The Gleeman
Notes on The Dæmon Lover
References:
- Air; Motherwell (1827)MWM, after p390, air
#1. Text for air; p.xv (of the appendix).
- Text; Motherwell (1827)MWM,
pp95-98.
Comments:
This is #243 in the Child cannon. The nearest variant to this one
that Child has is 243F (Child, 1882-1898 CPB ,vol IV,
pp366-367).
This in turn is taken from the fifth (1812) edition of Scott's Minstrelsy of
the Scottish Border. The words in the the edition I have (1880,
based on the
1833 edition) are similar, but have a few extra verses than Child's
(Scott, 1880 SBM
,vol III, pp195-198). Scott's work and Motherwell's versions are almost
identical, except for spelling and formatting differences.
It should be noted that Motherwell notes Scott's work in his book, and
the editors of the 1833 edition of Scott's work return the compliment,
so there may have been some cross-fertilisation of ideas regarding this
work.
As to the source (for the text) to both Motherwell's and Scott's
version, according to
Scott (quoted in full by Motherwell):
"This ballad, which contains some verses of merit, was taken down from
recitation by Mr. William Laidlaw, tenant in Traquair-knowe. It
contains a legend, which, in various shapes, is current in Scotland.
I remember to have heard a ballad, in which a fiend is introduced
paying his addresses to a beautiful maiden; but, disconserted by the
holy herbs she wore in her bossom, make the following lines the burden
of his courtship:—
"Gin ye wish to be leman mine,
Lay aside the St John's wort and the vervain."
The heroine of the following tale was unfortunately without any
similar protection." (Scott, p194, Motherwell, p92).
Motherwell goes on to note that Mr. Laidlaw may have improved upon the
original!
As to the air, Motherwell doesn't give a source. The words on the air
are slightly different to those in the main body of the text.
Regarding the the typeset score; in Motherwell's original the words
associated with the score are in the appendix (separate from both the
actual score and the main text of the ballad). I have taken the liberty
of adding these words to the score (in a manner that seems suitable).
Those who may wish to have the
score without the words can find a (public domain) copy here. I have also shifted the
line break by one bar.
