Young Waters

The Text is that of a copy mentioned by Percy, 'printed not long since at Glasgow, in one sheet 8vo. The world was indebted for its publication to the lady Jean Hume, sister to the Earle of Hume, who died lately at Gibraltar.' The original edition, discovered by Mr. Macmath after Professor Child's version (from the Reliques) was in print, is:-- 'Young Waters, an Ancient Scottish Poem, never before printed. Glasgow, printed and sold by Robert and Andrew Foulis, 1755.' This was also known to Maidment. Hardly a word differs from Percy's version; but here I have substituted the spellings 'wh' for Percy's 'quh,' in 'quhen,' etc., and 'y' for his 'z' in 'zoung, zou,' etc.

The Story has had historical foundations suggested for it by Percy and Chambers. Percy identified Young Waters with the Earl of Murray, murdered, according to the chronicle of Sir James Balfour, on the 7th of February 1592. Chambers, in 1829, relying on Buchan's version of the ballad, had no doubt that Young Waters was one of the Scots nobles executed by James I., and was very probably Walter Stuart, second son of the Duke of Albany. Thirty years later, Chambers was equally certain that the ballad was the composition of Lady Wardlaw.

In a Scandinavian ballad, Folke Lovmandson is a favourite at court; a little wee page makes the fatal remark and excites the king's jealousy. The innocent knight is rolled down a hill in a barrel set with knives--a punishment common in Scandinavian folklore.


YOUNG WATERS

    1.
    About Yule, when the wind blew cule,
        And the round tables began,
    A there is cum to our king's court
        Mony a well-favor'd man.

    2.
    The queen luikt owre the castle-wa',
        Beheld baith dale and down,
    And there she saw Young Waters
        Cum riding to the town.

    3.
    His footmen they did rin before,
        His horsemen rade behind;
    Ane mantel of the burning gowd
        Did keip him frae the wind.

    4.
    Gowden-graith'd his horse before,
        And siller-shod behind;
    The horse Young Waters rade upon
        Was fleeter than the wind.

    5.
    Out then spack a wylie lord,
        Unto the queen said he:
    'O tell me wha 's the fairest face
        Rides in the company?'

    6.
    'I've sene lord, and I've sene laird,
        And knights of high degree,
    Bot a fairer face than Young Waters
        Mine eyne did never see.'

    7.
    Out then spack the jealous king,
        And an angry man was he:
    'O if he had bin twice as fair,
        You micht have excepted me.'

    8.
    'You're neither laird nor lord,' she says,
        'Bot the king that wears the crown;
    There is not a knight in fair Scotland
        Bot to thee maun bow down.'

    9.
    For a' that she coud do or say,
        Appeas'd he wad nae bee,
    Bot for the words which she had said,
        Young Waters he maun die.

    10.
    They hae ta'en Young Waters,
        And put fetters to his feet;
    They hae ta'en Young Waters, and
        Thrown him in dungeon deep.

    11.
    'Aft have I ridden thro' Stirling town,
        In the wind bot and the weit;
    Bot I neir rade thro' Stirling town
        Wi' fetters at my feet.

    12.
    'Aft have I ridden thro' Stirling town,
        In the wind bot and the rain;
    Bot I neir rade thro' Stirling town
        Neir to return again.'

    13.
    They hae ta'en to the heiding-hill
        His young son in his craddle,
    And they hae ta'en to the heiding-hill
        His horse bot and his saddle.

    14.
    They hae ta'en to heiding-hill
        His lady fair to see,
    And for the words the queen had spoke
        Young Waters he did die.