And he march'd up to Newcastle, And rode it round about; 'O wha's the lord of this castle, Or wha's the lady o't?' But up spake proud Lord Percy, then, 'I am the lord of this castle, My wife's the lady gay!' But O how pale his lady look'd, When down, before the Scottish spear, 'Had we twa been upon the green, I wad hae had you, flesh and fell; 'But gae ye up to Otterbourne And wait there dayis three; 6 And, if I come not ere three dayis end, A fause knight ca' ye me.' The Otterbourne's a bonnie burn; But there is nought at Otterbourne, The deer rins wild on hill and dale, 'Yet I will stay at Otterbourne, And, if ye come not at three dayis end, 'Thither will I come,' proud Percy said, 'By the might of Our Ladye!' 'There will I bide thee,' said the Douglas, 'My trowth I plight to thee.' They lighted high on Otterbourne, They lighted high on Otterbourne, Fend, 'support.' And he that had a bonnie boy, Sent out his horse to grass; And he that had not a bonnie boy, But up then spake a little page, 'O waken ye, waken ye, my good lord, 'Ye lie, ye lie, ye liar loud! 'But I hae dream'd a dreary dream, I saw a dead man win a fight, He belted on his good braid sword, But he forgot the helmet good, That should have kept his brain. When Percy wi' the Douglas met, They swakked their swords, till sair they swat, But Percy with his good braid sword, Till he fell to the ground. Then he call'd on his little foot page, And fetch my ain dear sister's son, 'My nephew good,' the Douglas said, 'What recks the death of ane! Last night I dream'd a dreary dream, And I ken the day's thy ain. 'My wound is deep; I fain would sleep; Take thou the vanguard of the three, And hide me by the braken bush, That grows on yonder lilye lee. 'O bury me by the braken bush, He lifted up that noble lord, Wi' the saut tear in his e'e; He hid him in the braken bush, That his merrie men might not see. The moon was clear, the day drew near, But mony a gallant Englishman The Gordons good, in English blood The Percy and Montgomery met, 'Yield thee, O yield thee, Percy!' he said, 'Or else I vow I'll lay thee low!' 'Whom to shall I yield,' said Earl Percy, Now that I see it must be so ?' 'Thou shalt not yield to lord nor loun, 'I will not yield to a braken bush, Or Sir Hugh the Montgomery, if he were here.' As soon as he knew it was Montgomery, This deed was done at Otterbourne, About the breaking of the day; Earl Douglas was buried at the braken bush, YET once more, O ye laurels, and once more, I come to pluck your berries harsh and crude, : Shatter your leaves before the mellowing year. |