Lord Douglas- Mrs Oliphant (Aber) 1908 Greig J
[From: The Greig-Duncan Folk Song Collection. edited by Patrick Shuldham-Shaw, Emily B Lyle and Katherine Campbell. This is essentially the same text as Greig K "Lord William" except for two minor changes (see footnotes) so Greig K will not be given.
R. Matteson 2018]
J. Lord Douglas- sung by Mrs Oliphant of Aberdeenshire? about 1908. Collected by Greig.
1. "Stand up, stand up, my seven sons so bold,
And stand to your armour so clear,
And take better care of your younger sister,
Since your eldest's away, I fear."
2. "Come down, come down, Lady Margaret," he cried,
"And hold my steed in your hand,
Till I go and fight with your seven brothers bold,
Your father and all to command."
3. Lady Margaret she came down, held his steed in her hand,
And never yet shed one tear,
Until that she saw her seven bold brothers fall,
And her father still fighting severe.
4. "Hold off, hold off, Lord William," she cried,
"Your strokes they are wondrous sore,
Sweethearts many a one I will find,
But a father I'll never find more."
5. "Will ye go, will ye go, Lady Margaret," he cried,
"Will you choose to go or to bide."
"I'll go wi' you[1], Lord William," she cried,
"Since ye've left me with no other guide."
6. So he mounted her on a milk-white steed,
And himself on a dapple grey,
Wi' a pair of pistols hanging down by his side,
And so slowly they both rode away.
7. They rode on, and further on,
It was all by the light of the moon,
Until they came to yon clear water brook,
It was there they both lighted down.
8. They lighted down to have a drink,
It was out of yon water so clear,
It was then she spied his heart's blood run down,
It was then she began for to fear.
9. "Hold up, hold up, Lord William," she cried,
"I'm afraid that ye are slain,
"It's only the shadow of my red scarlet coat,
That goes trinking down the stream."
10. So he mounted her on a milk-white steed,
And himself on a dapple grey,
Wi' a bugle horn hanging down by his side,
And so slowly they rode away.
11. They rode on, and further on,
It was all by the light of the moon,
Till they came to his poor mother's house,
It was there that they both lighted down.
12. "Rise up, rise up, dear mother," he cried
"Rise up and let us in.
"Rise up, rise up, dear mother," he cried
"For this night my true love I've won."
13. "You'll make my bed both long and wide
And you'll make it soft and easy,
And you'll lay my true love down by my side,
And so soundly I will sleep."
14. Lord William died in the middle of the night,
Lady Margaret died on the morrow,
Lord William died for Lady Margaret's sake,
Lady Margaret died for sorrow.
15. Lord William was buried in St. Mary's churchyard,
Lady Margaret in St. George's Square,
And from Lord William's breast there grew a red rose,
And from Lady Margaret's a sweet briar.
16. They grew on and further on,
Until they reached each other fell[2] near,
And every one that passed them by,
Would have known they were true lovers dear.
1. I'll go, I'll go (Greig K)
2. full (Greig K)