I hadn't checked the way my previous message with my transcription turned out. I had tried to use the < and > symbols, but the text has practically vanished. I thank Stewie very much. In many cases I think is transcription is right and mine is not, but in some cases mine can be useful too. We are very near the complete text. One more pull and home we go!

LORD THOMAS AND FAIR ANNIE

Lord Thomas he was a very fine man
...
Fair Annie she was the fairest woman
That ever the sun shone on,
That ever the sun shone on

Lord Thomas he spoke a word in jest
And Annie took it ill
He said, "I'll marry ... no ... maidens
Withoot my parents will,
Withoot my parents will

Then Thomas he has hame to his mither
And bow'd low doon to his knee
"Oh will I wed the nut-brown maid
Or shall I wed Fair Annie?
Or shall I wed Fair Annie?"

"The nut-brown maid has cows and yowes
Fair Annie she has nane
And for my blessings my son Thomas
I pray you let her alane,
I pray you let her alane."

Then oot it spak his little sister
Stood by her nurse's knee,
"O marry ye your Fair Annie
And let the other ane be,
And let the other ane be."

"Her cow may die in her covin
... oxen may droon in the myre
But marry ye your Fair Annie
You'll get your heart's desire,
You'll get your heart's desire."

"Her cow may die in her covin
And her oxen hang in the pleugh
But marry ye your Fair Annie
And you'll get gear anew,
And you'll get gear anew."

Lord Thomas he's gane to Annie's bow'r-door
And tirled low at the pin
Ne'er ready e'er was than Fair Annie
To let Lord Thomas in,
To let Lord Thomas in

"It's will ye come to my wedding, Annie
The morn's to be the day."
"It's never I fit," said Fair Annie,
"Unless the bride I be,
Unless the bride I be."

Lord Thomas he gaed up the high highway
And Annie she gaed doon the glen
And Annie shone as fair her lane
As Thomas and a' his men,
As Thomas and a' his men

"O whare got ye the water, Annie
That washed you so clean?"
"I got it by my mither's bow'r-door
Beneath a marble stane,
Beneath a marble stane".

"Oh ye maun ... my heart, Annie
And ye maun ... my love
Until my wife has born a son
And that will endure love,
And that will endure love."

"I will na ... your heart, Lord Thomas
I will na ... your love
But ... gae to your nut-brown maid
... constant prove"

Then he sent hame ... Fair Annie
His heart ... sair bleed
But ere the hour o' twal o' clock
Fair Annie she was deid,
Fair Annie she was deid

Then Thomas he's gane to Annie's bow'r-door
And tirled low at the pin
Ne'er ready was than Annie's mither
To let Lord Thomas in,
To let Lord Thomas in

"Oh deal ye weel at my lover's lyke
The white bried and the wine
And ere the morn at this time
You'll deal as weel at mine,
You'll deal as weel at mine."

The ane was laid in Mary's Kirk
The other in Mary's choir
And fae the ane there sprang a birk
Fae the other there sprang a briar,
Fae the other there sprang a briar.

HTML line breaks added. --JoeClone, 22-Apr-03.