Motherwell's Manuscript, p. 361; from the recitation of Agnes
Lyle, an old woman of Kilbarchan.
| 1 |
Sweet William's gone over seas,
Some unco lair to learn,
And our gude Bailie's ae dochter
Is awa to learn the same. |
| 2 |
in one broad buke they learned baith,
In one broad bed they lay;
But when her father came to know
He gart her come away. |
| 3 |
'It's you must marry that Southland lord,
His lady for to be;
It's ye maun marry that Southland lord,
Or nocht ye'll get frae me.' |
| 4 |
'I must marry that Southland lord,
Father, an it be your will;
But I rather it were my burial-day,
My grave for to fill.' |
| 5 |
She walked up, she walked down,
Had none to make her moan,
Nothing but the pretty bird
Sat on the causey-stone. |
| 6 |
'If thou could speak, wee bird,' she says,
'As weell as thou can flee,
I would write a long letter
To Will ayont the sea.' |
| 7 |
'What thou wants wi Will,' it says,
'Thou'll seal it with thy ring,
Tak a thread o silk and anither o twine,
About my neck will hing.' |
| 8 |
What she wanted wi Willie
She sealed it wi a ring,
Took a thread of silk, another o twine,
About its neck did hing. |
| 9 |
This bird flew high, this bird flew low,
This bird flew owre the sea,
Until it entered the same room
Wherein was Sweet Willie. |
| 10 |
This bird flew high, this bird flew low,
Poor bird, it was mistaen!
It let the letter fa on Baldie's breist,
Instead of Sweet William. |
| 11 |
'Here's a letter, William,' he says,
'I'm sure it's not to me;
And gin the morn gin twelve o'clock
Your love shall married be.' |
| 12 |
'Come saddle to me my horse,' he said,
'The brown and a' that's speedie,
And I'll awa to Old England,
To bring home my ladie.' |
| 13 |
Awa he gaed, awa he rade,
Awa wi mickle speed;
He lichtit at every twa miles' end,
Lichtit and changed his steed. |
| 14 |
When she entered the church-style,
The tear was in her ee;
But when she entered the church-door
A blythe sicht did she see. |
| 15 |
'O hold your hand, you minister,
Hold it a little wee,
Till I speak wi the bonnie bride,
For she's friend to me. |
| 16 |
'Stand off, stand off, you braw bridegroom,
Stand off a little wee;
Stand off, stand off, you braw bridegroom,
For the bride shall join wi me.' |
| 17 |
Up and spak the bride's father,
And an angry man was he;
'If I had pistol, powther and lead,
And all at my command,
I would shoot thee stiff and dead
In the place where thou dost stand.' |
| 18 |
Up and spoke then Sweet William,
And a blithe blink from his ee;
'If ye neer be shot till I shoot you,
Ye'se neer be shot for me. |
| 19 |
'Come out, come out, my foremost man,
And lift my lady on;
Commend me all to my good-mother,
At night when ye gang home.' |
