Broom o the Cathery Knowes- McCormick (Dumbarton) c.1820s Child B
Child's End-Notes: B. The title, 'The Broom o the Cathery Knowes,' is not prefixed to the ballad, but is given in the Index.
5[4. Changed by Motherwell to many's the mile, as in 1.
12. Hey the broom, &c.
'The Broom o the Cathery Knowes'- Version B; Child 95 The Maid Freed From the Gallows
Motherwell Manuscript, p. 290, from the recitation of Widow McCormick; learned in Dumbarton.
1 'It's hold your hand, dear judge,' she says,
'O hold your hand for a while!
For yonder I see my father a coming,
Riding many's the mile.
2 'Have you any gold, father?' she says,
'Or have you any fee?
Or did you come to see your own daughter a hanging,
Like a dog, upon a tree?'
3 'I have no gold, daughter,' he says,
'Neither have I any fee;
But I am come to see my ain daughter hanged,
And hanged she shall be.'
4 'Hey the broom, and the bonny, bonny broom,
The broom o the Cauthery Knowes!
I wish I were at hame again,
Milking my ain daddie's ewes.
5 'Hold your hand, dear judge,' she says,
'O hold your hand for a while!
For yonder I see my own mother coming,
Riding full many a mile.
6 'Have you any gold, mother?' she says,
'Or have you any fee?
Or did you come to see your own daughter hanged,
Like a dog, upon a tree?'
7 'I have no gold, daughter,' she says,
'Neither have I any fee;
But I am come to see my own daughter hanged,
And hanged she shall be.'
8 'Hey the broom, the bonnie, bonnie broom,
The broom o the Cauthery Knowes!
I wish I were at hame again,
Milking my ain daddie's ewes.
9 'Hold your hand, dear judge,' she says,
'O hold your hand for a while!
For yonder I see my ae brother a coming,
Riding many's the mile.
10 'Have you any gold, brother?' she says,
'Or have you any fee?
Or did you come to see your ain sister a hanging,
Like a dog, upon a tree?'
11 'I have no gold, sister,' he says,
'Nor have I any fee'
But I am come to see my ain sister hanged,
And hanged she shall be.'
12 'Hey the broom, the bonnie, bonnie broom,
The broom o the Cathery Knowes!
I wish I were at hame again,
Milking my ain daddie's ewes.
13 'Hold your hand, dear judge,' she says,
'O hold your hand for a while!
For yonder I see my own true-love coming,
Riding full many a mile.
14 'Have you any gold, my true-love?' she says,
'Or have you any fee?
Or have you come to see your own love hanged,
Like a dog, upon a tree?'