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

The English and Scottish Popular Ballads

Edited by Francis James Child.

Part I.

II.

III.

IV.

VI.

VII.

VIII.

IX.

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The Baron o Leys

THE BARON O LEYS—C

[_]

Buchan's Ballads of the North of Scotland, II, 144.

1

The Baron o Leys to France is gane,
The fashion and tongue to learn,
But hadna been there a month or twa
Till he gat a lady wi bairn.

2

But it fell ance upon a day
The lady mournd fu sairlie;
Says, Who's the man has me betrayed?
It gars me wonder and fairlie.

3

Then to the fields to him she went,
Saying, Tell me what they ca thee;
Or else I'll mourn and rue the day,
Crying, alas that ever I saw thee!

4

‘Some ca's me this, some ca's me that,
I carena fat befa me;
For when I'm at the schools o France
An awkward fellow they ca me.’

5

‘Wae's me now, ye awkward fellow,
And alas that ever I saw thee!
Wi you I'm in love, sick, sick in love,
And I kenna well fat they ca thee.’

6

‘Some ca's me this, some ca's me that,
What name does best befa me;
For when I walk in Edinburgh streets
The Curling Buckle they ca me.’

7

‘O wae's me now, O Curling Buckle,
And alas that ever I saw thee!
For I'm in love, sick, sick in love,
And I kenna well fat they ca thee.’

8

‘Some ca's me this, some ca's me that,
Whatever name best befa's me;
But when I'm in Scotland's king's high court
Clatter the Speens they ca me.’

9

‘O wae's me now, O Clatter the Speens,
And alas that ever I saw thee!
For I'm in love, sick, sick in love,
And I kenna well fat to ca thee.’

10

‘Some ca's me this, some ca's me that,
I carena what they ca me;
But when wi the Earl o Murray I ride
It's Scour the Brass they ca me.’

11

‘O wae's me now, O Scour the Brass,
And alas that ever I saw thee!

358

For I'm in love, sick, sick in love,
And I kenna well fat to ca thee.’

12

‘Some ca's me this, some ca's me that,
Whatever name best befa's me;
But when I walk thro Saint Johnstone's town
George Burnett they ca me.’

13

‘O wae's me, O wae's me, George Burnett,
And alas that ever I saw thee!
For I'm in love, sick, sick in love,
And I kenna well fat to ca thee.’

14

‘Some ca's me this, some ca's me that,
Whatever name best befa's me;
But when I am on bonny Dee side
The Baron o Leys they ca me.’

15

‘O weal is me now, O Baron o Leys,
This day that ever I saw thee!
There's gentle blood within my sides,
And now [I] ken fat they ca thee.

16

‘But ye'll pay down ten thousand crowns,
Or marry me the morn;
Else I'll cause you be headed or hangd
For gieing me the scorn.’

17

‘My head is a thing I cannot well want;
My lady loves me sae dearly;
But I'll deal the gold right liberally
For lying ae night sae near thee.’

18

When word had gane to the Lady o Leys
The baron had gotten a bairn,
She clapped her hands, and this did say,
‘I wish he were in my arms!

19

‘O weal is me now, O Baron o Leys,
For ye hae pleased me sairly;
Frae our house is banishd the vile reproach
That disturbed us late and early.’

20

When she looked ower her castle-wa,
To view the woods sae rarely,
There she spied the Baron o Leys
Ride on his steed sae rarely.

21

Then forth she went her baron to meet,
Says, Ye're welcome to me, fairly!
Ye'se hae spice-cakes, and seed-cakes sweet,
And claret to drink sae rarely.