Hi,

Alexander Robb's version has the same refrain as Child A, dated 1670 which appears to be an arrangement of sorts with a complete refrain at the end:

My Plaid awa, my Plaid awa,
and ere the hill and far awa,
And far awa, to Norrowa
my Plaid shall not be blown awa.

Norway is far away! The author appears to change the last line at the end so that it agrees with the last line of the "original" chorus: "my Plaid shall not be blown awa." In effect there are stanzic refrains in lines 2 and 4 plus another four line refrain. The fact that the stanzic refrain's last line changes is not something that would occur in tradition. Whether the "ba, ba, ba" is an imitation of a horn blowing- is a matter on conjecture. Original spelling kept:

A proper New Ballad, Entituled,
The wind hath blown my Plaid away,
Or, A discourse betwixt a young Man, and the Elphin-Knight,
To be sung, with its own pleasant New Tune.

The Elphin Knight sits on yon Hill,
Ba, ba, ba, lilli, ba,
He blows his Horn both lowd and shril,
the wind hath blown my Plaid awa.

He blows it East, he blowes it West,
Ba, ba, ba, lilli, ba,
He blowes it where he lyketh best,
the wind hath blown my Plaid awa.

I wish that Horn were in my Kiss,
Ba, ba, ba, lilli, ba,
Yea, and the Knight in my Armes two
the wind hath blown my Plaid awa.

She had no sooner these words said,
Ba, ba, ba, lilli, ba,
When that the Knight came to her bed,
the wind hath blown my Plaid awa.

Thou art over young a Maid quoth he,
Ba ba, ba, lilli, ba.
Married with me if thou wouldst be,
the wind hath blown my Plaid awa.

I have a sister younger then I,
Ba, ba, ba, lilli, ba,
And she was married yesterday,
the wind hath blown my Plaid awa.

Married with me if thou wouldst be,
Ba, ba. ba, lilli, ba,
A Courtesie thou must do to me,
the wind hath blown my Plaid awa.

For thou must shape a Sark to me,
Ba, ba, ba. lilli, ba,
Without any cut or heme, quoth he,
the wind hath blown my Plaid awa.

Thou must shape it needle & Sheerlesse,
Ba, ba, ba, lilli, ba,
And also sue it needle-Threedlesse,
the wind hath blown my Plaid awa.
If that piece of Courtesie I do to thee,
Ba, ba, ba, lilli, ba,
Another thou must do to me,
the wind hath blown my Plaid awa.

I have an Aiker of good Ley-land,
Ba, ba, ba, lilli, ba,
Which lyeth low by yon Sea-strand,
the wind hath blown my Plaid awa.

For thou must eare it with thy Horn,
Ba, ba, ba, lilli, ba,
So must thou sow it with thy Corn,
the wind hath blown my Plaid awa.

And bigg a Cart of stone and Lyme,
Ba, ba, ba, lilli, ba,
Robin-Red-breast he must trail it hame,
the wind hath blown my Plaid awa.

Thou must Barn it in a Mouse-holl,
Ba, ba, ba, lilli, ba.
And thrash it into thy shoes soll,
the wind hoth blown my Plaid awa.

And thou must Winnow it in thy looff,
ba, ba, ba, lilli, ba,
And also seek it in thy Glove,
the wind hath blown thy Plaid awa.

For thou must bring it over the sea,
ba, ba, ba, lilli, ba,
And thou must bring it dry home to me,
the wind hath blown thy Plaid awa.

When thou hast gotten thy turns well-done
ba, ba, ba, lilli, ba,
Then come to me & get thy Sack then,
the wind hath blown my Plaid awa.

Il not quite my Plaid for my life;
ba, ba, ba, lilli, ba,
It haps my seven bairns and my wife
the wind shal not blow my Plaid awa.

My Maiden-head, Ile then keep still,
ba, ba, ba, lilli, ba.
Let the Elphin-Knight do what he will
the winds not blown my plaid awa.

My Plaid awa, my Plaid awa,
and ere the hill and far awa,
And far awa, to Norrowa
my Plaid shall not be blown awa.

FINIS.

* * * *

Richie