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THE LAMENT OF THE BORDER WIDOW.
Minttrelsy of the Scottish Border, jii. 94.
This fragment was obtained from recitation in Ettrick Forest, where it is said to refer to the execution of Cockburne, of Henderland, a freebooter, hanged by James V. over the gate of his own tower. There is another version in Johnson's Museum, (OA Ono Chrio, p. 90,) which, Dr. Blaeklock informed Burns, was composed on the massacre of Glencoe. But in fact, these verses seem to be, as Motherwell has remarked, only a portion (expanded, indeed,) of The Famous Flower of Serving Men: see vol. iv. p. 174.
There are some verbal differences between Scott's copy and the one in Chambers's Scottish Songs, i. 174.
Mi love lie built me a bonny bower, And clad it a' wi' Iilye flonr, A brawer bower ye ne'er did see, Than my true love he built for me. |
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