ANONYMOUS

'Take you a napkin in your hand, And tie up baith your bonnie e'en,

And you may swear, and save your aith, Ye saw me na since late yestreen/

It was about the midnight hour,

When they asleep were laid, When in and came her seven brothers,

Wi* torches burning red :

When in and came her seven brothers,

Wi' torches burning bright : They said, ' We hae but one sister,

And behold her lying with a knight \ '

Then out and spake the first o' them, ' I bear the sword shall gar him die/

And out and spake the second o' them, ' His father has nae mair but he/

And out and spake the third o' them, ' I wot that they are lovers dear/

And out and spake the fourth o' them,

'They hae been in love this mony a year/

Then out and spake the fifth o' them, ' It were great sin true love to twain/

And out and spake the sixth o' them, i It were shame to slay a sleeping man/

Then up and gat the seventh o' them,

And never a word spake he ; But he has striped his bright brown brand

Out through Clerk Saunders' fair bodye.

striped] thrust

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