I Will Set My Ship- Robert Chree (Aber) c.1906 Duncan
[My date. From The Greig-Duncan Folk Song Collection - Volume 4; edited by Patrick N. Shuldham-Shaw, Emily B. Lyle - 1981. Collected in North Scotland in early 1900s by Gavin Greig (1856–1914), and the minister James Bruce Duncan 1848-1917).
R. Matteson 2016]
I Will Set My Ship In Order- sung by Robert Chree (1852-1915) of Alford, Aberdeenshire about 1906. Collected by James Duncan who collected another ballad by him in 1906.
1. It's I will set my ship in order,
And I will sail her to the sea,
And I'll sail over yonder border
To see if my love will visit me.
2. I sail-ed east so did I west, love,
I sail-ed up, so did I doon,
By France to Flanders i had no pleasure,
Until I sail-ed the whole world aroon'.
3. It's when I can to my love's window,
It was drawing nigh to the break of day,
Rise up, rise up, ye droosy sleepers,
It's drawing to the break of day.
4. Oh who is that my room window,
Speaks too soft and kind to me?"
"It's your own true lover, Jamie,
Has sailed the world for thee."
5. It's you will go, love and ask your mother,
See if she'll let you my bride be,
If she denies thee, come back and tell me,
For it'll be the last time I'll visit thee.
6. "My mother's in her bedroom chamber,
Combing down her yellow hair,
She says you may go choose another
For me your bridge will never be.
7. "Oh, how can I go choose another
And you so beautiful and full of charms?
'Tis time, 'tis time to leave your mother,
Ye're fitter for a young man's arms.
8. 'It's you'll go and ask your father,
See if he'll let you my bride be,
If he denies you come back and tell me,
For it'll be the last time I'll visit thee."
9. My father's in his bedroom chamber,
Taking at his nightly rest;
And in his pockets there's a letter,
And it's much to your disgrace."
10. "To my disgrace! How can that be, love?
To my disgrace, how can it be?
For I never disowned you since first I found you,
This very moment you've slighted me."
11. "Youth and folly makes young men marry,
and they that's bound, love must aby[1],
What can't be cured must be endures,
So fare ye well, love, I'm far away.
12. She had not her room door well lock-ed,
When her true love Jamie was away,
"Come back, come back true lover Jamie,
What taketh thee so hard away?"
13. "The grass may give over growing,
The rocks may melt with the sun,
The husbandmen may give over ploughing,
Before I return again."
14. "Though all the hills were [made] into paper,
All a' the seas were [made] into ink,
Though the hills of Gore were my ink holder,
Oh my love's praise I wad never think."
15. She turned her 'round and 'round about her,
She has thrown hersel' into the sea,
"It's fare ye well my true lover Jamie,
Ye needna mair come visit me."
1. abide