The English and Scottish popular ballads, volume 2 (of 5)

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

44
    'Seven ships of gold did bring me here,
      But ane shall tak me hame;
    Six I will leave to my sister Anne,
      To bring up her children young.

    45
    'But whan I gang to my father's ha,
      And tirl on the pin,
    The meanest in a' my father's house
      Will ca me a forsaken ane.'


J

        Buchan's MSS, I, 66.

    1
    'Learn, O learn, Fair Annie,' he said,
      'O learn to lie your lane;
    For I am going ower the sea,
      To woo and to bring hame

    2
    'A brighter and a fairer dame
      Than ever ye hae been;
    For I am going ower the sea,
      To chuse and bring her hame.'

    3
    'What aileth thee, my ain gude lord,
      What aileth thee at me?
    For seven braw sons hae I born
      Unto your fair bodie.

    4
    'The eldest o your sons, my lord,
      Is heir o a' your land;
    The second o your braw young sons
      He rises at your right hand.

    5
    'The third o your braw young sons
      He serves you when you dine;
    The fourth o your braw sons, my lord,
      He brings to you the wine.

    6
    'The fifth o your braw young sons
      Right well can use the pen;
    The sixth o your braw young sons,
      He's travelling but and ben.

    7
    'The seventh o your braw young sons,
      He lies on my breast-bane,
    The fairest flower amo them a',
      That lay my sides between.'

    8
    'But I am going ower the sea,
      To woo and to bring hame
    A lady wi some gowd and gear;
      Wi you I never got nane.'

    9
    'Ye staw me awa in twall years auld,
      Ye sought nae gowd wi me;
    Ye put me to the schools o Ayr
      For fully years three.

    10
    'But wha'll be cook in your kitchen,
      And butler in your ha?
    And wha will govern your merry young men,
      When ye are far awa?'

    11
    'O ye'll be cook in my kitchen,
      And butler in my ha,
    And ye'll wait on my merry young men,
      And serve them ane and a'.'

    12
    'But wha will bake your bridal bread,
      And wha will brew your ale?
    And wha will welcome that lady
      That ye bring ower the dale?

    13
    'O ye will bake my bridal bread,
      And ye will brew my ale,
    And ye will welcome that lady
      That I bring ower the dale.

    14
    'Ye'll bake bread, and ye'll brew ale,
      For three score knights and ten;
    That day month I gang awa,
      The same day I'll come again.'

    15
    'O I will bake your bridal bread,
      And I will brew your ale;
    But oh, to welcome another woman
      My heart will nae be hale.'

    16
    'Ye will put roses in your hair,
      And ribbons in your sheen,
    And ye will look fair maiden like,
      Though maiden ye be nane.'

    17
    'O I'll put roses in my hair,
      And ribbons in my sheen,
    And may be look as maiden-like
      As the bride ye bring hame.'

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

Opening the text

General

The English and Scottish popular ballads, volume 2 (of 5)

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

44
    'Seven ships of gold did bring me here,
      But ane shall tak me hame;
    Six I will leave to my sister Anne,
      To bring up her children young.

    45
    'But whan I gang to my father's ha,
      And tirl on the pin,
    The meanest in a' my father's house
      Will ca me a forsaken ane.'


J

        Buchan's MSS, I, 66.

    1
    'Learn, O learn, Fair Annie,' he said,
      'O learn to lie your lane;
    For I am going ower the sea,
      To woo and to bring hame

    2
    'A brighter and a fairer dame
      Than ever ye hae been;
    For I am going ower the sea,
      To chuse and bring her hame.'

    3
    'What aileth thee, my ain gude lord,
      What aileth thee at me?
    For seven braw sons hae I born
      Unto your fair bodie.

    4
    'The eldest o your sons, my lord,
      Is heir o a' your land;
    The second o your braw young sons
      He rises at your right hand.

    5
    'The third o your braw young sons
      He serves you when you dine;
    The fourth o your braw sons, my lord,
      He brings to you the wine.

    6
    'The fifth o your braw young sons
      Right well can use the pen;
    The sixth o your braw young sons,
      He's travelling but and ben.

    7
    'The seventh o your braw young sons,
      He lies on my breast-bane,
    The fairest flower amo them a',
      That lay my sides between.'

    8
    'But I am going ower the sea,
      To woo and to bring hame
    A lady wi some gowd and gear;
      Wi you I never got nane.'

    9
    'Ye staw me awa in twall years auld,
      Ye sought nae gowd wi me;
    Ye put me to the schools o Ayr
      For fully years three.

    10
    'But wha'll be cook in your kitchen,
      And butler in your ha?
    And wha will govern your merry young men,
      When ye are far awa?'

    11
    'O ye'll be cook in my kitchen,
      And butler in my ha,
    And ye'll wait on my merry young men,
      And serve them ane and a'.'

    12
    'But wha will bake your bridal bread,
      And wha will brew your ale?
    And wha will welcome that lady
      That ye bring ower the dale?

    13
    'O ye will bake my bridal bread,
      And ye will brew my ale,
    And ye will welcome that lady
      That I bring ower the dale.

    14
    'Ye'll bake bread, and ye'll brew ale,
      For three score knights and ten;
    That day month I gang awa,
      The same day I'll come again.'

    15
    'O I will bake your bridal bread,
      And I will brew your ale;
    But oh, to welcome another woman
      My heart will nae be hale.'

    16
    'Ye will put roses in your hair,
      And ribbons in your sheen,
    And ye will look fair maiden like,
      Though maiden ye be nane.'

    17
    'O I'll put roses in my hair,
      And ribbons in my sheen,
    And may be look as maiden-like
      As the bride ye bring hame.'

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

The English and Scottish popular ballads, volume 2 (of 5)

The English and Scottish popular ballads, volume 2 (of 5)

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