5 Should I be bound, that may go free? Should I love them that loves not me? I’le rather travel into Spain, Where I’le get love for love again. 6 And I’le cast off my robs of black, And will put on the robs of blue, And I will to some other land Till I see my love will on me rue. 7 It’s not the cold that makes me cry, Nor is’t the weet that wearies me, Nor is’t the frost that freezes fell; But I love a lad, and I dare not tell. 8 O faith is gone and truth is past, And my true-love’s forsaken me; If all be true that I hear say, I’le mourn until the day I die. 9 Oh, if I had nere been born Than to have dy’d when I was young! Then I had never wet my cheeks For the love of any woman’s son. 10 Oh, oh, if my young babe were born, And set upon the nurse’s knee, And I my self were dead and gone! For a maid again I’le never be. 11 Martinmas wind, when wilt thou blow, And blow the green leafs off the tree O gentle Death, when wilt thou come! For of my life I am wearie. 1^1. darw. 205 LOUDON HILL, OR, DRUMCLOG ‘The Battle of Loudoun Hill,’ Minstrelsy of the Scottish Border, III, 188, 1803; II, 206, 1833. The “gospel-lads,” otherwise self-styled the true Presbyterian party, had in 1679, May 29 (observed both as the king’s birthday and the anniversary of the Restoration), begun their testimony against the iniquity of the times by publishing a Declaration, putting out loyal bonfires, and burning all acts of Parliament obnoxious to Covenanters, in retaliation for the burning of the Covenant at London seventeen years before. They had intended to do this at Glasgow, but as Claverhouse had established himself there, the demonstration was made at Rutherglen, a little place two miles off. On the 31st Claverhouse laid hands on three of the rioters and an outlawed minister. The Covenanters had appointed a great meeting, an armed conventicle, for the next day, Sunday, June 1, at Loudon Hill, on the borders of the shires of Ayr and Lanark. Not so many came as were expected, for Claverhouse had been heard of, but there were at least two hundred and fifty armed men; and these numbers were subsequently increased.[78] It was resolved to rescue the prisoners taken the day before, if the Lord should enable them, and in prosecution of this object they moved on to Drumclog, a swampy farm two miles east of Loudon Hill. The chief of command was Robert Hamilton, and with him were associated John Balfour of Kinloch, called Burly, Hackston of Rathillet, and others. What ensued is told in a frank letter of Claverhouse, written the night of the same Sunday.