Part 40

“Some years subsequent to the melancholy fate of poor Tifty’s Nanny,” says Jamieson, II, 387, citing the current tradition of Fyvie, “her sad story being mentioned and the ballad sung in a company in Edinburgh when [Andrew Lammie] was present, he remained silent and motionless, till he was discovered by a groan suddenly bursting from him and _several of the buttons flying from his waistcoat_.” The peasants of Fyvie, Jamieson continues, “borrowed this striking characteristic of excessive grief” neither from the Laocoön group nor from Shakspere’s King Lear, but from nature. The anecdote, and the comment too, is apt to be repeated by editors of ‘Andrew Lammie.’ That “affecting image of overpowering grief,” as Chambers calls it, the flying off of the buttons (or the bursting of a waistcoat), we have had several times already, though in no ballad (or version) of much note: see II, 118, #D# 17, 186, #C# 15, 308, 4; IV, 101, I 15, 185, 11. It must be owned to be a stroke that does not well bear iteration. Mrs. Littlewit in ‘Bartholomew Fair’ has a tedious life with her Puritan, she says: “he breaks his buttons and cracks seams at every saying he sobs out.” Ben Jonson has taken out one of the best things in our tragedy and put it into his comedy.

The air to which this ballad was usually sung, Jamieson informs us, was “of that class which in Teviotdale they term a northern drawl; and a Perthshire set of it, but two notes lower than it is commonly sung, is to be found in Johnson’s Scots Musical Museum [No. 175, p. 183], to the song ‘How long and dreary is the night.’”

#C b# is translated by Wolff, Hausschatz, p. 199, Halle der Völker, I, 65.

* * * * *

A

Jamieson’s Popular Ballads, I, 126; “taken down by Dr Leyden from the recitation of a young lady, Miss Robson, of Edinburgh, who learned it in Teviotdale.”

1 ‘At Fyvie’s yetts there grows a flower, It grows baith braid and bonny; There’s a daisie in the midst o it, And it’s ca’d by Andrew Lammie.

2 ‘O gin that flower war in my breast, For the love I bear the laddie! I wad kiss it, and I wad clap it, And daut it for Andrew Lammie.

3 ‘The first time me and my love met Was in the woods of Fyvie; He kissed my lips five thousand times, And ay he ca’d me bonny, And a’ the answer he gat frae me, Was, My bonny Andrew Lammie!’

4 ‘Love, I maun gang to Edinburgh; Love, I maun gang and leave thee!’ ‘I sighed right sair, and said nae mair But, O gin I were wi ye!’

5 ‘But true and trusty will I be, As I am Andrew Lammie; I’ll never kiss a woman’s mouth Till I come back and see thee.’

6 ‘And true and trusty will I be, As I am Tiftie’s Annie; I’ll never kiss a man again Till ye come back and see me.’

7 Syne he’s come back frae Edinburgh To the bonny hows o Fyvie, And ay his face to the nor-east, To look for Tiftie’s Annie.

8 ‘I hae a love in Edinburgh, Sae hae I intill Leith, man; I hae a love intill Montrose, Sae hae I in Dalkeith, man.

9 ‘And east and west, whereer I go, My love she’s always wi me; For east and west, whereer I go, My love she dwells in Fyvie.

10 ‘My love possesses a’ my heart, Nae pen can eer indite her; She’s ay sae stately as she goes That I see nae mae like her.

11 ‘But Tiftie winna gie consent His dochter me to marry, Because she has five thousand marks, And I have not a penny.

12 ‘Love pines away, love dwines away, Love, love decays the body; For love o thee, oh I must die; Adieu, my bonny Annie!’

13 Her mither raise out o her bed, And ca’d on baith her women: ‘What ails ye, Annie, my dochter dear? O Annie, was ye dreamin?

14 ‘What dule disturbd my dochter’s sleep? O tell to me, my Annie!’ She sighed right sair, and said nae mair But, O for Andrew Lammie!

15 Her father beat her cruellie, Sae also did her mother; Her sisters sair did scoff at her; But wae betide her brother!

16 Her brother beat her cruellie, Till his straiks they werena canny; He brak her back, and he beat her sides, For the sake o Andrew Lammie.

17 ‘O fie, O fie, my brother dear! The gentlemen’ll shame ye; The Laird o Fyvie he’s gaun by, And he’ll come in and see me.

18 ‘And he’ll kiss me, and he’ll clap me, And he will speer what ails me; And I will answer him again, It’s a’ for Andrew Lammie.’

19 Her sisters they stood in the door, Sair grievd her wi their folly: ‘O sister dear, come to the door, Your cow is lowin on you.’

20 ‘O fie, O fie, my sister dear! Grieve me not wi your folly; I’d rather hear the trumpet sound Than a’ the kye o Fyvie.

21 ‘Love pines away, love dwines away, Love, love decays the body; For love o thee now I maun die; Adieu to Andrew Lammie!’

22 But Tiftie’s wrote a braid letter, And sent it into Fyvie, Saying his daughter was bewitchd By bonny Andrew Lammie.

23 ‘Now, Tiftie, ye maun gie consent, And lat the lassie marry;’ ‘I’ll never, never gie consent To the trumpeter of Fyvie.’

24 When Fyvie looked the letter on, He was baith sad and sorry: Says, The bonniest lass o the country-side Has died for Andrew Lammie.

25 O Andrew’s gane to the house-top O the bonny house o Fyvie, He’s blawn his horn baith loud and shill Oer the lawland leas o Fyvie.

26 ‘Mony a time hae I walkd a’ night, And never yet was weary; But now I may walk wae my lane, For I’ll never see my deary.

27 ‘Love pines away, love dwines away, Love, love decays the body; For the love o thee now I maun die; I come, my bonny Annie!’

* * * * *

B

Jamieson’s Popular Ballads, II, 382; “from a stall copy, procured from Scotland.”

1 ‘There springs a rose in Fyvie’s yard, And O but it springs bonny! There’s a daisy in the middle of it, Its name is Andrew Lammie.

2 ‘I wish the rose were in my breast, For the love I bear the daisy; So blyth and merry as I would be, And kiss my Andrew Lammie.

3 ‘The first time I and my love met Was in the wood of Fyvie; He kissëd and he dawted me, Calld me his bonny Annie.

4 ‘Wi apples sweet he did me treat, Which stole my heart so canny, And ay sinsyne himself was kind, My bonny Andrew Lammie.’

5 ‘But I am going to Edinburgh, My love, I’m going to leave thee;’ She sighd full sore, and said no more, ‘I wish I were but wi you.’

6 ‘I will buy thee a wedding-gown, My love, I’ll buy it bonny;’ ‘But I’ll be dead or ye come back, My bonny Andrew Lammie.’

7 ‘I will buy you brave bridal shoes, My love, I’ll buy them bonny;’ ‘But I’ll be dead or ye come back, My bonny Andrew Lammie.’

8 ‘If you’ll be true and trusty too, As I am Andrew Lammie, That you will neer kiss lad nor lown Till I return to Fyvie.’

9 ‘I shall be true and trusty too, As my name’s Tifty’s Nanny, That I’ll kiss neither lad nor lown Till you return to Fyvie.’—

10 ‘Love pines awa, love dwines awa, Love pines awa my body; And love’s crept in at my bed-foot, And taen possession o me.

11 ‘My father drags me by the hair, My mother sore does scold me; And they would give one hundred merks To any one to wed me.

12 ‘My sister stands at her bower-door, And she full sore does mock me, And when she hears the trumpet sound,— “Your cow is lowing, Nanny!”

13 ‘O be still, my sister Jane, And leave off all your folly; For I’d rather hear that cow low Than all the kye in Fyvie.

14 ‘My father locks the door at night, Lays up the keys fu canny, And when he hears the trumpet sound,— “Your cow is lowing, Nanny!”

15 ‘O hold your tongue, my father dear, And let be a’ your folly; For I would rather hear that cow Than all the kye in Fyvie.’

* * * * * *

16 ‘If you ding me, I will greet, And gentlemen will hear me; Laird Fyvie will be coming by, And he’ll come in and see me.’

17 ‘Yea, I will ding you though ye greet And gentlemen should hear you; Though Laird Fyvie were coming by, And did come in and see you.’

18 So they dang her, and she grat, And gentlemen did hear her, And Fyvie he was coming by, And did come in to see her.

19 ‘Mill of Tifty, give consent, And let your daughter marry; If she were full of as high blood As she is full of beauty, I would take her to myself, And make her my own lady.’

20 ‘Fyvie lands ly broad and wide, And O but they ly bonny! But I would not give my own true-love For all the lands in Fyvie.

21 ‘But make my bed, and lay me down, And turn my face to Fyvie, That I may see before I die My bonny Andrew Lammie.’

22 They made her bed, and laid her down, And turnd her face to Fyvie; She gave a groan, and died or morn, So neer saw Andrew Lammie.

23 Her father sorely did lament The loss of his dear Nannie, And wishd that he had gien consent To wed with Andrew Lammie.

24 But ah! alas! it was too late, For he could not recall her; Through time unhappy is his fate, Because he did controul her.

25 You parents grave who children have, In crushing them be canny, Lest for their part they break their heart, As did young Tifty’s Nanny.

* * * * *

C

#a.# Buchan’s Gleanings, p. 98; taken down “from the memory of a very old woman” (p. 197). #b.# Motherwell’s Minstrelsy, p. 239; a stall copy collated with a recited copy.

1 At Mill of Tifty lived a man, In the neighbourhood of Fyvie; He had a luvely daughter fair, Was callëd bonny Annie.

2 Her bloom was like the springing flower That hails the rosy morning, With innocence and graceful mein Her beautous form adorning.

3 Lord Fyvie had a trumpeter Whose name was Andrew Lammie; He had the art to gain the heart Of Mill of Tifty’s Annie.

4 Proper he was, both young and gay, His like was not in Fyvie, Nor was ane there that could compare With this same Andrew Lammie.

5 Lord Fyvie he rode by the door Where livëd Tifty’s Annie; His trumpeter rode him before, Even this same Andrew Lammie.

6 Her mother called her to the door: ‘Come here to me, my Annie: Did eer you see a prettier man Than the trumpeter of Fyvie?’

7 Nothing she said, but sighing sore, Alas for bonnie Annie! She durst not own her heart was won By the trumpeter of Fyvie.

8 At night when all went to their bed, All slept full soon but Annie; Love so oppresst her tender breast, Thinking on Andrew Lammie.

9 ‘Love comes in at my bed-side, And love lies down beyond me; Love has possest my tender breast, And love will waste my body.

10 ‘The first time me and my love met Was in the woods of Fyvie; His lovely form and speech so soft Soon gaind the heart of Annie.

11 ‘He called me mistress; I said, No, I’m Tifty’s bonny Annie; With apples sweet he did me treat, And kisses soft and mony.

12 ‘It’s up and down in Tifty’s den, Where the burn runs clear and bonny, I’ve often gane to meet my love, My bonny Andrew Lammie.’

13 But now alas! her father heard That the trumpeter of Fyvie Had had the art to gain the heart Of Mill of Tifty’s Annie.

14 Her father soon a letter wrote, And sent it on to Fyvie, To tell his daughter was bewitchd By his servant, Andrew Lammie.

15 Then up the stair his trumpeter He callëd soon and shortly: ‘Pray tell me soon what’s this you’ve done To Tifty’s bonny Annie.’

16 ‘Woe be to Mill of Tifty’s pride, For it has ruined many; They’ll not have’t said that she should wed The trumpeter of Fyvie.

17 ‘In wicked art I had no part, Nor therein am I canny; True love alone the heart has won Of Tifty’s bonny Annie.

18 ‘Where will I find a boy so kind That will carry a letter canny, Who will run to Tifty’s town, Give it to my love Annie?

19 ‘Tifty he has daughters three Who all are wonderous bonny; But ye’ll ken her oer a’ the rest; Give that to bonny Annie.

20 ‘It’s up and down in Tifty’s den, Where the burn runs clear and bonny, There wilt thou come and I’ll attend; My love, I long to see thee.

21 ‘Thou mayst come to the brig of Slugh, And there I’ll come and meet thee; It’s there we will renew our love, Before I go and leave you.

22 ‘My love, I go to Edinburgh town, And for a while must leave thee;’ She sighëd sore, and said no more But ‘I wish that I were with you!’

23 ‘I’ll buy to thee a bridal gown, My love, I’ll buy it bonny;’ ‘But I’ll be dead ere ye come back To see your bonny Annie.’

24 ‘If ye’ll be true and constant too, As I am Andrew Lammie, I shall thee wed when I come back To see the lands of Fyvie.’

25 ‘I will be true and constant too To thee, my Andrew Lammie, But my bridal bed or then’ll be made In the green church-yard of Fyvie.’

26 ‘The time is gone, and now comes on My dear, that I must leave thee; If longer here I should appear, Mill of Tifty he would see me.’

27 ‘I now for ever bid adieu To thee, my Andrew Lammie; Or ye come back I will be laid In the green church-yard of Fyvie.’

28 He hied him to the head of the house, To the house-top of Fyvie, He blew his trumpet loud and shrill, It was heard at Mill of Tifty.

29 Her father lockd the door at night, Laid by the keys fu canny, And when he heard the trumpet sound Said, Your cow is lowing, Annie.

30 ‘My father dear, I pray forbear, And reproach not your Annie; I’d rather hear that cow to low Than all the kye in Fyvie.

31 ‘I would not for my braw new gown, And all your gifts so many, That it was told in Fyvie land How cruel ye are to Annie.

32 ‘But if ye strike me I will cry, And gentlemen will hear me; Lord Fyvie will be riding by, And he’ll come in and see me.’

33 At the same time the lord came in; He said, What ails thee Annie? ‘It’s all for love now I must die, For bonny Andrew Lammie.’

34 ‘Pray, Mill of Tifty, give consent, And let your daughter marry;’ ‘It will be with some higher match Than the trumpeter of Fyvie.’

35 ‘If she were come of as high a kind As she’s advanced in beauty, I would take her unto myself, And make her my own lady.’

36 ‘Fyvie lands are far and wide, And they are wonderous bonny; But I would not leave my own true-love For all the lands in Fyvie.’

37 Her father struck her wonderous sore, As also did her mother; Her sisters also did her scorn, But woe be to her brother!

38 Her brother struck her wonderous sore, With cruel strokes and many; He broke her back in the hall-door, For liking Andrew Lammie.

39 ‘Alas! my father and my mother dear, Why so cruel to your Annie? My heart was broken first by love, My brother has broke my body.

40 ‘O mother dear, make me my bed, And lay my face to Fyvie; Thus will I lie, and thus will die For my dear Andrew Lammie.

41 ‘Ye neighbours hear, baith far and near, And pity Tifty’s Annie, Who dies for love of one poor lad, For bonny Andrew Lammie.

42 ‘No kind of vice eer staind my life, Or hurt my virgin honour; My youthful heart was won by love, But death will me exoner.’

43 Her mother than she made her bed, And laid her face to Fyvie; Her tender heart it soon did break, And never saw Andrew Lammie.

44 Lord Fyvie he did wring his hands, Said, Alas for Tifty’s Annie! The fairest flower’s cut down by love That ever sprang in Fyvie.

45 ‘Woe be to Mill of Tifty’s pride! He might have let them marry; I should have given them both to live Into the lands of Fyvie.’

46 Her father sorely now laments The loss of his dear Annie, And wishes he had given consent To wed with Andrew Lammie.

47 When Andrew home frae Edinburgh came, With muckle grief and sorrow, ‘My love is dead for me to-day, I’ll die for her to-morrow.

48 ‘Now I will run to Tifty’s den, Where the burn runs clear and bonny; With tears I’ll view the brig of Slugh, Where I parted from my Annie.

49 ‘Then will I speed to the green kirk-yard, To the green kirk-yard of Fyvie, With tears I’ll water my love’s grave, Till I follow Tifty’s Annie.’

* * * * *

#C. a.#

9^3. Love so oppressd: #b#, has possessd.

11^4. mony: #b#, many.

44^3. flower: #b#, flower’s.

47^1. home: #b#, hame.

48^2. For _perhaps Aberdonian for_ Where: #b#, Where.

#b.#

_Insignificant variations will not be noted._

7^1. She sighed sore, but said no more.

8^2. Sound _for_ soon (soun?).

9^3. Love has possessd.

11^4. many.

13^4. Of Tiftie’s bonny Annie. _After 14_:

When Lord Fyvie had this letter read, O dear! but he was sorry: ‘The bonniest lass in Fyvie’s land Is bewitched by Andrew Lammie.’

16, 17 _are_ 17, 16.

16^1. Woe betide Mill.

16^3. He’ll no hae’t. _After 18_:

‘Here you shall find a boy so kind Who’ll carry a letter canny, Who will run on to Tiftie’s town, And gie’t to thy love Annie.’

19^3. a’ the lave.

20^{3,4}. and meet thy love, Thy bonny Andrew Lammie.

21. ‘When wilt thou come, and I’ll attend? My love, I long to see thee:’ ‘Thou mayst come to the bridge of Sleugh, And there I’ll come and meet thee.’

24^2. As my name’s.

26^1. Our time.

28^3. schill.

30^4. Than hae a’ the kine.

35^2. she’s adorned with.

36^1. are fair.

_After 43_:

But the word soon went up and down, Through all the lands of Fyvie, That she was dead and buried, Even Tiftie’s bonny Annie.

44^3. flower’s.

45^1. O woe betide Mill.

_After 46_:

Her mother grieves both air and late, Her sisters, cause they scornd her; Surely her brother doth mourn and grieve For the cruel usage he’d givn her.

But now alas! it was too late, For they could not recal her; Through life unhappy is their fate Because they did controul her.

47^1. hame.

47^3. love has died.

48^2. Where.

48^4. parted last with Annie. _After 49_:

Ye parents grave who children have, In crushing them be canny, Lest when too late you do repent; Remember Tiftie’s Annie.

234

CHARLIE MACPHERSON

#A.# ‘Charlie MacPherson,’ Harris MS., fol. 23 b.

#B.# ‘Charlie M’Pherson,’ Buchan’s Ballads of the North of Scotland, I, 85.

Charlie Macpherson comes to Kinaldie with a large party of men from the West Isle to take away Helen, whom he has long courted, #A# 1, 4. Helen’s mother is obliged to admit them. When her daughter is asked for, MacPherson is told that she has gone to Whitehouse, to marry auld Gairn, #A# 5 (Dalgairn, #B# 12). The party go on to Whitehouse, where indeed they find Helen, and everybody there calling her bride. We expect a collision, and judging by #A# 8 there was one, with the bride wishing well to the assailants. But in #B# (where there is no hint that Helen favors her irregular suitor), MacPherson comports himself very mildly, and only wishes, as he goes off, that his heavy heart may light on Whitehouse of Cromar.

The ballad was known to Mrs Brown of Falkland.[136] She gives it the title of ‘The Carrying-off of the Heiress of Kinady,’ from which it is warrantable to conclude that MacPherson was so far successful.

There are several Kinaldies and more than one Whitehouse. The Kinaldie which we have to do with here is a small place in the parish of Logie-Coldstone, Cromar. Milton of Whitehouse is about a mile to the south of Kinaldie, and seems to be the place intended by Whitehouse o Cromar, #B# 18, 20. Braemar, #A# 7^1, should then be Cromar.

* * * * *

A

Harris MS., fol. 23 b; from Mrs Harris’s singing.

1 Charlie MacPherson, that braw Hieland lad[die], On Valentine’s even cam doun to Kinaltie, Courtit Burd Hellen, baith wakin an sleepin: ‘Oh, fair fa them has my love in keepin!’

2 Charlie MacPherson cam doun the dykeside, Baith Milton an Muirton an a’ bein his guide; Baith Milton an Muirton an auld Water Nairn, A’ gaed wi him, for to be his warn.

3 Whan he cam to the hoose o Kinaltie, ‘Open your yetts, mistress, an lat us come in! Open your yetts, mistress, an lat us come in! For here’s a commission come frae your gude-son.

4 ‘Madam,’ says Charlie, ‘whare [i]s your dochter? Mony time have I come to Kinatie an socht her; Noo maun she goe wi me mony a mile, Because I’ve brocht mony men frae the West Isle.’

5 ‘As for my dochter, she has gane abroad. You’ll no get her for her tocher gude; She’s on to Whitehouse, to marry auld Gairn: Oh, fair fa them that wait on my bairn!’

6 Charlie MacPherson gaed up the dykeside, Baith Muirtoun an Milton an a’ bein his guide; Baith Muirton an Milton an auld Water Nairn, A’ gaed wi him, for to be his warn.

7 Whan he cam to the hoose in Braemar, Sae weel as he kent that his Nellie was there! An Nellie was sittin upon the bed-side, An every one there was ca’ing her, bride.

8 The canles gaed oot, they waurna weel licht, Swords an spears they glancet fou bricht; Sae laith as she was her true-love to beguile, Because he brocht mony men frae the West Isle.

* * * * * *

* * * * *

B

Buchan’s Ballads of the North of Scotland, I, 85.

1 Charlie M’Pherson, that brisk Highland laddie, At Valentine even he came to Kinadie:

2 To court her Burd Helen, baith waking and sleeping; Joy be wi them that has her a keeping!

3 Auldtown and Muirtown, likewise Billy Beg, All gaed wi Charlie, for to be his guide.

4 Jamie M’Robbie, likewise Wattie Nairn, All gaed wi Charlie, for to be his warran.

5 When they came to Kinadie, they knockd at the door; When nae ane woud answer, they gaed a loud roar.

6 ‘Ye’ll open the door, mistress, and lat us come in; For tidings we’ve brought frae your appearant guid-son.’

7 For to defend them, she was not able; They bangd up the stair, sat down at the table.

8 ‘Ye’ll eat and drink, gentlemen, and eat at your leisure; Nae thing’s disturb you, take what’s your pleasure.’

9 ‘O madam,’ said he, ‘I’m come for your daughter; Lang hae I come to Kinadie and there sought her.

10 ‘Now she’s gae wi me for mony a mile, Before that I return unto the West Isle.’

11 ‘My daughter’s not at home, she is gone abroad; Ye darena now steal her, her tocher is guid.

12 ‘My daughter’s in Whitehouse, wi Mistress Dalgairn; Joy be wi them that waits on my bairn!’

13 The swords an the targe that hang about Charlie, They had sic a glitter, and set him sae rarelie!

14 They had sic a glitter, and kiest sic a glamour, They showed mair light than they had in the chamour.

15 To Whitehouse he went, and when he came there Right sair was his heart when he went up the stair.

16 Burd Helen was sitting by Thomas’ bed-side, And all in the house were addressing her, bride.

17 ‘O farewell now, Helen, I’ll bid you adieu; Is this a’ the comfort I’m getting frae you?

18 ‘It was never my intention ye shoud be the waur; My heavy heart light on Whitehouse o Cromar!

19 ‘For you I hae travelled full mony lang mile, Awa to Kinadie, far frae the West Isle.

20 ‘But now ye are married, and I am the waur; My heavy heart light on Whitehouse o Cromar!’

* * * * *

#A.#

_Air_, Whilk o ye lasses.

#B.#

_Printed in stanzas of four short lines._

235

THE EARL OF ABOYNE

#A.# ‘The Earl of Aboyne,’ Kinloch MSS, V, 351.

#B.# ‘The Earl of Aboyne.’ #a.# Buchan’s Gleanings, p. 71. #b#. Gibb MS., p. 29, No 5.