XIII. Lady Anne Bothwell's Lament A SCOTTISH SONG......................................
[1]The subject of this pathetic ballad the Editor once thought might possibly
relate to the Earl of Bothwell, and his desertion of his wife Lady Jean Gordon, to
make room for his marriage with the Queen of Scots; but this opinion he now believes
to be groundless: indeed Earl Bothwell's age, who was upwards of sixty at the time of
that marriage, renders it unlikely that he should be the object of so warm a passion as
this elegy supposes. He has been since informed, that it entirely refers to a private
story: A young lady of the name of Bothwell, or rather Boswell, having been, together
with her child, deserted by her husband or lover, composed these affecting lines
herself; which are here given from a copy in the Editor's folio manuscript, corrected
by another in Allan Ramsay'sMiscellany.
BALOW, my babe, lye still and sleipe!
It grieves me sair to see thee weipe
If thoust be silent, Ise be glad,
Thy maining maks my heart ful sad.
Balow, my boy, thy mothers joy,
Thy father breides me great annoy.
Balow, my babe, ly stil and sleipe,
It grieves me sair to see thee weepe.
Whan he began to court my luve,
And with his sugred[2] wordes to muve,
His faynings fals, and flattering cheire
To me that time did not appeire:
But now I see, most cruell hee
Cares neither for my babe nor mee.
Balow, &c.
Lye still, my darling, sleipe a while,
And when thou wakest, sweitly smile:
But smile not, as thy father did,
To cozen maids: nay, God forbid
Bot yett I feire, thou wilt gae neire
Thy fatheris hart, and face to beire.
Balow, &c.
I cannae chuse, but ever will
Be luving to thy father still:
Whair-eir he gae, whair-eir he ryde,
My luve with him doth still abyde:
In weil or wae, whair-eir he gae,
Mine hart can neire depart him frae.
Balow, &c.
But doe not, doe not, prettie mine,
To faynings fals thine hart incline;
Be loyal to thy luver Crew,
And nevir change hir for a new:
If gude or faire, of hir have care,