Bonny Lizie Baillie
No: 227; variant: 227A
- It fell about the Lambmass tide,
When the leaves were fresh and green,
Lizie Bailie is to Gartartain [gane],
To see her sister Jean.
- She had not been in Gartartain
Even but a little while
Till luck and fortune happend her,
And she went to the Isle.
- And when she went into the Isle
She met with Duncan Grahame;
So bravely as he courted her!
And he convoyd her hame.
- 'My bonny Lizie Bailie,
I'll row thee in my pladie,
If thou will go along with me
And be my Highland lady.'
- 'If I would go along with thee,
I think I were not wise;
For I cannot milk cow nor ewe,
Nor yet can I speak Erse.'
- 'Hold thy tongue, bonny Lizie Bailie,
And hold thy tongue,' said he;
'For any thing that thou does lack,
My dear, I'll learn thee.'
- She would not have a Lowland laird,
He wears the high-heeld shoes;
She will marry Duncan Grahame,
For Duncan wears his trews.
- She would not have a gentleman,
A farmer in Kilsyth,
But she would have the Highland man,
He lives into Monteith.
- She would not have the Lowland man,
Nor yet the English laddie,
But she would have the Highland man,
To row her in his pladie.
- He took her by the milk-white hand,
And he convoyed her hame,
And still she thought, both night and day,
On bonny Duncan Grahame.
- 'O bonny Duncan Grahame,
Why should ye me miscarry?
For, if you have a love for me,
We'll meet a[t] Castle Carry.
- 'As I came in by Dennie bridge,
And by the holland-bush,
My mother took from me my cloaths,
My rings, ay and my purse.
- 'Hold your tongue, my mother dear,
For that I do not care;
For I will go with Duncan Grahame
Tho I should ner get mair.
- 'For first when I met Duncan Grahame
I met with meikle joy,
And many pretty Highland men
Was there at my convoy.'
- And now he is gone through the muir,
And she is through the glen:
'O bonny Lizie Bailie,
When will we meet again!'
- 'O bonny Lizie, stay at home!
Thy mother cannot want thee;
For any thing that thou does lack,
My dear, I'll cause get thee.'
- Shame light on these logerheads
That lives in Castle Carry,
That let away the bonny lass
The Highland man to marry!
- 'I would not give my Duncan Grahame
For all my father's land,
Although he had three lairdships more,
And all at my command.'
- And she's cast off her silken gowns,
That she weard in the Lowland,
And she's up to the Highland hills,
To wear [the] gowns of tartain.
- And she's cast off her high-heeld shoes,
Was made of the gilded leather,
And she's up to Gillecrankie,
To go among the heather.
- And she's cast off her high-heeld shoes,
And put on a pair of laigh ones,
And she's away with Duncan Grahame,
To go among the brachans.
- 'O my bonny Lizie Bailie,
Thy mother cannot want thee;
And if thou go with Duncan Grahame
Thou'll be a Gilliecrankie.'
- 'Hold your tongue, my mother dear,
And folly let thee be;
Should I not fancie Duncan Grahame
When Duncan fancies me?
- 'Hold your tongue, my father dear,
And folly let thee be;
For I will go with Duncan Grahame
Fore all the men I see.'
- 'Who is it that's done this turn?
Who has done this deed?'
'A minister it's, father,' she says,
'Lives at the Rughburn bridge.'
- 'A minister, daughter?' he says,
'A minister for mister!'
'O hold your tongue, my father dear,
He married first my sister.'
- 'O fare you well, my daughter dear,
So dearly as I lovd thee!
Since thou wilt go to Duncan Grahame,
My bonny Lizie Bailie.'
- 'O fare you well, my father dear,
Also my sister Betty;
O fare you well, my mother dear,
I leave you all compleatly.'