A collection of ancient and modern Scottish ballads, etc
A collection of ancient and modern Scottish ballads, etc A collection of ancient and modern Scottish ballads, etc
270 CLERK COLVILL; or, THE MERMAID. A FRAGMENT. [The inhabitants of our northern and western coasts, at no distant period, firmly believed, that the dangerous shelves around them were tenanted with sea-monsters; the chief of these was the mermaid, who was represented as a beautiful female dragging a fish's tail ; so fatal was her appearance considered, that whoever beheld her was sup- posed to survive the sight but a very short time : this part of the popular superstition is exemplified in the folloAV- ing fragment, where the hero's temerity in approaching and accosting one hastens his death.—The scene of the poem is laid at Slains oa the coast of Buchan, which is indented by the sea with immense chasms, excavated in many places to a great extent.] Clerk Colvill and his lusty dame Were walking in the garden green ; The belt abound l^.er stately waist Cost Clerk Colvill of pounds fifteen.
2T1 " O proiTiIse me now. Clerk ColvilT, Or it will cost ye muckle strife Ride never by the wells of Slane, If ye wad live and brook your life." " Now speak nae mair, my lusty dame. Now speak nae mair of that to me ; ; ; ; Did I ne'er see a fair woman. But I wad sin with her fair body ?'* He's ta'en leave o' his gay lady. Nought minding what his lady said And he's rode by the wslls of Slane, Where washing Avas a bonny maid. " Wash on, wash on, my bonny maid. That wash sae clean your sark of silk f " And weel fa' you, fair gentleman, Your body's whiter than the milk." Then loud, loud cried the Clerk Colvill, O m.y head it pains me sair " Then take, then take," the maiden said^ " And frae my sark you'll cut a gare." Then she's gi'ed him a httle bane-knife. And frae his sark he cut a share She's ty'd it round his whey-white face^ But ay his head it aked m.air. Then louder cried th^ Clerk Colvill, '' O sairer, sairer akes my head ;" ^' And sairer, sairer ever will," The maiden cries, " 'till you be dead." ;
- Page 238 and 239: 220 FAUSE FOODRAGE. [The hero of th
- Page 240 and 241: 222 Then up and raise him,, King Ho
- Page 242 and 243: 224 ^^ And ye maun learn my gay gbs
- Page 244 and 245: 226 THE YOUNG TAMLANE. [In this poe
- Page 246 and 247: — 228 There*^s naiie^ that gaes b
- Page 248 and 249: 230 Out and spak an auld gray-heade
- Page 250 and 251: 232 - *' There came a wind out of t
- Page 252 and 253: 234 " P or I ride on the milk-white
- Page 254 and 255: 236 They sing, inspired with love a
- Page 256 and 257: 23S JAMIE DOUGLAS. •^v^^-vvvw [Th
- Page 258 and 259: no ^'^ Now liaud your tongue, my da
- Page 260 and 261: 243 " O its I'm sick, and very sick
- Page 262 and 263: 2U The ballad is divided into two p
- Page 264 and 265: 246 I lighted down, my sword did' d
- Page 266 and 267: 248 : ; ; : O sic twa charming een
- Page 268 and 269: 250 Wae worth the louns that made t
- Page 270 and 271: 252 B. Where gat ye that bonny bonn
- Page 272 and 273: 254 Busk ye^ then busk, my bonny bo
- Page 274 and 275: — 2m A. Return, return, O mournfu
- Page 276 and 277: €58 ; ; ! ; ! ! ^ He promised me
- Page 278 and 279: 260 SIR JAMES THE ROSS. ^rVVVVX-V^-
- Page 280 and 281: 262 — : Her father, Buchan*s crue
- Page 282 and 283: g64 : : ; : Life Issued at the woun
- Page 284 and 285: 2G6 : : : ; And watch'd each object
- Page 286 and 287: 2GS THE WEE WEE MAN. A. FRAGMENT.
- Page 290 and 291: 272 Out then he drew his shining bl
- Page 292 and 293: 274 *^ O gin ye gang to may * Marga
- Page 295: POPULAR SCOTISH BALLADS, TALES, AND
- Page 298 and 299: 280 espoused by both parties, who r
- Page 300 and 301: 282 *' To get an hude, I hald it be
- Page 302 and 303: •284 Yon man will not ourryd you.
- Page 304 and 305: 286 Thair wes not ane of tliame tli
- Page 306 and 307: So hevelie he hockit * about To se
- Page 308 and 309: 290 CHRISTIS KIRK OF THE GRENE. [Th
- Page 310 and 311: 292 serted in their order ; althoug
- Page 312 and 313: 294 Tliair kirtillis war of Lynkome
- Page 314 and 315: 1 ! 296 Quhill that he oisted at ba
- Page 316 and 317: 298 Than Lowrie as ane lyoiin lap^
- Page 318 and 319: soo For he cam liame with unbu'st b
- Page 320 and 321: 302 ^iihyle bludy berkit "wes their
- Page 322 and 323: 30i CANTO II. * But there had been
- Page 324 and 325: 306 Close by the craig^, and with h
- Page 326 and 327: .308 But mony a pawky look and tale
- Page 328 and 329: 310 Wlian he was strnte, twa sturdy
- Page 330 and 331: 312 Her lad like bny tJock did craw
- Page 332 and 333: 314 But some -who had been foti yes
- Page 334 and 335: 316 — I wat na liov/ it came to p
- Page 336 and 337: 318 Till booyd, aild floor, and a'
2T1<br />
" O proiTiIse me now. Clerk ColvilT,<br />
Or it will cost ye muckle strife<br />
Ride never by the wells <strong>of</strong> Slane,<br />
If ye wad live <strong>and</strong> brook your life."<br />
" Now speak nae mair, my lusty dame.<br />
Now speak nae mair <strong>of</strong> that to me<br />
;<br />
; ; ;<br />
Did I ne'er see a fair woman.<br />
But I wad sin with her fair body ?'*<br />
He's ta'en leave o' his gay lady.<br />
Nought minding what his lady said<br />
And he's rode by the wslls <strong>of</strong> Slane,<br />
Where washing Avas a bonny maid.<br />
" Wash on, wash on, my bonny maid.<br />
That wash sae clean your sark <strong>of</strong> silk f<br />
" And weel fa' you, fair gentleman,<br />
Your body's whiter than the milk."<br />
Then loud, loud cried the Clerk Colvill,<br />
O m.y head it pains me sair<br />
" Then take, then take," the maiden said^<br />
" And frae my sark you'll cut a gare."<br />
Then she's gi'ed him a httle bane-knife.<br />
And frae his sark he cut a share<br />
She's ty'd it round his whey-white face^<br />
But ay his head it aked m.air.<br />
Then louder cried th^ Clerk Colvill,<br />
'' O sairer, sairer akes my head ;"<br />
^' And sairer, sairer ever will,"<br />
The maiden cries, " 'till you be dead."<br />
;