Jamieson's Popular Ballads, II, 376,
from the recitation of Mrs. Arrot, of Aberbrothick.
| 1 |
There livd a lord on yon sea-side,
And he thought on a wile,
How he would go over the saut sea
A lady to beguile. |
| 2 |
'O learn to mak your bed, Helen,
And learn to ly your lane,
For I'm gaun over the saut seas
A bright bride to bring hame.' |
| 3 |
'How can I mak my bed,' she says,
'Unless I mak it wide,
Whan I have seven o your sons
To lie down by my side? |
| 4 |
'And the first o your seven sons,
He rides a milk-white steed;
The second o your seven sons
He wears a milk-white weed. |
| 5 |
'The third ane o your seven sons,
He draws baith ale and wine;
The fourth ane o your seven sons,
He serves you when you dine. |
| 6 |
'The fifth ane o your seven sons,
He can baith read and write;
And the sixth ane o your seven sons,
He is a' your heart's delight. |
| 7 |
'And the youngest o your seven sons,
He sleeps on my breast-bane;
Whan him and I ly down at night,
For him rest get I nane.' |
| 8 |
'O wha will bake my bridal bread,
And brew my bridal ale?
And wha will welcome my gae lady,
That I bring oer the dale? |
| 9 |
'And sin ye've taen the turn in hand,
See that ye do it right,
And ilka chimly o the house,
That they be dearly dight.' |
| 10 |
O a' the day she washd and wrang,
And a' the night she buik,
And she's awa to her chamber,
To gie her young son suck. |
| 11 |
'Come here, come here, my eldest son,
And see what ye may see;
For yonder comes your father dear,
Your mother-in-law side be.' |
| 12 |
She's taen a cake o the best bread,
A bottle o the best wine,
And a' the keys upon her arm,
And to the yates she's gaen. |
| 13 |
'Ye are welcome hame, gay lady,' she said,
'And ay ye are welcome hame;
And sae is a' the gentlewomen
That's wi you ridden and gane. |
| 14 |
'You are welcome hame, gay lord' she said,
'And ay ye are welcome hame;
And sae is a' the gentlemen
That's wi you ridden and gane.' |
| 15 |
She saird them up, she saird them down,
She saird them till and frae;
But when she went behind their backs,
The tear did blind her ee. |
| 16 |
Whan day was gane, and night was come,
And a' man boun to bed,
The bridegroom and the bonny bride
In their chamber was laid. |
| 17 |
Burd Helen and her seven sons
Lay in a bower near by;
. . . . .
. . . . . |
| 18 |
'If my seven sons were seven grey ratts,
To rin frae wa to wa,
And I mysel a good grey cat,
I would bite their back a-twa. |
| 19 |
'If my seven sons were seven grey hares,
And them to rin a race,
And I mysel a good greyhound,
I would gie them a chace.' |
| 20 |
Up and spak the bonny bride,
In chamber where she lay:
'There is a lady in this bower,
She will gae mad or day.' |
| 21 |
'Lye still, lye still, my bonny bride,
Lye still and tak a sleep;
It's but ane o my wine puncheons;
Nae langer wad it keep.' |
| 22 |
'King Henry was my father dear,
Queen Catherine was my mother,
Lady Anne she was my sister dear,
And Frederick was my brother. |
| 23 |
'And whan I was six years of age,
They ca'd me Mary Mild;
I was stown frae my father's yate,
Whan I was but a child.' |
| 24 |
Then up and spak the bonny bride,
By her lord as she lay:
'Lye down, lye down, my dear sister,
There's nae ill done for me. |
| 25 |
'O seven ships conveyd me here,
And seven came oer the main;
And four o them shall stay wi you,
And three convey me hame. |
| 26 |
'But when I gae hame to my father's house,
They will laugh me to scorn,
To come awa a wedded wife,
Gae hame a maid the morn.' |
