Glen Collection of printed music > Printed text > Ballads and songs of Ayrshire > Volume 1

MAT COLVIN.
He rode on, and she rode on,
They rode a lang simmer's day,
Until they came to a broad river.
An arm of a lonesome sea.
" Loup off the steed," says false Sir John ;
" Your bridal bed you see ;
For it's seven lung's daughters I have drowned here.
And the eighth I'll out make with thee.
" Cast aff, cast aff your silks so fine.
And lay them on a stone,
For they are o'er good and o'er costly
To rot in the salt sea foam.
" Cast aff, cast aff your holland smock^
And lay it on this stone.
For it is too fine and o'er costly
To rot in the salt sea foam."
" O turn you about, thou false Sir John,
And look to the leaf o' the tree ;
For it never became a gentleman
A naked woman to see."
He's turned himself straight round about,^
To look to the leaf o' the tree ;
She's twined her arms about his waist.
And thrown him into the sea.
" O hold a grip of me. May Colvin,
For fear that I should drown ;
I'll take you hame to your father's gate.
And safely I'll set jou down."^
" O he you there, thou false Sir John,
O lie you there," said she.