University of Virginia Library

Search this document 
The English and Scottish Popular Ballads

Edited by Francis James Child.

expand sectionI. 
expand sectionII. 
expand sectionIII. 
collapse sectionIV. 
expand section83. 
expand section84. 
expand section85. 
expand section86. 
expand section87. 
expand section88. 
expand section89. 
expand section90. 
expand section91. 
expand section92. 
expand section93. 
expand section94. 
expand section95. 
expand section96. 
expand section97. 
expand section98. 
expand section99. 
expand section100. 
expand section101. 
expand section102. 
expand section103. 
expand section104. 
expand section105. 
expand section106. 
expand section107. 
expand section108. 
expand section109. 
collapse section110. 
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
expand section111. 
expand section112. 
expand section113. 
expand sectionV. 
expand sectionVI. 
expand sectionVII. 
expand sectionVIII. 
expand sectionIX. 


318

Bonny Bee Ho'm

BONNY BEE HOM—A

[_]

Alexander Fraser Tytler's Brown MS., No 6.

1

By Arthur's Dale as late I went
I heard a heavy moan;
I heard a ladie lammenting sair,
And ay she cried Ohone!

2

‘Ohon, alas! what shall I do,
Tormented night and day!
I never loved a love but ane,
And now he's gone away.

3

‘But I will do for my true-love
What ladies woud think sair;
For seven year shall come and go
Ere a kaim gang in my hair.

4

‘There shall neither a shoe gang on my foot,
Nor a kaim gang in my hair,
Nor eer a coal nor candle-light
Shine in my bower nae mair.’

5

She thought her love had been on the sea,
Fast sailling to Bee Hom;
But he was in a quiet chamer,
Hearing his ladie's moan.

6

‘Be husht, be husht, my ladie dear,
I pray thee mourn not so;
For I am deep sworn on a book
To Bee Hom for to go.’

7

She has gien him a chain of the beaten gowd,
And a ring with a ruby stone:
‘As lang as this chain your body binds,
Your blude can never be drawn.

8

‘But gin this ring shoud fade or fail,
Or the stone shoud change its hue,
Be sure your love is dead and gone,
Or she has proved untrue.’

9

He had no been at Bonny Bee Hom
A twelve month and a day,
Till, looking on his gay gowd ring,
The stone grew dark and gray.

10

‘O ye take my riches to Bee Hom,
And deal them presentlie,
To the young that canna, the auld that maunna.
And the blind that does not see.’

11

Now death has come into his bower,
And split his heart in twain;
So their twa souls flew up to heaven,
And there shall ever remain.