VIII ‘Tak’ ye the bloom frae aff the broom, Strew’t at his head an’ feet, And aye the thicker that ye do strew, The sounder he will sleep. IX ‘Tak’ ye the rings aff your fingers, Put them in his right hand, To let him know when he does wake, His love was at his command.’ X Lord John has ta’en his milk-white steed And his hawk wi’ his bells sae bright, And he’s ridden swift to the Broomfield Hill, [Was never a baulder] knight. XI ‘Now rest, now rest, my milk-white steed, My lady will soon be here, And I’ll lay my head by this rose sae red, And the bonny burn sae near.’ XII She’s pu’d the broom-flower on Hive Hill, And strew’d on ’s white breast-bane, And that was to be wittering[211] true That maiden she had gane. XIII ‘O where were ye, my milk-white steed, That I hae coft[212] sae dear, That wadna watch and waken me When there was maiden here?’-- XIV ‘I stampèd wi’ my foot, master, And gar’d my bridle ring, But no kin’ thing wald waken ye Till she was past and gane.’-- XV ‘And wae betide ye, my gay goss-hawk, That I hae coft sae dear, That wadna watch an’ waken me When my true-love was here.’-- XVI ‘I clappèd wi’ my wings, master, And aye my bells I rang, And aye cried, _Waken, waken, master, Before the ladye gang_!’-- XVII ‘But haste, but haste, my gude white steed, To come the maiden till, Or a’ the birds of the gude greenwood O’ your flesh shall have their fill!’-- XVIII ‘Ye needna burst your gude white steed Wi’ racing o’er the howm[213]; Nae bird flies faster thro’ the wood Than she fled thro’ the broom.’ FOOTNOTES: [208] trysts = assignations. [209] ear = early. [210] broom-cow = branch of broom. [211] wittering = information, token. [212] coft = bought. [213] howm = holm, river-mead. _25. Earl Mar’s Daughter_ I It was intill a pleasant time, Upon a simmer’s day, The noble Earl Mar’s daughter Went forth to sport and play. II And while she play’d and sported Below a green aik tree, There she saw a sprightly doo[214] Set on a tower sae hie. III ‘O Coo-me-doo, my love sae true, If ye’ll come doun to me, Ye’se hae a cage o’ gude red gowd Instead o’ simple tree. IV ‘I’ll put gowd hingers[215] roun’ your cage, And siller roun’ your wa’; I’ll gar ye shine as fair a bird As ony o’ them a’.’ V But she had nae these words well spoke, Nor yet these words well said, Till Coo-me-doo flew frae the tower And lichted on her head. VI Then she has brought this pretty bird Hame to her bowers and ha’, And made him shine as fair a bird As ony o’ them a’. VII