Jenny of Aberdeen/The Bonny House of Airley

by Anonymous

The BONNY HOUSE of AIRLEY.

It fell on a day, and a bonny summer-day,
when the corn grew green and yellow,
That there fell out a great dispute
between Argyle and Airley.

Argyle has raised a hundred men,
a hundred men and mainly;
And he's gone to the back of Dunkeld,
to plunder the bonny house of Airley.

The Lady look'd over her window,
and Oh! but she look'd weary;
And she espy'd the great Argyle
coming to plunder the bonny house of Airley.

Come down, come down Madam, he says,
come down and kiss me fairly.
I will not kiss thee, great Argyle,
if ye should not leave a standing stone in Airley.

He has ta'en her by the middle so small,
says, Lady, where is your drury;
It is up and down the bonny burn-side,
among the plantings of Airley.

They sought it up, they sought it down,
they sought it late and early,
And found it in the bonny balm-tree,
that shines on the bowling-green of Airley.

He has ta'en her by the left shoulder,
and O but she weep'd sarely,
And led her down to the green bank,
till he plunder'd the bonny house of Airley.

O if my good Lord was at home,
as this night he is wi' Charlie,
Great Argyle and all his men,
durst not plunder the bonny house of Airley.

'Tis ten bonny sons I have born,
and th' eleventh ne'er saw his daddie;
And if I had a hundred more,
I would give them all to Charlie.

FINIS.

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Falkirk—Printed by T. Johnston.