The weddir is fair, and I am fane5,
My scheip gois haill aboif",

An we wald play us in this plane?
They wald us baith reproifs.

V.

She. Robene take tent unto my tale1,
And wirk all as I reid2,

And thow sall haif my hairt all hailes

Eik and my maidenheid.

Sen God sendis bute for baill*,
And for murning remeid,

I dern with the, but gif I daill,
Doubtless I am bot deid".

VI.

He. Makyne, to morne this ilka tyde1,

And will meit me heir2;
ye

Peradventure my scheip may gang besyde3,
Quhill we haif liggit full neir*,

5 The weather is fair, and I am glad.-6 My sheep go healthful above (or in the uplands).—7 If we should play in this plain.--8 They would reprove us both.

1

V. Robene, take heed unto my tale. And do all as I ad vise.-3 And thou shalt have my heart entirely.-4 Since God sends good for evil.—5 And for mourning consolation.—6 I am now in secret with thee, but if I separate.-7 Doubtless I shall die (broken hearted).

VI. 'Makyne, to-morrow this very time. here. Perhaps my sheep may go aside.

If ye will meet me

Until we have lain

near.

Bot maugre haif I, an I byde,

Fra they begin to steir,

Quhat lyis on hairt I will nocht hyd,
Makyne then mak gud cheir.

VII.

She. Robene thou reivis me roif* and rest1,

I luve but the allone2,

He. Makyne adew! the sone gois west3,
The day is neirhand gone1.
She. Robene, in dule I am so drest",

That luve will be my bone.

He. Ga luve, Makyne, quhair evir thou list,
For leman I lue none 8.

VIII.

She. Robene, I stand in sic a style1,

I sicht, and that full sair 2.

He. Makyne, I haif bene heir this quhile3,
At hame God gif I wair*.

-2 I love but

VII. Robene, thou robbest my quiet and rest.thee alone. Makyne, adieu, the sun goes west.-4 The day is nearly gone.-5 Robene, in sorrow I am so beset.-6 That love will be my bane.-7 Go love, Makyne, where thou wilt.-8 For sweetheart I love none.

VIII. Robene, I am in such a state.—2 I sigh, and that full sore.-3 Makyne, I have been here some time.-4 At home God grant I were.

* Pinkerton absurdly makes this word roiss; it is roif in the Bannatyne MS.

She. My hinny Robene, talk ane quhyle3;
Gif thou wilt do na mair".

He. Makyne, sum uther man begyle7;

For hamewart I will fair.

IX.

Robene on his wayis went1,
As licht as leif of trè2:
Makyne murnit in her intent3,
And trow'd him nevir to sè1.
Robene brayd attour the bent",
Than Makyne cryit on hie,

Now ma thow sing, for I am schent7,

Quhat alis lufe with me3.

X.

Makyne went hame withouttin faill1,
Full werry aftir couth weip2,

Than Robene in a full fair daill,*
Assemblit all his scheip.

5 My sweet Robene, talk a while.-6 If thou wilt do no more.— 7 Makyne, some other man beguile.-8 For homeward I will fare.

IX. Robene on his way went.-2 As light as leaf of tree.— 3 Makyne mourned in her thoughts.-4 And thought him never to see.-5 Robene went over the hill.-6 Then Makyne cryed on higli. -7 Now you may sing, I am destroyed.-8 What ails, love, with me? X. Makyne went home without fail.—2 Full† after she would weep.

1

The lines" Than Robene in a full fair daill," may either mean that he assembled his sheep in a fair full number, or in a fair piece of low ground; the former is the most probable meaning. The word werry I am unable to explain. VOL. I.

G

Be that sum parte of Makyne's ail3,
Ourthrow his hairt cowd creip*,

He followit hir fast thair till assaill3,
And till hir tuke gude keep.

XI.

He. Abyd, abyd, thou fair Makyne',
A word for ony thing";

For all my luve it shall be thine3,
Withouttin departing*.

All thy hairt for till have myne",

Is all my cuvating",

My scheip, to morne, quhyle houris nyne?

Will need of no kepin'g.

XII.

For of my pane thow made it play',

And all in vain I spend,*

As thow hes done, sa sall I say?,

Murne on, I think to mend3.

3 By that (time) some of Makyne's sorrow.-4 Crept through his heart.5 He followed fast to lay hold of her.-6 And held good watch of her.

XI. 1 Abide, abide, thou fair Makyne.-2 A word for any thing's (sake).-3 For all my love shall be thine.-4 Without departing.-5 To have thy heart all mine.-6 Is all that I covet.7 My sheep, to-morrow, till nine.-8 Will need no keeping.

XII. For you made game of my pain.-2 I shall say like you. -3 Mourn on, I think to do better (than be in love).

*Spend, if it be not a corruption of the text, is apparently the imperfect of a verb; but I cannot find in any glossary, or even in Dr. Jamieson's Scottish Dictionary, the verb to which it may be traced so as to make sense. I suppose the meaning is "there was a time when I vainly made love to thee."

XV.

He. Makyne the howp of all my heill',
My hairt on thè is setto;

And evir mair to thè be leill3,
Quhile I may leif, but lett1.
Never to faill, as utheris faill 5,
Quhat grace that evir I get.
She. Robene, with thè I will not deill",
Adew! for thus we metts.

XVI.

Makyne went hame blythe aneuche1,

Attoure the holtis hair 2;

Robene murnit, and Makyne leuch3,

Scho sang, he sichit sair4.

And so left him baith wo and wreuch',

In dolour and in cair,

Kepand his hird under a heuch",

Amang the holtis hair.

XV. Makyne, the hope of all my health.-2 My heart is on thee set.-3 And (I) shall ever more be true to thee.-4 While I may live, without ceasing.-5 Never to fail as others fail.-6 Whatever favour I obtain.-7 Robene, with thee I will not deal.-8Adieu! for thus we met.

1

XVI. Makyne went home blythe enough.-2 Over the hoary woodlands*.-3 Robene mourned, and Makyne laughed.--4 She sang, he sighed sore.-5 And so left him woeful and overcome.— 6 In dolour and care.—7 Keeping his herd under a cliff,—8 Among the hoary hillocks t.

* Vide Jamieson's Dictionary, voc. hair.

+ The words holtis hair have been differently explained.