"Come hither, aged father!" Sir David he did cry, "And tell me where Montrose lies, With all his great army." "But first you must come tell to me, 25 If friends or foes you be; I fear you are Montrose's men, Come frae the north country." "No, we are nane o' Montrose's men, Nor e'er intend to be; 30 I am Sir David Lesly, That's speaking unto thee." "If you're Sir David Lesly, As I think weel ye be, I am sorry ye hae brought so few 35 Into your company. "There's fifteen thousand armed men[L37] Encamped on yon lee; Ye'll never be a bite to them, For aught that I can see. 40 "But halve your men in equal parts, Your purpose to fulfill; Let ae half keep the water side, The rest gae round the hill. "Your nether party fire must, 45 Then beat a flying drum; And then they'll think the day's their ain, And frae the trench they'll come. "Then, those that are behind them, maun Gie shot, baith grit and sma'; 50 And so, between your armies twa, Ye may make them to fa'." "O were ye ever a soldier?" Sir David Lesly said; "O yes; I was at Solway Flow,[L55] 55 Where we were all betray'd. "Again I was at curst Dunbar, And was a pris'ner ta'en; And many weary night and day In prison I hae lien." 60 "If ye will lead these men aright, Rewarded shall ye be; But, if that ye a traitor prove, I'll hang thee on a tree." "Sir, I will not a traitor prove; 65 Montrose has plunder'd me; I'll do my best to banish him Away frae this country." He halved his men in equal parts, His purpose to fulfill; 70 The one part kept the water side, The other gaed round the hill. The nether party fired brisk, Then turn'd and seem'd to rin; And then they a' came frae the trench, 75 And cry'd, "The day's our ain!" The rest then ran into the trench, And loosed their cannons a': And thus, between his armies twa, He made them fast to fa'. 80 Now let us a' for Lesly pray, And his brave company, For they hae vanquish'd great Montrose, Our cruel enemy. 13. A small stream that joins the Ettrick near Selkirk, on the south side of the river. S. 16. Various reading: "That we should take a dram." S. 17. A brook which falls into the Ettrick, from the north, a little above the Shaw burn. S.