Baron O Leys 1 THE Laird of Leys is on to Edinbrugh, To shaw a fit o his follie; He drest himsel in the crimson-brown, An he provd a rantin laddie. 2 Ben came a weel-faird lass, Says, Laddie, how do they ca ye? "They ca me this, an they ca me that, Ye wudna ken fat they ca me; But when I'm at home on bonnie Deeside They ca me The Rantin Laddie." 3 They sought her up, they sought her down, They sought her in the parlour; She coudna be got but whar she was, In the bed wi The Rantin Laddie. 4 "Tell me, tell me, Baron of Leys, Ye tell me how they ca ye! Your gentle blood moves in my side, An I dinna ken how they ca ye" 5 "They ca me this, an they ca me that, Ye couldna ken how they ca me; But whom I'm at home on bonnie Deeside They ca me The Rantin Laddie." 6 "Tell me, tell me, Baron of Leys, Ye tell me how they ca ye! Your gentle blood moves in my side, An I dinna ken how to ca ye" 7 "Baron of Leys, it is my stile, Alexander Burnett they ca me; Whan I'm at hame on bonnie Deeside My name is The Rantin Laddie." 8 "Gin your name be Alexander Burnett, Alas that ever I saw ye! For ye hae a wife and bairns at hame, An alas for lyin sae near ye!" 9 "But I'se gar ye be headit or hangt, Or marry me the morn, Or else pay down ten thousand crowns For giein o me the scorn." 10 "For my head, I canna want; I love my lady dearly; But some o my lands I maun lose in the case Alas for lyin sae near ye!" 11 Word has gane to the Lady of Leys That the laird he had a bairn; The warst word she said to that was, "I wish I had it in my arms." 12 "For I will sell my jointure-lands I am broken an I'm sorry An I'll sell a', to my silk gowns, An get hame my rantin laddie." Child #241 From Child, from Skene MS., P 20; taken down in the north of Scotland, 1802-3. SOF oct99
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