XII. Gilderoy..............................................................................................................
Gilderoy was a famous robber, who lived about the middle of the last century,
if we may credit the histories and story-books of highwaymen, which relate many
improbable feats of him, as his robbing Cardinal Richelieu, Oliver Cromwell, &c. But
these stories have probably no other authority than the records of Grub-street: at least
the Gilderoy, who is the hero of Scottish songsters, seems to have lived in an earlier
age; for, in Thompson'sOrpheus Caledonius, vol. ii. 1733, 8vo., is a copy of this
ballad, which, though corrupt and interpolated, contains some lines that appear to be
of genuine antiquity: in these he is represented as contemporary with Mary Queen of
Scots:ex. gr.
"The Queen of Scots possessed nought,
That my love let me want:
For cow and ew to me he brought,
And ein whan they were scant."These lines perhaps might safely have been inserted among the following stanzas,
which are given from a written copy, that appears to have received some modern
corrections. Indeed the common popular ballad contained some indecent luxuriances
that required the pruning-hook.
GILDEROY was a bonnie boy,
Had roses tull his shoone,
His stockings were of silken soy,
Wi' garters hanging doune
It was, I weene, a comelie sight,
To see sae trim a boy;
He was my jo and hearts delight,
My handsome Gilderoy.
Oh! sike twa charming een he had,
A breath as sweet as rose,
He never ware a Highland plaid,
But costly silken clothes;
He gain'd the luve of ladies gay,
Nane eir tull him was coy:
Ah! wae is mee! I mourn the day
For my dear Gilderoy.
My Gilderoy and I were born,
Baith in one toun together,
We scant were seven years beforn,
We gan to luve each other;
Our dadies and our mammies thay
Nere fill'd wi' mickle joy,
To think upon the bridal day,
Twixt me and Gilderoy.
For Gilderoy that luve of mine,
Gude faith, I freely bought
A wedding sark of holland fine,
Wi' silken flowers wrought: