Rose Smells Sae Sweetly- Meg Walker (Renf) 1827
[From Andrew Crawfurd's Collection of Ballads and Songs: Volume 1 by E. B. Lyle. Original spelling kept. Lochwinnoch is a village in the council area and historic county of Renfrewshire in the west central Lowlands of Scotland.
R. Matteson 2018]
The Rose Smells Sae Sweetly- sung by Meg Walker (Mrs. Caldwell, born about 1762) of Lochwinnoch about 1827.
1. There was three ladies play’d at the wa'
With a hey and a lily ga;
There came three knights and court them a’,
As the rose it smells sa sweetly.
2. The first o them was clad in green
And he courted her for to be his queen
3. The second o them was clad in yellow
And he courted her for to be his marrow
4. The youngest o them was clad in white
And he's courted her to be his bride
5. Ye man [1] ask my father the king
And sa man you my mother the queen
6. I have asked your father the king
And sa have I asked your mother the queen
7. Her father the king led her throu the Ha
Her mother the queen led her doun the stair
8. Her sister An led her throu the closs
Her brother John set her on the horse
9. You are hiegh and I am low
And we man kiss before we go
10. She louted doun to ge him a kiss
He stabd a penknife long in her breast
11. Out and spack the bonney bridegroom
I think out bride comes but Hooly on
12. Ride back ride back said the formest[2] man
I think our bride looks pale and wan
13. She had not ridden throu the close
Till the bonnie bride fell af her horse
14. What will you leave your mother the queen
The bloody rob[3] that I am in
15. What will you leave to your sister Ane
My gilded bible & silver fan
16. What will you give your brother John
The Gallows Tree for to hing him on
17. What will you leave your brother Johns waens
The warld is wide the[4] may beg therein
1. maun
2. foremost
3. robe
4. they