94. The Duke of Gordon's Daughter. Quiller-Couch, Arthur, ed. 1910. The Oxford Book of Ballads

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Arthur Quiller-Couch, ed. (1863–1944). The Oxford Book of Ballads. 1910.

94. The Duke of Gordon’s Daughter

THE DUKE of Gordon had three daughters,

Elizabeth, Marg’ret and Jean;

They would not stay in bonny Castle Gordon,

But they went to bonny Aberdeen.

They had not been in bonny Aberdeen

A twelvemonth and a day,

Lady Jean fell in love with Captain Ogilvie

And awa’ with him she would gae.

III

Word came to the Duke of Gordon,

In the chamber where he lay,

Lady Jean was in love with Captain Ogilvie,

And from him she would not stay.

‘Go saddle to me the black horse,

And you’ll ride on the grey,

And I will gang to bonny Aberdeen

Forthwith to bring her away.’

They were not a mile from Aberdeen,

A mile but only one,

Till he met with his two daughters,

But awa’ was Lady Jean.

‘Where is your sister, maidens?

Where is your sister now?

Say, what is become of your sister,

That she is not walking with you?’

VII

‘O pardon us, honour’d father,

O pardon us!’ they did say;

‘Lady Jean is wed with Captain Ogilvie,

And from him she will not stay.’

VIII

[Then an angry man the Duke rade on]

Till he came to bonny Aberdeen,

And there did he see brave Captain Ogilvie

A-training of his men on the green.

‘O woe be to thee, thou Captain Ogilvie!

And an ill death thou shalt dee.

For taking to thee my daughter Jean

High hangit shalt thou be.’

The Duke has written a broad letter,

To the King [with his own han’;]

It was to hang Captain Ogilvie

If ever he hang’d a man.

‘I will not hang Captain Ogilvie

For no lord that I see;

But I’ll gar him put off the broad scarlét,

And put on the single livery.’

XII

Now word came to Captain Ogilvie,

In the chamber where he lay,

To cast off the gold lace and scarlet,

And put on the single livery.

XIII

‘If this be for bonny Jeanie Gordon,

This penance I can take wi’;

If this be for dear Jeanie Gordon,

All this and mair will I dree.’

XIV

Lady Jeanie had not been married

A year but only three,

Till she had a babe upon every arm

And another upon her knee.

‘O but I’m weary of wand’rin’!

O but my fortune is bad!

It sets not the Duke of Gordon’s daughter

To follow a soldier lad.

XVI

‘O but I’m weary, weary wand’rin’!

O but I think it lang!

It sets not the Duke of Gordon’s daughter

To follow a single man.

XVII

‘O hold thy tongue, Jeanie Gordon,

O hold thy tongue, my lamb!

For once I was a noble captain,

Now for thy sake a single man.’

XVIII

But when they came to the Highland hills,

Cold was the frost and snow;

Lady Jean’s shoes they were all torn,

No farther could she go.

XIX

‘Now woe to the hills and the mountains!

Woe to the wind and the rain!

My feet is sair wi’ going barefoot:

No farther can I gang.

‘O were I in the glens o’ Foudlen,

Where hunting I have been,

I would go to bonny Castle Gordon,

There I’d get hose and sheen!’

XXI

When they came to bonny Castle Gordon,

And standing on the green,

The porter out with loud loud shout,

‘O here comes our Lady Jean!’—

XXII

‘You are welcome, bonny Jeanie Gordon,

You are dear welcome to me;

You are welcome, dear Jeanie Gordon,

But awa’ with your Ogilvie!’

XXIII

Over-seas now went the Captain,

As a soldier under command;

But a message soon follow’d after,

To come home for to heir his land.

XXIV

‘O what does this mean?’ says the Captain;

‘Where’s my brother’s children three?’—

‘They are a’ o’ them dead and buried:

Come home, pretty Captain Ogilvie!’

XXV

‘Then hoist up your sail,’ says the Captain,

‘And we’ll hie back owre the sea;

And I’ll gae to bonny Castle Gordon,

There my dear Jeanie to see.’

100

XXVI

He came to bonny Castle Gordon,

And upon the green stood he:

The porter out with a loud loud shout,

‘Here comes our Captain Ogilvie!’—

XXVII

‘You’re welcome, pretty Captain Ogilvie,

105

Your fortune’s advanced, I hear;

No stranger can come to my castle

That I do love so dear.’—

XXVIII

‘Put up your hat, Duke of Gordon;

Let it fa’ not from your head.

110

It never set the noble Duke of Gordon

To bow to a single soldier lad.

XXIX

‘Sir, the last time I was at your Castle,

You would not let me in;

Now I’m come for my wife and children,

115

No friendship else I claim.’

XXX

Down the stair Lady Jean came tripping,

With the saut tear in her e’e;

She had a babe in every arm,

And another at her knee.

120

XXXI

The Captain took her straight in his arms,

—O a happy man was he!—

Saying, ‘Welcome, bonny Jeanie Gordon,

My Countess o’ Cumberland to be!’

GLOSS: single livery] private’s uniform. dree] endure. sheen] shoes.

CONTENTS · BIBLIOGRAPHIC RECORD

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