83. The Queen's Marie. 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.

83. The Queen’s Marie

MARIE HAMILTON’S to the kirk gane,

Wi’ ribbons in her hair;

The King thought mair o’ Marie Hamilton

Than only that were there.

Marie Hamilton’s to the kirk gane

Wi’ ribbons on her breast;

The King thought mair o’ Marie Hamilton

Than he listen’d to the priest.

III

Marie Hamilton’s to the kirk gane,

Wi’ gloves upon her hands;

The King thought mair o’ Marie Hamilton

Than the Queen and a’ her lands.

She hadna been about the King’s court

A month, but barely ane,

Till she was beloved by a’ the King’s court,

And the King the only man.

She hadna been about the King’s court

A month, but barely three,

Till frae the King’s court Marie Hamilton,

Marie Hamilton durstna be.

The King is to the Abbey gane,

To pu’ the Abbey tree,

To scale the babe frae Marie’s heart;

But the thing it wadna be.

VII

O she has row’d it in her apron,

And set it on the sea—

‘Gae sink ye or swim ye, bonny babe,

Ye’se get nae mair o’ me.’

VIII

Word is to the kitchen gane,

And word is to the ha’,

And word is to the noble room

Amang the ladies a’,

That Marie Hamilton’s brought to bed,

And the bonny babe’s miss’d and awa’.

Scarcely had she lain down again,

And scarcely fa’en asleep,

When up and started our gude Queen

Just at her bed-feet;

Saying—‘Marie Hamilton, where’s your babe?

For I am sure I heard it greet.’—

‘O no, O no, my noble Queen!

Think no sic thing to be;

’Twas but a stitch into my side,

And sair it troubles me!’—

‘Get up, get up, Marie Hamilton:

Get up and follow me;

For I am going to Edinburgh town,

A rich wedding for to see.’

XII

O slowly, slowly rase she up,

And slowly put she on;

And slowly rade she out the way

Wi’ mony a weary groan.

XIII

The Queen was clad in scarlet,

Her merry maids all in green;

And every town that they cam to,

They took Marie for the Queen.

XIV

‘Ride hooly, hooly, gentlemen,

Ride hooly now wi’ me!

For never, I am sure, a wearier burd

Rade in your companie.’

But little wist Marie Hamilton,

When she rade on the brown,

That she was gaen to Edinburgh town,

And a’ to be put down.

XVI

‘Why weep ye sae, ye burgess wives,

Why look ye sae on me?

O I am going to Edinburgh town,

A rich weddìng to see.’

XVII

When she gaed up the tolbooth stairs,

The corks frae her heels did flee;

And lang or e’er she cam down again,

She was condemn’d to die.

XVIII

When she cam to the Netherbow port,

She laugh’d loud laughters three;

But when she came to the gallows foot

The tears blinded her e’e.

XIX

‘Yestreen the Queen had four Maries,

The night she’ll hae but three;

There was Marie Seaton, and Marie Beaton,

And Marie Carmichael, and me.

‘O often have I dress’d my Queen,

And put gowd upon her hair;

But now I’ve gotten for my reward

The gallows to be my share.

XXI

‘Often have I dress’d my Queen

And often made her bed;

But now I’ve gotten for my reward

The gallows tree to tread.

XXII

‘I charge ye all, ye mariners,

When ye sail owre the faem,

Let neither my father nor mother get wit

But that I’m coming hame.

XXIII

‘I charge ye all, ye mariners,

That sail upon the sea,

That neither my father nor mother get wit

The dog’s death I’m to die.

XXIV

‘For if my father and mother got wit,

And my bold brethren three,

O mickle wad be the gude red blude

This day wad be spilt for me!

100

XXV

‘O little did my mother ken,

The day she cradled me,

The lands I was to travel in

Or the death I was to die!’

GLOSS: heiding-hill] beheading mound. scale] drive away, get rid of. row’d] wrapped. greet] wail, cry. hooly] gently.

CONTENTS · BIBLIOGRAPHIC RECORD

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