"O God be thanked!" said Alice the nurse, "O mother, mother, mother," she said, "That all comes round so just and fair: "So strange it seems to me. "The old Earl's daughter died at my breast; I speak the truth, as I live by bread! I buried her like my own sweet child, And put my child in her stead." "Falsely, falsely have ye done, O mother," she said, "if this be true, To keep the best man under the sun So many years from his due." "Nay now, my child," said Alice the nurse, "But keep the secret for your life, And all you have will be Lord Ronald's, When you are man and wife." "If I'm a beggar born," she said, "I will speak out, for I dare not lie. Pull off, pull off, the brooch of gold, And fling the diamond necklace by." "Nay now, my child," said Alice the nurse, "But keep the secret all ye can." She said, "Not so: but I will know If there be any faith in man." "Nay now, what faith?" said Alice the nurse, "The man will cleave unto his right." "And he shall have it," the lady replied, "Though I should die to-night." "Yet give one kiss to your mother dear! Alas, my child, I sinned for thee." "Yet here's a kiss for my mother dear, My mother dear, if this be so, And lay your hand upon my head, And bless me, mother, ere I go." She clad herself in a russet gown, She was no longer Lady Clare: She went by dale, and she went by down, With a single rose in her hair. The lily-white doe Lord Ronald had brought Leapt up from where she lay, Dropt her head in the maiden's hand, And followed her all the way. Down stept Lord Ronald from his tower: "O Lady Clare, you shame your worth! Why come you drest like a village maid, That are the flower of the earth?" "If I come drest like a village maid, I am but as my fortunes are: I am a beggar born," she said, "And not the Lady Clare." "Play me no tricks," said Lord Ronald, "For I am yours in word and in deed. Play me no tricks," said Lord Ronald, "Your riddle is hard to read." O and proudly stood she up! Her heart within her did not fail; She looked into Lord Ronald's eyes, And told him all her nurse's tale. He laughed a laugh of merry scorn: He turned and kissed her where she stood: "If you are not the heiress born, And I," sa'd he, "the next in blood "If you are not the heiress born, And I," said he, "the lawful heir, We two will wed to-morrow morn, And you shall still be Lady Clare." TENNYSON. My father cou'dna work, and my mither con'dna spin; I toiled baith day and night, but their bread I cou'dna win; Auld Rob maintained them baith, and wi' tears in his ee Said, Jenny, for their sakes, oh, will you marry me? My heart it said nay; I looked for Jamie back: But the wind it blew high, and the ship it proved a wrack, The ship it proved a wrack, - - why didna Jenny dee? And why do I live to say, Oh, waes me! Auld Robin argued sair, though my mither didna speak. She looked in my face till my heart was like to break; So they gied him my hand, though my heart was at the sea, And auld Robin Gray is a gudeman to me. I hadna been a wife a week but only four, When sitting sae mournfully ae day at the door, I saw my Jamie's wraith, for I cou'dna think it he. Until he said, Jenny, I'm come to marry thee. Oh, sair did we greet, and muckle did we say, We took but ae kiss, and tore ourselves away: I darena think on Jamie, for that wad be a sin; But I'll do my best a gude wife for to be, For auld Robin Gray is kind unto me. LADY ANNE LINDSAY. WALY, WALY, BUT LOVE BE BONNY. O, WALY, waly up the bank, I leaned my back unto an aik, O, waly, waly, but love be bonny, O, wherefore should I busk my head? Or wherefore should I kame my hair? For my true love has me forsook, And says he'll never love me mair. Now Arthur-Seat shall be my bed; The sheets shall ne'er be fyled by me; St. Anton's well shall be my drink, Since my true love has forsaken me. Martinmas wind, when wilt thou blaw, And shake the green leaves off the tree? O gentle death, when wilt thou come? For of my life I'm weary. 'Tis not the frost that freezes fell, Nor blawing thaw's inclemency; 'Tis not sie cauld that makes me cry, But my love's heart grown cauld to me. When we came in by Glasgow town, And I mysel in cramasie. But had I wist before I kissed, That love had been sae ill to win, I'd locked my heart in a case of gold, And pinned it with a silver pin. O, O, if my young babe were born, ANONYMOUS. FAIR ANNIE. "It's narrow, narrow, make your bed, And learn to lie your lane; For I'm gaun o'er the sea, Fair Annie, A braw bride to bring hame. Wi' her I will get gowd and gear; Wi' you I ne'er got nane. "But wha will bake my bridal bread, Or brew my bridal ale? And wha will welcome my brisk bride, That I bring o'er the dale?" "It's I will bake your bridal bread, "But she that welcomes my brisk bride Maun gang like maiden fair; "But how can I gang maiden-like, She's ta'en her young son in her arms, Another in her hand; |