Glenriddell Manuscripts, XI, 34, 1791.
| 1 |
Twixt the Girthhead and Langwood-end
Livd the Galiard and Galiard's men. |
| 2 |
It is the lads of Lethenha,
The greatest rogues among them a'. |
| 3 |
It is the lads of Leverhay,
That drove the Crichtons' gier away. |
| 4 |
It is the lads o the Kirkhill,
The gay Galiard and Will o Kirkhill, |
| 5 |
But and the lads o Stefenbiggin,
They broke the house in at the riggin. |
| 6 |
The lads o Fingland and Hellbackhill,
They were neer for good, but aye for ill. |
| 7 |
Twixt the Staywood Bass and Langside Hill,
They stelld the broked cow and branded bull. |
| 8 |
It is the lads o the Girthhead,
The diel's in them for pride and greed. |
| 9 |
. . . .
. . . . |
| 10 |
The Galiard is to the stable gane;
Instead of the Dun, the Blind he's taen. |
| 11 |
'Come out now, Simmy o the Side,
Come out and see a Johnston ride! |
| 12 |
'Here's the boniest horse in a' Nithside,
And a gentle Johnston aboon his hide.' |
| 13 |
Simmy Crichton's mounted then,
And Crichtons has raised mony a ane. |
| 14 |
The Galiard thought his horse had been fleet,
But they did outstrip him quite out o sight. |
| 15 |
As soon as the Galiard the Crichton he saw,
Beyond the saugh-bush he did draw. |
| 16 |
The Crichtons there the Galiard hae taen,
And nane wi him but Willy alane. |
| 17 |
'O Simmy, Simmy, now let me gang,
And I vow I'll neer do a Crichton wrang! |
| 18 |
'O Simmy, Simmy, now let me be,
And a peck o goud I'll gie to thee! |
| 19 |
'O Simmy, Simmy, let me gang,
And my wife shall heap it wi her hand!' |
| 20 |
But the Crichtons wadna let Willy bee,
But they hanged him high upon a tree. |
| 21 |
O think then Will he was right wae,
When he saw his uncle guided sae. |
| 22 |
'But if ever I live Wamphray to see,
My uncle's death revenged shall be!' |
| 23 |
Back to Wamphray Willy's gane,
And riders has raised mony a ane. |
| 24 |
Saying, My lads, if ye'll be true,
Ye's a' be clad in the noble blue. |
| 25 |
Back to Nidsdale they are gane,
And away the Crichtons' nout they hae taen. |
| 26 |
As they came out at the Wallpath-head,
The Crichtons bad them light and lead. |
| 27 |
And when they came to the Biddess-burn,
The Crichtons bad them stand and turn. |
| 28 |
And when they came to the Biddess-strand,
The Crichtons they were hard at hand. |
| 29 |
But when they cam to the Biddess-law,
The Johnstons bad them stand and draw. |
| 30 |
Out then spake then Willy Kirkhill:
'Of fighting, lads, ye's hae your fill.' |
| 31 |
Then off his horse Willy he lap,
And a burnishd brand in his hand he took. |
| 32 |
And through the Crichtons Willy he ran,
And dang them down both horse and man. |
| 33 |
O but these lads were wondrous rude,
When the Biddess-burn ran three days blood! |
| 34 |
'I think, my lads, we've done a noble deed;
We have revengd the Galiard's blood. |
| 35 |
'For every finger o the Galiard's hand,
I vow this day I've killed a man.' |
| 36 |
And hame for Wamphray they are gane,
And away the Crichtons' nout they've taen. |
| 37 |
'Sin we've done na hurt, nor we'll take na wrang,
But back to Wamphray we will gang.' |
| 38 |
As they came in at Evanhead,
At Reaklaw-holm they spred abread. |
| 39 |
'Drive on, my lads, it will be late;
We'll have a pint at Wamphray Gate. |
| 40 |
'For where eer I gang, or eer I ride,
The lads o Wamphr[a]y's on my side. |
| 41 |
'For of a' the lads that I do ken,
The lads o Wamphr[a]y's king o men.' |
