, And he has wooed the pretty maid, Thro presents entered he.

4 For tocher-gear he did not stand, She was a dainty may; He ‘greed him with her friends all, And set the wedding-day.

5 When Lochinvar got word of this, He knew not what to do, For losing of a lady fair That he did love so true.

6 ‘But if I were young Lochinvar, I woud not care a fly To take her on her wedding-day From all her company.

7 ‘Get ye a quiet messenger, Send him thro all your land For a hundred and fifty brave young lads, To be at your command.

8 ‘To be all at your command, And your bidding to obey, Yet still cause you the trumpet sound The voice of foul play.’

9 He got a quiet messenger To send thro all his land, And full three hundred pretty lads Were all at his command.

10 Were all at his command, And his bidding did obey, Yet still he made the trumpet sound The voice of foul play.

11 Then he went to the bridal-house. Among the nobles a’, And when he stepped upon the floor He gave a loud huzza.

12 ‘Huzza! huzza! you English men, Or borderers who were born, Neer come to Scotland for a maid, Or else they will you scorn.

13 ‘She’ll bring you on with tempting words, Aye till the wedding-day, Syne give you frogs instead of fish, And play you foul play.’

14 The gentlemen all wondered What could be in his mind, And asked if he’d a mind to fight; Why spoke he so unkind?

15 Did he e’er see such pretty men As were there in array? ‘O yes,’ said he, ‘a Fairy Court Were leaping on the hay.

16 ‘As I came in by Hyland banks, And in by Hyland braes, There did I see a Fairy Court, All leaping on the leas.

17 ‘I came not here to fight,’ he said, ‘But for good fellowship gay; I want to drink with your bridegroom, And then I’ll boun my way.’

18 The glass was filled with good red wine, And drunk between them twae: ‘Give me one shake of your bonny bride’s hand, And then I’ll boun my way.’

19 He’s taen her by the milk-white hands, And by the grass-green sleeve, Pulld her on horseback him behind, At her friends askd nae leave.

20 Syne rode the water with great speed, And merrily the knows; There fifty from the bridal came— Indeed it was nae mows—

21 Thinking to take the bride again, Thro strength if that they may; But still he gart the trumpet sound The voice of foul play.

22 There were four and twenty ladies fair All walking on the lea; He gave to them the bonny bride, And bade them boun their way.

23 They splintered the spears in pieces now, And the blades flew in the sky, But the bonny laird of Lochinvar Has gained the victory.

24 Many a wife- and widow’s son Lay gasping on the ground, But the bonny laird of Lochinvar He has the victory won.

* * * * *

H

Kinloch MSS, V, 313.

1 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

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

3 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.

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

5 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.

6 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?’

8 ‘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.’

9 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.

10 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.

11 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.’

12 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.

13 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.

* * * * *

I

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.”

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

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

3 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.

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

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

6 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.

7 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.

8 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.

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

10 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.’

12 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.’

13 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.

14 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.

15 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!

16 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.

17 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.

* * * * *

J

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

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

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

3 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.

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

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

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

7 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.

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

9 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.

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

11 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.

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

13 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?’

15 ‘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.’

16 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.’

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

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

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

20 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.

* * * * *

K

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

1 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.

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

3 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.

4 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.’

6 ‘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.’

8 ‘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 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.

11 ‘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.’

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

14 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.

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.’

17 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? ’

19 ‘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.’

20 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.

21 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. 22 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.

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

24 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.

25 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.

* * * * *

L

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.

1 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?’

2 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.’

* * * * *

#A.#

#a.#

_The second copy has some different spellings, and drops the second_ the _in_ 11^1. 3, 5 _are_ 5, 3 _in both. Sense requires the change: cf. also_ #F# 5, #H# 5, #I# 4.

#b.#

1^4. to many. 3==_the MS._ 3. 4^4. All mounted.

#B.#

_The first copy is written in long lines (two to a stanza); neither is divided into stanzas. There are differences of spelling._ 3^1, 5^3, fere _seems to be meant for_ fair: _cf._ #C# 5^3. 4^4. At her, _both: cf._ #E# 7, #G# 4, #H# 8. 5^2. _Both copies have_ doom. 5^2, 15^4. _First_, behold, garned, _in my copy, probably by error. Second_, beheld, gard.

_The second copy has these variations._ 2^3. got the. 3^1, 5^3. fere _wanting_. 15^1. thing _wanting_. 16^1. 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)_: #B# 1–6; #B# 10, #A# 7; #A# 8, #B# 11; #A# 9; #B# 12; #B# 13 (_but mostly Scott’s_); #A# 11, #B# 14; #B# 15; #B# 16; #A# 13.

_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 substantially_ #C# 1–5, 12–14, 16.

_Some variations will be noticed under_ #C#.

#C.#

O, _the tag to the second and fourth lines, is not written in_ 2, 4, 16^2, 17^4.

1^2. into _written over_ up.

2^4. Weel _in the margin against_ A’.

3^2. rest _struck out before_ lave.

4^1. Up _struck out before_ Out. Faughan Wood, _here and_ 7^1; _in_ 12^1, Faughan Wood.

7^1. Up the then.

9^1. gude _struck out before_ red, _and_ red _written over_.

15^1. _Originally_ down by; down _struck out_.

15^2. _Originally_ in by; in _struck 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, 3^{1,2}. He told na _in the Minstrelsy: almost certainly an arbitrary change, and not a good one, since it makes the hardship to Lauderdale the less._

4^1. Lochinvar (_also in_ 14^1) _for_ Lord Faughanwood; _introduced from_ #D#.

15^2. clad in the Johnstone grey: _for which no authority is known_.

16^3. Leader lads _for_ ladies gay: _probably a conjectural emendation_.

20^4. For fear of sic disorder: _presumably a change for rhyme_, disorder _suggested by_ 2^4.

#D.#

9^1. 24.

12^1. It’s _is of later insertion, perhaps editorial._

14^1. 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 reading_ temper good, _as in #C# 17^1._

#E.#

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

2^1. She courted him.