Page:Posthumous poems (IA posthumousswinb00swin).pdf/71

He's put his mouth to her laidley mouth,
 He's kissed her once and twice;
"I had liever lose God's dear body
 Than kiss this foul worm thrice."

He's put his mouth to her laidley mouth,
 He's kissed her kisses three;
The flesh fell frae her laidley mouth
 And frae her rank body;
And it was but his sister Helen
 Stood at Lord Richard's knee.

She was clad all in the fair red samite,
 Her mouth was red and fair;
There was nae burd in the good land
 That had such yellow hair.

He's tane him to the witch mother
 That sat by her bairn's bed;
The gold was gone in her grey hair,
 Her face was heavy and red.

"O wae be wi' you, ye ill woman,
 And the young bairn at your knee;
There's never a bairn shall die abed
 That comes of your body."

"Now God you save, my fair brother,
 For his dear body that was dead;
Now God you save and maiden Mary,
 That kept me of her maidenhead."

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