Origins: Maids and Gentlemen

Subject: Origins: Maids and Gentlemen
From: Reinhard
Date: 26 Sep 26 - 11:59 AM

Does anybody know the traditional origins of a song "Maids and Gentlemen"? It was released by The Owl Service as a single in July 2025 and is on their forthcoming album "Tied to the Land" to be released in mid October. Their Bandcamp page for the single says:

"MAIDS & GENTLEMEN was learned from the version by acid-folk band MIDWINTER, which was originally released on their wonderful 1973 album The Waters of Sweet Sorrow."

But is seems that while Midwinter did record the tracks of "The Waters of Sweet Sorrow" in 1973, according to Discogs the album was only released 20 year later in 1993 on Erewhon/Kissing Spell KSCD9320. This first release lists the track as trad. arr. Midwinter and with the title "Maids and Gentleman", but later issues list it as "Maids and Gentlemen".

The story: A couple ride until they see her brothers' boat. He (presumably fights and) kills her seven brothers and her father. They ride on until the reach his mother's door where they both lay down and die. No reason is given for the killing and for their death.

I can't remember any traditional song with this title or this storyline except for the general trope "If your family consists of seven brothers and one sister, don't bank on having any grandchildren" as said by The Snail in the 2007 thread "Things learned from Folk Ballads".

MAIDS AND GENTLEMEN

Come all you maids and gentlemen
And take one in by me
Concerning a cruel daughter
Her true love, and family

Oh she rode on a milk-white steed
And he a dappled grey
He drew a sword down by his side
And soon they rode away

He rode, he rode, he better rode
All with his lady dear
Until he saw her brothers' boat
And her father walking near

"Ride off, ride off, my lady dear
And keep my reins in hand
Till I go fetch your brothers' boat
And your father by him stand"

She heard, she heard, and she bit her hand
And she never shed one tear
Till she saw her seven brothers fall
And her father she loved so dear
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She put out her silk handkerchief
White was both soft and fine
And she wiped off her father's wounds
Till they ran as clear as wine

Oh she rode on a milk-white steed
And he a dappled grey
He drew a sword down by his side
And soon they rode away

They rode, they rode, they better rode
They rode by the light of the moon
Till they came up to his mother's door
Crying, "Rise, and let us in!"

Oh mother, mother, make my bed
With my lady be my side
And just before the morning sun
They both laid down and died

So all you maids and gentlemen
When courting you do go
Be careful, lest your own true love
Should cause you grief and woe

Subject: RE: Origins: Maids and Gentlemen
From: Steve Gardham
Date: 26 Sep 26 - 12:20 PM

Looks like a well-travelled version of Child 7,The Douglas Tragedy, or one of its American relatives.

Subject: RE: Origins: Maids and Gentlemen
From: Reinhard
Date: 26 Sep 26 - 12:31 PM

Oh yes, of course, silly me! Thank you very much, Steve.