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81. Little Musgrave and Lady Barnard
257
I ken by the rings on your fingers
Ye are Lord Burnett's wife.'
8 'It woud na touch my heart, Munsgrove,
Nae mair than 't woud my tae,
6
To see as much o his heart's blood
As twa brands coud let gae.
9 I hae a bower in fair Strathdon,
And pictures round it sett,
And I hae ordered thee, Munsgrove,
In fair Strathdon to sleep.'
10 Her flattering words and fair speeches,
They were for him too strong,
And she's prevailed on Little Munsgrove
With her to gang along.
11 When mass was sung, and bells were rung,
And a' man bound for bed,
Little Munsgrove and that lady
In ae chamber were laid.
12 O what hire will ye gie your page,
If he the watch will keep,
In case that your gude lord come hame
When we're fair fast asleep?'
13 'Siller, siller's be his wage,
And gowd shall be his hire;
But if he speak ae word o this,
He'll die in a burning fire.'
14 The promise that I make, Madam,
I will stand to the same;
I winna heal it an hour langer
Than my master comes hame.'
15 She's taen a sharp brand in her hand,
Being in the tidive hour;
He ran between her and the door,
She never saw him more.
16 Where he found the grass grow green,
He slacked his shoes an ran,
And where he found the brigs broken,
He bent his bow an swam.
17 Lord Burnett ower a window lay,
Beheld baith dale and down;
And he beheld his ain foot-page
Come hastening to the town.
8 What news, what news, my little wee boy,
Ye bring sae hastilie?'
'Bad news, bad news, my master,' he says,
'As ye will plainly see.'
19 Are any of my biggins brunt, my boy?
Or are my woods hewed down?
Or is my dear lady lighter yet,
O dear daughter or son?'
20 There are nane o your biggins brunt, master,
Nor are your woods hewn down;
Nor is your lady lighter yet,
O dear daughter nor son.
21 But ye've a bower in fair Strathdon,
And pictures round it sett,
6
Where your lady and Little Munsgrove
In fair Strathdon do sleep.'
22 O had your tongue! why talk you so
About my gay ladye?
She is a gude and chaste woman
As in the North Countrie.'
23 A word I dinna lie, my lord,
A word I dinna lie ;
24'
And if ye winna believe my word,
Your ain twa een shall see.'
Gin this be a true tale ye tell,
That ye I have tauld to me,
I'll wed you to my eldest daughter,
And married you shall be.
25 But if it be a fause story
That ye hae tauld to me,
A high gallows I'll gar be built,
And hanged shall ye be.'
26 He's called upon his landlady,
The reckoning for to pay,
And pulled out twa hands fou o gowd;
Says, We'll reckon anither day.
27 He called upon his stable-groom,
To saddle for him his steed,
And trampled ower yon rocky hills
Till his horse hoofs did bleed.
28 There was a man in Lord Burnett's train
Was ane o Munsgrove's kin,
And aye as fast as the horsemen rade,
Sae nimbly's he did rin.
29 He set a horn to his mouth,
And he blew loud and sma,
And aye at every sounding's end,
Awa, Munsgrove, awa!'
30 Then up it raise him Little Munsgrove,
And drew to him his sheen ;
'Lye still, lye still,' the lady she cried,
Why get ye up sae seen?'
Ye are Lord Burnett's wife.'
8 'It woud na touch my heart, Munsgrove,
Nae mair than 't woud my tae,
6
To see as much o his heart's blood
As twa brands coud let gae.
9 I hae a bower in fair Strathdon,
And pictures round it sett,
And I hae ordered thee, Munsgrove,
In fair Strathdon to sleep.'
10 Her flattering words and fair speeches,
They were for him too strong,
And she's prevailed on Little Munsgrove
With her to gang along.
11 When mass was sung, and bells were rung,
And a' man bound for bed,
Little Munsgrove and that lady
In ae chamber were laid.
12 O what hire will ye gie your page,
If he the watch will keep,
In case that your gude lord come hame
When we're fair fast asleep?'
13 'Siller, siller's be his wage,
And gowd shall be his hire;
But if he speak ae word o this,
He'll die in a burning fire.'
14 The promise that I make, Madam,
I will stand to the same;
I winna heal it an hour langer
Than my master comes hame.'
15 She's taen a sharp brand in her hand,
Being in the tidive hour;
He ran between her and the door,
She never saw him more.
16 Where he found the grass grow green,
He slacked his shoes an ran,
And where he found the brigs broken,
He bent his bow an swam.
17 Lord Burnett ower a window lay,
Beheld baith dale and down;
And he beheld his ain foot-page
Come hastening to the town.
8 What news, what news, my little wee boy,
Ye bring sae hastilie?'
'Bad news, bad news, my master,' he says,
'As ye will plainly see.'
19 Are any of my biggins brunt, my boy?
Or are my woods hewed down?
Or is my dear lady lighter yet,
O dear daughter or son?'
20 There are nane o your biggins brunt, master,
Nor are your woods hewn down;
Nor is your lady lighter yet,
O dear daughter nor son.
21 But ye've a bower in fair Strathdon,
And pictures round it sett,
6
Where your lady and Little Munsgrove
In fair Strathdon do sleep.'
22 O had your tongue! why talk you so
About my gay ladye?
She is a gude and chaste woman
As in the North Countrie.'
23 A word I dinna lie, my lord,
A word I dinna lie ;
24'
And if ye winna believe my word,
Your ain twa een shall see.'
Gin this be a true tale ye tell,
That ye I have tauld to me,
I'll wed you to my eldest daughter,
And married you shall be.
25 But if it be a fause story
That ye hae tauld to me,
A high gallows I'll gar be built,
And hanged shall ye be.'
26 He's called upon his landlady,
The reckoning for to pay,
And pulled out twa hands fou o gowd;
Says, We'll reckon anither day.
27 He called upon his stable-groom,
To saddle for him his steed,
And trampled ower yon rocky hills
Till his horse hoofs did bleed.
28 There was a man in Lord Burnett's train
Was ane o Munsgrove's kin,
And aye as fast as the horsemen rade,
Sae nimbly's he did rin.
29 He set a horn to his mouth,
And he blew loud and sma,
And aye at every sounding's end,
Awa, Munsgrove, awa!'
30 Then up it raise him Little Munsgrove,
And drew to him his sheen ;
'Lye still, lye still,' the lady she cried,
Why get ye up sae seen?'
Vol. II.
33
