| 1 |
'O lady, rock never your young son young
One hour langer for me;
For I have a sweetheart in Garlioch Wells
I love far better than thee. |
| 2 |
'The very sole o that ladye's foot
Than thy face is far mair white:'
'But, nevertheless, now, Erl Richard,
Ye will bide in my bower a' night?' |
| 3 |
She birled him wi the ale and wine,
As they sat down to sup:
A living man he laid him down,
But I wot he neer rose up. |
| 4 |
Then up and spake the popinjay,
That flew aboun her head:
'Lady, keep weel your green cleiding
Frae gude Erl Richard's bleid.' |
| 5 |
'O better I'll keep my green cleiding
Frae gude Erl Richard's bleid,
Than thou canst keep thy clattering toung,
That trattles in thy head.' |
| 6 |
She has calld upon her bower-maidens,
She has calld them ane by ane:
'There lies a deid man in my bowr,
I wish that he were gane.' |
| 7 |
They hae booted him, and spurred him,
As he was wont to ride,
A hunting-horn tied round his waist,
A sharp sword by his side;
And they hae had him to the wan water,
For a' men call it Clyde. |
| 8 |
Then up and spake the popinjay,
That sat upon the tree:
'What hae ye down wi Erl Richard?
Ye were his gaye ladye.' |
| 9 |
'Come down, come down, my bonny bird,
And sit upon my hand;
And thou sall hae a cage o gowd,
Where thou hast but the wand.' |
| 10 |
'Awa, awa, ye ill woman,
Nae cage o gowd for me;
As ye hae dune to Erl Richard,
Sae wad ye do to me.' |
| 11 |
She hadna crossd a rigg o land,
A rigg but barely ane,
When she met wi his auld father,
Came riding all alane. |
| 12 |
'Where hae ye been, now, ladye fair,
Where hae ye been sae late?
We hae been seeking Erl Richard,
But him we canna get.' |
| 13 |
'Erl Richard kens a' the fords in Clyde,
He'll ride them ane by ane;
And though the night was neer sae mirk,
Erl Richard will be hame.' |
| 14 |
O it fell anes upon a day
The king was boun to ride,
And he has mist him Erl Richard,
Should hae ridden on his right side. |
| 15 |
The ladye turnd her round about,
Wi mickle mournfu din:
'It fears me sair o Clyde water,
That he is drownd therein.' |
| 16 |
'Gar douk, gar douk,' the king he cried,
'Gar douk for gold and fee;
O wha will douk for Erl Richard's sake,
Or wha will douk for me?' |
| 17 |
They douked in at ae weil-heid,
And out aye at the other:
'We can douk nae mair for Erl Richard,
Altho he were our brother.' |
| 18 |
It fell that in that ladye's castle
The king was boun to bed,
And up and spake the popinjay,
That flew abune his head. |
| 19 |
'Leave aff your douking on the day,
And douk upon the night;
And wherever that sackless knight lies slain,
The candles will burn bright.' |
| 20 |
'O there's a bird within this bower,
That sings baith sad and sweet;
O there's a bird within your bower
Keeps me frae my night's sleep.' |
| 21 |
They left the douking on the day,
And douked upon the night,
And where that sackless knight lay slain,
The candles burned bright. |
| 22 |
The deepest pot in a' the linn
They fand Erl Richard in;
A green turf tyed across his breast,
To keep that gude lord down. |
| 23 |
Then up and spake the king himsell,
When he saw the deadly wound,
'O wha has slain my right-hand man,
That held my hawk and hound?' |
| 24 |
Then up and spake the popinjay,
Says, What needs a' this din?
It was his light lemman took his life,
And hided him in the linn. |
| 25 |
She swore her by the grass sae grene,
Sae did she by the corn,
She had na seen him Erl Richard
Since Moninday at morn. |
| 26 |
'Put na the wyte on me,' she said,
'It was my may, Catherine:'
Then they hae cut baith fern and thorn,
To burn that maiden in. |
| 27 |
It wadna take upon her cheik,
Nor yet upon her chin,
Nor yet upon her yellow hair,
To cleanse the deadly sin. |
| 28 |
The maiden touchd the clay-cauld corpse,
A drap it never bled;
The ladye laid her hand on him,
And soon the ground was red. |
| 29 |
Out they hae ta'en her May Catherine,
And put her mistress in;
The flame tuik fast upon her cheik,
Tuik fast upon her chin,
Tuik fast upon her fair bodye,
She burnd like hollins grene. |
