| 1 |
O we were sisters, sisters seven,
We were a comely crew to see,
And some got lairds, and some got lords,
And some got knichts o his degree;
And I mysel got the Earl o Crawford,
And wasna that a great match for me! |
| 2 |
It was at fifteen that I was married,
And at sixteen I had a son;
And wasna that an age ower tender
For a lady to hae her first-born!
And wasna, etc. |
| 3 |
But it fell ance upon a day
I gaed into the garden green,
And naebody was therein walking
But Earl Crawford and his young son. |
| 4 |
'I wonder at you, ye Earl Crawford,
I wonder at you wi your young son;
Ye daut your young son mair than your Lillie;
[I'm sure you got na him your lane.'] |
| 5 |
[He turned about upon his heel,
I wite an angry man was he;
Says, If I got nae my young son my lane,
Bring me here the one that helpet me.] |
| 6 |
['O hold your tongue, my Earl Crawford,
And a' my folly lat it be;
There was nane at the gettin o oor son,
Nae body only but you and me.'] |
| 7 |
He set her on a milk-white steed,
Her little young son her before;
Says, Ye maun gae to bonny Stobha,
For ye will enter my yates no more. |
| 8 |
When she cam to her father's bowers,
She lichtit low down on the stane,
And wha sae ready as her auld father
To welcome Lady Lillie in? |
| 9 |
'O how's a' wi you, my daughter Lillie,
That ye come here sae hastilie?
And how's a' wi' the Earl o Crawford,
That he didna send a boy wi thee?' |
| 10 |
'O haud your tongue now, my old father,
And ye'll lat a' your folly be;
For ae word that my merry mou spak
Has parted my good lord and me.' |
| 11 |
'O haud your tongue, my daughter Lillie,
And a' your follies lat them be;
I'll double your portion ten times ower,
And a better match I'll get for thee.' |
| 12 |
'O haud your tongue now, my old father,
And a' your folly lat it be;
I wouldna gie ae kiss o Crawford
For a' the goud that ye can gie. |
| 13 |
'Whare will I get a bonny boy,
That's willin to win meat and fee,
Wha will gae on to Earl Crawford
An see an's heart be fawn to me?' |
| 14 |
When he cam to the yates o Crawford,
They were a' sitting down to dine:
'How comes it now, ye Earl Crawford,
Ye arena takin Lady Lillie hame?' |
| 15 |
'Ye may gae tell her Lady Lillie,
And ye maun neither lee nor len,
She may stay in her father's bowers,
For she'll not enter my yates again.' |
| 16 |
When he cam back to her father's yates,
He lichtit low down on his knee:
'What news, what news, my bonny boy?
What news, what news hae ye to me?' |
| 17 |
'I'm bidden tell you, Lady Lillie —
I'm bidden neither to lee nor len —
She may stay in her father's bowers,
For she'll not enter my yates again.' |
| 18 |
She stretched out her lily hand,
Says, 'Adieu, adieu to ane and a!
Adieu, adieu to Earl Crawford!'
Wi that her sair heart brak in twa. |
| 19 |
Then dowie, dowie her father raise up,
And dowie, dowie the black put on,
And dowie, dowie he mounted the brown,
And dowie, dowie sat thereon. |
| 20 |
And dowie rade to the yates o Crawford,
And when to Crawford's yates he came,
They were a' dressd in the robes o scarlet,
Just gaun to tak Lady Lillie hame. |
| 21 |
'Ye may cast aff your robes o scarlet —
I wyte they set you wondrous weel —
And now put on the black sae dowie,
And come and bury your Lady Lill.' |
| 22 |
He took his hat into his hand,
And laid it low down by his knee:
'An it be true that Lillie's dead,
The sun shall nae mair shine on me.' |
