She pulled off her gown of green, And put on ragged attire, And to fair London she would go, Her true love to enquire. And as she went along the high road, The weather being hot and dry, She sat her down upon a green bank, And her true love came riding by. She started up, with a colour so red, Catching hold of his bridle-rein; "One penny, one penny, kind sir," she said, "Will ease me of much pain." "Before I give you one penny, sweet-heart, Pray tell me where you were born." "At Islington, kind sir," said she, "Where I have had many a scorn." "I pry thee, sweet-heart, then tell to me, O tell me, whether you know The bailiff's daughter of Islington." "She is dead, sir, long ago." "If she be dead, then take my horse, My saddle and bridle also; For I will into some far country, Where no man shall me know." "O stay, O stay, thou goodly youth, She standeth by thy side; She is here alive, she is not dead, And ready to be thy bride." "O farewell grief, and welcome joy, Ten thousand times therefore; For now I have found mine own true love, Whom I thought I should never see more." [Illustration: 0276] THE SIMPLE PLOUGHBOY |O the ploughboy was a ploughing With his horses on the plain, And was singing of a song as on went he. "Since that I have fall'n in love, If the parents disapprove, 'Tis the first thing that will send me to the sea. When the parents came to know That their daughter loved him so, Then they sent a gang, and pressed him for the sea. And they made of him a tar, To be slain in cruel war, Of the simple ploughboy singing on the lea. The maiden sore did grieve, And without a word of leave From her father's house she fled secretly, In male attire dress'd With a star upon her breast, All to seek her simple ploughboy on the sea. Then she went o'er hill and plain, And she walked in wind and rain, Till she came to the brink of the blue sea, Saying, "I am forced to rove, For the loss of my true love, Who is but a simple ploughboy from the lea." Now the first she did behold, O it was a sailor bold, "Have you seen my simple ploughboy?" then said she; They have press'd him to the fleet, Sent him tossing on the deep, Who is but a simple ploughboy from the lea." Then she went to the captain And to him she made complain, O a silly ploughboy's run away from me! Then the captain smiled and said, "Why sir! surely you're a maid? So the ploughboy I will render up to thee." Then she pulled out a store Of five hundred crowns and more And she strewed them on the deck, did she; Then she took him by the hand, And she rowed him to the land, Where she wed the simple ploughboy back from sea. [Illustration: 0278] ROBBIE TAMSON'S SMIDDIE |Me mither mend't me auld breeks, But ay! but they were diddy;