The English and Scottish Popular Ballads :: :: University of Virginia Library

a. Christie's Traditional Ballad Airs, I, 290, as taken down 1867-73, from the recitation of Mrs Mary Robertson, wife of James Robertson, shoemaker, Bogmoor, near Fochabers. b. Obtained by Mr Macmath, March 25, 1890, from the daughter of Mrs Robertson, Mrs Mary Thomson, wife of James Thomson, gardener at Gordon Castle gardens, Fochabers.

1

O we were sisters, sisters seven,
We were a comely crew to see,
And some got lairds, and some got lords,
And some got knichts o hie degree;
And I mysel got the Earl o Crawford,
And wasna that a great match for me!

2

It was at fifteen that I was married,
And at sixteen I had a son;
And wasna that an age ower tender
For a lady to hae her first-born!
And wasna, etc.

3

But it fell ance upon a day
I gaed into the garden green,
And naebody was therein walking
But Earl Crawford and his young son.

4

‘I wonder at you, ye Earl Crawford,
I wonder at you wi your young son;
Ye daut your young son mair than your Lillie;
[I'm sure you got na him your lane.’]

5

[He turned about upon his heel,
I wite an angry man was he;
Says, If I got nae my young son my lane,
Bring me here the one that helpet me.]

6

[‘O hold your tongue, my Earl Crawford,
And a' my folly lat it be;
There was nane at the gettin o oor son,
Nae body only but you and me.’]

7

He set her on a milk-white steed,
Her little young son her before;
Says, Ye maun gae to bonny Stobha,
For ye will enter my yates no more.

8

When she cam to her father's bowers,
She lichtit low down on the stane,
And wha sae ready as her auld father
To welcome Lady Lillie in?

9

‘O how's a' wi you, my daughter Lillie,
That ye come here sae hastilie?
And how's a' wi' the Earl o Crawford,
That he didna send a boy wi thee?’

10

‘O haud your tongue now, my old father,
And ye'll lat a' your folly be;
For ae word that my merry mou spak
Has parted my good lord and me.’

11

‘O haud your tongue, my daughter Lillie,
And a' your follies lat them be;
I'll double your portion ten times ower,
And a better match I'll get for thee.’

12

‘O haud your tongue now, my old father,
And a' your folly lat it be;
I wouldna gie ae kiss o Crawford
For a' the goud that ye can gie.

13

‘Whare will I get a bonny boy,
That's willin to win meat and fee,
Wha will gae on to Earl Crawford
An see an's heart be fawn to me?’

14

When he cam to the yates o Crawford,
They were a' sitting down to dine:
‘How comes it now, ye Earl Crawford,
Ye arena takin Lady Lillie hame?’

15

‘Ye may gae tell her Lady Lillie,
And ye maun neither lee nor len,
She may stay in her father's bowers,
For she'll not enter my yates again.’

16

When he cam back to her father's yates,
He lichtit low down on his knee:
‘What news, what news, my bonny boy?
What news, what news hae ye to me?’

17

‘I'm bidden tell you, Lady Lillie —
I'm bidden neither to lee nor len —
She may stay in her father's bowers,
For she'll not enter my yates again.’

18

She stretched out her lily hand,
Says, ‘Adieu, adieu to ane and a!
Adieu, adieu to Earl Crawford!’
Wi that her sair heart brak in twa.

19

Then dowie, dowie her father raise up,
And dowie, dowie the black put on,

278

And dowie, dowie he mounted the brown,
And dowie, dowie sat thereon.

20

And dowie rade to the yates o Crawford,
And when to Crawford's yates he came,
They were a' dressd in the robes o scarlet,
Just gaun to tak Lady Lillie hame.

21

‘Ye may cast aff your robes o scarlet —
I wyte they set you wondrous weel —
And now put on the black sae dowie,
And come and bury your Lady Lill.’

22

He took his hat into his hand,
And laid it low down by his knee:
‘An it be true that Lillie's dead,
The sun shall nae mair shine on me.’