Kinloch's MSS., in the
handwriting of James Chambers, as it was sung to his grandmother by an
old woman.

_The Wife of Usher's Well_ is from Scott's _Minstrelsy of the Scottish
Border_, and however incomplete, may well stand alone.

+The Story+ has a fairly close parallel in the well-known German ballad,
'Das Schloss in Oesterreich'; and a ballad found both in Spain and Italy
has resemblances to each. But in these two ballads, especially in _The
Wife of Usher's Well_, the interest lies rather in the impressiveness of
the verses than in the story.

THE CLERK'S TWA SONS O' OWSENFORD

1.
O I will sing to you a sang,
But oh my heart is sair!
The clerk's twa sons in Owsenford
Has to learn some unco lair.

2.
They hadna been in fair Parish
A twelvemonth an' a day,
Till the clerk's twa sons o' Owsenford
Wi' the mayor's twa daughters lay.

3.
O word's gaen to the mighty mayor,
As he sail'd on the sea,
That the clerk's twa sons o' Owsenford
Wi' his twa daughters lay.

4.
'If they hae lain wi' my twa daughters,
Meg and Marjorie,
The morn, or I taste meat or drink,
They shall be hangit hie.'

5.
O word's gaen to the clerk himself,
As he sat drinkin' wine,
That his twa sons in fair Parish
Were bound in prison strong.

6.
Then up and spak the clerk's ladye,
And she spak pow'rfully:
'O tak with ye a purse of gold,
Or take with ye three,
And if ye canna get William,
Bring Andrew hame to me.'

7.
'O lye ye here for owsen, dear sons,
Or lie ye here for kye?
Or what is it that ye lie for,
Sae sair bound as ye lie?'

8.
'We lie not here for owsen, dear father,
Nor yet lie here for kye;
But it's for a little o' dear-bought love
Sae sair bound as we lye.'

9.
O he's gane to the mighty mayor
And he spake powerfully:

'Will ye grant me my twa sons' lives,
Either for gold or fee?
Or will ye be sae gude a man
As grant them baith to me?'

10.
'I'll no' grant ye yere twa sons' lives,
Neither for gold or fee,
Nor will I be sae gude a man
As gie them back to thee;
Before the morn at twelve o'clock
Ye'll see them hangit hie.'

11.
Up and spak his twa daughters,
And they spak pow'rfully:
'Will ye grant us our twa loves' lives,
Either for gold or fee?
Or will ye be sae gude a man
As grant them baith to me?'

12.
'I