The English and Scottish Popular Ballads/Part 8/Chapter 238
A
FOUR and twenty noblemen they rode thro Banchory fair,
But bonnie Glenlogie was flower [of a'] that was there.
Four and twenty noblemen rode from Banchory ha,
But bonnie Glenlogie he was flower of them a'.
'O bonnie Glenlogie, be constant and kind,
An, bonnie Glenlogie, I'll tell you my mind.
. . so frank and so free,
. . and I get na Glenlogie, I'll die.'
'O bonnie Jeanie, your portion's but sma
To lay your love on me, that's promist awa.'
Her cherry cheeks grew pale an wan; with the tear in her ee,
'Gin I get na Glenlogie, I surely will die.'
Ben came her father, steps to her bowr:
'Dear Jeanie, you'r acting the part of a [whore].
'You're seeking ane that cares na for thee;
Ye's get Lord William, let Glenlogie be.'
'O had you still, father, let your folly be;
Gin I get na Glenlogie, I surely will die.'
Ben came her mother, steps on the floor:
'Dear daughter Jeanie, you're acting the [whore],
'Seeking of ane that cares na for thee;
For ye'll get Lord William, let Glenlogie be.'
'O had your tongue, mother, and let me be;
An I get na Glenlogie, I surely will die.'
O ben came her father's chaplain, a man of great skill,
And he has written a broad letter, and he has pennd it well.
H'as pennd it well, an sent it awa
To bonnie Glenlogie, the flower of them a'.
When he got the letter, his tears did down fa
RR'Srrhe'slaid her love on me, that was promist awa.'
He calld on his servant wi speed, and bade him saddle his horses, and bridle them a':
'For she has laid her love on me, altho I was promist awa.'
The horses were saddled wi speed, but ere they came he was four mile awa,
To Jean of Bethelny, the flowr of them a'.
But when he came to her bowr she was pale and wan,
But she grew red and ruddy when Glenlogie came in.
'Cheer up, bonnie Jeannie, ye are flowr o them a';
I have laid my love on you, altho I was promist awa.'
Her beauty was charming, her tocher down tauld;
Bonnie Jean of Bethelny was scarce fifteen year auld.
B
FOUR and twenty nobles sits in the king's ha,
Bonnie Glenlogie is the flower among them a'.
In came Lady Jean, skipping on the floor,
And she has chosen Glenlogie 'mong a' that was there.
She turned to his footman, and thus she did say:
Oh, what is his name? and where does he stay?
'His name is Glenlogie, when he is from home;
He is of the gay Gordons, his name it is John.'
'Glenlogie, Glenlogie, an you will prove kind,
My love is laid on you; I am telling my mind.'
He turned about lightly, as the Gordons does a':
'I thank you, Lady Jean, my loves is promised awa.'
She called on her maidens her bed for to make,
Her rings and her jewels all from her to take.
In came Jeanie's father, a wae man was he;
Says, I'll wed you to Drumfendrich, he has mair gold than he.
Her father's own chaplain, being a man of great skill,
He wrote him a letter, and indited it well.
The first lines he looked at, a light laugh laughed he;
But ere he read through it the tears blindid his ee.
Oh, pale and wan looked she when Glenlogie cam in,
But even rosy grew she when Glenlogie sat down.
'Turn round, Jeanie Melville, turn round to this side,
And I'll be the bridegroom, and you'll be the bride.'
Oh, 'twas a merry wedding, and the portion down told,
Of bonnie Jeanie Melville, who was scarce sixteen years old.
C
THERE was three score o nobles sat at the king's dine,
An bonny Glenlogie was flower o thrice nine.
- * * * *
. . cam trippin downstair,
An she fancied Glenlogie ower a' that was there.
She called on the footman that ran by his side,
Says, What is that man's name, an where does he bide?
'His name is Glenlogie when he goes from home,
But he's of the great Gordons, an his name is Lord John.'
'Glenlogie! Glenlogie! Glenlogie!' said she,
'An for bonnie Glenlogie I surely will die.'
She called on her maidens to make her her bed,
. . . . .
- * * * *
When Glenlogie got the letter, amang noblemen,
'Dear me,' said Glenlogie, 'what does young women mean!'
Then up spake his father, Let it never be said
That such a fine lady should die for your sake.
'Go saddle my black horse, go saddle him soon,
Till I go to Bethelnie, to see Lady Jean.'
When he got to Behtelnie, there was naebody there
But was weeping an wailing an tearing their hair.
- * * * *
'Turn round, Jeanie Gordon, turn round to the side;
I'll be the bridegroom, an ye's be the bride.'
D
THERE waur aucht an forty nobles rade to the king's ha,
But bonnie Glenlogie was the flour o them a'.
There waur aucht and forty nobles rade to the king's dine,
But bonnie Glenlogie was the flour o thrice nine.
Bonnie Jeanie Melville cam trippin doun the stair,
An whan she saw Glenlogie her hairt it grew sair.
. . . . .
'He's of the gay Gordons, his name it is John.'
'Oh, Logie! Oh, Logie! Oh, Logie!' said she,
'If I get na Glenlogie, I surely will dee.'
He turned him aboot, as the Gordons do a',
Says, I thank you, Lady Jeanie, but I'm promised awa.
She called on her maidens her hands for to take,
An the rings from her fingers she did them a' break.
'Oh, what is my lineage, or what is my make,
That such a fine lady suld dee for my sake?'
Such a pretty wedding, as I have been told,
An bonnie Jeanie Melville was scarce sixteen years old.
E
THERE were four-and-twenty ladies dined i the Queen's ha,
And Jean o Bethelnie was the flower o them a'.
Four-and-twenty gentlemen rode thro Banchory fair,
But bonny Glenlogie was the flower that was there.
Young Jean at a window she chanced to sit nigh,
And upon Glenlogie she fixed an eye.
She calld on his best man, unto him did say,
O what is that knight's name? or where does he stay?
'He's of the noble Gordons, of great birth and fame;
He stays at Glenlogie, Sir George is his name.'
Then she wrote a broad letter, and wrote it in haste;
To send it Glenlogie, she thought it was best.
Says, O brave Glenlogie, unto me be kind;
I've laid my love on you, and told you my mind.
Then reading the letter, as he stood on the green,
Says, I leave you to judge, sirs; what does women mean?
Then turnd about sprightly, as the Gordons do a':
'Lay not your love on me, I'm promisd awa.'
When she heard this answer, her heart was like to break,
That she laid her love on him, and him so ungrate.
Then she calld on her maidens to lay her to bed,
And take her fine jewels and lay them aside.
'My seals and my signets, no more shall I crave;
But linen and trappin, a chest and a grave.'
Her father stood by her, possess d with fear,
To see his dear daughter, possess d with care.
Says, Hold your tongue, Jeannie, let all your folly be;
I'll wed you to Dumfedline, he is better than he.
'O hold your tongue, father, and let me alane;
If I getna Glenlogie, I'll never have ane.
'His bonny jimp middle, his black rolling eye,
If I getna Glenlogie, I'm sure I shall die.'
But her father's old chaplain, a man of great skill,
He wrote a broad letter, and penned it well.
Saying, O brave Glenlogie, why must it be so?
A maid's love laid on you, shall she die in her woe?
Then reading the letter, his heart was like to break
That such a leal virgin should die for his sake.
Then he calld on his footman, and likewise his groom,
Says, Get my horse saddled and bridl d soon.
Before the horse was saddled and brought to the yate,
Bonnie Glenlogie was five miles on foot.
When he came to Bethelnie, he saw nothing there
But weeping and wailing, vexation and care.
Then out spake her father, with the tear in his ee,
You're welcome, Glenlogie, you're welcome to me.
'If ye make me welcome, as welcome's ye say,
Ye'll show me the chamber where Jeannie does lay.'
Then one o her maidens took him by the hand,
To show him the chamber where Jeannie lay in.
Before that she saw him, she was pale and wan;
But when she did see him, she grew ruddy again.
'O turn, bonny Jeannie, turn you to your side;
For I'll be the bridegroom, and ye'll be the bride.'
When Jeannie was married, her tocher down tauld,
Bonny Jean o Bethelnie was fifteen years auld.
F
FOURSCORE nobles ride in the king's court,
And bonny Earl Ogie's the flower of the rout;
Fourscore lean oer the castle-wa,
But Jean of Bethelnie's the flower of em a'.
She writ a broad letter, and pennd it fou lang,
And sent it Earl Ogie as fast as 't can gang:
'Bonny Earl Ogie, be courteous and kind;
I've laid my love on thee; maun I die in my prime?'
'O pox on thee, Jenny, for being sae slaw!
Bonny Earl Ogie is promisd awa:'
This letter was like to mak her heart break,
For revealing her mind to a man so ingrate.
'Come here, all my handmaids, O do this with speed,
Take my gowns and my passments, and lay me to bed;
Lay me to bed, it is all that I crave;
Wi my sark in my coffin, lay me in my grave.'
Her father beheld her with heart full of grief,
And spoke these words to her, to gi her relief:
Hawd your tongue, Jenny, your mourning let be,
You shall have drumfinely, who's as good as he.
'Haud your tongue, father, your words make me sad;
If I get not Earl Ogie, I still shall be bad;
With his bonny streight body, and black rolling eee,
If I get not Earl Ogie, for him I mun dee.'
Her father, king's chaplain, and one of great skill,
Did write a broad letter, and pennd it fou weel;
He as writ a broad letter, and pennd it fou lang,
And sent it Earl Ogie as fast as 't can gang.
'Bonny Earl Ogie, be courteous and kind;
My daughter loves you; must she die in her prime?'
When he read the first lines, a loud laugh gave he;
But or he redd the middle, the tear filld his ee,
'Come here, all my footmen, and also my groom,
Go saddle my horses, and saddle them soon:'
They were not weel saddled and set on the green
Or bonny Earl Ogie was twa mile his lain.
When he came to Bethelnie, he nothing saw there
But mourning and weeping, lamentation and care:
'O you that's her handmaid, take me by the hand,
Lead me to the chamber that Jenny lies in.'
When thither he came, she was pale and half dead;
As soon as she saw him, her cheeks they grew red:
'Come, turn thee, my Jenny, come, turn on thy side,
I'll be the bridegroom, you shall be the bride.'
Her spirit revived to hear him say sae,
And thus ended luckily all her great wae;
Then streight were they married, with joy most profound,
And Jean of Bethelnie was sav'd from the ground.
G
THERE was mony a braw noble cum to our king's ha,
But the bonnie Glenlogie was the flower o them a';
An the young ladye Jeanye, sae gude an sae fair,
She fancyd Glenlogie aboon a' that were there.
She speered at his footman that rode by his side
His name an his surname an whare he did bide:
'He bides a[t] Glenlogie whan he is at hame,
He is of the gay Gordons, an John is his name.'
'Oh, Logie, Glenlogie, I'll tell you my mind;
My luve is laid on you, O wad ye prove kind!'
He turned him about, as the Gordons do a',
'I thank [you], fair ladye, but I'm promised awa.'
She called on her maidens her hands for to take,
An the rings on her fingers she did them a' break:
'Oh Logie, Glenlogie! Oh, Logie!' said she,
'Gin I get na Glenlogie, I'm sure I will die.'
'O hold your tongue, daughter, an weep na sae sair,
For ye'll get Drumfindlay, his father's young heir.'
'O hold your tongue, father, an let me alane,
Gin I get na Glenlogie, I winna hae ane.'
Her father wrote a broad letter wi speed,
And ordered his footman to run and ride;
He wrote a broad letter, he wrote it wi skill,
An sent it to Glenlogie, who had dune her the ill.
The first line that he read, a light laugh gae he;
The next line that he read, the tear filld his ee:
'O what a man am I, an hae I a maik,
That such a fine ladye shoud die for my sake?
'Ye'll saddle my horse, an ye'll saddle him sune,
An, when he is saddled, bring him to the green:'
His horse was na saddled an brocht to the green,
When Glenlogie was on the road three miles his lane.
When he came to her father's, he saw naething there
But weeping an wailing an sobbing fu sair:
O pale an wan was she when Logie gaed in,
But red and ruddie grew she when Logie gaed ben.
'O turn, Ladye Jeany, turn ye to your side,
For I'll be the bridegroom, an ye'll be the bride:'
It was a blythe wedding as ever I've seen,
An bonny Jeany Melville was scarce seventeen.
H
SIX and six nobles gaed to Behelvie fair,
But bonnie Glenlogie was flowr o a' there;
Bonnie Jean o Belhelvie gaed tripping doun the stair,
And fancied Glenlogie afore a' that was there.
She said to his serving-man, as he stood aside,
O what is that man's name, and whare does he bide?
'They call him Glenlogie whan he goes frae home,
But he's come o the grand gordons, and [h]is name is Lord John.'
'Glenlogie, Glenlogie, be constant and kind;
I've laid my love on you, I'll tell you my mind:'
'O wae's me heart, Jeanie, your tocher's oure sma;
Lay na your love on me, foe I'm promised awa.'
She called for the servant to show her a room,
Likewise for a handmaid to mak her bed doun;
Wi that Jeanie's father cam stepping on the floor,
Says, What is the matter my dochter lies here?
'Forgie, honourd father, my folly,' said she,
'But for the sake o Glenlogie your dochter will dee:'
'O cheer up, my dochter, for I'll gie ye my hand
That ye'se get young Glenforbar, w' an earldom of land.
'O cheer up, my dochter, turn ance frae the wa,
And ye'll get Glenforbar, the flowr o them a':'
'I wad rather tak Glenlogie wi his staff in his hand
Afore I wad tak Glenforbar wi an earldom of land.'
Jeanie's father was a scholar, and a man o grit wit,
And he wrote him a letter, he thought it was fit.
When Glenlogie gat the letter, he was amang nobles a',
. . . he lute his hat fa:
'I wonder i the warld what women see at me,
For bonnie Jean o Belhelvie is a dying for me:'
He calld for his servant to saddle his steed,
. . . wi speed;
The horse was na saddled, but out on the green,
Till bonnie Glenlogie was some miles him leen.
Whan he cam to Belhelvie, he rade round about,
And he saw Jeanie's father at a window look out.
Bonnie Jean o Belhelvie lay pale and wan,
But red and ruddy grew she when Glenlogie cam in:
'Lie yont, bonnie Jeanie, and let me lie down,
For ye'se be bride, and I'se be bridegroom.'
I
'THERERR'rrS fifty young nobles rides up the king's hall
And bonny Glenlogie's the flower of them all;
Wi his milk-white steed, and his black rolling ee,
If I get na Glenlogie, it's certain I'll die.
'Where will I get a bonny boy, to win hose and shoon,
To go to Glenlogie and bid Logie come?'
'Here am I pretty boy, to win baith hose and shoon,
To go to Glenlogie and bid Logie come.'
When he came to Glenlogie, it was 'wash and go dine:'
'Come in, my pretty boy, wash and go dine:'
'It was no my father's fashion, and I hope it'll no be mine,
To run a lady's hasty errand, then to go dine.
'Here take this letter, Glenlogie,' said he.
The first ane line that he read, a low smile gave he;
The next ane line that he read, the tear blinded his ee;
But the next line that he read he garrd the table flee.
'O saddle to me the black horse, saddle to me the brown,
Saddle to me the swiftest horse that eer rode frae the town:'
But lang or the horses could be brought to the green
Bonnie Glenlogie was twa mile his lean.
When he came to Glenfeldy's gates, little mirth was there,
Bonie Jean's mother was tearing her hair:
'You're welcome, Glenlogie, you're welcome to me,
You're welcome, Glenlogie, your Jeanie to see.'
O pale and wan was she when Logie came in,
But red and rosy grew she wheneer he sat down;
'O turn you, bonie Jeanie, O turn you to me,
For, if you'll be the bride, the bridegroom I will be.'