  IAs I was a-walking mine alane, It was by the dawning of the day, I heard twa brithers make their mane, And I listen’d weel what they did say. IIThe youngest to the eldest said: ‘Blythe and merrie how can we be? There were three brithren of us born, And ane of us is condemn’d to die.’— III‘An ye wad be merrie, an ye wad be sad, What the better wad billy Unless I had thirty men to mysell, And a’ to ride in my companie. IV‘Ten to hald the horses’ heads, And other ten the watch to be, And ten to break up the strong prison Where billy Archie he does lie. V‘Had I but thirty well-wight Thirty o’ the best in Christiantie, I wad go on to fair Dumfries, I wad loose my brother and set him free.’ VIThen up and spak him mettled John Ha’ (For leugh o’ Liddesdale ‘An I had eleven men to mysell, It’s aye the twalt man I wad be.’— VIIThen up bespak him coarse Ca’field, (I wot and little gude worth was he): ‘Thirty men is few anew, And a’ to ride in our companie.’ VIIIThere was horsing, horsing in haste, And cracking of whips out owre the lee; Until they cam to the Murraywhat, And they lighted there right speedilie. IX‘A smith! a smith!’ Dickie he cries, ‘A smith, a smith, right speedilie, To turn back the caukers For it’s unkensome X‘There lives a smith on the water-side, Will shoe my little black mare for me; And I’ve a crown in my pockÉt, And every groat of it I wad gie.’— XI‘The night is mirk, and it’s very mirk, And by candle-light I canna weel see; The night is mirk, and it’s very pit mirk, And there will never a nail ca’ right for me.’— XII‘Shame fa’ you and your trade baith, Canna beet But leeze me on Thou’s worth thy weight in gold to me.’ XIIIThere was horsing, horsing in haste, And cracking of whips out owre the lee, Until they came to the Bonshaw wood, Where they held their council privately. XIVSome says, ‘We’ll gang the Annan road; It is the better road,’ said they; But up bespake then Dicky Ha’, The wisest of that company: XVSays, ‘Annan road’s a public road, It’s no the road that makes for me; But we will through at the Hoddam ford, It is the better road,’ quo’ he. XVIThere was horsing, horsing in haste, And crackin’ of whips out owre the lee; Until they cam to Dumfries port And they lighted there right speedilie. XVII‘There’s five of us will hold the horse, And other five will watchmen be: But wha’s the man among ye a’, Will gae to the tolbooth XVIIIO up then spak him mettled John Ha’, (For leugh o’ Liddesdale crackit he): ‘If it should cost my life this very night, I’ll gae to the tolbooth door wi’ thee.’— XIX‘Be of gude cheir, now, Archie, lad! Be of gude cheir, now, dear billie! Work thou within, and we without, And the morn thou’se dine at Ca’field wi’ me!’ XXO Jockie Ha’ stepp’d to the door, And he bended low back on his knee, And he made the bolts that the door hang on, Loup frae the wa’ right wantonlie. XXIHe took the prisoner on his back, [1206] billy = brother, comrade.And down the tolbooth stair cam he; The black mare stood ready at the door, I wot a foot ne’er stirrÈd she. |
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