The Baron ‘o Leys
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The Baron O’Leys has gane,
The fashion and tongue to learn;
But hadna been there a month or twa,
Till he got a lady wi’ bairn.
But fell ance upon a day,
The lady mourn’d fu’ sairlie;
Says, “Who’s the man has me betrayed?
It gars me wonder and fairlie.”
Then to the fields to him she went,
Saying, “Tell me what they ca, thee?
Or else I’ll mourn and rue the day,
Crying, Alas! That I ever saw thee!”
“Some ca’ me this, some ca’ me that,
I carena fat befa’ me!
For when I’m at schools o’France,
An awkward fellow they ca’ me.”
“Waes me now, ye awkward fellow,
And, alas! that ever I saw thee;
Wi’ you I’m in love, sick, sick in love,
And kenna weel fat they ca’ thee.”
“Some ca’ me this, some ca’ me that,
What name does best befa’ me;
But when I walk in Edinburgh streets,
The Curling Buckle they ca’ me.”
“O waes me now, O Curling Buckle,
And, alas! That ever I saw thee;
For I’m in love, sick, sick in love,
And I kenna weel fat they ca’ thee.”
“Some ca’ me this, some ca’ me that,
Whatever name best befa’s me;
But when I’m in Scotland’s King’s high court,
Clatter the Speens they ca’ me.”
“O waes me now, O Clatter the Speens,
And alas! That ever I saw thee;
For I’m in love, sick, sick in love,
I kenna weel fat they ca’ thee.”
“Some ca’ me this, some ca’ me that,
I carena what they ca’ me;
But when wi’ the Earl o’ Moray I ride,
It’s Scour the Braes they ca’ me.”
“O waes me now, O Scour the Braes,
And alas! That ever I saw thee;
For I’m in love, sick, sick in love,
And kenna weel fat they ca’ thee.”
“Some ca’ me this, some ca’ me that,
Whatever name best befa’s me;
But when I walk through St. Johnson’s town,
George Burnett there they ca’ me.”
“O waes me, O waes me, George Burnett,
And alas! That ever I saw thee;
For I’m in love, sick, sick in love,
And I kenna weel fat to ca’ thee.”
“Some ca’ me this, some ca’ me that,
Whatever name best befa’s me;
But when I am on bonny Deeside,
The Baron of Leys they ca’ me.”
“O well is me now, O Baron o’Leys,
This day that ever I saw thee;
There’s gentle blood within my sides,
And now I ken fat to ca’ thee.”
“But ye’ll pay down ten thousand crowns,
Or marry me the morn;
Else I’ll cause you to be headed or hanged,
For geein me the scorn.”
“My head is a thing I canna well want,
My lady loves me dearly;
So I’ll deal thee gold right liberallie,
For lying ae night sae near thee.”
When word had gane to the Lady o’Leys,
The Baron had gotten a bairn;
She clappit her hands and thus did say,
“I wish he were in my arms!”
“O well me now, O’Baron o’Leys,
For ye hae pleased me sairly;
For frae oor house is banished the reproach,
That disturbed me late and early.”
When she lookit o’er the castle wa’,
To view the woods so rarely,
There she spied the Baron o’Leys,
Ride on his steed sae rarely.
Then forth she went her Baron to meet,
Says, “Ye’re welcome to me fairly;
Ye’se hae spice cakes and seed cakes sweet,
And claret to drink sae rarely.”
