Out it spake her mother then,
A sorry heart had she;
Says, "Wae be to his Highland face,55
That's taen my lass frae me!"
[8]. The island of Inchmahome, in the Lake of Menteith.
THE RARE BALLAD OF JOHNNIE FAA AND THE COUNTESS O'CASSILIS. See p. [114].
From Sheldon's Minstrelsy of the English Border, p. 329. The editor (or author, as he styles himself, indifferently) of that audacious work, asserts that he has "heard this ballad sung repeatedly by Willie Faa," and has "endeavored to preserve as much of his version as recollection would allow."
There were seven Gipsies in a gang,
They were both brisk and bonny O,
They rode till they came to the Earl of Castle's house,
And there they sung so sweetly O.
The Earl of Castle's lady came down,5
With her waiting maid beside her O;
As soon as her handsome face they saw,
They cast the glamour o'er her O.
They gave to her a nutmeg brown,
Which was of the belinger O;10
She gave to them a far better thing,
The ring from off her finger O.
The Earl he flang his purse to them,
For wow! but they sung bonny O;