{"collection":"Northern European Mythology","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/browse/neu/eng/child/ch254.htm","path":"neu/eng/child/ch254.htm","source_url":"https://sacred-texts.com/neu/eng/child/ch254.htm","text":"Sacred Texts\u00a0\n Legends & Sagas\u00a0\n England\u00a0\n Index\u00a0\n Previous\u00a0\n Next\u00a0\n \n \n \n 254A: Lord William, or Lord Lundy\n \n \n 254A.1 SWEET WILLIAM\u2019s gone over seas,\n Some unco lair to learn,\n And our gude Bailie\u2019s ae dochter\n Is awa to learn the same.\n 254A.2 in one broad buke they learned baith,\n In one broad bed they lay;\n But when her father came to know\n He gart her come away.\n 254A.3 \u2018It\u2019s you must marry that Southland lord,\n His lady for to be;\n It\u2019s ye maun marry that Southland lord,\n Or nocht ye\u2019ll get frae me.\u2019\n 254A.4 \u2018I must marry that Southland lord,\n Father, an it be your will;\n But I rather it were my burial-day,\n My grave for to fill.\u2019\n 254A.5 She walked up, she walked down,\n Had none to make her moan,\n Nothing but the pretty bird\n Sat on the causey-stone.\n 254A.6 \u2018If thou could speak, wee bird,\u2019 she says,\n \u2018As weell as thou can flee,\n I would write a long letter\n To Will ayont the sea.\u2019\n 254A.7 \u2018What thou wants wi Will,\u2019 it says,\n \u2018Thou\u2019ll seal it with thy ring,\n Tak a thread o silk and anither o twine,\n About my neck will hing.\u2019\n 254A.8 What she wanted wi Willie\n She sealed it wi a ring,\n Took a thread of silk, another o twine,\n About its neck did hing.\n 254A.9 This bird flew high, this bird flew low,\n This bird flew owre the sea,\n Until it entered the same room\n Wherein was Sweet Willie.\n 254A.10 This bird flew high, this bird flew low,\n Poor bird, it was mistaen!\n It let the letter fa on Baldie\u2019s breist,\n Instead of Sweet William.\n 254A.11 \u2018Here\u2019s a letter, William,\u2019 he says,\n \u2018I\u2019m sure it\u2019s not to me;\n And gin the morn gin twelve o\u2019clock\n Your love shall married be.\u2019\n 254A.12 \u2018Come saddle to me my horse,\u2019 he said,\n \u2018The brown and a\u2019 that\u2019s speedie,\n And I\u2019ll awa to Old England,\n To bring home my ladie.\u2019\n 254A.13 Awa he gaed, awa he rade,\n Awa wi mickle speed;\n He lichtit at every twa miles\u2019 end,\n Lichtit and changed his steed.\n 254A.14 When she entered the church-style,\n The tear was in her ee;\n But when she entered the church-door\n A blythe sicht did she see.\n 254A.15 \u2018O hold your hand, you minister,\n Hold it a little wee,\n Till I speak wi the bonnie bride,\n For she\u2019s friend to me.\n 254A.16 \u2018Stand off, stand off, you braw bridegroom,\n Stand off a little wee;\n Stand off, stand off, you braw bridegroom,\n For the bride shall join wi me.\u2019\n 254A.17 Up and spak the bride\u2019s father,\n And an angry man was he;\n \u2018If I had pistol, powther and lead,\n And all at my command,\n I would shoot thee stiff and dead\n In the place where thou dost stand.\u2019\n 254A.18 Up and spoke then Sweet William,\n And a blithe blink from his ee;\n \u2018If ye neer be shot till I shoot you,\n Ye\u2019se neer be shot for me.\n 254A.19 \u2018Come out, come out, my foremost man,\n And lift my lady on;\n Commend me all to my good-mother,\n At night when ye gang home.\u2019\n \n \n \n 254B: Lord William, or Lord Lundy\n \n \n 254B.1 LORD WILLIAM has but ae dear son,\n In this world had nae mair;\n Lord Lundie had but ae daughter,\n And he will hae nane but her.\n 254B.2 They dressed up in maids\u2019 array,\n And passd for sisters fair;\n With ae consent gaed ower the sea,\n For to seek after lear.\n 254B.3 They baith did eat at ae braid board,\n In ae bed baith did lye;\n When Lord Lundie got word o that,\n He\u2019s taen her soon away.\n 254B.4 When Lord Lundie got word of that,\n An angry man was he;\n He wrote his daughter on great haste\n To return right speedilie.\n 254B.5 When she looked the letter upon,\n A light laugh then gae she;\n But ere she read it till an end\n The tear blinded her ee.\n 254B.6 \u2018Bad news, bad news, my love Willie,\n Bad news is come to me;\n My father\u2019s written a braid letter,\n Bids me gae speedilie.\n 254B.7 \u2018Set trysts, set trysts, my love Willie,\n Set trysts, I pray, wi me;\n Set trysts, set trysts, my love Willie,\n When will our wedding be.\u2019\n 254B.8 \u2018On Wednesday, on Wednesday,\n The first that ever ye see;\n On Wednesday at twelve o\u2019clock,\n My dear, I\u2019ll meet wi thee.\u2019\n 254B.9 When she came to her father\u2019s ha,\n He hailed her courteouslie;\n Says, I\u2019ll forgie offences past,\n If now ye\u2019ll answer me.\n 254B.10 \u2018Will ye marry yon young prince,\n Queen of England to be?\n Or will you marry Lord William\u2019s son,\n Be loved by nane but he?\u2019\n 254B.11 \u2018I will marry yon young prince,\n Father, if it be your will;\n But i woud rather I were dead and gane,\n My grave I woud win till.\u2019\n 254B.12 When she was in her saddle set,\n She skyred like the fire,\n To go her bridegroom for to meet,\n For whom she\u2019d nae desire.\n 254B.13 On every tippet o her horse mane\n There hang a siller bell,\n And whether the wind blew east or west\n They gae a sundry knell.\n 254B.14 And when she came to Mary\u2019s kirk\n She skyred like the fire;\n There her young bridegroom she did meet,\n For whom she\u2019d nae desire.\n 254B.15 She looked ower her left shoulder,\n The tear blinded her ee;\n But looking ower her right shoulder,\n A blythe sight then saw she.\n 254B.16 There she saw Lord William\u2019s son,\n And mony a man him wi,\n Wi targes braid and glittering spears\n All marching ower the lee.\n 254B.17 The minister looked on a book\n Her marriage to begin:\n \u2018If there is naething to be said,\n These two may join in ane.\u2019\n 254B.18 \u2018O huly, huly, sir,\u2019 she said,\n \u2018O stay a little wee;\n I hae a friend to welcome yet\n That\u2019s been a dear friend to me.\u2019\n 254B.19 O then the parson he spake out,\n A wise word then spake he;\n \u2018You might hae had your friends welcomd\n Before ye\u2019d come to me.\u2019\n 254B.20 Then in it came the bride\u2019s first love,\n And mony a man him wi:\n \u2018Stand back, stand back, ye jelly bridegroom,\n Bride, ye maun join wi me.\u2019\n 254B.21 Then out it speaks him Lord Lundie,\n An angry man was he;\n \u2018Lord William\u2019s son will hae my daughter\n Without leave askd of me.\n 254B.22 \u2018But since it\u2019s sae that she will gang,\n And proved sae fause to thee,\n I\u2019ll make a vow, and keep it true,\n Nae portion shall I gie.\u2019\n 254B.23 Then out it speaks the bride\u2019s first love,\n And [a] light laugh then gae he;\n \u2018I\u2019ve got the best portion now, my lord,\n That ye can gie to me.\n 254B.24 \u2018Your gude red gold I value not,\n Nor yet your white monie;\n I hae her by the hand this day\n That\u2019s far dearer to me.\n 254B.25 \u2018So gie the prince a coffer o gold\n When he gaes to his bed,\n And bid him clap his coffer o gold,\n And I\u2019ll clap my bonny bride.\u2019\n \n \n \n 254C: Lord William, or Lord Lundy\n \n \n 254C.1 LORD WILLIAM has gane oer the sea\n For to seek after lear;\n Lord Lundie had but ae daughter,\n And he\u2019d wed nane but her.\n 254C.2 Upon a book they both did read,\n And in ae bed did ly:\n \u2018But if my father get word o this,\n I\u2019ll soon be taen away.\u2019\n 254C.3 \u2018Your father\u2019s gotten word of this,\n Soon married then ye\u2019ll be;\n \u2018Set trysts, set trysts wi me, Janet,\n Set trysts, set trysts wi me.\n 254C.4 \u2018Set trysts, set trysts wi me, Janet,\n When your wedding-day\u2019s to be;\n \u2018On Saturday, the first that comes,\n Must be my wedding-day.\u2019\n 254C.5 \u2018Bad news, bad news is come, Janet,\n Bad news is come to me;\n Your father\u2019s gotten word of this,\n Soon married then ye\u2019ll be.\u2019\n 254C.6 \u2018O will ye marry the young prince, daughter,\n The queen of England to be?\n Or will ye marry Lord William,\n And die immediately?\u2019\n 254C.7 \u2018O I will marry the young prince, father,\n Because it is your will;\n But I wish it was my burial-day,\n For my grave I could gang till.\u2019\n 254C.8 When they gaed in into the kirk,\n And ae seat they sat in,\n The minister took up the book,\n The marriage to begin.\n 254C.9 \u2018Lay down the book, O dear, kind sir,\n And wait a little wee;\n I have a lday to welcome yet,\n She\u2019s been a good friend to me.\u2019\n 254C.10 Out then spake the minister,\n An angry man was he;\n \u2018You might have had your ladies welcomd\n Before ye came to me.\u2019\n 254C.11 She looked oer her left shoulder,\n And tears did blind her ee;\n But she looked oer her right shoulder,\n And a blythe sight saw she,\n For in there came him Lord William,\n And his valiant company.\n 254C.12 And in ther came him Lord William,\n His armour shining clear,\n And in it came him Lord William,\n And many glittering spear.\n 254C.13 \u2018Stand by, stand by, ye bonny bridegroom,\n Stand by, stand by,\u2019 said he;\n \u2018Stand by, stand by, ye bonny bridegroom,\n Bride, ye maun join wi me.\n 254C.14 \u2018Let the young prince clap his coffer of gold\n When he gangs to his bed;\n Let the young prince clap his coffer of gold,\n But I\u2019ll clap my bonny bride.\u2019\n 254C.15 Out it spake him Lord Lundie,\n And an angry man was he;\n \u2018My daughter will marry him Lord William,\n It seems, in spite of me.\u2019\n \n \n \n \n \n \n Next: 255. Willie's Fatal Visit","title":"The Child Ballads: 254. Lord William, or Lord Lundy","type":"page"}