Collection of ballads, songsheets. 2 vols. London: J. Pitts, 1805-1840? University of Minnesota Libraries. WILSON Rare Books Quarto 820.1 Z. Vol. 1.

The Bonnet So Blue

Pitts, Printer, Wholesale Toy and Marble Warehouse. 6, Great <S>t Andrew <S>treet, 7 dials

DOWN in a valley in the town of Yorkshire,
I lived at my ease and was free from all care
I lived at my ease and had sweethearts enough,
He's my bonny Scotch laddie with his bonnet so blue<.>

A regiment of soldiers as soon you shall hear
From Scotland to England abroad for to go,
There is one lad among that I love so true,
He's my bonny <S>cotch laddie with his bonnet so blue<.>

I<t> was early one morning I rose <fr>om my bed
I called for Nelly my own waiting maid,
I said dress me neat as your two hands can do
I'm going to see the lads with their bonnets so blue<.>

When I came the regiment it was on parade
I stood with great pleasure to hear what was said,
His name is Charles Thompson I love him so true
For so wel<l> he becomes his bonnet so blue<.>

My love he came to me with his gun in his hand
I strove to speak to him but ëtwas <i>n vain,
I strove to speak to him bu<t> fr<o>m me he flew,
But my heart went along with his bonnet so blue<.>

I said my dear jewel I'll buy your discharge,
I'll free you from a soldier and set you at large
If you could but love me my heart wo<u>ld prove true
For dearly I do love your bonnet so blue<.>

You said my dear lady you'll buy my discharge,
You'd free me from a soldier and set me at large,
But if I could but love you my heart would prove true,
Then what would my poor little Scotch lassie do<?>

But I have got sweethearts in my country
I<'>ll never despise them for their poverty.
For the girl that I love she will always prove true<,>
And she'll ne'er p<u>t a stain on my bonnet so blue<.>

I'll send for a limner from London to Hull,
And have my love's picture drawn out in full
And in my bed chamber so oft will I view
That bonny Scotch laddie with his bonnet so blue<.>


Basic transcription by Eric Welle.
Pointed brackets mark emendations.

Similar to The Bonnet of Blue, transcribed by The Digital Tradition Folk Song Database from Songs the Whalemen Sang, ed. Gale Huntington (Barre, MA: Barre, 1964), where it is collected from an 1856 source.

Return to Collection of ballads, songsheets.
Return to home page.

Michael Hancher
Department of English, University of Minnesota
URL: <http://umn.edu/home/mh/bonnet.html>
Comments to: mh@umn.edu
Created 21 April 1997