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The ballad-collector Professor Child (1825-1896) suggested that Young Waters was one of the Scottish nobles executed by James I after returning from his captivity in England, but the song doesn’t appear to relate closely to any historical incident. In a very similar Scandinavian ballad, a man named Folke Lovmandson finds favour with many ladies of court of King Magnus l of Sweden--especially the queen; a page stirs the king’s suspicion and the innocent knight is rolled down the hill in a barrel set with knives. True or not, it stands as an indictment on the absolute power of monarchs,-- yet still somehow the blame is put on “the words that the queen had spoke”!

Mote Hill in Stirling is also known as Heiding Hill and is the location of the Beheading Stone - the traditional execution block of Medieval Stirling. The stone itself is now on a concrete mount, under an iron cage and you can still see the axe marks from the executions.

lyrics

Lyrics

About the Yule, when the winds blew cool
And the feasting it began
Oh there is come to our king’s court
Many’s the well-favoured man.
The queen’s looked over the castle wall,
Beheld both dale and down,
And there she spied Young Waters
A-riding to the town.

His footmen they did run before
And his horsemen rode behind;
A mantle of the burnished gold
Did keep him from the wind.
Golden graced his horse before
And silver shod behind;
The horse that Waters rode upon
Was swifter than the wind.

And then up then spoke a wily lord
And unto the queen said he,
“Oh, say whose is the fairest face
Rides in the company?”
“Oh, I’ve seen lord and I’ve seen laird
And knights of high degree,
But Young Waters is the fairest face
That ever my eyes did see.”

And then out spoke the jealous king
And an angry man was he,
Saying would he had have been twice as fair
You might have excepted me.”
“You’re neither lord nor laird,” she says,
“But the king that wears the crown.
And there’s not a knight in all of Scotland
But to thee must bow down.”

But for all that she could do nor say
Appeased he would not be,
And for the words that the queen had spoke
Young Waters he must die.
And they have taken Young Waters
And put shackles on his feet,
And they have taken Young Waters
And thrown him in dungeon deep.

“Oh it’s oft I’ve ridden through Stirling Town
In the wind both and the wet
But I never rode through Stirling Town
With fetters on my feet.
It’s oft I’ve ridden through Stirling Town
In the wind both and the rain
But I never rode through Stirling Town
Never to return again.”

And they have taken to the heading hill
His young son in his cradle,
And they have taken to the heading hill
His horse both and his saddle.
And they have taken to the heading hill
His lady fair to see,
And all for the words that the queen had spoke
Young Waters he did die.

credits

from A Rose From My Mother's Garden, released October 12, 2019
trad anon Child Ballad 94

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Ruth Cooke image

Ruth Cooke UK

Wbsite: www.ruthcooke.com
Ruth has been writing and performing songs for many years now but has mostly been too busy living to record anything!
She is mostly to be found at folk clubs and festivals or at small gatherings and round campfires - although she wouldn’t say no to a small stadium!
She loves singarounds wherever they may be and is a regular floor singer at Lewes Saturday Folk Club. ... more

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