#A.# ‘Charlie MacPherson,’ Harris MS., fol. 23 b.
#B.# ‘Charlie M’Pherson,’ Buchan’s Ballads of the North of Scotland,
I, 85.
Charlie Macpherson comes to Kinaldie with a large party of men from the
West Isle to take away Helen, whom he has long courted, #A# 1, 4.
Helen’s mother is obliged to admit them. When her daughter is asked for,
MacPherson is told that she has gone to Whitehouse, to marry auld Gairn,
#A# 5 (Dalgairn, #B# 12). The party go on to Whitehouse, where indeed
they find Helen, and everybody there calling her bride. We expect a
collision, and judging by #A# 8 there was one, with the bride wishing
well to the assailants. But in #B# (where there is no hint that Helen
favors her irregular suitor), MacPherson comports himself very mildly,
and only wishes, as he goes off, that his heavy heart may light on
Whitehouse of Cromar.
The ballad was known to Mrs Brown of Falkland.[136] She gives it the
title of ‘The Carrying-off of the Heiress of Kinady,’ from which it is
warrantable to conclude that MacPherson was so far successful.
There are several Kinaldies and more than one Whitehouse. The Kinaldie
which we have to do with here is a small place in the parish of
Logie-Coldstone, Cromar. Milton of Whitehouse is about a mile to the
south of Kinaldie, and seems to be the place intended by Whitehouse o
Cromar, #B# 18, 20. Braemar, #A# 7^1, should then be Cromar.
* * * * *
A
Harris MS., fol. 23 b; from Mrs Harris’s singing.
1
Charlie MacPherson, that braw Hieland lad[die],
On Valentine’s even cam doun to Kinaltie,
Courtit Burd Hellen, baith wakin an sleepin:
‘Oh, fair fa them has my love in keepin!’
2
Charlie MacPherson cam doun the dykeside,
Baith Milton an Muirton an a’ bein his guide;
Baith Milton an Muirton an auld Water Nairn,
A’ gaed wi him, for to be his warn.
3
Whan he cam to the hoose o Kinaltie,
‘Open your yetts, mistress, an lat us come in!
Open your yetts, mistress, an lat us come in!
For here’s a commission come frae your gude-son.
4
‘Madam,’ says Charlie, ‘whare [i]s your dochter?
Mony time have I come to Kinatie an socht her;
Noo maun she goe wi me mony a mile,
Because I’ve brocht mony men frae the West Isle.’
5
‘As for my dochter, she has gane abroad.
You’ll no get her for her tocher gude;
She’s on to Whitehouse, to marry auld Gairn:
Oh, fair fa them that wait on my bairn!’
6
Charlie MacPherson gaed up the dykeside,
Baith Muirtoun an Milton an a’ bein his guide;
Baith Muirton an Milton an auld Water Nairn,
A’ gaed wi him, for to be his warn.
7
Whan he cam to the hoose in Braemar,
Sae weel as he kent that his Nellie was there!
An Nellie was sittin upon the bed-side,
An every one there was ca’ing her, bride.
8
The canles gaed oot, they waurna weel licht,
Swords an spears they glancet fou bricht;
Sae laith as she was her true-love to beguile,
Because he brocht mony men frae the West Isle.
* * * * * *
* * * * *
B
Buchan’s Ballads of the North of Scotland, I, 85.
1
Charlie M’Pherson, that brisk Highland laddie,
At Valentine even he came to Kinadie:
2
To court her Burd Helen, baith waking and sleeping;
Joy be wi them that has her a keeping!
3
Auldtown and Muirtown, likewise Billy Beg,
All gaed wi Charlie, for to be his guide.
4
Jamie M’Robbie, likewise Wattie Nairn,
All gaed wi Charlie, for to be his warran.
5
When they came to Kinadie, they knockd at the door;
When nae ane woud answer, they gaed a loud roar.
6
‘Ye’ll open the door, mistress, and lat us come in;
For tidings we’ve brought frae your appearant guid-son.’
7
For to defend them, she was not able;
They bangd up the stair, sat down at the table.
8
‘Ye’ll eat and drink, gentlemen, and eat at your leisure;
Nae thing’s disturb you, take what’s your pleasure.’
9
‘O madam,’ said he, ‘I’m come for your daughter;
Lang hae I come to Kinadie and there sought her.
10
‘Now she’s gae wi me for mony a mile,
Before that I return unto the West Isle.’
11
‘My daughter’s not at home, she is gone abroad;
Ye darena now steal her, her tocher is guid.
12
‘My daughter’s in Whitehouse, wi Mistress Dalgairn;
Joy be wi them that waits on my bairn!’
13
The swords an the targe that hang about Charlie,
They had sic a glitter, and set him sae rarelie!
14
They had sic a glitter, and kiest sic a glamour,
They showed mair light than they had in the chamour.
15
To Whitehouse he went, and when he came there
Right sair was his heart when he went up the stair.
16
Burd Helen was sitting by Thomas’ bed-side,
And all in the house were addressing her, bride.
17
‘O farewell now, Helen, I’ll bid you adieu;
Is this a’ the comfort I’m getting frae you?
18
‘It was never my intention ye shoud be the waur;
My heavy heart light on Whitehouse o Cromar!
19
‘For you I hae travelled full mony lang mile,
Awa to Kinadie, far frae the West Isle.
20
‘But now ye are married, and I am the waur;
My heavy heart light on Whitehouse o Cromar!’
* * * * *
#A.#
_Air_, Whilk o ye lasses.
#B.#
_Printed in stanzas of four short lines._
235