297A: Earl Rothes

297A.1	 ‘O EARL Rothes, an thou wert mine,
	 And I were to be thy ladie,
	 I wad drink at the beer, and tipple at the wine,
	 And be my bottle with any.’
297A.2	 ‘Hold thy tongue, sister Ann,’ he says,
	 ‘Thy words they are too many;
	 What wad ye do wi sae noble a lord,
	 When he has so noble a ladie?
297A.3	 ‘O I’ll pay you your tocher, Lady Ann,
	 Both in gear and money,
	 If ye’ll forsake Earl Rothes’s companie,
	 And mind that he has a ladie.’
297A.4	 ‘I do not value your gold,’ she says,
	 ‘Your gear it’s no sae readie;
	 I’ll neer forsake Earl Rothes’s companie,
	 And I don’t gie a fig for his ladie.’
297A.5	 ‘I’ll keep ye i the caslte, Lady Ann,
	 O servants ye shall hae monie;
	 I’ll keep ye till ye’re safely brocht to bed,
	 And I’ll mak you a marquis’s ladie.’
297A.6	 ‘I do not value your castle,’ she says,
	 ‘Your servants are no sae readie;
	 Earl Rothes will keep me till I’m brocht to bed,
	 And he’ll mak me a marquis’s ladie.’
297A.7	 ‘Woe be to thee, Earl Rothes,’ he says,
	 ‘And the mark o the judge be upon thee,
	 For the using o this poor thing sae,
	 For the using my sister so badly.
297A.8	 ‘When I’m come to the years of a man,
	 And able a sword to carry,
	 I’ll thrust it thro Earl Rothes’ bodie
	 For the using my sister sae basely.
297A.9	 ‘Fare thee well, Lady Ann,’ he says,
	 ‘No longer will I tarry;
	 You and I will never meet again,
	 Till we meet at the bonny town o Torry.’