MARIE HAMILTON

 

 MARIE HAMILTON’s to the kirk gane,, Wi ribbons in her hair;

 The king thought mair o Marie HamiltoN, Than ony that were there.

 Marie Hamilton’s to the kirk gane, Wi ribbons on her breast;

 The king thought mair o Marie Hamilton,Then he listend to the priest.

 

Marie Hamilton’s to the kirk gane, Wi gloves upon her hands;

 The king thought mair o Marie Hamilton, Than the queen and a’ her lands.

 She hadna been about the king’s court, A month, but barely one,

  Till she was beloved by a’ the king’s court, And the king the only man.

 

She hadna been about the king’s court, A month, but barely three,

 Till frae the king’s court Marie Hamilton, Marie Hamilton durstna be.

 The king is to the Abbey gane, To pu’ the Abbey-tree,

 To scale the babe frae Marie’s heart,but the thing it wadna be.

 

O she has rowd it in her apron, And set it on the sea:

 ‘Gae sink ye, or swim ye, bonny babe! Ye’s get nae mair o me.’

 Word is to the kitchen gane, And word is to the ha,

 And word is to the noble room, Amang the ladyes a’,

 

That Marie Hamilton’s brought to bed, And the bonny babe’s mist and awa.

 Scarcely had she lain down again, And scarcely fa’en asleep,

 When up then started our gude queen, Just at her bed-feet,

 Saying, Marie Hamilton, where’s your babe? For I am sure I heard it greet.

 ‘O no, O no, my noble queen, Think no such thing to be!

 ’Twas but a stitch into my side, And sair it troubles me.’

 ‘Get up, get up, Marie Hamilton, Get up and follow me;

 For I am going to Edinburgh town, A rich wedding for to see.’

 

O slowly, slowly raise she up, And hooly but she yawned,

 And slowly rode she out the way, Wi mony a weary moan.

As she gaed up the Tolbooth stairs, The corks frae her heels did flee;

 And lang or eer she cam down again, Mary Hamilton was condemnd to die.