KINMONT WILLIE O HAVE ye na heard o' 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, Wi' eight score in his companie. They band his legs beneath his steed, They tied his hands behind his back! They guarded him, fivesome on each side, And they brought him over the Liddel-rack. They led him thro' the Liddel-rack, And also thro' 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 Scott 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, In Branksome Ha', where that he lay, He has ta'en the table wi' his hand, He garr'd the red wine spring on hie"Now Christ's curse on my head" he said, "But avenged of lord Scroope I'll be! "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 should lightly me? 30 35 40 "And have they ta'en him, Kinmont Willie, Against the truce of border tide? And forgotten that the bauld Buccleuch Is keeper on the Scottish side? "And have they e'en ta'en him, Kinmont Willie, Withouten either dread or fear? 45 And forgotten that the bauld Buccleuch Can back a steed, or shake a spear? "O were there war between the lands, As well I wot that there is none, 50 55 "But since nae war's between the lands, And there is peace, and peace should be; I'll neither harm English lad or lass, And yet the Kinmont freed shall be!" He has call'd him forty marchmen bauld, The laird of Stobs, I mean the same. He has call'd him forty marchmen bauld, There were five and five before them a', And five and five, like a mason gang, That carried the ladders lang and hie; And five and five like broken men; And as we cross'd the Bateable land, When to the English side we held, 60 65 70 75 The first o' men that we met wi', Whae sould it be but fause Sakelde? 80 "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." "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." 85 "Where are ye gaun, ye mason lads, Wi' a' your ladders, lang and hie?" 90 "We gang to herry a corbie's nest, That wons not far frae Woodhouselee.". "Where be ye gaun, ye broken men?” Quo' fause Sakelde; "come tell to me!" 95 Now Dickie of Dryhope led that band, "Why trespass ye on the English side? Row-footed outlaws, stand!" quo' he; The nevir a word had Dickie to say, Sae he thrust the lance through his fause bodie. 100 Then on we held for Carlisle toun, And at Staneshaw-bank the Eden we cross'd; The water was great, and mickle of spait, And when we reached the Staneshaw-bank, The wind was rising loud and hie; And when we left the Staneshaw-bank, The wind began full loud to blaw; But 't was wind and weet, and fire and sleet, We crept on knees, and held our breath, Till we placed the ladders against the wa'; And sae ready was Buccleuch himsell To mount the first before us a'. He has ta'en the watchman by the throat, "Now sound out trumpets!" quo' Buccleuch ; "Let's waken lord Scroope right merrilie!" Then loud the warden's trumpet blew "O wha dare meddle wi' me?" Then speedilie to work we gaed, And raised the slogan ane and a', And cut a hole through a sheet of lead, They thought King James and a' his men. It was but twenty Scots and ten, Wi' coulters, and wi' forehammers, Where Willie o' Kinmont he did lie. And when we cam to the lower prison 115 120 125 130 135 140 |