297A: Earl Rothes

297A.1 ‘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.’ 297A.2 ‘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? 297A.3 ‘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.’ 297A.4 ‘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.’ 297A.5 ‘I’ll keep ye i the caslte, 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.’ 297A.6 ‘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.’ 297A.7 ‘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. 297A.8 ‘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. 297A.9 ‘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.’