Francis James Child

“ Though ye be bound wi pride;
Else I’d gane bye your father’s gate
But either taunt or gibe.’
He turned aboot his hie horse head,
An awa he was boun to ride,
But neatly wi her mouth she spak:
Oh bide, fine squire, oh bide.
‘Bide, oh bide, ye hindy squire,
Tell me mair o your tale;
Tell me some o that wondrous lied
Ye’ve learnt in Archerdale.
‘What gaes in a speal?’ she said,
‘What in a horn green?
An what gaes on a lady’s head,
Whan it is washen clean?’
‘Ale gaes in a speal,’ he said,
‘Wine in a horn green ”

“ Proud Lady Margaret A
’TWAS on a night, an evening bright,
When the dew began to fa,
Lady Margaret was walking up and down,
Looking oer her castle wa.
She looked east and she looked west,
To see what she could spy,
When a gallant knight came in her sight,
And to the gate drew nigh.
‘You seem to be no gentleman,
You wear your boots so wide ”

“ A’ for the pride of thee.
‘Leave pride, Margret, leave pride, Margret,
Leave pride an vanity;
Ere ye see the sights that I hae seen,
Sair altered ye maun be.
‘O ye come in at the kirk-door
Wi the gowd plaits in your hair;
But wud ye see what I hae seen,
Ye maun them a’ forbear.
‘O ye come in at the kirk-door
Wi the gowd prins i your sleeve;
But wad ye see what I hae seen,
Ye maun gie them a’ their leave.
‘Leave pride, Margret, leave pride, Margret,
Leave pride an vanity ”

“ This night I’ll go with thee.’
‘For no, for no, jelly Janet,’ he says,
‘For no, that cannot be;
You’ve oer foul feet and ill washen hands
To be in my company.
‘For the wee wee worms are my bedfellows,
And the cold clay is my sheet,
And the higher that the winds do blow,
The sounder I do sleep.
‘Leave off your pride, jelly Janet,’ he says,
‘Use it not any more ”