Hi,

I started work today on the first appendix, 9A. I Love my Love (As I Cam' Owre Yon High, High Hill) Roud 5548. It is currently under construction. I give the first part of my headnotes hoping for some comments and posts with related "Roving Bachelor" texts. I have the texts from Sam Henry, and one broadside text.

Headnotes

[This rare Scottish dialogue ballad with the "I Love my Love" chorus has a series of related questions similar to those posed in "Seventeen" ballads. Although the courting questions are similar at least one question, "Will you take a man?" is held in common. The same or similar questions are asked in "The Roving Bachelor" and the two Scottish courting ballads, "Seventeen" and "Roving Bachelor," which may have borrowed form each other. The two extant versions with the "I Love my Love" chorus were collected by Grieg and Duncan in the early 1900s but are obviously much older. Greig-Duncan B, taken from Bell Roberston is titled "As I Cam' Owre Yon High, High Hill," and uses the opening Scottish stanza from "Seventeen Come Sunday." Robertson's chorus appears:

CHORUS: But I love my love and I love my love,
And I love my love most dearly
My whole delight's in her bonnie face,
And I long to have her near me.

Here's the first version from The Greig-Duncan Folk Song Collection which was collected by Rev. Duncan from his sister, Mrs. Margaret Gillespie (1841-1910) later of Glasgow. It's date is estimated at c.1870 but it may be older.

I Love my Love- sung by Margaret Gillespie; collected Duncan on September 2, 1909, version A.

CHORUS: I love my love as I love my life,
An' I love my love most dearly
My whole delight's in her well- faured face,
An' I long to have her near me.

The first thing I asked of her,
Where did her father dwell, O
And the answer she gae to me,
Was, "Between the cloods and hell, O."
CHORUS:

The next thing I asked of her,
Was, if she wad tak a man,
And the answer that she gave to me,
Was, "Files [sometimes] noo and than, O."
CHORUS:

The next thing I asked at her,
If she wad marry me,
And the answer she gae to me,
"I think I'm better free, O."
CHORUS:

This version, from Bell Robertson was first published by Ord in his Bothy Songs and Ballads. Ord does not name the informant but it's clearly the same text as Grieg B, as taken from Bell Robertson about 1906. The first stanza is the same as the Scottish versions of "Seventeen," and bears the same title.

As I Cam' Owre Yon High High Hill

1. As I cam' owre yon high, high hill,
I met a bonnie lassie,
She looked at me and I at her,
And wow, but she looked saucy.

CHORUS: But I love my love and I love my love,
And I love my love most dearly
My whole delight's in her bonnie face,
And I long to have her near me.

2. The first thing I asked of her,
What was her father's name?
But the answer she gave to me,
"Ye're a curious man to ken."
CHORUS:

2. The next thing I asked of her,
Did he live here about?
And the answer she gave to me,
"His peat-stack stand thereout."
CHORUS:

3. The next thing I asked of her,
Gin she wad take a man,
But the answer she gave to me,
"'Tis nocht but what I can."
CHORUS:

4. The next thing I asked of her,
Gin wad she marry me?
But the answer she gave to me,
"If you and I agree."
CHORUS:

5. Then fare ye weel, mu bonnie lass,
May joy and peace be wi' ye,
And ye'll be on a better tune,
When I come back to see ye.
LAST CHORUS: But I love her yet, I love her yet,
I love her yet most dearly
My whole delight's in her bonnie face,
And I long to have her near me.

These verses found similarly in "Seventeen" are also found in "Roving Bachelor" in the same form. The following version of Roving Bachelor collected by Crawfurd was taken from John Smith of Lochwinnoch, Renfrewshire in 1827. Since Smith married in 1783 this version probably dates back to the late 1700s. The questions begin with stanza 9.

THE OLD BACHELOR

1 I am a man unmarried
And has been all my life
Now I am resolved
For to go seek a wife

2 Such a wife I must have
Is scarce for to be found
And such a wife I must have
Scarce walks upon the ground

3 A bonnie a braw wife
A wife with meikle gear
If I dinna get a bonnie wife
I'll want another year

4 A bonnie wife if she be na gude
She is gude companie
And if she be gude
Slio is pleasant to the ee

5 If I marry a tall one
I am sure she'll crack my crown
And little women is peevish
They'll pull a strong man doun

6 If I marry a black one
The lads will laugh at me
And if I marry a fair one
A cuckle I am sure to be

7 If I marry a young one
She'll ruin me with pride
And if I marry an old one

8 But as I was musing Mark
what came to pass
In my sight appeared
A handsome tall young lass

9 The first question that I speired at her
What was her name
The answer she gave to me
Was modesty and fame

10 The next question that I asked her
If she was a maid
And the answer that she gave to me
I was once what you said

11 The next question that I asked her
If she was one just now
And the answer she gave to me
And I may be one for you.

12 The next question that I asked her
If she wad take a man
And the answer she gave to me
A little now and then

13 The next question that I asked her
If she wad marry me
And the answer that she gave to me
It's no be what may be

14 The green it is a bonny thing
Till ance it gets a dip
And he that courts a bonnie lass
Is sure to get the slip

The same tune was used by Robert Burns for his "Handsome Nell," a tribute to Nelly Kilpatrick, daughter of a farmer near Dalrymple. Burns says the tune is "I Am A Man Unmarried (Old Bachelor)." From the Scots (Johnson's) musical Museum Volume VI, song 551, page 570, here is the opening stanza of 'O once I lov'd':

    'O once I lov'd a bonnie lass,
    An' aye I love her still
    an' whilst that virtue warms my breast
    I'll love my handsome Nell.'

* * * *

Richie