The Milk-Maid
Andrew Crawfurd's Collection Vol. 2         

In days o' yore donn in Ross shire
There wonnit a noble squire
An monie a bonnie lady gay
At the time wonnit there

Ae simmer morn this noble squire
Was makand heavie mane
Whan in stept Bess the milk maid braw
Whilk made the squire fain

O want ye onie milk she said
Or want ye nane said she
Ye see, fair creature, I'm in love
Sum ruth cum shew to me

There's monie a fairer sweeter may
An richer far than I
I'm naething but a servant may
Brocht up to milk the kye

O never mind my witching fair
The squire sune replied
Cum let us gae to yonner kirk
And ye sall be my bride

But as they gade towards the kirk
Within yon green grass feil
He grippit the milk maid in his arms
Sayan Bessie ye maun yeild

An gin ye here deny my suit
Within this green grass feild
I do intend to ravish you
An syne I will ye kill

O Sir did na ye hecht to me
That I soud be your wife
I'll never be your whore
I leif wad lose my life

Wi' wrestling and pouand much
Frae him she did win free
An syne she saw a gude braid glaive
Hang danging by his knee

Wi frantic rage she grippit the glaive
An ran his bodie thro
An hame towards her maister's house
Like lichtening she flew

Upon my chaste body she said
The squire did grow bauld
I left him bleeding on the green
Within Lochlauchin bauld

Up then raise her master bauld
Likewise her mistress dear
An they hae thrown the squire's corpse
Into yon river clear

John Guthrie