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Jamie Douglas

No: 204; variant: 204L

  1. WHEN I fell sick, an very sick, An very sick, just like to die, A gentleman of good account He came on purpose to visit me; But his blackie whispered in my lord's ear He was owre lang in the room wi me.
  2. 'Gae, little page, an tell your lord, Gin he will come and dine wi me I'll set him on a chair of gold And serve him on my bended knee.'
  3. The little page gaed up the stair: 'Lord Douglas, dine wi your ladie; She'll set ye on a chair of gold, And serve you on her bended knee.'
  4. 'When cockle-shells turn silver bells, When wine drieps red frae ilka tree, When frost and snaw will warm us a', Then I'll cum down an dine wi thee.'
  5. But whan my father gat word o this, O what an angry man was he! He sent fourscore o his archers bauld To bring me safe to his countrie.
  6. When I rose up then in the morn, My goodly palace for to lea, I knocked at my lord's chamber-door, But neer a word wad he speak to me.
  7. But slowly, slowly, rose he up, And slowly, slowly, cam he down, And when he saw me set on my horse, He caused his drums and trumpets soun.
  8. 'Now fare ye weel, my goodly palace! And fare ye weel, my children three! God grant your father grace to love you Far more than ever he loved me.'
  9. He thocht that I was like himsel, That had a woman in every hall; But I could swear, by the heavens clear, I never loved man but himsel.
  10. As on to Embro town we cam, My guid father he welcomed me; He caused his minstrels meet to sound, It was nae music at a' to me.
  11. 'Now haud your tongue, my daughter dear, Leave off your weeping, let it be; For Jamie's divorcement I'll send over; Far better lord I'll provide for thee.'
  12. 'Now haud your tongue, my father dear, And of such talking let me be; For never a man shall come to my arms, Since my lord has sae slighted me.'
  13. O an I had neer crossed the Tweed, Nor yet been owre the river Dee, I might hae staid at Lord Orgul's gate, Where I wad hae been a gay ladie.
  14. The ladies they will cum to town, And they will cum and visit me; But I'll set me down now in the dark, For ochanie! who'll comfort me?
  15. An wae betide ye, black Fastness, Ay, and an ill deid may ye die! Ye was the first and foremost man Wha parted my true lord and me.