The Fire of Frendraught (Child 196B)

‘Ye’ll stay this night wi me, Lord John,
Ye’ll stay this night wi me,
For there is appearence of good greement
Betwixt Frendraught and thee.’

‘How can I bide, or how shall I bide,
Or how can I bide wi thee,
Sin my lady is in the lands of Air,
And I long till I her see?’

‘Oh stay this night wi me, Lord John,
Oh stay this night wi me,
And bonny[’s] be the morning-gift
That I will to you gie.

‘I’ll gie you a Strathboggie lands,
And the laigh lands o Strathray,

‘Ye’ll stay this night wi me, Lord John,
Ye’ll stay this night wi me,
And I’ll lay you in a bed of down,
And Rothiemay you wi.’

When mass was sung, and bells were rung,
And a’ men bun to bed,
Gude Lord John and Rothiemay
In one chamber were laid.

Out hes he taen his little psalm-buik,
And verses sang he three,
And aye at every verse’s end,
‘God end our misery!’

The doors were shut, the keys were thrown
Into a vault of stone,

He is dune him to the weir-window,
The stauncheons were oer strong;
There he saw him Lord George Gordon
Come haisling to the town.

‘What news, what news now, George Gordon?
Whats news hae you to me?

He’s dune him to the weir-window,
The stauncheons were oer strang;
And there he saw the Lady Frendraught,
Was walking on the green.

‘Open yer doors now, Lady Frendraught,
Ye’ll open yer doors to me;
And bonny’s be the mornin-gift
That I shall to you gie.

‘I’ll gie you a’ Straboggie lands,
And the laigh lands o Strathbrae,

‘Now there’s the rings frae my fingers,
And the broach frae my breast-bone;
Ye’ll gae that to my gude ladye

‘How can I loup, or how shall I loup?
How can I loup to thee?
When the blood is boiling in my body,
And my feet burnin frae me?’

‘If I was swift as any swallow,
And then had wings to fly,
I could fly on to fause Frendraught
And cry vengeance till I die.’