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161

Clerk Saunders

CLERK SAUNDERS—C

[_]

Kinloch's Scottish Ballads, p. 233, a North Country version.

1

It was a sad and a rainy nicht
As ever raind frae toun to toun;
Clerk Saunders and his lady gay
They were in the fields sae broun.

2

‘A bed, a bed,’ Clerk Saunders cried,
‘A bed, a bed, let me lie doun;
For I am sae weet and sae wearie
That I canna gae nor ride frae toun.’

3

‘A bed, a bed,’ his lady cried,
‘A bed, a bed, ye'll neer get nane;
[OMITTED]
[OMITTED]

4

‘For I hae seven bauld brethren,
Bauld are they, and very rude;
And if they find ye in bouer wi me,
They winna care to spill your blude.’

5

‘Ye'll tak a lang claith in your hand,
Ye'll haud it up afore your een,
That ye may swear, and save your aith,
That ye saw na Sandy sin yestreen.

6

‘And ye'll tak me in your arms twa,
Ye'll carry me into your bed,
That ye may swear, and save your aith,
That in your bour-floor I never gaed.’

7

She's taen a lang claith in her hand,
She's hauden't up afore her een,
That she might swear, and save her aith,
That she saw na Sandy sin yestreen.

8

She has taen him in her arms twa,
And carried him into her bed,
That she might swear, and save her aith,
That on her bour-floor he never gaed.

9

Then in there cam her firsten brother,
Bauldly he cam steppin in:
‘Come here, come here, see what I see!
We hae only but ae sister alive,
And a knave is in bour her wi.’

10

Then in and cam her second brother,
Says, Twa lovers are ill to twin;
And in and cam her thirden brother,
‘O brother dear, I say the same.’

11

Then in and cam her fourthen brother,
‘It's a sin to kill a sleepin man;’
And in and cam her fifthen brother,
‘O brother dear, I say the same.’

12

Then in and cam her sixthen brother,
‘I wat he's neer be steerd by me;’
But in and cam her seventhen brother,
‘I bear the hand that sall gar him dee.’

13

Then out he drew a nut-brown sword,
I wat he stript it to the stroe,
And thro and thro Clerk Saunders' body
I wat he garrd cauld iron go.

14

Then they lay there in ither's arms
Until the day began to daw;
Then kindly to him she did say,
‘It's time, my dear, ye were awa.

15

‘Ye are the sleepiest young man,’ she said,
‘That ever my twa een did see;
Ye've lain a' nicht into my arms,
I'm sure it is a shame to be.’

16

She turnd the blankets to the foot,
And turnd the sheets unto the wa,
And there she saw his bluidy wound,
[OMITTED]

17

‘O wae be to my seventhen brother,
I wat an ill death mot he dee!
He's killd Clerk Saunders, an earl's son,
I wat he's killd him unto me.’

18

Then in and cam her father dear,
Cannie cam he steppin in;
Says, Haud your tongue, my dochter dear,
What need you mak sic heavy meane?

19

‘We'll carry Clerk Saunders to his grave,
And syne come back and comfort thee:’
‘O comfort weel your seven sons, father,
For man sall never comfort me;
Ye'll marrie me wi the Queen o Heaven,
For man sall never enjoy me.’
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