Digital Tradition Mirror

Duke of Gordon's Daughter

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Pennywhistle notation and Dulcimer tab for this song is also available

Duke of Gordon's Daughter

The Duke o Gordon had three bonnie daughters,
Eliza, Marget, an' Jean,
An' they widdna stay at Castle Gordon,
But went to bonnie Aberdeen.

They hadna been in bonnie Aberdeen
A year but an' a day,
Lady Jean's fa'en in love wi Captain Ogilvie,
An' from him she winna stay.

Word cam to the Duke o Gordon,
In the chamber where he lay,
That Lady Jean's fa'en in love wi Captain Ogilvie,
An' from him she winna stay.

"Go saddle to me the black horse,
Yoursel ride on the grey,
An' we'll reach bonnie Aberdeen
By the dawnin o the day."

They were not a mile from bonnie Aberdeen,
A mile but barely three,
When the Duke met his twa daughters
To bear him company.

"Where is your sister, maidens?"
He unto them did say;
"Lady Jean's fa'en in love wi Captain Ogilvie,
An' from him she winna stay.

"O pardon, O pardon us, father,
O pardon us," they did say;
"Lady Jean's fa'en in love wi Captain Ogilvie,
An' awa wi him she did gee."

When he cam to bonnie Aberdeen,
An' stood upon the green,
An' there he saw Captain Ogilvie
A-trainin o his men.

"O woe be to you, Captain Ogilvie,
An ill death may ye dee,
For takin to you my daughter
High hangit ye shall be."

The Duke he wrote a broad letter,
An' sent it to the King,
Said, "Ye'll cause hang Captain Ogilvie
If ever ye hanged a man."

"I will not hang Captain Ogilvie
For nae lord that I see;
I'll cause him put off the lace an' scarlet,
An' put on single livery."

Word cam to bonnie Captain Ogilvie
In his chamber where he lay,
To put off the lace an' scarlet,
An' don the single livery.

"If this be for bonnie Jeanie Gordon,
A' this an' mair wid I dree;
If this be for bonnie Jeanie Gordon,
It's thrice welcome to me,"

Lady Jean had not been married
Years but only three,
When she had twa babies at her fit
An' anither on her knee.

"O but I'm weary wanderin,
O but l think lang:
It ill sets the Duke o Gordon's daughter
To follow a single man.

"Woe to the hills an' the mountains,
Woe to the frost an' snow,
My shoes an' stockins are a' torn,
Nae farther can I go.

"But O, gin I were at the bonnie hills o Foudland,
Faur mony merry days I hae been,
I wid get the road to Castle Gordon
Withoot either stockins or sheen."

When she earn to bonnie Castle Gordon,
An' stood upon the green,
The porter let oot a loud huzza,
"Here comes our Lady Jean."

"O ye're welcome hame, Jeanie Gordon,
You an' your bairnies three;
Ye're welcome here, Jeanie G;ordon,
But awa wi your Ogilvie."

Now over the seas went the Captain,
As a soldier under command;
A message soon followed after
To come an' heir his brother's land.

"Come hame, come hame, Captain Ogilvie,
An' heir your brother's land,
Come hame, ye pretty Captain Ogilvie,
An' be Earl o Northumberland."

"O What does this mean, Captain,
Where are my brother's children three?"
"They are a' deid an' buried,
Northumberland is waitin for thee."

"Then hoist up your sails," said the Captain,
"An' let us be joyful an' free,
For I'll to Northumberland an' heir my estates,
An' then my dear Jeanie I will see."

When he cam to bonnie Castle Gordon,
An' stood upon the green,
He was the prettiest young man
That ever they had seen.

"Ye're welcome here, Captain Ogilvie,
Ye're thrice welcome to me,
Ye're welcome here, Captain Ogilvie,
To your wife an' bairnies three."

"The last time I was at your gates
Ye widna let me in;
I am come for my wife an' my children,
Nae ither friends    I claim."

"Come in, my pretty Captain Ogilvie,
Drink the red beer an' the wine,
An' we'll count ye oot gold an' silver
Until that the clock strikes nine."

"I winna come in," said the Captain,
"I'll drink neither your red beer nor wine,
I want neither your gold nor your silver,
I've enough in Northumberland."

Down the stairs cam bonnie Jeanie Gordon,
The tears were blindin her ee,
Down cam bonnie Jeanie Gordon
Wi her bairnies three.

"Ye're welcome, my bonnie Jeanie Gordon,
You an' my young family;
We'll haste an' go to Northumberland,
An' a countess ye shall be."

Child #237
From Bronson, Singing Tradition of Child's Popular Ballads
SOF
oct97

Thanks to Mudcat for the Digital Tradition!