#a.# ‘The Duke of Gordon’s Daughter,’ The Duke of Gordon’s Garland,
Percy Papers, and another edition in a volume of garlands formerly
in Heber’s library. #b.# ‘The Duke of Gordon’s Daughters,’ a
stall-copy, printed for John Sinclair, Dumfries. #c.# ‘The Duke of
Gordon’s Daughters,’ Stirling, printed by M. Randall. #d.# ‘The Duke
of Gordon’s Three Daughters,’ Peterhead, printed by P. Buchan. #e.#
‘The Duke of Gordon’s Three Daughters,’ Kinloch MSS, I, 125. #f.#
‘The Duke o Gordon’s Daughters,’ Murison MS., p. 90, Aberdeenshire.
#g.# ‘The Duke o Gordon’s Daughter,’ Gibb MS., p. 13, No 3, from the
recitation of Mrs Gibb, senior. #h.# ‘The Duke of Gordon’s Three
Daughters,’ Macmath MS., p. 31, a fragment recited by Mrs Macmath,
senior, in 1874, and learned by her fifty years before.
A copy of #a# was reprinted by Ritson, Scotish Songs, 1794, II, 169.
(There are three slight variations in Ritson, two of which are
misprints.) Fifteen stanzas are given from Ritson in Johnson’s Musical
Museum, ‘The Duke of Gordon has three daughters,’ No 419, p. 431, 1797
(with a single variation and the correction of a misprint). Smith’s
Scotish Minstrel, IV, 98, repeats the stanzas in the Museum, inserting a
few words to fill out lines for singing. Christie, Traditional Ballad
Airs, I, 2, has made up a ballad from three “traditional” copies. A
fragment of four stanzas in Notes and Queries, Second Series, VII, 418,
requires no notice.
Burns gave the first stanza as follows (Cromek’s Reliques, p. 229, ed,
1817; Cromek’s Select Scotish Songs, I, 86, 1810):
The lord o Gordon had three dochters,
Mary, Marget, and Jean;
They wad na stay at bonie Castle Gordon,
But awa to Aberdeen.
The first sister’s name is given as Mary in #e# also.
It is very likely that the recited copies were originally learned from
print. #e# and #g# have two stanzas which do not appear in #a-d#, but
these may occur in some other stall-copy, or have been borrowed from
some other ballad.
Ritson pointed out that George Gordon, the fourth Earl of Huntly, killed
at Corrichie in 1562, had three daughters, named Elizabeth, Margaret,
and Jean, and that Jean, the youngest, married Alexander Ogilvie, Laird
of Boyne. These facts, however, can have no relevancy to this ballad.
Ogilvie was Lady Jean Gordon’s third husband, and at the death of the
second, in 1594, she was in her fiftieth year, or near to that. Her
marriage with the Laird of Boyne was “for the utility and profit of her
children,” of which she had a full quiver.[139]
Jean, one of the three daughters of the Duke of Gordon (there was no
Duke of Gordon before 1684, but that is early enough for our ballad),
falls in love with Captain Ogilvie at Aberdeen. Her father threatens to
have the captain hanged, and writes to the king to ask that favor. The
king refuses to hang Ogilvie, but reduces him to the ranks, makes him a
‘single’ man. The pair lead a wandering life for three years, and are
blessed with as many children. At the end of that time they journey
afoot to the Highland hills, and present themselves at Castle Gordon in
great destitution. Lady Jean is welcomed; the duke will have nothing to
do with Ogilvie. Ogilvie goes over seas as a private soldier, but is
soon after sent for as heir to the earldom of Northumberland. The duke
is now eager to open Castle Gordon to the Captain. Ogilvie wants nothing
there but Jean Gordon, whom, with her three children, he takes to
Northumberland to enjoy his inheritance.
Nothing in the story of the ballad is known to have even a shadow of
foundation in fact.
* * * * *
1
The Duke of Gordon has three daughters,
Elizabeth, Margaret, and Jean;
They would not stay in bonny Castle Gordon,
But they would go to bonny Aberdeen.
2
They had not been in Aberdeen
A twelvemonth and a day
Till Lady Jean fell in love with Captain Ogilvie,
And away with him she would gae.
3
Word came to the Duke of Gordon,
In the chamber where he lay,
Lady Jean has fell in love with Captain Ogilvie,
And away with him she would gae.
4
‘Go saddle me the black horse,
And you’ll ride on the grey,
And I will ride to bonny Aberdeen,
Where I have been many a day.’
5
They were not a mile from Aberdeen,
A mile but only three,
Till he met with his two daughters walking,
But away was Lady Jean.
6
‘Where is your sister, maidens?
Where is your sister now?
Where is your sister, maidens,
That she is not walking with you?’
7
‘O pardon us, honoured father,
O pardon us,’ they did say;
‘Lady Jean is with Captain Ogilvie,
And away with him she will gae.’
8
When he came to Aberdeen,
And down upon the green,
There did he see Captain Ogilvie,
Training up his men.
9
‘O wo to you, Captain Ogilvie,
And an ill death thou shalt die;
For taking to thee my daughter,
Hangëd thou shalt be.’
10
Duke Gordon has wrote a broad letter,
And sent it to the king,
To cause hang Captain Ogilvie
If ever he hanged a man.
11
‘I will not hang Captain Ogilvie,
For no lord that I see;
But I’ll cause him to put off the lace and scarlet,
And put on the single livery.’
12
Word came to Captain Ogilvie,
In the chamber where he lay,
To cast off the gold lace and scarlet,
And put on the single livery.
13
‘If this be for bonny Jeany Gordon,
This pennance I’ll take wi;
If this be for bonny Jeany Gordon,
All this I will dree.’
14
Lady Jean had not been married,
Not a year but three,
Till she had a babe in every arm,
Another upon her knee.
15
‘O but I’m weary of wandering!
O but my fortune is bad!
It sets not the Duke of Gordon’s daughter
To follow a soldier-lad.
16
‘O but I’m weary of wandering!
O but I think lang!
It sets not the Duke of Gordon’s daughter
To follow a single man.’
17
When they came to the Highland hills,
Cold was the frost and snow;
Lady Jean’s shoes they were all torn,
No farther could she go.
18
‘O wo to the hills and the mountains!
Wo to the wind and the rain!
My feet is sore with going barefoot,
No further am I able to gang.
19
‘Wo to the hills and the mountains!
Wo to the frost and the snow!
My feet is sore with going barefoot,
No farther am I able for to go.
20
‘O if I were at the glens of Foudlen,
Where hunting I have been,
I would find the way to bonny Castle Gordon,
Without either stockings or shoon.’
21
When she came to Castle Gordon,
And down upon the green,
The porter gave out a loud shout,
‘O yonder comes Lady Jean!’
22
‘O you are welcome, bonny Jeany Gordon,
You are dear welcome to me;
You are welcome, dear Jeany Gordon,
But away with your Captain Ogilvie.’
23
Now over seas went the captain,
As a soldier under command;
A message soon followed after
To come and heir his brother’s land.
24
‘Come home, you pretty Captain Ogilvie,
And heir your brother’s land;
Come home, ye pretty Captain Ogilvie,
Be Earl of Northumberland.’
25
‘O what does this mean?’ says the captain;
‘Where’s my brother’s children three?’
‘They are dead and buried,
And the lands they are ready for thee.’
26
‘Then hoist up your sails, brave captain,
Let’s be jovial and free;
I’ll to Northumberland and heir my estate,
Then my dear Jeany I’ll see.’
27
He soon came to Castle Gordon,
And down upon the green;
The porter gave out with a loud shout,
‘Here comes Captain Ogilvie!’
28
‘You’re welcome, pretty Captain Ogilvie,
Your fortune’s advanced I hear;
No stranger can come unto my gates
That I do love so dear.’
29
‘Sir, the last time I was at your gates,
You would not let me in;
I’m come for my wife and children,
No friendship else I claim.’
30
‘Come in, pretty Captain Ogilvie,
And drink of the beer and the wine;
And thou shalt have gold and silver
To count till the clock strike nine.’
31
‘I’ll have none of your gold or silver,
Nor none of your white-money;
But I’ll have bonny Jeany Gordon,
And she shall go now with me.’
32
Then she came tripping down the stair,
With the tear into her eye;
One babe was at her foot,
Another upon her knee.
33
‘You’re welcome, bonny Jeany Gordon,
With my young family;
Mount and go to Northumberland,
There a countess thou shall be.’
* * * * *
#a.#
The Duke of Gordon’s Garland, composed of several excellent New
Songs. I. The Duke of Gordon’s Daughter. II. A new song calld
Newcastle Ale. Licensed and enterd according to order.
_Heber’s copy differs in a few places from Percy’s, and generally
for the worse._
4^2. on _wanting_.
7^4. she woud.
10^3. cause _wanting_.
13^4. will not.
16^2. think it.
18^2. and rain.
24^3. you.
24^4. And be.
32^2. tears in her eyes.
_Ritson’s._ 9^3. wants thee. 13^3. wants for. 31^1. gold and.
#b.#
_Two copies, one in the British Museum_, 1078. i. 20 (7), Printed
at the St. Michael Press, by C. M’Lachlan, Dumfries, _dated in
the catalogue_ 1785?
#c.#
_British Museum_, 11621. b. 12 (28), _dated_ 1810?
A beautiful old song, entitled the Duke of Gordon’s three
Daughters. To which is added The Challenge. Stirling: Printed by
M. Randall.
#d.#
_British Museum_, 1078. k. 4 (5), _dated_ 1820? The Duke of
Gordon’s Three Daughters. To which is added Mrs Burns Lament for
Burns. Peterhead: Printed by P. Buchan.
#b, c, d.#
1^1. had.
1^3. stay at.
1^4. they went to.
2^1. in bonny.
2^3. Till Jean.
2^4. #b.# him went she. #c, d.# And from him she would not stay.
3^1. come.
3^{3,4}. How Lady Jean fell in love with a captain, And from him
she would not stay.
4^1. to me: horse, he cry’d.
4^2. My servant shall ride on.
4^3. will go.
4^4. Forthwith to bring her away.
5^2. only one.
5^3. walking _wanting_.
6^{2,3}. O where.
6^4. #c, d.# not along with.
7^1. #b.# us, they did say.
7^4. And from him she would (#c, d#, will) not stay.
8^1. to bonny.
8^4. #b.# A training of. #c, d.# A training his gallant.
9^1. woe be to thee.
9^4. High hanged. #b.# shalt thou.
10^1. #b.# The Duke he wrote. #c, d.# The D. of G. wrote a letter.
10^2. #b.# he sent.
10^3. Desiring him to hang.
10^4. #b.# eer he causd hang any. #c, d.# For marrying his
daughter Jean.
11^1. #b.# O no I. #c, d.# Said the king, I’ll not.
11^2. #b.# For any (#c, d#, all the) offence that.
11^3. him put off the scarlet.
12^1. Now word.
12^3. To strip off.
13^{1,3}. #b.# Jean.
13^3. #c, d.# for my true-love.
13^4. this and more I’ll.
14^2. #c, d.# Not _wanting_. #b, c, d.# but only.
14^4. And another.
15^1. #b.# weary, weary wandering. #c, d.# weary wandering.
16.
O hold thy tongue, bonny Jean Gordon,
O hold your tongue, my lamb! (#c, d.# thy)
For once I was a noble captain,
Now for thy sake a single man.
17^1. #b.# O high is the hills and the mountains. #c, d#, high
were: and mountains.
17^2. #b.# and the.