C
“Scotch Ballads, Materials for Border Minstrelsy,” No 31, Abbotsford; in the handwriting of William Laidlaw.
1
‘Gae fetch to me James Pringle wi hast,
An see that he come speedilie,
For he maun on to Ettrick forest,
An see whae pays yon men meat and fee.’
2
When James Pringle cam down oer Birkendalee,
The hawks war yellin right loudlie,
The hunds war rinnin oer hill and dale,
As the bugle-horn soundit bonnilie.
3
‘Gae tell yer king this land’s my ain,
An to thir men I pay meat and fee;
I took it thrae the Souden Turk,
When nae sic cuckold king might be.
4
‘Sae as I wan, sae will I lose,
Spite o the kings in Christendie;
I never was a king’s subject,
Nor a king’s subject will I ever be.’
5
‘Outlaw Murray says yon land’s his ain,
And to yon men he pays meat and fee;
He took it frae the Souden Turk,
When you and your men durstna come and see.’
6
It was than the king he gat up in hast,
An wow an angrie man was he!
‘I’se either be king o Ettrick forest,
Or king o Scotland sal he be.
7
‘Gar warn me Fife an a’ Lothian land,
An Perth an Angus, to ride wi me,
For gin we war five thousan strang
Master and mair I fear he’ll be.’
8
When the king came oer be Birkendalee,
He spy’d the forest wi his ee;
There war daes an raes an monie wild beast,
An a castle stannin right bonnilie.
9
An in that castle a unicorn,
An, waly, but they war fair to see!
A warlike knight and a lady bright,
An the green halleen aboon her bree.
10
An Outlaw Murray an his merry men
War a’ rankit up i the Newark lee,
Well mountit on a milk-white steed;
Waly, he rankit them bonnilie!
11
His men war a clad oer wi green,
An he was clad i the taffatie,
Wi belt an pistle by his side;
O waly, but they war fair to see!
* * * * * *
12
‘Haliday young an Haliday auld,
Ye ir the men that man ride wi me;
But gin we war five hunder strang
Master an mair I fear they’ll be.’
* * * * * *
13
‘Philliphaugh it is my ain,
An Newark it belangs to me;
Lewinshope an Hanginshaw
Nae mortal man can claim thrae me.’
* * * * * *
14
It was than James Boyd got up in hast,
An to his merry men a’ spak he;
. . . . . . .
. . . . . . .
A.
a.
The division of stanzas as made in the MS. has been changed in 195-236, 685-736. Of course all the stanzas were originally of four verses, but in some cases it is not now possible to determine at what points verses have been lost. Two lines are in the MS. indicated (conjecturally, no doubt) to have dropped out after 412, 482, 704. 413,4 have been supplied from the copy in Herd’s first volume. There are asterisks in Herd I after 524.
14. Cf. 162, 294, and b.
41, 321. Cf. 191 and b. But c agrees with a.
51. Side note in MS.: James II, 1454.
314. lived.
342. Cf. b, c.
Variations in Herd, I (not regarding spelling). 24, 41. are wanting. 32. the brie.
33. hundir.
54. his country.
61. then wanting.
114. he dwelleth he.
164. him near by.
173. fair front.
213. land.
311. and a.
313. keeps him: hunder.
351. Outlaws (wrongly).
413,4. As supplied in the text. Cf. c.
582. bring him four.
584. Nae mae.
624. nae mair.
634. sake that.
651. Thir.
683. mak thee.
684. upward.
b.
13. There’s hart and hynd and dae and rae.
14. wilde beastes.
21. a feir.
33. keeps.
41. are a’ in ae.
42. sae gaye.
44. gin they lived.
54. nor a’.
64. outlaw sall.
71, 501. the lord.
74. at your: at me.
81. ye.
91. And wanting.
92, 121, 134, 213, 354, 444, 481, 651, 703. landis.
101. then called a.
102. the erle.
104. He knelit.
114. where bydeth.
123. And desyre.
132. sall gie.
164. hym neir bi.
171. Of that.
173. castell feir.
174. were gaye.
184. on Newark lee.
191. were a’.
192. sae gaye.
194. 1802, gin. 1803, instead of 193,4:
His men were a’ clad in the grene,
The knight was armed capapie,
With a bended bow, on a milk-white steed,
And I wot they ranked right bonilie.
195. Thereby Boyd.
204. seemis.
222. I ken.
224. his knightis.
233, 373, 581. ye.
235. hath.
253, 504. nobilis.
263. befor a.
273. James Boyd.
281. When James he.
282. He knelit lowlie on: seyd our.
303. in the forefront.
311. and a.
312. Wi the.
314. He keepis a royalle cumpanie.
321. in ae.
322. sae gaye.
324. gin.
332. frae the Southronie.
334, 654. kingis.
34.
‘Gar warn me Perthshire and Angus baith,
Fife up and down and the Louthians three, (cf. B 331,2)
And graith my horse,’ said the nobil king,
‘For to Ettricke Foreste hie will I me.’
353. 1803, cuming.
364. 1802, cumand.
372. hie them.
373, 692. gae.
383,4.
The king cums on for Ettricke Foreste,
And landless men we a’ will be. (Cf. B 34.)
401. said.
412. surely mair.
Between 411,2 and 413,4:
And before he gets the Foreste feir,
We a’ will die on Newark Lee. (Cf. B 40.)
413,4.
The Outlaw calld a messenger,
And bid him hie him speedilye.
43. wanting.
441. Andrew Murray said.
442, 612. gif: na.
444. And set.
451. if.
453. laird wanting.
471,2.
And now he is cuming (1802, cumand) to Ettricke Foreste,
And landless men ye a’ will be. (Cf. B 413,4).
474. will I live.
482. 1802, canna: warse.
491. 1803, cuming.
492. full five.
493. the derke.
503. sovereign liege.
511. mete thee.
521, 561. gif.
522. We’ll conquess baith his landis and he.
524. Hald.
Between 52 and 53:
Then spak the kene laird of Buckscleuth,
A stalworthye man and sterne was he;
‘For a king to gang an Outlaw till
Is beneath his state and his dignitie.
‘The man that wons yon Foreste intill,
He lives by reif and felonie;
Wherefore, brayd on, my sovereign liege,
Wi fire and sword we’ll follow thee; (see a 522)
Or, gif your courtrie lords fa back,
Our borderers sall the onset gie.’
Then out and spak the nobil king,
And round him cast a wilie ee;
‘Now haud thy tongue, sir Walter Scott,
Nor speik of reif nor felonie,
For, had everye honeste man his awin kye,
A right puir clan thy name wad be.’
532. there was.
533. Hop.
542. A message ye maun gang.
552, 582. four in.
574. What message.
583. erles sall gang himsell befor.
593,4.
He’ll cast yon bonny castle down,
And mak a widowe o that gaye ladye.
60.
He’ll loose yon bluidhound borderers
Wi fire and sword to follow thee;
There will nevir a Murray after thysell
Have land in Ettricke Foreste frie.
613. Wha reck not losing.
After 61:
My merryemen’s lives, my widowe’s teirs,
There lies the pang that pinches me!
When I am straught in bluidie eard,
Yon castell will be right dreirie.
633. nobil king.
634. sake that.
643. Over God’s forbode, quoth.
After 644 (added in 1803):
Else ere ye come to Edinburgh port
I trow thin guarded sall ye be.
651. Thir.
652. from.
661. said wanting.
662. Said pitie.
671. give thee.
672, 682. gaye for fair.
673. Gin thoult mak me sheriffe of this.
683. I’se: of Ettricke Foreste.
686. sall thou.
703. they lie.
71. 1802.
Fair Philiphaugh, prince, is my ain,
But and a part of the Newark lee,
The Finnies and the Hangingshaw,
My liege, are native steads to me.
1803.
Fair Philiphaugh is mine by right,
And Lewinshope still mine shall be;
Newark, Foulshiells and Tinnies baith
My bow and arrow purchased me.
721,2. 1803
.
And I have native steads to me
The Newark lee and Hangingshaw;
734. upwards.
735. was na.
c.
This copy agrees closely, as to substance, with a. After 504 it has two lines, partially corrupted, which do not occur in a, and it lacks st. 60, which, it is to be observed, does not occur in the king’s instructions to Pringle, 54-56 (though found in the instructions to Boyd, 14), and was therefore not to be expected. Verbal differences are numerous, but in only a very few cases of the least importance, and in these for the worse.
14, 162, 294. wild beasts.
21. builded of.
23. There’s in.
24. is braw.
31. and lady.
33,4, 313. keeps.
41. men’s in livery.
42. is fair.
44. O gin.
54. country.
61. then wanting.
64. sall be.
71, 261. spoke.
74. good nobles, and syne.
82, 451, 591. if.
82. yon man.
83, 123, 423, 511, 551. him to.
91, 133, 194, 233, 302, 314, 324, 403. gin.
91, 133. refuse.
92, 134, 234, 354. conqueist.
93. we’ll cast.
94, 142, 236, 432. his (thy, my) fair.
102. and his brother-in-law.
111. said the.
112. gae.
113. to fair E.
121. holds.
124. yon fair forrest of me.
131, 152, 443. Till.
141. may: I’se.
163. There heard he bows did.
164. whithering him near by.
171. the great.
173. the castle he saw.
174. unicorns so braw.
191. They were all in ane.
194. not royallie.
195. he knew.
196. He served.
201. Good mot ye.
202. Thy fair lady and thy.
211. he sent.
214. may your.
221. lands is.
222. And I ken.
223. From Soldan Turk.
224. king and his men was.
231. ye, man, to come.
233. ye.
243. Then.
244. will I.
252. Thir lands.
253. they sall lie.
262. Said she.
263. That any: enter before a.
264. rad for.
271. lords.
273. leave at.
274. Unto: bound he.
291. is ane of the: forrests.
303. that fair c.
311. There’s wanting: and a.
313. There an.
314. live.
321. is in l.
322. is fair.
331. is truely his.
332. He says he: Soldanie.
333. Like as: he loss it.
342. In E. Forrest.
344. And made for.
351. to the.
352. where lay.
353. coming to this.
354. And ould.
363. Will: men take.
364. Your: sall.
372. speed them.
381. Be certain he.
382. And bid him come and.
383. Till Halliday till that he come.
384. You show.
393. Nought.
401, 441. said.
403, 693. loss.
412. if I.
413,4 wanting.
421. Laird of.
424, 472. that wanting.
442, 612. O gin it.
452. in the night ye.
454. right hastilie.
463. needs me.
471. desired ye to.
481. he’s.
482. no worse for.
491. coming oer Cadron.
494. awfu.
502. Unto.
504. First of: and then of.
After 504:
Yet I reid you send yon Outlaw till,
And if you man them, come will he.
(Repetition, with corruption, of 81,2.)
512. four of the best of.
513, 622. gae.
513, 553. aun sell.
514. Good reason you.
522. follow will we.
523. never after him again.
531. king he called.
532. bearer of Scotland.
533. Hoppringle.
534. on.
541, 573. Laird of.
542,3. Thou.
551. Desire.
552, 582. Bring four of the best of the (your).
554. reason in some part I.
562. good from.
574. What biddings.
581. desires you to.
584. Nae mae.
591. ye.
592. Truelie here I.
60 wanting.
613. What rack of the.
623. Sir wanting.
634. sake that.
641. Siccan mercie you sal.
642. sal you.
643. said the O. syne.
651. The.
652. from.
653. sae will I loss.
661. noblemen.
662. Pitie, Outlaw: see thee.
664. Let your favour be given to.
671. my fair.
673. Why, ye will make me sheriff: the fair.
681. Will ye: your.
682. of your.
683. of Ettrick Forrest.
685. If ye be not a: to your.
686. Forfeited.
691. But alace, prince: become.
693. lands.
701. thy.
702. grant I frie.
703. where.
714. Prince, they are native lands.
724. But well their names I do not.
733. He made him.
736. a traitor to the crown.
736. should he.
741. any time.
742. Sic ane Outlaw.
744. Outlaw in the Forrest.
d.
The MS. extant in the Philiphaugh archives exhibits, besides many differences of spelling, the following variations in reading from c as printed by Aytoun:
51. Side note: Jas the 2d, 1454.
174. is bra for so braw.
192. is fair for so fair.
214. mak for man, wrongly.
223. From Soudron for From Soldan Turk.
242. see for find.
262. said wanting, wrongly.
332. Soudonie for Soldanie.
333, 653. tyne for loss.
383. Tell for Till.
404. Mosaldale for Moffat-dale.
432. ane for a.
452. he for ye.
482. work for worse, wrongly.
504. syne for then.
511, 551, 581. Penman score, wrongly.
521, 561. refuse for refuses.
562. frae for from.
651. Thir for the.
732. With his for With the, wrongly.
B.
The division of stanzas has been rearranged.
52. “Reciters,” says Scott, “sometimes call the messenger the laird of Skene.”
21==8.
213. the wanting.
214. in the.
22==9.
224. land.
24==11.
244. come to.
353. Carhead.
50, 54. Passing over the king’s taking off his cap to an outlaw, which is monstrously ‘beneath his state and his dignitie,’ I can make nothing of the line which succeeds in each of these stanzas.
521. score for core.
C.
14. Displaced. James Boyd should of course come in before James Pringle.