No. 199: The Bonnie House o Airlie
CONTENTS:
1. Child's Narrative
2. Footnotes (Found at the end of Child's Narrative)
3. Brief (Kittredge)
4. Child's Ballad Texts A-D (Changes for A b- A h and C b- C d given in Endnotes. Changes for a second version of A c are found in Additions and Corrections)
5. Endnotes
6. Additions and Corrections
ATTACHED PAGES (see left hand column):
1. Recordings & Info: 199. The Bonnie House o Airlie
A. Roud No. 794: The Bonnie House o Airlie (112 Listings)
2. Sheet Music: 199. The Bonnie House o Airlie (Bronson's music examples and texts)
3. US & Canadian Versions
4. English and Other Versions (Including Child versions A-D with additional notes)]
Child's Narrative: 199. Bonnie House o' Airlie
A. a. Sharpe's Ballad Book, p. 59, No 20.
b. 'The Bonnie House o Airly,' Finlay's Ballads, II, 25.
c. Skene Manuscript, pp. 28, 54.
d. 'The Bonny House of Airly,' Campbell Manuscripts, II, 113.
e. 'The Bonny House of Airly,' an Aberdeen stall-copy, without date.
f. 'The Bonny House o Airly,' another Aberdeen stall-copy, without date.
g. Hogg's Jacobite Relics, II, 152.
h. Kinloch Manuscripts, VI, 5, one stanza.
B. 'Bonny House of Airly,' Kinloch Manuscripts, V, 273.
C. a. 'The Bonny House of Airley,' Kinloch Manuscripts, V, 205.
b. 'Young Airly,' Cromek's Remains of Nithsdale and Galloway Song, p. 226.
c. 'The Bonny House o Airlie,' Smith's Scottish Minstrel, II, 2.
d. 'The Bonny House o Airlie,' Christie's Traditional Ballad Airs, II, 276, 296.
D. Kinloch Manuscripts, V, 106; Kinloch Manuscripts, VII, 207; Kinloch's Ancient Scottish Ballads, p. 104.
The earliest copy of this ballad hitherto found is a broadside of about 1790 (a hundred and fify years later than the event celebrated), which Finlay combined with two others, derived from recitation, for his edition (A b). C b, c, d, are not purely traditional texts, and A g has borrowed some stanzas from C b. C b is transcribed into the Campbell Manuscripts, I, 184. Aytoun's edition, 1859, II, 270, is compounded from A a, A b, with half a dozen words changed, and it is not quite clear how the editor means to be understood when he says, "the following, I have reason to believe, is the original."
One summer day, Argyle, who has a quarrel with Airlie, sets out to plunder the castle of that name. The lord of the place is at the time with the king. Argyle (something in the style of Captain Car) summons Lady Ogilvie to come down and kiss him; else he will not leave a standing stone in Airlie. This she will not do, for all his threat. Argyle demands of the lady where her dowry is (as if it were tied up in a handkerchief). She gives no precise information: it is east and west, up and down the water-side. Sharp search is made, and the dowry is found in a plum-tree (balm-tree, cherry-tree, palm-tree, A a, b, d, e, g). Argyle lays or leads the lady down somewhere while the plundering goes forward. She tells him that no Campbell durst have taken in hand such a thing if her lord had been at home. She has born seven (ten) sons, and is expecting another; but had she as many more (a hundred more), she would give them all to King Charles.
In A d 7 Lady Ogilvie asks the favor of Argyle that he will take her to a high hill-top that she may not see the burning of Airlie; the passage is of course corrupt. In A g 7 she more sensibly asks that her face may not be turned that way. In C a 5, 6, b 5, 6, the rational request is made that she may be taken to some dark dowey glen[1] to avoid the sight; but Argyle leads her "down to the top of the town," and bids her look at the plundering, a; sets her upon a bonnie knowe-tap, and bids her look at Airlie fa'ing, b. D 7, 8, goes a step further. The lady asks that she may be thrown over the castle-wall rather than see the plundering; Argyle lifts her up 'sae rarely' and throws her over, and she never saw it.
In C a 8 Argyle would have Lord Airlie informed that one kiss from his lady would have saved all the plundering. In D 5 he tells Lady Ogilvie that if she had surrendered on the first demand there would have been no plundering; and this assurance he repeats to 'Captain' Ogilvie, whom he meets on his way home.
A b 2, D 1, 2, represent Argyle to be acting under the orders of Montrose, or in concert with him.
A piece in five or six stanzas which appears, with variations, in Cromek's Remains, p. 195, Hogg's Jacobite Relics, II, 151, Cunningham's Songs of Scotland, III, 218, under the caption of 'Young Airly' (the title of C b also in Cromek), moves forward the burning of Airlie to "the 45;" not very strangely (if there is anything traditional in these verses), when we consider the prominence of the younger Lord Ogilvie and his wife among the supporters of Charles Edward. (The first three of Cromek's stanzas are transcribed into Campbell Manuscripts, I, 187.) No doubt the Charlie and Prince Charlie of some versions of our ballad were understood by the reciters to be the Young Chevalier.
The Committee of Estates, June 12, 1640, gave commission to the Earl of Argyle to rise in arms against certain people, among whom was the Earl of Airlie, as enemies to religion and unnatural to their country, and to pursue them with fire and sword until they should be brought to their duty or else utterly subdued and rooted out. The Earl of Airlie had gone to England, fearing lest he should be pressed to subscribe the Covenant, and had left his house to the keeping of his eldest son, Lord Ogilvie. Montrose, who had signed the commission as one of the Committee, but was not inclined to so strenuous proceedings, invested Airlie, forced a surrender, and put a garrison in the place to hold it for the "public." Argyle did not interpret his commission in this mild way. He took Airlie in hand in the beginning of July, and caused both this house and that of Forthar, belonging to Lord Ogilvie, to be pillaged, burned, and demolished. Thereafter he fell upon the lands both of the proprietor and his tenantry, and carried off or destroyed "their whole goods, gear, corns, cattle, horse, nolt, sheep," and left nothing but bare bounds.
According to one writer, Lady Ogilvie was residing at Forthar, and, being big with child, asked leave of Argyle to stay till she was brought to bed; but this was not allowed, and she was put out, though she knew not whither to go. By another account, Argyle accused Montrose of having suffered the lady to escape.[2]
The ballad puts Lady Airlie in command of the house or castle, but none of the family were there at the time it was sacked. She is called Lady Margaret in A b 4, but her name was Elizabeth. The earl, James, is called the great Sir John in C a 9. A 10 and the like elsewhere are applicable to the younger Lady Ogilvie in respect to the unborn child. Chambers says that Lady Airlie had three children and Lady Ogilvie but one, and "the poet must be wrong." "The poet," besides being inaccurate, does not tell the same story in all the versions, and this inconsistency is again observable in 'Geordie,' A 9, B 18, C 8, etc.
'Gleyd Argyle' is "generally described as of mean stature, with red hair and squinting eyes."[3] His morals appear to some disadvantage again in 'Geordie,' I a 23.
Footnotes:
1. "'The deep, deep den' referred to in the ballad is the Den of Airlie, celebrated for its fine scenery and romantic beauty. It extends about a mile below the junction of the Isla and the Melgum." Christie, Traditional Ballad Airs, II, 296.
2. Spalding's Memorials, ed. 1850, 1, 290-2; Gordon's History of Scots Affairs, III, 164 f.; also, II, 234; Gardiner, History of England, 1603-1642, ed., 1884, IX, 167 f. Both Spalding and Gordon say that Montrose besieged Airlie but did not succeed in taking it. Argyle, continues Spalding, "raises an army of about 5,000 men and marches towards Airlie; but the Lord Ogilvie, hearing of his coming with such irresistible forces, resolves to fly and leave the house manless, and so for their own safety they wisely fled. But Argyle most cruelly and inhumanly enters the house of Airlie," etc. A letter of Argyle's to one Dugald Campbell (dated July, 1640) would seem to show that he was not there in person during the razing and burning. " You need not let know," says Argyle, " that ye have directions from me to fire it." Notes and Queries, Fifth Series, IX, 364; reprinted by Gardiner.
3. Napier, Montrose and the Covenanters, 1838, 1, 129.
Brief Description by George Lyman Kittredge
The Committee of Estates, June 12, 1640, gave commission to the Earl of Argyle to rise in arms against certain people, among whom was the Earl of Airlie, as enemies to religion and unnatural to their country, and to pursue them with fire and sword until they should be brought to their duty or else be utterly rooted out. The Earl of Airlie had gone to England and had left his house to the keeping of his eldest son, Lord Ogilvie. Montrose, who had signed the commission as one of the Committee, but was not inclined to so strenuous proceedings, invested Airlie, forced a surrender, and put a garrison in the place to hold it for the "public." Argyle did not interpret his commission in this mild way. He took Airlie in hand in the beginning of July, and caused both this house and that of Forthar, belonging to Lord Ogilvie, to be pillaged, burned, and demolished. The earliest copy of this ballad hitherto found is a broadside of 1790, used by Finlay in forming the text in his Ballads, 11, 25.
Child's Ballad Texts
['The Bonny House of Airlie']- Version A a; Child 199 Bonnie House o' Airlie
a. Sharpe's Ballad Book, p. 59, No 20, 1823.
b. Finlay's Ballads, II, Si, 1808, from two recited copies and "one printed about twenty yearn ago on a single sheet."
c. Skene Manuscript, pp. 28, 54, from recitation in the north of Scotland, 1802-3.
d. Campbell Manuscripts, II, 113, probably from a stall-copy,
e. Aberdeen stall copy, " printed for the book-sellers."
f. Aberdeen stall copy, " printed for the book-sellers."
g. Hogg's Jacobite Relics, II, 152, No 76, " Cromek and a street ballad collated, 1821."
h. Kinloch Manuscripts, VI, 5, one stanza, taken down from an old woman's recitation by J. Robertson.
1 It fell on a day, and a bonny simmer day,
When green grew aits and barley,
That there fell out a great dispute
Between Argyll and Airlie.
2 Argyll has raised an hunder men,
An hunder harnessd rarely,
And he's awa by the back of Dunkell,
To plunder the castle of Airlie.
3 Lady Ogilvie looks oer her bower-window.
And oh, but she looks weary!
And there she spy'd the great Argyll,
Come to plunder the bonny house of Airlie.
4 'Come down, come down, my Lady Ogilvie,
Come down, and kiss me fairly:'
'O I winna kiss the fause Argyll,
If he should na leave a standing stane in Airlie.'
5 He hath taken her by the left shoulder,
Says, Dame where lies thy dowry?
'O it's east and west yon wan water side,
And it's down by the banks of the Airlie.'
6 They hae sought it up, they hae sought it down,
They hae sought it maist severely,
Till they fand it in the fair plumb-tree
That shines on the bowling-green of Airlie.
7 He hath taken her by the middle sae small,
And O but she grat sairly!
And laid her down by the bonny burn-side,
Till they plundered the castle of Airlie.
8 'Gif my gude lord war here this night,
As he is with King Charlie,
Neither you, nor ony ither Scottish lord,
Durst avow to the plundering of Airlie.
9 'Gif my gude lord war now at hame,
As he is with his king,
There durst nae a Campbell in a' Argyll
Set fit on Airlie green.
10 'Ten bonny sons I have born unto him,
The eleventh neer saw his daddy;
But though I had an hundred mair,
I'd gie them a' to King Charlie.'
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['The Bonny House of Airly']-Version B; Child 199 Bonnie House o' Airlie
Kinloch Manuscripts, V, 273.
1 It fell on a day, a clear summer day,
When the corn grew green and bonny,
That there was a combat did fall out
'Tween Argyle and the bonny house of Airly.
2 Argyle he did raise five hundred men,
Five hundred men, so many,
And he did place them by Dunkeld,
Bade them shoot at the bonny house of Airly.
3 The lady looked over her own castle-wa,
And oh, but she looked weary!
And there she espied the gleyed Argyle,
Come to plunder the bonny house of Airly.
4 'Come down the stair now, Madam Ogilvie,
And let me kiss thee kindly;
Or I vow and I swear, by the sword that I wear,
That I winna leave a standing stone at Airly.'
5 'O how can I come down the stair,
And how can I kiss thee kindly,
Since you vow and you swear, by the sword that you wear,
That you winna leave a standing stone on Airly?'
6 'Come down the stair then, Madam Ogilvie,
And let me see thy dowry;'
'O 'tis east and it is west, and 'tis down by yon burn-side,
And it stands at the planting sae bonny.
7 'But if my brave lord had been at hame this day,
As he is wi Prince Charlie,
There durst na a Campbell in all Scotland
Set a foot on the bowling-green of Airly
8 'O I hae born him seven, seven sons,
And an eighth neer saw his daddy,
And tho I were to bear him as many more,
They should a' carry arms for Prince Charlie.'
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['The Bonny House of Airley']-Version C a; Child 199 Bonnie House o' Airlie
a. Kinloch Manuscripts, V, 205, recited by John Rae.
b. Cromek's Remains of Nithsdale and Galloway Song, p. 226, 1810.
c. Smith's Scottish Minstrel, II, 2.
d. Christie's Traditional Ballad Airs, II, 276, "from the recitation of a relative."
1 It fell on a day, on a bonny summer day,
When the corn grew green and yellow,
That there fell out a great dispute
Between Argyle and Airley.
2 The great Argyle raised five hundred men,
Five hundred men and many,
And he has led them down by the bonny Dunkeld,
Bade them shoot at the bonny house of Airley.
3 The lady was looking oer her castle-wa,
And O but she looked weary!
And there she spied the great Argyle,
Came to plunder the bonny house of Airley.
4 'Come down stairs now, Madam,' he says,
'Now come down and kiss me fairly;'
'I'll neither come down nor kiss you,' she says,
'Tho you should na leave a standing stane in Airley.'
5 'I ask but one favour of you, Argyle,
And I hope you'll grant me fairly
To tak me to some doak dowey glen,
That I may na see the plundering of Airley.'
6 He has taen her by the left shoulder,
And O but she looked weary!
And he has led her down to the top of the town,
Bade her look at the plundering of Airley.
7 'Fire on, fire on, my merry men all,
And see that ye fire clearly;
For I vow and I swear by the broad sword I wear
That I winna leave a standing stane in Airley.
8 'You may tell it to your lord,' he says,
'You may tell it to Lord Airley,
That one kiss o his gay lady
Wad hae sav'd all the plundering of Airley.'
9 'If the great Sir John had been but at hame,
As he is this night wi Prince Charlie,
Neither Argyle nor no Scottish lord
Durst hae plundered the bonny house of Airley.
10 'Seven, seven sons hae I born unto him,
And the eight neer saw his dady,
And altho I were to have a hundred more,
The should a' draw their sword for Prince Charlie.'
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['Bonnie Airly']- Version D; Child 199 Bonnie House o' Airlie
Kinloch Manuscripts, V, 106, in the handwriting of James Beattie, and from the recitation of Elizabeth Beattie.
1 O gleyd Argyll has written to Montrose
To see gin the fields they were fairly,
And to see whether he should stay at hame,
'or come to plunder bonnie Airly.
2 Then great Montrose has written to Argyll
And that the fields they were fairly,
And not to keep his men at hame,
But to come and plunder bonnie Airly.
3 The lady was looking oer her castle-wa,
She was carrying her courage sae rarely,
And there she spied him gleyd Arguill,
Was coming for to plunder bonnie Airly.
4 'Wae be to ye, gleyd Argyll!
And are ye there sae rarely?
Ye might hae kept your men at hame,
And not come to plunder bonnie Airly.'
5 'And wae be to ye, Lady Ogilvie!
And are ye there sae rarely?
Gin ye had bowed when first I bade,
I never wad hae plunderd bonnie Airly.'
6 'But gin my guid lord had been at hame,
As he is wi Prince Charlie,
There durst not a rebel on a' Scotch ground
Set a foot on the bonnie green of Airly.
7 'But ye'll tak me by the milk-white hand,
And ye'll lift me up sae rarely,
And ye'll throw me outoure my [ain] castle-wa,
Let me neuer see the plundering of Airly.'
8 He's taen her by the milk-white hand,
And he's lifted her up sae rarely,
And he's thrown her outoure her ain castle-wa,
And she neuer saw the plundering of Airly.
9 Now gleyd Argyll he has gane hame,
Awa frae the plundering of Airly,
And there he has met him Captain Ogilvie,
Coming over the mountains sae rarely.
10 'O wae be to ye, gleyd Argyll!
And are you there sae rarely?
Ye might hae kept your men at hame,
And no gane to plunder bonnie Airly.'
11 'O wae be to ye, Captain Ogilvie!
And are you there sae rarely?
Gin ye wad hae bowed when first I bade,
I neer wad hae plunderd bonnie Airly.'
12 'But gin I had my lady gay,
bot and my sister Mary,
One fig I wad na gie for ye a',
Nor yet for the plundering of Airly.'
End-Notes
A. b. 12. When the corn grew green and yellow.
21,2. The Duke o Montrose has written to Argyle
To come in the morning early.
23. An lead in his men by.
24. the bonnie house o Airly.
31. The lady lookd oer her window sae hie.
41. down Lady Margaret he says.
42,3 . (cf. f.)
'Or before the morning clear day light,
I'll no leave a standing stane in Airly.'
'I wadna kiss thee, great Argyle,
I wadna kiss thee fairly,
I wadna kiss thee, great Argyle,
Gin you shoudna leave a standing stane in Airly.'
51. by the middle sae sma.
52. Says, Lady, where is your drury?
53,4. It 's up and down by the bonnie burn-side,
Amang the planting of Airly.
62. They sought it late and early.
63. And found: bonnie balm-tree.
71. by the left shoulder.
73. And led: to yon green bank.
81 (101). lord had been at hame.
82 (102). As this night he is wi C.
83 (103). There durst na a Campbell in a' the west.
84 (104). Hae plundered the bonnie house.
9. Wanting.
101 (91). O it 's I hae seven braw sons, she says.
102 (92). And the youngest.
103 (93). had as mony mae.
104 (94). to Charlie.
c. 1-51 are repeated at p. 54, with some differences.
11, fell about a [the] Lammass time.
12. corn [the corn] grew green and yellow.
21. has gathered three bunder.
22. Three hunder men and mair O.
23. is on to.
24. the bonnie house o A.
31. The lady lookit oure the castle-wa.
32. she was sorry.
33. Whan she saw gleyd Argyle an his [300] men.
41. Come down the stair, Lady Airly [he says].
42. An it 's ye maun kiss [An kiss me fairly].
43. I wad na kiss ye, gleyd Argyll.
44. Atho [Tho] ye leave na.
51. Come down the stair, Lady Airly, he says.
52. An tell whar.
53. Up and down the bonnie.
54. And by the bonnie bowling-green o.
6. Wanting.
71. took: the milk-white hand.
72. And led her fairly.
73. Up an down the bonnie water-side.
74. the bonnie house o Airly.
81. But an: were at hame (= 91).
82. awa wi Charley.
83. The best Campbell in a' your kin.
84. Durst na plunder the b. h. o. A.
9. Wanting.
101 (71). Seven sons have I born, she says.
102 (72). The eight: its.
103 (73). Altho: as many mare.
104 (74). a' to fight for Charley.
d. 12. When corn grew green.
21. has hired.
22. A hundred men and mairly.
23. to the.
24. the b. h. of A.
31. The lady lookit over her window.
32. lookit waely.
33. she saw.
34. Coming.
43. I wadna kiss the great.
44. Tho you.
51. by the milk-white hand.
52. Lady, where 's your.
53. It 's up and down yon bonny burn-side.
54. It shines in the bowling-green of A.
62. sought it late and early.
63. They've found: the bonny cherry-tree.
64. That grows in.
Between 6 and 7:
There is ae favour I ask of thee,
I beg but ye'll grant it fairly:
That ye will take me to yon high hill-top,
That I maunna see the burning of Airly.
71. by the left shoulder.
72. lookit queerly.
73. he 's led.
74. the b. h. of A.
Between 7 and 8:
He's taen her by the milk-white hand,
He 's led her right and fairly;
He's led her to yon high hill-top,
Till they 've burned the bonny house of Airly.
82. away wi Prince Charlie.
83. The great Argyle and a' his men.
84. Wadna hae plunderd the b. h. of A.
9. Wanting.
103. And if I had a hundred men.
104. to Prince.
e. 12. When the corn grew green and yellow.
22. A hundred men and mairly.
23. he has gone to.
24. the bonny house of Airly.
31. The lady looked over her window.
32. looked.
34. Coming.
41. down, madam, he says.
43. thee, great Argyle.
44. If you.
51. by the middle so small.
52. Says, Lady, where is your.
53. It is up and down the bonny burn-side.
54. Among the plantings of A.
62. They sought it late and early.
63. And found it in the bonny palm-tree.
71. by the left shoulder.
72. she looked weary.
73. down on the green bank.
74. he plundered the b. h. of A.
81. O if my lord was at home: this night wanting.
82. As this night he 's wi Charlie.
83,4. Great Argyle and all his men Durst not plunder the b. h. of A.
9. Wanting.
101. 'Tis ten: unto him wanting.
103. But though.
104. to Charlie.
f. 12. When the clans were a' wi Charlie.
21. has called a hundred o his men.
22. To come in the morning early.
23. And they hae gane down by.
24. plunder the b. h. of A.
31. L. O. looked frae her window sae hie.
32. she grat sairly.
33. To see Argyle and a' his men.
41. down, Lady Ogilvie, he cried.
43,4. Or ere the morning's clear daylight I'll no leave a standing.
After 4:
I wadna come doon, great Argyle, she cried,
I wadna kiss thee fairly,
I wadna come doon, false Argyle, she cried,
Though you shouldna leave a standing stane in Airly.
5-7. Wanting.
8. But were my ain guid lord at hame,
As he is noo wi Charlie,
The base Argyle and a his men
Durstna enter the bonny house o Airly.
9. Wanting.
101. O I hae seven bonny sons, she said.
102. And the youngest has neer seen.
103. had ane as mony mae.
104. They 'd a' be followers o Charlie.
After 10 this spurious stanza:
Then Argyle and his men attacked the bonny ha,
And but they plundered it fairly!
In spite o the tears the lady let fa,
They burnt doon the bonny house o Airly.
g. 12. When the flowers were blooming rarely.
22. An hundred men and niairly.
24. the b. h. of A.
31. The lady lookd oer her w.
32. she sighd sairly.
43. No, I winna kiss thee.
44. Though ye.
51. by the middle sae sma.
52. Says wanting: Lady where is your.
53,4. It 's up and down by the bonny burn-side,
Amang the plantings o Airly.
62. it late and early.
63. under the bonny palm-tree.
64. That stands i.
After 6 (cf. A d, C 5):
A favour I ask of thee, Argyle,
If ye will grant it fairly;
O dinna turn me wi my face
To see the destruction of Airly!
The remainder of g is taken from C b, with two or three slight variations.
h. 8. An my gude lord had been at hame.
As he 's awa wi Charlie,
There durstna a gleyd duke in a' Argyle
Set a coal to the bonnie house o Airlie.
B. 51, 81. Oh.
C. b. No reliance can be placed upon the genuineness of this copy, and a particular collation is not required.
11,2. It fell in about the Martinmas time,
An the leaves were fa'ing early.
4. Two stanzas, much as in A b, f.
5. But take me by the milk-white hand,
An lead me down right hoolie,
An set me in a dowie, dowie glen,
That I mauna see the fall o Airly.
6. He has taen her by the shouther-blade
An thurst her down afore him,
Syne set her upon a bonnie knowe-tap,
Bad her look at Airly fa'ing.
Here follows a stanza (6) not found elsewhere, no doubt Cunningham's:
Haste! bring to me a cup o gude wine,
As red as ony cherrie;
I'll tauk the cup, an sip it up;
Here 's a health to bonnie Prince Charlie!
7, 8. Wanting: found only in a.
9. Nearly e, f, 8.
101. I hae born me eleven braw sons.
A concluding stanza may be assigned to Cunningham.
Were my gude lord but here this day,
As he 's awa wi Charlie,
The dearest blude o a' thy kin
Wad sloken the lowe o Airly.
Another copy is said in the editor's preface to begin thus:
The great Argyle raised ten thousand men,
Eer the sun was waukening early,
And he marched them down by the back o Dunkel,
Bade them fire on the bonnie house o Airlie.
c. Made over from a copy resembling B. C a.
4. Two stanzas here, as in B: kisses are dropped for propriety.
5, 6. The last half of these is substantially preserved in c 7, 8.
d. A blending, perhaps not accidental, of various copies; mainly of A g, C b, C c.
1, 2. Nearly A g 1, 2.
3. Nearly c 3.
41,2. Nearly A g 41,2.
43,4. Nearly c 43,4.
5. Nearly a compound of A b (Finlay) 5 and c 5: cf. B 5.
6. Cf. b 4 (5 above), c 7.
7. Nearly c 8.
8. b 6 altered. The stanza cited by Christie at p. 296 is the spurious conclusion of c.
Additions and Corrections
To be Corrected in the Print.
54 a, No 199, B. Insert the title: 'Bonny House of Airly.'
P. 56. In a small Manuscript volume with the title "Songs" on the cover, entirely in Sharpe's handwriting. A a is found at p. 24 (with some variations, undoubtedly arbitrary) prefaced with these words: "This song [referring to a copy presently to be given], like most others, would suffer amendment: here follows a copy somewhat improved. I have availed myself of a fragment in a former page of this work, and introduced a stanza [9] marked *, picked up in Perthshire." Had A a been known to be an "improved" copy, it would not have been made so prominent.
The fragment (of slight value) was "from the recitation of Miss Oliphant of Gask, now Mrs. Nairn" (afterwards Lady Nairne). It is (p. 21) disregarding things misunderstood or avowedly added:
'Come down, come down, my lady Ogilvie,
Come down, and tell us your dower:'
'It's east and west yon wan water side,
And it's down by the banks of the Airly.
'Had my lord Ogilvie been at Lame,
As he was wi King Charlie,
There durst nae a Campbel in a' Argyle
Avowd to the plundering o Airly.'
'Come down, come down, ye lady fair,
Come down, and kiss me fairly:'
'I wunna come down, ye fause Argyle,
If ye sudna leave a standing stane in Airly.
The unimproved copy, p. 22, is as follows.
1 It fell on a day, and a bonny summer day,
When corn grew green and yellow,
That there fell out a great dispute
Between Argyll and Airly.
2 Argyll has raisd an hundred men,
An hundred men, and so many,
And he is away by the back of Dunkeld
For to plunder the bonny house of Airly.
3 Lady Margaret looks oer her bower-window,
And O but she looks weary!
And there she spied the great Argyll,
Coming to plunder the bonny house of Airly.
4 'Come down, come down, Lady Margret,' he said,
'Come down, and kiss me fairly:'
'O I will not kiss the great Argyll,
If he should not leave a standing stone in Airly.'
5 He hath taken her by the left shoulder,
Says, Lady, where lyes thy dowry?
'It's up and it's down by the bonny bank-side,
Amongst the planting of Airly.'
6 They have sought it up, they have sought it down,
They have sought it both late and early,
And they have found it in the bonny plumb-tree
That shines on the bowling-green of Airly.
7 He hath taken her by the middle so small,
And O but she lookd weary!
He hath laid her down by the bonny burn-side
Till he hath plunderd the bonny house of Airly.
8 'If my good lord were at home this night,
As he is with Prince Charly,
Nouther you nor no Scottish lord
Durst have set a foot on the bowling-green of Airly.
9 'Ten bonny sons I have born unto him,
And the eleventh neer saw his daddy;
Although I had an hundred more,
I would give them all to Prince Charly.'
58 c. This is one of the pieces contained in "The Old Lady's Collection," No 1. The differences from Skene (save spelling) are as follows:
31. ore castell-waa.
33. an his three hunded men.
41,2. Come doun the stare, Lady Airly, he says, an kiss me fairly.
44. Altho ye live no.
52. An tell fare layes yer.
72. Anheleed.
102 (72). his.
103 (73). Antho.
104 (74). I wad gie them a'.