D.
Skene MSS, p. 70. North of Scotland, 1802-3.
1
Young Beachen was born in fair London,
And foreign lands he langed to see;
He was taen by the savage Moor,
An the used him most cruellie.
2
Through his showlder they pat a bore,
And through the bore the pat a tree;
They made him trail their ousen carts,
And they used him most cruellie.
3
The savage Moor had ae daughter,
I wat her name was Susan Pay;
An she is to the prison house,
To hear the prisoner's moan.
4
He made na his moan to a stocke,
He made na it to a stone,
But it was to the Queen of Heaven
That he made his moan.
5
'Gin a lady wad borrow me,
I at her foot wad run;
An a widdow wad borrow me,
I wad become her son.
6
'But an a maid wad borrow me,
I wad wed her wi a ring;
I wad make her lady of haas and bowers,
An of the high towers of Line.'
7
'Sing oer yer sang, Young Beachen,' she says,
'Sing oer yer sang to me;'
'I never sang that sang, lady,
But I wad sing to thee.