Douglas Tragedy- A. Campbell (Aber) 1932 Carpenter
[From James Madison Carpenter Collection, JMC/1/3/G, pp. 06748-06749, inconsistent dialogue.
R. Matteson 2018]
The Douglas Tragedy- sung by Alexander B. Campbell (1883- 1954) of Ythan Wells, Aberdeenshire in 1932. Collected by James Madison Carpenter.
1. "Stand up, stand up, ye seven sons so bold,
Stand up to your armour so bright,
Let it never be said a sister o yours,
Was married to a lord or a knight."
2. Lord William looked over his left shoulder,
To see what he could spy,
And there he spied her seven brothers bold,
And her father still drawing nigh.
3. "Come doon, come doon, Lady Margaret," he said,
"Hold my steed in your milk white hand,
Till I turn back your seven brothers bold,
And make your father to stand."
4. She held his steed by the bridal rein,
Without ever shedding a tear,
Until that she saw her seven brothers fall,
And her father was fighting severe.
5. "Hold off, hold off," Lord William," she said,
"Your strokes are wondrous sair,
Sweethearts I will get many a one,
But a father I'll never get mair."
6. "Choose, then choose, Lady Margaret," he said,
"It's either to go or to bide.
"O maun gang wi' you Lord William," she said,
"Since ye've left me nae other guide."
7. He mounted her on her milk-white steed,
An' himsel on a dapple grey,
His sword and his bugle horn hanging doon by his side,
And so slowly they both rode away.
8. They rode on, and still further on,
It was all by the light of the moon,
Until that they came to yon clear running stream,
It was there that they both lighted doon.
9. Twas there they both lighted doon for to drink,
O' the water so cool and so clear,
Twas there she spied the reid drops o blood,
Fall into the water so clear.
10. "I'm afraid, I'm afraid, Lord William," she said,
"I'm afraid that ye've been slain,
"It's nothing but my scarlet cloak,
That shines in the river so plain."
11. He mounted her on her milk-white steed,
And himsel on the dapple grey,
His sword and his bugle horn hanging doon by his side,
And so slowly they both rode away.
12. They rode on, and still further on,
It was all by the light of the moon,
Until that they came to his mother's ha' door,
It was there that they both lighted doon.
13. "Get up, get up, lady mother," he said
"Get up and let me in.
"Get up, get up, lady mother," he said,
'For this nicht mt fair lady I've won."
14. "O mak my bed, lady mother," he said
"O mak it braid and deep,
And ye'll lay Lady Margaret at my back,
And the sounder we may sleep."
15. Lord William he died in the middle o' the nicht,
Lady Margaret she died on the morrow,
Lord William died for his true love's sake,
Lady Margaret died of sorrow.
16. Lord William was buried in the green church yard,
Lady Margaret in St. Mary's choir,
Out o' Lord William there grew a reid rose,
And out o' Lady Margaret a briar.
17. They grew and grew and still further grew,
Till they reached one another there,
And now they are twined in a true lover's knot,
For all true lovers to admire.