'Ye wadna be warn'd, my son Johnnie, 29. Now Johnnie's gude bend-bow is broke, KINMONT WILLIE I. O HAVE ye na heard o' the fause Sakelde? 2. Had Willie had but twenty men, But twenty men as stout as he, 3. They band his legs beneath the steed, 4. They led him thro' the Liddel-rack, They brought him in to Carlisle castell, To be at my Lord Scroope's commands. 5. 'My hands are tied, but my tongue is free, Or answer to the bauld Buccleuch?' 6. 'Now haud thy tongue, thou rank reiver! There's never a Scot shall set thee free: Before ye cross my castle yate, I trow ye shall take farewell o' me.' 7. 'Fear na ye that, my lord,' quo' Willie: 'By the faith o' my body, Lord Scroope,' he said, 'I never yet lodged in a hostelrie But I paid my lawing before I gaed.' 8. Now word is gane to the bauld Keeper, 9. He has ta'en the table wi' his hand, He garr'd the red wine spring on hie 10. 'O is my basnet a widow's curch? Or my lance a wand of the willow-tree? That an English lord should lightly me! II. 'And have they ta'en him, Kinmont Willie, 12. 'And have they e'en ta'en him, Kinmont Willie, Withouten either dread or fear? And forgotten that the bauld Buccleuch 13. 'O were there war between the lands, 14. 'I would set that castell in a low, And sloken it with English blood! There's never a man in Cumberland Should ken where Carlisle castell stood. 15. 'But since nae war's between the lands, 16. He has call'd him forty Marchmen bauld, I trow they were of his ain name, Except Sir Gilbert Elliot, call'd The Laird of Stobs, I mean the same. 17. He has call'd him forty Marchmen bauld, Were kinsmen to the bauld Buccleuch; With spur on heel, and splent on spauld, And gleuves of green, and feathers blue. 18. There were five and five before them a', 19. And five and five, like a mason-gang, That carried the ladders lang and hie; And so they reach'd the Woodhouselee. 20. And as we cross'd the Bateable Land, When to the English side we held, The first o' men that we met wi', Whae sould it be but fause Sakelde? 21. 'Where be ye gaun, ye hunters keen?' Quo' fause Sakelde; 'come tell to me!''We go to hunt an English stag, Has trespass'd on the Scots countrie.' 22. 'Where be ye gaun, ye marshal men?' Quo' fause Sakelde; 'come tell me true''We go to catch a rank reiver, Has broken faith wi' the bauld Buccleuch.' 23. 'Where be ye gaun, ye mason lads, Wi' a' your ladders, lang and hie?’— 'We gang to herry a corbie's nest, That wons not far frae Woodhouselee.' 24. 'Where be ye gaun, ye broken men?' Quo' fause Sakelde; 'come tell to me!'- And the never a word of lear had he. 25. 'Why trespass ye on the English side? Row-footed outlaws, stand!' quo' he; The never a word had Dickie to say, Sae he thrust the lance through his fause bodie. 26. Then on we held for Carlisle toun, And at Staneshaw-bank the Eden we cross'd; 27. And when we reach'd the Staneshaw-bank, And there the Laird gar'd leave our steeds, 28. And when we left the Staneshaw-bank, But 'twas wind and weet, and fire and sleet, |