Three Excellent New Songs (5)/Peggy Bawn's Courtship

For other versions of this work, see Peggy Bawn.

PEGGY BAWN.

A LOVE SONG.

As I went o'er the Highland hills
to a farmer's house I came,
The night being late and something wet,
I ventured into the same,
Where I became a courtier,
and a handsome young girl did 'spy
Who asked me if I had a wife,
but this I did then deny.

I courted her the whole night long,
and a while of the next day,
'Till simply she to me reply'd,
along with you I'll gae,
For Ireland is a bonny place,
and bonny men therein,
And I will go along with you
my fortune to begin.

Night being come and supper o'er
we went to take our rest,
The goodman to the goodwife said,
be kind unto your guest;
For this courtier is an Irishman,
an Irishman so brave,
And if he stays in this country,
our daughter he shall have.

The day being come, and breakfast o'er
to the parlour I was ta'en,
The goodman kindly asked me,
if I'd marry their daughter Jean:
An hundred merks I'II gie to thee,
besides e piece of land,
But scarcely had he spake these words,
till I thought on Peggy Bawn.

Your offer sir is very good,
and I thank you too, said I,
But I cannot be your son-in-law,
I'll tell you the reason why:
My business calls me in great haste,
I'm the king's messenger bound
I cannot be your son-in-law,
till I see Irish ground.

With hat in hand most courtiously
I took leave of each one,
Especially of that pretty young girl,
whose wearied with lying alone.
I bade farewell and came away,
but in my mind it ran.
How blyth and merry were the days
I spent with Peggy Bawn.

O Peggy Bawn I am thine own,
my heart lies in your breast;
And tho we at a distance are
I still will love you the best,
Although we at a distance are
and seas between us roar,
I'll constant be dear Peggy Bawn,
to you for evermore.