And he has broken my bonny coffers, I wot he has stolen them every ane. Then out it spake her Lady Elspat, As she sat by Lord-Justice' knee : I pray, Lord-Justice, ye'll now hear me. He hasna broken her bonny castle, That was weel built wi' lime and stane; Nor has he stolen her rich jewels, For I wot she has them every one. But though he was my first true love, And though I had sworn to be his bride, 'Cause he had na a great estate, She would this way our loves divide. Syne out and spake the Lord-Justice, I see no fault in this young man ; And take your love, now, Lady Elspat; There stands a steed in my stable, Cost me both gold and white money; As he'll ride about in a summer's day. JAMIESON. SWEET WILLIE OF LIDDESDALE. SWEET WILLIE, the flower of Liddesdale, And he 's doen him to foreign lands, And he's wooed a wife and brought her hame. And many a may in Liddesdale Did sadly sigh to see that tide; But never a may in Liddesdale For lovely-sweet fair Alice was, And bonnie yellow was her hair; And happy, happy might she been, But his mother wrought her mickle care. His mother wrought her mickle care, Sad in her bower fair Alice sits, And sore, oh, sore! sore is her pain! And sore and woeful is his heart, While Willie mourns o'er her in vain. And he has hied him to his mother, That vilest Witch of vilest kin; And ay at every silver hem Hangs fifty silver bells and ten : Oh, let her be lighter of her young bairn, And that goodly gift shall be your ain! Of her young bairn she's ne'er be lighter, Nor ever see an end of wae; But she shall die and turn to clay, And I shall wed another may. Another may I'll never wed! He did him tell his mother again, For he is silver-shod before, And he is golden-shod behin'; And at ilka tate of that horse's mane And mickle did ye praise his speed, When at the ring he ran so swift: Oh, let her be lighter of her young bairn, And yours shall be that goodly gift. Of her young bairn she 's never be lighter, But she shall die, and go to clay, Oh, mother! a woman's heart ye bear, Take ruth upon a mother's pine; Take ruth on your own flesh and blood, Nor let her sakeless bairnie tine: And it shall live your oye to be; To cheer your eild in many a stead; When in the mould your bones are laid, Away! away! for never she Or imp or oye to me shall be; Oh! mother pree'd ye e'er of love, And can ye thole to kill your son, Away! away! what blacker curse Then out it speak the Billy Blin,* Then ye do buy a leaf of wax, And kiauve it weel, and mould it fair; And shape it bairn and bairnlie-like, And in twa glazen een ye pit; * A kind of domestic fairy or sprite, supposed to interest itself in the welfare of the family. With holy water synd it o'er, And by the holy Rood sain it; And carry it to fair Alice's bower, And ilka knot and bolt undo, Fair Alice's bower that is within; And bid her to your boy's christ'ning; For dear's the boy to you he's been! And listen weel what she will say. Now Willie has all his bidden done; In good time aye he gae warning; "O who has loosed the nine witch-knots And who has killed the master kid, Then out it spake the Billy Blin, As, aye at hand, he harkit near; (And the witch did quake in lith and limb, * Sprinkle. + Deceived by the false intelligence, the witch lays open her machina tions, which the sprite on the instant counteracts. |