Simmy Crichton's mounted then, 25 And Crichtons has raised mony a ane; The Galliard trow'd his horse had been wight, But the Crichtons beat him out o' sight. As soon as the Galliard the Crichton saw, Behind the saugh-bush he did draw; 30 And there the Crichtons the Galliard hae ta'en, And nane wi' him but Willie alane. "O Simmy, Simmy, now let me gang, And I'll never mair do a Crichton wrang! O Simmy, Simmy, now let me be, 35 And a peck o' gowd I'll give to thee! "O Simmy, Simmy, now let me gang, And my wife shall heap it with her hand!" But the Crichtons wadna let the Galliard be, But they hang'd him hie upon a tree. 40 O think then Willie he was right wae, When he saw his uncle guided sae; "But if ever I live Wamphray to see, My uncle's death avenged shall be!" Back to Wamphray he is gane, 45 And riders has raised mony a ane; Saying--"My lads, if ye'll be true, Ye shall a' be clad in the noble blue." Back to Nithsdale they have gane, And awa' the Crichtons' nowt hae ta'en; 50 But when they cam to the Wellpath-head,[L51] The Crichtons bade them light and lead. And when they cam to the Biddes-burn, The Crichtons bade them stand and turn; And when they cam to the Biddes-strand, 55 The Crichtons they were hard at hand. But when they cam to the Biddes-law, The Johnstones bade them stand and draw; "We've done nae ill, we'll thole nae wrang, But back to Wamphray we will gang." 60 And out spoke Willie of the Kirkhill, "Of fighting, lads, ye'se hae your fill;" And from his horse Willie he lap, And a burnish'd brand in his hand he gat. Out through the Crichtons Willie he ran, 65 And dang them down baith horse and man; O but the Johnstones were wondrous rude, When the Biddes-burn ran three days blood! "Now, sirs, we have done a noble deed,-- We have revenged the Galliard's bleid; 70 For every finger of the Galliard's hand, I vow this day I've kill'd a man." As they cam in at Evan-head, At Ricklaw-holm they spread abread;[L74] "Drive on, my lads! it will be late; 75 We'll hae a pint at Wamphray gate. "For where'er I gang, or e'er I ride, The lads of Wamphray are on my side; And of a' the lads that I do ken, A Wamphray lad's the king of men." 80 1-7. Leverhay, Stefenbiggin, Girth-head, &c., are all situated in the parish of Wamphray.--S.