The English and Scottish Popular Ballads :: :: University of Virginia Library

He guarded the house round about,
Himsel went in and found her out,
She hung close by her mither;
Wi dolefu cries and watery eyes
They parted frae each ither.

3

‘Gang wi me, my dear,’ he says,
‘Gang and be my honey;
Gang and be my wedded wife,
I loe ye best o onie.’

4

‘I winna gang wi you,’ she says,
‘I winna be your honey;
I winna be your wedded wife;
Ye loe me for my money.’

5

He gied na her na time to dress
As ladies whan they're brides,
But hurried her awa wi speed,
And rowd her in his plaids.

6

He gat her up upon a horse,
Himsel lap on ahind her;
And they're awa to the Hieland hills;
Her friends they canna find her.

7

As they gaed oure the Hieland hills,
This lady aften fainted,
Saying, Wae be to my cursed gowd,
This road to me invented!

8

As they gaed oure the Hieland hills,
And at Buchanan tarried,
He bought to her baith cloak and goun,
Yet she wadna be married.

9

Six held her up afore the priest,
Four laid her in a bed, O;
Maist mournfully she wept and cried
Whan she bye him was laid, O.

247

10

‘O be content, be content,
Be content to stay, ladie;
For now ye are my wedded wife
Unto your dying day, ladie.

11

‘Rob Roy was my father calld,
M'Gregor was his name, ladie;
And in a' the country whare he dwalt
He exceeded ae in fame, ladie.

12

‘He was a hedge unto his friends,
A heckle to his faes, ladie;
And ilka ane that did him wrang,
He beat him on the neis, ladie.

13

‘I'm as bold, I am as bold
As my father was afore, ladie;
Ilka ane that does me wrang
Sall feel my gude claymore, ladie.

14

‘There neer was frae Lochlomond west
That eer I did him fear, ladie;
For, if his person did escape,
I seizd upon his gear, ladie.

15

‘My father delights in horse and kye,
In sheep and goats and a', ladie,
And thee wi me and thirty merks
Will mak me a man fu braw, ladie.

16

‘I hae been in foreign lands,
And servd the king o France, ladie;
We will get the bagpipes,
And we'll hae a dance, ladie.’

Rob Roy MacGregor

ROB ROY—C

[_]

Motherwell's MS., p. 93.

1

Rob Roy's from the Hielands come
Unto our Lowland border,
And he has stolen a lady away,
To keep his house in order.

2

Rob Roy's come to Blackhill's gate,
Twenty men his arms did carry,
And he has stolen a lady away,
On purpose her to marry.

3

None knew till he surrounded the house,
No tidings came before him,
Or else she had been gone away,
For she did still abhor him.

4

All doors and windows guarded were,
None could the plot discover;
Himself went in and found her out,
Professing how he loved her.

5

‘Come go with me, my dear,’ he said,
‘Come go with me, my honey,
And you shall be my wedded wife,
I love you best of onie.’

6

‘I will not go with you,’ she said,
‘Nor will I be your honey;
I neer shall be your wedded wife,
You love me for my money.’

7

But he her drew amongst his crew,
She holding by her mother;
With mournful cries and watery eyes
They parted from each other.

8

No time they gave her to be dressed
As ladies when they're brides, O,
But hurried her away in haste;
They rowed her in their plaids, O.

9

As they went over hills and rocks,
The lady often fainted;
Says, Wae may it be, my cursed money,
This road to me invented!

10

They passed away by Drymen town,
And at Buchanan tarried;
They bought to her a cloak and gown,
Yet she would not be married.

11

But without consent they joined their hands;
By law ought not to carry;
The priest his zeal it was so hot
On her will he would not tarry.

12

Four held her up before the priest,
Two laid her in the bed, O;
Och, mournfully she weeped and cried
When she by him was laid, O.

13

‘Now you're come to the Highland hills,
Out of your native clime, lady,

248

Never think of going back,
But take this for your hame, lady.

14

‘Be content, be content,
Be content to stay, lady;
Now ye are my wedded wife
Unto your dying day, lady.

15

‘O Rob Roy was my father called,
But McGregor was his name, lady;
In all the country far and near
None did exceed his fame, lady.

16

‘I'm as bold, I'm as bold,
I'm as bold as he, lady;
In France and Ireland I'll dance and fight,
And from them take the gree, lady.

17

‘He was a hedge about his friends,
But a heckle to his faes, lady,
And every one that did him wrong,
He took them owre the nose, lady.

18

‘I'm as bold, I'm as bold,
I'm as bold, and more, lady;
Every one that does me wrong
Shall feel my good claymore, lady.

19

‘My father he has stots and ewes,
And he has goats and sheep, lady,
But you and twenty thousand punds
Makes me a man complete, lady.’

Rob Roy

ROB ROY—D

[_]

“Scotch Ballads, Materials for Border Minstrelsy,” No 147, Abbotsford; in a handwriting of the early part of this century.

1

Rob Roy from the Highlands came
Unto the Lowland border;
It was to steal a ladie away,
To keep his house in order.

2

He gae her nae time to dress herself
Like a lady that was to be married,
But he hoisd her out among his crew,
And rowd her in his plaidie.

3

‘Will ye go wi me, my dear?’ he says,
‘Will ye go wi me, my honey?
Will ye go wi me, my dear?’ he says,
‘For I love you best of ony.’

4

‘I winna be your dear,’ she says,
‘Nor I'll never be your honey;
I'll never be your wedded wife,
For you love me but for my money.’

5

He hoisd her out among his crew,
She holding by her mother;
Wi watry eyes and mournfu cries
They parted from each other.

6

As they gaed oer yon high hill,
The ladie often fainted;
‘Oh, wae be to my gold,’ she said,
‘This road for me invented!’

7

Two held her up before the priest,
And two put her to bed,
Wi mournful cries and watry eyes
As she lay by his side.

8

‘Be content, be content,
Be content wi me, ladie,
For now you are my wedded wife
Until the day ye die, ladie.

9

‘Rob Roy was my father calld,
McGrigor was his name, ladie,
And a' the country round about
Has heard of Roy's fame, ladie.

10

‘You do not think yourself a match
For such a one as I, ladie;
But I been east and I been west,
And saird the king of France, ladie.

11

‘And now we hear the bag-pipe play,
And we maun hae a dance, ladie,
And a' the country round about
Has heard of Roy's fame, ladie.

12

‘Shake your foot, shake your foot,
Shake your foot wi me, ladie,
For now you are my wedded bride
Until the day ye die, ladie.

249

13

‘My father dealt in cows and ewes,
Likewise in goats and sheep, ladie,
And a' the country round about
Has heard of Roy's fame, ladie.

14

‘And ye have fifty thousand marks,
Makes me a man compleat, ladie;
Why mayn't I maid
May I not ride in state, ladie?

15

‘My father was a Highland laird,
Altho he be now dead, ladie,
And a' the country round about
Has heard of Roy's fame, ladie.’

Rob Ro

ROB ROY—E

[_]

Pitcairn's MSS, III, 41; “from tradition (Widow Stevenson).”

1

Rob Roy from the Highlands cam
Unto our Scottish border,
And he has stown a lady fair,
To haud his house in order.

2

And when he cam he surrounded the house;
Twenty men their arms did carry;
And he has stown this lady fair,
On purpose her for to marry.

3

And whan he cam he surrounded the house;
No tidings there cam before him,
Or else the lady would have been gone,
For still she did abhor him.

4

Wi murnfu cries and watery eyes,
Fast hauding by her mother,
Wi murnfu cries and watery eyes
They parted frae each other.

5

Nae time he gied her to be dressed
As ladys do when they're bride, O,
But he hastened and hurried her awa,
And he rowd her in his plaid, O.

6

They rade till they cam to Ballyshine,
At Ballyshine they tarried;
He bought to her a cotton gown,
Yet would she never be married.

7

Three held her up before the priest,
Four carried her to bed, O,
Wi watery eyes and murnfu sighs
When she behind was laid, O.

8

‘O be content, be content,
Be content to stay, lady,
For you are my wedded wife
Unto my dying day, lady.
Be content, etc.

9

‘My father is Rob Roy called,
MacGregor is his name, lady;
In all the country whare he dwells,
He does succeed the fame, lady.
Be content, etc.

10

‘My father he has cows and ewes,
And goats he has anew, lady,
And you and twenty thousand merks
Will mak me a man complete, lady.’
Be content, etc.

Rob Roy

ROB ROY—F

[_]

Campbell MSS, II, 229.

1

Rob Roy frae the Highlands came
Unto the Lawland border,
And he has stolen a lady away,
To haud his house in order.

2

He's pu'd her out amang his men,
She holding by her mother;
With mournfu cries and watery eyes
They parted frae each other.

3

When they came to the heigh hill-gate,
O it's aye this lady fainted:
‘O wae! what has that cursed monie
That's thrown to me invented?’

4

When they came to the heigh hill-gate,
And at Buchanan tarried,

250

They fetchd to her a cloak and gown,
Yet wad she not be married.

5

Four held her up before the priest,
Four laid her on her bed,
With mournfu cries and watery eyes
When she by him was laid.

6

‘I'll be kind, I'll be kind,
I'll be kind to thee, lady,
And all the country for thy sake
Shall surely favoured be, lady.

7

‘Be content, be content,
Be content and stay, lady;
Now ye are my weded wife
Until your dying-day, ladie.

8

‘Rob Roy was my father called,
McGregor was his name, lady;
In every country where he was,
He did exceed the fame, lady.

9

‘He was a hedge about his friends,
A terror to his foes, lady,
And every one that did him wrong,
He hit them oer the nose, lady.

10

‘Be content, be content,
Be content and stay, lady;
Now ye are my wedded wife
Until your dying-day, lady.

11

‘We will go, we will go,
We will go to France, lady,
Where I before for safety fled,
And there wee'l get a dance, lady.

12

‘Shake a fit, shake a fit,
Shake a fit to me, lady;
Now ye are my wedded wife
Until your dying-day, lady.

Rob Roy

ROB ROY—G

[_]

Cromek, Select Scotish Songs, 1810, II, 194, 199; sent by Burns to William Tytler, in a letter.

1

Rob Roy from the Highlands cam
Unto the Lawlan border,
To steal awa a gay ladie,
To haud his house in order.

2

He cam owre the Lock o Lynn,
Twenty men his arms did carry;
Himsel gaed in an fand her out,
Protesting he would marry.

3

‘O will ye gae wi me’? he says,
‘Or will ye be my honey?
Or will ye be my wedded wife?
For I love you best of any.’

4

‘I winna gae wi you,’ she says,
‘Nor will I be your honey,
Nor will I be your wedded wife;
You love me for my money.’

[OMITTED]

5

But he set her on a coal-black steed,
Himsel lap on behind her,
An he's awa to the Highland hills,
Whare her friens they canna find her.

[OMITTED]

6

‘Rob Roy was my father ca'd,
MacGregor was his name, ladie;
He led a band o heroes bauld,
An I am here the same, ladie.

7

‘Be content, be content,
Be content to stay, ladie;
For thou art my wedded wife
Until thy dying day, ladie.

8

‘He was a hedge unto his friens,
A heckle to his foes, ladie,
Every one that durst him wrang,
He took him by the nose, ladie.

9

‘I'm as bold, I'm as bold,
I'm as bold, an more, ladie;
He that daurs dispute my word
Shall feel my guid claymore, ladie.’

251

Rob Roy

ROB ROY—H

[_]

Sir Walter Scott's Introduction to his novel “Rob Roy,” Appendix, No V, Waverley Novels, Cadell, 1846, VII, cxxxiii; “from memory.”

1

Rob Roy is frae the Hielands come
Down to the Lowland border,
And he has stolen that lady away,
To haud his house in order.

2

He set her on a milk-white steed,
Of none he stood in awe,
Untill they reached the Hieland hills,
Aboon the Balmaha.

3

Saying, Be content, be content,
Be content with me, lady;
Where will ye find in Lennox land
Sae braw a man as me, lady?

4

‘Rob Roy he was my father called,
MacGregor was his name, lady;
A' the country, far and near,
Have heard MacGregor's fame, lady.

5

‘He was a hedge about his friends,
A heckle to his foes, lady;
If any man did him gainsay,
He felt his deadly blows, lady.

6

‘I am as bold, I am as bold,
I am as bold, and more, lady;
Any man that doubts my word
May try my gude claymore, lady.

7

‘Then be content, be content,
Be content with me, lady,
For now you are my wedded wife
Until the day ye die, lady.’

Rob Roy

ROB ROY—I

[_]

Campbell MSS, II, 58.

1

Rob Roy is frae the Highlands come
Unto the Scottish border,
And he has stolen a lady gay,
To keep his house in order.

2

He and his crew surrounded the house;
No tidings came before him,
Or else I'm sure she wad been gone,
For she did still abhore him.

3

He drew her thro amang his crew,
She holding by her mother;
With watery eyes and mournfu cries
They parted from each other.

4

He's set her on a milk-white steed,
Himself jumped on behind her,
And he's awa to the Highland hills,
And her friends they couldna find her.

5

‘O be content, be content,
O be content and stay, lady,
And never think of going back
Until your dying day, lady.’

6

As they went over hills and dales,
This lady oftimes fainted;
Cries, Wae be to that cursed money
This road to me invented!

7

‘O dinna think, O dinna think,
O dinna think to ly, lady;
O think na ye yersell weel matchd
On sic a lad as me, lady?

8

‘What think ye o my coal-black hair,
But and my twinkling een, lady,
A little bonnet on my head,
And cocket up aboon, lady?

9

‘O dinna think, O dinna think,
O dinna think to ly, lady;
O think nae ye yersell weel matchd
On sic a lad as me, lady?

10

‘Rob Roy was my father calld,
But Gregory was his name, lady;
There was neither duke nor lord
Could eer succeed his fame, lady.

11

‘O may not I, may not I,
May not I succeed, lady?
My old father did so design;
O now but he is dead, lady.

12

‘My father was a hedge about his friends,
A heckle to his foes, lady,

252

And every one that did him wrang,
He hit them oer the nose, lady.

13

‘I['m] as bold, I['m] as bold,
I['m] as bold, and more, lady,
And every one that does me wrong
Shall feel my good claymore, lady.

14

‘You need not fear our country cheer,
Ye'se hae good entertain, lady;
For ye shall hae a feather-bed,
Both lang and broad and green, lady.

15

‘Come, be content, come, be content,
Come, be content and stay, lady,
And never think of going back
Until yer dying day, lady.’

16

Twa held her up before the priest,
Four laid her in her bed,
And sae mournfully she weeping cry'd
When she by him was laid!

17

‘Come, dinna think, come, dinna think,
Come, dinna think to ly, lady;
You'll surely think yersell weel matchd
On sic a lad as me, lady.

18

‘Come, be content, come, be content,
Come, be content and stay, lady,
And never think of going back
Until your dying day, lady.’

Rob Oig

ROB ROY—J

[_]

A Garland of Old Historical Ballads, p. 10, Aungervyle Society, 1881, from a manuscript which had belonged to Maidment.

1

From Drunkie in the Highlands,
With four and twenty men,
Rob Oig is cam, a lady fair
To carry from the plain.

2

Glengyle and James with him are cam,
To steal Jean Mitchell's dauchter,
And they have borne her far away,
To haud his house in order.

3

And he has taen Jean Key's white hand,
And torn her grass-green sleeve,
And rudely tyed her on his horse,
At her friends asked nae leave.

4

They rode till they cam to Ballyshine,
At Ballyshine they tarried;
Nae time he gave her to be dressed,
In cotton gown her married.

5

Three held her up before the priest,
Four carried her to bed, O;
Wi watery eyes and mournfu sighs
She in bed wi Rob was laid, O.

6

‘Haud far awa from me, Rob Oig,
Haud far awa from me!
Before I lose my maidenhead,
I'll try my strength with thee.’

7

She's torn the cap from off her head
And thrown it to the way,
But ere she lost her maidenhead
She fought with him till day.

8

‘Wae fa, Rob Oig, upon your head!
For you have ravished me,
And taen from me my maidenhead;
O would that I could dee!’

9

‘My father he is Rob Roy called,
And he has cows and ewes,
And you are now my wedded wife,
And can nae longer chuse.’

253

Rob Roy

ROB ROY—K

[_]

Laing's Thistle of Scotland, p. 93; compounded, with some alterations, from two copies, one from Miss Harper, Kildrummy, the other from the Rev. R. Scott, Glenbucket.

1

Rob Roy frae the Highlands came
Doun to our Lowland border;
It was to steal a lady away,
To haud his house in order.

2

With four-and-twenty Highland men,
His arms for to carry,
He came to steal Blackhill's daughter,
That lady for to marry.

3

Nae ane kend o his comming,
Nae tiddings came before him,
Else the lady woud hae been away,
For still she did abhore him.

4

They guarded doors and windows round,
Nane coud their plot discover;
Rob Roy enterd then alane,
Expressing how he lovd her.

5

‘Come go with me, my dear,’ he said,
‘Come go with me, my honey,
And ye shall be my wedded wife,
For I love you best of any.’

6

‘I will not go with you,’ she said,
‘I'll never be your honey;
I will not be your wedded wife,
Your love is for my money.’

7

They woud not stay till she was drest
As ladies when thei'r brides, O,
But hurried her awa in haste,
And rowd her in their plaids, O.

8

He drew her out among his crew,
She holding by her mother;
With mournful cries and watry eyes
They parted from each other.

9

He placed her upon a steed,
Then jumped on behind her,
And they are to the Highlands gone,
Her friends they cannot find her.

10

With many a heavy sob and wail,
They saw, as they stood by her,
She was so guarded round about
Her friends could not come nigh her.

11

Her mournful cries were often heard,
But no aid came unto her;
They guarded her on every side
That they could not rescúe her.

12

Over rugged hills and dales
They rode; the lady fainted;
Cried, Woe be to my cursed gold
That has such roads invented!

13

As they came in by Drimmen town
And in by Edingarry,
He bought to her both cloak and gown,
Still thinking she would marry.

14

As they went down yon bonny burn-side,
They at Buchanan tarried;
He clothed her there as a bride,
Yet she would not be married.

15

Without consent they joind their hands,
Which law ought not to carry;
His passion waxed now so hot
He could no longer tarry.

16

Two held her up before the priest,
Four laid her in the bed then,
With sighs and cries and watery eyes
When she was laid beside him.

17

‘Ye are come to our Highland hills,
Far frae thy native clan, lady;
Never think of going back,
But take it for thy home, lady.

18

‘I'll be kind, I'll be kind,
I'll be kind to thee, lady;
All the country, for thy sake,
Shall surely favourd be, lady.

19

‘Rob Roy was my father calld,
MacGregor was his name, lady,
And all the country where he dwelt
He did exceed for fame, lady.

20

‘Now or then, now or then,
Now or then deny, lady;
Don't you think yourself well of
With a pretty man like I, lady?

21

‘He was a hedge about his friends,
A heckle to his foes, lady,
And all that did him any wrong,
He took them by the nose, lady.

22

‘Don't think, don't think,
Don't think I lie, lady,
Ye may know the truth by what
Was done in your countrý, lady.

23

‘My father delights in cows and horse,
Likewise in goats and sheep, lady,
And you with thirty thousand marks
Makes me a man complete, lady.

254

24

‘Be content, be content,
Be content and stay, lady;
Now ye are my wedded wife
Untill your dying day, lady.

25

‘Your friends will all seek after me,
But I'll give them the scorn, lady;
Before dragoons come oer the Forth,
We shall be doun by Lorn, lady.

26

‘I am bold, I am bold,
But bolder than before, lady;
Any one dare come this way
Shall feel my good claymore, lady.

27

‘We shall cross the raging seas,
We shall go to France, lady;
There we'll gar the piper play,
And then we'll have a dance, lady.

28

‘Shake a foot, shake a foot,
Shake a foot wi me, lady,
And ye shall be my wedded wife
Until the day ye die, lady.’

ROB ROY—L

[_]

From a copy formerly in the possession of Charles Kirkpatrick Sharpe, now belonging to Mr Macmath. The paper on which it is written has the water-mark 1822.

1

Rob Roy's from the Highlands come
Down to the Lowland border,

255

And there he's stole a fair lady away,
To keep his house in order.

2

As he came in by Blackhill gate,
Twenty men his arms did carry,
And he has stole a fair lady away,
On purpose hir to marry.

3

No tidings came unto the house,
Nor none went in before him,
Or else she had been run away,
For she did still abhor him.

4

But with his men he surunded the house,
Himself went in unto hir,
And when that he had found her out
He profest how much he lovt hir.

5

‘O wilt thou be my dear?’ he says,
‘O wilt thou be my hony?
O wilt thou be my wedded wife?
For I love you far better than ony.’

6

‘I will not be your dear,’ she says,
‘I will not be your honey,
I will not be your wedded wife;
You love me for my money.’

7

But he hir drew amongst his crew,
She holding by hir mother;
With doleful cries and watry eyes
The parted from each other.

8

He gave hir no time for to dress
As brides do when the marry,
But fast he hurried hir away,
And rowd hir in his plaidy.

9

He set hir on a milk-white steed,
Himself lept on behind hir,
And he has carried hir away,
Hir friends the could not find hir.

10

The lady's cries were oftimes heard,
But none durst venture to hir;
She gaurded was on every side,
Hir friends could not rescue hir.

11

As the went over hills and rocks,
The lady oftimes fainted;
Cries, Wo be to my curst mony,
These roads to me invented.

12

As the came in by Drummond town
And at Bachannan tarried,
He bought to her a cloak and gown,
Yet wad she not be married.

13

And when she came the priest before
He askd if she would marry,
But the parson's zeal it was so hot
For her will he did not tarry.

14

Four held hir up before the priest,
Tow laid hir in hir bed, O,
But still she cried, with watry eyes,
When she was by him laid O.

15

‘Now you'r to the Highlands come,
Out of your native clime, lady,
Never think of going back,
But tak it for your hame, lady.

16

‘Be content, be content,
Be content to stay, lady,
Now you are my wedded wife,
Until your dying day, lady.

17

‘Rob Roy was my father calld,
McGregor was his name, lady,
And all the country where he dwelt
None could exceed his fame, lady.

18

‘I'll be kind, I'll be kind,
I'll be kind to thee, lady,
A' thy kindred for thy sake
Shall truly favoured be, lady.

19

‘My father reignd as Highland king,
And ruled at his will, lady,
There was nether lord nor duke
Durst do him ony ill, lady.

20

‘Ay through time, ay through time,
Ay through time was he, lady,
Filled was w[ith] sweet revenge
On a' his enemys, lady.

21

‘He was a hedge about his friends,
A heckle till his foes, lady,
And every ane that did him rang,
He took them oer the nose, lady.

22

‘I'm as bold, I'm as bold,
[As bold] as forest boar, lady,
Every ane that does thee rang
Shall feell my stell claymore, lady.

23

‘Neer a man from Highlands came
That ever did him dare, lady,
But if those persons did escape
He sized upon there gear, lady.
Ay through time, etc.

24

‘My father dealt in horse and cows,
But thou in goats and sheep, lady,
Thre and twenty thousand merk
Makes me a man complete, lady.
Be content, etc.

25

‘Of all the exploits my father did
I do him now outshine, lady;
He never took a prize in's life
With sic a face as thine, lady.’