'Hold up, hold up, Lord William,' she says, 'For I fear that you are slain !' "Tis naething but the shadow of my scarlet cloak, That shines in the water sae plain.' O they rade on, and on they rade, 'Get up, get up, lady mother,' he says, Get up, get up, lady mother,' he says, 'O mak my bed, lady mother,' he says, And lay Lady Margret close at my back, Lord William was dead lang ere midnight, And all true lovers that go thegither, Lord William was buried in St. Mary's kirk, Out o' the lady's grave grew a bonny red rose, And they twa met, and they twa plat, And a' the warld might ken right weel, But bye and rade the Black Douglas, For he pull'd up the bonny brier, And flang'd in St. Mary's loch. THE TWA CORBIES'. [An English version makes the lady faithful,— And kissed his wounds that were so red; She was dead herself ere evensong time."] As I was walking all alane, I heard twa corbies making a mane; 'In behint yon auld fail dyke, I wot there lies a new-slain knight; 'His hound is to the hunting gane, 'Ye'll sit on his white hause bane, And I'll pike out his bonny blue een: Wi' ae lock o' his gowden hair, We'll theek our nest when it grows bare. 'Mony a one for him makes mane, O'er his white banes, when they are bare, WALY, WALY. [This fragment, variously corrupted, is often printed as part of a rather dull ballad, concerned with events in the history of Lord James Douglas, of the Laird of Blackwood, and of the lady who utters the beautiful lament here printed.] VOL. I. O waly, waly, up the bank, O waly, waly, doun the brae, And waly, waly, yon burn-side, Where I and my love were wont to gae! I lean'd my back unto an aik, I thocht it was a trustie tree, But first it bow'd and syne it brak',- O waly, waly, but love be bonnie And fadeth awa' like the morning dew. And says he'll never lo'e me mair. Noo Arthur's Seat sall be my bed, The sheets sall ne'er be press'd by me; 'Tis not the frost that freezes fell, Nor blawing snaw's inclemencie, 'Tis not sic cauld that makes me cry; Q When we cam' in by Glasgow toun, But had I wist before I kiss'd That love had been so ill to win, SUPERNATURAL. CLERK SAUNDERS. Clerk Saunders and may Margaret 'A bed, a bed,' Clerk Saunders said, 'A bed for you and me!' 'Fye na, fye na,' said may Margaret, 'Till anes we married be. 'For in may come my seven bauld brothers, 'Wi' torches burning bright; They'll say "We hae but ae sister, And behold she's wi' a knight !""' 'Then I'll take the sword frae my scabbard, And slowly lift the pin; And you may swear, and safe your aith, Ye never let Clerk Saunders in, ‘And take a napkin in your hand, And you may swear, and safe your aith, It was about the midnight hour, When in and came her seven brothers, When in and came her seven brothers, They said, 'We hae but ae sister, And behold her lying with a knight!' Then out and spake the first o' them, 'I bear the sword shall gar him die!' And out and spake the second o' them, 'His father has nae mair than he' And out and spake the third o' them, Then out and spake the fifth o' them, 'It were shame to slay a sleeping man!' Then up and gat the seventh o' them, But he has striped his bright brown brand Out through Clerk Saunders' fair bodye. Clerk Saunders he started, and Margaret she turned And sad and silent was the night |