{"collection":"Northern European Mythology","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/browse/neu/eng/boeb/boeb12.htm","path":"neu/eng/boeb/boeb12.htm","source_url":"https://sacred-texts.com/neu/eng/boeb/boeb12.htm","text":"The Douglas Tragedy\n\"RISE up, rise up, now, Lord Douglas,\" she says,\n \u00a0\u00a0\"And put on your armour so bright;\n Sweet William will hae Lady Margaret awi'\n \u00a0\u00a0Before that it be light.\n\"Rise up, rise up, my seven bold sons,\n \u00a0\u00a0And put on your armour so bright,\n And take better care of your youngest sist\u00e8r,\n \u00a0\u00a0For your eldest's awa' the last night.\"\nHe's mounted her on a milk-white steed,\n \u00a0\u00a0And himself on a dapple grey,\n With a buglet horn hung down by his side\n \u00a0\u00a0And lightly they rode away.\nLord William lookit o'er his left should\u00e8r,\n \u00a0\u00a0To see what he could see,\n And there he spied her seven brethren bold\n \u00a0\u00a0Come riding o'er the lea.\n\"Light down, light down, Lady Margaret,\" he said,\n \u00a0\u00a0\"And hold my steed in your hand,\n Until that against your seven brethren bold,\n \u00a0\u00a0And your father I make a stand.\"\nShe held his steed in her milk-white hand,\n \u00a0\u00a0And never shed one tear,\n Until that she saw her seven brethren fa'\n \u00a0\u00a0And her father hard fighting, who loved her so dear.\n\"O hold your hand, Lord William!\" she said,\n \u00a0\u00a0\"For your strokes they are wondrous sair;\n True lovers I can get many a ane,\n \u00a0\u00a0But a father I can never get mair.\"\nO, she's ta'en out her handkerchief,\n \u00a0\u00a0It was o' the holland sae fine,\n And aye she dighted her father's bloody wounds,\n \u00a0\u00a0That were redder than the wine.\n\"O chuse, O chuse, Lady Margaret,\" he said,\n \u00a0\u00a0\"O whether will ye gang or bide?\"\n \"I'll gang, I'll gang, Lord William,\" she said,\n \u00a0\u00a0\"For you have left me nae other guide.\"\nHe's lifted her on a milk-white steed,\n \u00a0\u00a0And himself on a dapple grey,\n With a buglet horn hung down by his side,\n \u00a0\u00a0And slowly they baith rade away.\nO they rade on, and on they rade,\n \u00a0\u00a0And a' by the light of the moon,\n Until they came to yon wan water,\n \u00a0\u00a0And there they lighted down.\nThey lighted down to tak a drink\n \u00a0\u00a0Of the spring that ran sae clear;\n And down the stream ran his gude heart's blood,\n \u00a0\u00a0And sair she 'gan to fear.\n\"Hold up, hold up, Lord William,\" she says,\n \u00a0\u00a0\"For I fear that you are slain!\"\n \"'Tis naething but the shadow of my scarlet cloak,\n \u00a0\u00a0That shines in the water sae plain.\"\nO they rade on, and on they rade,\n \u00a0\u00a0And a' by the light of the moon,\n Until they came to his mother's ha' door,\n \u00a0\u00a0And there they lighted down.\n\"Get up, get up, lady mother,\" he says,\n \u00a0\u00a0\"Get up, and let me in!\n Get up, get up, lady mother,\" he says,\n \u00a0\u00a0\"For this night my fair lady I've win.\n\"O mak my bed, lady mother,\" he says,\n \u00a0\u00a0\"O mak it braid and deep!\n And lay Lady Margaret close at my back,\n \u00a0\u00a0And the sounder I will sleep.\"\nLord William was dead lang ere midnight,\n \u00a0\u00a0Lady Margaret lang ere day:\n And all true lovers that go thegither,\n \u00a0\u00a0May they have mair luck than they!\nLord William was buried in St. Marie's kirk,\n \u00a0\u00a0Lady Margaret in Marie's quire;\n Out o' the lady's grave grew a bonny red rose,\n \u00a0\u00a0And out o' the knight's a brier.\nAnd they twa met, and they twa plat\n \u00a0\u00a0And fain they wad be near;\n And a' the world might ken right weel,\n \u00a0\u00a0They were twa lovers dear.\nBut bye and rade the black Douglas\n \u00a0\u00a0And wow but he was rough!\n For he pulled up the bonny bri\u00e8r,\n \u00a0\u00a0And flanged in St. Marie's Loch.","title":"A Book of Old English Ballads: The Douglas Tragedy","type":"page"}