THE GAY GOSS-HAWK
PART I
“O waly, waly, my gay goss-hawk,
Gin your feathering be sheen!”—
“And waly, waly, my master dear,
Gin ye look pale and lean!
“O have ye tint, at tournament,
Your sword, or yet your spear;
Or mourn ye for the southern lass,
Whom ye may not win near?”—
“I have not tint, at tournament,
My sword, nor yet my spear;
But sair I mourn for my true love,
Wi’ mony a bitter tear.
“But weel’s me on ye, my gay goss-hawk,
Ye can baith speak and flee;
Ye sall carry a letter to my love,
Bring an answer back to me.”—
“But how sall I your true love find,
Or how suld I her know?
I bear a tongue ne’er wi’ her spake,
An eye that ne’er her saw.”
“O weel sail ye my true love ken,
Sae sune as ye her see;
For, of a’ the flowers of fair England,
The fairest flower is she.
“The red that’s on my true love’s cheek,
Is like blood-drops on the snaw;
The white that is on her breast bare,
Like the down o’ the white sea-maw.
“And even at my love’s bour-door
There grows a flowering birk;
And ye maun sit and sing thereon
As she gangs to the kirk.
“And four-and-twenty fair ladyes
Will to the mass repair;
But weel may ye my ladye ken,
The fairest ladye there.”
PART II
Lord William has written a love-letter,
Put it under his pinion gray;
And he is awa to Southern land
As fast as wings can gae.
And even at that ladye’s bour
There grew a flowering birk;
And he sat down and sung thereon
As she gaed to the kirk.
And weel he kent that ladye fair
Amang her maidens free;
For the flower, that springs in May morning,
Was not sae sweet as she.
He lighted at the ladye’s yate,
And sat him on a pin;
And sang fu’ sweet the notes o’ love,
Till a’ was cosh within.
And first he sang a low low note,
And syne he sang a clear;
And aye the o’erword o’ the sang
Was—“Your love can no win here.”
“Feast on, feast on, my maidens a’,
The wine flows you amang,
While I gang to my shot-window,
And hear yon bonny bird’s sang.
“Sing on, sing on, my bonny bird,
The sang ye sung yestreen;
For weel I ken, by your sweet singing,
Ye are frae my true love sen.”
O first he sang a merry sang,
And syne he sang a grave;
And syne he pecked his feathers gray,
To her the letter gave.
“Have there a letter from lord William;
He says he’s sent ye three;
He canna wait your love langer,
But for your sake he’ll dee.”—
“Gae bid him bake his bridal bread,
And brew his bridal ale;
And I shall meet him at Mary’s kirk,
Lang, lang ere it be stale.”
The lady’s gane to her chamber,
And a moanfu’ woman was she;
As gin she had ta’en a sudden brash,
And were about to dee.
“A boon, a boon, my father dear,
A boon I beg of thee!”—
“Ask not that paughty Scottish lord,
For him you ne’er shall see.
“But, for your honest asking else,
Weel granted it shall be.”—
“Then, gin I die in Southern land,
In Scotland gar bury me.
“And the first kirk that ye come to,
Ye’s gar the mass be sung;
And the next kirk that ye come to,
Ye’s gar the bells be rung.
“And when ye come to St. Mary’s kirk,
Ye’s tarry there till night.”
And so her father pledg’d his word,
And so his promise plight.
PART III
She has ta’en her to her bigly bour
As fast as she could fare;
And she has drank a sleepy draught,
That she had mix’d wi’ care.
And pale, pale grew her rosy cheek,
That was sae bright of blee,
And she seem’d to be as surely dead
As any one could be.
Then spak her cruel step-minnie,
“Tak ye the burning lead,
And drap a drap on her bosome,
To try if she be dead.”
They took a drap o’ boiling lead,
They drapp’d it on her breast;
“Alas! alas!” her father cried,
“She’s dead without the priest.”
She neither chatter’d with her teeth,
Nor shiver’d with her chin;
“Alas! alas!” her father cried,
“There is nae breath within.”
Then up arose her seven brethren.
And hew’d to her a bier;
They hew’d it frae the solid aik,
Laid it o’er wi’ silver clear.
Then up and gat her seven sisters,
And sewed to her a kell;
And every steek that they put in
Sewed to a siller bell.
The first Scots kirk that they cam to,
They garr’d the bells be rung;
The next Scots kirk that they cam to,
They garr’d the mass be sung.
But when they cam to St. Mary’s kirk,
There stude spearmen all on a raw;
And up and started lord William,
The chieftane amang them a’.
“Set down, set down the bier,” he said,
“Let me look her upon:”
But as soon as lord William touch’d her hand,
Her colour began to come.
She brightened like the lily flower,
Till her pale colour was gone;
With rosy cheik, and ruby lip,
She smiled her love upon.
“A morsel of your bread, my lord,
And one glass of your wine;
For I hae fasted these three lang days,
All for your sake and mine.—
“Gae hame, gae hame, my seven bauld brothers,
Gae hame and blaw your horn!
I trow ye wad hae gi’en me the skaith,
But I’ve gi’en you the scorn.
“Commend me to my gray father,
That wished my saul gude rest;
But wae be to my cruel step-dame,
Garr’d burn me on the breast.”—
“Ah! woe to you, you light woman!
An ill death may you dee!
For we left father and sisters at hame
Breaking their hearts for thee.”
BONNY BABY LIVINGSTON
PART I
O bonny Baby Livingston
Went forth to view the hay,
And by it came him Glenlion,
Sta bonny Baby away.
O first he’s taen her silken coat,
And neest her satten gown,
Syne rowd her in a tartan plaid,
And hapd her round and rown,
He has set her upon his steed
And roundly rode away,
And neer loot her look back again
The live-long summer’s day.
He’s carried her oer hills and muirs
Till they came to a Highland glen,
And there he’s met his brother John,
With twenty armed men.
O there were cows, and there were ewes,
And lasses milking there,
But Baby neer anse lookd about,
Her heart was filld wi care.
Glenlion took her in his arms,
And kissd her, cheek and chin;
Says, “I’d gie a’ these cows and ewes
But ae kind look to win.”
“O ae kind look ye neer shall get,
Nor win a smile frae me,
Unless to me you’ll favour shew,
And take me to Dundee.”
“Dundee, Baby? Dundee, Baby?
Dundee you neer shall see
Till I’ve carried you to Glenlion
And have my bride made thee.
“We’ll stay a while at Auchingour,
And get sweet milk and cheese,
And syne we’ll gang to Glenlion,
And there live at our ease.”
“I winna stay at Auchingour,
Nor eat sweet milk and cheese,
Nor go with thee to Glenlion,
For there I’ll neer find ease.”
Than out it spake his brother John,
“O were I in your place,
I’d take that lady hame again,
For a’ her bonny face.
“Commend me to the lass that’s kind,
Tho na so gently born;
And, gin her heart I coudna gain,
To take her hand I’d scorn.”
“O had your tongue now, John,” he says,
“You wis na what you say;
For I’ve lood that bonny face
This twelve month and a day.
“And tho I’ve lood her lang and sair
A smile I neer coud win;
Yet what I’ve got anse in my power
To keep I think nae sin.”
PART II
When they came to Glenlion castle,
They lighted at the yate,
And out it came his sisters three,
Wha did them kindly greet.
O they’ve taen Baby by the hands
And led her oer the green,
And ilka lady spake a word,
But bonny Baby spake nane.
Then out it spake her bonny Jean,
The youngest o the three,
“O lady, dinna look sae sad,
But tell your grief to me.”
“O wherefore should I tell my grief,
Since lax I canna find?
I’m stown frae a’ my kin and friends,
And my love I left behind.
“But had I paper, pen, and ink,
Before that it were day,
I yet might get a letter sent
In time to Johny Hay.”
O she’s got paper, pen, and ink,
And candle that she might see,
And she has written a broad letter
To Johny at Dundee.
And she has gotten a bonny boy,
That was baith swift and strang,
Wi philabeg and bonnet blue,
Her errand for to gang.
“O boy, gin ye’d my blessing win
And help me in my need,
Run wi this letter to my love,
And bid him come wi speed.
“And here’s a chain of good red gowd,
And gowdn guineas three,
And when you’ve well your errand done,
You’ll get them for your fee.”
The boy he ran oer hill and dale,
Fast as a bird coud flee,
And eer the sun was twa hours height
The boy was at Dundee.
And when he came to Johny’s door
He knocked loud and sair;
Then Johny to the window came,
And loudly cry’d, “Wha’s there?”
“O here’s a letter I have brought,
Which ye maun quickly read,
And, gin ye woud your lady save,
Gang back wi me wi speed.”
O when he had the letter read,
An angry man was he;
He says, “Glenlion, thou shalt rue
This deed of villany!
“O saddle to me the black, the black,
O saddle to me the brown,
O saddle to me the swiftest steed
That eer rade frae the town.
“And arm ye well, my merry men a’,
And follow me to the glen,
For I vow I’ll neither eat nor sleep
Till I get my love again.”
He’s mounted on a milk-white steed,
The boy upon a gray,
And they got to Glenlion’s castle
About the close of day.
As Baby at her window stood,
The west wind salt did bla;
She heard her Johny’s well-kent voice
Beneath the castle wa.
“O Baby, haste, the window jump!
I’ll kep you in my arm;
My merry men a’ are at the yate,
To rescue you frae harm.”
She to the window fixt her sheets
And slipped safely down,
And Johny catchd her in his arms,
Neer loot her touch the ground.
When mounted on her Johny’s horse,
Fou blithely did she say,
“Glenlion, you hae lost your bride!
She’s aff wi Johny Hay.”
PART III
Glenlion and his brother John
Were birling in the ha,
When they heard Johny’s bridle ring,
As first he rade awa.
“Rise, Jock, gang out and meet the priest,
I hear his bridle ring;
My Baby now shall be my wife
Before the laverocks sing.”
“O brother, this is not the priest;
I fear he’ll come oer late;
For armed men with shining brands
Stand at the castle-yate.”
“Haste Donald, Duncan, Dugald, Hugh!
Haste, take your sword and spier!
We’ll gar these traytors rue the hour
That eer they ventured here.”
The Highland men drew their claymores,
And gae a warlike shout,
But Johny’s merry men kept the yate,
Nae are durst venture out.
The lovers rade the live-lang night,
And safe gat on their way,
And bonny Baby Livingston
Has gotten Johny Hay.
“Awa, Glenlion! fy for shame!
Gae hide ye in some den!
You’ve lettn your bride be stown frae you,
For a’ your armed men.”
HYND HORN
Near the King’s Court was a young child born,
With a hey lillelu and a how lo lan;
And his name it was called Young Hynd Horn,
And the birk and the broom blooms bonnie.
Seven lang years he served the King,
With a hey lillelu and a how lo lan;
And it’s a’ for the sake o’ his daughter Jean,
And the birk and the broom blooms bonnie.
The King an angry man was he,
With a hey lillelu and a how lo lan;
He sent Young Hynd Horn to the sea,
And the birk and the broom blooms bonnie.
Oh! his Love gave him a gay gold ring,
With a hey lillelu and a how lo lan;
With three shining diamonds set therein,
And the birk and the broom blooms bonnie.
“As lang as these diamonds keep their hue,
With a hey lillelu and a how lo lan,
Ye’ll know I am a lover true,
And the birk and the broom blooms bonnie.
“But when your ring turns pale and wan,
With a hey lillelu and a how lo lan,
Then I’m in love with another man,
And the birk and the broom blooms bonnie.”
He’s gone to the sea and far away,
With a hey lillelu and a how lo lan;
And he’s stayed for seven lang years and a day,
And the birk and the broom blooms bonnie:
Seven lang years by land and sea,
With a hey lillelu and a how lo lan;
And he’s aften looked how his ring may be,
And the birk and the broom blooms bonnie.
One day when he looked this ring upon,
With a hey lillelu and a how lo lan,
The shining diamonds were pale and wan,
And the birk and the broom blooms bonnie.
He hoisted sails, and hame cam’ he,
With a hey lillelu and a how lo lan;
Hame unto his ain countrie,
And the birk and the broom blooms bonnie.
He’s left the sea and he’s come to land,
With a hey lillelu and a how lo lan;
And the first he met was an auld beggar-man,
And the birk and the broom blooms bonnie.
“What news, what news, my silly auld man?
With a hey lillelu and a how lo lan;
For it’s seven lang years since I saw this land,
And the birk and the broom blooms bonnie.”
“No news, no news,” doth the beggar-man say,
With a hey lillelu and a how lo lan;
“But our King’s ae daughter she’s wedded to-day,
And the birk and the broom blooms bonnie.”
“Wilt thou give to me thy begging coat?
With a hey lillelu and a how lo lan;
And I’ll give to thee my scarlet cloak,
And the birk and the broom blooms bonnie.
“Give me your auld pike-staff, and hat,
With a hey lillelu and a how lo lan;
And ye sall be right weel paid for that,
And the birk and the broom blooms bonnie.”
The auld beggar-man cast off his coat,
With a hey lillelu and a how lo lan,
And he’s ta’en up the scarlet cloak,
And the birk and the broom blooms bonnie.
He’s gi’en him his auld pike-staff and hat,
With a hey lillelu and a how lo lan;
And he was right weel paid for that,
And the birk and the broom blooms bonnie.
The auld beggar-man was bound for the mill,
With a hey lillelu and a how lo lan;
But Young Hynd Horn for the King’s ain hall,
And the birk and the broom blooms bonnie.
When he came to the King’s ain gate,
With a hey lillelu and a how lo lan,
He asked a drink for Young Hynd Horn’s sake,
And the birk and the broom blooms bonnie.
These news unto the bonny bride cam’,
With a hey lillelu and a how lo lan,
That at the gate there stands an auld man,
And the birk and the broom blooms bonnie.
There stands an auld man at the King’s gate,
With a hey lillelu and a how lo lan;
He asketh a drink for Young Hynd Horn’s sake,
And the birk and the broom blooms bonnie.
The Bride cam’ tripping down the stair,
With a hey lillelu and a how lo lan;
The combs o’ fine goud in her hair,
And the birk and the broom blooms bonnie;
A cup o’ the red wine in her hand,
With a hey lillelu and a how lo lan;
And that she gave to the beggar-man,
And the birk and the broom blooms bonnie.
Out o’ the cup he drank the wine,
With a hey lillelu and a how lo lan;
And into the cup he dropt the ring,
And the birk and the broom blooms bonnie.
“O gat thou this by sea or by land?
With a hey lillelu and a how lo lan.
Or gat thou it aff a dead man’s hand?
And the birk and the broom blooms bonnie.”
“I gat it neither by sea nor land,
With a hey lillelu and a how lo lan,
Nor gat I it from a dead man’s hand,
And the birk and the broom blooms bonnie.
“But I gat it at my wooing gay,
With a hey lillelu and a how lo lan;
And I gie it to you on your wedding-day,
And the birk and the broom blooms bonnie.”
“I’ll cast aside my satin goun,
With a hey lillelu and a how lo lan.
And I’ll follow you frae toun to toun,
And the birk and the broom blooms bonnie.
“I’ll tak’ the fine goud frae my hair,
With a hey lillelu and a how lo lan,
And follow you forevermair,
And the birk and the broom blooms bonnie.”
He let his cloutie cloak doun fa’,
With a hey lillelu and a how lo lan;
Young Hynd Horn shone above them a’,
And the birk and the broom blooms bonnie,
The bridegroom thought he had her wed,
With a hey lillelu and a how lo lan;
But she is Young Hynd Horn’s instead,
And the birk and the broom blooms bonnie.
Arranged by William Allingham