No. 298: Young Peggy
[Not mentioned by Child is a second version of "Young Peggy" in the "Murison MS", ff. 61-63; 12 verses.
There are no known US or Canadian traditional versions of this ballad.]
CONTENTS:
1. Child's Narrative
2. Footnotes (There are no footnotes for this ballad)
3. Child's Ballad Text A
ATTACHED PAGES (see left hand column):
1. Recordings & Info: 298. Young Peggy
A. Roud No. 3875: Young Peggy (5 Listings)
2. Sheet Music: 298. Young Peggy (Bronson gives one music examples and text)
3. English and Other Versions (Including Child version A)
Child's Narrative: 298. Young Peggy
A. 'Young Peggy,' Kinloch's Ancient Scottish Ballads, p. 153.
Peggy has been seen in the garden with Jamie late in the night, for which her mother calls her to account. She does not deny the fact; she takes the blame on herself; the thing will happen again. But going to her bower, where Jamie is attending her, she tells him they must meet no more. He makes a tryst with her in the greenwood at midnight, she keeps it and goes off with her lover. Her father pursues them, but they are married before he gets to the top of the hill.
Child's Ballad Text
'Young Peggy'- Version A; Child 298 Young Peggy
'Young Peggy,' Kinloch's Ancient Scottish Ballads, p. 153.
1 'O whare hae ye been, Peggy?
O whare hae ye been?'
'I the garden amang the gilly-flowrs,
Atween twal hours and een.'
2 'Ye've na been there your leen, Peggy,
Ye've na been there your leen;
Your father saw you in Jamie's arms,
Atween twal hours and een.'
3 'Tho my father saw me in Jamie's arms,
He'll see me there again;
For I will sleep in Jamie's arms
When his grave's growin green.'
4 'Your Jamie is a rogue, Peggy,
Your Jamie is a loun,
For trysting out our ae dochter,
And her sae very young.'
5 'Lay no the wyte on Jamie, mither,
The blame a' lies on me;
For I will sleep in Jamie's arms
When your een winna see.'
6 Now she has to her ain bouer gane;
He was waiting there him leen:
'I'm blythe to see ye, Jamie, here,
For we maunna meet again.'
7 She's tane the wine-glass in her hand,
Pourd out the wine sae clear;
Says, Here's your health and mine, Jamie,
And we maun meet na mair.
8 She has tane him in her arms twa,
And gien him kisses five;
Says, Here's your health and mine, Jamie,
I wish weel mote ye thrive.
9 'Your father has a bonnie cock,
Divides the nicht and day,
And at the middle watch o the nicht
In greenwud ye'll meet me.'
10 Whan bells war rung, and mass was sung,
And a' men boun for bed,
She's kilted up her green claithing,
And met Jamie in the wud.
11 Whan bells war rung, and mass was sung,
About the hour o twa,
It's up bespak her auld father,
Says, Peggy is awa!
12 'Ga saddle to me the black, the black,
Ga saddle to me the grey;'
But ere they wan to the tap o the hill
The wedding was a' bye.