The English and Scottish popular ballads, volume 1 (of 5)

Ballads, English -- England -- Texts; Ballads, Scots -- Scotland -- Texts

18
    This lady was not able to ride,
      .    .    .    .    .    .    .

    19
    'O does thy saddle set thee aside?
    Or does thy steed ony wrang way ride?

    20
    'Or thinkst thou me too low a groom?
      .    .    .    .    .    .    .

    21
    'Or hast thou musing in thy mind
    For the leaving of thy mother kind?'

    22
    'My saddle it sets not me aside,
    Nor does my steed ony wrang way ride.

    23
    'Nor think I thee too low a groom
      .    .    .    .    .    .    .

    24
    'But I hae musing in my mind
    For the leaving of my mother kind.'

    25
    'I'll bring thee to a mother of mine,
    As good a mother as eer was thine.'

    26
    'A better mother she may be,
    But an unco woman she'll prove to me.'

    27
    But when lords and ladies at supper sat,
    Her pains they struck her in the back.

    28
    When lords and ladies were laid in bed,
    Her pains they struck her in the side.

    29
    'Rise up, rise up, now, Lord Brangwill,
    For I'm wi child and you do not know't.'

    30
    He took up his foot and gave her sic a bang
    Till owre the bed the red blood sprang.

    31
    He is up to his mother's ha,
    Calling her as hard as he could ca.

    32
    'I went through moss and I went through mure,
    Thinking to get some lily flouir.

    33
      .    .    .    .    .    .    .
    'But to my house I have brocht a hure.

    34
    'I thocht to have got a lady baith meek and mild,
    But I've got a woman that's big wi child.'

    35
    'O rest you here, Lord Brangwill,' she said,
    'Till I relieve your lady that lyes so low.'

    36
    'O daughter dear, will you tell to me
    Who is the father of your babie?'

    37
    'Yes, mother dear, I will tell thee
    Who is the father of my babie.

    38
    'As I was walking the leas o Lyne,
    I met a youth gallant and fine;

    39
    'With milk-white stockings and coal-black shoon;
    He seemd to be sum gay lord's son.

    40
    'He keepit me sae lang, sae lang,
    Till the maids in the morning were singing their sang.

    41
    'Would I wee or would I way,
    He keepit me the lang simmer day.

    42
    'Would I way or would I wight,
    He keepit me the simmer night.

    43
    'But guess ye what was at our parting?
    A pair of grass green gloves and a gay gold ring.

    44
    'He gave me three plaits o his yellow hair,
    In token that we might meet mair.'

    45
    'O dochter dear, will ye show me
    These tokens that he gave to thee?'

    46
    'Altho my back should break in three,
    Unto my coffer I must be.'

    47
    'Thy back it shall not break in three,
    For I'll bring thy coffer to thy knee.'

    48
    Aye she coost, and aye she flang,
    Till these three tokens came to her hand.

    49
    Then she is up to her son's ha,
    Calling him hard as she could ca.

    50
    'O son, O son, will you tell me
      .    .    .    .    .    .    .

Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.

The English and Scottish popular ballads, volume 1 (of 5)

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