Communicated to Percy by Robert Lambe, Norham, October 4, 1766,
being all that a servant of Lambe's could remember.
| * |
* * *
'LUK ye to yon hie castel,
Yon hie castel we see;
A woman's wit's sun oercum,
She'll gie up her house to me.' |
| 2 |
She ca'd to her merry men a',
'Bring me my five pistols and my lang gun;'
The first shot the fair lady shot,
She shot seven of Gordon's men. |
| 3 |
He turned round about his back,
And sware he woud ha his desire,
And if that castel was built of gowd,
It should gang a' to fire. |
| 4 |
Up then spak her doughter deere,
She had nae mair than she:
'Gie up your house, now, mither deere,
The reek it skomfishes me.' |
| 5 |
'I'd rather see you birnt,' said she,
'And doun to ashes fa,
Ere I gie up my house to Adam of Gordon,
And to his merry men a'. |
| 6 |
'I've four and twenty kye
Gaing upo the muir;
I'd gie em for a blast of wind,
The reek it blaws sae sour.' |
| 7 |
Up then spak her little young son,
Sits on the nourrice knee:
'Gie up your house, now, mither deere,
The reek it skomfishes me.' |
| 8 |
'I've twenty four ships
A sailing on the sea;
I'll gie em for a blast of southern wind,
To blaw the reek frae thee. |
| 9 |
'I'd rather see you birnt,' said she,
'And grund as sma as flour,
Eer I gie up my noble house,
To be Adam of Gordon's hure.'
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