Bonny Lizie Lindsay
LIZIE LINDSAY—E
[_]
Buchan's Ballads of the North of Scotland, II, 102.
1
In Edinburgh lived a lady,
Was ca'd Lizie Lindsay by name,
Was courted by mony fine suitors,
And mony rich person of fame:
Tho lords o renown had her courted,
Yet none her favour could gain.
2
Then spake the young laird o Kingcaussie,
And a bonny young boy was he;
‘Then let me a year to the city,
I'll come, and that lady wi me.’
3
Then spake the auld laird o Kingcaussie,
A canty auld mannie was he;
‘What think ye by our little Donald,
Sae proudly and crously cracks he?
4
‘But he's win a year to the city,
If that I be a living man;
And what he can mak o this lady,
We shall lat him do as he can.’
5
He's stript aff his fine costly robes,
And put on the single liverie;
With no equipage nor attendance,
To Edinburgh city went he.
6
Now there was a ball in the city,
A ball o great mirth and great fame;
And fa danced wi Donald that day
But bonny Lizie Lindsay on the green!
7
‘Will ye gang to the Hielands, bonny Lizie?
Will ye gang to the Hielands wi me?
Will ye leave the South Country ladies,
And gang to the Hielands wi me?’
8
The lady she turned about,
And answered him courteouslie;
‘I'd like to ken faer I am gaun first,
And fa I am gaun to gang wi.’
9
‘O Lizie, ae favour I'll ask you,
This favour I pray not deny;
Ye'll tell me your place o abode,
And your nearest o kindred do stay.’
10
‘Ye'll call at the Canogate-Port,
At the Canogate-Port call ye;
I'll gie you a bottle o wine,
And I'll bear you my companie.’
11
Syne he called at the Canogate-Port,
At the Canogate-Port calld he;
She gae him a bottle o wine,
And she gae him her companie.
12
‘Will ye gang to the Hielands, bonny Lizie?
Will ye gang to the Hielands wi me?
Will ye leave the South Country ladies,
And gang to the Hielands wi me?’
13
Then out spake Lizie's auld mither,
For a very auld lady was she;
‘If ye cast ony creed on my dochter,
High hanged I'll cause you to be.’
14
‘O keep hame your dochter, auld woman,
And latna her gang wi me;
I can cast nae mair creed on your dochter,
Nae mair than she can on me.’
15
‘Now, young man, ae question I'll ask you,
Sin ye mean to honour us sae;
Ye'll tell me how braid your lands lie,
Your name, and faer ye hae to gae.’
16
‘My father he is an auld soutter,
My mither she is an auld dey,
And I'm but a puir broken trooper,
My kindred I winna deny.
17
‘Yet I'm nae a man o great honour,
Nor am I a man o great fame;
My name it is Donald M'Donald,
I'll tell it, and winna think shame.
18
‘Will ye gang to the Hielands, bonny Lizie?
Will ye gang to the Hielands wi me?
Will ye leave the South Country ladies,
And gang to the Hielands wi me?’
19
‘O Donald, I'll gie you ten guineas,
If ye woud but stay in my room
Until that I draw your fair picture,
To look on it fan I think lang.’
20
‘No, I carena mair for your guineas,
Nae mair than ye care for mine;
But if that ye love my ain person,
Gae wi me, maid, if ye incline.’
21
Then out spake Lizie's bower-woman,
And a bonny young lassie was she;
Tho I was born heir to a crown,
Young Donald, I woud gang him wi.
22
Up raise then the bonny young lady,
And drew till her stockings and sheen,
And packd up her claise in fine bundles,
And awa wi young Donald she's gane.
23
The roads they were rocky and knabby,
The mountains were baith strait and stay;
When Lizie grew wearied wi travel,
For she'd travelld a very lang way.
24
‘O turn again, bonny Lizie Lindsay,
O turn again,’ said he;
‘We're but ae day's journey frae town,
O turn, and I'll turn wi thee.’
25
Out speaks the bonny young lady,
Till the saut tear blinded her ee;
Altho I'd return to the city,
There's nae person woud care for me.
26
When they came near the end o their journey,
To the house o their father's milk-dey,
He said, Stay still there, Lizie Lindsay,
Till I tell my mither o thee.
27
When he came into the shielen,
She hailed him courteouslie;
Said, Ye're welcome hame, Sir Donald,
There's been mony ane calling for thee.
28
‘O ca me nae mair, Sir Donald,
But Donald M'Donald your son;
We'll carry the joke a bit farther,
There's a bonny young lady to come.’
29
When Lizie came into the shielen,
She lookd as if she'd been a feel;
She sawna a seat to sit down on,
But only some sunks o green feall.
30
‘Now make us a supper, dear mither,
The best o your cruds and green whey;
And make us a bed o green rashes,
And covert wi huddins sae grey.’
31
But Lizie being wearied wi travel,
She lay till't was up i the day:
‘Ye might hae been up an hour seener,
To milk baith the ewes and the kye.’
32
Out then speaks the bonny young lady,
Whan the saut tear drapt frae her eye;
I wish that I had bidden at hame,
I can neither milk ewes nor kye.
33
‘I wish that I had bidden at hame,
The Hielands I never had seen,
Altho I love Donald M'Donald,
The laddie wi blythe blinking een.’
34
‘Win up, win up, O bonny Lizie,
And dress in the silks sae gay;
I'll show you the yetts o Kingcaussie,
Whare I've playd me mony a day.’
35
Up raise the bonny young lady,
And drest in the silks sae fine,
And into young Donald's arms
Awa to Kingcaussie she's gane.
36
Forth came the auld laird o Kingcaussie,
And hailed her courteouslie;
Says, Ye're welcome, bonny Lizie Lindsay,
Ye're welcome hame to me.
37
‘Tho lords o renown hae you courted,
Young Donald your favour has won;
Ye'se get a' the lands o Kingcaussie,
And Donald M'Donald, my son.’
