Young Gregor's Ghost (1800)

For other versions of this work, see Young Grigor's Ghost.

YOUNG

GREGOR's GHOST

IN THREE PARTS.

To which is added,

Gloomy December.

Edinburgh: Printed by J. Morren.

Young Grigor's Ghost.

COME all ye young lovers in Scotland drew near,
Unto this red ſtory which now you ſhall bear,
Concerning two lovers that liv'd in the north,
Anongſt the high mountains that ſtand leynd Forth
This maid was the daughter of a gentleman,
To the name of Macfurlese, he of the ſame Clan,
But Grigor was born in a Highland iſle,
And by blood relation her couſin we ſlyle.
But where riches are wanting, we oftentimes ſee
Few men are eſteemed for their pedigree:
His father was forced, when he was a child,
To leave his family, and when exil'd,
His lands they were forfeit, I let you to know,
Becauſe of rebellide, the truth for to ſhow,
Broad gold and vaſt riches he with him did give,
For his education and how he might live.
And ſolely be to the care of his friend,
Was left by his father for to be maintain'd;
He learn'd him indeed to read and to write,
In all rules of arithmetic he made him perſite,
In Latin and French he was teached alſo
That he through the world waa fit for to go.
The king then recruiting all hands did employ,
While her father as a ſervant us'd this young boy
In all kinds of drudgery he made him to ſerve,
And ſtill ſo he kept him a corps of reſerve.
Such a beautiful young man was not in the place,
None could compare with him in ſtature and grace.
This charming Miſs Kutty was oft in his way;
day in love's paſſion ſhe to him did ſay,

Dear couſin, Grigor, I have ſomething to tell,
Which now from my boſom this day I reveal.
You know that with courtiers I'm plago'd to the heart,
But you are the ſubject that makes me to ſmart;
If ye can but love me, dear couſin! ſaid ſhe
I'm happy forever and therefore be free.
Then ſaid he, dear Katty I'm all in a ſtun,
I ſuppoſe your intentions are nothing but fun;
For had I a ſubject to balance with you,
I'd count myſelf happy, your ſuit I might true.
Ah! ſaid ſhe, dear Grigor, I'm no ways in jeſt,
And if you deny me death's may requeſt;
You know the ſuſtance and wealth that I have,
It is enough to uphold us all gallant and brave.
I know that my parents for more riches are bent,
But a few years, by nature, will make them extinct;
To which time, my Grigor, I do make this vow,
That I never will marry another but you.
O then he conſented and flew to her arms,
And ſaid, my dear Katty, I'm kill'd with your charms,
But if your parent this fond love ſhould know,
They ſoon will carve out my ſad overthrow.
Of that, my dear Grigor, be ſilent I pray,
This night we will part and we'll meet the next day,
Under the oak, by the cave in the glen,
Where more of my mind to you l'll explain.

PART II.

HER mother, next morning, by a blink of her eye,
Betwixt her and Grigor sweet love did eſpy :
And ſhe to her huſband the ſame has reveal'd,
Giving orders to watch them when they're in the field

All day then her father went walking about,
And after his daughter did ſtill keep a look out,
Till hard on the evening ſhe went off to the glen,
Where Grigor was waiting to hear her explain.
The way they ſhould manage and make matters go,
Her father did follow and heard them alſo:
He ſtepped on ſoftly, ſtood over the cave,
Hearing their difcourſe how they ſhould behave.
At laſt he advanc'd, and cried, Grigor. What now!
Is this the reward from ſuch an orphan as you ?
You know I've maintain'd you ſince ſeven years old.
And now your intentions they ſeem very bold,
Then Grigor aſk'd pardon, and thus he did ſay
Sir, I'm at your diſpoſal, then do as you may
The old man in a paſſion, there chiding did ſtand,
Till Katty took courage, and took ſpeech in hand,
What mean you dear father on us for to frown,
Was this man a biggar, I'm ſure he's our own,
He's of our own kindred, our fleſh and our blood,
And you very well know his behaviour is good.
'Tis him that I choice for my huſband, and ſhall,
Go give all your riches to whom that you will,
Don't think I'm horſe or a cow to be ſold,
Away to ſome num-fcull that has aething but gold.
The father in a rage to the mother did go,
And told the proceedings with ſorrow and woe.
Yet ſeemed that night as if his anger had been gone;
Leſt that young Grigor the place might abſcone,
But he ſent a meſſenger to Inverneſs,
Which brought out a party young Grigor to preſs
And for to make ready, no time gave we hear,
He aſk'd but one favour, a word of his dear.
Which being deny'd, the old man with a frown,
Said ſoldiers can have ſweethearts in every town.

At this the young lady cried moſt bitterly,
May the heavens reward you for your cruelty.
Young Grigor took courage and marched away ;
When his captain view'd him, he to him did ſay.
For the lady that lov'd you, Sir, I pity her caſe,
Who loſt ſuch a beauty and ſweet blooming face.
His lady cried out, What a wretch he muſt be,
Cauſed preſs this young man for no injury.
His long yellow hair to his haunches hang down
O'er his broad ſhoulders from ear to ear round.
Now Grigor conſidering his pitiful caſe,
Received the bounty and ſwore to the peace.
His captain unto him a furlough he gave,
For to ſee his dear Katty once more he did crave.
Two lines then he ſent her by a ſolid hand,
That he under the oak at midnight ſhould ſtand,
For to wait upon her, and hear her complaint,
And there for to meet him he was well content.
Her vower ſhe renewed with tea's not a few,
And a gold ring on his finger as a token ſhe threw
Which was not to move come death or come life.
Till that happy moment you make me your wife.
She fain would go with him but he anſwer'd her no,
For your parents will follow and cauſe us more woe.
My maker be witneſs and this green oak tree.
That I'll never enjoy another woman but thee.
And here where he left her weeping full ſore,
Poor creature ſhe ne'er got a ſight of him more:
For in a ſhort time thereafter he went to ſea,
And loſt ſight of Britain with the tear in his eye,
They went to America, their orders were ſo,
Where he prov'd a gallant ſoldier, and valour did ſhow,
That for his behaviour they ne'er could him blame,
From a corporal, at laſt to ſerjeant he came.

PART III.

BEING near Fort Ningara in the year fifty-nine
On the 30th of July, he always did incline,
To frequent the green wood or ſome diſtant place,
To breach out his for his mind to ſolace.
Among the ſavage Indians, alas, here he fell,
But how he was murdered we cannot well tell.
For on the next morning we found him there dead,
Two Indians lay by him wanting their heads.
Cut of by his broad ſword as we underſtood,
As the place all around him was nothing but blood;
Five wounds in his body, his hair ſcalpt away,
His clothes, ſword and piſtol, of all made a prey.
And one of his fingers from his hand they did cut,
On which was the goal ring from his lover he got.
In that very moment, tho' in Scotland, we hear,
A dreadful ſpectre to his love did appear,
As ſhe were a weeping under the green oak,
He quickly paſt by her and not a word ſpoke:
Yet ſhaking his left hand where the ring he did wear,
Which wanted a finger, and blood dropping were.
Whereat the young lady was ſtruck with amaze,
And roſe to run after, and him on did gaze:
As ſhe knew it was Grigor, but how in that place,
It made her to wonder and dread the ſad caſe,
With terror and grief home ſhe did retire,
And ſpent the whole night in weeping and prayer:
So early next morning ſhe roſe with the ſun,
Went back to the green oak to weep all alone,
For ſhe always oſteemed that place as we hear
As on it ſhe got the the laſt ſight of her dear.
As there ſhe ſat weeping and tearing her hair,

Again the pale ſpectre to her did appear,

And with a wild aſpect it ſtair'd in her face,
Then ſaid, O my dear Katty, do not me embrace,
For I'm but a ſpirit, through ſhining in blood.
My body lies murdered in a foreign wood.
There's 2 wounds in my body and 3 in my ſide.
With hatchets and arrows that's both deep and wide,
My ſcalp and fine hair for a premium is ſold,
And alſo my finger with the ring of pure gold.
Which you threw upon it as a mark of true love,
Love's ſtranger than death for it does not remove;
My earneſt deſire it is for you my dear,
And til you are with me I'll ſtill wander here.
Fort this world's but vinity all but a vain ſhow,
It's nought to the pleaſure where we are to go.
She went to embrace him, being void of of all fright,
But he in a minute was out of her ſight,
Then home in great terror to her father did run,
Cried oh! cruel father, now what have you done!
Grigor! lov'd Grigor! came to me in blood,
And his body lies murdered in an American wood.
He ſhow'd me his wounds and each bloody ſore,
And therefore my pleaſures on earth are no more.
Her father look'd at her being amaz'd.
Then ſaid my dear Katty your brain's surley craz'd.
But ſtill ſhe maintained it, and cried like a child;
Brought to her all doctors whoſe ſkill was in vain,
Was ſtill gave opinion ſhe was found in the brain.
Her body deca'd and her face wan and pale.
She ſoar'd to be true love beyond death's dark vale,
First her, then her mother, in one night expir'd.
I hope ſhe enjoys the blets ſhe deſir'd.
Now her father, he cried, bereft of all joys,
Though he has plenty of gold, no girls nor boys.

Let all cruel parents to this take great heed
His pretty young daughter is now with the dead.

Gloomy December

ANCE mair I hail thee, thou gloomy December,
Ance mair I hail thou wit ſorrow and care:
Sad was the parting thou make me remember,
Parting wi' Nancy, oh, ne'er to meet mair.
Fond lovers parting is ſweet painful pleaſure,
Hope beaming mild on the ſoft-parting hour;
But dire feeling, O farewell for ever,
Anguiſh unranged, and agony pure.

Wild as the winter now tearing the foreſt,
Till the laſt leaf o the ſummer is flown,
Such is the tempeſt has ſhaken my boſom,
Till my laſt hope and laſt comfort is gone.
Still ſhall I hail thee, thou gloomy December,
Still ſhall I hail thee with ſorrow and care,
For ſad was the parting thou makes me remember.
Parting wi' Nancy, oh, never to meet mair.

FINIS.