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#Post#: 23977--------------------------------------------------
Re: Scottish Borders: dark legends
By: Lace Date: June 13, 2015, 11:23 am
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The Douglas Tragedy
"RISE up, rise up, now, Lord Douglas," she says,
"And put on your armour so bright;
Sweet William will hae Lady Margaret awi'
Before that it be light.
"Rise up, rise up, my seven bold sons,
And put on your armour so bright,
And take better care of your youngest sistčr,
For your eldest's awa' the last night."
He's mounted her on a milk-white steed,
And himself on a dapple grey,
With a buglet horn hung down by his side
And lightly they rode away.
Lord William lookit o'er his left shouldčr,
To see what he could see,
And there he spied her seven brethren bold
Come riding o'er the lea.
"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 fa'
And her father hard fighting, who loved her so dear.
"O hold your hand, Lord William!" she said,
"For your strokes they are wondrous sair;
True lovers I can get many a ane,
But a father I can never get mair."
O, she's ta'en out her handkerchief,
It was o' the holland sae fine,
And aye she dighted her father's bloody wounds,
That were redder than the wine.
"O chuse, O chuse, Lady Margaret," he said,
"O whether will ye gang or bide?"
"I'll gang, I'll gang, Lord William," she said,
"For you have left me nae other guide."
He's lifted her on a milk-white steed,
And himself on a dapple grey,
With a buglet horn hung down by his side,
And slowly they baith rade away.
O they rade on, and on they rade,
And a' by the light of the moon,
Until they came to yon wan water,
And there they lighted down.
They lighted down to tak a drink
Of the spring that ran sae clear;
And down the stream ran his gude heart's blood,
And sair she 'gan to fear.
"Hold up, hold up, Lord William," she says,
"For I fear that you are slain!"
"'Tis naething but the shadow of my scarlet cloak,
That shines in the water sae plain."
O they rade on, and on they rade,
And a' by the light of the moon,
Until they came to his mother's ha' 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.
"O mak my bed, lady mother," he says,
"O mak it braid and deep!
And lay Lady Margaret close at my back,
And the sounder I will sleep."
Lord William was dead lang ere midnight,
Lady Margaret lang ere day:
And all true lovers that go thegither,
May they have mair luck than they!
Lord William was buried in St. Marie's kirk,
Lady Margaret in Marie's quire;
Out o' the lady's grave grew a bonny red rose,
And out o' the knight's a brier.
And they twa met, and they twa plat
And fain they wad be near;
And a' the world might ken right weel,
They were twa lovers dear.
But bye and rade the black Douglas
And wow but he was rough!
For he pulled up the bonny bričr,
And flanged in St. Marie's Loch.
#Post#: 23978--------------------------------------------------
Re: Scottish Borders: dark legends
By: Lace Date: June 13, 2015, 11:30 am
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45A: King John and the Bishop
45A.1
Of a notable prince that was called King Iohn,
In England was borne, with maine and with might;
Hee did much wrong and mainteined litle right.
45A.2
For he was angry with the Bishopp of Canterbury;
Ffor his house-keeping and his good cheere,
Th rode post for him, as you shall heare.
45A.3
The king sayd the bishopp kept a better house then hee:
A hundred men euen, as I [have heard] say,
The bishopp kept in his house euerye day,
And fifty gold chaines, without any doubt,
In veluett coates waited the bishopp about.
45A.4
Before his prince that was called King Iohn.
As soone as the bishopp the king did see,
‘O,’ quoth the king, ’Bishopp, thow art welcome to mee.
There is noe man soe welcome to towne
As thou that workes treason against my crowne’
45A.5
I spend, your grace, nothing but that that’s my owne;
I trust your grace will doe me noe deare
For spending my owne trew gotten geere.’
45A.6
Eccept thou can answere mee questions three;
Thy head shalbe smitten quite from thy bodye,
And all thy liuing remayne vnto mee.
45A.7
With this crowne of gold heere vpon my head,
Amongst my nobilitye, with ioy and much mirth,
Lett me know within one pennye what I am worth.
45A.8
How soone I may goe the whole world about;
And thirdly, tell mee or euer I stinte,
What is the thing, bishopp, that I doe thinke.
Twenty dayes pardon thoust haue trulye,
And come againe and answere mee.’
45A.9
He rode betwixt Cambridge and Oxenford,
But neuer a doctor there was soe wise
Cold shew him these questions or enterprise.
45A.10
But in his hart was heauy and sadd,
And hyed him home to a house in the countrye,
To ease some part of his melanchollye.
45A.11
Noe better but a shepard to the bishoppe himsell;
The shepard came to the bishopp anon,
Saying, My Lord, you are welcome home!
45A.12
sadd,
And had wonte to haue beene soe merry and gladd?’
‘Nothing,’ quoth the bishopp, ‘I ayle att this time;
Will not thee availe to know, brother mine.’
45A.13
That
Say me therfore whatsoeuer you will,
And if I doe you noe good, Ile doe you noe ill.’
45A.14
Before my prince is called King Iohn,
And there he hath charged mee
Against his crowne with traitorye.
45A.15
Three questions hee hath propounded to mee,
He will haue my land soe faire and free,
And alsoe the head from my bodye.
45A.16
With the crowne of gold vpon his head,
Amongst his nobilitye, with ioy and much mirth,
To lett him know within one penye what hee is worth.
45A.17
How soone he may goe the whole world about;
And thirdlye, to tell him, or ere I stint,
What is the thinge that he does thinke.
45A.18
learninge;
What neede you stand in doubt of soe small a thinge?
Lend me,’ quoth the shepard, ’your ministers apparrell,
Ile ryde to the court and answere your quarrell.
45A.19
With all your best horsses that ryd on the way;
Ile to the court, this matter to stay;
Ile speake with King Iohn and heare what heele say.’
45A.20
To sett forth the shepard with horsse and man;
The shepard was liuely without any doubt;
I wott a royall companye came to the court.
45A.21
Before [his] prince that was called King Iohn.
As soone as the king the shepard did see,
‘O,’ quoth the king, ’Bishopp thou art welcome to me.’
The shepard was soe like the bishopp his brother,
The king cold not know the one from the other.
45A.22
If thou can answer me my questions three.
Said the shepeard, If it please your grace,
Show mee what the first quest[i]on was.
45A.23
With the crowne of gold vpon my head,
Amongst my nobilitye, with ioy and much mirth,
Within one pennye what I am worth.’
45A.24
I thinke you are worth nine and twenty pence;
For our Lord Iesus, that bought vs all,
For thirty pence was sold into thrall
Amongst the cursed Iewes, as I to you doe showe;
But I know Christ was one penye better then you.
45A.25
He was not thought to bee of such a small value.
‘Secondlye, tell mee with-out any doubt
How soone I may goe the world round about.’
45A.26
scorne,
But rise betime with the sun in the morne,
And follow his course till his vprising,
And then you may know without any leasing.
45A.27
You are come to the same place from whence you came;
[In] twenty-four houres, with-out any doubt,
Your grace may the world goe round about;
The world round about, euen as I doe say,
If with the sun you can goe the next way.
45A.28
What is the thing, bishoppe, that I doe thinke.’
‘That shall I doe,’ quoth the shepeard; ’For veretye,
You thinke I am the bishopp of Canterburye.’
45A.29
For I doe thinke soe,’ quoth the king, ’By St Marye.’
‘Not soe,’ quoth the shepeard; ’The truth shalbe knowne,
I am his poore shepeard; my brother is att home.’
45A.30
Ile make thee bishopp here to mee.’
‘Noe, Sir,’ quoth the shepard, ‘I pray you be still,
For Ile not bee bishop but against my will;
For I am not fitt for any such deede,
For I can neither write nor reede.’
45A.31
A pattent of three hundred pound a yeere;
That
Take thee that, shepard, for coming to me.
45A.32
‘To saue the bishopp, his land and his head;
With him nor thee Ile be nothing wrath;
Here is the pardon for him and thee both.’
45A.33
But tooke the pardon and rode his way:
When he came to the bishopps place,
The bishopp asket anon how all things was.
45A.34
For I haue saued both your land and your head;
The king with you is nothing wrath,
For heere is the pardon for you and mee both.’
45A.35
‘Brother, thy paines Ile quitt them cleare;
For I will giue thee a patent to thee and to thine
Of fifty pound a yeere, land good and fine.’
45A.36
. . . .
‘I will to thee noe longer croche nor creepe,
Nor Ile serue thee noe more to keepe thy sheepe.’
45A.37
That
To pleasure a bishopp in such a like case,
To answer three questions to the kings grace?
Whereeuer wist you shepard gett cleare
Three hundred and fifty pound a yeere?
45A.38
Nor I neuer shall: now I need to say noe more.
I neuer knew shepeard that gott such a liuinge
But David, the shepeard, that was a king.
45B: King John and the Bishop
45B.1
Of a noble prince, and his name was King John;
For he was a prince, and a prince of great might,
He held up great wrongs, he put down great right.
Refrain:
45B.2
Concerning the Abbot of Canterbury,
And of his house-keeping and high renown,
Which made him resort to fair London town.
45B.3
That thou keepest a far better house than I;
And for [thy] house-keeping and high renown,
I fear thou has treason against my crown.’
45B.4
For spending of my true-gotten goods:’
‘If thou dost not answer me questions three,
Thy head shall be taken from thy body.
45B.5
With my crown of gold upon my head,
Amongst all my nobility, with joy and much mirth,
Thou must tell me to one penny what I am worth.
45B.6
How long I shall be riding the world about;
And the third question thou must not shrink,
But tell to me truly what I do think.’
45B.7
For I cannot answer your grace as yet;
But if you will give me but three days space,
I’ll do my endeavor to answer your grace.’
45B.8
For that is the longest day thou hast to live.
And if thou dost not answer these questions right,
Thy head shall be taken from thy body quite.’
45B.9
He spy’d the old abbot come riding along:
‘How now, master abbot? You’r welcome home;
What news have you brought from good King John?’
45B.10
For I have but three days space for to live;
If I do not answer him questions three,
My head will be taken from my body.
45B.11
With his crown of gold upon his head,
Amongst all his nobility, with joy and much mirth,
I must tell him to one penny what he is worth.
45B.12
How long he shall be riding the world about;
And the third question I must not shrink,
But tell him truly what he does think.’
45B.13
That a fool may learn a wiseman wit?
Lend me but your horse and your apparel,
I’ll ride to fair London and answer the quarrel.’
45B.14
With my crown of gold upon my head,
Amongst all my nobility, with joy and much mirth,
Now tell me to one penny what I am worth.’
45B.15
Amongst the false Jews, as you have been told,
And nine and twenty’s the worth of thee,
For I think thou are one penny worser than he.’
45B.16
How long I shall be riding the world about.’
‘You must rise with the sun, and ride with the same,
Until the next morning he rises again,
And then I am sure you will make no doubt
But in twenty-four hours you’l ride it about.’
45B.17
But tell me truly what I do think.’
‘All that I can do, and ’twill make you merry;
For you think I’m the Abbot of Canterbury,
But I’m his poor shepherd, as you may see,
And am come to beg pardon for he and for me.’
45B.18
Saying, Thou shalt be the abbot the other while:
‘O no, my grace, there is no such need,
For I can neither write nor read.’
45B.19
For this merry jest thou hast told unto me;
And tell the old abbot, when thou comest home,
Thou hast brought him a pardon from good King John.’
#Post#: 23980--------------------------------------------------
Re: Scottish Borders: dark legends
By: Lace Date: June 13, 2015, 1:20 pm
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THE NIGHT RIDE - REIVERS IN THE SADDLE
(by Mercurial Night aka Lace)
This night the moon
Shall hide her face
Ashamed and afraid
Unwilling to shed her pale virginal light
Upon the ungodly creatures below
No assistance shall she offer
In their unholy ride this night
Stealthy, silent
Muffled hooves betraying none
The Reivers are on the prowl
As ravenous wolves
They scavenge the land
Delivering revenge and death
Upon those unwilling to pay their price
Their prey stays huddled
Lambs to the slaughter
Within stone bastions
Grim and dark
Or meagre dwellings
Weak and frail
Fearful at their hearths
Starting at every sound
Awaiting the unexpected bark
The sly knock on the door
A guttural demand "blackmail"
From a throat hoarse with travel
Beneath eyes black as coal
Impenetrable gaze boring deep
In the light of a dancing torch
Or better still
The thudding rumble
Of many muffled hooves
Riding by
Riding onwards
This night another
More deserving perhaps?
Shall guest the wild dogs tonight
Those devil riders
Who know no law but their own
No master but their own
#Post#: 24757--------------------------------------------------
Re: Scottish Borders: dark legends
By: Clay Death Date: July 5, 2015, 9:19 pm
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I am enjoying this thread.
awesome stuff here.
#Post#: 25081--------------------------------------------------
Re: Scottish Borders: dark legends
By: Exotic One Date: July 15, 2015, 5:30 am
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Good
#Post#: 28070--------------------------------------------------
Re: Scottish Borders: dark legends
By: EquineAnn Date: August 29, 2015, 3:44 pm
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They are very good poems. Thank you very much for sharing. I
remember passing Otterburn. I find the poems about the Douglases
sad though as my Great Grandmother was a Douglas. All my family
say I have her hair. I don't like the fact that they were
turncoats who changed sides depending on what they could gain
though & hate was their middle name, so to speak. I'd have
preferred them to stay on 1 side. It won't have been all of them
though.
#Post#: 28071--------------------------------------------------
Re: Scottish Borders: dark legends
By: Lace Date: August 29, 2015, 3:53 pm
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Thank you. I've been gathering some border ballads and mixing
these with my own writing. I adore the region and it's dark
history to match the rugged and wild landscape, often mixed with
beautiful valleys. History lies in every fold of the landscape
- incredibly inspirational.
You come from a strong bloodline which left their make up in
history.
#Post#: 28072--------------------------------------------------
Re: Scottish Borders: dark legends
By: EquineAnn Date: August 29, 2015, 4:02 pm
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I love the whole of Scotland. I also have lots of other Scottish
ancestors just as well-known mostly from the Lamont/Brown line
which is akin to lots of other Scottish clans & are descended
from the O'Neill clan which although seen as Scottish originally
came from an Irish family during pictish times & I also have
Cunningham ancestors.
#Post#: 28073--------------------------------------------------
Re: Scottish Borders: dark legends
By: Lace Date: August 29, 2015, 4:09 pm
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I'm from Highland (Cameron) and old French stock mixed with a
little Viking thrown into add some fire ...all I can say is my
ancestresses obviously liked their men strong and masterful
😳
#Post#: 28074--------------------------------------------------
Re: Scottish Borders: dark legends
By: EquineAnn Date: August 29, 2015, 4:10 pm
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I've also got 2 lots of English & 1 lot each of Irish & French
ancestors.
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