A Collection of Ballads Part 8

"I charge ye all, ye mariners, When ye sail ower the faem, Let neither my father nor mother get wit, But that I'm coming hame.

"I charge ye all, ye mariners, That sail upon the sea, Let neither my father nor mother get wit, This dog's death I'm to die.

"For if my father and mother got wit, And my bold brethren three, O mickle wad be the gude red blude, This day wad be spilt for me!

"O little did my mother ken, The day she cradled me, The lands I was to travel in, Or the death I was to die!"

Ballad: Kinmont Willie

(Child, vol. vi.)

O have ye na heard o the fause Sakelde?

O have ye na heard o the keen Lord Scroop?

How they hae taen bauld Kinmont Willie, On Hairibee to hang him up?

Had Willie had but twenty men, But twenty men as stout as be, Fause Sakelde had never the Kinmont taen Wi eight score in his companie.

They band his legs beneath the steed, They tied his hands behind his back; They guarded him, fivesome on each side, And they brought him ower the Liddel-rack.

They led him thro the Liddel-rack.

And also thro the Carlisle sands; They brought him to Carlisle castell.

To be at my Lord Scroope's commands.

"My hands are tied; but my tongue is free, And whae will dare this deed avow?

Or answer by the border law?

Or answer to the bauld Buccleuch?"

"Now haud thy tongue, thou rank reiver!

There's never a Scot shall set ye free: Before ye cross my castle-yate, I trow ye shall take farewell o me."

"Fear na ye that, my lord," quo Willie: "By the faith o my body, Lord Scroope," he said, "I never yet lodged in a hostelrie-- But I paid my lawing before I gaed."

Now word is gane to the bauld Keeper, In Branksome Ha where that he lay, That Lord Scroope has taen the Kinmont Willie, Between the hours of night and day.

He has taen the table wi his hand, He garrd the red wine spring on hie; "Now Christ's curse on my head," he said, "But avenged of Lord Scroope I'll be!

"O is my basnet a widow's curch?

Or my lance a wand of the willow-tree?

Or my arm a lady's lilye hand, That an English lord should lightly me?

"And have they taen him, Kinmont Willie, Against the truce of Border tide?

And forgotten that the bauld Bacleuch Is keeper here on the Scottish side?

"And have they een taen him, Kinmont Willie, Withouten either dread or fear, And forgotten that the bauld Bacleuch Can back a steed, or shake a spear?

"O were there war between the lands, As well I wot that there is none, I would slight Carlisle castell high, Tho it were builded of marble stone.

"I would set that castell in a low, And sloken it with English blood; There's nevir a man in c.u.mberland Should ken where Carlisle castell stood.

"But since nae war's between the lands, And there is peace, and peace should be; I'll neither harm English lad or la.s.s, And yet the Kinmont freed shall be!"

He has calld him forty marchmen bauld, I trow they were of his ain name, Except Sir Gilbert Elliot, calld The Laird of Stobs, I mean the same.

He has calld him forty marchmen bauld, Were kinsmen to the bauld Buccleuch, With spur on heel, and splent on spauld, And gleuves of green, and feathers blue.

There were five and five before them a', Wi hunting-horns and bugles bright; And five and five came wi Buccleuch, Like Warden's men, arrayed for fight.

And five and five, like a mason-gang, That carried the ladders lang and hie; And five and five, like broken men; And so they reached the Woodhouselee.

And as we crossd the Bateable Land, When to the English side we held, The first o men that we met wi, Whae sould it be but fause Sakelde!

"Where be ye gaun, ye hunters keen?"

Quo fause Sakelde; "come tell to me!"

"We go to hunt an English stag, Has trespa.s.sed on the Scots countrie."

"Where be ye gaun, ye marshal-men?"

Quo fause Sakelde; "come tell me true!"

"We go to catch a rank reiver, Has broken faith wi the bauld Buccleuch."

"Where are ye gaun, ye mason-lads, Wi a' your ladders lang and hie?"

"We gang to herry a corbie's nest, That wons not far frae Woodhouselee."

"Where be ye gaun, ye broken men?"

Quo fause Sakelde; "come tell to me?"

Now d.i.c.kie of Dryhope led that band, And the nevir a word o lear had he.

"Why trespa.s.s ye on the English side?

Row-footed outlaws, stand!" quo he; The neer a word had d.i.c.kie to say, Sae he thrust the lance thro his fause bodie.

Then on we held for Carlisle toun, And at Staneshaw-bank the Eden we crossd; The water was great and meikle of spait, But the nevir a horse nor man we lost.

And when we reachd the Staneshaw-bank, The wind was rising loud and hie; And there the laird garrd leave our steeds, For fear that they should stamp and nie.

And when we left the Staneshaw-bank, The wind began full loud to blaw; But 'twas wind and weet, and fire and sleet, When we came beneath the castell-wa.

We crept on knees, and held our breath, Till we placed the ladders against the wa; And sae ready was Buccleuch himsell To mount she first, before us a'.

He has taen the watchman by the throat, He flung him down upon the lead: "Had there not been peace between our lands, Upon the other side thou hadst gaed.

"Now sound out, trumpets!" quo Buccleuch; "Let's waken Lord Scroope right merrilie!"

Then loud the warden's trumpet blew "O whae dare meddle wi me?"

Then speedilie to wark we gaed, And raised the slogan ane and a', And cut a hole through a sheet of lead, And so we wan to the castel-ha.

They thought King James and a' his men Had won the house wi bow and speir; It was but twenty Scots and ten That put a thousand in sic a stear!