WALY, WALY (F. J. Child #204)

The tune is here


JUNE TABOR, AIRS AND GRACES, TOPIC TSCD 298, 1989

WALY, WALY (F. J. Child #204)

Oh, waly, waly up the bank and waly, waly down the brae
And waly, waly up burnside where I and my love used to go
I was a lady of high renown when lived in the North country
I was a lady of high renown when Jamie Douglas courted me

And when we came to Glasgow town, it was a comely sight to see
My lord was clad in the velvet green and I myself in cramasie
And when my eldest son was born and set upon his nurse's knee
I was the happiest woman born and my good lord he loved me

There came a man unto our house and Jamie Lockhart was his name
And it was told unto my lord that I did lie in bed with him
There came another to our house and he was no good friend to me
He put Jamie's shoes beneath my bed and bad my good lord come and see

O woe be unto thee, Blackwood, and an ill death may you die
You were the first and the foremost man that parted my good lord and I
And when my lord came to my room this great falsehood for to see
He turned him round all with a scowl and not one word would he speak to me

"Come up, come up, now Jamie Douglas, come up the stair and dine with me
I'll set you on a chair of gold and court you kindly on my knee."
"When cockleshells turn silver bells and fishes fly from tree to tree
When frost and snow turn fire to burn it's I'll come up and dine with thee."

O woe be unto thee, Blackwood, and an ill death may you die
You were the first and the foremost man that parted my good lord and I
And when my father he had word my good lord had forsaken me
He sent fifty of his brisk dragoons to fetch me home to my own countrie

O had I wist when first I kissed that love should been so ill to win
I'd locked my heart in a cage of gold and pinned it with a silver pin
You think that I am like yourself and lie with each one that I see
But I do swear by Heavens high I never loved a man but thee

Tis not the frost that freezes fell nor blowing snow's inclemency
Tis not such cold that makes me cry but my love's heart grown cold to me
O waly, waly, love is bonnie a little while when first it's new
But love grows old and waxes cold and fades away like morning dew