Dr. Joseph Robertson's Journal of Excursions, No 4;
taken
down from a man in the parish of Leochel, Aberdeenshire,
12 February, 1829.
| 1 |
It fell about the Martinmas time
The wind blew loud and cauld,
And all the knichts of fair Scotland
They drew them to sum hald. |
| 2 |
Unless it was him young Sir Hugh,
And he beet to sail the sea,
Wi a letter between twa kings, to see an they
wald lat down the wars,
And live and lat them be. |
| 3 |
On Friday shipped he, and lang
Ere Wodensday at noon
In fair France landed he,
. . . |
| 4 |
He fell down before the King,
On his bare knees:
'Gude mak ye safe and soun;'
'Fat news o your contrie?' he says. |
| 5 |
'The news o our countrie,' he says,
'Is but news brought over the sea,
To see an ye'll lat down the wars,
And live and lat them be.' |
| 6 |
'Deed no,' he says;
'I'm but an auld man indeed,
But I'll no lat down the wars,
And live and lat them be.' |
| 7 |
It's out it spak the Queen hersel: I have a shepherd's sin
Would fight an hour wi you;
'And by my seeth,' says young Sir Hugh,
'That sight fain would I see.' |
| 8 |
The firsten steed that he drew out,
He was the penny-gray;
He wad hae ridden oer meel or mor
A Leve-lang summer's day. |
| 9 |
O girths they brak, and great horse lap,
But still sat he on he:
'A girth, a girth,' says young Sir Hugh,
'A girth for charity!'
'O every girth that you shall have,
Its gude lord shall hae three.' |
| 10 |
The nexten steed that he drew out,
He was the penny-brown;
He wad hae ridden oer meel or mor
As ever the dew drap down. |
| 11 |
O bridles brak, and great horse lap,
But still sat he on he:
'A bridle, a bridle,' says young Sir Hugh,
'A bridle for charitie!'
'O every bridle that you shall have,
And its gude lord shall have three.' |
| 12 |
The nexten steed that he drew out
He was the raven-black;
His een was glancin in his head
Like wild-fire in a slack;
'Get here a boy,' says young Sir Hugh,
'Cast on the saddle on that.' |
| 13 |
O brands there brak, and great horse lap,
But still sat he on he:
'A brand, a brand,' says young Sir Hugh,
'A brand for charitie!'
'O every brand that you sall have,
And its gude lord sall have three.' |
| 14 |
He gave him a dep unto the heart,
And over the steed fell he:
'I rather had gane you money,' she says,
'And free lands too,
That ye had foughten an hour wi him,
And than had latten him be.' |
| 15 |
'If ye hae ony mair shepherd's sins,' he says,
'Or cooks i your kitchie,
Or ony mair dogs to fell,
Ye'll bring them here to me;
And gin they be a true-hearted Scotsman,
They'll no be scorned by thee.' |
