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

‘O narrow, narrow's my gown, Willy,
That wont to be sae wide;
An short, short is my coats, Willy,
That wont to be sae side;
An gane is a' my fair colour,
An low laid is my pride.

10

‘But an my father get word of this,
He'll never drink again;
An gin my mother get word of this,
In her ain bowr she'll go brain;
An gin my bold brothers get word o this,
I fear, Willy, you'll be slain.’

11

‘O will you leave your father's court,
An go along wi me?
I'll carry you unto fair Scotland,
And mak you a lady free.’

12

She pat her han in her pocket
An gae him five hunder poun:
‘An take you that now, Squire Willy,
Till awa that we do won.’

13

Whan day was gane, and night was come,
She lap the castle-wa;
But Willy kepit his gay lady,
He was laith to let her fa.

14

Whan night was gane, an day come in,
An lions gaed to their dens,
An ay the lady followd him,
An the tears came hailing down.

15

‘O want ye ribbons to your hair?
Or roses to your shoone?
Or want ye as meickle dear bought love
As your ain heart can contain?’

16

‘I want nae ribbons to my hair,
Nor roses till my shoone;
An Ohone, alas, for dear bought love!
I have mair nor I can contain.’

17

O he's pu'd the oak in good green wood,
An he's made to her a fire;

408

He coverd it oer wi withred leaves,
An gard it burn thro ire.

18

He made a bed i the good green wood,
An he's laid his lady down,
An he's coverd her oer wi fig-tree leaves,
But an his ain night-gown.

19

‘O had I a bunch o yon red roddins,
That grows in yonder wood,
But an a drink o water clear,
I think it woud do me good.’

20

He's pu'd her a bunch o yon red roddins,
That grew beside yon thorn,
But an a drink o water clear,
Intill his hunting-horn.

21

He's bent his bow, and shot the deer,
An thro the green wood gane,
An ere that he came back again
His lady took travailing.

22

‘O up ye tak that horn,’ she says,
‘An ye blaw a blast for me;
Gin my father be in good green wood,
Sae seen's he'll come me ti.’

23

‘O gin there be a man on earth
That ye loo better nor me,
Ye blaw the horn yoursel,’ he says,
‘For it's never be blawn by me.’

24

O he's bent his bow, an shot the deer,
An thro the green wood has he gane,
An lang or he came back again
His lady bare him a son.

25

O up has he tane his bonny young son,
An washn him wi the milk,
An up has he tane his gay lady,
An rowd her i the silk.

26

He's bent his bow, and shot the deer,
An thro the green wood has he gane,
Till he met wi a well-fard may,
Her father's flock feeding.

27

‘Ye leave your father's flock feeding,
An go along wi me;
I'll carry you to a lady fair,
Will gi you both meat and fee.’

28

O whan she came the lady before,
She's fa'n down on her knee:
‘O what's your will wi me, my dame?
An a dame you seem to be.’

29

‘O I'm Dame Oliphant, the king's daughter,
Nae doubt but ye've heard o me;
Will you leave your father's flock feeding,
An go to Scotlan wi me?

30

‘An ye sal get a nouriship
Intill an earldome,
An I will gar provide for the
To marry some brave Scotsman.’

31

The may she keepit the bonny boy,
An Willy led his lady,
Untill they took their fair shippin,
Then quikly hame came they.

32

The win was fair, an the sea was clear,
An they a' wan safe to lan;
He's haild her lady of Douglassdale,
Himsel the lord within.

Dame Oliphant, or, Willie o Douglass Dale; or, The Earl of Douglas and Dame Oliphant; or, Lord Willie Douglas

WILLIE O DOUGLAS DALE—B

[_]

a. Buchan MSS, II, 117. b. Buchan's Ballads of the North of Scotland, II, 181; Motherwell's MS., p. 619.

1

Willie was an earl's ae son,
And an earl's ae son was he,
But he thought his father lack to sair,
And his mother of low degree.

2

But he is on to fair England,
To sair for meat an fee,
And all was for Dame Oliphant,
A woman of great beauty.

3

He hadna been in fair England
A month but barely ane,
Ere he dreamd that fair Dame Oliphant
Gied him a gay gold ring.

4

He hadna been in fair England
A month but barely four,

409

Ere he dreamd that fair Dame Oliphant
Gied him a red rose flower,
Well set about with white lilies,
Like to the paramour.

5

It fell ance upon a day
Dame Oliphant thought lang,
And she gaed on to good green wood,
As fast as she could gang.

6

As Willie stood in his chamber-door,
And as he thought it good,
There he beheld Dame Oliphant,
As she came thro the wood.

7

He's taen his bow his arm oer,
His sword into his hand,
And he is on to good green wood,
As fast as he could gang.

8

And there he found Dame Oliphant,
Was lying sound asleep,
And aye the sounder she did sleep
The nearer he did creep.

9

But when she wakend from her sleep
An angry maid was she,
Crying, Had far away frae me, young man,
Had far away frae me!
For I fear ye are the Scottish knight
That beguiles young ladies free.

10

‘I am not the Scottish knight,
Nor ever thinks to be;
I am but Willie o Douglass Dale,
That serves for meat an fee.’

11

‘If ye be Willie o Douglass Dale,
Ye're dearly welcome to me;
For oft in my sleep have I thought on
You and your merry winking ee.’

12

But the cocks they crew, and the horns blew,
And the lions took the hill,
And Willie he gaed hame again,
To his hard task and till;
And likewise did Dame Oliphant,
To her book and her seam.

13

Till it fell ance upon a day
Dame Oliphant thought lang,
And she went on to Willie's bower-yates,
As fast as she could gang.

14

‘O are ye asleep now, Squire Willie?
O are you asleep?’ said she;
O waken, waken, Squire Willie,
O waken, and speak to me.

15

‘For the gowns that were oer wide, Willie,
They winna meet on me,
And the coats that were oer side, Willie,
They winna come to my knee;
And if the knights of my father's court get word,
I'm sure they'll gar you die.’

[OMITTED]

16

But she's taen a web of the scarlet,
And she tare it fine an sma,
And even into Willie's arms
She leapt the castle-wa;
And Willie was wight and well able,
And he keept her frae a fa.

17

But the cocks they crew, and the horns blew,
And the lions took the hill,
And Willie's ladie followed him,
And the tears did twinkle still.

18

‘O want ye ribbons to your hair?
Or roses to your sheen?
Or want ye chains about your neck?
Ye'se get mair ere that be deen.’

19

‘I want not ribbons to my hair,
Nor roses to my sheen,
And there's mair chains about my neck
Nor ever I'll see deen;
But I have as much dear bought love
As my heart can contain.’

20

‘Will ye go to the cards or dice?
Or to the table ee?
Or to a bed, so well down spread,
And sleep till it be day?’

21

‘I've mair need of the roddins, Willie,
That grow on yonder thorn;
Likewise a drink o Marywell water,
Out of your grass-green horn.

22

‘I've mair need of a fire, Willie,
To had me frae the cauld;
Likewise a glass of your red wine,
Ere I bring my son to the fauld.’

410

23

He's got a bush o roddins till her,
That grows on yonder thorn;
Likewise a drink o Marywell water,
Out of his grass-green horn.

24

He carried the match in his pocket
That kindled to her the fire,
Well set about wi oaken spells,
That leamd oer Lincolnshire.

25

And he has bought to his lady
The white bread and the wine;
And the milk he milked from the goats,
He fed his young son on.

26

Till it fell ance upon a day
Dame Oliphant thought lang:
‘O gin ye hae a being, Willie,
I pray ye hae me hame.’

27

He's taen his young son in his arms,
His lady by the hand,
And they're down thro good green wood,
As fast as they could gang.

28

Till they came to a shepherd-may,
Was feeding her flocks alone;
Said, Will ye gae alang wi me,
And carry my bonny young son?

29

The gowns that were shapen for my back,
They shall be sewd for thine;
And likewise I'll gar Squire Willie
Gie you a braw Scotsman.

30

When they came on to Willie's boweryates,
And far beyont the sea,
She was haild the lady o Douglass Dale,
And Willie an earl to be:
Likewise the maid they brought awa,
She got a braw Scotsman.

Douglass Dale

WILLIE O DOUGLAS DALE—C

[_]

Kinloch MSS, V, 327, in the handwriting of Dr John Hill Burton.

1

Sweet Sir William of Douglas Dale,
A knight's ae son was he;
He dreamed of dear Dame Oliphant,
Lang ere he did her see.

2

He dreamed a woman of great beauty
Gave him a red rose flower,
Well busket about wi the lillies white,
Just like the paramour.

3

O sweet Sir William of Douglas Dale,
A knight's ae son was he,
And he is on to the king's high court,
To serve for meat and fee.

[OMITTED]

4

Five hundred pounds of Spanish gold,
Tied in a towal so white,
And that she has given her Lord William,
Out oer the castle-dyke.

5

Five hundred pounds of Spanish gold,
Tied in a towel sae sma,
And that she has given her own true-love,
Out ore the castle-wa.

6

She rowed hersell in a robe o silk,
To loup the castle-wa;
He ceppet her in his armes twa,
And he let not her get a fa.

[OMITTED]

7

The cocks do craw, and the day does daw,
And the wild fowl bodes on hill;
The lassie she followed her Sweet William,
And let the tears down fall.

[OMITTED]

8

‘O want you ribbons to your hair?
Or roses to your sheen?
Or want ye as much of feel daft love
As your heart can contain?’

9

‘I want nor ribbons to my hair,
Nor roses to my sheen;
I've got as much o dear bought love
As my heart can contain.’

[OMITTED]

411

10

He carried a flint in his pocket,
And he strack to her a fire,
And he buskit it roun wi the leaves o oak,
And gart it burn wi ire.

11

He's taen his big coat him about,
And his gun into his hand,
And he has gone to good green wood,
To kill some venison.

12

He's taen his big coat him about,
And his gun into his han,
But lang ere he came back again
She bare his dear young son.

13

He rowed her in his muckle coat,
But in his good night-gown,
And he fed her wi the good goat-milk,
Till she was well able to gang.

14

He's taen his young son in his arm,
His lady in his hand,
And they are down thro good green wood,
As fast as they can gang.

15

And they came to a shepherd's daughter,
Was feeding at her sheep;
Says, Will ye go to Douglass Dale,
Wi my yong son to keep?

16

O I will gee you gold, maiden,
And I will gee you fee,
Gin ye will go to Douglas Dale,
Wi my yong son and me.

17

She's taen his young son in her arm,
And kissed baith cheek and chin;
Says, I will go to Douglas Dale,
As fast as I can win.

18

He's taen his big coat him about,
And his lady in his hand,
And they are off to Douglas Dale,
As fast as they can gang.

19

And when they came to Douglas Dale
A happy man was he,
For his lady, and his young son,
And his nurse, a' three.

WILLIE O DOUGLAS DALE—D

1

Willie was a rich man's son,
A rich man's son was he;
Hee thought his father lake to sair,
An his mother of mine digree,
An he is on to our English court,
To serve for meatt an fee.

2

He hadno ben in our king's court
A tuall-month an a day,
Till he fell in love we Mary, Dem [Ele]fon,
An a great buity was she.

3

He hadno ben in our king's court
A tuall-month an a houre,
Till he dreamed a lady of buty bright
Gave him a rosey flour.

4

The lady touk her mantell her about,
Her gooun-teall in her hand,
An she is on to gued grean woud,
As fast as she could gang.

5

[OMITTED]
[OMITTED]
An ther she spayed a gellant knight,
Kamen his yallou hear.

6

‘What is yer name, sir knight?
For a knight I am sure ye be;’
‘I am called Willie of Duglas Dall,
Did ye never hear of me?’

‘If ye be Willie of Duglass Daill,
I afft have heard of thee.’

7

‘What is yer name, ye lovely dame?
For a lady I trou ye be;’
‘I am called Mary, Dem Elefond,
Did ye never hear of me?’

8

‘In ye be Mary, Dem Elefon,
As I trust well ye be,
[OMITTED]
My heart ye haa ye we.’

9

The lady was fair an rear,
The knight's heart had she;
The knight was tall an straght withall,
The lady's hart had he.

10

It fell ance upon a day
Dem Elofen thought lang,
An she is on to Willie's bour,
As fast as she could gang.

11

‘Narrou is my pettecot, Willie,
It ance was saa wide,
An narrou is my stays, Willie,
Att ance wer saa wide,
An paill is my chikes, Willie,
An laigh, laigh is my pride.

12

‘[OMITTED]
[OMITTED]
An the knights of my father's court gat word of this,
I feer they wad gare ye diee.’

13

He touke [OMITTED]
The lady by the hand,
An they are one to gued green woud,
As fast as they coud gang.

14

It fell ance upon a day
Strong travileng came her tell,
[OMITTED]
[OMITTED]

15

‘Ye take your boue on yer shoulder,
Yer arrous in yer hand,
An ye gaa farr throu green woud,
An shout some veneson.

16

‘Fan ye hear me loud cray,
Bide far awaa fra me,
Bat fan ye hear me laying still
Ye may come back an see.’

17

Fan he hard her loud cray,
He bad far awaa,
Bat fan he heard her laying still
He did come an see,
An he got her
An her young son her wee.

18

He milked the goats,
An feed his young son wee,
And he made a fire of the oken speals,
An warmed his lady wee.

19

It fell ance upon a day
The lady though[t] lang:
‘An ye haa any place in fair Scotland, Willie,
I wiss ye wad haa me hame.’

20

‘[OMITTED]
I ha lands an reants saa friee,
The bonny lands of Duglass Daill,
They a' lay bread an friee.’

21

He's taen the knight-bairn in his arms,
His lady by the hand,
An he is out throu gued green woud,
As fast as they coud gang.

22

[OMITTED]
[OMITTED]
Till they came to a maid kepping her goats,
[OMITTED]

23

‘Hallë, ye maid,
For a maid ye seem to be;
Will ye live your goats kepping
An goo we me?

24

‘I cannot live my father, I canno live my midder,
Nor yet my brethren three;
I cannot live my goats kepping,
An goo along we the.

25

‘Fatt is your name, ye lovely dame?
For a lady I am shour ye be;’
‘I am called Mary, Dem Elifond,
Did ye never hear of me?’

26

‘If ye be Mary, Dem Elifond,
As I trust well ye be,
I will live my goats kepping
An goo along we the.

27

‘For I will live my father, an I ill live my mother,
An my brothers three,
An I will live my goats,
An go along we thee.’

28

The maid touke the knight-bairn in her ar[m]s,
An his lady took he,
An they are to gued ship-bourd,
And took God to be ther foresteed, an didne fear to droun.

29

An they landed att Duglas Dalle,
Far the lands was braid an frie,
An the knight-bairn was Black Sir James of Duglas Dall,
An a gallant knight was hee.