The Works of The Ettrick Shepherd Centenary Edition. With a Memoir of the Author, by the Rev. Thomas Thomson ... Poems and Life. With Many Illustrative Engravings [by James Hogg] |
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A Lay of the Martyrs.
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 | The Works of The Ettrick Shepherd |  |
A Lay of the Martyrs.
“Oh where have you been, bonnie Marley Reid?
For mony a long night and day
I have miss'd ye sair, at the Wanlock-head,
And the cave o' the Louther brae.
For mony a long night and day
I have miss'd ye sair, at the Wanlock-head,
And the cave o' the Louther brae.
“Our friends are waning fast away,
Baith frae the cliff and the wood;
They are tearing them frae us ilka day;
For there's naething will please but blood.
Baith frae the cliff and the wood;
They are tearing them frae us ilka day;
For there's naething will please but blood.
“And, O bonnie Marley, I maun now
Gie your heart muckle pain,
For your bridegroom is a-missing too,
And 'tis fear'd that he is ta'en.
Gie your heart muckle pain,
For your bridegroom is a-missing too,
And 'tis fear'd that he is ta'en.
“We have sought the caves o' the Enterkin.
And the dens o' the Ballybough,
And a' the howes o' the Ganna linn;
And we wot not what to do.”
And the dens o' the Ballybough,
And a' the howes o' the Ganna linn;
And we wot not what to do.”
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“Dispel your fears, good Marjory Laing,
And hope all for the best,
For the servants of God will find a place,
Their weary heads to rest.
And hope all for the best,
For the servants of God will find a place,
Their weary heads to rest.
“There are better places, that we ken o',
And seemlier to be in,
Than all the dens of the Ballybough,
Or howes o' the Ganna linn.
And seemlier to be in,
Than all the dens of the Ballybough,
Or howes o' the Ganna linn.
“But sit thee down, good Marjory Laing,
And listen awhile to me,
For I have a tale to tell to you,
That will bring you to your knee.
And listen awhile to me,
For I have a tale to tell to you,
That will bring you to your knee.
“I went to seek my own dear James
In the cave o' the Louther brae,
For I had some things that of a' the world
He best deserved to hae.
In the cave o' the Louther brae,
For I had some things that of a' the world
He best deserved to hae.
“I had a kebbuck in my lap,
And a fadge o' the flour sae sma',
And a sark I had made for his buirdly back,
As white as the new-dri'en snaw.
And a fadge o' the flour sae sma',
And a sark I had made for his buirdly back,
As white as the new-dri'en snaw.
“I sought him over hill and dale,
Shouting by cave and tree;
But only the dell with its eiry yell,
An answer return'd to me.
Shouting by cave and tree;
But only the dell with its eiry yell,
An answer return'd to me.
“I sought him up, and I sought him down,
And echoes return'd his name,
Till the gloffs o' dread shot to my heart,
And dirled through a' my frame.
And echoes return'd his name,
Till the gloffs o' dread shot to my heart,
And dirled through a' my frame.
“I sat me down by the Enterkin,
And saw, in a fearful line,
The red dragoons come up the path,
Wi' prisoners eight or nine:
And saw, in a fearful line,
The red dragoons come up the path,
Wi' prisoners eight or nine:
“And one of them was my dear, dear James,
The flower of a' his kin;
He was wounded behind, and wounded before,
And the blood ran frae his chin.
The flower of a' his kin;
He was wounded behind, and wounded before,
And the blood ran frae his chin.
“He was bound upon a weary hack,
Lash'd both by hough and heel,
And his hands were bound behind his back,
Wi' the thumbikins of steel.
Lash'd both by hough and heel,
And his hands were bound behind his back,
Wi' the thumbikins of steel.
“I kneel'd before that Popish band,
In the fervour of inward strife,
And I raised to heaven my trembling hand,
And begg'd my husband's life.
In the fervour of inward strife,
And I raised to heaven my trembling hand,
And begg'd my husband's life.
“But all the troop laugh'd me to scorn,
Making my grief their game;
And the captain said some words to me,
Which I cannot tell you for shame.
Making my grief their game;
And the captain said some words to me,
Which I cannot tell you for shame.
“And then he cursed our Whiggish race
With a proud and a scornful brow,
And bade me look at my husband's face,
And say how I liked him now.
With a proud and a scornful brow,
And bade me look at my husband's face,
And say how I liked him now.
“‘Oh, I like him weel, thou proud captain,
Though the blood runs to his knee,
And all the better for the grievous wrongs
He has suffer'd this day frae thee.
Though the blood runs to his knee,
And all the better for the grievous wrongs
He has suffer'd this day frae thee.
“‘But can you feel within your heart
That comely youth to slay?
For the hope you have in Heaven, captain,
Let him gang wi' me away!’
That comely youth to slay?
For the hope you have in Heaven, captain,
Let him gang wi' me away!’
“Then the captain swore a fearfu' oath,
With loathsome jest and mock,
That he thought no more of a Whigamore's life
Than the life of a noisome brock.
With loathsome jest and mock,
That he thought no more of a Whigamore's life
Than the life of a noisome brock.
“Then my poor James to the captain call'd,
And he begg'd baith hard and sair,
To have one kiss of his bonnie bride,
Ere we parted for evermair.
And he begg'd baith hard and sair,
To have one kiss of his bonnie bride,
Ere we parted for evermair.
“‘I'll do that for you,’ said the proud captain,
‘And save you the toil to-day,
And moreover, I'll take her little store,
To support you by the way.’
‘And save you the toil to-day,
And moreover, I'll take her little store,
To support you by the way.’
“He took my bountith from my lap,
And I saw, with sorrow dumb,
That he parted it all among his men,
And gave not my love one crumb.
And I saw, with sorrow dumb,
That he parted it all among his men,
And gave not my love one crumb.
“‘Now, fare you well, my very bonnie bride,’
Cried the captain with disdain;
‘When I come back to the banks of Nith,
I shall kiss you sweetly then.
Cried the captain with disdain;
‘When I come back to the banks of Nith,
I shall kiss you sweetly then.
“‘Your heartiest thanks must sure be given,
For what I have done to-day—
I am taking him straight on the road to heaven:
And short will be the way!’
For what I have done to-day—
I am taking him straight on the road to heaven:
And short will be the way!’
“My love he gave me a parting look,
And bless'd me ferventlye,
And the tears they mix'd wi' his purple blood,
And ran down to his knee.”
And bless'd me ferventlye,
And the tears they mix'd wi' his purple blood,
And ran down to his knee.”
“What's this I hear, bonnie Marley Reid?
How could these woes betide?
For blither you could not look this day,
Were your husband by your side.
How could these woes betide?
For blither you could not look this day,
Were your husband by your side.
“One of two things alone is left,
And dreadful the one to me;
For either your fair wits are reft,
Or else your husband's free.”
And dreadful the one to me;
For either your fair wits are reft,
Or else your husband's free.”
“Allay your fears, good Marjory Laing,
And hear me out the rest;
You little ken what a bride will do,
For the youth she likes the best!
And hear me out the rest;
You little ken what a bride will do,
For the youth she likes the best!
“I hied me home to my father's ha',
And through a' my friends I ran,
And I gather'd me up a purse o' gowd,
To redeem my young goodman:
And through a' my friends I ran,
And I gather'd me up a purse o' gowd,
To redeem my young goodman:
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“For I kenn'd the Papish lowns would weel
My fair intent approve;
For they'll do far mair for the good red gowd,
Than they'll do for heaven above.
My fair intent approve;
For they'll do far mair for the good red gowd,
Than they'll do for heaven above.
“And away I ran to Edinburgh town,
Of my shining treasure vain,
To buy my James from the prison strong,
Or there with him remain.
Of my shining treasure vain,
To buy my James from the prison strong,
Or there with him remain.
“I sought through a' the city jails,
I sought baith lang and sair;
But the guardsmen turn'd me frae their doors,
And swore that he was not there.
I sought baith lang and sair;
But the guardsmen turn'd me frae their doors,
And swore that he was not there.
“I went away to the Popish duke,
Who was my love's judge to be,
And I proffer'd him a' my yellow store,
If he'd grant his life to me.
Who was my love's judge to be,
And I proffer'd him a' my yellow store,
If he'd grant his life to me.
“He counted the red gowd slowly o'er,
By twenties and by tens,
And said I had taken the only means
To attain my hopeful ends.
By twenties and by tens,
And said I had taken the only means
To attain my hopeful ends.
“‘And now,’ said he, ‘your husband's safe;
You may take this pledge of me:
And I'll tell you, fair one, where you'll go,
To gain this certaintye,—
You may take this pledge of me:
And I'll tell you, fair one, where you'll go,
To gain this certaintye,—
“‘Gang west the street, and down the Bow,
And through the market place,
And there you will meet with a gentleman,
Of a tall and courteous grace;
And through the market place,
And there you will meet with a gentleman,
Of a tall and courteous grace;
“‘He is clad in a livery of the green,
With a plume aboon his bree,
And arm'd with a halbert, glittering sheen:
Your love he will let you see.’
With a plume aboon his bree,
And arm'd with a halbert, glittering sheen:
Your love he will let you see.’
“O Marjory, never flew blithsome bird,
So light out through the sky,
As I flew up that stately street,
Weeping for very joy.
So light out through the sky,
As I flew up that stately street,
Weeping for very joy.
“Oh never flew lamb out-o'er the lea,
When the sun gangs o'er the hill,
Wi' lighter, blither steps than me,
Or skipp'd wi' sic good will!
When the sun gangs o'er the hill,
Wi' lighter, blither steps than me,
Or skipp'd wi' sic good will!
“And aye I bless'd the precious ore,
My husband's life that wan;
And I even bless'd the Popish duke,
For a kind, good-hearted man.
My husband's life that wan;
And I even bless'd the Popish duke,
For a kind, good-hearted man.
“The officer I soon found out,—
For he could not be mistook;
But in all my life I never beheld
Sic a grim and a gruesome look.
For he could not be mistook;
But in all my life I never beheld
Sic a grim and a gruesome look.
“I ask'd him for my dear, dear James,
With throbs of wild delight,
And begg'd him in his master's name,
To take me to his sight.
With throbs of wild delight,
And begg'd him in his master's name,
To take me to his sight.
“He ask'd me for his true address,
With a voice at which I shook;
For I saw that he was a Popish knave,
By the terror of his look.
With a voice at which I shook;
For I saw that he was a Popish knave,
By the terror of his look.
“I named the name with a buoyant voice,
That trembled with ecstasye;
But the savage bray'd a hideous laugh,
Then turn'd and grinn'd at me.
That trembled with ecstasye;
But the savage bray'd a hideous laugh,
Then turn'd and grinn'd at me.
“He pointed up to the city wall:
One look benumb'd my soul;
For there I saw my husband's head,
Fix'd high upon a pole!
One look benumb'd my soul;
For there I saw my husband's head,
Fix'd high upon a pole!
“His yellow hair waved in the wind,
And far behind did flee,
And his right hand hang beside his cheek—
A waesome sight to see.
And far behind did flee,
And his right hand hang beside his cheek—
A waesome sight to see.
“His chin hang down on open space,
Yet comely was his brow,
And his eyne were open to the breeze—
There was nane to close them now!
Yet comely was his brow,
And his eyne were open to the breeze—
There was nane to close them now!
“‘What think you of your true love now?’
The hideous porter said;
‘Is not that a comely sight to see,
And sweet to a Whiggish maid!’
The hideous porter said;
‘Is not that a comely sight to see,
And sweet to a Whiggish maid!’
“‘Oh, haud your tongue, ye Popish slave,
For I downa answer you;
He was dear, dear to my heart before,
But never sae dear as now!
For I downa answer you;
He was dear, dear to my heart before,
But never sae dear as now!
“‘I see a sight you cannot see,
Which man cannot efface;
I see a ray of heavenly love
Beaming on that dear face.
Which man cannot efface;
I see a ray of heavenly love
Beaming on that dear face.
“‘And weel I ken yon bonnie brent brow,
Will smile in the walks on high,
And yon yellow hair, all blood-stain'd now,
Maun wave aboon the sky.’
Will smile in the walks on high,
And yon yellow hair, all blood-stain'd now,
Maun wave aboon the sky.’
“But can ye trow me, Marjory dear?
In the might of heavenly grace,
There was never a sigh burst frae my heart,
Nor a tear ran o'er my face.
In the might of heavenly grace,
There was never a sigh burst frae my heart,
Nor a tear ran o'er my face.
“But I bless'd my God, who had thus seen meet
To take him from my side,
To call him home to the courts above,
And leave me a virgin bride.”
To take him from my side,
To call him home to the courts above,
And leave me a virgin bride.”
“Alack, alack, bonnie Marley Reid,
That sic days we hae lived to see!
For siccan a cruel and waefu' tale
Was never yet heard by me.
That sic days we hae lived to see!
For siccan a cruel and waefu' tale
Was never yet heard by me.
“And all this time, I have trembling, ween'd,
That your dear wits were gone;
For there is a joy in your countenance,
Which I never saw beam thereon.
That your dear wits were gone;
For there is a joy in your countenance,
Which I never saw beam thereon.
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“Then let us kneel with humble hearts,
To the God whom we revere,
Who never yet laid that burden on,
Which he gave not strength to bear.”
To the God whom we revere,
Who never yet laid that burden on,
Which he gave not strength to bear.”
| The Works of The Ettrick Shepherd | |