Banchory's Lands

Banchory's lands are bonny when spring comes iin the year
Wi' lasses sweet an' mony, but neen sae sweet's my dear.
There's neen sae sweet's my only dear, to lee wad be a sin
For she in fact micht weel be styled the flooer o' Banchory's lands.

She is a charming creature, both humourous frank and free
And mony's the nicht she'd gi'en consent to open the door to me.
And mony's the nicht she's gi'en consent to rise and lat me in
My wish be wi' you bonny lass, she stays at Hattonsburn.

For love of her I'm sore oppressed and greaved in my mind
My restless heart within my breast nae comfort there can find.
My restless heart within my breast nae comfort finds ava,
It's all for Bett o' Banchory's lands she's flooer outoor them a.

But curse upon cruel fortune whiledays and years do sway
For in a moment sinks our views or lifte them to the skies.
Or in a moment lifts our views or sinks them inthe deep,
It disappoints the constant swain or leaves the maid to weep.

'Twas on a mid-summer's evening as I went to the fair,
And gazing all around me I spied my true love there
And gazing round and round about she was always in my view,
But words of her I couldna get for all that I could do.

It was on a mid-Lanterns (Lentern's evening) as Phoebus left the sky
While I did sing with all my might my true love passed by
While I did sing with all my might my true love passed home,
And mony an anxious look she gave to see fin I would come.

Fareweel false lover unto you I bid you now adieu
For I have been most constant unto you, unto you,
My kind Providence protect you with his unerring hand
And perhaps you may prove constant unto some other man.

Note: Last line of first verse also sungs as "..star of Banchory's lands."

From The Grieg-Duncan Folk Song Collection
Collected from Isaac and George Toup, 1908
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