{"collection":"Northern European Mythology","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/browse/neu/eng/child/ch229.htm","path":"neu/eng/child/ch229.htm","source_url":"https://sacred-texts.com/neu/eng/child/ch229.htm","text":"229A.1 O WE were sisters, sisters seven,\nWe were a comely crew to see,\nAnd some got lairds, and some got lords,\nAnd some got knichts o his degree;\nAnd I mysel got the Earl o Crawford,\nAnd wasna that a great match for me!\n229A.2 It was at fifteen that I was married,\nAnd at sixteen I had a son;\nAnd wasna that an age ower tender\nFor a lady to hae her first-born!\nAnd wasna, etc.\n229A.3 But it fell ance upon a day\nI gaed into the garden green,\nAnd naebody was therein walking\nBut Earl Crawford and his young son.\n229A.4 \u2018I wonder at you, ye Earl Crawford,\nI wonder at you wi your young son;\nYe daut your young son mair than your Lillie;\n[I\u2019m sure you got na him your lane.\u2019]\n229A.5 [He turned about upon his heel,\nI wite an angry man was he;\nSays, If I got nae my young son my lane,\nBring me here the one that helpet me.]\n229A.6 [\u2018O hold your tongue, my Earl Crawford,\nAnd a\u2019 my folly lat it be;\nThere was nane at the gettin o oor son,\nNae body only but you and me.\u2019]\n229A.7 He set her on a milk-white steed,\nHer little young son her before;\nSays, Ye maun gae to bonny Stobha,\nFor ye will enter my yates no more.\n229A.8 When she cam to her father\u2019s bowers,\nShe lichtit low down on the stane,\nAnd wha sae ready as her auld father\nTo welcome Lady Lillie in?\n229A.9 \u2018O how\u2019s a\u2019 wi you, my daughter Lillie,\nThat ye come here sae hastilie?\nAnd how\u2019s a\u2019 wi\u2019 the Earl o Crawford,\nThat he didna send a boy wi thee?\u2019\n229A.10 \u2018O haud your tongue now, my old father,\nAnd ye\u2019ll lat a\u2019 your folly be;\nFor ae word that my merry mou spak\nHas parted my good lord and me.\u2019\n229A.11 \u2018O haud your tongue, my daughter Lillie,\nAnd a\u2019 your follies lat them be;\nI\u2019ll double your portion ten times ower,\nAnd a better match I\u2019ll get for thee.\u2019\n229A.12 \u2018O haud your tongue now, my old father,\nAnd a\u2019 your folly lat it be;\nI wouldna gie ae kiss o Crawford\nFor a\u2019 the goud that ye can gie.\n229A.13 \u2018Whare will I get a bonny boy,\nThat\u2019s willin to win meat and fee,\nWha will gae on to Earl Crawford\nAn see an\u2019s heart be fawn to me?\u2019\n229A.14 When he cam to the yates o Crawford,\nThey were a\u2019 sitting down to dine:\n\u2018How comes it now, ye Earl Crawford,\nYe arena takin Lady Lillie hame?\u2019\n229A.15 \u2018Ye may gae tell her Lady Lillie,\nAnd ye maun neither lee nor len,\nShe may stay in her father\u2019s bowers,\nFor she\u2019ll not enter my yates again.\u2019\n229A.16 When he cam back to her father\u2019s yates,\nHe lichtit low down on his knee:\n\u2018What news, what news, my bonny boy?\nWhat news, what news hae ye to me?\u2019\n229A.17 \u2018I\u2019m bidden tell you, Lady Lillie-+--+-\nI\u2019m bidden neither to lee nor len-+--+-\nShe may stay in her father\u2019s bowers,\nFor she\u2019ll not enter my yates again.\u2019\n229A.18 She stretched out her lily hand,\nSays, \u2018Adieu, adieu to ane and a!\nAdieu, adieu to Earl Crawford!\u2019\nWi that her sair heart brak in twa.\n229A.19 Then dowie, dowie her father raise up,\nAnd dowie, dowie the black put on,\nAnd dowie, dowie he mounted the brown,\nAnd dowie, dowie sat thereon.\n229A.20 And dowie rade to the yates o Crawford,\nAnd when to Crawford\u2019s yates he came,\nThey were a\u2019 dressd in the robes o scarlet,\nJust gaun to tak Lady Lillie hame.\n229A.21 \u2018Ye may cast aff your robes o scarlet-+--+-\nI wyte they set you wondrous weel-+--+-\nAnd now put on the black sae dowie,\nAnd come and bury your Lady Lill.\u2019\n229A.22 He took his hat into his hand,\nAnd laid it low down by his knee:\n\u2018An it be true that Lillie\u2019s dead,\nThe sun shall nae mair shine on me.\u2019\n229B: Earl Crawford\n229B.1 O WE were seven bonny sisters,\nAs fair women as fair could be,\nAnd some got lairds, and some got lords,\nAnd some got knights o high degree:\nWhen I was married to Earl Crawford,\nThis was the fate befell to me.\n229B.2 When we had been married for some time,\nWe walked in our garden green,\nAnd aye he clappd his young son\u2019s head,\nAnd aye he made sae much o him.\n229B.3 I turnd me right and round about,\nAnd aye the blythe blink in my ee:\n\u2018Ye think as much o your young son\nAs ye do o my fair body.\n229B.4 \u2018What need ye clap your young son\u2019s head?\nWhat need ye make so much o him?\nWhat need ye clap your young son\u2019s head?\nI\u2019m sure ye gotna him your lane.\u2019\n229B.5 \u2018O if I gotna him my lane,\nShow here the man that help d me;\nAnd for these words your ain mouth spoke\nHeir o my land he neer shall be.\u2019\n229B.6 He calld upon his stable-groom\nTo come to him right speedilie:\n\u2018Gae saddle a steed to Lady Crawford,\nBe sure ye do it hastilie.\n229B.7 \u2018His bridle gilt wi gude red gowd,\nThat it may glitter in her ee;\nAnd send her on to bonny Stobha,\nAll her relations for to see.\u2019\n229B.8 Her mother lay oer the castle wa,\nAnd she beheld baith dale and down,\nAnd she beheld her Lady Crawford,\nAs she came riding to the town.\n229B.9 \u2018Come here, come here, my husband dear,\nThis day ye see not what I see;\nFor here there comes her Lady Crawford,\nRiding alane upon the lee.\u2019\n229B.10 When she came to her father\u2019s yates,\nShe tirled gently at the pin:\n\u2018If ye sleep, awake, my mother dear,\nYe\u2019ll rise lat Lady Crawford in.\u2019\n229B.11 \u2018What news, what news, ye Lady Crawford,\nThat ye come here so hastilie?\u2019\n\u2018Bad news, bad news, my mother dear,\nFor my gude lord\u2019s forsaken me.\u2019\n229B.12 \u2018O wae\u2019s me for you, Lady Crawford,\nThis is a dowie tale to me;\nAlas! you were too young married\nTo thole sic cross and misery.\u2019\n229B.13 \u2018O had your tongue, my mother dear,\nAnd ye\u2019ll lat a\u2019 your folly be;\nIt was a word my merry mouth spake\nThat sinderd my gude lord and me.\u2019\n229B.14 Out it spake her brither then,\nAye as he stept ben the floor:\n\u2018My sister Lillie was but eighteen years\nWhen Earl Crawford ca\u2019ed her a whore.\n229B.15 \u2018But had your tongue, my sister dear,\nAnd ye\u2019ll lat a\u2019 your mourning bee;\nI\u2019ll wed you to as fine a knight,\nThat is nine times as rich as hee.\u2019\n229B.16 \u2018O had your tongue, my brither dear,\nAnd ye\u2019ll lat a\u2019 your folly bee;\nI\u2019d rather yae kiss o Crawford\u2019s mouth\nThan a\u2019 his gowd and white monie.\n229B.17 \u2018But saddle to me my riding-steed,\nAnd see him saddled speedilie,\nAnd I will on to Earl Crawford\u2019s,\nAnd see if he will pity me.\u2019\n229B.18 Earl Crawford lay o\u2019er castle wa,\nAnd he beheld baith dale and down,\nAnd he beheld her lady Crawford,\nAs she came riding to the town.\n229B.19 He called ane o his livery men\nTo come to him right speedilie:\n\u2018Gae shut my yates, gae steek my doors,\nKeep Lady Crawford out frae me.\u2019\n229B.20 When she came to Earl Crawford\u2019s yates,\nShe tirled gently at the pin:\n\u2018O sleep ye, wake ye, Earl Crawford,\nYe\u2019ll open, lat Lady Crawford in.\n229B.21 \u2018Come down, come down, O Earl Crawford,\nAnd speak some comfort unto me;\nAnd if ye winna come yoursell,\nYe\u2019ll send your gentleman to me.\u2019\n229B.22 \u2018Indeed I winna come mysell,\nNor send my gentleman to thee;\nFor I tauld you when we did part\nNae mair my spouse ye\u2019d ever bee.\u2019\n229B.23 She laid her mouth then to the yates,\nAnd aye the tears drapt frae her ee;\nSays, Fare ye well, Earl Crawford\u2019s yates,\nYou again I\u2019ll nae mair see.\n229B.24 Earl Crawford calld on his stable-groom\nTo come to him right speedilie,\nAnd sae did he his waiting-man,\nThat did attend his fair bodie.\n229B.25 \u2018Ye will gae saddle for me my steed,\nAnd see and saddle him speedilie,\nAnd I\u2019ll gang to the Lady Crawford,\nAnd see if she will pity me.\u2019\n229B.26 Lady Crawford lay oer castle-wa,\nAnd she beheld baith dale and down,\nAnd she beheld him Earl Crawford,\nAs he came riding to the town.\n229B.27 Then she has calld ane o her maids\nTo come to her right speedilie:\n\u2018Gae shut my yates, gae steek my doors,\nKeep Earl Crawford out frae me.\u2019\n229B.28 When he came to Lady Crawford\u2019s yates,\nHe tirled gently at the pin:\n\u2018Sleep ye, wake ye, Lady Crawford,\nYe\u2019ll rise and lat Earl Crawford in.\n229B.29 \u2018Come down, come down, O Lady Crawford,\nCome down, come down, and speak wi me;\nAnd gin ye winna come yoursell,\nYe\u2019ll send your waiting-maid to me.\u2019\n229B.30 \u2018Indeed I winna come mysell,\nNor send my waiting-maid to thee;\nSae take your ain words hame again\nAt Crawford castle ye tauld me.\n229B.31 \u2018O mother dear, gae make my bed,\nAnd ye will make it saft and soun,\nAnd turn my face unto the west,\nThat I nae mair may see the sun.\u2019\n229B.32 Her mother she did make her bed,\nAnd she did make it saft and soun;\nTrue were the words fair Lillie spake,\nHer lovely eyes neer saw the sun.\n229B.33 The Earl Crawford mounted his steed,\nWi sorrows great he did ride hame;\nBut ere the morning sun appeard\nThis fine lord was dead and gane.\n229B.34 Then on ae night this couple died,\nAnd baith were buried in ae tomb:\nLet this a warning be to all,\nTheir pride may not bring them low down.","title":"The Child Ballads: 229. Earl Crawford","type":"page"}