Contents
-BIBLIOGRAPHIC RECORD
Rhys, Ernest, ed. (1859–1946). The Haunters and the Haunted. 1921.
XXIV. Clerk Saunders
Border Minstrelsy
CLERK SAUNDERS and May Margaret
And sad and heavy was the love |
That fell them twa between. |
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And thro’ the dark, and thro’ the mirk, 5 |
And thro’ the leaves o’ green, |
He cam that night to Margaret’s door, |
And tirléd at the pin. |
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“O wha is that at my bower door, |
Sae weel my name does ken?” |
You’ll open and let me in?”“’Tis I, Clerk Saunders, your true love; |
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“But in may come my seven bauld brithers, |
Wi’ torches burning bright; |
They’ll say—‘We hae but ae sister, |
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“Ye’ll tak my brand I bear in hand,And behold she’s wi’ a knight!’” |
And wi’ the same ye’ll lift the pin; |
Then ye may swear, and save your aith, |
That ye ne’er let Clerk Saunders in. |
And wi’ the same tie up your een; |
“Ye’ll tak the kerchief in your hand, |
Then ye may swear and save your aith, |
Ye saw me na since yestere’en.” |
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It was about the midnight hour, |
When in and cam her seven brothers,When they asleep were laid, |
Wi’ torches burning red. |
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When in and cam her seven brothers, |
Wi’ torches burning bright; |
And behold she’s wi’ a knight.”They said, “We hae but ae sister, |
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Then out and spak the first o’ them, |
“We’ll awa’ and lat them be.” |
And out and spak the second o’ them, |
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And out and spak the third o’ them,“His father has nae mair than he!” |
“I wot they are lovers dear!” |
And out and spak the fourth o’ them, |
“They hae lo’ed this mony a year!” |
“It were sin true love to twain!” |
Then out and spak the fifth o’ them, |
“’Twere shame,” out spak the sixth o’ them, |
“To slay a sleeping man!” |
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Then up and gat the seventh o’ them, |
But he has striped his bright brown brandAnd never a word spak he; |
Through Saunders’ fair bodie. |
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Clerk Saunders started, and Margaret she turned, |
Into his arms as asleep she lay; |
That was atween thir twae.And sad and silent was the night, |
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And they lay still and sleepit sound, |
Till the day began to daw; |
And kindly to him she did say, |
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But he lay still, and sleepit sound,“It is time, love, you were awa’.” |
Till the sun began to sheen; |
She looked atween her and the wa’, |
And dull, dull were his een. |
The sheets unto the wa’, |
She turned the blankets to the foot, |
And there she saw his bloody wound, |
And her tears fast doun did fa’. |
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Then in and cam her father dear, |
I’ll carry the dead corpse to the claySaid, “Let a’ your mournin’ be; |
And then come back and comfort thee. |
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“Hold your tongue, my daughter dear, |
And let your mourning be; |
Than his father’s son could be.”I’ll wed you to a higher match |
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“Gae comfort weel your seven sons, father, |
For man sall ne’er comfort me; |
Ye’ll marry me wi’ the Queen o’ Heaven, |
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The clinking bell gaed through the toun,For wedded I ne’er sall be!” |
To carry the dead corse to the clay; |
And Clerk Saunders stood at Margaret’s window, |
’Twas an hour before the day. |
“Or are ye waking presentlie? |
“O are ye sleeping, Margaret?” he says. |
Gie me my faith and troth again, |
I wot, true love, I gied to thee. |
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“I canna rest, Margaret,” he says, |
Till ye gie me my faith and troth again,“Doun in the grave where I must be, |
I wot, true love, I gied to thee.” |
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“Your faith and troth ye sall never get, |
Nor our true love sall never twin, |
And kiss me cheek and chin.”Until ye come within my bower, |
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“My mouth it is full cold, Margaret, |
It has the smell, now, of the ground; |
And if I kiss thy comely mouth, |
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“O, cocks are crawing a merry midnight,To the grave thou will be bound. |
I wot the wild-fowls are boding day; |
Gie me my faith and troth again, |
And let me fare me on my way.” |
And our true love shall never twin, |
“Thy faith and troth thou sall na get, |
Until ye tell what comes of women, |
I wot, who die in strong travailing.” |
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“Their beds are made in the heavens high, |
Weel set about wi’ gillyflowers;Down at the foot of our good Lord’s knee, |
I wot sweet company for to see. |
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“O, cocks are crawing a merry midnight, |
I wot the wild-fowl are boding day; |
And I, ere now, will be missed away.”The psalms of heaven will soon be sung, |
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Then she has ta’en a crystal wand, |
And she has stroken her troth thereon, |
She has given it him out at the shot-window, |
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“I thank ye, Margaret; I thank ye, Margaret;Wi’ mony a sigh and heavy groan. |
And aye I thank ye heartilie; |
Gin ever the dead come for the quick, |
Be sure, Margaret, I’ll come for thee.” |
She clam the wa’ and after him; |
It’s hosen, and shoon, and gown, alane, |
Until she cam to the green forest, |
And there she lost the sight o’ him. |
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“Is there ony room at your head, Saunders, |
Or ony room at your side, Saunders,Is there ony room at your feet? |
Where fain, fain, I wad sleep?” |
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“There’s nae room at my head, Margaret, |
There’s nae room at my feet; |
’Mang the hungry worms I sleep.My bed it is full lowly now: |
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“Cauld mould is my covering now, |
But and my winding-sheet; |
The dew it falls nae sooner down, |
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“But plait a wand o’ the bonnie birkThan my resting-place is weet. |
And lay it on my breast; |
And shed a tear upon my grave, |
And wish my saul gude rest. |
And Margaret o’ veritie, |
“And fair Margaret, and rare Margaret, |
Gin e’er ye love anither man, |
Ne’er love him as ye did me.” |
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Then up and crew the milk-white cock, |
Her lover vanished in the air,And up and crew the gray; |
And she gaed weeping away.
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