This fight did last from break of day For when they rung the evening-bell With stout Earl Percy there were slain Sir Robert Ratcliff, and Sir John, And with Sir George and stout Sir James, For Witherington my heart is woe And with Earl Douglas there were slain Sir Hugh Mountgomery, Sir Charles Murray, that from the field One foot would never flee; Sir Charles Murray of Ratcliff, too,— Sir David Lamb, so well esteemed, But saved he could not be. And the Lord Maxwell in like case Of fifteen hundred Englishmen, The rest in Chevy-Chase were slain, Under the greenwood tree. Next day did many widows come, Their husbands to bewail; They washed their wounds in brinish tears, But all would not prevail. Their bodies, bathed in purple blood, They bore with them away; They kissed them dead a thousand times, The news was brought to Edinburgh, "O heavy news," King James did say; I have not any captain more Like tidings to King Henry came Within as short a space, That Percy of Northumberland Was slain in Chevy-Chase: "Now God be with him," said our King, "Since 'twill no better be; I trust I have within my realm Five hundred as good as he. "Yet shall not Scots or Scotland say But I will vengeance take; I'll be revenged on them all For brave Earl Percy's sake." This vow full well the king performed After at Humbledown; In one day fifty knights were slain With lords of high renown; And of the rest, of small account, Did many hundreds die: Thus endeth the hunting of Chevy-Chase, God save the king, and bless this land, And grant, henceforth, that foul debate "Twixt noblemen may cease. THE BONNIE HOUSE OF AIRLIE Ir fell on a day, and a bonnie simmer day, When green grew aits and barley, Argyll has raised an hunder men, Lady Ogilvie looks o'er her bower-window, And there she spied the great Argyll, Unknown Come to plunder the bonnie house of Airlie. "Come down, come down, my Lady Ogilvie, Come down and kiss me fairly:" "OI winna kiss the fause Argyll, If he shouldna leave a standing stane in Airlie." He hath taken her by the left shoulder, Says, "Dame, where lies thy dowry?" "O it's east and west yon wan water side, And it's down by the banks of the Airlie." They hae sought it up, they hae sought it down, Till they fand it in the fair plum-tree That shines on the bowling-green of Airlie. He hath taken her by the middle sae small, And laid her down by the bonnie burn-side, "Gif my gude lord war here this night, As he is with King Charlie, Neither you, nor ony ither Scottish lord, Durst avow to the plundering of Airlie. "Gif my gude lord war now at hame, There durst nae a Campbell in a' Argyll "Ten bonnie sons I have borne unto him, But though I had an hunder mair, Unknown KINMONT WILLIE O HAVE ye na heard o' the fause Sakelde? O have ye na heard o' the keen Lord Scroope? How they hae ta'en bauld Kinmont Willie, On Haribee to hang him up? Had Willie had but twenty men, But twenty men as stout as he, Fause Sakelde had never the Kinmont ta'en, They band his legs beneath the steed, They guarded him, fivesome on each side, They led him through the Liddel-rack, And also through the Carlisle sands; They brought him to Carlisle castell, To be at my Lord Scroope's commands. "My hands are tied, but my tongue is free, And whae will dare this deed avow? Or answer by the Border law? Or answer to the bauld Buccleuch?" "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.” "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." Now word is gane to the bauld Keeper, He has ta'en the table wi' his hand, "O is my basnet a widow's curch? Or my lance a wand of the willow-tree? Or my arm a ladye's lilye hand, That an English lord sets light by me! "And have they ta'en him, Kinmont Willie, And forgotten that the bauld Buccleuch "And have they e'en ta'en him, Kinmont Willie, Withouten either dread or fear? And forgotten that the bauld Buccleuch Can back a steed, or shake a spear? |