The Earl o Roslin's Dochter- Harris 1790s Child B e.
Child's B e. comes from Harris Manuscript, fol. 19 b, No 14. These ballads learned by Amelia Harris in her childhood from an old nurse in Perthshire (the last years of the 18th century); taken down by her daughter, who has added a few of her own collectmg. With an appendix of airs. Harvard College Library.
[text assembly from B a. below incomplete]
The Earl o' Roslin's Dochter- Version B e., Captain Wedderburn's Courtship; Child 46
e. Harris Manuscript, fol. 19 b, No 14. [My footnotes]
1 The Earl o Roslin's dochter gaed out to tak the air;
She met a gallant gentleman, as hame she did repair;
He said unto his livery-man [1], Were't na agen the law,
I will tak you wi me, I tell you, aye or no.
2. I am Captain Wedderburn, a servant to the king,
And I command ten thousand men, upo yon mountains high.
Tho your father and his men were here, of them I'd stand na awe,
I will tak you wi me, I tell you, aye or no.
3 I maun hae to my supper a bird without a bone;
And I maun hae to my supper a cherry without a stane;
An I maun hae a gentle bird that flies,
Before that I gae with you, I tell you, aye or na.
4. [10] 'When the bird is in the egg, I am sure it has na bane;
And whan the cherry's in the bud, I'm sure it has na stane;
The dove she is a gentle bird, she flees without a gaw;
I will tak you wi me, I tell you, aye or no.
4. ''Tis I maun hae some winter fruit that in December grew;
And I maun hae a silk mantil that waft gaed never through;
A sparrow's horn, a priest unborn, this nicht to join us twa,
I will tak you wi me, I tell you, aye or no.
13 'My father has some winter fruit that in December grew;
My mither has a silk mantil the waft gaed never through;
A sparrow's horn ye soon may find, there's ane on evry claw,
And twa upo the gab o it, and ye shall get them a'.
14 'The priest he is standing at the yett[2], just ready to come in;
Nae man can say he eer was born, nae man without he sin;
He was haill cut frae his mither's side, and frae the same let fa;
Sae we'll baith lie in ae bed, and ye'se lie at the wa.'
Footnotes:
1. livery-man= servant
2. yett= gate
___________
Addtitions and Corrections
e. e has stanzas 1, 5 (?), 9, 12, 10, 13, 14 of a, the first two imperfect. The last line of each stanza is changed, no doubt for delicacy's sake, to I will tak you wi me, I tell you, aye or na, or the like.
1. The Earl o Roslin's dochter gaed out to tak the air;
She met a gallant gentleman, as hame she did repair;
...
I will tak you wi me, I tell you, aye or no.
5(?). I am Captain Wedderburn, a servant to the king.
...
I will tak you wi me, I tell you, aye or no.
9[1. I maun hae to my supper a bird without a bone.
9[3. An I maun hae a gentle bird that flies.
9[4. Before that I gae with you, I tell you, aye or na.
10[1. When the bird is in the egg.
10[2. in the bud ... I 'm sure.
10[3. it is a gentle bird.
12[2, 13[2. a gey mantle ... neer ca'ed.
13[3. sune sail get.
14[1. is standing at.
14[2. say that he was ... a sin.