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

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

18
    Two of his sons he sent before,
      And two rade by his side,
    And three he left at hame wi her,
      She was the brightest bride.

    19
    As she was gazing her around,
      To view the rural plain,
    And there she saw the bridal folk,
      Merrily coming hame.

    20
    'Come here, come here, my boys a',
      Ye see not what I see;
    For here I see your fair father,
      And a step-mother to thee.

    21
    'O shall I call him honey, Sandy,
      Husband, or my gude lord?
    Or shall I call him my gude master,
      Let well or woe betide?'

    22
    'Ye winna call him honey, mother,
      For angering o the bride;
    But ye'll call him your gude master,
      Let well or woe betide.'

    23
    She buskd her bonny boys in black,
      Herself in simple green,
    A kaim o gowd upon her hair,
      As maiden she had been.

    24
    She's taen the white bread in her lap,
      The wine glass in her hand,
    And she's gane out upo the green,
      To welcome the bride hame.

    25
    She woudna ca him her ain gude lord,
      For angering o the bride:
    'Ye're welcome hame, my gude master,
      Your lands lie braid and wide.'

    26
    'O fair mat fa you, Fair Annie,
      Sae well's ye've welcomd me;
    Ye might hae welcomd my new bride;
      Some gift to you she'll gie.'

    27
    'Ye're welcome hame, ye new-come bride,
      To your ha's and your bowers;
    Ye're welcome hame, my lady gay,
      Ye're whiter than the flowers.'

    28
    'O wha is this,' the bride did say,
      'Sae well that welcomes me?
    If I'm lang lady o this place
      Some gift to her I'll gie.

    29
    'She's likest to my dear sister
      That eer my eyes did see;
    A landit lord staw her awa,
      An ill death mat he die!

    30
    'I hae a brother here this day,
      Fairer ye neer did see;
    And I woud think nae ill a match
      Unto this fair ladie.'

    31
    'Ye'll wed your brother on a stock,
      Sae do ye on a stane;
    I'll wed me to the kingdom of heaven,
      For I'll neer wed a man.'

    32
    She servd the footmen o the beer,
      The nobles o the wine;
    But nane did cross her pale, pale lips,
      For changing o her min.

    33
    When she came in unto the room
      She leuch amo them a',
    But when she turnd her back about
      She loot the saut tears fa.

    34
    She hanged up a silken cloath
      Upon a siller pin;
    It was to dry her twa blue eyes,
      As she went out and in.

    35
    Her heart wi sorrow sair was filld,
      Her breast wi milk ran out;
    She aft went to a quiet chamber,
      And let her young son suck.

    36
    'There is a woman in this house
      This day has served me;
    But I'll rise up, let her sit down,
      She's ate, that I may see.

    37
    'O wha is this,' the bride coud say,
      'That serves this day sae well?
    And what means a' this bonny boys,
      That follow at her heel?'

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

18
    Two of his sons he sent before,
      And two rade by his side,
    And three he left at hame wi her,
      She was the brightest bride.

    19
    As she was gazing her around,
      To view the rural plain,
    And there she saw the bridal folk,
      Merrily coming hame.

    20
    'Come here, come here, my boys a',
      Ye see not what I see;
    For here I see your fair father,
      And a step-mother to thee.

    21
    'O shall I call him honey, Sandy,
      Husband, or my gude lord?
    Or shall I call him my gude master,
      Let well or woe betide?'

    22
    'Ye winna call him honey, mother,
      For angering o the bride;
    But ye'll call him your gude master,
      Let well or woe betide.'

    23
    She buskd her bonny boys in black,
      Herself in simple green,
    A kaim o gowd upon her hair,
      As maiden she had been.

    24
    She's taen the white bread in her lap,
      The wine glass in her hand,
    And she's gane out upo the green,
      To welcome the bride hame.

    25
    She woudna ca him her ain gude lord,
      For angering o the bride:
    'Ye're welcome hame, my gude master,
      Your lands lie braid and wide.'

    26
    'O fair mat fa you, Fair Annie,
      Sae well's ye've welcomd me;
    Ye might hae welcomd my new bride;
      Some gift to you she'll gie.'

    27
    'Ye're welcome hame, ye new-come bride,
      To your ha's and your bowers;
    Ye're welcome hame, my lady gay,
      Ye're whiter than the flowers.'

    28
    'O wha is this,' the bride did say,
      'Sae well that welcomes me?
    If I'm lang lady o this place
      Some gift to her I'll gie.

    29
    'She's likest to my dear sister
      That eer my eyes did see;
    A landit lord staw her awa,
      An ill death mat he die!

    30
    'I hae a brother here this day,
      Fairer ye neer did see;
    And I woud think nae ill a match
      Unto this fair ladie.'

    31
    'Ye'll wed your brother on a stock,
      Sae do ye on a stane;
    I'll wed me to the kingdom of heaven,
      For I'll neer wed a man.'

    32
    She servd the footmen o the beer,
      The nobles o the wine;
    But nane did cross her pale, pale lips,
      For changing o her min.

    33
    When she came in unto the room
      She leuch amo them a',
    But when she turnd her back about
      She loot the saut tears fa.

    34
    She hanged up a silken cloath
      Upon a siller pin;
    It was to dry her twa blue eyes,
      As she went out and in.

    35
    Her heart wi sorrow sair was filld,
      Her breast wi milk ran out;
    She aft went to a quiet chamber,
      And let her young son suck.

    36
    'There is a woman in this house
      This day has served me;
    But I'll rise up, let her sit down,
      She's ate, that I may see.

    37
    'O wha is this,' the bride coud say,
      'That serves this day sae well?
    And what means a' this bonny boys,
      That follow at her heel?'

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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