Lord Randal- Mackie 1808; Child A
[Child says Version A is "From a manuscript copy, probably of the beginning of this century." It's possible however it could be earlier since the other manuscripts were from 1710.
In his article A Contamination in "Lord Randal" published by Modern Philology, Vol. 29, No. 1 (Aug., 1931), pp. 105-107, Archer Taylor points out the weakness of Child A: "It seems scarcely probable that the hero should have met his truelove while he was hunting and have dined with her. Our suspicion that the text is disordered in some way is confirmed by the examination of the parallels. Both the B text and the G text regularize the situation by declaring that the hero has been courting or wooing, but they fail to supply an explanation for the presence of the dogs. We cannot suppose that the A text represents a corruption of the B and G texts. Rather the reverse is true: B and G endeavor to bring order into the confused situation." Taylor's short article is attached to this page.]
Lord Randal: Child 12; Version A
From a small manuscript volume lent me by Mr. William Macmath, of Edinburgh, containing four pieces written in or about 1710, and this ballad in a later hand. Charles Mackie. August, 1808, is scratched upon the binding.
1 'O where ha you been, Lord Randal, my son?
And where ha you been, my handsome young man?'
'I ha been at the greenwood; mother, mak my bed soon,
For I'm wearied wi hunting, and fain wad lie down.'
2 'An what met ye there, Lord Randal, my son?
An wha met you there, my handsome young man?'
'O I met wi my true-love; mother, mak my bed soon,
For I'm wearied wi huntin, an fain wad lie down.'
3 'And what did she give you, Lord Randal, my son?
And what did she give you, my handsome young man?'
'Eels fried in a pan; mother, mak my bed soon,
For I'm wearied wi huntin, and fain wad lie down.'
4 'And wha gat your leavins, Lord Randal, my son?
And wha gat your leavins, my handsom young man?'
'My hawks and my hounds; mother, mak my bed soon,
For I'm wearied wi hunting, and fain wad lie down.'
5 'And what becam of them, Lord Randal, my son?
And what becam of them, my handsome young man?'
'They stretched their legs out an died; mother, mak my bed soon,
For I'm wearied wi huntin, and fain wad lie down.'
6 'O I fear you are poisoned, Lord Randal, my son!
I fear you are poisoned, my handsome young man!'
'O yes, I am poisoned; mother, mak my bed soon,
For I'm sick at the heart, and I fain wad lie down.'
7 'What d'ye leave to your mother, Lord Randal, my son?
What d'ye leave to your mother, my handsome young man?'
'Four and twenty milk kye; mother, mak my bed soon,
For I'm sick at the heart, and I fain wad lie down.'
8 'What d'ye leave to your sister, Lord Randal, my son?
What d'ye leave to your sister, my handsome young man?'
'My gold and my silver; mother, mak my bed soon,
For I'm sick at the heart, an I fain wad lie down.'
9 'What d'ye leave to your brother, Lord Randal, my son?
What d'ye leave to your brother, my handsome young man?'
'My houses and my lands; mother, mak my bed soon,
For I'm sick at the heart, and I fain wad lie down.'
10 'What d'ye leave to your true-love, Lord Randal, my son?
What d'ye leave to your true-love, my handsome young man?'
'I leave her hell and fire; mother, mak my bed soon,
For I'm sick at the heart, and I fain wad lie down.'