Katherine Jafray
No: 221; variant: 221H
- THERE was a lady fair, fair,
Lived low down in yon glen, O
And she's been courted far an near
By several gentlemen. O
- At length the laird of Lammington
Came frae the West Country,
All to court that pretty girl,
And her bridegroom for to be.
- He told her father, so did he her mother,
And all the rest of her kin,
And he has told the lass hersel,
And her kind favour has won.
- At length the laird of Laughenwaur
Came frae the English border,
And all to court that pretty girl,
Well mounted in good order.
- He told her father, so did he her mother,
As I heard people say,
But he ner told the lass hersel,
Till on her wedding-day.
- But when the wedding-day was fixed,
And married for to be,
Then Lamington came to the town,
The bridegroom for to see.
- 'O are ye come for sport, sir?' he said,
'Or are ye come for play?
Or are ye for a sight o my bonny bride,
Upon her wedding-day?'
- 'A'm neither come for sport, sir,' he said,
'Nor am I come for play,
But if I had one word o the bride
I'd mount and go away.'
- There was a cup of the good red wine
Was filled out them between,
And aye she drank to Lammington,
Who her true-love had been.
- He's taen her by the milk-white hand,
And by the grass-green sleeve;
He's mounted her behind him then,
At the bridegroom speered no leave.
- The blood ran down by Cowden banks,
And down by Cowden brae,
And aye they gaured the piper play
'It was a foul, foul play.'
- Ye gentlemen of Lochenwaur,
That's laigh in England born,
Come ner to Scotland to court a wife,
Or be sure ye'l get the scorn.
- The'll keep ye up, and tamper ye at,
Until yer wedding-day,
And they'l gie ye frogs instead o fish,
And they'll play ye a foul play.