Earl Rothes (Child 297)

‘O Earl Rothes, an thou wert mine,
And I were to be thy ladie,
I wad drink at the beer, and tipple at the wine,
And be my bottle with any.’

‘Hold thy tongue, sister Ann,’ he says,
‘Thy words they are too many;
What wad ye do wi sae noble a lord,
When he has so noble a ladie?

‘O I’ll pay you your tocher, Lady Ann,
Both in gear and money,
If ye’ll forsake Earl Rothes’s companie,
And mind that he has a ladie.’

‘I do not value your gold,’ she says,
‘Your gear it’s no sae readie;
I’ll neer forsake Earl Rothes’s companie,
And I don’t gie a fig for his ladie.’

‘I’ll keep ye i the castle, Lady Ann,
O servants ye shall hae monie;
I’ll keep ye till ye’re safely brocht to bed,
And I’ll mak you a marquis’s ladie.’

‘I do not value your castle,’ she says,
‘Your servants are no sae readie;
Earl Rothes will keep me till I’m brocht to bed,
And he’ll mak me a marquis’s ladie.’

‘Woe be to thee, Earl Rothes,’ he says,
‘And the mark o the judge be upon thee,
For the using o this poor thing sae,
For the using my sister so badly.

‘When I’m come to the years of a man,
And able a sword to carry,
I’ll thrust it thro Earl Rothes’ bodie
For the using my sister sae basely.

‘Fare thee well, Lady Ann,’ he says,
‘No longer will I tarry;
You and I will never meet again,
Till we meet at the bonny town o Torry.’