# Bonny Gilderoy/Bonny Gilderoy

BONNY
GILDEROY.
Gilderoy Was a bonny boy, had roses in his shoon, His stockings were of silken soy, wi’ garters hanging down: It was, I ween, a comely fight, to see sae trim a boy! He was my jo, and heart’s delight, my hansome Gilderoy.
Oh! sic two charming een he had, a breath as sweet as rose! He never wore a Highland plaid, but costly silken cl thes: He gain’d the luve of ladies gay, nane e’er to him was coy; Ah! wae is me! I mourn the day, for my dear Gilderoy.
My Gilderoy and I were born baith in (illegible text) together, We, scant were seven years before we ’gan to luve each ther: , Our daddies and our mammies they were fill’d wi' meikie joy, ​To think upon the bridal day ’twixt me and Gilderoy.
For Gilderoy that lave of mine, gude faith, I freely bought, A wedding-sark of holland fine, wi’ silken flow’rs wrought; And he gied me a wedding ring, which I receiv’d with joy; Nae lad nor lassie e’er could sing like me and Gilderoy.
Wi’ meikle joy we spent our prime, till we were baith sixteen, And aft we past the langsome time amang the leaves fae green: Aft on the banks we’d sit us there, and sweetly kiss and toy; Wi’ garlands gay he’d deck my hair, my handsome Gilderoy.
Oh! that he still had been content wi’ me to lead a life; But, ah! his manfu’ heart was bent to stir in fates of strife: And he in many a vent’rous deed, his courage bauld wad try; ​And now this gars my heart to bleed for my dear Gilderoy.
And when of me his leave he took, the tears they wat mine ee; I gave tull him a parting look, "My bennison gang wi’ thee! Gud-speed thee weel, mine ain dear heart, for gane is ail my joy; My heart is rent sith we maun part, my handsome Gilderoy.
Mv Gilderoy, baith far and near, was fear’d in ev’ry town, And bauldly bare awa’ the gear of many a lawland lonn; Nane e’er durst meet him man to man, he was sae brave a boy; At length wi’ numbers he was tane, my winsome Gilderoy.
The Queen of Scots possessed nought that my love let me want; For cow and ewe he brought to me, and e’en when they were scant: All these did honestly possess, he never did annoy, ​Who never fail’d to pay their cess to my love Gilderoy.
Waeworth 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 ne’er had lost my joy; Wi’ sorrow near had wat my cheek for my dear Gilderoy.
Giff Gilderoy had done amiss, he might hae banish’d been; Ah! what fair cruelty is this, to hang sic handsome men! To hang the flow’r o’ Scottish land, sae sweet and fair a boy; Nae lady had sae white a hand as thee, my Gilderoy.
Of Gilderoy sae ’fraid they were, they bound bim very slrong; Tull Edinburgh they led him there, and on a gallows hung; They hung him high aboon the rest, he was sae trim a boy; ​There dy'd the youth whom I lo'ed best, my handsome Gilderoy.
Thus having yielded up his breath, I bare his corpse away; Wi’ tears that trickled for his death, I washt his comely clay; And sicker in a grave sae deep I laid the dear-l ’ed boy: And now for ever maun I weep, my winesome Gilderoy.
This work was published before January 1, 1929, and is in the public domain worldwide because the author died at least 100 years ago.
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