Hi,

I take issue with Porter and Gower's notes in several places.

1)"Arthur's-Seat Shall be my Bed" is related to "Must I be Bound" and is not related to Robertson's song- there are no stanzas in common.

2) Some "Will Ye Gang, Love?" stanzas are in common but the song AKA "Rashy Muir" also has a different chorus and stanzas not in common. It's a different song.

3. They say, "Christie 1876: 248 includes a version of the song in his first volume." Christie's song "Sailing Trade" in Traditional Ballad Airs 1876 is completely different and has no stanzas in common. It is a version of "Sailor Boy/Sweet Willie" which sometimes have the "Dig me a grave" ending-- Christie's version doesn't.

4. At the top the heading is (Love Has Brought Me to Despair, Laws P25). "Love Has Brought" is based entirely on Near Woodstock/Constant Lady broadside which is an entirely different song. However, some stanzas have been found in "Died for Love/Brisk Young Lover" Roud 60 and appeared more recently in Brisk Young Sailor broadsides of the 1800s. There is only one stanza (the last, "For there's a blackbird") that is related. In my opinion the heading is completely wrong.

5. Waly, Waly is based on completely different broadsides mainly the Unfortunate Swain variety. The theme and floating stanzas are similar but the core stanzas are different.

6. A version of Waly, Waly was inserted in "Jamie Douglas" (Child 204) and "Died for Love/Brisk Young Lover" Roud 60 have nothing to do with that insertion since it's a different love song.

* * * *

A number of broadsides do have stanzas in common with "Died for Love/Brisk Young Lover" Roud 60 and these Scottish variants.

They include: 1) "The Constant Lady and False-hearted Squire," also called "Oxfordshire Tragedy" by Louis Chappell
2) "Nelly's Constancy" c. 1686
3) "Jealous lover"
4) "The Irish Boy," a broadside from Poet's Box, 80 London Street, Glasgow, c. 1872;
5) "The Maid's Tragedy," a broadside from St. Bride's Printing Library S447 (my ref BS 1900), c1790;
6) "A New Love Song," Gil, No. 6, printed by Bart. Corcoran, Inn's Quay, Dublin c. 1803
7) "The Lady's Lamentation for the Loss of her Sweetheart" 1775
8) "The Effects of Love" 1780
9) "Queen of Hearts" mid 1800s

None of these are even mentioned,

Richie