Lord Maxwell's Goodnight
LORD MAXWELL'S LAST GOODNIGHT—B
[_]
Glenriddell MSS, XI, 18. 1791.
1
‘Adiew, madam my mother dear,
But and my sisters two!
Adiew, fair Robert of Oarchyardtoan!
For thee my heart is woe.
2
‘Adiew, the lilly and the rose,
The primrose, sweet to see!
Adiew, my lady and only joy!
For I manna stay with thee.
3
‘Tho I have killed the laird Johnston,
What care I for his feed?
My noble mind dis still incline;
He was my father's dead.
4
‘Both night and day I laboured oft
Of him revenged to be,
And now I've got what I long sought;
But I manna stay with thee.
5
‘Adiew, Drumlanrig! false was ay,
And Cloesburn! in a band,
Where the laird of Lagg fra my father fled
When the Johnston struck off his hand.
6
‘They were three brethren in a band;
Joy may they never see!
But now I've got what I long sought,
And I maunna stay with thee.
7
‘Adiew, Dumfries, my proper place,
But and Carlaverock fair,
Adiew, the castle of the Thrieve,
And all my buildings there!
8
‘Adiew, Lochmaben's gates so fair,
The Langholm shank, where birks they be!
Adiew, my lady and only joy!
And, trust me, I maunna stay with thee.
9
‘Adiew, fair Eskdale, up and down,
Where my poor friends do dwell!
The bangisters will ding them down,
And will them sore compel.
10
‘But I'll revenge that feed mysell
When I come ou'r the sea;
Adiew, my lady and only joy!
For I maunna stay with thee.’
11
‘Lord of the land, will you go then
Unto my father's place,
And walk into their gardens green,
And I will you embrace.
12
‘Ten thousand times I'll kiss your face,
And sport, and make you merry;’
‘I thank thee, my lady, for thy kindness,
But, trust me, I maunna stay with thee.’
13
Then he took off a great gold ring,
Where at hang signets three:
‘Hae, take thee that, my ain dear thing,
And still hae mind of me.
14
‘But if thow marry another lord
Ere I come ou'r the sea —
Adiew, my lady and only joy!
For I maunna stay with thee.’
15
The wind was fair, the ship was close,
That good lord went away,
And most part of his friends were there,
To give him a fair convay.
16
They drank thair wine, they did not spare,
Even in the good lord's sight;
Now he is oer the floods so gray,
And Lord Maxwell has taen his good-night.
