Hi,

TY Steve Gardham for sending me copies of the texts.

From: The Greig-Duncan folk song collection - Volume 4; edited by Patrick N. Shuldham-Shaw, ‎Emily B. Lyle - 1981. Collected in North Scotland early 1900s by Gavin Greig (1856–1914), and the minister James Bruce Duncan 1848-1917).

B. I WILL SET MY SHIP IN ORDER- Mrs Sangster- G

1. I will put my good ship in order,
And I will sail out owre the main,
I've sailed into some foreign country
To see what tidings I can bring home.

2. I sailed east and I sailed west,
And I sailed far, far seeking land,
Until I came to my true love's window,
And rapped loudly and would be in.

3. Who's that, who's that raps at my window,
It raps so loudly and would be in?
It's I, I, your true love Johnnie,
And I'm sure well it's nae him."

4. Few few lovers have I [with]out,
And as few I have [with]in,
Unless it be my true love Johnnie,
And I'm well sure it's nae him.

5. Oh then go and ask your mother,
And see if she'll let you my bride be,
And if she deny you come back and tell me,
It may be the last time I'll visit thee.

6. "My mother's in her chamber sleeping,
You knock so loudly an' she winna hear,
She bids you love and court another,
And whisper slowly in her ear.

7. Oh then oh then go and ask your father,
See if he'll let you my bride be,
If he deny you come back and tell me,
It may be the last time I'll visit thee.

8. "My father's in his chamber writing,
And setting down at his merchandise;
In his hand he holds a letter,
That speaks much unto your dispraise.

9. To my dispraise, my bonnie lovey,
To my dispraise how can that be,
For I've neither wronged not yet denied thee,
And thrice this night you've denied me.

10 Up she rose, put her clothes,
It was to let her true lovie in ,
Before she got herself araiked [arrayed]
The ship was sailing out owre the main.

11. Come back, my bonnie lovey, come back my bonnie,
Come back, come back speak now wi' me.
How could I come and speak wi' you,
And our ship sailing out owre the seas?

12.The fish may fly, love, the seas go dry,
And the rocks may moulder and sweep the sun[1],
The husbandmen may forget their labour
So keep your love till I return[2].

1. original has "sund"
2. This stanza is from "True-Lovers Farewell" family of songs and can be traced back to the broadside "The Unkind Parents, or, The Languishing Lamentation of two Loyal Lovers" late 1600s.