Lady Marjorie, Lady Marjorie,
Sat sewing her silken seam,
And by her came a pale, pale ghost,
Wi' mony a sigh and mane.
"Are ye my father the king?" she says,5
"Or are ye my brither John?
Or are ye my true love, sweet William,
From England newly come?"
"I'm not your father the king," he says,
"No, no, nor your brither John;10
But I'm your true love, sweet William,
From England that's newly come."
"Have ye brought me any scarlets sae red,
Or any of the silks sae fine;
Or have ye brought me any precious things,15
That merchants have for sale?"
"I have not brought you any scarlets sae red,
No, no, nor the silks sae fine;
But I have brought you my winding-sheet
Ower many a rock and hill.20
"Lady Marjorie, Lady Marjorie,
For faith and charitie,
Will ye gie to me my faith and troth,
That I gave once to thee?"
"O your faith and troth I'll not gie to thee,25
No, no, that will not I,
Until I get ae kiss of your ruby lips,
And in my arms you lye."
"My lips they are sae bitter," he says,
"My breath it is sae strang,30
If you get ae kiss of my ruby lips,
Your days will not be lang.
"The cocks are crawing, Marjorie," he says,—
"The cocks are crawing again;
It's time the dead should part the quick,—35
Marjorie, I must be gane."