The Beggar-Laddie
No: 280; variant: 280C
- DOWN in yonder garden gay,
Where many a ladie does repair,
Where many a ladie does repair,
Puing of flowers sae bonnie.
- 'O do you see yon shepherd's son,
Feeding his flocks in yonder loan,
Feeding his flocks in yonder loan?
Vow but he feeds them bonnie!'
- 'O laddie, laddie, what is your trade?
Or by what means do you win your bread?
Or by what means do you win your bread?
O laddie, tell unto me.'
- 'By making spindles is my trade,
Or whorles in the time o need,
And by which ways I do win my bread:
O lady, do you love me?'
- 'As Judas loved a piece of gold,
As Jacob loved Rachel of old,
As Jacob loved Rachel of old,
O laddie, I do love thee.'
- 'You must put off your robes of silk,
You must put on my cloutit claes,
And follow me hard at by back,
And ye'll be my beggar-lassie.'
- She's put aff her robes of silk,
And sh's put on his cloutit claes,
And she's followed him hard at his back,
And she's been his beggar-lassie.
- O when they cam to [the] borrowstoun,
Vow but the lassie lookit doun!
Vow but the lassie lookit doun!
Following her beggar-laddie.
- O when they cam to Stirling toun,
He coft a loaf and they baith sat doun,
He coft a loaf and they baith sat doun,
And she's eaten wi her beggar-laddie.
- 'O do you see yon hie, hie hill,
Where the corn grows baith rank and tall?
If I was ther, I would greet my fill,
Where naebody wuld see me.'
- When they came to his brother's hall,
Vow but he chappit loud and schill!
'Don't chap sea loud,' the lassie said,
'For we may be fund faut wi.'
- Four-and-twenty gentlemen,
And twice as many gay ladies,
And twice as many gay ladies,
Came to welcome in the lassie.
- His brother led her thro the hall,
With laughter he was like to fall;
He said, I think we should beg it all,
For she is a bonnie lassie.
- 'You must put aff your cloutit claes,
You must put on your robes of silk,
You must put on your robes of silk,
For ye are a young knicht's ladye.'