Buchan's Ballads of the North of Scotland, I, 61.
| 1 |
O we were seven bonny sisters,
As fair women as fair could be,
And some got lairds, and some got lords,
And some got knights o high degree:
When I was married to Earl Crawford,
This was the fate befell to me. |
| 2 |
When we had been married for some time,
We walked in our garden green,
And aye he clappd his young son's head,
And aye he made sae much o him. |
| 3 |
I turnd me right and round about,
And aye the blythe blink in my ee:
'Ye think as much o your young son
As ye do o my fair body. |
| 4 |
'What need ye clap your young son's head?
What need ye make so much o him?
What need ye clap your young son's head?
I'm sure ye gotna him your lane.' |
| 5 |
'O if I gotna him my lane,
Show here the man that help d me;
And for these words your ain mouth spoke
Heir o my land he neer shall be.' |
| 6 |
He calld upon his stable-groom
To come to him right speedilie:
'Gae saddle a steed to Lady Crawford,
Be sure ye do it hastilie. |
| 7 |
'His bridle gilt wi gude red gowd,
That it may glitter in her ee;
And send her on to bonny Stobha,
All her relations for to see.' |
| 8 |
Her mother lay oer the castle wa,
And she beheld baith dale and down,
And she beheld her Lady Crawford,
As she came riding to the town. |
| 9 |
'Come here, come here, my husband dear,
This day ye see not what I see;
For here there comes her Lady Crawford,
Riding alane upon the lee.' |
| 10 |
When she came to her father's yates,
She tirled gently at the pin:
'If ye sleep, awake, my mother dear,
Ye'll rise lat Lady Crawford in.' |
| 11 |
'What news, what news, ye Lady Crawford,
That ye come here so hastilie?'
'Bad news, bad news, my mother dear,
For my gude lord's forsaken me.' |
| 12 |
'O wae's me for you, Lady Crawford,
This is a dowie tale to me;
Alas! you were too young married
To thole sic cross and misery.' |
| 13 |
'O had your tongue, my mother dear,
And ye'll lat a' your folly be;
It was a word my merry mouth spake
That sinderd my gude lord and me.' |
| 14 |
Out it spake her brither then,
Aye as he stept ben the floor:
'My sister Lillie was but eighteen years
When Earl Crawford ca'ed her a whore. |
| 15 |
'But had your tongue, my sister dear,
And ye'll lat a' your mourning bee;
I'll wed you to as fine a knight,
That is nine times as rich as hee.' |
| 16 |
'O had your tongue, my brither dear,
And ye'll lat a' your folly bee;
I'd rather yae kiss o Crawford's mouth
Than a' his gowd and white monie. |
| 17 |
'But saddle to me my riding-steed,
And see him saddled speedilie,
And I will on to Earl Crawford's,
And see if he will pity me.' |
| 18 |
Earl Crawford lay o'er castle wa,
And he beheld baith dale and down,
And he beheld her lady Crawford,
As she came riding to the town. |
| 19 |
He called ane o his livery men
To come to him right speedilie:
'Gae shut my yates, gae steek my doors,
Keep Lady Crawford out frae me.' |
| 20 |
When she came to Earl Crawford's yates,
She tirled gently at the pin:
'O sleep ye, wake ye, Earl Crawford,
Ye'll open, lat Lady Crawford in. |
| 21 |
'Come down, come down, O Earl Crawford,
And speak some comfort unto me;
And if ye winna come yoursell,
Ye'll send your gentleman to me.' |
| 22 |
'Indeed I winna come mysell,
Nor send my gentleman to thee;
For I tauld you when we did part
Nae mair my spouse ye'd ever bee.' |
| 23 |
She laid her mouth then to the yates,
And aye the tears drapt frae her ee;
Says, Fare ye well, Earl Crawford's yates,
You again I'll nae mair see. |
| 24 |
Earl Crawford calld on his stable-groom
To come to him right speedilie,
And sae did he his waiting-man,
That did attend his fair bodie. |
| 25 |
'Ye will gae saddle for me my steed,
And see and saddle him speedilie,
And I'll gang to the Lady Crawford,
And see if she will pity me.' |
| 26 |
Lady Crawford lay oer castle-wa,
And she beheld baith dale and down,
And she beheld him Earl Crawford,
As he came riding to the town. |
| 27 |
Then she has calld ane o her maids
To come to her right speedilie:
'Gae shut my yates, gae steek my doors,
Keep Earl Crawford out frae me.' |
| 28 |
When he came to Lady Crawford's yates,
He tirled gently at the pin:
'Sleep ye, wake ye, Lady Crawford,
Ye'll rise and lat Earl Crawford in. |
| 29 |
'Come down, come down, O Lady Crawford,
Come down, come down, and speak wi me;
And gin ye winna come yoursell,
Ye'll send your waiting-maid to me.' |
| 30 |
'Indeed I winna come mysell,
Nor send my waiting-maid to thee;
Sae take your ain words hame again
At Crawford castle ye tauld me. |
| 31 |
'O mother dear, gae make my bed,
And ye will make it saft and soun,
And turn my face unto the west,
That I nae mair may see the sun.' |
| 32 |
Her mother she did make her bed,
And she did make it saft and soun;
True were the words fair Lillie spake,
Her lovely eyes neer saw the sun. |
| 33 |
The Earl Crawford mounted his steed,
Wi sorrows great he did ride hame;
But ere the morning sun appeard
This fine lord was dead and gane. |
| 34 |
Then on ae night this couple died,
And baith were buried in ae tomb:
Let this a warning be to all,
Their pride may not bring them low down. |
