FOOTNOTES:
[260] [Ver. 1. journeyed ore the.]
[261] Erle Jonas, mentioned in the foregoing ballad.
[262] [V. 20. he sayes that must. MS.]
[263] [Ver. 21. the gyant, he was neere soe.]
[264] [V. 25. sais hee.]
[265] [V. 26. my crowes about the walls.]
[266] [V. 27. cold him.]
[267] [V. 31. saies Guy your quarrelsome.]
[268] [V. 32. are something neere.]
[269] [V. 33. most not in MS., a club.]
[270] [V. 36. heere is the wepon that must doe.]
[271] [V. 37. Soe takes.]
[272] [V. 38. sides.]
[273] [V. 45. and ere he cold recovers clubb againe.]
[274] [V. 46. did beate.]
[275] [V. 48. to beate.]
[276] [Ver. 49. att last through strength, Amarant feeble grew.]
[277] [V. 51. nature wants her.]
[278] [V. 54. then to grant.]
[279] [V. 55. I give.]
[280] Which Guy had slain before
[281] [V. 56. to pledge, beare.]
[282] [V. 58. to drinke cold.]
[283] [V. 59. and after that carrouse.]
[284] [V. 63. on some rocke.]
[285] [V. 64. bulke doe stryke.]
[286] [V. 66. behold him.]
[287] [V. 67. lets to one.]
[288] [V. 76. has deathes.]
[289] [Ver. 79. att this bold pagans bostes.]
[290] [V. 86. soe heavy and soe weaghtye.]
[291] [V. 88. his fall.]
[292] [V. 89. in his fist.]
[293] [V. 90. and stroke a blow.]
[294] [V. 96. I wold destroy.]
[295] [V. 102. hurtfull.]
[296] [Ver. 120. space to thee I will not.]
[297] [strut.]
[298] [V. 128. that not in MS.]
[299] [V. 133. Guy said.]
[300] [V. 134. seemes.]
[301] [V. 135. ingratefull monster since thou hast denyd.]
[302] [Ver. 140. doe weapon prove.]
[303] [V. 142. behoves.]
[304] [V. 145. Hold, tyrant.]
[305] [V. 160. miserye.]
[306] [V. 163. dungeon.]
[307] [V. 166. then flesh.]
[308] [Ver. 178. Will were.]
[309] [V. 181. walls.]
[310] [V. 183. the father.]
[311] [V. 186. promise you.]
[312] [V. 190. pittye sake.]
[313] [V. 191. men may easilye revenge the deeds men doe.]
[314] [V. 192. no strength. MS.]
III.
THE AULD GOOD-MAN.
A Scottish Song.
I have not been able to meet with a more ancient copy of this humourous old song, than that printed in the Tea-Table miscellany, &c. which seems to have admitted some corruptions.
[This song is printed in Ramsay's Tea-Table Miscellany as old, and it is also given in the Orpheus Caledonius, 1725. "Auld goodman" means a first husband.]
Late in an evening forth I went
A little before the sun gade down,
And there I chanc't, by accident,
To light on a battle new begun:
A man and his wife wer fawn[315] in a strife, 5
I canna weel tell ye how it began;
But aye she wail'd her wretched life,
Cryeng, Evir alake, mine auld goodman!
He.
Thy auld goodman, that thou tells of,
The country kens where he was born, 10
Was but a silly poor vagabond,
And ilka ane leugh him to scorn:
For he did spend and make an end
Of gear 'his fathers nevir' wan;
He gart the poor stand frae the door; 15
Sae tell nae mair of thy auld goodman.
She.
My heart, alake! is liken to break,
Whan I think on my winsome John,
His blinkan ee, and gait sae free,
Was naithing like thee, thou dosend[316] drone; 20
Wi' his rosie face, and flaxen hair,
And skin as white as ony swan,
He was large and tall, and comely withall;
Thou'lt nevir be like mine auld goodman.
He.
Why dost thou plein?[317] I thee maintein; 25
For meal and mawt thou disna want:
But thy wild bees I canna please,
Now whan our gear gins to grow scant:
Of houshold stuff thou hast enough;
Thou wants for neither pot nor pan; 30
Of sicklike ware he left thee bare;
Sae tell nae mair of thy auld goodman.
She.
Yes I may tell, and fret my sell,
To think on those blyth days I had,
Whan I and he, together ley 35
In armes into a well-made bed:
But now I sigh and may be sad,
Thy courage is cauld, thy colour wan,
Thou falds thy feet and fa's asleep;
Thou'lt nevir be like mine auld goodman. 40
Then coming was the night sae dark,
And gane was a' the light of day?
The carle was fear'd to miss his mark,
And therefore wad nae longer stay:
Then up he gat, and ran his way, 45
I trowe, the wife the day she wan;
And aye the owreword[318] of the fray
Was, Evir alake! mine auld goodman.