The English and Scottish Popular Ballads/Part 7/Chapter 195

416693The English and Scottish Popular Ballads, Part 7 — 195. "Lord Maxwell's Last Goodnight"Francis James Child



A

'GOOD lord of the land, will you stay thane
About my faither's house,
And walk into these gardines green,
In my arms I'll the embraice.
'Ten thousand times I'll kiss thy face;
Make sport, and let's be mery:'
'I thank you, lady, fore your kindness;
Trust me, I may not stay with the.
'For I have kil'd the laird Johnston;
I vallow not the feed;
My wiked heart did still incline;
He was my faither's dead.
'Both night and day I did proced,
And a' on him revainged to be;
But now have I gotten what I long sowght,
Trust me, I may not stay with the.
'Adue, Dumfriese, that proper place!
Fair well, Carlaurike faire!
Adue the castle of the Trive,
And all my buldings there!
'Adue, Lochmaben gaits so faire,
And the Langhm shank, where birks bobs bony!
Adue, my leady and only joy!
Trust me, I may not stay with the.
'Adue, fair Eskdale, up and doun,
Wher my poor frends do duell!
The bangisters will beat them doun,
And will them sore compell.
'I'll reveinge the cause mysell,
Again when I come over the sea;
Adue, my leady and only joy!
Fore, trust me, I may not stay with the.
'Adue, Dumlanark! fals was ay,
And Closburn! in a band;
The laird of the Lag from my faither fled
When the Jhohnstones struek of his hand.
'They wer three brethren in a band;
I pray they may never be merry;
Adue, my leady and only joy!
Trust me, I may not stay with the.
'Adue, madam my mother dear,
But and my sister[s] two!
Fair well, Robin in the Orchet!
Fore the my heart is wo.
'Adue, the lillie, and fair well, rose,
And the primros, spreads fair and bony!
Adue, my leady and only joy!
Fore, trust me, I may not stay with the.'
He took out a good gold ring,
Where at hang sygnets three:
'Take thou that, my own kind thing,
And ay have mind of me.
'Do not mary another lord
Agan or I come over the sea;
Adue, my leady and only joy!
For, trust me, I may not stay with the.'
The wind was fair, and the ship was clare,
And the good lord went away;
The most part of his frends was there,
Giving him a fair convoy.
They drank the wine, they did not spare,
Presentting in that good lord's sight;
Now he is over the floods so gray;
Lord Maxwell has te'n his last good-night.


B

'ADIEW, madam my mother dear,
But and my sisters tow!
Adiew, fair Robert of Oarchyardtoan!
For thee my heart is woe.
'Adiew, the lilly and the rose,
The primrose, sweet to see!
Adiew, my lady and only joy!
For I manna stay with thee.
'Tho I have killed the laird Johnston,
What care I for his feed?
My noble mind dis still incline;
He was my father's dead.
'Both night and day I laboured oft
Of him revenged to be,
And now I've got what I long sought;
But I manna stay with thee.
'Adiew, Drumlanrig! false was ay,
And Cloesburn! in a band,
Where the laird of Lagg fra my father fled
When the Johnston struck off his hand.
'They were three brethren in a band;
Joy may they never see!
But now I've got what I long sought,
And I maunna stay with thee.
'Adiew, Dumfries, my proper place,
But and Carlaverock fair,
Adiew, the castle of the Thrieve,
And all my buildings there!
'Adiew, Lochmaben's gates so fair,
The Langholm shank, where birks they be!
Adiew, my lady and only joy!
And, trust me, I maunna stay with thee.
'Adiew, fair Eskdale, up and down,
Where my poor friends do dwell!
The bangisters will ding them down,
And will them sore compel.
'But I'll revenge that feed mysell
When I come ou'r the sea;
Adiew, my lady and only joy!
For I maunna stay with thee.'
'Lord of the land, will you go then
Unto my father's place,
And walk into their gardens green,
And I will you embrace.
'Ten thousand times I'll kiss your face,
And sport, and make you merry;'
'I thank thee, my lady, for thy kindness,
But, trust me, I maunna stay with thee.'
Then he took off a great gold ring,
Where at hang signets three:
'Hae, take thee that, my ain dear thing,
And still hae mind of me.
'But if thow marry another lord
Ere I come ou'r the sea-+--+-
Adiew, my lady and only joy!
For I maunna stay with thee.'
The wind was fair, the ship was close,
That good lord went away,
And most part of his friends were there,
To give him a fair convay.
They drank thair wine, they did not spare,
Even in the good lord's sight;
Now he is oer the floods so gray,
And Lord Maxwell has taen his goodnight.