I Will Set My Ship- David Rorie (Aber) 1906 Greig S
[My date, title. Version of "I Will Set My Ship in Order" from The Greig-Duncan Folk Song Collection - Volume 4; edited by Patrick N. Shuldham-Shaw, Emily B. Lyle - 1981. Collected in North Scotland in early 1900s by Gavin Greig (1856–1914), and the minister James Bruce Duncan 1848-1917).
R. Matteson 2016]
Keith's Notes: Now in Donside district. Rorie, Col. David, Cults, ix ; xn, Lxvn, IXIXn. Doctor at Cults, Aberdeenshire. Author of poems, The Auld Doctor, etc. Won D.S.O. in R.A.M.C. during war. Got ballads from a female correspondent in Rothienorman district.
R. "I Will Set My Ship" - Sung by Col. David Rorie (1867-1946) a doctor from Cults, Aberdeenshire, who got ballads from a female correspondent in Rothienorman District c. 1906. Collected by Gavin Greig.
1. It's I will set my ship in order,
And I will set her into the main,
I will sail ower to yonder border,
And see what tidings I can bring hame.
2. We've sail-ed east, and we've sail-ed west,
We've sail-ed far oot ower the main,
Until that I came to my love's bower window,
And knock-ed loudly and wid be in.
3. "Who's that at my bow window,
That knocks sae loudly and wid be in?"
" 'Tis I, 'tis I, your true love Johnnie,
O rise, O rise, and let me in.
4. I have few lovers oot,
And as few I do let in,
Unless it be my true love Johnnie,
And I'm weel sure that you're nae him.
5. Arise, arise, go and ask your mother
And see if she'll let you my bride be,
And if she denies me come back and tell me,
It will be the last time I'll visit thee.
6. My mother's in her chamber sleeping,
Sweet notes o' love, an' she winna hear
So begone young man and court another,
And whisper softly in her ear.
7. Arise, arise, go and ask your father
And see if he'll let you my bride be,
And if he denies me come back and tell me,
It will be the last time I'll visit thee.
8 My father's in his camber writing,
Setting down his merchandise;
He has a letter in his pocket,
And it speaks all on your dispraise.
9. On my dispraise, or, on my depreciation[1],
On my dispraise love, how could it be?
For I never slighted nor denied thee,
[Until] this night thou hast slighted me.
10. It's up she 'rose, put on her clothes,
It's for to let her true love in,
But before she got the door weel opened,
His ship was sailin' oot ower the main.
11. Come back, come back, my true love Johnnie,
Come back, come back and speak wi' me,
It was my mother my cruel, cruel mother,
It was my mother who spoke to thee[2].
12. . . .
. . . . .
It's how could I come back and see ye
When my ship was sailin' oot ower the main?
13. The fish may fly, and the seas gang dry,
And the rocks may mould[3] down wi' the sun,
Your father may forget his labour,
And that will be when I return.
14. She's turned herself right 'round about,
And she's thrown herself into the sea;
Says, "Ye may come back to enjoy some other,
But ye'll never, never enjoy me."
1. depression?
2. original has "me." It seems better (and I assume what is implied) to have her mother taking her place at the window.
3. melt