Bot of that sort quhilk I report Bot we may all baith grit and small, It has bene sene that wyse wemen, Than wad scho say, Alace! this day Ye neigartis then example tak, Thoch for despyt with me wald flyte Gif ye wald know quha maid this sang, This, and the following Ballad, seem to be of one age, and very much of one spirit; but whether they are the production of the same writer, or not, I have been unable to discover. The writer, by engrossing his name in his "Ballat," has taken care that it shall be as lasting as his work, but there is nothing known concerning him, further, than that he lived some time in the 16th century. It may not be improper to notice, for the sake of any luckless individual who may have caught a Tartar, or termagant, no uncommon thing in the lottery of matrimony, that the green sting, or goad, spoken of in the Ballad, is, in the hand of the husband, according to the law of Scotland, a perfectly legal instrument of correction, provided it be not thicker than his thumb. BALLAT OF GUDE FALLOWIS. I MAK it kend he that will spend, I know the end that all mon wend With an O, and an I, Ane wrech sall haif na mair, Bot ane schort scheit at heid and feit, For all the wrak a wrech can pak, With an O, and an I, Quhyle we have tyme and space, Were thair ane king to rax and ring Be glaid, and mak gude sound. Now or we furder found: Quha undirstude suld haif his gude Nocht worthe ane hude, or an auld snude, Thou sall beir hyne away, Full few will for the pray. With an O, and an I, Gude fallowis, quhill we may, CHILD MAURICE. CHILD MAURICE was an erle's son, It was nae for his great riches, • Whar sall I get a bonny boy, 'That will win hose and shoen, "That will gae to lord Barnard's ha', And bid his lady come? 'And ye maun rin ane errand Willie, And ye maun rin wi' speid; 'When ither boys gang on their feet 'Ye sall ha prancing steid.' "Oh no! oh no! my master deir ! "I dar na for my life; "I'll no gae to the bauld baron's, "For to triest furth his wife." My bird Willie, my boy Willie, "How can ye strive against the streim? 'For I sall be obey'd.' “But O my master deir !" he cry'd, "In grenewode ye're your lane; "Gi owr sic thochts I wald ye red, "For feir ye sold be tane." Haste, haste, I say, gae to the ha, <If • Gae bid her tak this gay mantel, ''Tis a gowd but the hem: • Bid her come to the gude grenewode, Ein by hersel alane: And there it is, a silken sarke, 'And bid her come to Child Maurice; Speir nae bauld baron's leive.' "Yes I will gae your black errand, "The baron he's a man o' micht, " And ye will see before its nicht, "And sen I maun your errand rin When he cam to the broken brig, And whan he cam to Barnard's yeat He wald na tell the man his errand Hail! hail! my gentle sire and dame! My message winna wait, 'Dame ye maun to the grenewode gae, 'Afore that it be late. 'Ye're bidden tak this gay mantel, "'Tis a' gowd bot the hem: 'Ye maun haste to the gude grenewode, Ein by yoursell alane. |