Hi,

James Madison Carpenter Collection, JMC/1/3/G, pp. 06744-06745

The Douglas Tragedy - as sung by William Angus of Cuminston, Aberdeenshire. Learned from Mr. Stephens (Sandy Stephen's brother)

1. "Stand up, stand up, ye seven sons so bold
And ye'll tae yer armour sae bright,
Never have it said yer young sister dear,
Should get wed tae a lord or a knight."

2. Lord William looked over his left shoulder,
Tae see fa [what] he could spye,
An' fa [what] did he see but her seven brothers bold,
Coming riding over the hill.

3. "Stand up, stand up, Lady Margaret," he cried,
"An' haud my steed in yer han',
Till I go an' ficht wi' your seven brothers bold
An' yer father, I'll mak for tee stand."

4. She's ta'en the steed enti her hand,
She held him baith firm and fast,
Until she sa' her seven brothers fall,
An' her father was fightin' so dear.

5. "Hold aff, hold aff, Lord William," she cried,
"For your strokes they are wondrous sair,
"Of sweethearts I shall hae mony more than een,
But a father I'll never get mair."

6. "Choose ye, ye choose, Lady Margaret," he said,
Since you are to go or bide."
"It's I maun follow after you,
Since ye've left me nae other guide."

7. They rode on, an' far farther on,
It was all by the licht o' the moon,
Until they cam tae waters clear,
It was there that they baith lichted doon.

8. They lichted down tae take a drink,
O' the water that ran by sae clear,
It was there she spied her true lover's hert's blood,
It was then she began for tae fear.

9. "Stand up, stand up, Lord William," she said,
"I'm afraid you have been slain,"
"Oh no, oh no Lady Margaret," he said,
"It's but the colour of my reed-scarlet coat,
You see in the water's clear."

10. He's mounted her on a milk-white steed,
Himself on his dapple grey,
With a siller bugle hanging doon by his side,
An' so slowly they baith rode away.

11. They rode on an' far, farther on,
It was all by the light o' the moon,
Until that they cam tae his mother's high door,
It was there they baith lighted doon.

12. "Arise, arise, dear mother," he said
"Arise, an' lat me in,
"Arise, arise, dear mother," he said,
"For this nicht my true love I've won."

13. "Ye'll mak my bed baith long an' broad
An' ye'll mak it baith soft an' deep,
An' lay my true love doon by my side,
That the sooner I might sleep."

14. His mother then she made his bed,
She made it wide and lang,
An she laid his lady upon his richt side,
That they micht sleep fu' soon."

15. Lord William he died in the middle o' the nicht,
An' Lady Margaret she died on the morrow.
Lord William he died for the sake o his true love,
Lady Margaret she died for sorrow.

16. Lord William was buried in St. Mary's kirkyard,
Lady Margaret in St. Mary's square,
An' on Lord William's there sprung a reid rose,
An' Lady Margaret's a bonnie briar.

17. They grew an' they grew, an' the nearer they grew,
Till they reached ane another fu' near,
Till [To] let people ken as they passed by,
That they had been lovers fu' dear."