11 ‘I’d rather be in Duffus land, dragging at the ware, Before I was wi Lesly, for a’ his yellow hair; For a’ his yellow hair, and sae well’s he can it tye; I’ll go no more to Conland, this winter-time to lye.’ 12 It was not for her beauty, nor yet her gentle bluid, But for her mither’s dollars, of them he had great need; Of them he had great need, now he maun do them by, For she’ll go no more to Conland, this winter-time to lye. * * * * * _Printed in stanzas of eight short lines._ 297 EARL ROTHES ‘Earl Rothes,’ Kinloch MSS, I, 333. Lady Ann has an adulterous connection with Earl Rothes, and her youthful brother seeks to sunder it. He offers to pay a tocher for her if she will forsake the earl’s company; to keep her in his castle till she is safely brought to bed, and make her a marquis’s lady; she rejects all his offers with scorn. The boy declares that when he is old enough to wear a sword he will thrust it through Earl Rothes for using his sister so badly. 1 ‘O Earl Rothes, an thou wert mine, And I were to be thy ladie, I wad drink at the beer, and tipple at the wine, And be my bottle with any.’ 2 ‘Hold thy tongue, sister Ann,’ he says, ‘Thy words they are too many; What wad ye do wi sae noble a lord, When he has so noble a ladie? 3 ‘O I’ll pay you your tocher, Lady Ann, Both in gear and money, If ye’ll forsake Earl Rothes’s companie, And mind that he has a ladie.’ 4 ‘I do not value your gold,’ she says, ‘Your gear it’s no sae readie; I’ll neer forsake Earl Rothes’s companie, And I don’t gie a fig for his ladie.’ 5 ‘I’ll keep ye i the castle, Lady Ann, O servants ye shall hae monie; I’ll keep ye till ye’re safely brocht to bed, And I’ll mak you a marquis’s ladie.’ 6 ‘I do not value your castle,’ she says, ‘Your servants are no sae readie; Earl Rothes will keep me till I’m brocht to bed, And he’ll mak me a marquis’s ladie.’ 7 ‘Woe be to thee, Earl Rothes,’ he says, ‘And the mark o the judge be upon thee, For the using o this poor thing sae, For the using my sister so badly. 8 ‘When I’m come to the years of a man, And able a sword to carry, I’ll thrust it thro Earl Rothes’ bodie For the using my sister sae basely. 9 ‘Fare thee well, Lady Ann,’ he says, ‘No longer will I tarry; You and I will never meet again, Till we meet at the bonny town o Torry.’ 298 YOUNG PEGGY ‘Young Peggy,’ Kinloch’s Ancient Scottish Ballads, p. 153.