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Betsy Bell and Mary Gray

[ Roud 237 ; Child 201 ; G/D 6:1257 ; Ballad Index C201 ; DT BESSBELL , BESSBEL2 ; Mudcat 30105 ; trad.]

Ancient and Modern Scottish Songs, Heroic Ballads, etc. Last Leaves of Traditional Ballads and Ballad Airs The Oxford Book of Ballads

Ewan MacColl sang Bessie Bell and Mary Gray in 1956 on A.L. Lloyd’s and his Riverside album The English and Scottish Popular Ballads (The Child Ballads) Volume IV and in 1964 on his Folkways album with a similar name, The English and Scottish Popular Ballads: Vol. 2. He noted:

According to popular tradition, the two young women whose names give the title of this ballad, built a hut in the countryside outside Perth in a vain attempt to cheat the plague of 1645. The ballad, popularised in the 19th century by broadside texts, was known as far back as the end of the 17th century. Alan Ramsey made a drawing-room adaptation of it and a 19th century music hall song was based upon the ballad. A nursery rhyme version is still known to children in Great Britain. First verse and tune learned from Margaret Logan, of Corsham, Wilts, second verse from Greig and Keith.

The Elliotts of Birtley sang Nancy Grey and Betsy Gray, recorded in 1961 by Ewan MacColl and Peggy Seeger, on their eponymous Folkways album The Elliotts of Birtley: A Musical Portrait of a Durham Mining Family. The liner notes commented:

According to popular tradition, the two young women whose name form the title of this ballad, built a hut in the countryside outside Perth in a vain bid to cheat the plague of 1645. The ballad, popularised in the 19th century by broadside texts, was known as far back as the end of the 17th century. Alan Ramsey made a drawing-room adaption of the ballad, retaining the opening stanza. A nursery rhyme version of the song exists.

The ‘rashes’ (rushes) of the early Scots version has been changed into ‘ashes’ in the stanza sung by Reece Elliott and the girls’ named have been altered.

Martin Carthy and Maddy Prior sang Betsy Bell and Mary Gray on his 1972 album Shearwater; it was re-released on the compilations by Steeleye Span & Co, Individually and Collectively and Time Span. Martin Carthy wrote in the original album’s sleeve notes:

The Great Plague struck the Perth area in which Betsy Bell and Mary Gray are supposed to have lived twenty years before it did the same in the south. According to the tradition surrounding the song, one was on a visit to the other at the time of the outbreak, and in order to avoid it they built themselves a bower about three quarters of a mile from Lednock House, on the side of Brauchieburn. Eventually they caught it from a young man who was said to be in love with them both, who used to bring them provisions, and were buried in Dranochhaugh by the River Almond. A stone slab erected on the grave in 1781 had disappeared under a mound of stones put there by various pilgrims by the end of the 19th century, but is, in all probability, still there.

Lal and Norma Waterson and Lal’s daughter Maria Knight sang Betsy Belle in 1977 on their Topic album A True Hearted Girl. Bob Hudson notes:

As sung by Norma and Lal Waterson, this is a cropped version of Child Ballad No. 201. It is the story of two Scottish women who, to protect themselves from the plague of 1645, isolate themselves in a remote bower. Unfortunately, a young suitor, who has taken a fancy to both women, seems to have infected them - fatally - with the plague in spite of their precautions. The first verse of the original ballad seems to be an authentic fragment, the remainder being the work of Scottish poet Allan Ramsay (1686-1758). A text very close to the one sung here can be found in James Kinsley’s Oxford Book of Ballads, No. 128.

Maddy Prior recorded Betsy Bell and Mary Gray again in 1989 with Steeleye Span for their album Tempted and Tried, with nearly the same lyrics but this time in Scots. A 1986 Eastbourne live version from Steeleye’s “Back in Line” tour appears on the Steeleye Span / Maddy Prior sampler A Rare Collection 1972-1996. Another live recording, from the Maddy Prior, Family & Friends Christmas tour of 1999, was released on the CD Ballads and Candles. And yet another Steeleye Span performance was recorded live at the Southampton Civic Hall on 15 May 2004 and released on The Official Bootleg.

Cherish the Ladies sang Betsy Belle and Mary Gray in 2005 on their Rounder album Woman of the House. They noted:

This is Child’s Ballad #201 titled Bessy Belle and Mary Gray. Mary Gray’s father was the Lord of Lednock and Bessie Belle’s father was the Lord of Kinvaid. They were close friends and while Bessie was visiting Mary Gray in 1666, the plague broke out. They built a bower not far from Lednock house and retired there to avoid the plague. They lived there until they caught the plague from a gentleman who supposedly brought them supplies who was in love with them both. They died in their bower and were buried near tthe bank of the river Almond.

Paul and Liz Davenport sang Betsy Bell and Mary Gray in 2006 on their Hallamshire Traditions album Under the Leaves. They noted:

This children’s song is supposed to recount a sad tale in which two young women, seeking to escape the plague, took themselves away from the town and lived in isolation. They failed to escape the disease however, because their food supplier was Mary Gray’s boyfriend who brought them both food and, of course, the infection which they had tried to avoid but which caught them in the end. We assembled this version from a number of sources including a book of nursery rhymes and The Scots Musical Museum. Our version is anglicised and set in Yorkshire.

The Demon Barbers learned Betsy Bell and Mary Gray from Martin Carthy’s album and recorded in 2008 for their CD +24db.

Sue Brown and Lorraine Irwing sang Betsy Bell and Mary Gray in 2012 on their RootBeat CD The 13th Bedroom.

The Foxglove Trio sang Betsy Bell and Mary Gray in 2013 on their EP Like Diamond Glances. They noted:

This song tells the story of a 17th century delivery boy who falls in love with two young women who’d been sent to live in a forest to avoid the Perthshire plague. It’s a version of Child ballad 201. We end the track with a traditional Irish tune called Morrison’s jig.

Crafting for Foes sang Betsy Bell and Mary Gray on the anthology of songs and tunes from the Leigh Folk Festival 2015, Rivers Rushes Rodents & Regicide.

Suntrap sang Bessie Bell and Mary Gray in 2019 on their CD Northern Lights.

Gigspanner Big Band sang Betsy Bell and Mary Gray in 2020 on their CD Natural Invention. They noted:

The most interesting aspect of this traditional song is what it doesn’t reveal. Based on fact, Betsy’s and Mary’s endeavour to escape the plague by building a remote bower was undone by the arrival of a lover bearing food and gifts, and subsequently the plague, which was believed to have been carried on a necklace taken from a victim.

Lyrics

Ewan MacColl sings Bessie Bell and Mary Gray

Bessie Bell and Mary Gray,
They were twa bonnie lasses,
They biggit their bower on yon burnside,
And thackit it ower wi’ rushes.

They thackit it ower wi’ rushes green,
They thackit it ower wi’ heather,
But the plague cam’ fae the borrow toon,
An’ buried them baith thegither.

(repeat first verse)

Martin Carthy and Maddy Prior sing Betsy Bell and Mary Gray

Betsy Bell and Mary Gray,
They were bonny lasses.
They built them a bower on yon burnside,
They theeked it all o’er wi’ rashes.

They theeked it all o’er wi’ rashes green,
They theeked it all o’er wi’ heather.
The plague came from the burrows-town,
And it slew them both together.

They would not have their shoes of red
Nor would they have them yellow.
But they would have their shoes of green
To ride through the streets of Yarrow.

They thought to lie all in the church yard,
Among their noble kin.
But they were laid in Stronach Hall,
All art beneath the sun.

(repeat first verse)

Lal & Norma Waterson sing Betsy Belle

Betsy Belle and Mary Gray
They were bonny lasses
Built a bower on yon burn side
And covered it all wi’ rushes

Betsy kept the garden gate
Mary kept the pantry
Betsy always had to wait
While Mary she had plenty

Betsy Belle and Mary Gray
They were bonny lasses
Built a bower on yon burn side
And covered it all wi’ rushes

They covered it all wi’ rushes green
They covered it all wi’ heather
The plague came from the borough town
Buried them both together.

Maddy Prior with Steeleye Span sings Betsy Bell and Mary Gray

Betsy Bell and Mary Gray,
They were bonny lasses.
They bigget a bower on yon burnside,
And theekit it o’er wi’ rashes.

They theekit it o’er wi’ rashes green,
They theekit it o’er wi’ heather.
But the plague came from the burrows-town,
And it slew them baith thegither.

They would not have their shoes of red
Nor would they have them yellow.
But they would have their shoes of green
To ride through the streets of Yarrow.

They thought to lye in Methren Kirk yard,
Among their noble kin.
But they maun lye in Stronach haugh,
All art beneath the sun.

(repeat first verse)

The Foxglove Trio sing Betsy Bell and Mary Gray

Oh, Betsy Bell and Mary Gray, they were two bonnie lasses,
They biggit a bower on yon Burnside and theeked it o’er with rashes,
Fair Betsy Bell I loved so well and thought I ne’er could alter,
But Mary Gray’s two cheeky eyes caused all my fancy falter.

Chorus:
Oh, Betsy Bell and Mary Gray, they were two bonnie lasses,
They biggit a bower on yon Burnside and theeked it o’er with rashes.

Betsy’s hair is flaxen gold, she smiles like a May morning,
When Phoebus starts from Thoetus lap the hills with rays adorning,
White is her hair, soft is her hand, her waist and feet flow gently,
With every grace she can command, her lips I vow are dainty.

(horus)

Oh, Mary’s hair is like the crow, her eyes like diamond glances,
She’s aye so clean red up and raw, she kills whene’er she dances,
Blithe as a kid with wit and will, she’s blooming, tight and tall is,
And guides her airs so graceful still, by Jove, she’s like thy palace.

(horus)

Oh, Betsy Bell and Mary Gray, ye unco saer oppress us,
Our fancies fee between ye two, ye are such bonnie lasses,
Woe’s me for both I cannot get, to one by law we’re stinted,
Then I’ll draw lots and take my fate and be with one contented.

Betsy Bell and Mary Gray, they were two bonnie lasses,
They biggit a bower on yon Burnside and theeked it o’er with rashes,
But Betsy Bell nor Mary Gray could quell my fancy ever,
The plague came from the burrows town, it slew them both together.

Acknowledgements and Links

Thanks to Greer Gilman for the transcription, to Patrick Montague for correcting the lyrics and to Bob Hudson for the note.

More explanations of this ballad’s background can be found at Henry’s Songbook.