Bonnie Jeannie O Bethelnie [English translation]

There were twenty-four noblemen sitting in the King’s hall

And handsome Glenlogie was the greatest of them all

There were twenty-four noblemen frankly riding through Banchory

And handsome Glenlogie was the greatest of them there

There were sixty-six maidens sitting in the King’s hall

Pretty Jeannie of Bethelnie was the greatest of them all

Down came Jeannie Gordon, she came downstairs looking glum

And she’d chosen Glenlogie among all who where there

Glenlogie, Glenlogie, if you’re going to tell me so

I’ve put my love on you, and I’ve told you my mind

But he turned around lightly, like all the Gordons do

I thank you, Jeannie Gordon, but I’m engaged for a long time

She’d called her maidens to make her a bed

With ribbons and napkins to tie up her head

But her father said, and he was a man with manners

I’ll wed you to Dumfendrum, who has more gold than him

Oh, hold your tongue father, for that mustn’t be

If I don’t get Glenlogie, then for him will I die

But her father’s own chaplain, a man of great skill,

He had written a broad letter, and indited it well

A pox on you1, Logie, now since it is so

There’s a lady’s love put on you, must she die in her woe?

And a pox on you, Logie, now since it is time

There’s a lady’s love put on you, must she die in her prime?

When Logie got the letter, he was among men

‘Tis out, spoke Glenlogie, what does that young woman mean?

When he looked at the letter, then he gave a light laugh

But before he’d read it over, the tear blinded his eye

Go saddle the black horse for me, go saddle the brown one

Bonnie Jeannie o Bethelnie will be dead before I arrive

But the horses weren’t saddled, nor led on the green

Until handsome Glenlogie was three miles ahead

She looked so pale and suffering when Glenlogie came in

But she grew red and rosy when she realized it was him

Where lies your pain, lady, does it lie in your side?

Where lies your pain, lady, does it lie in your head?

Oh no, no, Glenlogie, you’re far apart from

For the pain that’s holding me down, it lies in my heart

Turn around, Jeannie Gordon, turn around on your side

And I’ll be the bridegroom, and you’ll be the bride

Now Jeannie was married and her dowry was paid

Pretty Jeannie of Bethelnie was scarce sixteen years old

Oh Bethelnie, oh Bethelnie, you shine where you stand

And the heather bells around you shine over Fyvie's2 land

1. A pox was any disease whose major symptom was "pocks", i.e. eruptive pustules on the skin... If the kind of pox was not otherwise specified, the "great pox" (syphilis) was what was meant. So "Pox on you!" means "I hope you get syphilis!" Sometimes it is used of inanimate or abstracts things, e.g. in Shakespeare "A pox of that jest!" which obviously makes no literal sense; here it is just roughly equivalent to "To hell with..." source: https://www.phrases.org.uk/bulletin_board/50/messages/583.html 2. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fyvie_Castle

• Artist:Dick Gaughan
• Album:Gaughan (1978)