1 If

For gane is all my joy;
My heart is rent, sith we maun part,
My handsome Gilderoy!"

My Gilderoy, baith far and near,
Was feared in ev'ry toun,
And bauldly bare away the gear

Of many a lawland loun:
Nane eir durst meet him man to man,

He was sae brave a boy;

At length wi' numbers he was tane,
My winsome Gilderoy.

Wae worth the loun that made the laws,

To hang a man for gear,

To 'reave of life for ox or ass,

For sheep, or horse, or mare:

Had not their laws been made sae strick,

I neir had lost my joy;

Wi' sorrow neir had wat my cheek

For my dear Gilderoy.

Giff Gilderoy had done amisse,

He mought hae banisht been,

Ah, what fair cruelty is this,
To hang sike handsome men!
To hang the flower o' Scottish land,
Sae sweet and fair a boy;
Nae lady had so white a hand
As thee, my Gilderoy.

Of Gilderoy sae fraid they were,

They bound him mickle strong,

Tull Edenburrow they led him thair,
And on a gallows hung:

They hung him high aboon the rest,

He was so trim a boy:

Thair dyed the youth whom I lued best,

My handsome Gilderoy.

1 Safely

Thus having yielded up his breath,

I bare his corpse away;

Wi' tears, that trickled for his death,
I washt his comely clay;
And siker in a grave sae deep

I laid the dear-lued boy,
And now for evir maun I weep
My winsome Gilderoy.