Classic Poem

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.

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.

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.

" 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."

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.

" Where is your sister, maidens?
Where is your sister now?
Where is your sister, maidens,
That she is not walking with you?"

" O pardon us, honoured father,
O pardon us," they did say;
" Lady Jean is with Captain Ogilvie,
And away with him she will gae."

When he came to Aberdeen,
And down upon the green,
There did he see Captain Ogilvie,
Training up his men.

" O wo to you, Captain Ogilvie,
And an ill death thou shalt die;
For taking to thee my daughter,
Hangid thou shalt be."

Duke Gordon has wrote a broad letter,
And sent it to the king,
To cause hang Captain Ogilvie
If ever he hanged a man.

" 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."

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.

" 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."

Lady Jean had not been married,
Not a year but three,
Till she had a babe in every arm,
Another upon her knee.

" 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.

" 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."

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.

" 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.

" 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.

" 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."

When she came to Castle Gordon,
And down upon the green,
The porter gave out a loud shout,
" O yonder comes Lady Jean!"

" 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."

Now over seas went the captain,
As a soldier under command;
A message soon followed after
To come and heir his brother's land.

" Come home, you pretty Captain Ogilvie,
And heir your brother's land;
Come home, ye pretty Captain Ogilvie,
Be Earl of Northumberland."

" 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."

" 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."

He soon came to Castle Gordon,
And down upon the green;
The porter gave out with a loud shout,
" Here comes Captain Ogilvie!"

" 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."

" 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."

" 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."

" 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."

Then she came tripping down the stair,
With the tear into her eye;
One babe was at her foot,
Another upon her knee.

" You 're welcome, bonny Jeany Gordon,
With my young family;
Mount and go to Northumberland,
There a countess thou shall be."