Hello Matt & Steve.
1. I am no scholar
2. Am a lifelong compulsive reader
3. Have a very retentive memory for items {written & oral} that are
    of interest to me {was able to pick up most songs at one hearing
    Had to request Geordie Murison to sing the same song twice,four
    years back, before I had it--am failing fast in my old age!!
4. Due to all the above I do not have notes of where my
    information can be found. {most of the books should be in the
    house.It will take a lot of reading to find the relevant pages
    also a lot of digging to find the books}

                      The Story.
             {It tells better verbally in my ain tongue}
    In the summer of the year 1507 a young lady of high degree in
    the East of Scotland was courted by a young man called John
    Fall {to this day in Ayrshire people called Fall or Hall
    would be called Faa {FAW} or Haa {HAW} "Johnie Faa" alt.
    title for the ballad.} Her father finding out the young mans
    intentions forbad him the house. Thereafter John Fall would
    sing in the gardens at dusk & the young lady would come out
    to be courted. The father soon found out what was taking place
    & locked her up. Shortly thereafter he married her off to David
    Kennedy laird of Cassillis. Two years after the marriage
    Kennedy was created 1st Earl of Cassillis probabily as part of
    the marriage settlement {bribe}
    In the summer of 1510 John Fall decided to pay his old
    sweetheart a visit, with six friends all dressed as gypsies
    they crossed the country to Ayrshire {gypsies would have more
    freedom to travel in those unchancy times}
    On arriving at the tower house of Cassillis near Ayr John Fall
    sung the song that he used to sing to let the young lady know
    that he was in the garden awaiting her. The young Countess
    recognized the song & the singer----------

    The ballad must have been composed by someone in the West
    who thought that the gypsies had thrown a spell on the lady
    with their singing.
   
    Robert Burns states that this was the only song he knew that
    could be claimed for Ayrshire.
                                  Joe.