Bonny Barbara Allen --Buchan's MS, p. 90-96; from a handwritten copy commissioned by Child. Received from Harvard Library 5-10-15; transcribed by Richard Matteson with a little help from my friends.

p. 90--

1. In Scarlingtown where I was born[1],
There was a fair maid dwallin',
Whom I did choose to be my spouse,
And her name was Babie Allan.

2. But as I with some young men sat,
In the oak-tavern, dwallin',
A het dispute did there fa' out,
Streave[2] me an' Babie Allan.

3. Their tauk gaed roun' thro' a' the room,
This fair maid's praise a tellin';
In a' this place, there's nae sic face,
As bonny Babie Allan.

4. But I was shy, and naught said I,
For a' their boasts an' brawlin';
Thinks I you make ower much ado,
Concerning Babie Allan.

5. Sir James Whiteford then filled a glass,
O' gude brown liquor swallin';
Ordering the same aroun' to pass,
An' drink to Babie Allan.

p. 91--

6. Miss Morton sitting by my side,
while they this maid were extollin'
Said I to her, ye are mair fair,
Than that maid, Babie Allan.

7. These news then spread thro' a' the town,
O' thus my brags and brawlin';
And sin' that time I've naught but frowns,
Frae bonny Babie Allan.

8. O when I'd spent some time in vain,
My tender heart was failin';
I then took bed, in love's bands laid,
For bonny Babie Allan.

9. My servant man gaed thro' the town,
For this fair maid was dwallin';
Says, ye mawn speak wi' Captain Green,
Gin your name be Babie Allan.

10. O, is it for my tocher great?
Or for my boasted beauty?
Or is it for my comely face,
He sends sae aft about me?

11. It is not for your tocher great,
Nor for your boasted beauty,
But for the luve he bears to you,
He sends sae aft about you.

p. 92--

12. Then heally, heally gaed she aff,
To the room where he was lyin';
An' a' she said when she came there,
I think, young man, ye're dying.


13 I'm lying sick, an' very sick,
An' death is on me callin';
But ae kiss o' thee wou'd comfort me,
My bonny Barbie Allan.

14 If ye are sick, an' very sick
An' death is on you callin';
Ye might have sent for Peg Morton,
An' nae for Babie Allan.

15. O my dear, ye are too severe,
To ane whose heart is failin'
Although I spake to her in jest,
I mindit on Babie Allan.

16. When ye into the tavern sat,
Wi' a' the rest a drinkin';
Ye fill'd the cup an' drank about,
An' slighted Babie Allan.

17. Put in your hand at my bed stock,
An' there ye'll find a warran';
Ye'll find my watch, an' my gowd ring,
Gie that to Babie Allan.

p. 93--

18. Put in your hand at my bed head,
An' there ye'll find a warran';
Yell find my bible an pen-knife,
Gie that to Babie Allan.

19. O see ye not yon thirty ploughs,
Sae merrily's they're eering [3]
The rents o' them are coming in,
To tocher Babie Allan.

20. O see ye not yon nine meal-mills,
Sae merrily's they're shealin';
The rents o' them are coming in,
To tocher Babie Allan.

21. O see ye not yon seven ships,
Sae merrily's they're sailin';
The freights o' them are coming in,
To tocher Babie Allan.

22. Win[4] up, win up, young man, she said,
Gae to the kirk an' marry;
He turned about an' gae a sigh,
I hinna time to tarry.

23. Then turn'd his white face to the wa',
Wi' dreadfu' pangs were failin'
Says, Fare ye well, my kinsfolk a',
Be kind to Babie Allan.

p. 94--

24. Then out it spake his mother dear,
As she was a sorry woman;
Says, wae be to your comely face,
Hard hearted Babie Allan.

25. She wasna' twa miles frae the town,
Till she heard the dead bells knellin';
An' ilka stroke the dead bells gae,
Unworthy Babie Allan.

26. When she did there return again,
Where her parents dear were dwallin';
Then every ane began to spier,
The news at Babie Allan.

27. Out it spake her father dear,
Says, Babie will ye take him?
Its vain to spier, my father dear,
When the bells are on him ringin'.

28. Out it spake her brother dear,
Says Babie, will ye take him?
Its vain to speir, my brother dear,
When's corpse are at the liftin'.

29. As I went out to take the air,
She spied his corpse a comin';
Set down the corpse, the maid she said,
That I may look upon him.

p. 95--

30. When the corpse they were set down,
Her face began a swallin';
An' when she look'd the corpse upon,
Right pale grew Babie Allan.

31. In the church-yard he was interr'd,
Wi' muckle grief an' wailin';
The girls a' then began to say,
Gae drown her, Babie Allan.

32. Then out it spake Sir James Whiteford,
While on the green was standin';
I wou'd fain see the face that's here,
Dare trouble Babie Allan.

33. Then he has taen her by the hand,
Says, Dear, leave off your weepin';
If ye will gang alang wi' me,
Ye'll hae my heart a-keepin'.

34. Ye shall hae ha's[5], ye shall hae bowers,
An' gold ye'se hae a plenty;
A' that's mine love, shall be thine,
In the town o' Ayr, right dainty.

35. I gie you thanks, ye courteous knight,
For this my praises tellin';
But there is nae ae man alive,
Can comfort Babie Allan.

p. 96--

36. This fair maid's dane her hame,
Wi' muckle grief an' sorrow,
Sin my luve's died for me to-night,
I'll die for him tomorrow.

37. O mother, mother make my bed,
Ye'll make it lang an' narrow;
There is nae ane in James' steed,
Shall ever be my marrow.

38 He mother she did make her bed,
And made it lang an' narrow;
And her luve died for her that night,
She died for him ere morrow.

39. When Sir James Whiteford heard the news,
His heart was sair an' swallin';
Says Captain Green's been a' the cause,
O' the ruin of Babie Allan.

40. She was a girl baith meek and mild,
Her features worth the tellin';
There's nae a flower that buds in May,
Sae fair as Babie Allan.

41. But Captain Green, wi' haughty words,
His haughty boasts an brawlin';
Was basely slain by his ain sword,
An' nae by Babie Allan.

Comments and footnotes: Title should be "Babie Allan." Sometimes it's "frae" sometimes it's 'for". Sometimes it's "an' " and sometimes its "and".
Stanza 2 "het dispute" = "hot dispute";

1. "born" may be "bound" in MS
2. "Between," not sure of the literal translation of "Streave" or possibly spelled "Shreave" found in MS is.
3. "eering," an archaic word for ploughing and occurs in the blackletter broadside version of The Elfin Knight v12 'For thou must eare it with thy horn'[Gardham]
4. Win= Get
5. Assume it's "has" for may be written "ha's" in MS for "halls"