No. 217: Broom of the Cowdenknowes
CONTENTS:
1. Child's Narrative
2. Footnote (Found at the end of Child's Narrative)
3. Brief (Kittredge)
4. Child's Ballad Texts A-N (Changes for Bb found in End-Notes; The Lovely Northerne Lasse appears as an appendix; D b, was added in a later edition in Additions and Corrections;)
5. End-notes
6. Appendix: The Lovely Northerne Lasse
7. Additions and Corrections
ATTACHED PAGES (see left hand column):
1. Recordings & Info: 217. Broom of the Cowdenknowes
A. Roud No. 92: Broom of the Cowdenknowes (101 Listings)
2. Sheet Music: 217. Broom of the Cowdenknowes (including Bronson's music examples and texts)
3. US & Canadian Versions
4. English and Other Versions (Including Child versions A-N)
Child's Narrative: 217. Broom of the Cowdenknowes
A. 'The Laird of Knotington,' Percy papers, 1768.
B. 'Bonny May.'
a. Herd's Ancient and Modern Scots Songs, 1769, p. 308; 1776, 1, 98.
b. Johnson's Museum, No 110, p. 113.
C. 'Laird o Ochiltree,' Kinloch Manuscripts, VII, 143; Kinloch's Ancient Scottish Ballads, p. 160.
D. a. 'The Laird o Ochiltree Wa's,' Motherwell's Manuscript, p. 517.
b. Macmath Manuscript, p. 105; from the recitation of Mary Cochrane (Mrs. Garmory), Abbeyyard, Crossmichael, August 12, 1893.
E. Motherwell's Manuscript, p. 175.
F. 'Bonny May,' Gibb Manuscript, p. 9.
G. 'The Broom of Cowdenknows,' Scott's Minstrelsy, III, 280, 1803; III, 37, 1833.
H. 'The Maid o the Cowdenknows,' Kinloch Manuscripts, I, 137.
I. 'Laird o Lochnie,' Kinloch Manuscripts, VII, 153; Kinloch's Ancient Scottish Ballads, p. 167.
J. Kinloch Manuscripts, VI, 11.
K. 'Maiden o the Cowdenknowes,' Dr. Joseph Robertson's Journal of Excursions, No 6.
L. 'The Broom of the Cowden Knowes,' Buchan's Manuscripts, II, 178.
M. 'Broom o the Cowdenknowes,' Buchan's Ballads of the North of Scotland, I, 172.
N. 'The Laird of Lochinvar,' Kinloch Manuscripts, I, 145.
This ballad was widely diffused in Scotland. "It would be useless," says Motherwell, "to enumerate the titles of the different versions which are common among reciters." "Each district has its own version," says Kinloch. So it must have done no little mischief in its day. The earliest known copies, A, B, are of the second half of the last century.
There is an English "ditty" (not a traditional ballad) of a northern lass who got harm while milking her father's ewes, which was printed in the first half of the seventeenth century. It is here given in an appendix. This ditty is "to a pleasant Scotch tune called The broom of Cowden Knowes," and the burden is:
With, O the broome, the bonny broome,
The broome of Cowden Knowes!
Fain would I be in the North Countrey,
To milk my dadyes ewes.
The tune was remarkably popular, and the burden is found, variously modified, in connection with several songs: see Chappell's Popular Music, pp. 458-461, 613, 783. 'The Broom of Cowdenknows,' a "new" song, in the Tea-Table Miscellany, p. 22, Dublin, 1729, has the burden not greatly changed; also G, L, M, of this ballad.
There is very little story to the English ditty. A maid is beguiled by a shepherd-boy while milking her father's ewes; the consequences are what might be expected; her mother puts her out of doors, and she ranges the world; a young man who hears her complaint offers to marry her, and go to the North Country with her to milk her father's ewes. The Scottish ballad could not have been developed from a story of this description. On the other hand, it is scarcely to be believed that the author of the English ditty, if he had known the Scottish ballad, would have dropped all the interesting particulars. It is possible that he may have just heard about it, but much more likely that he knew only the burden and built his very slight tale on that. It may be observed that his maid, though she haunts Liddesdale, and should have belonged to Cowdenknowes, was born in Danby Forest, Yorkshire.
Two passages which do not occur in A may have been later additions: D 9, 10, F 5, 6, G 13, 14, M 19, 20, in which the laird, returning to his men, is told that he has tarried long, and answers that, east or west, he has never seen so bonny a lass as was in the ewe-buchts; and H 12-15, J 2-5, L 5-8, where the laird tries to pass himself off for one of his men, and the maid for one of her mother's servants (found in part, also, in G 9, 10, I 5, M 12-14). "The maid of a place, such as the maid of the Cowdenknows," as Dr. Joseph Robertson remarks, "means the eldest daughter of the tenant or proprietor, who is generally called by the name of his farm."[1]
It is obvious that the maid would keep her counsel when she came back to her father. She puts him off with a riddle, C 9, D 13, E 11, F 9, G 18, H 20, J 6, L 14, M 23, N 7, which it is the height of absurdity to make her explain, as is done in A 11, B 4, C 10, D 14, E 12; and so of the exclamation against the shepherd if uttered in the father's presence, as in F 8, H 19, I 11, L 13, N 8.
H 10, 11 (cf. D 6), where the maid asks the man's name, is a familiar commonplace: see No 39, I, 340 a; No 50, I, 444, 446; No 110, II, 458 ff. (especially p. 473, H 3, 4); No 111, II, 478 f.
M has many spurious stanzas of its own; as 3-5, 25, 30-32, 85. N is quite perverted from 9 to 28. It is impossible that 9-14 should follow upon 8, and stanzas 15-27 have not a genuine word in them.
Cunningham has rewritten the ballad, Songs of Scotland, II, 113. He says that through Dumfriesshire and Galloway the hero is always Lord Lochinvar, and cites this stanza, which he had heard sung:
For I do guess, by your golden-rimmed hat,
And by the silken string,
That ye are the lord of the Lochinvar,
Who beguiles all our young women.
'Malfred og Sadelmand,' Kristensen, I, 258, No 99, is an independent ballad, but has some of the traits of this: the maid, who is treated with great violence, asks the knight's name, as in H, D; he comes back to marry her, after she has borne twins.
Cowdenknowes is on the east bank of Leader, near Earlston, and some four or five miles from Melrose. Auchentrone, in B b 11, Stenhouse conjectures to be a corruption of Auchentroich, an estate in the county of Stirling, and Oakland Hills, in G, to be Ochil Hills, in the same county: Musical Museum, IV, 112.
B is translated by Knortz, Schottische Balladen, p. 92, No 29.
Footnote:
1. The attempt to lessen the disproportion of the match seems to me a decidedly modern trait. In H 27, 28, this goes so far that the maid has twenty ploughs and three against the laird's thirty and three. In M 3-5, the maid's father was once a landed laird, but gambles away his estate, and then both father and mother take to drinking!
Brief Description by George Lyman Kittredge
This ballad was widely diffused in Scotland. "It would be useless," says Motherwell, "to enumerate the titles of the different versions which are common among reciters." The earliest known copies are of the second half of the eighteenth century. There is an English "ditty" (not a traditional ballad) of a northern lass who got harm while milking her father's ewes, which was printed in the first half of the seventeenth century. This ditty is "to a pleasant Scotch tune called The broom of Cowden Knowes," and the burden is:
With, the broome, the bonny broome,
The broome of Cowden Knowes!
Fain would I be in the North Countrey,
To milk my dadyes ewes.
The tune was remarkably popular, and the burden is found, variously modified, in connection with several songs.
There is very little story to the English ditty, far too little to have served as a basis for the Scottish ballad. On the other hand, the English author seems to have known only the burden of the Scottish ballad and to have built his very slight tale on that.
'Half red og Sadehnand,' Kristensen, 1, 258, No, 9J, is an independent ballad, but has some of the traits of this: the maid, who is treated with great violence, asks the knight's name, as in two versions of 'The Broom of Cowdenknows;' he comes back to marry her, after she has borne twins.
Cowdenknowes is on the east bank of Leader, near Earlston, and some four or five miles from Melrose.
Child's Ballad Texts
'The Laird of Knotington'- Version A; Child 217 The Broom of Cowdenknows
Percy papers; communicated to Percy by R. Lambe, of Norham, August 17, 1768, and dated May, 1768.
1 There was a troop of merry gentlemen
Was riding atween twa knows,
And they heard the voice of a bonny lass,
In a bught milking her ews.
2 There's ane o them lighted frae off his steed,
And has ty'd him to a tree,
And he's gane away to yon ew-bught,
To hear what it might be.
3 'O pity me, fair maid,' he said,
'Take pity upon me;
O pity me, and my milk-white steed
That's trembling at yon tree.'
4 'As for your steed, he shall not want
The best of corn and hay;
But as to you yoursel, kind sir,
I've naething for to say.'
5 He's taen her by the milk-white hand,
And by the green gown-sleeve,
And he as led her into the ew-bught,
Of her friends he speerd nae leave.
6 He as put his hand in his pocket,
And given her guineas three:
'If I dinna come back in half a year,
Then luke nae mair for me.
7 'Now show to me the king's hie street,
Now show to me the way;
Now show to me the king's hie street,
And the fair water of Tay.'
8 She showd to him the king's hie street,
She showd to him the way;
She showd him the way that he was to go,
By the fair water of Tay.
9 When she came home, her father said,
'Come, tell to me right plain;
I doubt you've met some in the way,
You have not been your lain.'
10 'The night it is baith mist and mirk,
You may gan out and see;
The night is mirk and misty too,
There's nae body been wi me.
11 'There was a tod came to your flock,
The like I neer did see;
When he spake, he lifted his hat,
He had a bonny twinkling eee.'
12 When fifteen weeks were past and gane,
Full fifteen weeks and three,
Then she began to think it lang
For the man wi the twinkling eee.
13 It fell out on a certain day,
When she cawd out her father's ky,
There was a troop of gentlemen
Came merrily riding by.
14 'Weel may ye sigh and sob,' says ane,
'Weel may you sigh and see;
Weel may you sigh, and say, fair maid,
Wha's gotten this bairn wi thee?'
15 She turned her sel then quickly about,
And thinking meikle shame,
'O no, kind sir, it is na sae,
For it has a dad at hame.'
16 'O hawd your tongue, my bonny lass,
Sae loud as I hear you lee!
For dinna you mind that summer night
I was in the bught wi thee?'
17 He lighted off his milk-white steed,
And set this fair maid on;
'Now caw out your ky, good father,' he said,
'She'll neer caw them out again.
18 'I am the laird of Knottington,
I've fifty plows and three;
I've gotten now the bonniest lass
That is in the hale country.'
-------------
'Bonny May'- Version B a; Child 217 The Broom of Cowdenknows
a. Herd's Ancient and Modern Scots Songs, 1769, p. 308.
1 It was on an evning sae saft and sae clear
A bonny lass was milking the kye,
And by came a troup of gentlemen,
And rode the bonny lassie by.
2 Then one of them said unto her,
'Bonny lass, prythee shew me the way:'
'O if I do sae, it may breed me wae,
For langer I dare nae stay.'
* * * * *
3 But dark and misty was the night
Before the bonny lass came hame:
'Now where hae you been, my ae doughter?
I am sure you was nae your lane.'
4 'O father, a tod has come oer your lamb,
A gentleman of high degree,
And ay whan he spake he lifted his hat,
And bonny, bonny blinkit his ee.'
5 Or eer six months were past and gane,
Six months but and other three,
The lassie begud for to fret and to frown,
And think lang for his blinkin ee.
6 'O wae be to my father's shepherd,
An ill death may he die!
He bigged the bughts sae far frae hame,
And trysted a gentleman to me!'
7 It fell upon another fair evening
The bonny lassie was milking her ky,
And by came the troop of Gentlemen,
And rode the bonny lassie by.
8 Then one of them stopt, and said to her,
'Whae's aught that baby ye are wi?'
That lassie began for to blush, and think,
To a father as good as ye.
9 'O had your tongue, my bonny may,
Sae loud I hear you lie!
O dinnae you mind the misty night
I was in the bught with thee?'
10 Now he's come aff his milk-white steed,
And he has taen her hame:
'Now let your father bring hame the ky,
You neer mair shall ca them agen.
11 'I am a lord of castles and towers,
With fifty ploughs of land and three,
And I have gotten the bonniest lass
That is in this countrie.'
-------------
'Laird o Ochiltree'- Version C; Child 217 The Broom of Cowdenknows
Kinloch Manuscripts, VII, 143, from the recitation of Jenny Watson, 24 April, 1826; Clydesdale.
1 It was on a day whan a lovely may
Was cawing out her father's kye,
And she spied a troop o' gentlemen,
As they war passing bye.
2 'O show me the way, my pretty maid,
O show me the way,' said he;
'My steed has just now rode wrong,
And the way I canna see.'
3 'O haud you on the same way,' she said,
'O haud ye on't again,
For, if ye haud on the king's hieway,
Rank rievers will do ye na harm.'
4 He took her by the milk-white hand,
And by the gerss-green sleeve,
And he has taiglet wi the fair may,
And of her he askd na leave.
5 Whan ance he got her gudwill,
Of her he craved na mair,
But he poud out a ribbon frae his pouch,
And snooded up the may's hair.
6 He put his hand into his pouch,
And gave her guineas three:
'If I come na back in twenty weeks,
Ye need na look mair for me.'
7 But whan the may did gang hame,
Her father did her blame;
'Whare hae ye been now, dame?' he said
'For ye've na been your lane.'
8 'The nicht is misty and mirk, father,
Ye may come to the door and see;
The nicht is misty and mirk, father,
And there's na body wi me.
9 'But there cam o tod to your flock, father,
The like o him I never saw;
Or he had tane the lambie that he had,
I wad rather he had tane them aw.
10 'But he seemd to be a gentleman,
Or a man of some pious degree;
For whanever he spak, he lifted up his hat,
And he had [a] bonnie twinkling ee.'
11 Whan twenty weeks were come and gane,
Twenty weeks and three,
The lassie began to grow thick in the waist,
And thoucht lang for his twinkling ee.
12 It fell upon a day whan bonnie may
Was cawing out the kye,
She spied the same troop o gentlemen,
As they war passing bye.
13 'O well may you save, my pretty may,
Weill may you save and see!
Weill may ye save, my lovely may!
Go ye wi child to me?'
14 But the may she turnd her back to him,
She begoud to think meikle shame;
'Na, na, na, na, kind sir,' she said,
'I've a gudeman o my ain.'
15 'Sae loud as I hear ye lie, fair may,
Sae loud as I hear ye lee!
Dinna ye mind o yon misty nicht
Whan I was in the bucht wi thee?'
16 He lichted aff his hie, hie horse,
And he set the bonnie may on:
'Now caw out your kye, gud father,
Ye maun caw them out your lone.
17 'For lang will ye caw them out,
And weary will ye be,
Or ye get your dochter again
. . .
18 He was the laird o Ochiltree,
Of therty ploughs and three,
And he has stown awa the loveliest may
In aw the south cuntree.
----------
'The Laird o Ochiltree Wa's'- Version D; Child 217 The Broom of Cowdenknows
Motherwell's Manuscript, p. 517; from the singing of Mrs. Storie, of Lochwinnoch.
1 O bonnie May is to the yowe-buchts gane,
For to milk her daddie's yowes,
And ay she sang, and her voice it rang
Out-ower the tap o the knows, knows, knowes,
Out-owr the tap o the knowes.
2 Ther cam a troop gentilmen,
As they were rydand by,
And ane o them he lichtit doun,
For to see May milkand her kye.
3 'Milk on, milk on, my bonnie lass,
Milk on, milk on,' said he,
'For out o the buchts I winna gang
Till ye shaw me owr the lee.'
4 'Ryde on, ryde on, ye rank rydars,
Your steeds are stout and strang,
For out o the yowe-buchts I winna gae,
For fear that ye do me some wrang.'
5 He took her by the milk-white hand,
And by the green gown-sleive,
And thare he took the will o her,
Bot o her he askit nae leive.
6 But whan he gat his will o her
He loot her up again,
And a' this bonny maid said or did
Was, Kind sir, tell me your name.
7 He pou't out a sillar kame,
Sayand, Kame your yellow hair;
And, gin I be na back in three quarters o a year,
It's o me ye'll see nae mair.
8 He pu't out a silken purse
And he gied her guineas thrie,
Saying, Gin I may na be back in three quarters o a year,
It will pay the nourice fee.
9 He put his fut into the stirrup
And rade after his men,
And a' that his men said or did
Was, Kind maister, ye've taiglit lang.
10 'I hae rade east, I hae rade wast,
And I hae rade owr the knowes,
But the bonniest lassie that I ever saw
Was in the yowe-buchts, milkand her yowes.'
11 She put the pail upon her heid,
And she's gane merrilie hame,
And a' that her faither said or did
Was, Kind dochter, ye've taiglit lang.
12 'Oh, wae be to your men, faither,
And an ill deth may they die!
For they cawit a' the yowes out-owre the knowes,
And they left naebody wi me.
13 'There cam a tod unto the bucht,
The like I never saw,
And afore that he took the ane that he took,
I wad leifar he had tane ither twa.
14 'There cam a tod unto the bucht,
The like I never did see,
And, ay as he spak, he liftit his hat,
And he had a bonnie twinkland ee.'
15 It was on a day, and it was a fine simmer day,
She was cawing out her faither's kye,
There cam a troup o gentilmen,
And they rade ways the lass near by.
16 'Wha has dune to you this ill, my dear?
Wha has dune to you this wrang?'
And she had na a word to say for hersell
But, 'Kind sir, I hae a man o my ain.'
17 'Ye lie, ye lie, bonnie May,' he says,
'Aloud I hear ye lie!
For dinna ye mind yon bonnie simmer nicht
Whan ye war in the yowe-buchts wi me?
18 'Licht doun, licht doun, my foremaist man,
Licht doun and let her on,
For monie a time she cawit her faither's kye,
But she'll neir caw them again.
19 'For I am the laird o Ochiltree Wawis,
I hae threttie pleuchs and thrie,
And I hae tane awa the bonniest lass
That is in a' the north countrie.'
-----------
['Bonnie May']- Version E; Child 217 The Broom of Cowdenknows
Motherwell's Manuscript, p. 175; "from the recitation of Mrs. Thomson, Kilbarchan, a native of Dumbartonshire, where she learned it."
1 There was a may, and a bonnie may,
In the bught, milking the ewes,
And by came a troop of gentlemen,
And they rode by and by.
2 'O I'll give thee my milk-white steed,
It cost me three hundred pound,
If ye'll go to yon sheep-bught,
And bring yon fair maid doun.'
3 'Your steed ye canna want, master,
But pay to ane a fee;
Fifty pound of good red gold,
To be paid down to me.'
4 'Come shew me the way, pretty may,' he said,
'For our steeds are quite gone wrong;
Will you do to me such a courtesy
As to shew us the near-hand way?'
5 'O go ye doun to yon meadow,
Where the people are mowing the hay;
Go ye doun to yon meadow,
And they'll shew you the near-hand way.'
6 But he's taen her by the milk-white hand,
And by the grass-green sleeve;
He's bowed her body to the ground,
Of her kin he asked no leave.
7 When he lifted her up again
He's gien her guineas three:
'If I be na back gin three quarters o a year,
Ye need neer think mair on me.'
* * * * *
8 'O where hast thou been, bonnie may,' he said,
'O where hast thou been sae lang?
O where hast thou been, bonnie may?' he said,
'Thou hast na been sae lang thy lane.'
9 'O come to the door and see, father,
O come to the door and see,
And see such a weety and a windy night;
There were nobody wi me.
10 'But wae be to your herd, father,
And an ill death may he die!
For he left the ewes strayed owre the knowes,
And he left naebody wi me.
11 'But there came a tod to your bught, father,
The like o him I neer saw;
For or he had taen the bonnie lamb he took,
Ye had as weel hae gien them a'.
12 There came a tod to your bught, father,
The like o him I neer did see;
For aye when he spak he lifted up his hat,
And he had a bonnie twinkling ee.'
13 But when twenty weeks were come and gane,
Aye, twenty weeks and three,
This lassie began to spit and to spew,
And to lang for the twinkling ee.
14 It fell on a day, and a bonnie summer day,
She was ca'ing out her father's kye,
And by came a troop of gentlemen,
And they rode by and by.
15 'O wha got the bairn wi thee, bonnie may?
O wha got the bairn wi thee?'
. . . .
. . . .
16 She turned hersell right round about,
She began to blush and think shame,
And never a word this bonnie lassie spok
But 'I have a good-man at hame.'
17 'Thou lie, thou lie, my bonnie may,
Sae loud I hear thee lie!
Do ye mind o the weety and windy night
When I was in the ewe-bught wi thee?
18 'Light off, light off, the gentlest of my men,
And set her on behind,
And ca out your kye, good father, yoursell,
For she'll never ca them out again.'
19 He was the laird o twenty plough o land,
Aye, twenty plough and three,
And he's taen awa the bonniest lass
Was in a' the south countrie.
-------------
'Bonny May'- Version F; Child 217 The Broom of Cowdenknows
Gibb Manuscript, p. 9. "From recitation; traced to Mary Jack, Lochlee, Forfarshire, died 1881, aged 94."
1 Bonny May has to the ewe-bughts gane,
To milk her father's ewes,
An aye as she milked her bonny voice rang
Far out amang the knowes.
* * * * *
2 'Milk on, milk on, my bonny, bonny may,
Milk on, milk on,' said he;
'Milk on, milk on, my bonny, bonny may;
Will ye shew me out-ower the lea?'
3 'Ride on, ride on, stout rider,' she said,
'Yere steed's baith stout and strang;
For out o the eww-bught I daurna come,
For fear ye do me wrang.'
4 But he's tane her by the milk-white hand,
An by the green gown-sleeve,
An he's laid her low on the dewy grass,
An at nae ane spiered he leave.
5 Then he's mounted on his milk-white steed,
An ridden after his men,
An a' that his men they said to him
Was, Dear master, ye've tarried lang.
6 'I've ridden east, an I've ridden wast,
An I've ridden amang the knowes,
But the bonniest lassie eer I saw
Was milkin her daddie's yowes.'
7 She's taen the milk-pail on her heid,
An she's gane langin hame,
An a her father said to her
Was, Daughter, ye've tarried lang.
8 'Oh, wae be to your shepherds! father,
For they take nae care o the sheep;
Fro they've bygit the ewe-bught far frae hame,
An they've trysted a man to me.
9 'There came a tod unto the bucht,
An a waefu tod was he,
An, or ever he had tane that ae ewe-lamb,
I had rather he had tane ither three.'
10 But it fell on a day, an a bonny summer day,
She was ca'in out her father's kye,
An bye came a troop o gentlemen,
Cam ridin siwftly bye.
11 Out an spoke the foremost ane,
Says, Lassie hae ye got a man?
She turned herself saucy round about,
Says, Yes, I've ane at hame.
12 'Ye lee, ye lee, ye my bonny may,
Saw loud as I hear ye lee!
For dinna ye mind that misty nicht
Ye were in the ewe-bughts wi me?'
13 He ordered ane o his men to get down;
Says, Lift her up behind me;
Your father may ca in the kye when he likes,
They sall neer be ca'ed in by thee.
14 'For I'm the laird o Athole swaird,
Wi fifty ploughs an three,
An I hae gotten the bonniest lass
In a' the north countrie.'
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'The Broom of Cowdenknows'- Version G; Child 217 The Broom of Cowdenknows
Scott's Minstrelsy, III, 280, 1803; from Ettrick Forest.
1 O the broom, and the bonny, bonny broom,
And the broom of the Cowdenknows!
And aye sae sweet as the lassie sang,
I the bought, milking the ewes.
2 The hills were high on ilka side,
An the bought i the lirk o the hill,
And aye, as she sang, her voice it rang
Out-oer the head o yon hill.
3 There was a troop o gentlemen
Came riding merrilie by,
And one o them has rode out o the way,
To the bought to the bonny may.
4 'Well may ye save an see, bonny lass,
An weel may ye save an see!'
'An sae wi you, ye weel-bred knight,
And what's your will wi me?'
5 'The night is misty and mirk, fair may,
And I have ridden astray,
And will ye be so kind, fair may,
As come out and point my way?'
6 'Ride out, ride out, ye ramp rider!
Your steed's baith stout and strang;
For out of the bought I dare na come,
For fear at ye do me wrang.'
7 'O winna ye pity me, bonny lass?
O winna ye pity me?
An winna ye pity my poor steed,
Stands trembling at yon tree?'
8 'I wadna pity your poor steed,
Tho it were tied to a thorn;
For if ye wad gain my love the night
Ye wad slight me ere the morn.
9 'For I ken you by your weel-busked hat,
And your merrie twinkling ee,
That ye're the laird o the Oakland hills,
An ye may weel seem for to be.'
10 'But I am not the laird o the Oakland hills,
Ye're far mistaen o me;
But I'm ane o the men about his house,
An right aft in his companie.'
11 He's taen her by the middle jimp,
And by the grass-green sleeve,
He's lifted her over the fauld-dyke,
And speerd at her sma leave.
12 O he's taen out a purse o gowd,
And streekd her yellow hair:
'Now take ye that, my bonnie may,
Of me till you hear mair.'
13 O he's leapt on his berry-brown steed,
An soon he's oertaen his men;
And ane and a' cried out to him,
O master, ye've tarryd lang!
14 'O I hae been east, and I hae been west,
An I hae been far oer the knows,
But the bonniest lass that ever I saw
Is i the bought, milkin the ewes.'
15 She set the cog upon her head,
An she's gane singing hame:
'O where hae ye been, my ae daughter?
Ye hae na been your lane.'
16 'O nae body was wi me, father,
O nae body has been wi me;
The night is misty and mirk, father,
Ye may gang to the door and see.
17 'But wae be to your ewe-herd, father,
And an ill deed may he die!
He bug the bought at the back o the know
And a tod has frighted me.
18 'There came a tod to the bought-door,
The like I never saw;
And ere he had taken the lamb he did
I had lourd he had taen them a'.'
19 O whan fifteen weeks was come and gane,
Fifteen weeks and three,
That lassie began to look thin and pale,
An to long for his merry-twinkling ee.
20 It fell on a day, on a het simmer day,
She was ca'ing out her father's kye,
By came a troop o gentlemen,
A' merrilie riding bye.
21 'Weel may ye save an see, bonny may!
Weel may ye save and see!
Weel I wat ye be a very bonny may,
But whae's aught that babe ye are wi?'
22 Never a word could that lassie say,
For never a ane could she blame,
An never a word could the lassie say,
But, I have a good man at hame.
23 'Ye lied, ye lied, my very bonny may,
Sae loud as I hear you lie!
For dinna ye mind that misty night
I was i the bought wi thee?
24 'I ken you by your middle sae jimp,
An your merry-twinkling ee,
That ye're the bonny lass i the Cowdenknow,
An ye may weel seem for to be.'
25 Than he's leapd off his berry-brown steed,
An he's set that fair may on:
'Caw out your kye, gude father, yoursel,
For she's never caw them out again.
26 I am the laird of the Oakland hills,
I hae thirty plows and three,
An I hae gotten the bonniest lass
That's in a' the south country.'
----------
'The Maid o the Cowdenknows'- Version H; Child 217 The Broom of Cowdenknows
Kinloch Manuscripts, I, 137; from Mrs. Boutchart.
1 There was a may, a maiden sae gay,
Went out wi her milking-pail;
Lang she foucht or her ewes wad bucht,
And syne she a milking fell.
2 And ay as she sang the rocks they rang,
Her voice gaed loud and shill;
Ye wad hae heard the voice o the maid
On the tap o the ither hill.
3 And ay she sang, and the rocks they rang,
Her voice gaed loud and hie;
Till by there cam a troop o gentlemen,
A riding up that way.
4 'Weel may ye sing, ye bonnie may,
Weel and weel may ye sing!
The nicht is misty, weet, and mirk,
And we hae ridden wrang.'
5 'Haud by the gate ye cam, kind sir,
Haud by the gate ye cam;
But tak tent o the rank river,
For our streams are unco strang.'
6 'Can ye na pity me, fair may,
Canna ye pity me?
Canna ye pity my puir steed,
Stands trembling at yon tree?'
7 'What pity wad ye hae, kind sir?
What wad ye hae frae me?
If he has neither corn nor hay,
He has gerss at libertie.'
8 'Can ye na pity me, fair may,
Can ye na pity me?
Can ye na pity a gentle knicht
That's deeing for love o thee?'
9 He's tane her by the milk-white hand,
And by the gerss-green sleeve;
He's laid her laigh at the bucht-end,
At her kin speird na leave.
10 'After ye hae tane your will o me,
Your will as ye hae tane,
Be as gude a gentle knicht
As tell to me your name.'
11 'Some do call me Jack,' says he,
'And some do call me John;
But whan I'm in the king's hie court
Duke William is my name.
12 'But I ken by your weel-faurd face,
And by your blinking ee,
That ye are the Maid o the Cowdenknows,
And seem very weel to be.'
13 'I am na the maid o the Cowdenknows,
Nor does not thnk to be;
But I am ane o her best maids,
That's aft in her companie.
14 'But I ken by your black, black hat,
And by your gay gowd ring,
That ye are the Laird o Rochna hills,
Wha beguiles a' our women.'
15 'I am na the Laird o Rochna hills,
Nor does na think to be;
But I am ane o his best men,
That's aft in his companie.'
16 He's put his hand in his pocket
And tane out guineas three;
Says, Tak ye that, my bonnie may;
It'll pay the nourice fee.
17 She's tane her cog upon her head,
And fast, fast gaed she hame:
'Whare hae ye been, my dear dochter?
Ye hae na been your lane.
18 'The nicht is misty, weet, and mirk;
Ye may look out and see;
The ewes war skippin oure the knowes,
They wad na bucht in for me.
19 'But wae be to your shepherd, father,
An ill death may he dee!
He bigget the buchts sae far frae the toun,
And he trysted a man to me.
20 'There cam a tod amang the flock,
The like o him I neer did see;
Afore he had tane the lamb that he took,
I'd rather he'd tane ither three.'
21 Whan twenty weeks war past and gane,
Twenty weeks and three,
The lassie begoud to spit and spue,
And thought lang for 's blinkin ee.
22 'Twas on a day, and a day near bye,
She was ca'ing out the kye,
That by cam a troop o merry gentlemen,
Cam riding bye that way.
23 'Wha's gien ye the scorn, bonnie may?
O wha's done ye the wrang?'
'Na body, na body, kind sir,' she said,
'My baby's father's at hame.'
24 'Ye lee, ye lee, fause may,' he said,
'Sae loud as I hear ye lee!
Dinna ye mind o the mirk misty nicht
I buchted the ewes wi thee?'
25 'Weel may I mind yon mirk misty nicht,
Weel may I mind,' says she;
'For ay when ye spak ye lifted up your hat,
Ye had a merry blinkin ee.'
26 He's turned him round and richt about,
And tane the lassie on;
'Ca out your kye, auld father,' he said,
'She sall neer ca them again.
27 'For I am the Laird o Rochna hills,
O thirty plows and three;
And I hae gotten the bonniest lass
O a' the west countrie.'
28 'And I'm the Maid o the Cowdenknows,
O twenty plows and three;
And I hae gotten the bonniest lad
In a' the north countrie.'
-------------
'Laird o Lochnie'- Version I; Child 217 The Broom of Cowdenknows
Kinloch Manuscripts, VII, 153; from the recitation of Miss M. Kinnear, August 23, 1826, a North Country version.
1 The lassie sang sae loud, sae loud,
The lassie sang sae shill;
The lassie sang, and the greenwud rang,
At the farther side o yon hill.
2 Bye there cam a troop o merry gentlemen,
They aw rode merry bye;
The very first and the foremaist
Was the first that spak to the may.
3 'This is a mark and misty nicht,
And I have ridden wrang;
If ye wad be sae gude and kind
As to show me the way to gang.'
4 'If ye binna the laird o Lochnie's lands,
Nor nane o his degree,
I'll show ye a nearer road that will keep you frae
The glen-waters and the raging sea.'
5 'I'm na the laird o Lochnie's lands,
Nor nane o his degree;
But I am as brave a knicht,
And ride aft in his company.
6 'Have ye na pity on me, pretty maid?
Have ye na pity on me?
Have ye na pity on my puir steed,
That stands trembling by yon tree?'
7 'What pity wad ye hae, kind sir?
What pity wad ye hae frae me?
Though your steed has neither corn nor hay,
It has gerss at its liberty.'
8 He has trysted the pretty maid
Till they cam to the brume,
And at the end o yon ew-buchts
It's there they baith sat doun.
9 Till up she raise, took up her milk-pails,
And away gaed she hame;
Up bespak her auld father,
'It's whare hae ye been sae lang?'
10 'This is a mark and a misty nicht,
Ye may gang to the door and see;
The ewes hae taen a skipping out-oure the knows,
They winna bucht in for me.
11 'I may curse my father's shepherd;
Some ill death mat he dee!
He has buchted the ewes sae far frae the toun,
And has trysted the young men to me.
---------------
['Maid of the Cowdenknows']- Version J; Child 217 The Broom of Cowdenknows
Kinloch Manuscripts, VI, 11; in the handwriting of Dr. Joseph Robertson, and given him by his mother, Christian Leslie.
1 It was a dark and a misty night,
. . . .
And by came a troop o gentlemen,
Said, Lassie, shew me the way.
2 'Oh well ken I by your silk mantle,
And by your grass-green sleeve,
That you are the maid of the Cowdenknows,
And may well seem to be.'
3 'I'm nae the maid of the Cowdenknows,
Nor ever think to be;
I am but ane of her hirewomen,
Rides aft in her companie.
4 'Oh well do I ken by your milk-white steed,
And by your merry winking ee,
That you are the laird of Lochinvar,
And may well seem to be.'
5 'I'm nae the laird of Lochinvar,
Nor may well seem to be;
But I am one of his merry young men,
And am oft in his companie.'
* * * * *
6 'The tod was among your sheep, father,
You may look forth and see;
And before he had taen tha lamb he's taen
I had rather he had taen three.'
7 When twenty weeks were come and gane,
Twenty weeks and three,
The lassie she turned pale and wan
. . . .
8 . . . .
And was caain out her father's kye,
When by came a troop of gentlemen,
Were riding along the way.
9 'Fair may it fa thee, weel-fa'rt may!
Wha's aught the bairn ye're wi?'
'O I hae a husband o my ain,
To father my bairn te.'
10 'You lie, you lie, you weel-far'd may,
Sae loud 's I hear you lie!
Do you mind the dark and the misty night
I was in the bught wi thee?'
11 'Oh well do I ken by your milk-white steed,
And by your merry winkin ee,
That you are the laird of Lochinvar,
That was in the bught wi me.'
-------------
'Maiden o the Cowdenknowes'- Version K; Child 217 The Broom of Cowdenknows
Joseph Robertson's Journal of Excursions, No 6; "taken down from a man in the parish of Leochel, 12 February, 1829."
1 * * * * *
There was four and twenty gentlemen,
As they were ridin by,
And aff there loups the head o them,
Cums in to this fair may.
2 'It's a mark and a mark and a misty night,
And we canna know the way;
And ye wad be as gude to us
As shew us on the way.'
3 'Ye'll get a boy for meat,' she says,
'Ye'll get a boy for fee,
. . . .
That will shew you the right way.'
4 'We'll get a boy for meat,' he says,
'We'll get a boy for fee,
But we do not know where to seek
That bonny boy out.'
* * * * *
5 'It's foul befa my auld father's men,
An ill death mat they die!
They've biggit the ewe bucht sae far frae the town
They've tristed the men to me.'
-------------
'The Broom of the Cowden Knowes'- Version L; Child 217 The Broom of Cowdenknows
Buchan's Manuscripts, II, 178.
1 O the broom, the bonny, bonny broom,
The broom grows oer the burn!
Aye when I mind on's bonny yellow hair,
I aye hae cause to mourn.
There was a bonny, a well-fared may,
In the fauld milking her kye,
When by came a troop of merry gentlemen,
And sae merrily they rode by.
O the broom, etc.
2 The maid she sang till the hills they rang,
And a little more forebye,
Till in came ane of these gentlemen
To the bught o the bonny may.
3 'Well mat ye sing, fair maid,' he says,
'In the fauld, milking your kye;
The night is misty, weet and dark,
And I've gane out o my way.'
4 'Keep on the way ye ken, kind sir,
Keep on the way ye ken;
But I pray ye take care o Clyde's water,
For the stream runs proud and fair.'
5 'I ken you by your lamar beads,
And by your blinking ee,
That your mother has some other maid
To send to the ewes than thee.'
6 'I ken you by your powderd locks,
And by your gay gold ring,
That ye are the laird o Rock-rock lays,
That beguiles all young women.'
7 'I'm not the laird o the Rock-rock lays,
Nor ever hopes to be;
But I am one o the finest knights
That's in his companie.
8 'Are ye the maid o the Cowden Knowes?
I think you seem to be;'
'No, I'm not the maid o the Cowden Knowes,
Nor ever hopes to be;
But I am one of her mother's maids,
And oft in her companie.'
9 'He's taen her by the milk-white hand,
And by her grass-green sleeve,
He's set her down upon the ground
Of her kin spierd nae leave.
10 He's gien her a silver comb,
To comb her yellow hair;
He bade her keep it for his sake,
For fear she never got mair.
11 He pat his hand in his pocket,
He's gien her guineas three;
Says, Take ye that, fair maid, he says,
'Twill pay the nourice's fee.
12 She's taen the milk-pail on her head,
And she gaed singing hame,
And a' that her auld father did say,
'Daughter, ye've tarried lang.'
13 'Woe be to your shepherd, father,
And an ill death mat he die!
He's biggit the bught sae far frae the town,
And trystit a man to me.
14 'There came a tod into the bught,
The like o 'm I neer did see;
Before he'd taen the lamb he's taen,
I'd rather he'd taen other three.'
15 Or eer six months were past and gane,
Six months but other three,
This lassie begud for to fret and frown,
And lang for his blinking ee.
16 It fell upon another day,
When ca'ing out her father's kye,
That by came the troop o gentlemen,
Sae merrily riding by.
17 Then ane of them stopt, and said to her,
'Wha's aught that bairn ye're wi?'
The lassie began for to blush, and think,
To a father as good as ye.
18 She turnd her right and round about
And thought nae little shame;
Then a' to him that she did say,
'I've a father to my bairn at hame.'
19 'Ye lie, ye lie, ye well-fared may,
Sae loud's I hear ye lie!
For dinna ye mind yon misty night
I was in the bught wi thee?
20 'I gave you a silver comb,
To comb your yellow hair;
I bade you keep it for my sake,
For fear ye'd never get mair.
21 'I pat my hand in my pocket,
I gae you guineas three;
I bade you keep them for my sake,
And pay the nourice's fee.'
22 He's lappen aff his berry-brown steed
And put that fair maid on;
'Ca hame your kye, auld father,' he says,
'She shall never mair return.
23 'I am the laird o the Rock-rock lays,
Hae thirty ploughs and three,
And this day will wed the fairest maid
That eer my eyes did see.'
O the broom, the bonny, bonny broom,
The broom grows oer the burn!
Aye when she minds on his yellow hair,
She shall neer hae cause to mourn.
-------------
'Broom o the Cowdenknowes'- Version M; Child 217 The Broom of Cowdenknows
Buchan's Ballads of the North of Scotland, I, 172.
1 'Twas on a misty day, a fair maiden gay
Went out to the Cowdenknowes;
Lang, lang she thought ere her ewes woud bught,
Wi her pail for to milk the ewes.
O the broom, the bonny, bonny broom,
The broom o the Cowdenknowes!
And aye sae sweet as the lassie sang,
In the ewe-bught, milking her ewes.
2 And aye as she sang the greenwoods rang,
Her voice was sae loud and shrill;
They heard the voice of this well-far'd maid
At the other side o the hill.
3 'My mother she is an ill woman,
And an ill woman is she;
Or than she might have got some other maid
To milk her ewes without me.
4 'My father was ance a landed laird,
As mony mair have been;
But he held on the gambling trade
Till a 's free lands were dune.
5 'My father drank the brandy and beer,
My mother the wine sae red;
Gars me, poor girl, gang maiden lang,
For the lack o tocher guid.'
6 There was a troop o merry gentlemen
Came riding alang the way,
And one o them drew the ewe-bughts unto,
At the voice of this lovely may.
7 'O well may you sing, my well-far'd maid,
And well may you sing, I say,
For this is a mirk and a misty night,
And I've ridden out o my way.'
8 'Ride on, ride on, young man,' she said,
'Ride on the way ye ken;
But keep frae the streams o the Rock-river,
For they run proud and vain.
9 'Ye winna want boys for meat, kind sir,
And ye winna want men for fee;
It sets not us that are young women
To show young men the way.'
10 'O winna ye pity me, fair maid?
O winna ye pity me?
O winna ye pity my poor steed,
Stnads trembling at yon tree?'
11 'Ride on, ride on, ye rank rider,
Your steed's baith stout and strang;
For out o the ewe-bught I winna come,
For fear that ye do me wrang.
12 'For well ken I by your high-colld hat,
And by your gay gowd ring,
That ye are the Earl o Rock-rivers,
That beguiles a' our young women.'
13 'O I'm not the earl o the Rock-rivers,
Nor ever thinks to be;
But I am ane o his finest knights,
Rides aft in his companie.
14 'I know you well by your lamar beads,
And by your merry winking ee,
That ye are the maid o the Cowdenknowes,
And may very well seem to be.'
15 He's taen her by the milk-white hand,
And by the grass-green sleeve,
He's laid her down by the ewe-bught-wa,
At her he spiered nae leave.
16 When he had had got his wills o her,
And his wills he had taen,
He lifted her up by the middle sae sma,
Says, Fair maid, rise up again.
17 Then he has taen out a siller kaim,
Kaimd down her yellow hair;
Says, Fair maid, take that, keep it for my sake,
Case frae me ye never get mair.
18 Then he put his hand in his pocket,
And gien her guineas three;
Says, Take that, fair maiden, till I return,
'Twill pay the nurse's fee.
19 Then he lap on his milk-white steed,
And he rade after his men,
And a' that they did say to him,
'Dear master, ye' ve tarried lang.'
20 'I've ridden east, I've ridden west,
And over the cowdenknowes,
But the bonniest lass that eer I did see,
Was i the ewe-bught, milking her ewes.'
21 She's taen her milk-pail on her head,
And she gaed singing hame;
But a' that her auld father did say,
'Daughter, ye've tarried lang.'
'O the broom, the bonny, bonny broom,
The broom o the Cowdenknowes!
Aye sae sair 's I may rue the day,
In the ewe-bughts, milking my ewes.
22 'O this is a mirk and a misty night,
O father, as ye may see;
The ewes they ran skipping over the knowes,
And they woudna bught in for me.
23 . . . .
. . . .
'Before that he'd taen the lamb that he took,
I rather he'd taen other three.'
24 When twenty weeks were come and gane,
And twenty weeks and three,
The lassie's colour grew pale and wan,
And she longed this knight to see.
25 Says, 'Wae to the fox came amo our flock!
I wish he had taen them a'
Before that he'd taen frae me what he took;
It's occasiond my downfa.'
26 It fell ance upon a time
She was ca'ing hame her kye,
There came a troop o merry gentlemen,
And they wyled the bonny lassie by.
27 But one o them spake as he rode past,
Says, Who owes the bairn ye are wi?
A little she spake, but thought wi hersell,
'Perhaps to ane as gude as thee.'
28 O then she did blush as he did pass by,
And dear! but she thought shame,
And all that she did say to him,
'Sir, I have a husband at hame.'
29 'Ye lie, ye lie, ye well-far'd maid,
Sae loud as I hear you lie!
For dinna ye mind yon misty night,
Ye were in the bught wi me?
'O the broom, the bonny, bonny broom,
The broom o the Cowdenknowes!
Aye sae sweet as I heard you sing,
In the ewe-bughts, milking your ewes.'
30 'O well do I mind, kind sir,' she said,
'As ye rode over the hill;
Ye took frae me my maidenhead,
Fell sair against my will.
'O the broom, the bonny, bonny broom,
The broom o the Cowdenknowes!
And aye sae sair as I rue the day
I met you, milking my ewes.
31 'And aye as ye spake, ye lifted your hat,
Ye had a merry winking ee;
I ken you well to be the man,
Then kind sir, O pity me!'
32 'Win up, win up, fair maiden,' he said,
'Nae langer here ye'll stay;
This night ye'se be my wedded wife,
Without any more delay.'
33 He lighted aff his milk-white steed
And set the lassie on;
'Ca in your kye, auld man,' he did say,
'She'll never ca them in again.
34 'I am the Earl o the Rock-rivers,
Hae fifty ploughs and three,
And am sure I've chosen the fairest maid
That ever my eyes did see.'
35 Then he stript her o the robes o grey,
Donned her in the robes o green,
And when she came to her lord's ha
They took her to be some queen.
O the broom, the bonny, bonny broom,
The broom o the Cowdenknowes!
And aye sae sweet as the bonny lassie sang,
That ever she milked the ewes.
----------------
'The Laird of Lochinvar'- Version N; Child 217 The Broom of Cowdenknows
Kinloch Manuscripts, I, 145; from Mary Barr.
1 O there war a troop o merry gentlemen
Cam riding oure the knowes,
And they hear the voice o a bonny lass,
In the bichts, milking the yowes.
2 'O save thee, O save thee, my bonnie may!
O saved may ye be!
My steed he has riden wrang,
Fain wad I ken the way.'
3 She has tane the steed by the bridle-reins,
Has led him till the way,
And he has tane out three gowd rings,
Gien them to that bonnie may.
4 And he has tane her by the milk-white hand
And by the gerss-green sleeve,
And he laid her doun on the side o yon hill,
At her daddie speird na leave.
5 Now she has hame to her father gane,
Her father did her blame:
'O whare hae ye been, my ae dochter?
For ye hae na been your lane.'
6 'O the nicht is mirk, and very, very wet,
Ye may gang to the door and see;
O there's nabody been wi me, father,
There's nabody been wi me.
7 'But there cam a tod to your bucht, father,
The like o him I neer saw;
Afore you'd gien him the lamb that he took,
Ye'd rather hae gien them a'.
8 'O wae be to my father's sheep-hird,
An ill death may he dee!
For bigging the bucht sae nar the road,
Let the Lochinvar to me!'
9 She's tane her pig and her cog in her hand,
And she's gane to milk the kye;
But ere she was aware, the Laird o Lochinvar
Cam riding in the way.
10 'O save thee, O save thee, my bonnie may!
I wish ye may be sound;
O save thee, O save thee, my bonnie may!
What maks thy belly sae round?'
11 O she has turnd hersel round about,
And she within her thoucht shame:
'O it's nabody's wills wi me, kind sir,
For I hae a gudeman o my ain.'
12 'Ye lee, ye lee, my bonnie may,
Weel do I ken ye lee!
For dinna ye mind o the three gowd rings
I gied ye o the new moneye?'
13 'O weel do I mind thee, kind sir,
O weel do I mind thee;
For ae when ye spak ye lifted up your hat,
And ye had a bonnie twinklin ee.'
14 'O ye need na toil yoursel, my dear,
Neither to card nor to spin;
For there's ten pieces I gie unto thee;
Keep them for your lying in.'
15 Now she has hame to her father gane,
As fast as she could hie;
And she was na weel crownd wi joy
Till her auld son gat she.
16 But she'll na tell the daddie o it
Till father not to mither,
And she'll na tell the daddie o it
To sister nor to brither.
17 And word is to the Lochinvar,
And word is to him gane,
That sic a tenant's dochter
Has born a bastard son:
18 And she'll na tell the daddie o it
To father nor to mither,
And she'll na tell the daddie o it
Till sister nor to brither.
19 'O weel do I ken the reason o that,
And the reason weel do I ken;
O weel ken I the reason o that;
It's to some o her father's men.
20 'But I will awa to Littlejohn's house,
Shule them out o the door;
For there's na tenant on a' my land
Shall harbour an arrant hure.'
21 Then out and spak the house-keeper,
'Ye'd better lat her abee;
For an onie harm befa this may,
A' the wyte will be on me.'
22 O he has turnd himsel round about,
Within himsel thoucht he
'Better do I loe her little finger
Than a' thy haill bodie.
23 'Gae saddle to me my six coach-mares,
Put a' their harness on,
And I will awa to Littlejohn's house
For reports o this bastard son.'
24 Now whan he cam to Littlejohn's house,
Littlejohn was at the door:
'Ye rascal, ye rogue, ye impudent dog,
Will ye harbour an arrant hure!'
25 'O pardon me, my sovereign liege,
O pardon me, I pray;
Oh that the nicht that she was born
She'd deed the very neist day!'
26 But he is in to his bonnie lassie gane,
And has bolted the door behind,
And there he has kissd his bonnie lassie sweet,
It's over and over again.
27 'Ye did weel, ye did weel, my bonnie may,
To keep the secret twixt me and thee;
For I am the laird o the Ochilberry swair,
The lady o 't I'll mak thee.
28 'Come doun, come duun, now gentlemen a',
And set this fair lady on;
Mither, ye may milk the ewes as ye will,
For she'll neer milk them again.
29 'For I am the laird o the Ochilberry swair,
O thirty plows and three,
And I hae gotten the bonniest may
That's in a' the south countrie.'
---------
End-Notes
B. a. 6 should probably come before 5.
92. Whare.
b. 22. lassie shew.
51. But when twenty weeks were.
52. O twenty weeks and three.
53. lassie began to grow pale and wan.
61. father's herd.
64. And wadna bide wi me.
92. loud's.
11. He was the laird of Auchentrone,
With fifty ploughs and three,
And he has gotten the bonniest lass
In a' the south countrie.
C. 33. if he.
Kinloch has made clianges In his printed copy.
D. 1. Oh.
13. Changed later to ay as she sang, her.
24. Burden: To see.
34. Changed to out owr.
54. axit in the burden.
61. But quhan,
74. neer inserted later after ye'll.
Burden: It 's ye'll see me.
81. purse-string originally.
83. in 3.
84. It will; t seems to be crossed out. I in the burden.
91. fit originally, altered to fut, or fot.
133. Originally, An afore the ane he took.
151. Changed to and a bonnie simmer day.
161,2. Quha.
172. Changed to Sae loud's.
The first stanza is given by Motherwell, Minstrelsy, Appendix, xvii, X, under the title 'Ochiltree Walls,' with the variation, O May, bonnie May.
E. 21. Oh.
I. Kinloch has made changes in his printed copy.
J. 114. thee for me.
L. 44. fair, vain? Cf. M, 84.
Appendix
The Lovely Northerne Lasse
a. Roxburghe Ballads, I, 190, in the Ballad Society's reprint, ed. W. Chappell, I, 587.
b. Rawlinson Ballads, 566, fol. 205.
a was printed at London for F. Coules, who, according to Mr. Chappell, flourished during the last five years of James First's reign and throughout that of Charles First: dated by Mr. Bullen, 1640. b was printed for F. Coles, T. Vere, and J. Wright, 1655-80 (Chappell). There is another copy in the Euing collection, No 166, printed for Francis Coles in the Old Bayly, who may be the same person as the printer of a; and a fourth in the Douce collection, II, 137, verso, without printer's name. A copy differing from a by only three words is given by R.H. Evans, Old Ballads, 1810, I, 88.
Burton, in the fifth edition of his Anatomy of Melancholy, Oxford, 1638, p. 536, says: "The very rusticks and hog-rubbers ... have their ballads, country tunes, the broome, the bonny, bonny broome," etc. (Chappell). This remark is not found in the fourth edition, Oxford, 1632, p. 544. Concerning the air, see Chappell's Popular Music, pp. 458-61, 613, 783.
The Lovely Northerne Lasse.
Who in this ditty, here complaining, shewes
What harme she got, milking her dadyes ewes.
To a pleasant Scotch tune, called The broom of Cowden Knowes.
1 Through Liddersdale as lately I went,
I musing on did passe;
I heard a maid was discontent,
she sighd, and said, Alas!
All maids that ever deceived was
beare a part of these my woes,
For once I was a bonny lasse,
when I milkt my dadyes ewes.
With, the broome, the bonny broome,
the broome of Cowdon Knowes!
Faint would I be in the North Countrey,
to milke my dadyes ewes.
2 'My love into the fields did come,
when my dady was at home;
Sugred words he gave me there,
praisd me for such a one.
His honey breath and lips so soft,
and his alluring eye
And tempting tong, hath woo'd me oft,
now forces me to cry,
All maids, &c.
3 'He joyed me with his pretty chat,
so well discourse could he,
Talking of this thing and of that,
which greatly liked me.
I was so greatly taken with his speech,
and with his comely making;
He used all the meanes could be
to inchant me with his speaking.
4 'In Danby Forest I was borne;
my beauty did excell;
My parents dearely loved me
till my belly began to swell.
I might have beene a prince's peers
when I came over the knoes,
Till the shepherds boy beguiled me,
milking my dadyes ewes.
5 'When once I felt my belly swell,
no longer might I abide;
My mother put me out of doores,
and bangd me backe and side.
Then did I range the world so wide,
wandering about the knoes,
Cursing the boy that helped me
to fold my dadyes ewes.
6 'Who would have thought a boy so young
would have usd a maiden so
As to allure her with his tongue,
and then from her to goe?
Which hath also procured my woe,
to credit his faire shewes,
Which now too late repent I doe,
the milking of the ewes.
7 'I often since have wisht that I
had never seen his face;
I needed not thus mournefully
have sighed, and said Alas!
I might have matched with the best,
as all the country knowes,
Had I escaped the shepherds boy
helpt me to fold my ewes.
8 'All maidens faire, then have a care
when you a milking goe;
Trust not to young men's tempting tongues,
that will deceive you so.
Them you shall finde to be unkinde
and glory in your woes;
For the shepheards boy beguiled mee
folding my dadyes ewes.'
9 'If you your virgin honours keepe,
esteeming of them deare,
You need not then to waile and weepe,
or your parents anger feare.
As I have said, of them beware
would glory in your woes;
You then may sing with merry cheere,
milking your dadyes ewes.'
10 A young man, hearing her complaint,
did pity this her case,
Saying to her, Sweet beautious saint,
I grieve so faire a face
Should sorrow so; then, sweeting, know,
to ease thee of thy woes,
lie goe with thee to the North Country,
to milke thy dadyes ewes.
11 'Leander like, I will remaine
still constant to thee ever,
As Piramus, or Troyalus,
till death our lives shall sever.
Let me be hated evermore,
of all men that me knowes,
If false to thee, sweet heart, I bee,
milking thy dadyes ewes.'
12 Then modestly she did reply,
'Might I so happy bee
Of you to finde a husband kinde,
and for to marrie me,
Then to you I would during life
continue constant still,
And be a true, obedient wife,
observing of your will.
With, the broome, the bonny broome,
the broome of Cowden Knoes!
Faine would I be in the North Country,
milking my dadyes ewes.
13 Thus, with a gentle soft imbrace,
he tooke her in his armes,
And with a kisse he smiling said,
' He shield thee from all harmes,
And instantly will marry thee,
to ease thee of thy woes,
And goe with thee to the North Country,
to milke thy dadyes ewes.'
With, the broome, the bonny broome,
the broome of Cowden Knoes!
Faine would I be in the North Country,
to milke my dadyes ewes.
a. After 7: The Second Part.
b. Title: in the ditty.
21. field.
22. from home.
56. amongst for about.
63. So to.
66. hath alas.
7. Wanting.
85. Then.
91. virgins.
105. I know.
133. my for thy.
139. With O the broom, &c.
Additions and Corrections
To be Corrected in the Print.
201 b, 263. Read kye.
202 a, K 22. Read It is.
207 a, 202. Read them a' out.
P. 192. Mrs. Greenwood, of London, had heard (presumably at Longnewton, near Jedburgh) "the old Cowdenknows, where, instead of the Laird of the Oakland hills, it is the Laird of the Hawthorn-wide." Letters addressed to Sir W. Scott, I, No 189, May 27, [1806.]
P. 195. D b. Macmath Manuscript, p. 105; from the recitation of Mary Cochrane (Mrs. Garmory), Abbeyyard, Crossmichael, August 12, 1893.
1 Bonny May to the ewe-buchts is gane,
To milk her daddie's yowes,
And aye as she sang, her bonny voice it rang
Outoer the taps o the knowes, knowes,
Outoer the taps o the knowes.
2 . . .
. . .
A troop o noble gentlemen
Came riding merrily by.
5 He took her by the middle sae sma,
And by the green gown sleeve,
And he's laid her down on the dewy, dewy ground,
And he's asked no man's leave.
9 He's mounted on his milk-white steed,
And he's rode after his men,
And all that his merry men said to him
Was, Dear master ye 've tarried long.
10 'I have ridden east and I have ridden west,
And I've ridden among the knowes,
But the bonniest lass that eer I saw
Was milking her daddie's yowes.'
11 She's taen the milk-pail on her head,
And she's gane singing hame,
And all that her father said to her
Was, Dear daughter, ye 've tarried long.
13 'O there cam a tod amang my yowes,
An a waefu tod was he;
Afore he had taen my wee yowe-lamb,
I wad rather he had taen ither three.'
15 It happened on a day, and a bonny summer day,
As she was ca'in in her father's kye,
The same troop o noble gentlemen
Came riding merrily by.
16 One of them calls out
Lassie, have ye got a man?
She turned her head right saucy about,
Saying, I've got ane at hame.
17 Hold your tongue, my bonny lass,
How loud I hear ye lee!
Do you no remember the caul mirky nicht
When ye were in the yowe-buchts wi me?'
18 He's ordered one of his merry men
To licht and set her on behind him,
Saying, Your father may ca in his kye when he likes,
For they'll neer be ca'ed in by thee.
19 'For I am the laird o the Ochiltree walls,
I have fifty ploughs and three,
And I have got the bonniest lass
In a' the North Countrie.'