‘I gie thee leave, my fule!’ he says; ‘Thou speakest against my honour and me, Unless thou gie me thy troth and thy hand, Thou’lt steal frae nane but wha sta’ frae thee.’-- XIV ‘There is my troth, and my right hand! My head shall hang on Hairibee[1243]; I’ll never cross Carlisle sands again, If I steal frae a man but wha sta’ frae me.’ XV Dickie’s ta’en leave o’ lord and master; I wat a merry fule was he! He’s bought a bridle and a pair o’ new spurs, And packed them up in his breek thie[1244]. XVI Then Dickie’s come on to Puddingburn house, Even as fast as he might dree[1245]: Then Dickie’s come on to Puddingburn, Where there were thirty Armstrangs and three. XVII ‘O what’s this come o’ me now?’ quo’ Dickie; ‘What mickle wae is this?’ quo’ he, ‘For here is but ae innocent fule, And there are thirty Armstrangs and three!’ XVIII Yet he has come up to the fair ha’ board, Sae well he became his courtesie! ‘Well may ye be, my gude Laird’s Jock! But the dèil bless a’ your companie. XIX ‘I’m come to plain[1246] o’ your man, Johnie Armstrang, And syne o’ his billie Willie,’ quo’ he; ‘How they hae been in my house last night, And they hae ta’en my three kye frae me.’-- XX ‘Ha!’ quo’ Johnie Armstrang, ‘we will him hang.’ --‘Na,’ quo’ Willie, ‘we’ll him slae.’-- Then up and spak another young Armstrang, ‘We’ll gie him his batts[1247], and let him gae.’ XXI But up and spak the gude Laird’s Jock, The best in a’ the companie, ‘Sit down thy ways a little while, Dickie, And a piece o’ thy ain cow’s hough I’ll gie ye.’ XXII But Dickie’s heart it grew sae grit[1248], That the ne’er a bit o’t he dought to[1249] eat-- Then he was aware of in auld peat-house, Where a’ the night he thought for to sleep XXIII Then Dickie was ware of an auld peat-house, Where a’ the night he thought for to lye-- And a’ the prayers the puir fule pray’d, Were, ‘I wish I had mends[1250] for my gude three kye!’ XXIV It was then the use of Puddingburn house, And the house of Mangerton, all hail, Them that cam na it the first ca’, Gat nae mair meat till the neist meal. XXV The lads, that hungry and weary were, Abune the door-head they threw the key; Dickie he took gude notice o’ that, Says--‘There will be a bootie for me.’ XXVI Then Dickie has into the stable gane, Where there stood thirty horses and three; He has tied them a’ wi’ St. Mary’s knot[1251], A’ these horses but barely three. XXVII He has tied them a’ wi’ St. Mary’s knot, A’ these horses but barely three; He’s loupen on ane, ta’en another in hand, And out at the door is gane Dickie. XXVIII