'I'll buy to thee a bridal goun; My love, I'll buy it bonny!' 'But I'll be dead, ere ye come back To see your bonny Annie.' 'If you'll be true, and constant too, As my name's Andrew Lammie, I shall thee wed when I come back, Within the kirk of Fyvie.' 'I will be true, and constant too, To thee, my Andrew Lammie; But my bridal-bed will ere then be made In the green kirk-yard of Fyvie.' He hied him hame, and having spieled To the house-top of Fyvie, He blew his trumpet loud and shrill, 'Twas heard at Mill-o'-Tifty. Her father locked the door at night, Laid by the keys fu' canny; And when he heard the trumpet sound, Said: 'Your cow is lowing, Annie.' 'My father, dear, I pray forbear, And reproach no more your Annie; For I'd rather hear that cow to low Than hae a' the kine in Fyvie. 'I would not for your braw new gown, And a' your gifts sae many, That it were told in Fyvie's land How cruel you are to me.' Her father struck her wondrous sore, As also did her mother; Her sisters always did her scorn, As also did her brother. Her brother struck her wondrous sore, With cruel strokes and many; He brak her back in the hall-door, For loving Andrew Lammie. 'Alas, my father and mother dear, Why are you so cruel to Annie? My heart was broken first by love, Now you have broken my bodie. 'Oh, mother dear, make ye my bed, And lay my face to Fyvie; There will I lie, and thus will die, For my love, Andrew Lammie.' Her mother she has made her bed, And laid her face to Fyvie; Her tender heart it soon did break, And she ne'er saw Andrew Lammie. When Andrew home from Edinburgh came, With mickle grief and sorrow: 'My love has died for me to-day, I'll die for her to-morrow.' He has gone on to Tifty's den, Where the burn runs clear and bonny; With tears he viewed the Bridge of Heugh, Where he parted last with Annie. Then he has sped to the church-yard, To the green church-yard of Fyvie; With tears he watered his true love's grave, And died for Tifty's Annie. Let me repeat my acknowledgment that, while these extracts occupy more space than can well be spared, they form an imperfect means of establishing the negative evidence required in the case. But let the reader peruse the ballads of Buchan's collection known to relate to incidents of the seventeenth century, and he will find that they are all alike free from the favourite expressions of the unknown, or dimly known ballad-writer in question.