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The border widow's lament

Language: English

My love built me a bonnie bower,
And clad it a' wi' lily flower;
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, at dead of night,
Who brake my bower, and slew my knight.
 
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.
 
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.
Thomson noted: "This affecting Fragment, obtained by Mr Scott from recitation, is said to relate to the execution of Cockburne of Henderland, a Border freebooter, hanged over the gate of his own tower by James V.., in the course of that memorable expedition in 1529, which was fatal to Johnie Armstrong, Adam Scott of Tushielaw, and many other marauders."
Glossary:
Brawer = finer, more handsome
Happ'd = wrapped, covered

Input by Ferdinando Albeggiani

Authorship

Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive)

Date added to the website: 2009-07-05.

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