THE YOUNG LAIRD OF OCHILTRIE. O LISTEN, gude peopell, to my tale, Quhen news came to our guidly Queen, Lady Margaret tore hir yallow hair, Nor neir had known Ochiltries' naim. Fie na, quoth the Queen, that maunna be, Fie na, that maunna be; I'll fynd ze out a better way To saif the lyfe of Ochiltrie. The Queen she trippet up the stair, O if you had ask'd me castels and towirs, The Queen sche trippet down the stair, Its a' the monie in fair Scotland Lady Margaret tore her yellow hair, Quhen as the Queen tald hir the saim; I'll tack a knife and end my lyfe, And be in the grave as soon as him. Ah! na, fie! na, quoth the Queen, To loose and set Ochiltrie frie. The Queen she slippit up the stair, And sches gien him a purse of gowd, And quhen he cam to the Queen's window, And peace be in her companie! O quhaten a voice is that? quoth the King, Call to me a' my gaolours, Call thaim by thirtie and by thrie; Quhairfoir the morn at twelve a clock Its hangit schall they ilk ane be. O didna ze send zour keyis to us? Ze sent thaim by thirtie and by thrie, And wi' thaim sent a strait command, Ah! na, fie! na, quoth the Queen, The tane was schippit at the pier of Leith, No mention is made in biographical narrative of the author of this Ballad, and tradition is equally silent respecting him; but the following circumstances, which took place in 1592, when Bothwell was plotting against the king, related by Spotswood, have generally been supposed the foundation thereof. "At the same time, John Weymis, younger of Bogie, gentleman of his majesty's chamber, and in great favour both with the king and queen, was discovered to have the like dealings with Bothwell, and, being committed to the keeping of the guard, escaped by the policy of one of the Dutch maids, with whom he entertained a secret love. The gentlewoman, named Mistress Margaret Twinslace, coming one night whilst the king and queen were in bed, to his keepers, shewed that the king called for the prisoner to ask him some questions. The keepers, suspecting nothing, for they knew her to be the principal maid in the chamber, conveyed him to the door of the bedchamber; and, making a stay without, as they were commanded, the gentlewoman did let him down at a window, by a cord that she had prepared. The keepers, waiting upon his return, stayed there till the morning, and then found themselves deceived. This, with the manner of the escape, ministered great occasion of laughter; and, not many days after, the king being pacified by the queen's means, he was pardoned, and took to wife the gentlewoman, who had, in this sort, hazarded her credit, for his safety." LORD THOMAS AND FAIR ANNET. LORD THOMAS and fair Annet, Sat ae day on a hill; Whan nicht was cum, and sun was sett, They had not talkt their fill. Lord Thomas said a word in jest, A! I wull nevir wed a wife Gif ye wull nevir wed a wife, O rede, O rede, mither, he says, The nut-browne bride has gowd and gear, And he has till his brither gane: A sall I marrie the nut-browne bride, The nut-browne bride has oxen, brother, The nut-browne bride has kye; I wad hae ye marrie the nut-browne bride, Her oxen may dye i' the house, Billie, And I sall hae naething to mysell Bot a fat fadge by the fyre. And he has till his sister gane: O sall I marrie the nut-browne bride, Ise rede ye tak fair Annet, Thomas, No, I wull tak my mither's counsel, And I wull tak the nut-browne bride; Up then rose fair Annet's father Rise up, rise up, fair Annet, he says, My maides, gae to my dressing-room, My maides, gae to my dressing-roome, The other o' neidle-work. The horse fair Annet rade upon, Four-and-twenty siller bells Four-and-twenty gude knichts |