A stall-copy lent me by Mrs. Alexander Forbes,
Liberton, Edinburgh.
| 1 |
'Rise up, rise up, Lord Douglas,' she said,
'And draw to your arms so bright;
Let it never be said a daughter of yours
Shall go with a lord or a knight. |
| 2 |
'Rise up, rise up, my seven bold sons,
And draw to your armour so bright;
Let it never be said a sister of yours
Shall go with a lord or a night.' |
| 3 |
He looked over his left shoulder,
To see what he could see,
And there he spy'd her seven brethren bold,
And her father that lov'd her tenderly. |
| 4 |
'Light down, light down, Lady Margret,' he said,
'And hold my steed in thy hand.
That I may go fitht with your seven brethren bold,
And your father who's just at hand.' |
| 5 |
O there she stood, and bitter she stood,
And never did shed a tear,
Till once she saw her seven brethren slain,
And her father she lovd so dear. |
| 6 |
'Hold, hold your hand, William,' she said,
'For thy strokes are wondrous sore;
For sweethearts I may get many a one,
But a father I neer will get more.' |
| 7 |
She took out a handkerchief of holland so fine
And wip'd her father's bloody wound,
Which ran more clear than the red wine,
And forked on the cold ground. |
| 8 |
'O chuse you, chuse you, Margret,' he said,
'Whether you will go or bide!'
'I must go with you, Lord William,' she said,
'Since you've left me no other guide.' |
| 9 |
He lifted her on a milk-white steed,
And himself on a dapple grey,
With a blue gilded horn hanging by his side,
And they slowly both rode away. |
| 10 |
Away they rode, and better they rode,
Till they came to yonder sand,
Till once they came to yon river side,
And ther they lighted down. |
| 11 |
They lighted down to take a drink
Of the spring that ran so clear,
And there she spy'd his bonny heart's blood,
A running down the stream. |
| 12 |
'Hold up, hold up, Lord William,' she says,
'For I fear that you are slain;'
''Tis nought but the shade of my scarlet clothes,
That is sparkling down the stream.' |
| 13 |
He lifted her on a milk-white steed,
And himself on a dapple grey,
With a blue gilded horn hanging by his side,
And slowly they rode away. |
| 14 |
Ay they rode, and better they rode,
Till they came to his mother's bower;
Till once they came to his mother's bower,
And down they lighted there. |
| 15 |
'O mother, mother, make my bed,
And make it saft and fine,
And lay my lady close at my back,
That I may sleep most sound.' |
| 16 |
Lord William he died eer middle o the night,
Lady Margret long before the morrow;
Lord William he died for pure true love,
And Lady Margret died for sorrow. |
| 17 |
Lord William was bury'd in Lady Mary's kirk,
The other in Saint Mary's quire;
Out of William's grave sprang a red rose,
And out of Margret's a briar. |
| 18 |
And ay they grew, and ay they threw,
As they wad fain been near;
And by this you may ken right well
They were twa lovers dear. |
