The English and Scottish Popular Ballads Edited by Francis James Child. |
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 | The English and Scottish Popular Ballads |  |
The Queen's Maries
MARY HAMILTON—BB
[_]
Communicated by Mr Andrew Lang as received from Mrs Arthur Smith; sung by a nurse. 4 is clearly modern.
1
Yestreen the queen had four Maries,But the nicht she'll hae but three;
There was Mary Beaton, and Mary Seaton,
And Mary Carmichell, and me.
2
Oh little did my mither think,At nicht when she cradled me,
That I wad sleep in a nameless grave
And hang on the gallows-tree.
Yestreen, etc.
3
They'll tie a kerchief round my een,And they'll na let me see t'dee,
And they'll spread my story thro a' the land,
Till it reaches my ain countrie.
4
I wish I micht sleep in the auld kirkyard,Beneath the hazel tree,
Where aft we played in the long simmer nichts,
My brithers and sisters and me.
| The English and Scottish Popular Ballads | |