“Had I my horse and harness gude, And riding as I wont to be, It shou’d have been tauld this hundred year, The meeting of my king and me! “God be with thee, Kirsty, {91} my brother, Lang live thou laird of Mangertoun! Lang may’st thou live on the Border side, Ere thou see thy brother ride up and down! “And God he with thee, Kirsty, my son, Where thou sits on thy nurse’s knee! But an thou live this hundred year, Thy father’s better thou’lt never be. “Farewell, my bonnie Gilnock hall, Where on Esk side thou standest stout! Gif I had lived but seven years mair, I wou’d ha’e gilt thee round about.” John murder’d was at Carlinrigg, And all his gallant companie; But Scotland’s heart was ne’er sae wae, To see sae mony brave men die; Because they saved their country dear Frae Englishmen! Nane were sae bauld While Johnnie lived on the Border side, Nane of them durst come near his hauld. EDOM O’ GORDON IT fell about the Martinmas, When the wind blew shrill and cauld, Said Edom o’ Gordon to his men,— “We maun draw to a hald. {92} “And whatna hald shall we draw to, My merry men and me? We will gae straight to Towie house, To see that fair ladye.” [The ladye stood on her castle wall, Beheld baith dale and down; There she was ’ware of a host of men Came riding towards the town. “Oh, see ye not, my merry men all, Oh, see ye not what I see? Methinks I see a host of men; I marvel who they be.” She thought it had been her own wed lord. As he came riding hame; It was the traitor, Edom o’ Gordon, Wha reck’d nae sin nor shame.] She had nae sooner buskit hersel’, And putten on her gown, Till Edom o’ Gordon and his men Were round about the town. They had nae sooner supper set, Nae sooner said the grace, Till Edom o’ Gordon and his men Were round about the place. The ladye ran to her tower head, As fast as she cou’d hie, To see if, by her fair speeches, She cou’d with him agree. As soon as he saw this ladye fair. And her yetts all lockit fast, He fell into a rage of wrath, And his heart was all aghast. “Come down to me, ye ladye gay, Come down, come down to me; This night ye shall lye within my arms, The morn my bride shall be.” “I winna come down, ye false Gordon, I winna come down to thee; I winna forsake my ain dear lord, That is sae far frae me.” “Gi’e up your house, ye ladye fair, Gi’e up your house to me; Or I shall burn yoursel’ therein, Bot and your babies three.” “I winna gi’e up, ye false Gordon, To nae sic traitor as thee; Tho’ you shou’d burn mysel’ therein, Bot and my babies three.