The Book of Scottish Song/Gilderoy 2
Gilderoy.
[Gilderoy, (a corruption of the Gaelic gille roy, "red-haired boy,") was one of the proscribed clan Gregor, and a notorious freebooter, or lifter of cattle, in the highlands of Perthshire for some time before the year 1638. In February of that year, seven of his accomplices were taken, tried, condemned, and executed at Edinburgh. They were apprehended chiefly through the exertions of the Stewarts of Athol, and in revenge Gilderoy burned several houses belonging to the Stewarts. This proved his ruin. A reward of a thousand pounds was offered for his apprehension; and he was ultimately taken, along with five more accomplices, all of whom were hanged at the Gallowlee, between Leith and Edinburgh, in the month of July, 1638. As a mark of unenviable distinction, Gilderoy was hung on a gallows higher than the rest. This is alluded to in the ballad. The ballad itself is said to have been originally composed by his mistress, a young woman belonging to the higher ranks of life, who had become attached to this noted freebooter, and was induced to live with him. It is to be found in black-letter broadsides at least as old as 1650. The present version is an amended copy by Lady Wardlaw, in which she has retained some of the old verses, expunged others, and added verses of her own. Lady Wardlaw was the wife of Sir Henry Wardlaw of Pitreavie and Balmule, near Dumfermline, and was authoress of the well-known ballad called "Hardyknute." She was born in 1677, married in 1696, and died in 1727. Her maiden name was Elizabeth Halket, her father being Sir Charles Halket of Pitferran. The name has probably led to the mistake in some collections of attributing the song here given to Sir Alexander Halket. The tune of "Gilderoy" is attached to several Scottish songs.]
Gilderoy was a bonnie boy
Had roses tull his shoon;
His stockings were of silken soy,
Wi' gartars hanging downe:
It was I ween a comely sicht,
To see sae trim a boy;
He was my joy and heart's delicht,
My handsome Gilderoy.
Oh, sic twa charming een he had,
A breath as sweet's a rose;
He never wore a Highland plaid,
But costly silken clothes:
He gain'd the love o' ladies gay,
Nane e'er to him was coy:
Ah, wae is me! I mourn the day,
For my dear Gilderoy.
My Gilderoy and I were born
Baith in ae town thegither;
We scant were seven years before
We 'gan to love each other.
Our daddies and our mammies, they
Were fill'd with meikle joy,
To think upon the bridal day
'Twixt me and Gilderoy.
For Gilderoy, that luve of mine,
Gude faith, I freely bought
A wedding sark of Holland fine,
Wi' silken flowers wrought;
And he gied me a wedding ring,
Which I received with joy:
Nae lad nor lassie e'er could sing
Like me and Gilderoy.
Wi' meikle joy we spent our prime
Till we were baith sixteen;
And aft we pass'd the langsome time
Amang the leaves sae green:
Aft on the banks we'd sit us there,
And sweetly kiss and toy;
Wi' garlands gay wad deck my hair,
My handsome Gilderoy.
Oh, that he still had been content
Wi' me to lead his life!
But, ah, his manfu' heart was bent
To stir in feats of strife;
And he in many a venturous deed
His courage bauld wad try,
And now this gars my heart to bleed
For my dear Gilderoy.
And when of me his leave he took,
The tears they wat mine e'e;
I cave him a love-parting look,
My benison gang wi' thee!
God speed thee weel, mine ain dear heart,
For gane is all my joy;
My heart is rent, sith we maun part,
My handsome Gilderoy.
My Gilderoy, baith far and near,
Was fear'd in ilka toun,
And bauldly bare away the gear
Of mony a Lawland loun:
Nane e'er durst meet him hand to
He was sae brave a boy;
At length wi' numbers he was ta'en,
My handsome Gilderoy!
The Queen of Scots possessit nocht
That my luve let me want;
For cow an' ewe he to me brocht,
And e'en when they were scant:
All those did honestly possess,
He never did annoy,
Who never fail'd to pay their cess
To my love Gilderoy.
Wae worth the loun that made the laws
To hang a man for gear!
To reave of life for ox or ass,
For sheep, or horse, or mear!
Had not the laws been made so strict,
I ne'er had lost my joy;
Wi' sorrow ne'er had wat my cheik
For my dear Gilderoy.
Gif Gilderoy had done amiss,
He micht have banish'd been;
Ah, what sair cruelty is this,
To hang sic handsome men!
To hang the flower o' Scottish land,
Sae sweit and fair a boy!
Nae lady had sae white a hand
As thee, my Gilderoy!
Of Gilderoy sae fear'd they were,
They bound him meikle strong;
Tull Edinburgh they led him there,
And on a gallows hung.
They hung him high abune the rest,
He was sae trim a boy;
There died the youth whom I loo'd best,
My handsome Gilderoy.
Thus having yielded up his breath,
I bare his corpse away;
Wi' tears that trickled for his death,
I wash'd his comely clay;
And sicker in a grave sae deep
I laid the dear-loo'd boy;
And now for ever maun I weep,
My winsome Gilderoy.