O lang, lang may the ladies sit, Wi' their fans into their hand, Or ever they see Sir Patrick Spens Come sailing to the land. O lang, lang may the maidens sit, Wi' their gowd kaims in their hair, A' waiting for their ain dear loves, For them they'll see nae mair. Half owre, half owre to Aberdour, It's fifty fathom deep, And there lies gude Sir Patrick Spens, Wi' the Scots lords at his feet. * * * * * THE BATTLE OF OTTERBURNE. It fell about the Lammas tide, When muirmen win their hay, That the doughty Earl of Douglas rade Into England to fetch a prey. And he has ta'en the Lindsays light, With them the Gordons gay; But the Jardines wad not with him ride, And they rue it to this day. Then they hae harried the dales o' Tyne, And half o' Bambrough-shire, And the Otter-dale they burned it haill, And set it a' on fire. Then he cam' up to New Castel, And rade it round about: "O who is the lord of this castel, Or who is the lady o't?" But up and spake Lord Percy then, And O but he spake hie: "It's I am the lord of this castel, My wife is the lady gay." "If thou'rt the lord of this castel, Sae weel it pleases me! For ere I cross the Border fell, The tane of us shall dee."-- He took a lang spear in his hand, Shod with the metal free; And forth to meet the Douglas then, He rade richt furiouslie. But O how pale his lady looked Frae aff the castle wa', As doun before the Scottish spear She saw proud Percy fa'! "Had we twa been upon the green, And never an eye to see, I wad hae had you, flesh and fell, But your sword shall gae wi' me." "Now gae up to the Otterburne, And bide there dayis three, And gin I come not ere they end, A fause knight ca' ye me!" "The Otterburne is a bonnie burn, 'Tis pleasant there to be; But there is nought at Otterburne To feed my men and me. "The deer rins wild on hill and dale, The birds fly wild frae tree to tree; But there is neither bread nor kale, To fend my men and me. "Yet I will stay at the Otterburne, Where you shall welcome be; And, if ye come not at three dayis end, A fause lord I'll ca' thee." "Thither will I come," Earl Percy said, By the might of our Ladye!" "There will I bide thee," said the Douglas, "My troth I plight to thee!" They lichted high on Otterburne, Upon the bent sae broun; They lichted high on Otterburne, And pitched their pallions doun. And he that had a bonnie boy, He sent his horse to grass; And he that had not a bonnie boy, His ain servant he was. Then up and spake a little boy, Was near of Douglas' kin-- "Methinks I see an English host Come branking us upon! "Nine wargangs beiring braid and wide, Seven banners beiring high; It wad do any living gude, To see their colours fly!" "If this be true, my little boy, That thou tells unto me, The brawest bower o' the Otterburne Sall be thy morning fee.