"Fare ye weel, my mother dear! Fareweel to barn and byre! And fare ye weel, the bonny lass, That kindles my mother's fire." COSPATRICK. NEVER BEFORE PUBLISHED. A copy of this Ballad, materially different from that which follows, appeared in "Scottish Songs," 2 vols. Edinburgh, 1792, under the title of Lord Bothwell. Some stanzas have been transferred from thence to the present copy, which is taken down from the recitation of a Lady, nearly related to the Editor. Some readings have been also adopted from a third copy, in Mrs BROWN's MS., under the title of Child Brenton. Cospatrick (Comes Patricius) was the designation of the Earl of Dunbar, in the days of WALLACE and BRUCE. COSPATRICK has sent o'er the faem; There were twal' and twal' wi' baken bread, And twal' and twal' wi' gowd sae reid, And twal' and twal' wi' bouted flour, And twal' and twal' wi' the paramour. [Miss Christian Rutherford, sister to Sir Walter Scott's mother.-ED.] Sweet Willy was a widow's son, "O is your saddle set awrye? Or rides your steed for you ower high? "I am not mourning, at this tide, "But, gentle boy, come tell to me, "Seven king's daughters has our lord wedded, And seven king's daughters has our lord bedded; But he's cutted their breasts frae their breast-bane, And sent them mourning hame again. "Yet, gin you're sure that you're a maid, Ye may gae safely to his bed; But gif o' that ye be na sure, Then hire some damsell o' your bour." |