Clerk Saunders Clerk Saunders and May Margaret Were walking on yon garden green And sad and heavy was the love I wot That fell their twa between "A bed, a bed," Clerk Saunders said "A bed for you and me" "Fie no, fie no," quoth May Margaret "Till ainse we mairrit be" "Ye'll tak' a napkin in your hands And bind up baith your bonnie een Then you may swear and save your oath You saw me not since late yestereen "Tak' yer ma sword intae baith your hands And slowly, slowly lift the pin Then you may swear and save your oath Ye ne'er let Clerk Saunders in" It fell aboot the midnight hour When they asleep in bed were laid That in there came her seven brothers Wi' torches burning red And up and spak' the fifth o' them "It were a shame true love tae twine" And up and spak' the sixth o' them "It were a sin tae slay a sleeping man" But up and gat the seventh o' them And ne'er a word spak' he But he has striped his bright brown brand Down through Clerk Saunders's fair body And they lay still and sleepit sound Until the sun began tae sheen She looked atween her and the wa' And dull and drowsy were his een Then in there cam' her faither dear And said "Let a' your mournin' be I'll carry the dead corpse tae the clay And I'll come back and comfort thee" The clinkin' bell gaed through the toon Tae carry the dead corpse tae the clay And Clerk Saunders stood at May Margaret's window I wot an hour before the day "Is there any room at your head, Saunders? Or any room at your feet? Or any room at your side Saunders? Whaur fain, fain I would sleep?" "No, there's nae room at my head, Margaret And nae room at my feet My bed it is full lowly now Among the hungry worms I sleep And fair Margaret and rare Margaret And Margaret of veritie Gin ere ye love anither man Ne'er love him as ye did me" Then up and crew the milk-white cock And up and crew the grey Her lover vanished in the air And she went weepin' away Child #69 recorded by Jean Redpath on Lowlands SOF
Thanks to Mudcat for the Digital Tradition!