The English and Scottish Popular Ballads/Part 8/Chapter 232
A
THE Earl of Wigton had three daughters,
Oh and a waly, but they were unco bonnie!
The eldest of them had the far brawest house,
But she's fallen in love with her footman-laddie.
As she was a walking doun by yon river-side,
Oh and a wally, but she was unco bonnie!
There she espied her own footman,
With ribbons hanging over his shoulders sae bonnie.
'Here's a letter to you, madame,
Here's a letter to you, madame;
The Earl of Hume is waiting on,
And he has his service to you, madame.'
'I'll have none of his service,' says she,
'I'll have none of his service,' says she,
'For I've made a vow, and I'll keep it true,
That I'll marry none but you, Ritchie.'
'O say not so again, madame,
O say not so again, madame;
For I have neither lands nor rents
For to keep you on, madam.'
'I'll live where eer you please, Ritchie,
I'll live where eer you please, [Ritchie,]
And I'll be ready at your ca',
Either late or early, Ritchie.'
As they went in by Stirling toun,
O and a wally, but she was unco bonnie!
A' her silks were sailing on the ground,
But few of them knew of Ritchie Story.
As they went in by the Parliament Close,
O and a wally, but she was unco bonnie!
All the nobles took her by the hand,
But few of them knew she was Ritchie's lady.
As they came in by her goodmother's yetts,
O and a wally, but she was unco bonnie!
Her goodmother bade her kilt her coats,
And muck the byre with Ritchie Storie.
'Oh, may not ye be sorry, madame,
Oh, may not ye be sorry, madame,
To leave a' your lands at bonnie Cumbernaud,
And follow home your footman-laddie?'
'What need I be sorry?' says she,
'What need I be sorry?' says she,
'For I've gotten my lot and my heart's desire,
And what Providence has ordered for me.'
B
COMARNAD is a very bonny place,
And there is ladies three, madam,
But the fairest and rairest o them a'
Has married Richard Storry.
'O here is a letter to ye, madam,
Here is a letter to ye, madam;
The Earle of Hume, that gallant knight,
Has fallen in love wi ye, madam.'
'There is a letter to ye, madam,
[There is a letter to ye, madam;]
That gallant knight, the Earl of Hume,
Desires to be yer servan true, madam.
'I'll hae nane o his letters, Richard,
I'll hae nane o his letters, [Richard;]
I hae voued, and will keep it true,
I'll marry nane but ye, Richie.'
'Say ne sae to me, lady,
Say ne sae to me, [lady,]
For I hae neither lands nor rents
To mentain ye, lady.'
'Hunten Tour and Tillebarn,
The House o Athol is mine, Richie,
An ye sal hae them a'
Whan ere ye incline, Richie.
'For we will gae to sea, Richie,
I'll sit upon the deck, Richie,
And be your servant ere and late,
At any hour ye like, [Richie.']
'O manna ye be sad, sister,
An mann ye be sae sorry,
To leave the house o bonny Comarnad,
An follow Richard Storry?'
'O what neads I be sad, sister,
An how can I be sorry?
A bonny lad is my delit,
And my lot has been laid afore me.'
As she went up the Parliament Close,
Wi her laced shoon so fine,
Many ane bad the lady good day,
But few thought o Richard's lady.
As she gaed up the Parliament Close,
Wi her laced shoon so fine,
Mony ane hailed that gay lady,
But few hailed Richard Storry.
C
THERE are three white hens i the green, madam,
There are three white hens i the green, madam,
But Richie Story he's comd by,
And he's stollen away the fairest o them.
'O are'int ye now sad, sister,
O are'in[t] ye now sad, sister,
To leave your bowers and your bony Skimmerknow,
And follow the lad they call Richie Story?'
'O say that not again, sister,
O say that not again, sister,
For he is the lad that I love best,
And he is the lot that has fallen to me.'
'O there's a letter to thee, madam,
O there's a letter to thee, madam;
The Earl of Hume and Skimmerjim,
For to be sweethearts to thee, madam.'
'But I'll hae none of them, Richie,
But I'll hae none of them, Richie,
For I have made a vow, and I'll keep it true,
I'll have none but Ric[h]ie Story.'
'O say not that again, madam,
O say not that again, madam,
For the Earl of Hume and Skimmerjim,
They are men of high renown.'
'Musslebury's mine, Richie,
Musslebury's mine, Richie,
And a' that's mine it shall be thine,
If you will marry me, Richie.'
As she went up through Glasgow city,
Her gold watch was shining pretty;
Many [a] lord bade her good day,
But none thought she was a footman's lady.
As she went up through London city,
There she met her scolding minny:
'Cast off your silks and kilt your coats,
And muck the byre wi Richie Story.'
'Hold your tongue, my scolding minnie,
Hold your tongue, my scolding minnie;
For I'll cast of my silks and kilt my coats,
And muck the byres wi Richie Story.'
D
AS I came in by Thirlwirl Bridge,
A coming frae the land of fair Camernadie,
There I met my ain true love,
Wi ribbons at her shoulders many.
'Here is a letter to you, madam;
[Here is a letter to you, madam;]
The Earl of Hume's eldest son
Sent this letter to you, madam.
'I'll have none of his [letters], Richy,
I'll have none of his letters, Richy;
I made a vow, and I'll keep it true,
I'll wed wi nane but you, Richy.'
'Say not so again, madam,
Say not so again, madam;
I have neither lands nor rents
To maintain you on, madam.'
'I'll sit aneath the duke, Richy,
I'll sit aneath the duke, Richy;
I'll sit on hand, at your command
At ony time ye like, Richy.'
As they came in by Thirlewirle Bridge,
A coming frae fair Cummernadie,
She brak the ribbons that tied her shoon
Wi following after the footman-laddie.
'O but ye be sad, sister,
O but ye be sad and sorry,
To eave the lands o bonnie Cummernad,
To gang alang wi a footman-laddie!'
'How can I be sad, sister?
How can I be sad or sorry?
I have gotten my heart's delight;
And what can ye get mair?' says she.
To the house-end Richy brought his lady,
To the house-end Richy brought his lady;
Her mother-in-law gart her kilt her coats,
And muck the byre wi Richy Story.
E
THE Earl of Wigton has seven sisters,
And O but they be wondrous bonnie!
And the bonniest lass amang them a'
Has fallen in love wi Richie Storie.
As I came down by yon river-side,
And down by the banks of Eache bonnie,
There I met my own true-love,
Wi ribbons on her shoulders bonnie.
'Here is a letter for you, madam,
Here is a letter for you, madam;
The earl of Aboyne has a noble design
To be a suitor to you, madam.'
'I'll hae nane of his letters, Richie,
I'll hae nane of his letters, Richie,
For I've made a vow, and I'll keep it true,
That I'll hae nane but you, Richie.'
'Take your word again, madam,
Take your word again, madam,
For I have neither land nor rents
For to mentain you on, madam.'
'I'll sit below the dyke, Richie,
I'll sit below the dyke, Richie,
And I will be at your command
At ony time you like, Richie.
'Ribbons you shall wear, Richie,
Ribbons you shall wear, Richie,
A cambric band about your neck,
And vow but ye'll be braw, Richie!'
As they came in by the West Port,
The naps of gold were bobbing bonnie;
Many a one bade this lady gude-day,
But neer a one to Richie Storie.
As they came up the Parliament Close,
Naps of gold were bobbing bonnie;
Many a gentleman lifted his cap,
But few kennd she was Richie's lady.
. . . .
. . . .
And ay methinks we'll drink the night
In Cambernauld sae bonnie.
'It's are not you sick, sister,
Are not you very sorrie,
To leave the lands of bonnie Cambernauld,
And run awae wi Richie Storie?'
'Why should I be sick, sister,
O why should I be any sorrie,
When I hae gotten my heart's delight?
I hae gotten the lot was laid afore me.'
F
THE Erle of Wigton had three daughters,
O braw wallie, but they were bonnie!
The youngest o them, and the bonniest too,
Has fallen in love wi Richie Storie.
'Here's a letter for ye, madame,
Here's a letter for ye, madame;
The Erle o Home wad fain presume
To be a suitor to ye, madame.'
'I'l hae nane o your letters, Richie;
I'l hae nane o your letters, Richie;
For I've made a vow, and I'll keep it true,
The I'l have none but you, Richie.'
'O do not say so, madame;
O do not say so, madame;
For I have neither land nor rent,
For to maintain you o, madame.
'Ribands ye maun wear, madame,
Ribands ye maun wear, madame;
With the bands about your neck
O the goud that shines sae clear, madame.'
'I'l lie ayont a dyke, Richie,
I'l lie ayont a dyke, Richie;
And I'l be aye at your command
And bidding, whan ye like, Richie.'
O he's gane on the braid, braid road,
And she's gane through the broom sae bonnie,
Her silken robes down to her heels,
And she's awa wi Richie Storie.
This lady gade up the Parliament stair,
Wi pendles in her lugs sae bonnie;
Mony a lord lifted his hat,
But little did they ken she was richie's lady.
Up then spak the Erle o Home's lady;
'Was na ye richt sorrie, Annie,
To leave the lands o bonnie Cumbernauld
And follow Richie Storie, Annie?'
'O what need I be sorrie, madame?
O what need I be sorrie, madame?
For I've got them that I like best,
And war ordained for me, madame.'
'Cumbernauld is mine, Annie,
Cumbernauld is mine, Annie;
And a' that's mine, it shall be thine,
As we sit at the wine, Annie.'
G
THERE were five ladies lived in a bouer,
Lived in a bouer at Cumbernaldie;
The fairest and youngest o them a'
Has fa'n in love wi her footman-laddie.
'Here is a letter to you, ladye,
Here is a letter to you, ladye;
The Earl o Hume has written doun
That he will be your footman-laddie.'
'I want nane o his service, Ritchie,
I want nane o his service, Ritchie;
For I've made a vow, and I'll keep it true,
That I'll wed nane but thee, Ritchie.'
'O that canna be, ladye,
O that canna be, ladye;
For I've neither house nor land,
Nor ought suiting ye, ladye.'
'Livd ye on yonder hill, Ritchie,
Livd ye on yonder hill, Ritchie,
There's my hand, I'm at your command,
Marry me whan ye will, Ritchie!'
This boy he went to his bed,
It was a' to try this fair ladye;
But she went up the stair to him:
'Ye maun leave your comrades, Ritchie.
'To the Borders we maun gang, Ritchie,
To the Borders we maun gang, Ritchie,
For an my auld father he get word,
It's you he will cause hang, Ritchie.'
'To the Borders we'll na gang, ladye,
To the Borders we'll na gang, ladye;
For altho your auld father got word,
It's me he dare na hang, ladye.'
As they passed by her mither's bouer,
O but her sisters they were sorry!
They bade her tak aff the robes o silk,
And muck the byres wi Ritchie Storry.
Whan they cam to yon hie hill,
Dear vow, but the lady she was sorry!
She looked oure her left showther-+--+-
'O an I war in bonny Cumbernaldie!'
'O are na ye sorry now, ladye,
O are na ye sorry now, ladye,
For to forsake the Earl o Hume,
And follow me, your footman-laddie?'
'How could I be sorry, Ritchie,
How could I be sorry, Ritchie?
Such a gudely man as you,
And the lot that lies afore me, Ritchie.'
As they rode up through Edinburgh toun,
Her gowd watch hang doun sae gaudie;
Monie a lord made her a bow,
But nane o them thoucht she was Ritchie's ladye.
Whan they cam to Ritchie's yetts,
Dear vow, but the music playd bonnie!
There were four-and-twenty gay ladies
To welcome hame Richard Storry's ladye.
He called for a priest wi speed,
A priest wi speed was soon ready,
And she was na married to the Earl of Hume,
But she blesses the day she got Richard Storry.
A coach and six they did prepare,
A coach and six they did mak ready,
A coach and six they did prepare,
And she blesses the day made her Ritchie's lady.
H
Blair-in-Athol's mine, Ritchie,
Blair-in-Athol's mine, Ritchie,
And bonny Dunkeld, where I do dwell,
And these shall a' be thine, Ritchie.