They got her in the gude green wood, Nursing her bonny young son. He took the bonny boy in his arms, And kissed him tenderly; Says, "Though I would your father hang, Your mother's dear to me." He kissed him oer and o'er again; "My grandson I thee claim; And Robin Hood in gude green wood, And that shall be your name." And mony ane sings o' grass, o' grass, And mony ane sings o' corn; And mony ane sings o' Robin Hood, Kens little where he was born. It was na in the ha', the ha', Nor in the painted bower; But it was in the gude green wood, Amang the lily flower. THE BARON OF BRACKLEY |Down Dee side came Inverey whistling and playing; He's lighted at Brackley yates at the day dawing. Says, "Baron o' Brackley, O are ye within? There's sharp swords at the y ate will gar your blood spin." The lady raise up, to the window she went; She heard her kye lowing o'er hill and o'er bent. "O rise up, ye baron, and turn back your kye; For the lads o' Drumwharran are driving them by." "How can I rise, lady, or turn them again! Where'er I have ae man, I wot they hae ten." "Then rise up, my lasses, take rocks in your hand, And turn back the kye;--I hae you at command. (_bent_, plain. _rocks_, distaffs.) "Gin I had a husband, as I hae nane, He wadna lie in his bower, see his kye ta en." - Then up got the baron, and cried for his graith; Says, "Lady, I'll gang, tho' to leave you I'm laith. "Come, kiss me,then,Peggy,and gieme my spear; I ay was for peace, though I never fear'd weir. "Come, kiss me, then, Peggy, nor think I'm to blame; I weel may gae out, but I'll never win in!" When Brackley was busked, and rade o'er the closs, A gallanter baron ne'er lap to a horse. When Brackley was mounted, and rade o'er the green, He was as bold a baron as ever was seen. Tho' there cam' wi' Inverey thirty and three, There was nane wi' bonny Brackley but his brother and he. Twa gallanter Gordons did never sword draw; But against four and thirty, wae's me, what is twa? Wi' swords and wi' daggers they did him surround; And they've pierced bonny Brackley wi' mony a wound. (_graith,_ armour. _weir-_, war. _busked_, dressed. _closs_, close.) Frae the head o' the Dee to the banks o' the Spey The Gordons may mourn him, and bann Inverey. [Illustration: 0138] "O came ye by Brackley yates, was ye in there? Or saw ye his Peggy dear riving her hair?" "O I came by Brackley yates, I was in there, And I saw his Peggy a-making good cheer." That lady she feasted them, carried them ben; She laugh'd wi' the men that her baron had slain. "O fie on you, lady! how could you do sae? You open'd your gates to the fause Inverey." She ate wi' him, drank wi' him, welcom'd him in; She welcom'd the villain that slew her baron! She kept him till morning, syne bade him be gane, And shaw'd him the road that he shou'dna be ta'en.