The Historical ballad of May Culzean

THE

HISTORICAL

BALLAD

OF

May Culzean.

Founded on Fact.

Printed for the Booksellers.

MAY CULZEAN.

The historical ballad of May Culzean is supposed to founded on fact. There certainly was a Lady of that name, who lived in Carrick, and who is represented as a woman of extraordinary virtue and heroism, and who, we are led to believe, was a beautiful woman, and this Sir John, being of the order of Dominican Friars, has great authority in the country, probably about Carrick.

This order of Friars was first instituted at Ayr, by King Alexander the second, in the year 1230, when he built the church of St. John the Baptist in the citadel ⟨of⟩ Ayr. This establishment was confirmed by King Robert Bruce, in the year 137(illegible text) No doubt the order of Friars was soon extended all over the country, and particularly at Maybole, about nine miles from Ayr, where they built a very great church connected with an establishment of the ⟨priesthood⟩, called Carsereguel, to which ⟨it⟩ is thought Sir John belonged. It is also ⟨believed⟩ he was a covetous man, as many ⟨of⟩ his kind were, and some of them never (illegible text)ood at murder to accumulate wealth. ⟨This⟩ establishment at Maybole continued ⟨to⟩ encrease in wickedness, uninterrupted, ⟨until⟩ the famous John Knox, whose arguments with the Abbot of Carsereguel, may ⟨be⟩ seen in a work lately published.

The deception used by the Monks and ⟨Friars⟩ in Carsereguel, in dipping weak and (illegible text)imed children in a well in the premises, ⟨on⟩ a certain day in the month of May, in ⟨order⟩ to restore health, was to help the (illegible text)ver orders of Friars, by the contribution (illegible text)de at the well. This superstition still ⟨continues⟩, for on the first Sabbath of May, ⟨thats⟩ loaded with sick, of every description, ⟨will⟩ be seen driving, from every quarter, ⟨at⟩ 20 miles round Maybole, to partake of ⟨this⟩ Holy Water.

THE

HISTORICAL BALLAD

OF

May Culzean.

Tune-Gil Morrice.

———

HAVE ye not heard of fause Sir John?
Wha liv'd in the west country,
How he has betray'd eight damsels fair,
And drown'd them in the sea?

Now he's awa to May Culzean.
She was her father's heir,
The greatest beauty o' the land,
I solemnly declare.

" Thou art the darling o' my heart,
He says, fair May Culzean,
" Thou far exceed'st beauty rare,
"That ever I hae seen.

And I'm a Knight of wealth and might,
" Of Town lands twenty three,
And ye's be the lady o' them a'.
" Fair May, if ye'll gae wi' me.

Excuse me then, she said Sir John,
" To wed I am owre young,
Unless I hae my parent's leave,
" Wi you I dare na gang

But he's taen a charm frae aff his arm
" And stuck it on her sleeve,"
" And he has made her follow him
Without her parent's leave.

⟨Of⟩ gold and jewels she has taen
Wi' her five hundred pound,
⟨And⟩ the bravest horse her father had,
She's taen to ride upon.

⟨So⟩ merrily they rode along,
Made neither stop nor stay,
Until they came to the fatal place,
Which is called, Benan Bay.

" Light down, light down, now May Culzean,
" Light down, and speak to me,
For here have I drowned eight damsels fair,
" And the ninth ane ye shall be.

" Cast aff, cast aff, thy Jewels fine,
" So costly rich and brave,
" For they're too costly and too good,
" To sink in the sea wave.

" Her jewels fine she then put aff,
" And thus she made her moan,
" Have mercy on a virgin young,
" I pray thee, sweet Sir John.

" Cast aff thy coats, and gay mantle,
" And smock o' Holland lawn,
" For their owre costly and owre guid,
" To tot in the sea sau',

" Then turn thee round, I pray Sir John,
" See the leaf flee owre the tree,
" For it never befitted a book learned man, is
" A naked lady to see.

" As fause Sir John did turn him round,
" To see the leaf flee owre the --
" She grasped him in her arms sma,
" And flung him in the sea.

" Now lie ye there ye wild Sir John,
" Whar ye thought to lay me, web i I
" Ye wad hae drown'd me as naked's I was born,
" But ye's get your claes fine me.

⟨Her⟩ jewels coastly, rich and rare
⟨She⟩ straight puts on again,
⟨She lightly⟩ springs upon her horse
⟨And⟩ leads his by the rein.

⟨This lady⟩ dear, was void of fear,
⟨Her⟩ steeds were swift and free,
⟨And she⟩ reached her father's lofty towers,
⟨Before⟩ the clock struck three.

⟨And first⟩ she met the stable groom,
⟨He⟩ was her waiting man,
⟨And⟩ when he heard his lady's voice,
⟨He⟩ ran with сар in han',

⟨Whar⟩ hae ye been, fair May Calzean?
Wha owns this dapple gray?
(illegible text) ⟨that's⟩ a foundling, she replied,
Which I got on my way."

⟨Then⟩ out and spake the green parrot,
⟨He⟩ says, fair May Culzean,
⟨O what⟩ hae ye done wi' yon brave Knight
⟨That⟩ gied wi' you yestreen?

⟨Haud⟩ your tongue my pretty parrot,
⟨An'⟩ I'se be kind to thee,
⟨For⟩ where ye got a handfu'o' groats
⟨My⟩ parrot shall get three.

" Then out and spake her father dear,
" From the chamber where he lay, or
" What is it ails my pretty parrot
" That he speaks so long e'er day?

" There came & cat into my cage
" Had nearly worried me,
" And I was calling on May Culzean
" To come and set me free."

And first she told her father dear,
Of the deed that she had done,
And likewise to her mother dear,
Concerning fause Sir John.

So aff they set with one consent,
By dawning of the day,
Until they came to the Carleton sands,
And there his corps' it lay.

His body tall, by that great fall
Was dashed to and fro,
The golden ring that he had on
Was broke in pieces two.

And they hae taken up his corpse
To yonder pleasant green, Put
And there they buried fouse Sir John,
For fear he should be seen.