Buchan's Ballads of the North of Scotland, I, 15.
| 1 |
It fell about the gude Yule time,
When caps and stoups gaed roun,
Down it came him Young Waters,
To welcome James, our king. |
| 2 |
The great, the great, rade a' together,
The sma came a' behin,
But wi Young Waters, that brave knight,
There came a gay gatherin. |
| 3 |
The horse Young Waters rade upon,
It cost him hunders nine;
For he was siller-shod before,
And gowd-graith had behin. |
| 4 |
At ilka tippit o his horse mane
There hang a siller bell;
The wind was loud, the steed was proud,
And they gae a sindry knell. |
| 5 |
The king he lay ower 's castle- wa,
Beheld baith dale and down,
And he beheld him Young Waters,
Come riding to the town. |
| 6 |
He turnd him right and round about,
And to the queen said he,
Who is the bravest man, my dame,
That ever your een did see? |
| 7 |
'I've seen lairds, and I've seen lords,
And knights o high degree,
But a braver man than Young Waters
My een did never see.' |
| 8 |
He turnd him right and roun about,
And ane angry man was he:
'O wae to you, my dame, the queen,
Ye might hae excepted me!' |
| 9 |
'Ye are nae laird, ye are nae lord,
Ye are the king that wears the crown;
There 's nae a lord in fair Scotland
But unto you maun a' bow dowu.' |
| 10 |
'O lady, for your love-choicing,
Ye shall win to your will;
The morn, or I eat or drink,
Young Waters I'll gar kill.' |
| 11 |
'And nevertheless,' the king coud say,
'Ye might hae excepted me;
Yea for yea,' the king coud say,
'Young Waters he shall die. |
| 12 |
'Likewise for your ill-wyled words,
Ye sail hae cause to mourn;
Gin ye hadna been sae big wi child,
Ye on a hill sud burn." |
| 13 |
Young Waters came before the king,
Fell low down on his knee:
'Win up, win up, Young Waters,
What 's this 1 hear o thee?' |
| 14 |
'What ails the king at me," he said,
'What ails the king at me?'
'It is tauld me the day, sir knight,
Ye've done me treasonie.' |
| 15 |
'Liars will lie on fell gude men,
Sae will they do on me;
I wudna wish to be the man
That liars on wudna lie.' |
| 16 |
'Nevertheless,' the king coud say,
'In prison strang gang ye;
O yea for yea," the king coud say,
'Young Waters, ye shall die.' |
| 17 |
Syne they hae taen him Young Waters,
Laid him in prison strang,
And left him there wi fetters boun,
Making a heavy mane. |
| 18 |
'Aft hae I ridden thro Striveling town
Thro heavy wind and weet;
But neer rade I thro Striveling town
Wi fetters on my feet. |
| 19 |
'Aft hae I ridden thro Striveling town
Thro heavy wind and rain;
But neer rade I thro Striveling town
But thought to ridden 't again.' |
| 20 |
They brought him to the heading-hill,
His horse bot and his saddle;
And they brought to the heading-hill
His young son in his cradle. |
| 21 |
And they brought to the heading-hill
His hounds intill a leish;
And they brought till the heading-hill
His gos-hawk in a jess. |
| 22 |
King James he then rade up the hill,
And mony a man him wi,
And called on his trusty page
To come right speedilie. |
| 23 |
'Ye'll do ye to the Earl o Mar,
For he sits on yon hill;
Bid him to loose the brand frae his bodie,
Young Waters for to kill.' |
| 24 |
'O gude forbid,' the Earl he said,
'The like sud eer fa me,
My bodie eer sud wear the brand
That gars Young Waters die.' |
| 25 |
Then he has loosd his trusty brand
And casten 't in the sea;
Says, Never lat them get a brand
Till it come back to me. |
| 26 |
The scaffold it prepared was,
And he did mount it hie,
And a* spectators that were there,
The saut tears blint their ee. |
| 27 |
'O had your tongues, my brethren dear,
And mourn nae mair for me;
Ye "re seeking grace frae a graceless face,
For there is nane to gie. |
| 28 |
'Ye'll tak a bit o canvas claith
And pit it ower my ee;
And Jack, my man, ye'll be at hand
The hour that I sud die. |
| 29 |
'Syne aff ye'll tak my bluidy sark,
Gie it fair Margaret Grahame;
For she may curse the dowie dell
That brought King James him hame. |
| 30 |
'Ye'll bid her mak her bed narrow,
And mak it naeways wide;
For a brawer man than Young Waters
Will neer streek by her side. |
| 31 |
'Bid her do weel to my young son,
And gie him nurses three;
For gin he live to be a man,
King James will gar him die.' |
| 32 |
He calld upon the headsman, then,
A purse o gowd him gae;
Says, Do your office, headsman, boy,
And mak nae mair delay. |
| 33 |
O head me soon, O head me clean,
And pit me out o pine;
For it is by the king's command;
Gang head me till his min. |
| 34 |
Tho by him I 'm condemnd to die,
I 'm lieve to his ain kin;
And for the truth, I'll plainly tell,
I am his sister's son. |
| 35 |
'Gin ye 're my sister's son,' he said,
'It is unkent to me;'
'O mindna ye on your sister Bess,
That lives in the French countrie?' |
| 36 |
'Gin Bess then be your mither dear,
As I trust well she be,
Gae hame, gae hame, Young Waters,
Ye 'se neer be slain by me.' |
| 37 |
But he lay by his napkin fine,
Was saft as ony silk,
And on the block he laid his neck,
Was whiter than the milk. |
| 38 |
Says, Strike the blow, ye headsman, boy,
And that right speedilie;
It 's never be said, Here gaes a knight
Was ance condemnd to die. |
| 39 |
The head was taen frae Young Waters,
And mony tears for him shed;
But mair did mourn for fair Margaret,
As raving she lyes mad. |
