"Farewell," she sayd, "ye virgins all, And shun the fault I fell in: Henceforth take warning by the fall Of cruel Barbara Allen."
LORD LOVEL.
"This ballad, taken down from the recitation of a lady in Roxburghshire, appears to claim affinity to Border Song; and the t.i.tle of the "discourteous squire", would incline one to suppose that it has derived its origin from some circ.u.mstance connected with the county of Northumberland, where Lovel was anciently a well-known name." Kinloch"s _Ancient Scottish Ballads_, p. 31.
A version from a recent broadside is printed in _Ancient Poems, Ballads, and Songs of the Peasantry of England_, Percy Society, vol.
xvii. p. 78.
A fragment of a similar story, the relations of the parties being reversed, is _Lady Alice_, given in Bell"s Ballads of the Peasantry, p. 127, and _Notes and Queries_, 2d S, i. 418.--Compare also _Fair Margaret_, &c. p. 140.
Lord Lovel stands at his stable door, Mounted upon a grey steed; And bye came Ladie Nanciebel, And wish"d Lord Lovel much speed.
"O whare are ye going, Lord Lovel, 5 My dearest tell to me?"
"O I am going a far journey, Some strange countrie to see;
"But I"ll return in seven long years, Lady Nanciebel to see." 10 "O seven, seven, seven long years, They are much too long for me."
He was gane a year away, A year but barely ane, When a strange fancy cam into his head, 15 That fair Nanciebel was gane.
It"s then he rade, and better rade, Until he cam to the toun, And then he heard a dismal noise, For the church bells a" did soun". 20
He asked what the bells rang for; They said, "It"s for Nanciebel; She died for a discourteous squire, And his name is Lord Lovel."
The lid o" the coffin he opened up, 25 The linens he faulded doun; And ae he kiss"d her pale, pale lips, And the tears cam trinkling doun.
"Weill may I kiss those pale, pale lips, For they will never kiss me;-- 30 I"ll mak a vow, and keep it true, That they"ll ne"er kiss ane but thee."
Lady Nancie died on Tuesday"s nicht, Lord Lovel upon the niest day; Lady Nancie died for pure, pure love, 35 Lord Lovel, for deep sorray.
LORD SALTON AND AUCHANACHIE.
The following fragment was first published in Maidment"s _North Countrie Garland_, p. 10; shortly after, in Buchan"s _Gleanings_, p.
161. A more complete copy, from Buchan"s larger collection, is annexed.
Ben came her father, Skipping on the floor, Said, "Jeanie, you"re trying The tricks of a wh.o.r.e.
"You"re caring for him 5 That cares not for thee, And I pray you take Salton, Let Auchanachie be."
"I will not have Salton, It lies low by the sea; 10 He is bowed in the back, He"s thrawen in the knee; And I"ll die if I get not My brave Auchanachie."
"I am bowed in the back, 15 La.s.sie as ye see, But the bonny lands of Salton Are no crooked tee."
And when she was married She would not lie down, 20 But they took out a knife, And cutt.i.t her gown;
Likewise of her stays The lacing in three, And now she lies dead 25 For her Auchanachie.
Out comes her bower-woman, Wringing her hands, Says, "Alas for the staying So long on the sands! 30
"Alas for the staying So long on the flood!
For Jeanie was married, And now she is dead."
LORD SALTON AND AUCHANACHIE.
From Buchan"s _Ballads of the North of Scotland_, ii. 133.
"Auchanachie Gordon is bonny and braw, He would tempt any woman that ever he saw; He would tempt any woman, so has he tempted me, And I"ll die if I getna my love Auchanachie."
In came her father, tripping on the floor, 5 Says, "Jeanie, ye"re trying the tricks o" a wh.o.r.e; Ye"re caring for them that cares little for thee, Ye must marry Salton, leave Auchanachie.
"Auchanachie Gordon, he is but a man, Altho" he be pretty, where lies his free land? 10 Salton"s lands they lie broad, his towers they stand hie, Ye must marry Salton, leave Auchanachie.
"Salton will gar you wear silk gowns fring"d to thy knee, But ye"ll never wear that wi" your love Auchanachie."
"Wi" Auchanachie Gordon I would beg my bread, 15 Before that wi" Salton I"d wear gowd on my head;
"Wear gowd on my head, or gowns fring"d to the knee, And I"ll die if I getna my love Auchanachie; O Salton"s valley lies low by the sea, He"s bowed on the back, and thrawin on the knee." 20
"O Salton"s a valley lies low by the sea; Though he"s bowed on the back, and thrawin on the knee, Though he"s bowed on the back, and thrawin on the knee, The bonny rigs of Salton they"re nae thrawin tee."
"O you that are my parents to church may me bring, 25 But unto young Salton I"ll never bear a son; For son, or for daughter, I"ll ne"er bow my knee, And I"ll die if I getna my love Auchanachie."
When Jeanie was married, from church was brought hame, When she wi" her maidens sae merry shou"d hae been, 30 When she wi" her maidens sae merry shou"d hae been, She"s called for a chamber to weep there her lane.
"Come to your bed, Jeanie, my honey and my sweet, For to stile you mistress I do not think it meet."
"Mistress, or Jeanie, it is a" ane to me, 35 It"s in your bed, Salton, I never will be."
Then out spake her father, he spake wi" renown, "Some of you that are maidens, ye"ll loose aff her gown; Some of you that are maidens, ye"ll loose aff her gown, And I"ll mend the marriage wi" ten thousand crowns." 40
Then ane of her maidens they loosed aff her gown, But bonny Jeanie Gordon, she fell in a swoon; She fell in a swoon low down by their knee; Says, "Look on, I die for my love Auchanachie!"
That very same day Miss Jeanie did die, 45 And hame came Auchanachie, hame frae the sea; Her father and mither welcom"d him at the gate; He said, "Where"s Miss Jeanie, that she"s nae here yet?"
Then forth came her maidens, all wringing their hands, Saying, "Alas! for your staying sae lang frae the land: 50 Sae lang frae the land, and sae lang fra the fleed, They"ve wedded your Jeanie, and now she is dead!"