"There we shall get gear enough, 45 For there is nane but women at hame; The sorrowful fend that they can make, Is loudly cries as they were slain."[L48] Then in at Rookhope-head they came, And there they thought tul a had their prey, 50 But they were spy'd coming over the Dry-rig, Soon upon Saint Nicolas' day.[L52] Then in at Rookhope-head they came, They ran the forest but a mile; They gather'd together in four hours 55 Six hundred sheep within a while. And horses I trow they gat, But either ane or twa, And they gat them all but ane That belang'd to great Rowley. 60 That Rowley was the first man that did them spy, With that he raised a mighty cry; The cry it came down Rookhope burn, And spread through Weardale hasteyly. Then word came to the bailiff's house 65 At the East-gate, where he did dwell;[L66] He was walk'd out to the Smale-burns, Which stands above the Hanging-well.[L68] His wife was wae when she heard tell, So weel she wist her husband wanted gear; 70 She gar'd saddle him his horse in haste, And neither forgot sword, jack, nor spear. The bailiff got wit before his gear came, That such news was in the land, He was sore troubled in his heart, 75 That on no earth that he could stand. His brother was hurt three days before, With limmer thieves that did him prick; Nineteen bloody wounds lay him upon, What ferly was't that he lay sick? 80 But yet the bailiff shrinked nought, But fast after them he did hye, And so did all his neighbours near, That went to bear him company. But when the bailiff was gathered, 85 And all his company, They were numbered to never a man But forty under fifty. The thieves was numbered a hundred men, I wat they were not of the worst 90 That could be choosed out of Thirlwall and Willie-haver, [I trow they were the very first.][L92] But all that was in Rookhope-head, And all that was i' Nuketon-cleugh, Where Weardale-men o'ertook the thieves, 95 And there they gave them fighting eneugh. So sore they made them fain to flee, As many was 'a'' out of hand, And, for tul have been at home again, They would have been in iron bands. 100 And for the space of long seven years As sore they mighten a' had their lives, But there was never one of them That ever thought to have seen their 'wives.'