192. The Lochmaben Harper
192a: The Lochmaben Harper
192a.1 Heard ye eer of the silly blind harper,
That long livd in Lochmaben town,
How he wad gang to fair England,
To steal King Henrys Wanton Brown?
Sing, Faden dilly and faden dilly
Sing, Faden dilly and deedle dan
192A.2 But first he gaed to his gude wife,
Wi a the speed that he coud thole;
This wark, quo he, will never work
Without a mare that has a foal.
192A.3 Quo she, Thou has a gude gray mare,
Thatal rin oer hills baith law and hie;
Gae tak the gray mare in thy hand,
And leave the foal at hame wi me.
192A.4 And tak a halter in thy hose,
And o thy purpose dinna fail;
But wap it oer the Wantons nose,
And tie her to the gray mares tail.
192A.5 Syne ca her out at yon back geate,
Oer moss and muir and ilka dale;
For shell neer let the Wanton bite
Till she come hame to her ain foal.
192A.6 So he is up to England gane,
Even as fast as he can hie,
Till he came to King Henrys geate;
And wha was there but King Henry?
192A.7 Come in, quo he, Thou silly blind harper,
And of thy harping let me hear;
O, by my sooth, quo the silly blind harper,
Id rather hae stabling for my mare.
192A.8 The king he looks oer his left shoulder,
And says unto his stable-groom,
Gae tak the silly poor harpers mare,
And tie her side my Wanton Brown.
192A.9 And ay he harpit, and ay he carpit,
Till a the lords had fitted the floor;
They thought the music was sae sweet,
And they forgot the stable-door.
192a.10 And ay he harpit, and ay he carpit,
Till a the nobles were sound asleep;
Than quietly he took aff his shoon,
And safly down the stair did creep.
192a.11 Syne to the stable-door he hies,
Wi tread as light as light coud be,
And when he opned and gaed in,
There he fand thirty gude steads and three.
192a.12 He took the halter frae his hose,
And of his purpose did na fail;
He slipt it oer the Wantons nose,
And tied it to his gray mares tail.
192a.13 He cad her out at yon back geate,
Oer moss and muir and ilka dale,
And she loot neer the Wanton bite,
But held her still gaun at her tail.
192a.14 The gray mare was right swift o fit,
And did na fail to find the way,
For she was at Lochmaben geate
Fu lang three hours ere twas day.
192a.15 When she came to the harpers door,
There she gave mony a nicher and sneer;
Rise, quo the wife, Thou lazey lass,
Let in thy master and his mare.
192a.16 Then up she rose, pat on her claes,
And lookit out through the lock-hole;
O, by my sooth, then quoth the lass,
Our mare has gotten a braw big foal!
192a.17 Come had thy peace, thou foolish lass,
The moons but glancing in thy eye;
Ill wad my hail fee against a groat,
Its bigger than eer our foal will be.
192a.18 The neighbours too that heard the noise
Cried to the wife to put hir in;
By my sooth, then quo the wife,
Shes better than ever he rade on.
192a.19 But on the morn, at fair day light,
When they had ended a thier chear,
King Henrys Wanton Brown was stawn,
And eke the poor old harpers mare.
192a.20 Allace! allace! says the silly blind harper,
Allace, allace, that I came here!
In Scotland Ive tint a braw cowte-foal,
In England theyve stawn my gude gray mare.
192a.21 Come had thy tongue, thou silly blind harper,
And of thy allacing let me be;
For thou shalt get a better mare,
And weel paid shall thy cowte-foal be.
192b: The Lochmaben Harper
192b.1 Hard ye tell of the silly blind harper?
Long he lived in Lochmaben town;
Hes away to fair Carlisle,
To steal King Henrys Wanton Brown.
Sing, Fadle didle dodle didle
Sing, Fadle didle fadle doo
192B.2 He has mounted his auld gray mare,
And ridden oer both hills and mire,
Till he came to fair Carlisle town,
And askd for stabling to his mare.
192B.3 Harp on, harp on, thou silly blind harper,
Some of thy harping let us hear;
By my sooth, says the silly blind harper,
I would rather hae stabling to my mare.
192B.4 The king looked oer his left shoulder
And called to his stable-groom:
Gae stable up the harpers mare,
And just beyond the Wanton Brown.
192B.5 Ay he carped, and ay he harped,
Till a the lords gaed thro the floor;
But and the musick was sae sweet
The groom forgot the key o the stable-door.
192B.6 Ay he harped, and ay he carped,
Till a the lords fell fast asleep,
And, like a fause deceiver as he was,
He quickly down the stair did creep.
192B.7 He pulld a colt-halter out o his hoe,
On purpose as I shall to you tell;
He sliped it oer the Wantons nose,
And tyed it to his gray mares tail.
192B.8 My blessing light upon my wife!
I think she be a daily flower;
She told me to ken my ain gray mare
When eer I felt her by the ewer.
192B.9 Harp on, harp on, thou silly blind harper,
Some of thy harping let us hear:
Oh and alas! says the silly blind harper,
Oh and alas that eer I came here!
192b.10 For in Scotland I lost a good brown foal,
And in England a good gray mare,
.....
.....
192b.11 Harp on, harp on, thou silly blind harper,
Some of thy harping let us hear,
And thy brown foal shall be well payed,
And thous hae a far better gray mare.
192b.12 Ay he harped, and ay he carped,
And some of his harping he let them hear,
And his brown foal it was well payed,
And he got a better gray mare.
192b.13 His mares away to Lochmaben,
Wi mony a nicker and mony a sneer;
His wife crys, Rise up, you lazy lass,
Let in your master and his mare.
192b.14 The lazy lass was loth to rise;
She looked through a little hole;
By my troth, crys the lazy lass,
Our mare has brought a bonie foal.
192b.15 Rise up, rise up, thou lazy lass,
And, een as the sun it shines sae clear,
Ill wager my life against a groat
The foal was better than ever the mare.
192c: The Lochmaben Harper
192c.1 ITRRrrS hae ye heard tell o the auld harper
That lang lived in Lochmaben town,
How he maun awa to England fair,
To steal King Henrys Wanton Brown?
Faw aiden diden an diden an diden
Faw aiden diden faw aiden dee
192C.2 Out then bespak his gude auld wife,
I wat she spak out very wiselie;
Yell ride the mear to England fair,
But the foal yell leave at hame wi me.
192C.3 Yell hide your halter in o your hose,
And o your purpose yell no fail;
Yell cast a hook on the Wantons nose,
And tie him to the gray mears tail.
192C.4 Yell lead them awa by a back yett,
And hound them out at a wee hole;
The mear shell neer [let] the Wanton bait
Till hame at Lochmaben town wi her foal.
192C.5 Awa then rade the auld harper,
I wat he rade right merrilie,
Until he cam to England fair,
Where wonned the gude King Henerie.
192C.6 Light down, light down, ye auld harper,
And some o your harping let me hear;
O williwa! quo the auld harper,
Will I get stabling for my mear?
* * * * *
192c.7 And aye he harped and he carped,
Till a the lordlings fell asleep;
Syne bundled his fiddles upon his back,
And down the stairs fu fast did creep.
192C.8 Hes taen the halter out o his hose,
And o his purpose he didna fail;
Hes cast a hook on the Wantons nose,
And tied him to the gray mears tale.
192C.9 Hes led them awa by the back yett,
And hounded them out at a wee hole;
The mear she neer let the Wanton bait
Till hame at Lochmaben town wi her foal.
192c.10 And when they cam to the house-end,
Wi mony a nicker but an a neigh,
They waukend the auld wife out o her sleep;
She was a-dreaming she was fouie.
192c.11 Rise up, rise up, my servant-lass,
Let in your master and his mear;
Its by my sooth, the wee lassie goud say,
Im in a sleeping drowsy air.
192c.12 Wi mony a graunt she turned her round,
And keekit through at a wee hole;
Its by my sooth! the wee lassie goud say,
Our mear has gotten a braw brown foal!
192c.13 Lie still, lie still, ye lazy lass,
Its but the moon shines in your ee;
Na, by my sooth, the lassie goud say,
And hes bigger than ony o his degree.
192c.14 Then lightly rose the gude auld wife,
I wat the first up in a the town;
She took the grit oats intil her lap
And fodderd King Henrys Wanton Brown.
192c.15 King Henrys groom rase in the morn,
And he was of a sorry cheer:
King Henrys Wanton Browns awa,
And sae is the silly auld harpers mear!
192c.16 Up then rase the auld harper,
And loudly he did curse and swear:
In Scotland they but steald my foal,
In England ye hae steald my mear!
192c.17 Its haud your tongue,"] King Henry did say,
Yell hae nae cause to curse or swear;
Heres thirty guineas for your foal,
And three times thirty for your mear.
192d: The Lochmaben Harper
192d.1 There was a poor silly harper-man,
And he lived in Lochmaben toon,
And he has wagered wi lairds and lords,
And mony a guinea against a croon.
Tum tid iddly
Dodaly diddely
Tidaly diddaly
Dodaly dan
192D.2 And he has wagered wi lairds and lords,
And mony a guinea against a croon,
That into England he would go.
And steal King Heneries Wanton Broun.
192D.3 Out spak the silly poor harpers wife,
And O but she spak wililie:
If into England you do go,
Leave the wee-wee foal wi me.
192D.4 The harper he got on to ride,
And O but he rode richt highlie!
The very first man that he did meet,
They said it was King Henerie.
192D.5 Licht doon, licht doon, ye silly poor harper,
And o your harping let me hear;
And by my sooth, quoth the silly poor harper,
Id rather hae stabling for my mear.
192d.6 O he lookit ower his left shoulder,
And saw ane of the stable-grooms:
Go take the sillie poor harpers mear,
And stable her by my Wanton Brown.
192D.7 And aye he harpit, and aye he carpit,
Till a the nobles fell on the floor,
And aye he harpit, and aye he carpit,
Till they forgot the key of the stabel-door.
192D.8 And aye he harpit, and aye he carpit,
Till a the nobles fell fast asleep;
He has taen his harp upon his back,
And doon the stair did softly creep.
192D.9 He has taen a halter frae his hose,
And o his purpose did not fail;
He coost a wap on Wantons nose,
And tyed her to his ain mears tail.
192d.10 He cad her through at the bye-yett,
Through mony a syre and mony a hole;
She never loot Wanton licht till she
Was at Lochmaben, at her foal.
192d.11 And she came oer Lochmaben heights,
Wi mony a nicker and mony a sneeze,
And waukend the silly poor harpers wife,
As she was a sleeping at her ease.
192d.12 Rise up, rise up, ye servant-lass,
Let in the maister and the mear;
By my sooth, quoth the servant-lass,
I think my maister be na here.
192d.13 Up then rose the servant-lass,
And lookit through a wee, wee hole;
By my sooth, quoth the servant-lass,
Our mear has gotten a waly foal.
192d.14 Ye clatter, ye clatter, ye servant-lass,
It is the moon shines in your ee;
By my sooth, quoth the servant-lass,
Its mair than ever her ain will be.
192d.15 Its whan the stable-groom awoke,
Put a the nobles in a fear;
King Heneries Wanton Brown was stown,
And Oh! the silly poor harpers mear.
192d.16 Out then spak the silly poor harper,
Says, Oh, this loos I douna thole!
In England fair a guid grey mear,
In fair Scotland a guid cout-foal.
192d.17 Haud your tongue, ye sillie poor harper,
And wi your carping let me be;
Heres ten pounds for your auld gray mear,
And a weel paid foal its be to thee!
192d.18 And O the silly poor harpers wife,
Shes aye first up in Lochmaben toun;
Shes stealing the corn and stealing the hay,
And wappin it oer to Wanton Broun.
192e: The Lochmaben Harper
192e.1 There was a jolly harper-man,
That harped aye frae toun to toun;
A wager he made, with two knights he laid
To steal King Henrys Wanton Brown.
192E.2 Sir Roger he wagered five ploughs o land,
Sir Charles wagered five thousand pound,
And John hes taen the deed in hand,
To steal King Henrys Wanton Brown.
192E.3 Hes taen his harp into his hand,
And he gaed harping thro the toun,
And as the king in his palace sat,
His ear was touched wi the soun.
192E.4 Come in, come in, ye harper-man,
Some o your harping let me hear;
Indeed, my liege, and by your grace,
Id rather hae stabling to my mare.
192E.5 Yell gang to yon outer court,
That stands a little below the toun;
Yell find a stable snug and neat,
Where stands my stately Wanton Brown.
192E.6 Hes down him to the outer court,
That stood a little below the toun;
There found a stable snug and neat,
For stately stood the Wanton Brown.
192E.7 Then he has fixd a good strong cord
Unto his grey mares bridle-rein,
And tied it unto that steeds tail,
Syne shut the stable-door behin.
192E.8 Then he harped on, and he carped on,
Till all were fast asleep;
Then down thro bower and ha hes gone,
Even on his hands and feet.
192E.9 Hes to yon stable snug and neat,
That lay a little below the toun;
For there he placed his ain grey mare,
Alang wi Henrys Wanton Brown.
192e.10 Yell do you down thro mire and moss,
Thro mony bog and lairy hole;
But never miss your Wanton slack;
Yell gang to Mayblane, to your foal.
192e.11 As soons the door he had unshut,
The mare gaed prancing frae the town,
An at her bridle-rein was tied
Henrys statey Wanton Brown.
192e.12 Then she did rin thro mire an moss,
Thro mony bog an miery hole;
But never missed her Wanton slack
Till she reachd Mayblane, to her foal.
192e.13 When the king awaked from sleep
He to the harper-man did say,
O waken ye, waken ye, jolly John,
Weve fairly slept till it is day.
192e.14 Win up, win up, ye harper-man,
Some mair o harping yell gie me:
He said, My liege, wi a my heart,
But first my gude grey mare maun see.
192e.15 Then forth he ran, and in he came,
Dropping mony a feigned tear:
Some rogue[s] hae broke the outer court,
An stown awa my gude grey mare.
192e.16 Then by my sooth, the king replied,
If theres been rogues into the toun,
I fear, as well as your grey mare,
Awa is my stately Wanton Brown.
192e.17 My loss is great, the harper said,
My loss is twice as great, I fear;
In Scotland I lost a gude grey steed,
An here Ive lost a gude grey mare.
192e.18 Come on, come on, ye harper-man,
Some o your music lat me hear;
Well paid yese be, John, for the same,
An likewise for your gude grey mare.
192e.19 When that John his money received,
Then he went harping frae the toun,
But little did King Henry ken
Hed stown awa his Wanton Brown.
192e.20 The knights then lay ower castle-wa,
An they beheld baith dale an down,
An saw the jolly harper-man
Come harping on to Striveling toun.
192e.21 Then, By my sooth, Sir Roger said,
Are ye returned back to toun?
Idoubt my lad ye hae ill sped
Of stealing o the Wanton Brown.
192e.22 I hae been into fair England,
An even into Lunan toun,
An in King Henrys outer court,
An stown awa the Wanton Brown.
192e.23 Ye lie, ye lie, Sir Charles he said,
An aye sae louds I hear ye lie;
Twall armed men, in armour bright,
They guard the stable night and day.
192e.24 But I did harp them all asleep,
An managed my business cunninglie;
If ye make light o what I say,
Come to my stable an yell see.
192e.25 My music pleasd the king sae well
Mair o my harping he wishd to hear;
An for the same he paid me well,
And also for my gude grey mare.
192e.26 Then he drew out a gude lang purse,
Well stored wi gowd an white monie,
An in a short time after this
The Wanton Brown he lat them see.
192e.27 Sir Roger produced his ploughs o land,
Sir Charles produced his thousand pounds,
Then back to Henry, the English king,
Restored the stately Wanton Brown.
192a.1 Heard ye eer of the silly blind harper,
That long livd in Lochmaben town,
How he wad gang to fair England,
To steal King Henrys Wanton Brown?
Sing, Faden dilly and faden dilly
Sing, Faden dilly and deedle dan
192A.2 But first he gaed to his gude wife,
Wi a the speed that he coud thole;
This wark, quo he, will never work
Without a mare that has a foal.
192A.3 Quo she, Thou has a gude gray mare,
Thatal rin oer hills baith law and hie;
Gae tak the gray mare in thy hand,
And leave the foal at hame wi me.
192A.4 And tak a halter in thy hose,
And o thy purpose dinna fail;
But wap it oer the Wantons nose,
And tie her to the gray mares tail.
192A.5 Syne ca her out at yon back geate,
Oer moss and muir and ilka dale;
For shell neer let the Wanton bite
Till she come hame to her ain foal.
192A.6 So he is up to England gane,
Even as fast as he can hie,
Till he came to King Henrys geate;
And wha was there but King Henry?
192A.7 Come in, quo he, Thou silly blind harper,
And of thy harping let me hear;
O, by my sooth, quo the silly blind harper,
Id rather hae stabling for my mare.
192A.8 The king he looks oer his left shoulder,
And says unto his stable-groom,
Gae tak the silly poor harpers mare,
And tie her side my Wanton Brown.
192A.9 And ay he harpit, and ay he carpit,
Till a the lords had fitted the floor;
They thought the music was sae sweet,
And they forgot the stable-door.
192a.10 And ay he harpit, and ay he carpit,
Till a the nobles were sound asleep;
Than quietly he took aff his shoon,
And safly down the stair did creep.
192a.11 Syne to the stable-door he hies,
Wi tread as light as light coud be,
And when he opned and gaed in,
There he fand thirty gude steads and three.
192a.12 He took the halter frae his hose,
And of his purpose did na fail;
He slipt it oer the Wantons nose,
And tied it to his gray mares tail.
192a.13 He cad her out at yon back geate,
Oer moss and muir and ilka dale,
And she loot neer the Wanton bite,
But held her still gaun at her tail.
192a.14 The gray mare was right swift o fit,
And did na fail to find the way,
For she was at Lochmaben geate
Fu lang three hours ere twas day.
192a.15 When she came to the harpers door,
There she gave mony a nicher and sneer;
Rise, quo the wife, Thou lazey lass,
Let in thy master and his mare.
192a.16 Then up she rose, pat on her claes,
And lookit out through the lock-hole;
O, by my sooth, then quoth the lass,
Our mare has gotten a braw big foal!
192a.17 Come had thy peace, thou foolish lass,
The moons but glancing in thy eye;
Ill wad my hail fee against a groat,
Its bigger than eer our foal will be.
192a.18 The neighbours too that heard the noise
Cried to the wife to put hir in;
By my sooth, then quo the wife,
Shes better than ever he rade on.
192a.19 But on the morn, at fair day light,
When they had ended a thier chear,
King Henrys Wanton Brown was stawn,
And eke the poor old harpers mare.
192a.20 Allace! allace! says the silly blind harper,
Allace, allace, that I came here!
In Scotland Ive tint a braw cowte-foal,
In England theyve stawn my gude gray mare.
192a.21 Come had thy tongue, thou silly blind harper,
And of thy allacing let me be;
For thou shalt get a better mare,
And weel paid shall thy cowte-foal be.
192b: The Lochmaben Harper
192b.1 Hard ye tell of the silly blind harper?
Long he lived in Lochmaben town;
Hes away to fair Carlisle,
To steal King Henrys Wanton Brown.
Sing, Fadle didle dodle didle
Sing, Fadle didle fadle doo
192B.2 He has mounted his auld gray mare,
And ridden oer both hills and mire,
Till he came to fair Carlisle town,
And askd for stabling to his mare.
192B.3 Harp on, harp on, thou silly blind harper,
Some of thy harping let us hear;
By my sooth, says the silly blind harper,
I would rather hae stabling to my mare.
192B.4 The king looked oer his left shoulder
And called to his stable-groom:
Gae stable up the harpers mare,
And just beyond the Wanton Brown.
192B.5 Ay he carped, and ay he harped,
Till a the lords gaed thro the floor;
But and the musick was sae sweet
The groom forgot the key o the stable-door.
192B.6 Ay he harped, and ay he carped,
Till a the lords fell fast asleep,
And, like a fause deceiver as he was,
He quickly down the stair did creep.
192B.7 He pulld a colt-halter out o his hoe,
On purpose as I shall to you tell;
He sliped it oer the Wantons nose,
And tyed it to his gray mares tail.
192B.8 My blessing light upon my wife!
I think she be a daily flower;
She told me to ken my ain gray mare
When eer I felt her by the ewer.
192B.9 Harp on, harp on, thou silly blind harper,
Some of thy harping let us hear:
Oh and alas! says the silly blind harper,
Oh and alas that eer I came here!
192b.10 For in Scotland I lost a good brown foal,
And in England a good gray mare,
.....
.....
192b.11 Harp on, harp on, thou silly blind harper,
Some of thy harping let us hear,
And thy brown foal shall be well payed,
And thous hae a far better gray mare.
192b.12 Ay he harped, and ay he carped,
And some of his harping he let them hear,
And his brown foal it was well payed,
And he got a better gray mare.
192b.13 His mares away to Lochmaben,
Wi mony a nicker and mony a sneer;
His wife crys, Rise up, you lazy lass,
Let in your master and his mare.
192b.14 The lazy lass was loth to rise;
She looked through a little hole;
By my troth, crys the lazy lass,
Our mare has brought a bonie foal.
192b.15 Rise up, rise up, thou lazy lass,
And, een as the sun it shines sae clear,
Ill wager my life against a groat
The foal was better than ever the mare.
192c: The Lochmaben Harper
192c.1 ITRRrrS hae ye heard tell o the auld harper
That lang lived in Lochmaben town,
How he maun awa to England fair,
To steal King Henrys Wanton Brown?
Faw aiden diden an diden an diden
Faw aiden diden faw aiden dee
192C.2 Out then bespak his gude auld wife,
I wat she spak out very wiselie;
Yell ride the mear to England fair,
But the foal yell leave at hame wi me.
192C.3 Yell hide your halter in o your hose,
And o your purpose yell no fail;
Yell cast a hook on the Wantons nose,
And tie him to the gray mears tail.
192C.4 Yell lead them awa by a back yett,
And hound them out at a wee hole;
The mear shell neer [let] the Wanton bait
Till hame at Lochmaben town wi her foal.
192C.5 Awa then rade the auld harper,
I wat he rade right merrilie,
Until he cam to England fair,
Where wonned the gude King Henerie.
192C.6 Light down, light down, ye auld harper,
And some o your harping let me hear;
O williwa! quo the auld harper,
Will I get stabling for my mear?
* * * * *
192c.7 And aye he harped and he carped,
Till a the lordlings fell asleep;
Syne bundled his fiddles upon his back,
And down the stairs fu fast did creep.
192C.8 Hes taen the halter out o his hose,
And o his purpose he didna fail;
Hes cast a hook on the Wantons nose,
And tied him to the gray mears tale.
192C.9 Hes led them awa by the back yett,
And hounded them out at a wee hole;
The mear she neer let the Wanton bait
Till hame at Lochmaben town wi her foal.
192c.10 And when they cam to the house-end,
Wi mony a nicker but an a neigh,
They waukend the auld wife out o her sleep;
She was a-dreaming she was fouie.
192c.11 Rise up, rise up, my servant-lass,
Let in your master and his mear;
Its by my sooth, the wee lassie goud say,
Im in a sleeping drowsy air.
192c.12 Wi mony a graunt she turned her round,
And keekit through at a wee hole;
Its by my sooth! the wee lassie goud say,
Our mear has gotten a braw brown foal!
192c.13 Lie still, lie still, ye lazy lass,
Its but the moon shines in your ee;
Na, by my sooth, the lassie goud say,
And hes bigger than ony o his degree.
192c.14 Then lightly rose the gude auld wife,
I wat the first up in a the town;
She took the grit oats intil her lap
And fodderd King Henrys Wanton Brown.
192c.15 King Henrys groom rase in the morn,
And he was of a sorry cheer:
King Henrys Wanton Browns awa,
And sae is the silly auld harpers mear!
192c.16 Up then rase the auld harper,
And loudly he did curse and swear:
In Scotland they but steald my foal,
In England ye hae steald my mear!
192c.17 Its haud your tongue,"] King Henry did say,
Yell hae nae cause to curse or swear;
Heres thirty guineas for your foal,
And three times thirty for your mear.
192d: The Lochmaben Harper
192d.1 There was a poor silly harper-man,
And he lived in Lochmaben toon,
And he has wagered wi lairds and lords,
And mony a guinea against a croon.
Tum tid iddly
Dodaly diddely
Tidaly diddaly
Dodaly dan
192D.2 And he has wagered wi lairds and lords,
And mony a guinea against a croon,
That into England he would go.
And steal King Heneries Wanton Broun.
192D.3 Out spak the silly poor harpers wife,
And O but she spak wililie:
If into England you do go,
Leave the wee-wee foal wi me.
192D.4 The harper he got on to ride,
And O but he rode richt highlie!
The very first man that he did meet,
They said it was King Henerie.
192D.5 Licht doon, licht doon, ye silly poor harper,
And o your harping let me hear;
And by my sooth, quoth the silly poor harper,
Id rather hae stabling for my mear.
192d.6 O he lookit ower his left shoulder,
And saw ane of the stable-grooms:
Go take the sillie poor harpers mear,
And stable her by my Wanton Brown.
192D.7 And aye he harpit, and aye he carpit,
Till a the nobles fell on the floor,
And aye he harpit, and aye he carpit,
Till they forgot the key of the stabel-door.
192D.8 And aye he harpit, and aye he carpit,
Till a the nobles fell fast asleep;
He has taen his harp upon his back,
And doon the stair did softly creep.
192D.9 He has taen a halter frae his hose,
And o his purpose did not fail;
He coost a wap on Wantons nose,
And tyed her to his ain mears tail.
192d.10 He cad her through at the bye-yett,
Through mony a syre and mony a hole;
She never loot Wanton licht till she
Was at Lochmaben, at her foal.
192d.11 And she came oer Lochmaben heights,
Wi mony a nicker and mony a sneeze,
And waukend the silly poor harpers wife,
As she was a sleeping at her ease.
192d.12 Rise up, rise up, ye servant-lass,
Let in the maister and the mear;
By my sooth, quoth the servant-lass,
I think my maister be na here.
192d.13 Up then rose the servant-lass,
And lookit through a wee, wee hole;
By my sooth, quoth the servant-lass,
Our mear has gotten a waly foal.
192d.14 Ye clatter, ye clatter, ye servant-lass,
It is the moon shines in your ee;
By my sooth, quoth the servant-lass,
Its mair than ever her ain will be.
192d.15 Its whan the stable-groom awoke,
Put a the nobles in a fear;
King Heneries Wanton Brown was stown,
And Oh! the silly poor harpers mear.
192d.16 Out then spak the silly poor harper,
Says, Oh, this loos I douna thole!
In England fair a guid grey mear,
In fair Scotland a guid cout-foal.
192d.17 Haud your tongue, ye sillie poor harper,
And wi your carping let me be;
Heres ten pounds for your auld gray mear,
And a weel paid foal its be to thee!
192d.18 And O the silly poor harpers wife,
Shes aye first up in Lochmaben toun;
Shes stealing the corn and stealing the hay,
And wappin it oer to Wanton Broun.
192e: The Lochmaben Harper
192e.1 There was a jolly harper-man,
That harped aye frae toun to toun;
A wager he made, with two knights he laid
To steal King Henrys Wanton Brown.
192E.2 Sir Roger he wagered five ploughs o land,
Sir Charles wagered five thousand pound,
And John hes taen the deed in hand,
To steal King Henrys Wanton Brown.
192E.3 Hes taen his harp into his hand,
And he gaed harping thro the toun,
And as the king in his palace sat,
His ear was touched wi the soun.
192E.4 Come in, come in, ye harper-man,
Some o your harping let me hear;
Indeed, my liege, and by your grace,
Id rather hae stabling to my mare.
192E.5 Yell gang to yon outer court,
That stands a little below the toun;
Yell find a stable snug and neat,
Where stands my stately Wanton Brown.
192E.6 Hes down him to the outer court,
That stood a little below the toun;
There found a stable snug and neat,
For stately stood the Wanton Brown.
192E.7 Then he has fixd a good strong cord
Unto his grey mares bridle-rein,
And tied it unto that steeds tail,
Syne shut the stable-door behin.
192E.8 Then he harped on, and he carped on,
Till all were fast asleep;
Then down thro bower and ha hes gone,
Even on his hands and feet.
192E.9 Hes to yon stable snug and neat,
That lay a little below the toun;
For there he placed his ain grey mare,
Alang wi Henrys Wanton Brown.
192e.10 Yell do you down thro mire and moss,
Thro mony bog and lairy hole;
But never miss your Wanton slack;
Yell gang to Mayblane, to your foal.
192e.11 As soons the door he had unshut,
The mare gaed prancing frae the town,
An at her bridle-rein was tied
Henrys statey Wanton Brown.
192e.12 Then she did rin thro mire an moss,
Thro mony bog an miery hole;
But never missed her Wanton slack
Till she reachd Mayblane, to her foal.
192e.13 When the king awaked from sleep
He to the harper-man did say,
O waken ye, waken ye, jolly John,
Weve fairly slept till it is day.
192e.14 Win up, win up, ye harper-man,
Some mair o harping yell gie me:
He said, My liege, wi a my heart,
But first my gude grey mare maun see.
192e.15 Then forth he ran, and in he came,
Dropping mony a feigned tear:
Some rogue[s] hae broke the outer court,
An stown awa my gude grey mare.
192e.16 Then by my sooth, the king replied,
If theres been rogues into the toun,
I fear, as well as your grey mare,
Awa is my stately Wanton Brown.
192e.17 My loss is great, the harper said,
My loss is twice as great, I fear;
In Scotland I lost a gude grey steed,
An here Ive lost a gude grey mare.
192e.18 Come on, come on, ye harper-man,
Some o your music lat me hear;
Well paid yese be, John, for the same,
An likewise for your gude grey mare.
192e.19 When that John his money received,
Then he went harping frae the toun,
But little did King Henry ken
Hed stown awa his Wanton Brown.
192e.20 The knights then lay ower castle-wa,
An they beheld baith dale an down,
An saw the jolly harper-man
Come harping on to Striveling toun.
192e.21 Then, By my sooth, Sir Roger said,
Are ye returned back to toun?
Idoubt my lad ye hae ill sped
Of stealing o the Wanton Brown.
192e.22 I hae been into fair England,
An even into Lunan toun,
An in King Henrys outer court,
An stown awa the Wanton Brown.
192e.23 Ye lie, ye lie, Sir Charles he said,
An aye sae louds I hear ye lie;
Twall armed men, in armour bright,
They guard the stable night and day.
192e.24 But I did harp them all asleep,
An managed my business cunninglie;
If ye make light o what I say,
Come to my stable an yell see.
192e.25 My music pleasd the king sae well
Mair o my harping he wishd to hear;
An for the same he paid me well,
And also for my gude grey mare.
192e.26 Then he drew out a gude lang purse,
Well stored wi gowd an white monie,
An in a short time after this
The Wanton Brown he lat them see.
192e.27 Sir Roger produced his ploughs o land,
Sir Charles produced his thousand pounds,
Then back to Henry, the English king,
Restored the stately Wanton Brown.
