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

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.’