Betrayed Lady- (N. Scot) 1828 Peter Buchan MS
[From Buchan's Manuscripts, II, 166. Published with minor changes in Ancient Ballads and Songs of the North of Scotland, p. 198, Volume 2 by Peter Buchan, 1828. His notes follow.
R. Matteson 2018]
THE BETRAYED LADY.
Page 198.
Of this ballad I have seen three different copies; the present one; another in a lately published Collection of Ancient Ballads; and the third in an English Collection and dress. The English copy begins thus:—
It was a knight in Scotland born,
Follow my love, come over the strand—
Was taken prisoner and left forlorn,
Even by the good Earl of Northumberland.
Then was he cast in prison strong,
Follow my love, come over the strand—
Where he could not walk nor lay along,
Even by the good Earl of Northumberland.
It finishes with the lady's advice to all young maidens, to beware of being deceived by Scotchmen.
The Betrayed Lady- from an unknown informant in Buchan's Manuscripts, II, 166.
1 As I went by a jail-house door,
Maid's love whiles is easy won
I saw a prisoner standing there,
'I wish I were home in fair Scotland.
2 'Fair maid, will you pity me?
Maid's love whiles is easy won
Ye'll steal the keys, let me gae free:
I'll make you my lady in fair Scotland.
3 'I'm sure you have no need of me,
Maid's love whiles is easy won
For ye have a wife and bairns three,
That lives at home in fair Scotland.'
4 He swore by him that was crownd with thorn,
Maid's love whiles is easy won
That he never had a wife since the day he was born,
But livd a free lord in fair Scotland.
5 She went unto her father's bed-head,
Maid's love whiles is easy won
She's stown the key o mony a lock,
She's let him out o prison strong.
6 She's went to her father's stable,
Maid's love whiles is easy won
She's stown a steed baith wight and able,
To carry them on to fair Scotland.
7 They rode till they came to a muir,
Maid's love whiles is easy won
He bade her light aff, they'd call her a whore,
If she didna return to Northumberland.
8 They rode till they came to a moss,
Maid's love whiles is easy won
He bade her light aff her father's best horse,
And return her again to Northumberland.
9 'I'm sure I have no need of thee,
Maid's love whiles is easy won
When I have a wife and bairns three,
That lives at home in fair Scotland.'
10 'I'll be cook in your kitchen,
Maid's love whiles is easy won
And serve your lady handsomelie,
For I darena gae back to Northumberland.'
11 'Ye cannot be cook in my kitchen,
Maid's love whiles is easy won
My lady cannot fa sic servants as thee,
So ye'll return again to Northumberland.'
12 When she went thro her father's ha,
Maid's love whiles is easy won
She looted her low amongst them a',
She was the fair flower o Northumberland.
13 Out spake her father, he spake bold,
Maid's love whiles is easy won
'How could ye be a whore in fifteen years old,
And you the flower of Northumberland?'
14 Out spake her mother, she spake wi a smile,
Maid's love whiles is easy won
'She's nae the first his coat did beguile,
Ye're welcome again to Northumberland.'