Lord Thomas Stuart
No: 259; variant: 259A
- THOMAS STUART was a lord,
A lord of mickle land;
He used to wear a coat of gold,
But now his grave is green.
- Now he has wooed the young countess,
The Countess of Balquhin,
An given her for a morning-gift
Strathboggie and Aboyne.
- But women's wit is aye willful,
Alas that ever it was sae!
She longed to see the morning-gift
That her gude lord to her gae.
- When steeds were saddled an weel bridled,
An ready for to ride,
There came a pain on that gude lord,
His back, likewise his side.
- He said, Ride on, my lady fair,
May goodness be your guide!
For I'm sae sick and weary that
No farther can I ride.
- Now ben did come his father dear,
Wearing a golden band;
Says, Is there nae leech in Edinburgh
Can cure my son from wrang?
- 'O leech is come, an leech is gane,
Yet, father, I'm aye waur;
There's not a leech in Edinbro
Can death from me debar.
- 'But be a friend to my wife, father,
Restore to her her own;
Restore to her my morning-gift,
Strathboggie and Aboyne.
- 'It had been gude for my wife, father,
To me she'd born a son;
He would have got my land an rents,
Where they lie out an in.
- 'It had been gude for my wife, father,
To me she'd born an heir;
He would have got my lands an rents,
Where they lie fine and fair.'
- The steeds they strave into their stables,
The boys could'nt get them bound;
The hounds lay howling on the leech,
Cause their master was behind.
- 'I dreamed a dream since late yestreen,
I wish it may be good,
That our chamber was full of swine,
An our bed full of blood.'
- I saw a woman come from the West,
Full sore wringing her hands,
And aye she cried, Ohon, alas!
My good lord's broken bands.
- As she came by my good lord's bower,
Saw mony black steeds an brown:
'I'm feared it be mony unco lords
Havin my love from town!'
- As she came by my gude lord's bower,
Saw mony black steeds an grey:
'I'm feared it's mony unco lords
Havin my love to the clay!'