Clerk Saunders and may Margaret,

Walked ower yon gravelled green;

And sad and heavy was the love

I wot it fell this twa between.

"A bed, a bed," Clerk Saunders said,

"A bed, a bed for you and me!"—

"Fie na, fie na," the lady said,

"Until the day we married be;

"For in it will come my seven brothers,

And a their torches burning bright;

They'll say—' We hae but ae sister,

And here her lying wi' a knight! '"—

"Yell take the sword from my scabbard,

And lowly, lowly lift the gin;

And you may swear, and your oath to save,

Ye never let Clerk Saunders in.

"Yell take a napkin in your hand,

And yell tie up baith your een;

And you may swear, and your oath to save,

Ye saw na Sandy since late yestreen."

—"Ye'll take me in your armÉs twa,

Yell carry me ben into your bed,

And ye may swear, and your oath to save,

That in your bower-floor I ne'er tread."

She has ta en the sword frae his scabbard,

And lowly, lowly lifted the gin;

She was to swear, her oath to save,

She never let Clerk Saunders in.

She has ta'en a napkin in her hand,

And she tied up baith her een;

She was to swear, her oath to save,

She saw na him since late yestreen.

(gin, latch.)

She ta'en him in her armÉs twa

And carried him ben into her bed j

She was to swear her oath to save

He never on her bower-floor tread.

In and came her seven brothers,

And all their torches burning bright;

Says they, "We hae but ae sister,

And see there her lying wi' a knight!"

Out and speaks the first o' them,

"I wot that they hae been lovers dear!"

Out and speaks the next o' them,

"They hae been in love this many a year!"

Out and speaks the third o' them,

"It were great sin this twa to twain!"

Out and speaks the fourth of them,

"It were a sin to kill a sleeping man!"

Out and speaks the fifth of them,

"I wot they'll ne'er be twained by me";

Out and speaks the sixth of them,

"We'll tak our leave and gae our way."

Out and speaks the seventh o' them,

"Altho' there were no man but me;

I bear the brand I'll gar him dee."

Out he has ta'en a bright long brand,

And he has striped it through the straw,

And through and through Clerk Saunders' body

I wot he has gared cold iron gae.

(gar, make.)

Saunders he started, and Margaret she lept

Into his arms where she lay;

And well and wellsome was the night

I wot it was between those twa.

And they lay still and sleeped sound,

Until the day began to daw;

And kindly to him she did say,

"It is time, true love, you were awa'."

They lay still, and sleeped sound,

Until the sun began to sheen;

She looked atween her and the wa,

And dull and drowsy was his een.

She thought it had been a loathsome sweat,

I wot it had fallen these twa between;

But it was the blood of his fair body,

I wot his life-days were na lang.

O Saunders, I'll do for your sake

What other ladies would na thole;

When seven years is come and gone,

There's ne'er a shoe go on my sole.

O Saunders, I'll do for your sake

What other ladies would think mair;

When seven years is come and gone,

There's ne'er a comb go in my hair.

O Saunders, I'll do for your sake

What other ladies would think lack;

(thole, endure. lack, loss.)

When seven long years is come and gone,

I'll wear nought but dowie black.

The bells gaed clinking through the town,

To carry the dead corpse to the clay,

An sighing says her may Margaret,

I wot I bide a doleful day.

In and came her father dear,

Stout stepping on the floor.

"Hold your tongue, my daughter dear,

Let all your mourning a'be;

I'll carry the dead corpse to the clay,

And I'll came back and comfort thee."

"Comfort well your seven sons,

For comforted will I never be:

I ween 'twas neither lord nor loon

That was in bower last night wi' me."—

(dowie, sad.)

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