Hi,


From James Madison Carpenter Collection, JMC/1/2/2/D, pp. 04654-04655, 1st stanza is missing.

Lord William and Lady Margaret (The Douglas Tragedy)- sung by Mary Thain of 27 Castle street, Banff, c. 1930

1. "Stand up, stand up, ye seven sons so bold,
And stand to your armour so bright,
Ne'er let it be said that a sister of yours,
Shall be married to a lord or a knight."

2. He's mounted her on her milk-white steed,
An' himsel' on a dapple grey,
With the buglet horn hanging doon by his side,
It's so slowly they baith rade away.

3. He's looked over his left shoulder,
To see what he could see,
An there he spied her seven brethren bold,
Come riding over the lea.

4. "Lightet doon, lightet doon, Lady Margaret," he cries,
"An' ye'll take my steed in your hand,
Ere I go fight with your seven brethren bold
An' your father an aged man."

5. "Hold off, hold off, Lord William," she cries,
"Your strokes they're wondrous sore,
"Sweethearts I may hae monny a one,
But a father I'll ne'er hae more."

6. "Wilt thou choose, wilt thou choose, Lady Margaret," he cries,
"Wilt thou choose for to go or to bide."
"It's I will choose to go, Lord William," she says
"Since you've left me no other guide."

7. He's mounted her on his milk-white steed,
An himsel' on his dapple grey,
Wi' a buglet horn hanging doon by his side,
An' so slowly they baith rade away.

8. They've ride on, an' farther on,
All by the light of the moon,
Til they came to a clear running stream,
Twas there where they baith lighted doon.

9. They lighted doon for to take a drink
All by the stream running clear,
Twas there that she sae her lover's heart bleed
Twas there she began to fear.

10. "Hold off, hold off, Lord William," she cried,
"I fear ye hae been slain,
"Oh no, it's the shadow of the red scarlet cloak,
A shinin' in the water so clear."

11. He's mounted her on his milk-white steed,
An himsel' on his dapple grey,
Wi' a buglet horn hanging doon by his side,
An' so slowly they baith rade away.

12. They've ride on, an' farther on,
All by the light of the moon,
Until they came to his mother's bowers;
Says, "Arise an' lat me in."

13. "Rise up, rise up lady mother," he cried,
"Rise up an' lat me in,"
"Rise up, rise up lady mother," he cried,
"For this night my fair lady I hae win."

14. "Make my bed baith long and wide,
Make it baith wide an' deep,
An' lay Lady Margaret close at my back,
That the sounder I may sleep."

15. Lord William died ere the middle o' the night,
Lady Margaret died the next day.
. . . .
. . . .

16 They twa met an' they twa plott,
I'm sure they were twa lovers dear,
An a' ye lovers that wish to gang thegither,
I wish you more luck than they.