Child has 6 versions (A-F) of Earl Brand

[ A | B | C | D | E | F ]

Version A

Name: a. b. 'Earl Bran,' c. 'The Brave Earl Brand and
and the King of England's Daughter'

Note:  a. b. from the papers of the late Robert White, Esq., of
Newcastle-on-Tyne: c. R. Bell, Ancient Poems, Ballads, etc.	
' 0 lady, I have no steeds but one, (1857), p. 122
d. fragmentary lines as remenshored by Mrs 
Andrews, Mr White's sister, from her mother's singing

1 OH did ye ever hear o brave Earl Bran?
Ay lally, o lilly lally
He courted the king's daughter of fair England.
All i the night sae early

2 She was scarcely fifteen years of age
Till sae boldly she came to his bedside.

3 '0 Earl Bran, fain wad I see
A pack of hounds let loose on the lea.'

4 'O lady, I have to steeds but one,
And htou shanlt ride, and I will run.'

5 '0 Earl Bran, my father has two,
And thou shall have the best o them a.'

6 They have ridden oer moss and moor,
Awl they met neither rich nor poor.

7 Until they met with old Carl Hood
He comes for ill, but never for good.

8 'Earl Bran, if ye love me,
Seize this old earl, and gar him die.'

9 '0 lady fair, it wad be sair,
To slay an old man that has grey hair.

10 '0 lady fair, I'II no do sae;
I'11 gie him a pound, and let him gae.'

11 '0 where hae ye ridden this lee lang day?
Or where hae ye stolen this lady away ?

12 'I have not ridden this lee lang day,
Nor yet have I stolen this lady away.

13 'She is my only, my sick sister,
Whom I have brought from Winchester.'

14 'If she he sick, and like to dead,
wears she the ribbon sae red?

15 'If she be sick, and like to die,
Then why wears she the gold on high?'

16 When he came to this lady's gate,
Sae rudely as he rapped at it.

17 '0 where 's the lady o this ha?'
'She 's out with her maids to play at the ha.'

18 'Ha, ha, ha! ye are a' mistaen:
Gae count your maidens oce again.

19 'I saw her far beyond the moor,
Away to be the Earl o Bran's whore.'

20 The father armed fifteen of his best men
To bring his daughter back again.

21 Oer her left shoulder the lady looked then
'0 Earl Bran, we both are tane.'

22 'If they come on me ane by ane,
Ye may stand by and see them slain.

23 'But if they come on me one and all,
Ye may stand by and see me fall.'

24 They have come on him ane by ane,
And he has killed them all but ane

25 And that ane came behind his back,
And he's gien him a deadly whack.

26 But for a' sae wounded as Earl Bran was,
He has set his lady on her horse.

27 They rode till they came to the water o Doune,
And then he alighted to wash his wounds.

28 '0 Earl Bran, I see your heart's blood!'
'Tis but the gleat o my scarlet hood.'

29 They rode till they came to his mother's gate,
And sae rudely as he rapped at it.

30 '0 my son 's slain, my son 's put down,
And a' for the sake of an English loun.'

31 '0 say not sae, my dear mother,
But marry her to my youngest brother.

	*	*	*	*	*

32 'This has not been the death o ane,
But it 's been that of fair seventeen.'



Version B

Name: a. 'The Douglas Tragedy'

Note: a. Scott's Minstrelsy, 'II, 246, ed. 1803; III 6, ed. 1833 the
copy principally used supplied by Mr Sharpe, the three last
stanzas from a penny pamphlet and from tradition.

1 'RISE up, rise up, now, Lord Douglas,' she says,
'And put on your armour so bright;
Let it never be said that a daughter of thine
Was married to a lord under night.

2 'Rise up, rise up, my seven bold sons,
And put on your armour so bright,
And take better care of your youngest sister,
For your eldest's awa the last night.'

3 He 's mounted her on a milk-white steed,
And himself on a dapple grey,
With a bugelet horn hung down by his side,
And lightly they rode away.

4 Lord William lookit oer his left shoulder,
To see what he could see,
And there he spy'd her seven brethren bold,
Come riding over the lee.

5 'Light down, light clown, Lady Margret,' he said,
'And hold my steed in your hand,
Until that against your seven brethren bold,
And your father, I niak a stand.'

6 She held his steed in her mllk-white hand,
And never shed one tear,
Until that she saw her seven brethren fa,
And her father hard fighting, who lovd her so dear.

7 '0 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 inair.'

8 0 she 's taen 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

9 '0 chuse, 0 chuse, Lady Margret,' he said,
'0 whether will ye gang or bide?'
'I '11 gang, I 'll gang, Lord William,' she said,
'For ye have left me no other guide.'

10 He 's lifted her on a milk-white steed,
And himself on a dapple grey,
With a bugelet horn hung down by his side,
And slowly they baith rade away.

11 0 they rade on, and on they rade,
And a' by the light of the moon,
Until they caine to you wan water,
And there they lighted down.

12 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.

13 '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.'

14 0 they rade on, and on they rade,
And a' by the light of the moon,
Until they cain to his mother's ha door,
And there they lighted down.
	
15 '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 'ye win.
	
16 '0 mak my bed, lady mother,' he says,
' 0 mak it braid and deep,
And lay Lady Margret close at my back,
And the sounder I will sleep.'
	
17 Lord William was dead lang ere midnight,
Lady Margret lang ere day,
And all true lovers that go thegither,
May they have mair luck than they!
	
18 Lord William was buried in St. Mary's kirk,
Lady Margret in Mary's quire;
Out o the lady's grave grew a bonny red rose,
And out o the knight's a briar.
	
19 And they twa met, and they twa plat,
And fain they wad be near;
And a' the warld might ken right weel
They were twa lovers dear.
	
20 But bye and rade the Black Douglas, 
And wow but he was rough!
For he pulld up the bonny brier,
And flang't in St. Mary's Loch.



Version C

Name: a. 'The Douglas Tragedy'

Note: Motherwell's MS., p. 502. From the recitation of Mrs Notman,

1 'RISE up, rise up, my seven brave sons,
And dress in your armour so bright;
Earl Douglas will hae Lady Margaret awa
Before that it be light.

2 'Arise, arise, my seven brave sons,
And dress in your armour so briffht;
It shall never be said that a daughter of
Shall go with an earl or a knight.'
	
3 '0 will ye stand, fair Margaret,' he says,
' And hold my milk-white steed,
Till I fight your father and seven brethren,
In yonder pleasant mead?'

4 She stood and held his milk-white steed.
She stood trembling with fear,	
Until she saw her seven brethren fall,
And her father that loved her dear.

5 'Hold your hand, Earl Douglas,' she says,	
'Your strokes are wonderous sair;	
I may get sweethearts again enew,	
But a father I 'II ne'er get mair.'

6 She took out a handkerchief	
Was made o' the cambrick fine,		 
And aye she wiped her father's bloody wounds,		
And the blood sprung up like wine.

7 Will ye go, fair Margaret ?'
Will ye now go, or bide ?'	  
'Yes, I '11 go, sweet William,' she said,	
'For ye've left me never a guide.	 

8 'If I were to go to my mother's house,	
A welcome guest I would be;	
But for the bloody deed that's clone this clay		
I '11 rather go with thee.'

9 He lifted her on a milk-white steed
And himself on a dapple gray;	
They drew their hats out over their face,		  
And they both went weeping away.		

10 They rode, they rode, and they better rode,
Till they came to you water wan;	
They lighted down to gie their horse a drink		  
Out of the running stream.		

11 'I am afraid, Earl Douglas.' she said,
I am afraid ye are slain
I think I see your bonny heart's blood
Runing down the water wan.

12 'Oh no, oh no, fair Margaret,' he said,
Oh no, I am not slain
It is but the scad of my scarlet cloak
Runs down the water wan.'

13 He mounted her on a milk-white steed
And himself on a dapple gray,
And they have reached Earl Douglas' gates
Before the break of day.

14 '0 rise, dear mother, and make my bed,
And make it braid and wide,
And lay me down to take my rest,
And at my back my bride.'

15 She has risen and mad his bed,
She made it braid and wide
She laid him down to take his rest,
And at his back his bride.

16 Lord William died ere it was day,
Lady Margaret on the morrow;
Lord William died through loss of blood and wounds,
Fair Margaret died with sorrow.

17 The one was buried in Mary's kirk,
The other in Mary's quire
The one sprung up a bonnie bush,
And the other a bonny brier.

18 These twa grew, and these twa threw;
Till they came to the top,
And when they could na farther gae,
They coost the lovers' knot.



Version D

Name: 'Lord Douglas'

Note: Kinloch MSS, I, 327.

1 ' SLEEPST thou or wakst thou, Lord Montgomerie,	     
Sleepst thou or wakst thou, I say?	  
Rise up, make a match for your eldest daughter
For the yountest I carry away.'    

2 Rise up. rise up. my seven bold sons,
Dress yourselves in the armour sac fine
For it ne'er shall lie said that a churlish knight
Eer married a daughter of niioe.'

3 ' Loup aff, loup aff, Lady Margaret,' he said,
And hold myy steed in your hand,
And I will go fight your seven brethren,
And your father, where they stand.'

4 Sometimes she gaed. sometimes she stood,
But never dropt a tear,
Until she saw Item brethren all slain,
And her father who lovd her so dear

5 'Hold thy hand, sweet William,' she says,
'Thy blows are wondrous sore;
Sweethearts I may have many a one,
But a father I 'll never have more.'

6 0 she's taken her napkin frae her pocket,
Was made o the holland fine,
And ay as she dichted her father's bloody wounds
They sprang as red as wine.

7 'Two chooses, two chooses, Lady Margret,' he says
'Two chooses I '11 make thee;
Whether to go back to your mother again,
Or go along with me.'

8 'For to go home to my mother again, 
An unwelcome guest I 'd be;
But since my fate has ordered it so,
I'll go along with thee.'

9 He has mounted her on a milk-white steed,
Himself on the dapple gray,
And blawn his horn baith loud and shill,
And it sounded far on their way.

10 They rode oer hill, they rode oer dale,
They rode oer mountains so high,
Until they came to that beautiful place
Where Sir William's mother did lie.

11 'Rise up, rise up, lady mother,' he said,
'Rise up, and make much o your own;
Rise up, rise up, lady mother,' he said,
'For his bride's just new come home.'

12 Sir William he died in the middle o the night,
Lady Margaret died on the morrow
Sir William he died of pure pure love,
Lady Margaret of grief and sorrow.


Version E

Name: 'The Douglas Tragedy'

Notes: Motherwell's Minstrelsy, p. iso. From recitation.


1 He has lookit over his left shoulder,
And through his bonnie bridle rein,
And	he spy'd her father and her seven bold brethren,
Come riding down the glen.

2 '0 hold my horse, Lady Margret,' he said,
0 hold my horse by the bonnie bridle rein, 
Till I fight your fatber and seven bold brethren
As they come riding down the glen.'

3 Some time she rade, and some time she gaed,
Till she that place did near,
And there she spy'd her seven bold brethren slain,
And her father who loved her so dear.

4 '0 hold your hand, sweet William,' she said, 
'Your bull baits are wondrous sair;
Sweet-hearts I may get many a one,
But a father I wili never get mair.'

5 She has taken a napkin from off her neck,
That was of the cambrick so fine,
And aye as she wiped her father's bloody wounds,
The blood ran red as the wine.

	*	*	*	*	*

6 He set her upon the milk-white steed, 
Himself upon the brown;
He took a horn out of his pocket,
And they both went weeping along.


Version F

Name: 'The Child of Ell'

Note: Percy MS., p. 57; ed. Hales and Furnivall, i, 133.


1 . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . .
Sayes 'Christ thee saue, good Child of Ell! 
Christ saue thee and thy steede!

2 'My father sayes he will [eat] noe meate,
Nor his drinke shall doe him noe good.
Till he haue slaine the Child of Ell,
And haue seene his harts blood.'

3 'I wold I were in my sadle sett, 
And a mile out of the towne;
I did not care for your father
And all his merry men!

4 'I wold I were in my sadle sett,	
And a little space him froe;	    
I did not care for your father
And all that long him to!

5 He leaned ore his saddle bow		
To kisse this lady good;	
The teares that went them two betweene
Were blend water and blood.	

6 He sett himselfe on one good steed,		
This lady on a palfray,		  
And sett his litle horne to his month,
And roundlie he rode away.	
		 
7 He had not ridden past a mile,		
A mile out of the towne,
. . . . . 
. . . . . 

8 Her father was readye with her seuen brether,
He said, 'Sett thou my daughter downe!
For ill beseemes thee, thou false churles sonne,
To carry her forth of this towne!'

9 ' But lowd thou lyest, Sir Iohn the knight,
Thou now doest lye of me;
A knight me gott, and a lady me bore;
Soe neuer did none by thee.

10 'But light now done, my lady gay,
Light downe and hold my horsse,
Whilest I and your father and your brether
Doe play vs at this crosse.

11 'But light now downe, my owne trew loue,
And meeklye hold my steede,
Whilest your father [and your scuen brether] bold
 . . . . .