Buchan's Ballads of the North of Scotland, I, 160.
| 1 |
Clerk Sandy and a lady gay
Where walking in the garden green,
And great and heavy was the love
That hae befa'en these twa between. |
| 2 |
'A bed, a bed,' said Clerk Sandy,
'A bed, my love, for you and me;'
'O never a foot,' said the lady gay,
'Till ance that we twa married be. |
| 3 |
'My seven brithers will come in,
And a' their torches burning bright;
They'll say, We hae but ae sister,
And here she's lying wi a knight.' |
| 4 |
'Ye'll take my brand I bear in hand,
And wi the same ye'll lift the gin;
Then ye may swear, and save your oath,
That ye neer let Clerk Sandy in. |
| 5 |
'Ye'll take that kurchie on your head,
And wi the same tie up your een;
And ye will swear, and save your oath,
Ye saw not Sandy sin yestreen. |
| 6 |
'Ye'll lift me in your arms twa,
And carry me unto your bed;
Then ye may swear, and save your oath,
Clerk Sandy in your bower neer tread.' |
| 7 |
She's taen the brand he bare in hand,
And wi the same lifted the gin;
It was to swear, and save her oath,
She never loot Clerk Sandy in. |
| 8 |
She's taen the kurchie frae her head,
And wi the same tied up her een;
It was to swear, and save her oath,
She saw not Sandy sin yestreen. |
| 9 |
She's taen him in her arms twa,
And she's carried him to her bed;
It was to swear, and save her oath,
Clerk Sandie in her bower neer tread. |
| 10 |
They hadna kissd, nor love clapped,
Like other lovers when they meet,
Till in a quarter's space and less
These two lovers fell sound asleep. |
| 11 |
Then in it came her seven brothers,
And a' their torches burning bright;
They said, We hae but ae sister,
And here she's lying wi a knight. |
| 12 |
O out it speaks the first o them,
'We will awa and lat them be;'
Then out it speaks the second o them,
'His father has nae mair but he.' |
| 13 |
Out it speaks the third o them,
For he was standing on the birk:
'Nae sweeter coud twa lovers lye,
Tho they'd been married in a kirk.' |
| 14 |
Then out it speaks the fourth o them,
Mair fair and lovely is his buke:
'Our sister dear we cannot blame,
Altho in him she pleasure took.' |
| 15 |
Then out it speaks the fifth o them,
'It were a sin to do them ill;'
Then out it spake the sixth o them,
'It's hard a sleeping man to kill.' |
| 16 |
But out it speaks the seventh o them,
I wish an ill death mat he dee!
'I wear the sharp brand by my side
That soon shall gar Clerk Sandy die.' |
| 17 |
Then he's taen out his trusty brand,
And he has stroakd it ower a strae;
And thro and thro Clerk Sandy's middle
I wat he's gart it come and gae. |
| 18 |
The lady slept by her love's side
Until the dawning o the day,
But what was dune she naething knew,
For when she wak'd these words did say: |
| 19 |
'Awake, awake, now Clerk Sandy,
Awake, and turn you unto me;
Ye're nae sae keen's ye were at night,
When you and I met on the lee.' |
| 20 |
O then she calld her chamber-maid
To bring her coal and candle seen:
'I fear Clerk Sandy's dead eneuch,
I had a living man yestreen.' |
| 21 |
They hae lifted his body up,
They hae searched it round and round,
And even anent his bonny heart
Discovered the deadly wound. |
| 22 |
She wrung her hands, and tore her hair,
And wrung her hands most bitterlie:
'This is my fause brothers, I fear,
This night hae used this crueltie. |
| 23 |
'But I will do for my love's sake
Woud nae be done by ladies rare;
For seven years shall hae an end
Or eer a kame gang in my hair. |
| 24 |
'O I will do for my love's sake
What other ladies woud think lack;
For seven years shall hae an end
Or eer I wear but dowie black. |
| 25 |
'And I will do for my love's sake
What other ladies woudna thole;
Seven years shall hae an end
Or eer a shoe gang on my sole.' |
| 26 |
In it came her father dear,
And he was belted in a brand;
Sae softly as he trad the floor,
And in her bower did stately stand. |
| 27 |
Says, Hold your tongue, my daughter dear,
And ye'll lat a' your mourning be;
I'll wed you to a higher match
Or eer his father's son coud be. |
| 28 |
'Wed well, wed well your seven sons;
I wish ill wedded they may be,
Sin they hae killd him Clerk Sandy!
For wedded shall I never be.' |
| 29 |
His corpse was laid in the cauld clay,
The bells went tinkling thro the town;
'Alas! alas!' said the lady gay,
'That eer I heard that waefu soun!' |
| 30 |
When she had sitten intill her bower
A twalmonth lang and weary day,
Even below her bower-window
She heard a ghaist to knock an cry. |
| 31 |
She says, Ye're thief or bauld robber,
Or biggin come to burn or brake;
Or are you ony masterfu man,
That is come seeking ony make? |
| 32 |
'I am not thief nor bauld robber,
Nor bigging come to burn nor brake;
Nor am I ony masterfu man,
That is come seeking ony make;
But I'm Clerk Sandy, your first love,
And wants wi you again to speak. |
| 33 |
'Gin ye're Clerk Sandy, my first love,
And wants wi me to speak again,
Tell me some o' the love tokens
That you and I had last between.' |
| 34 |
'O mind not ye, ye gay lady,
Sin last I was in bower wi thee,
That in it came your seven brethren,
The youngest gart me sairly dree?'
Then sighd and said the gay lady,
'Sae true a tale as ye tell me.' |
| 35 |
Sae painfully she clam the wa,
She clam the wa up after him;
'Twas not for want of stockings nor sheen,
But hadna time to put them on;
And in the midst o gude greenwood,
'Twas there she lost the sight o him. |
| 36 |
The lady sat, and mourning there,
Until she coudna weep nae mair;
At length the cloks and wanton flies
They biggit in her yellow hair. |
| 37 |
'O had your peace, my dearest dear,
For I am come to mak you wise;
Or this night nine nights come and gang,
We baith shall be in Paradise.' |
