The ballad was first printed by the Foulises at Glasgow, 1755, under the title of _Edom of Gordon_, as taken down by Sir David Dalrymple from the recitation of a lady. It was inserted in the _Reliques_, (i. 122,) "improved and enlarged," (or, as Ritson more correctly expresses the fact, "interpolated and corrupted,") by several stanzas from a fragment in Percy's manuscript, called _Captain Adam Carre_. Ritson published the following genuine and ancient copy, (_Ancient Songs_, ii. 38,) from a collection in the Cotton Library. He states that his MS. had received numerous alterations or corrections, all or most of which, as being evidently for the better, he had adopted into the text. We have added a copy of _Edom o' Gordon_ given in Ritson's _Scottish Songs_, and in the Appendix an inferior version of the story, called _Loudoun Castle_. The names vary considerably in the different versions of this piece. The castle of Towie, or the house of Rothes, is here called the castle of Crecrynbroghe, in Percy's manuscript the castle of Brittonsborrow, and in the copy in the Appendix the locality is changed to Loudoun castle in Ayrshire. In like manner, Alexander Forbes is here turned into Lord Hamleton, and Captain Car is now called the lord of Easter-town and again the lord of Westerton-town. In the _Gentleman's Magazine_, vol. xci. Part 1, p. 451, will be found a modern ballad styled _Adam Gordon_, founded on the adventure of the freebooter of that name with Edward the First. Another on the same subject is given in Evans's _Old Ballads_, iv. 86. It befell at Martynmas When wether waxed colde, Captaine Care saide to his men, "We must go take a holde." "Haille, master, and wether you will, 5 And wether ye like it best." "To the castle of Crecrynbroghe; And there we will take our reste. "I knowe wher is a gay castle, Is build of lyme and stone, 10 Within 'there' is a gay ladie, Her lord is ryd from hom." The ladie lend on her castle-walle, She loked upp and downe; There was she ware of an host of men, 15 Come riding to the towne. "Come yow hether, my meri men all, And look what I do see; Yonder is ther an host of men, I musen who they bee." 20 She thought he had been her own wed lord, That had comd riding home; Then was it traitour Captaine Care, The lord of Ester-towne. They were no soner at supper sett, 25 Then after said the grace, Or captaine Care and all his men Wer lighte aboute the place. "Gyve over thi howsse, thou lady gay, And I will make the a bande; 30 To-nighte thoust ly wythin my arm, To-morrowe thou shall ere my lan[de]."