Scott's Minstrelsy, III, 265, 1803,
communicated by James Hogg,
from the recitation of his mother (Motherwell).
| 1 |
Lord William was the bravest knight
That dwalt in fair Scotland,
And, though renowned in France and Spain,
Fell by a ladie's hand. |
| 2 |
As she was walking maid alone,
Down by yon shady wood,
She heard a smit o bridle reins,
She wishd might be for good. |
| 3 |
'Come to my arms, my dear Willie,
You're welcome hame to me;
To best o chear and charcoal red,
And candle burnin free.' |
| 4 |
'I winna light, I darena light,
Nor come to your arms at a';
A fairer maid than ten o you
I'll meet at Castle-law.' |
| 5 |
'A fairer maid than me, Willie?
A fairer maid than me?
A fairer maid than ten o me
Your eyes did never see.' |
| 6 |
He louted owr his saddle-lap
To kiss here ere they part,
And wi a little keen bodkin,
She pierced him to the heart. |
| 7 |
'Ride on, ride on, Lord William now,
As fast as ye can dree;
Your bonny lass at Castle-law
Will weary you to see.' |
| 8 |
Out up then spake a bonny bird,
Sat high upon a tree:
'How could you kill that noble lord?
He came to marry thee.' |
| 9 |
'Come down, come down, my bonny bird,
And eat bread aff my hand;
Your cage shall be of wiry goud,
Whar now it's but the wand.' |
| 10 |
'Keep ye your cage o goud, lady,
And I will keep my tree;
As ye hae done to Lord William,
Sae wad ye do to me.' |
| 11 |
She set her foot on her door-step,
A bonny marble stane,
And carried him to her chamber,
Oer him to make her mane. |
| 12 |
And she has kept that good lord's corpse
Three quarters of a year,
Until that word began to spread;
Then she began to fear. |
| 13 |
Then she cryed on her waiting-maid,
Ay ready at her ca:
'There is a knight into my bower,
'Tis time he were awa.' |
| 14 |
The ane has taen him by the head,
The ither by the feet,
And thrown him in the wan water,
That ran baith wide and deep. |
| 15 |
'Look back, look back, now, lady fair,
On him that loed ye weel;
A better man than that blue corpse
Neer drew a sword of steel.' |
