A Jacobite Song- (VA-WV-British) 1914 Davis Appendix
[From Davis; Traditional Ballads from Virginia; 1929.
Child says, "In Smith's Scottish Minstrel, IV, 66, the piece is turned into a Jacobite ballad. The good wife says she is hiding her cousin McIntosh; 'Tories,' says the goodman." Compare this (see text below) to the nearly identical Nova Scotia version sung by Mrs. E. H. McKeen, of Sherbrooke (See: Our Goodman (Our Guidman) - McKeen (NS) pre1950 Creighton).
R. Matteson 2013]
APPENDIX
"A Jacobite Song." Collected by Miss Martha M. Davis, Contributed by Miss Winifred Patterson, of Garoway, West Virginia. Rockingham County. April 6, 1914. Miss Davis writes: "Her great grandfather was an officer in the British navy and learned this from the sailors. Miss Patterson was born in Canada." The Scottish dialect spelling suggests a printed source [Smith's Scotish Minstrel, IV, 66], but none is mentioned.
1 Hame cam oor gudeman at e'en,
an hame cam he,
And there he saw a saddled horse
where na horse shud be.
"And how is this and wha is this
and how cam this ta be?
How cam this horse here
wi oot the leave o' me?"
2 "A horse?" quoth she.
"Aye! a horse!" quoth he.
"A ye old blind dottard carl (or fool),
and blinder might ye be,
It's nothing but a milch coo
my mither sent to me."
3. "A milch coo?" quoth he.
"Aye! a milch coo!" quoth she.
"Ah, far hae I ridden and muckle hae I seen
But a saddle on a milch coo saw I never ane."
4. Hame cam oor gudeman at e'en,
an hame cam he,
And there he saw a pair of boots
where na boots shud be.
"And how is this and wha is this
and how cam this ta be?
And how cam tha boots here
wi oot the leave o' me?"
5. "Boots?" quoth she.
"Aye! boots!" quoth he.
"A ye old blind dottard carl,
and blinder might ye be,
It's but a pair of milk stoops
my mither sent to me."
6 " Milk stoops? " quoth he.
"Ay, milk stoops!" quoth she.
"Ah, far hae I ridden, and muckle hae I seen,
But siller spurs on milk stoops saw I never ane."
7 Hame cam oor gudeman at e'en,
and hame cam he,
And there he saw a siller sword
where na sword shud be.
"What's this now, gude wife, and
what's this I see?
And how cam tha sword here
wi oot the leave o' me?"
8 "A sword!" quoth she.
"Aye, a sword!" quoth he.
"A ye auld blind dottard carl,
and blinder might ye be,
It is but a porridge stick
my mither sent to me."
9 "A porridge stick?" quoth he.
"Aye! a porridge stick!" quoth she.
"Weel far hae I ridden and muckle hae I seen,
But tassels upon porritch sticks saw I never ane."
Stanzas about the hat come here.
10. Hame cam oor gudeman at e'en,
and hame cam he,
And there he saw a sturdy man
where na man shud be.
"And how's this now, gude wife,
and how cam this ta be?
And how cam this man here
wi oot the leave o' me!"
11. "Oh! woe's me! an woe's me!
It's but ma cousin Mackintosh
from the North Countree."
"We'd be all hanged and quartered, Kate,
wi oot the leave o' me."
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HAME CAM OUR GUDEMAN AT E'EN- Smith: The Scottish Minstrel, vol. 4, 1823
Hame cam oure gudeman at e'en,
And hame cam he,
And there he saw a saddle horse,
Where horse sud na be.
Oh! how's this and what's this?
And wha's may he be?
How cam this horse here
Without the leave o' me?
Recit: Ye silly, blind, doited carl,
In time: And blinder may ye be;
It's but a bonnie milk-cow
My minny sent to me.
Recit: Milk cow! quo' he; Ay milk cow, quo' she;
In time: O far hae I ridden, and mickle hae I gaen,
Recit: But a saddle on a milk-cow
In time: Saw I never nane.
Hame cam oure gudeman at e'en,
And hame cam he,
And there he saw a siller gun,
Whar nae sic gun sud be.
How's this? and what's this?
And how cam this to be?
How cam this gun here
Without the leave o' me?
Ye stupid auld doited carl,
Ye're unco blind I see ;
It's but a bonnie parritch-stick
My Minnie sent to me.
Parritch-stick! quo'he; ay parritch-stick,quo' she;
Far hae I ridden, and mickle hae I seen,
But siller munted parritch-sticks
Saw I never nane.
Hame cam oure gudeman at e'en,
And hame cam he,
And there he saw a feather-cap,
Whar nae cap sud be.
How's this? and what's this?
And how cam this to be?
How cam this bannet here
Without the leave o' me?
Ye're a silly auld donard bodie,
And unco blind I see;
It's but a tappit clocken hen
My minnie sent to me.
A clocken hen! quo'he; a clocken hen, quo' she;
Far hae I ridden, and farer hae I gaen,
But white cockauds on clocken hens
Saw I never nane.
Ben the house gaed the gudeman,
And ben gaed he,
And there he spied a Hieland plaid,
Whar nae plaid sud be.
How's this? and what's this?
And how cam this to be?
How cam the plaid here
Without the leave o' me ?
Oh hooly, hooly, my gudeman,
And dinna angered be ;
It cam wi' cousin McIntosh
Frae the north countrie.
Your Cousin! quo he, aye cousin, quo she;
Blind as ye may jibe me, I've sight enough to see,
Ye're hidin tories in the house
Without the leave o' me.