1: Prince William and Lady Margaret
Versions from the Singing Tradition
1: Prince William and Lady Marget
As sung by Duncan Johnstone, Birnam, Dunkeld, Perthshire
2: Lord William and Lady Margret
As sung by Willie Stewart, Springfield, Fife
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As sung by Duncan Johnston, Birnam, Dunkeld on 16 June 1967. Recorded by Peter and Lena Shepheard in Duncan and his wife Martha (Peasie) Reid's house [Spr 67.3.3] and on 15 September 1967 [Spr 67.5.31]. See also the version (Lord William etc) from Willie Stewart [Spr 68.1.3] and collation.
'O light you, light you Lady Marget,' he says,
'And hold my steed in your hand,
To I do fight now your seven brother bold, [to - till
An' your old father is in my right hand.'
For he flet an he rout an he better, better fought,
It wis all by the light o the moon,
O tae onct that she seen O her seven brothers fall,
An her auld father wis in his right hand.
'So hold your hand Prince William,' she says,
'For your blows they are wonderful sore,
For a sweethert I may get manys a manys a one,
But an auld father I'll never get no more.'
'Well it's choice you, choice you Lady Marget,' he says,
'Whether you go or bide.'
'O I must now go with you Prince William,' she says,
'For you never have left me a guide.'
Well he mounted her on her white milk steed,
An' hisself on a dapple grey,
An' with a bue bugle horn hangin down by his side,
Prince William an' her rode away.
Well they rode an' they rode an' they better, better rode,
It bein all by the light o the moon,
Tae onct that they cam to a lonesome riverside,
It wis there that they lighted doun.
'Light you, light you Lady Marget,' he says
An' hold my steed in your hand,
O tae I do go down to this lonesome riverside,
Tae I now have one drink.'
Well she stood an' she stood an' she better, better stood,
It wis all by the light of the moon,
Tae onct that she saw now his very heart's bled,
Gaun down by the watery stream.
'What's up, what's up Prince William,' she says,
'When you're staying so long away?
'O I think I see now your very heart's bled,
Gaun down by the watery stream.'
'O joice you, joice you Lady Marget,' he says,
'An' hold my steed in your hand,
For its only the scad o my red scarlet clock, [the shadow
You see glancing by the light o the moon.'
Well he mounted her on her white milk steed,
An' hisself on his dapple grey,
With his bue bugle horn hangin down by his side,
Lady Marget an him rode away.
Well they rode an they rode and they better, better rode,
It wis all by the light o the moon,
Tae onct that he cam tae his mother's gates
It wis there where he lighted doun.
'For it's open your gates dear mother,' he says,
Come open 'em broad and wide,
For I think I have got now the bonniest lady,
Ever stood by a young man's side.'
For Prince William [sung in error as Johnston] died now afore midnight,
Lady Marget before the break o day,
An let ony ither couple that does go thegither,
Let them have more rejoicin nor ey. [i.e. than they
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