Love Gregory- Buchan (Scotland) c.1828 Child G
G. 'Love Gregory,' Buchan's Manuscripts, II, 149; Buchan's Ballads of the North of Scotland, II, 198; Dixon, Scottish Traditional Versions of Ancient Ballads, Percy Society, vol. xvii, p. 60.
G. 4[4. Ands lands: Buchan prints In 's.
6[2. For mony: Buchan prints Thro mony.
12[4. fause reason: Buchan prints fause lynin.
14[3. Buchan prints or vile warlock.
Love Gregory- Version G; The Lass of Roch Royal Child 76
Buchan's Manuscripts II, 149; Buchan's Ballads of the North of Scotland, II, 198.
1 It fell on a Wodensday,
Love Gregory's taen the sea,
And he has left his lady Janet,
And a weary woman was she.
2 But she hadna been in child-bed
A day but barely three,
Till word has come to Lady Janet
Love Gregory she would never see.
3 She's taen her mantle her middle about,
Her cane into her hand,
And she's awa to the salt-sea side,
As fast as she could gang.
4 'Whare will I get a curious carpenter,
Will make a boat to me?
I'm going to seek him Love Gregory,
In's lands where eer he be.'
5 'Here am I, a curious carpenter,
Will make a boat for thee,
And ye may seek him Love Gregory,
But him ye'll never see.'
6 She sailed up, she sailed down,
Thro many a pretty stream,
Till she came to that stately castle,
Where Love Gregory lay in.
7 'Open, open, Love Gregory,
O open, and lat me in;
Your young son is in my arms,
And shivering cheek and chin.'
8 'Had awa, ye ill woman,
Had far awa frae me;
Ye're but some witch, or some warlock,
Or the mermaid, troubling me.
9 'My lady she's in Lochranline,
Down by Lochlearn's green;
This day she wadna sail the sea,
For goud nor warld's gain.
10 'But if ye be my lady Janet,
As I trust not well ye be,
Come tell me oer some love-token
That past 'tween thee an me.'
11 'Mind on, mind on now, Love Gregory,
Since we sat at the wine;
The rings that were on your fingers,
I gied thee mine for thine.
12 'And mine was o the good red goud,
Yours o the silly tin,
And mine's been true, and very true,
But yours had a fause lynin.
13 'But open, open, Love Gregory,
Open, and let me in;
Your young son is in my arms,
He'll be dead ere I win in.'
14 'Had awa, ye ill woman,
Had far awa frae me;
Ye're but some witch, or some warlock,
Or the mermaid, troubling me.
15 'But if ye be my lady Janet,
As I trust not well ye be;
Come tell me o'er some love-token
That past tween thee and me.'
16 'Mind on, mind on, Love Gregory,
Since we sat at the wine;
The shifts that were upon your back,
I gave thee mine for thine.
17 'And mine was o the good holland,
And yours o the silly twine,
And mine's been true, and very true,
But yours had fause lynin.'
* * * * *
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Buchan's Ballads of the North of Scotland, II, p. 188
LOVE GREGORY Page 188.
Of this legendary ballad, this is the only original copy to be met with. "The Bonny Lass of Lochroyan" was first published, with additions, by Lawrie and Symington, in 1791; and since, in various other collections, like a snow-ball always increasing in bulk as it rolls along, by the officious hands of our modern song-Wrights. In this copy, the name of the unfortunate fair one is Janet; in the others, it is Annie. The notorious Peter Pindar, alias Dr Wolcott, and the celebrated Robert Burns, each in their way, has tried their hands upon it, and each produced specimens of mastership.
LOVE GREGORY
It fell on a Wodensday,
Love Gregory's taen the sea;
And he has left his lady Janet,
And a weary woman was she.
But she hadna been in child-bed
A day but barely three,
Till word has come to lady Janet,
Love Gregory she wad never see.
She's taen her mantle her middle about,
Her cane into her hand;
And she's awa' to the salt-sea side,
As fast as she cou'd gang.
Whare will I get a curious carpenter,
Will make a boat to me?
I'm gaun to seek him, love Gregory,
In's lands where'er he be.
Here am I, a curious carpenter,
Will make a boat for thee;
And ye may seek him, love Gregory,
But him ye'll never see.
She sailed up, she sailed down,
Thro' mony a pretty stream;
Till she came to that stately castle,
Where love Gregory lay in.
O open, open, love Gregory,
O open, and lat me in;
Your young son is in my arms,
And shivering cheek and chin.
Had awa', ye ill woman,
Had far awa' frae me;
Ye're busome witch, or some warlock,
Or the mermaid troubling me.
My lady she's in Lochranline,
Down by Lochlearn's green;
This day she wadna sail the sea,
For gowd nor warld's gain.
But if ye be my lady Janet,
As I trust not well ye be;
Come tell me o'er some love token,
That past between thee and me.
Mind on, mind on, now love Gregory,
Since we sat at the wine;
The rings that were on your fingers,
I gied you mine for thine.
And mine was o' the gude red gowd,
Yours o' the silly tin;
And mine's been true, and very true,
But yours had a fause lynin.
But open, open, love Gregory,
0pen, and let me in;
Your young son is in my arms,
And he'll be dead or I win in.
Had awa' ye ill woman,
Had far awa' frae me;
Ye're but some witch, or vile warlock,
Or the mermaid troubling me.
But if ye be my lady Janet,
As I trust not well ye be;
Come tell me o'er some love token,
That past 'tween thee and me.
Mind on, mind on, love Gregory,
Sin' we sat at the wine;
The shifts that were upon your back,
I gae thee mine for thine.
And mine was o' the gude Holland,
And yours o' the silly twine;
And mine's been true, and very true,
But yours had fause lynin.