Glasgow Peggie
No: 228; variant: 228D
- A BONNY laddie brisk and gay,
A handsome youth sae brisk and gaddie,
And he is on to Glasgow town,
To steal awa his bonny Peggy.
- When he came into Glasgow town,
Upon her father's green sae steady,
'Come forth, come forth, old man,' he says,
'For I am come for bonny Peggy.'
- Out it spake her father then;
'Begone from me, ye Highland laddie;
There's nane in a' the West Country
Dare steal from me my bonny Peggy.'
- 'I've ten young men all at my back,
That ance to me were baith true and steady;
If ance I call, they'll soon be nigh,
And bring to me my bonny Peggy.'
- Out it spake her mother then,
Dear! but she spake wondrous saucy;
Says, Ye may steal a cow or ewe,
But I'll keep sight o my ain lassie.
- 'Hold your tongue, old woman,' he says,
'Ye think your wit it is fu ready;
For cow nor ewe I ever stole,
But I will steal your bonny Peggy.'
- Then all his men they boldly came,
That was to him baith true and steady,
And thro the ha they quickly went,
And forth they carried bonny Peggy.
- Her father gae mony shout and cry,
Her mother cursed the Highland laddie;
But he heard them as he heard them not,
But fixd his eye on bonny Peggy.
- He set her on his milk-white steed,
And he himsell on his grey naigie;
Still along the way they rode,
And he's awa wi bonny Peggy.
- Says, I wad gie baith cow and ewe,
And sae woud I this tartan plaidie,
That I was far into the north,
And alang wi me my bonny Peggy.
- As they rode down yon pleasant glen,
For trees and brambles were right mony,
There they met the Earl o Hume,
And his young son, were riding bonny.
- Then out it spake the young Earl Hume,
Dear! but he spake wondrous gaudie;
'I'm wae to see sae fair a dame
Riding alang wi a Highland laddie.'
- 'Hold you tongue, ye young Earl Hume,
O dear! but ye do speak right gaudie;
There's nae a lord in a' the south
Dare eer compete wi a Highland laddie.'
- Then he rade five miles thro the north,
Thro mony hills sae rough and scroggie,
Till they came down to a low glen,
And he lay down wi bonny Peggy.
- Then he inclosed her in his arms,
And rowd her in his tartan plaidie:
'There are blankets and sheets in my father's house,
How have I lien down wi a Highland laddie!'
- Says he, There are sheep in my father's fauld,
And every year their wool is ready;
By the same our debts we pay,
Altho I be but a Highland laddie.
- 'There are fifty cows in my father's byre,
That all are tyed to the stakes and ready,
Five thousand pounds I hae ilk year,
Altho I be but a Highland laddie.
- 'My father has fifty well shod horse,
Besides your steed and my grey naigie;
I'm Donald o the Isle o Sky,
Why may not you be ca'd a lady?
- 'See ye not yon fine castle,
On yonder hill that stands sae gaudie?
And there we'll win this very night,
Where ye'll enjoy your Highland laddie.'