She has taken her to her bigly1 bower

As fast as she could fare;

And she has drank a sleepy draught That she had mixed with care.

And pale, pale grew her rosy cheek,
That was so bright of blee,
And she seemed to be as surely dead
As any one could be.

Then spake her cruel step-minnie,
"Take ye the burning lead,
And drop a drop in her bosom
To try if she be dead."

They took a drop of boiling lead,
They dropped it on her breast;
"Alas! alas !" her father cried,
"She's dead without the priest."

She neither chattered with her teeth, Nor shivered with her chin; "Alas! alas!" her father cried, "There is no breath within."

Then up arose her seven brothers,
And hewed to her a bier :
They hewed it from the solid oak,
Laid it o'er with silver clear.

1 large, roomy.

Then up and gat her seven sisters,
And sewed to her a kell; 1

And every stitch that they put on
Sewed to a silver bell.

The first Scotch church that they came to,
They garred the bells be rung;

The next Scotch church that they came to,
They garred the mass be sung.

But when they came to St. Mary's church,
There stood spearmen all on a raw,
And up and started Lord William,
The chieftain among them a'.

"Set doun, set doun the bier," he said,

But as soon as Lord William touched her hand,

Her color began to come.

She brightened like the lily-flower,

Till her pale cheek was gone;

With rosy cheek, and ruby lip,
She smiled her love upon.

"Give me a chive of your bread, my love.

And one glass of your wine;

For I have fasted for your love

These weary long days nine.

1 cap.

"Go home, go home, my seven bold brothers, Go home and blow your horn!

I trow ye would have gi'en me the skaith,
But I've given you the scorn.

"Commend me to my gray father,
That wished my soul good rest ;
But woe be to my cruel step-dame,
Garred burn me on the breast."

"Oh woe to you, you light woman!
An ill death may ye die!

For we left father and sisters at home
Breaking their hearts for thee."

THE DOUGLAS TRAGEDY

"Rise up, rise up, now, Lord Douglas," she says, "And put on your armor so bright;

Lord William will have Lady Margaret away Before that it be light.

“Rise up, rise up, my seven bold sons, And put on your armor so bright,

And take better care of your youngest sister,
For your eldest's away the last night."

He's mounted her on a milk-white steed,
And himself on a dapple gray,

With a buglet horn hung down by his side,
And lightly they rode away.

Lord William looked over his left shoulder,
To see what he could see,

And there he spied her seven brethren bold,
Come riding over the lea.

66

Light down, light down, Lady Margaret," he said, "And hold my steed in your hand,

Until that against your seven brethren bold,
And your father, I make a stand."

She held his steed in her milk-white hand,
And never shed one tear,

Until that she saw her seven brethren fall,

And her father hard fighting, who loved her so dear.

"O hold your hand, Lord William!" she said,
"For your strokes they are wondrous sore;
True lovers I can get many a one,
But a father I can never get more."

O she's ta'en out her handkerchief,

It was o' the holland so fine,

And aye she dighted her father's bloody wounds, That were redder than the wine.

"O choose, O choose, Lady Margaret," he said, "O whether will ye gang1 or bide?"

"I'll gang, I'll gang, Lord William," she said, "For ye've left me no other guide."

1 go.

He's lifted her on a milk-white steed,
And himself on a dapple gray,

With a buglet horn hung down by his side,
And slowly they both rode away.

O they rode on, and on they rode,
And all by the light of the moon,
Until they came to yon wan water,
And there they lighted down.

They lighted down to take a drink
Of the spring that ran so clear,

And down the stream ran his good heart's blood,

And sore she 'gan to fear.

"Hold up, hold up, Lord William," she says, "For I fear that you are slain;

"'Tis nothing but the shadow of my scarlet cloak,

That shines in the water so plain."

O they rode on, and on they rode,

And all by the light of the moon,

Until they came to his mother's hall door, And there they lighted down.

"Get up, get up, lady mother," he says, "Get up, and let me in!

Get up, get up, lady mother," he says,

"For this night my fair lady I've win.