I
Macmath MS., p. 99. Received November, 1892, from the recitation of Mary Cochrane (Mrs Joseph Garmory), Abbey-yard, Crossmichael, Kirkcudbrightshire. Written down by her husband.
1
Queen Jeanie was in labor for seven weeks in summer,
The women all being tired and quite gave her over:
‘O women, dear women, if women you be,
Send for my mother to come and see me.’
2
Her mother was sent for and instantly came,
Knelt down at the bedside where Queen Jeanie lay on:
‘O mother, dear mother, if mother you be,
Send for my father to come and see me.’
3
The father was sent for and instantly came,
Knelt down by the bedside where Queen Jeanie lay on:
‘O father, dear father, if father you be,
Send for King Henry to come and see me.’
4
King Henry was sent for and instantly came,
Knelt down by the bedside where Queen Jeanie lay on:
‘O Henry, King Henry, if Henry you be,
Send for the doctor to come and see me.’
5
The doctor was sent for and instantly came,
Knelt down by the bedside where Queen Jeanie lay on:
‘O doctor, dear doctor, if doctor you be,
Open my left side and let the babe free.’
6
Her left side was opened, the young prince was found:
‘O doctor, dear doctor, lay me down on the ground.’
7
Her bones were all broken and laid at her feet,
And they anointed her body with the ointment so sweet,
And ay as they weeped they wrung their hands sore,
For the fair flower of England will flourish no more.
173. Mary Hamilton.
P. 379. Stanzas 1, 2, 10 of C are printed in Motherwell’s Minstrelsy, p. 315, and 4, 9 of L at p. 316.
380 a, line 13. Say Stewart, or stewart.
384. A a. Found in a small MS. volume, with the title “Songs” on the cover, entirely in Sharpe’s handwriting, p. 29. The only variations, besides a few in spelling, are these:
91. stairs.
173. the night’s.
182. they’l.
389. F. This version was rendered by Skene with comparative fidelity. Still, the original, ‘Quin Mary’s Marreys,’ No 12 of “The Old Lady’s Collection,” would of course have been given if it had been in hand, and should be substituted, opportunity occurring. It is therefore printed here.
1
‘My father was the Duck of York,
My mother a lady frie,
My sell a dainnty damisall,
Quin Mary sent for me.
2
‘The quin’s meat it was so suit,
An her clething was sae rair,
It made me lang for Suit Willie’s bed,
An I ill rue it ever mare.
3
‘Mary Beeten, an Mary Sitton,
An Lady Livenston, a’ three,
We’ll never mett in Quin Mary’s bour nou,
Marrys tho we be.’
4
Quin Mary satt in her bour,
Suing her selver seam;
She thought she hard a baby greet
Bat an a lady mean.
5
She throu her neddel frae her,
Her seam out of her han,
An she is on to Lady Marry’s bour,
As fast as she could gang.
6
‘Open yer dor, Lady Mary,’ she says,
‘An lat me come in;
For I hear a baby greet,
Bat an a lady meen.’
7
‘Ther is nae bab in my bour, madam the Quin,
Nor never thinks to be,
Bat the strong pains of gravell
This night has sesed me.’
8
She paat her fitt to the dor,
Bat an her knee,
Bolts of brass an irn bands
In flinders she gart flee.
9
She pat a han to her bed-head
A nether to her bed-feet,
An bonny was the bab
Was blabring in its bleed.
10
‘Wae worth ye, Lady Mary,
An ill dead sall ye die!
For in ye widne keepet the bonny bab
Ye might ha gen ’t to me.’
11
‘Lay na the witt on me, madam,
Lay na the witt on me,
For my fals love bare the v[e]pan att his side
That gared my bern dee.’
12
‘Gett up, Lady Betton, get up, Lady Setton,
An Lady Livenston, three,
An we will on to Edenbrugh
An tray this gay lady.’
13
As she cam in the Cannogate,
The burgers’ wives they crayed hon, ochon, ochree!
14
‘O had yer still, ye burgers’ wives,
An make na mane for me;
Seek never grace out of a graslass face,
For they ha nan to gee.
15
‘Ye merchants an ye mareners,
That trad on the sea,
Ye dinnë tell in my country
The dead I am gaine to dee.
16
‘Ye merchants an ye mareners,
That traid on the fame,
Dinnë tell in my countray
Bat fatt I am coming hame.
17
‘Littel did my father think,
Fan he brouch[t] me our the sea,
That he woud see my yallou lokes
Hang on a gallou-tree.
18
‘Littel did my midder think,
Fan she brought me fra hame,
That she maugt see my yallou lokes
Hang on a gallou-pine.
19
‘. . . . . .
O had yer han a wee!
For yonder comes my father,
I am sure he’ll borrou me.
20
‘O some of yer goud, father,
An of yer well won fee,
To safe me [fra the high hill],
[An] fra the gallage-tree.’
21
‘Ye’s gett nane of my goud,
Ner of my well wone fee,
For I wead gee five hundred poun
To see ye hanged hee.’
22
‘. . . . .
O had yer han a wee!
Yonder is my love Willie,
He will borrou me.
23
‘O some of yer goud, my love Wille,
An some of yer well wone fee,
To save me fraa the high hill,
An fraie the gallou-tree.’
24
‘Ye’s gett a’ my goud,
An a’ my well won fee,
To save ye fra the heading-hill,
An fra the galla-tree.’
42. Perhaps silver.
63. lady greet: cf. 43.
71. næ.
112. watt.
113. vpan?
231. son Willë.
392 a, H 84. The nine. “Anciently the supreme criminal court of Scotland was composed of nine members.” Kinloch’s note, Ancient Scottish Ballads, p. 259. This may afford a date.
I. b. The three stanzas were given as written down from memory by Finlay: see VIII, 507 b.
174. Earl Bothwell.
The following entry in the Stationers’ Registers may refer to this ballad: “24 March, 1579, Thomas Gosson. Receaved of him for a ballad concerninge the murder of the late Kinge of Scottes.” Arber, II, 349.
178. Captain Car, or, Edom o Gordon.
P. 423, IV, 513.