Hi,

Predictably the best version so far is Bell Duncan's which is the model. From James Madison Carpenter Collection, JMC/1/5/1/E, p. 08083 and James Madison Carpenter Collection, JMC/1/5/1/E, p. 08078.

Lord William and Lady Margaret - as sung by Miss Bell Duncan of Insch, Scotland.

1. "Rise up, rise up, my seven sons so bold
And put on your armour sae bright,
Ye'll tak far better care o' yer youngest sister,
For yer eldest sister's awa' last night.

2. Stand up stand up, my seven sons so bold
And stand tae your armour sae bright,
Let it ne'er be said that a sister o' yours,
Should get wed tae a lord or a knight."

3. He mounted her on a milk-white steed,
An' himsel' on a dapple grey,
Wi' the bugle horn hanging doon by his side,
An' sae lightly they baith rode awa'.

4. Lord William looked over his left shoulder,
To see fat he could spy,
Twas there he saw her seven brothers bold,
An' her father wis drawing nigh.

5. "Light doon, light doon, Lady Margaret," he says,
"Ye'll hold my steed in yer hand,
Till I go an' fight wi' your seven brothers bold
An' yer father, I'll make him to stand."

6. She held his horse in her milk-white hand,
An' she never shed a tear,
Until she saw her seven brothers fall,
An her father was floating sae near.

7. "Hold off your hand, Lord William," she said,
"For your strokes they are wondrous sair,
"Sweethearts I may get a monny a one,
But a father I will never get mair."

8. "O choose, ye choose, Lady Margaret," he says,
Either to gang or to bide."
"O I maun gang along wi' you,
For ye've left me nae other guide."

9. He's mounted her on a milk-white steed,
A' himsel' on a dapple grey,
Wi' his bugle horn hangin' doon by his side,
An' sae slowly's they baith rode away.

10. An' they rode on, an' farther on,
An' twas a' by the licht o' the moon,
Until they cam till yon water wan,
An' twas there that they baith lighted doon.

11. Twas there that they both lighted down for to drink,
The water that ran by sae clear,
Twas there she first saw his life's blood wis spilt,
Twas there she began to fear.

12. "Hold up your head, Lord William," she said,
"I've nae doot bit ye're slain,"
"Oh no, it's but the shadow of my reid scarlet coat,
That gaes trinklin' doon the stream."

13. They rode on, an' farther on,
An' twas a' by the light o' the moon,
Until that they cam tae his mother's ha' door,
An' twas there that they baith lighted doon.

15. "Oh mother dear, ye'll mak my bed,
Ye'll mak it wide and lang,
An ye'll lay my lady upon my richt side,
That we may sleep fu' soon."

16. 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."

17. An' Lord William he died in the middle o' the nicht,
An' Lady Margaret she died on the morrow.
Lord William was slain for his ain true love,
Lady Margaret she died for sorrow.

18. Lord William was buried in Lady Mary's kirkyard,
Lady Margaret in St. Mary's choir,
An' oot o Lord William's there sprung a reid rose,
An' fae Lady Margaret's a briar.

19 An' they grew an' grew, an' they far better grew,
Till they reached ane an ither sae near,
Till ilka one that did them see,
Says, "Here lies twa lovers dear."

* * * *

Richie