He has ta'en her by the middle sae sma',
Says, "Lady, where is your drury?"
"It's up and down by the bonnie burn side,
Amang the planting of Airly."
They sought it up, they sought it down,25
They sought it late and early,
And found it in the bonnie balm-tree,
That shines on the bowling-green o' Airly.
He has ta'en her by the left shoulder,
And O but she grat sairly,30
And led her down to yon green bank,
Till he plundered the bonnie house o' Airly.
"O it's I hae seven braw sons," she says,
"And the youngest ne'er saw his daddie,
And altho' I had as mony mae,35
I wad gie them a' to Charlie.
"But gin my good lord had been at hame,
As this night he is wi' Charlie,
There durst na a Campbell in a' the west
Hae plundered the bonnie house o' Airly."40
THE BONNIE HOUSE OF AIRLY.
From Sharpe's Ballad Book, p. 59.
It fell on a day, and a bonny simmer day,
When green grew aits and barley,
That there fell out a greet dispute
Between Argyll and Airlie.