Earl of Aboyne; or, Bonny Peggy Irvine
THE EARL OF ABOYNE—I
[_]
Motherwell's MS., p. 128.
1
The Earl of Aboyne to London has gone,
And all his nobles with him;
For all the braw ribbands he wore at his hat,
He has left his lady behind him.
2
She has to her high castle gane,
To see if she saw him coming;
And who did she spy but her own servant Jack,
Coming riding home again from London.
3
‘What news, what news, my own servant Jack?
What news have you got from London?’
‘Good news, good news, my lady,’ he says,
‘For the Earl of Aboyne he is coming.’
4
She has to her kitchen-maid gane:
‘Set your pots and your pans all a boiling;
Have every thing fine for gentry to dine,
For the Earl of Aboyne he is coming.
5
‘Stable-grooms all, pray be well employed,
Set your stable-bells all a ringing;
Let your hecks be overlaid with the finest of good hay,
For the Earl of Aboyne he is coming.’
6
She has to her low gates gane,
To see if she saw him coming,
And long seven miles before they came to town
She heard their bridles ringing.
7
‘Come kiss me, come kiss me, madam,’ he says,
‘Come kiss me for my coming,
For the morn should hae been my wedding-day
Had I staid any longer in London.’
8
She's turned about with an angry look,
Says, Woe's me for thy coming!
If the morn should hae been your wedding-day,
Go back and kiss your whores in London.
9
They've turned their horses' heads around,
Their faces all for London;
With their hands to their hats they all rode off,
And they're all away to London.
