153. The Lament of the Border Widow

MY love he built me a bonny bower,

And clad it a’ wi’ lilye flour;

A brawer bower ye ne’er did see,

Than my true love he built for me.

There came a man, by middle day,

He spied his sport, and went away;

And brought the King that very night,

Who brake my bower, and slew my knight.

III

He slew my knight, to me sae dear;

He slew my knight, and poin’d his gear;

My servants all for life did flee,

And left me in extremitie.

I sew’d his sheet, making my mane;

I watch’d the corpse, myself alane;

I watch’d his body, night and day;

No living creature came that way.

I took his body on my back,

And whiles I gaed, and whiles I sat;

I digg’d a grave, and laid him in,

And happ’d him with the sod sae green.

But think na ye my heart was sair,

When I laid the moul’ on his yellow hair;

O think na ye my heart was wae,

When I turn’d about, away to gae?

VII

Nae living man I’ll love again,

Since that my lovely knight is slain;

Wi’ ae lock of his yellow hair

I’ll chain my heart for evermair.

poin’d] made forfeit.