Lord Thomas and Lady Margaret
No: 260; variant: 260B
- CLERK TAMAS lovd her fair Annie
As well as Mary lovd her son;
But now he hates her fair Annie,
And hates the lands that she lives in.
- 'Ohon, alas!' said fair Annie,
'Alas! this day I fear I'll die;
But I will on to sweet Tamas,
And see gin he will pity me.'
- As Tamas lay ower his shott-window,
Just as the sun was gaen down,
There he beheld her fair Annie,
As she came walking to the town.
- 'O where are a' my well-wight men,
I wat, that I pay meat and fee,
For to lat a' my hounds gang loose
To hunt this vile whore to the sea.'
- The hounds they knew the lady well,
And nane o them they woud her bite,
Save ane that is ca'd Gaudywhere,
I wat he did the lady smite.
- 'O wae mat worth ye, Gaudywhere!
An ill reward this is to me;
For ae bit that I gae the lave,
I'm very sure I've gien you three.
- 'For me, alas! there's nae remeid,
Here comes the day that I maun die;
I ken ye lovd your master well,
And sae, alas for me! did I.'
- A captain lay ower his ship-window,
Just as the sun was gaen down;
There he beheld her fair Annie,
As she was hunted frae the town.
- 'Gin ye'll forsake father and mither,
And sae will ye your friends and kin,
Gin ye'll forsake your lands sae broad,
Then come and I will take you in.'
- 'Yes, I'll forsake baith father and mither,
And sae will I my friends and kin;
Yes, I'll forsake my lands sae broad,
And come gin ye will take me in.'
- Then a' thing gaed frae fause Tamas,
And there was naething byde him wi;
Then he thought lang for Arrandella,
It was fair Annie for to see.
- 'How do ye now, ye sweet Tamas?
And how gaes a' in your countrie?'
'I'll do better to you than ever I've done,
Fair Annie, gin ye'll come an see.'
- 'O Guid Forbid,' said fair Annie,
'That e'er the like fa in my hand!
Woud I forsake my ain gude lord
And follow you, a gae-through-land?
- 'Yet nevertheless now, sweet Tamas,
Ye'll drink a cup o wine wi me,
And nine times in the live lang day
Your fair claithing shall changed be.'
- Fair Annie pat it till her cheek,
Sae did she till her milk-white chin,
Sae did she till her flattering lips,
But never a drap o wine gaed in.
- Tamas put it till his cheek,
Sae did he till he dimpled chin;
He pat it till his rosy lips,
And then the well o wine gaed in.
- 'These pains,' said he, 'are ill to bide;
Here is the day that I maun die;
O take this cup frae me, Annie,
For o the same I am weary.'
- 'And sae was I o you, Tamas,
When I was hunted to the sea;
But I'se gar bury you in state,
Which is mair than ye'd done to me.'