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The Laird O' Wariston (Child 194)

from Blood & Roses Volume 2 by Ewan MacColl & Peggy Seeger

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about

Jean Livingstone of Dunnipace and John Kincaid of Wariston, the two main protagonists in this prosaic domestic tragedy, were (according to contemporary accounts) married against their will at a very early age. Kincaid's consistent ill-treatment of his young wife eventually caused her to murder him. Janet Murdo, her nurse, and Robert Weir, a former servant in her father's house, helped her to carry out the deed.

No attempt was made to cover up the crime and within three days of having committed it Jean Livingstone was tried, found guilty and condemned to death. She was beheaded at the Canongate in Edinburgh on July 5, 1600 and Janet Murdo was burned at the stake on the same day. Robert Weir fled but was apprehended four years later and was executed by having his body broken on a cartwheel by the coulter of a plough.

lyrics

My mither was an ill woman,
At fifteen years she married me;
I hadnae wit to guide a man,
Alas! ill fortune guided me.

O Wariston, O Wariston,
I wish that ye may sink for sin!
I was but bare fifteen years auld
When first I cam' your yetts within.

I hadnae been a month a bride
When my guid lord geed tae the sea;
I bore a bairn ere he cam' hame
And set it on the nurse's knee.

Then it fell oot upon a day
That my guid lord cam' fae the sea;
I dressed myself in rich attire,
As blithe as ony bird on tree.

I took my young son in my arms,
My lord he hailed me courteously;
I'm blithe to see you, my dear lass,
But wa's is that bairn at your knee?

She turned herself' richt roond aboot,
O, why think ye sae ill o' me?
Ye ken I was ower young a bride
To ken ony ither man but thee.

Ye lee, ye lee, my lady gay
And black's the tongue that spak the lee!
Anither got ye wi' that bairn
While I was sailing on the sea.

O Wariston, ye acted ill
To lift your hand to your ain lady;
He struck her till the blood ran done,
And cursed his bairn maist bitterly.

Sair she grat as she geed hame
And O, the saut tear blint her e'e
Her faither's Jock ill-counselled her
It was to gar her lord to dee. wept
blinded

The nurse she took the deed in hand,
And ill, I wat, her fee she won;
She cast the knot and drew the noose
That killed the Laird o' Wariston.

Word has gane through bower and ha'
And word has game to Embro Toon;
That the lass has killed her ain dear lord,
Ay, killed the Laird o' Wariston.

O tie my kerchie roond my face,
Let no' the sun upon me shine,
Tak' me to yon heidin' hill,
Strike aff this dowie heid o' mine.

They've ta'en her oot when nicht did fa'
Nor sun nor moon on her did shine,
They've led her to yon heidin' hill
And heided her baith neat and fine.

O Wariston, O Wariston,
Wi' your gear and gowd and pride and a';
Ye bear the weight o' your ain death,
And your bonnie lady's cruel downfa'.

credits

from Blood & Roses Volume 2, released April 12, 1982
Ewan MacColl - vocals

Produced by Neill MacColl
Engineered by Nick Godwin
Recorded at Pathway Studios

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Ewan MacColl London, UK

This site is maintained by the MacColl family, aiming to make Ewan's catalogue available to download.
Ewan MacColl is known to most as a songwriter and singer, but he was also of significant influence in the worlds of theatre and radio broadcasting. His art reached huge numbers through the folk clubs, greater numbers through his recordings and untold millions through the radio. ... more

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