Bulchevy's Book of English Verse Part 66

'Ride hooly, hooly, gentlemen, Ride hooly now wi' me!

For never, I am sure, a wearier burd Rade in your companie.'--

But little wist Marie Hamilton, When she rade on the brown, That she was gaen to Edinburgh town, And a' to be put down.

'Why weep ye so, ye burgess wives, Why look ye so on me?

O I am going to Edinburgh town, A rich wedding to see.'

When she gaed up the tolbooth stairs, The corks frae her heels did flee; And lang or e'er she cam down again, She was condemn'd to die.

When she cam to the Netherbow port, She laugh'd loud laughters three; But when she came to the gallows foot The tears blinded her e'e.

'Yestreen the Queen had four Maries, The night she'll hae but three; There was Marie Seaton, and Marie Beaton, And Marie Carmichael, and me.

'O often have I dress'd my Queen And put gowd upon her hair; But now I've gotten for my reward The gallows to be my share.

'Often have I dress'd my Queen And often made her bed; But now I've gotten for my reward The gallows tree to tread.

'I charge ye all, ye mariners, When ye sail owre the faem, Let neither my father nor mother get wit But that I'm coming hame.

'I charge ye all, ye mariners, That sail upon the sea, That neither my father nor mother get wit The dog's death I'm to die.

'For if my father and mother got wit, And my bold brethren three, O mickle wad be the gude red blude This day wad be spilt for me!

'O little did my mother ken, The day she cradled me, The lands I was to travel in Or the death I was to die!

wroken] avenged. row'd] rolled, wrapped. greet] cry. hooly]

gently.

Ballads and Songs By Unknown Authors. 17th Cent.

376. Binnorie

THERE were twa sisters sat in a bour; Binnorie, O Binnorie!

There cam a knight to be their wooer, By the bonnie milldams o' Binnorie.

He courted the eldest with glove and ring, But he lo'ed the youngest abune a thing.

The eldest she was vexed sair, And sair enved her sister fair.

Upon a morning fair and clear, She cried upon her sister dear:

'O sister, sister tak my hand, And let 's go down to the river-strand.'

She 's ta'en her by the lily hand, And led her down to the river-strand.

The youngest stood upon a stane, The eldest cam and push'd her in.

'O sister, sister reach your hand!

And ye sall be heir o' half my land:

'O sister, reach me but your glove!

And sweet William sall be your love.'

Sometimes she sank, sometimes she swam, Until she cam to the miller's dam.

Out then cam the miller's son, And saw the fair maid soummin' in.

'O father, father draw your dam!

There 's either a mermaid or a milk-white swan.'

The miller hasted and drew his dam, And there he found a drown'd women.

You couldna see her middle sma', Her gowden girdle was sae braw.

You couldna see her lily feet, Her gowden fringes were sae deep.

All amang her yellow hair A string o' pearls was twisted rare.

You couldna see her fingers sma', Wi' diamond rings they were cover'd a'.

And by there cam a harper fine, That harpit to the king at dine.

And when he look'd that lady on, He sigh'd and made a heavy moan.

He 's made a harp of her breast-bane, Whose sound wad melt a heart of stane.

He 's ta'en three locks o' her yellow hair, And wi' them strung his harp sae rare.

He went into her father's hall, And there was the court a.s.sembled all.

He laid his harp upon a stane, And straight it began to play by lane.

'O yonder sits my father, the King, And yonder sits my mother, the Queen;

'And yonder stands my brother Hugh, And by him my William, sweet and true.'

But the last tune that the harp play'd then-- Binnorie, O Binnorie!

Was, 'Woe to my sister, false Helen!'

By the bonnie milldams o' Binnorie.

soummin'] swimming.

Ballads and Songs By Unknown Authors. 17th Cent.

377. The Bonnie House o' Airlie

IT fell on a day, and a bonnie simmer day, When green grew aits and barley, That there fell out a great dispute Between Argyll and Airlie.