Volume V, song 487, page 502 - 'Good morrow, fair mistress' - Scanned from the 1853 edition of the 'Scots Musical Museum', James Johnson and Robert Burns (Edinburgh and London: W. Blackwood & Sons, 1853)

Verse 1: 'Good morrow fair mistress the beginner of strife, I took ye frae the begging, and made ye my wife. It was your fair outside, that first took my ee, But this is the last time my face ye sall see.' The 'Scots Musical Museum' is the most important of the numerous eighteenth- and nineteenth-century collections of Scottish song. When the engraver James Johnson started work on the second volume of his collection in 1787, he enlisted Robert Burns as contributor and editor. Burns enthusiastically collected songs from various sources, often expanding or revising them, whilst including much of his own work. The resulting combination of innovation and antiquarianism gives the work a feel of living tradition. It is possible that this song has an Irish origin, which would make its inclusion in the 'Museum' unusual. Burns operated a strict policy whereby only songs of Scottish origin were included. The lyrics were originally published by Herd in 1776 although there is no previous occurrence of the tune in print before the 'Museum'. The song was described at the time by Clarke, the editor, as having 'much pathos and feeling'.

Collection

Scots Musical Museum

Inventory Number

4503681

Title

Volume V, song 487, page 502 - 'Good morrow, fair mistress' - Scanned from the 1853 edition of the 'Scots Musical Museum', James Johnson and Robert Burns (Edinburgh and London: W. Blackwood & Sons, 1853)

Object Type

PhysicalObject

Measurements

- 129 x 211 mm