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COSPATRICK. |
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{Border Minstrelsy, ill. 263.)
This ballad, which is still very popular, is known under various other names, as Bothwell, Child Brenton, Lord Dingwall, We were Sisters, we were Seven, &c. Scott's version was derived principally from recitation, but some of the concluding stanzas were taken from Herd's. Herd's copy, which must be regarded as a fragment, is given in connection with the present, and Buchan's in the Appendix to this volume. Another edition, of a suspicious character, may be seen in Cro-mek's Remains of Nithsdale and Galloway Song, (p. 205.) All the principal incidents of the story are found in Inge/red og Gudrune, Danske Viser, No. 194, translated by Jamieson, Illustrations, p. 340. More or less imperfect versions of the same are Eiddar Olle, Svenska Folk-Visor, ii. p. 217, 59, 56, 215, and Herr Aster och Froken Sissa, p. 50. The substitution of the maid-servant for the bride, occurs also in Torkild Trun-desb'n, Danske V., No. 200, or Thorkil Troneson, Ar-widsson, No. 86. This idea was perhaps derived from Tristan and Isold: see Scott's Sir Tristrem, II. 54, 55.
Cospatrick has sent o'er the faem; Cospatrick brought his ladye hame; And fourscore ships have come her wi', The ladye by the grene-wood tree.
There were twaT and twal' wi' baken bread, a And twal' and twal' wi' gowd sae reid, And twal' and twal' wi' bouted flour, And twal' and twal' wi' the paramour. |
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