'The Battle of Loudoun Hill,'
Minstrelsy of the Scottish Border, III, 188, 1803; II, 206, 1833.
| 1 |
You'll marvel when I tell ye o
Our noble Burly and his train,
When last he marchd up through the land,
Wi sax-and-twenty westland men. |
| 2 |
Than they I neer o braver heard,
For they had a' baith wit and skill;
They proved right well, as I heard tell,
As they cam up oer Loudoun Hill. |
| 3 |
Weel prosper a' the gospel-lads
That are into the west countrie
Ay wicked Claverse to demean,
And ay an ill dead may he die! |
| 4 |
For he's drawn up i battle rank,
An that baith soon an hastilie;
But they wha live till simmer come,
Some bludie days for this will see. |
| 5 |
But up spak cruel Claverse then,
Wi hastie wit an wicked skill,
'Gae fire on yon westlan men;
I think it is my sovreign's will.' |
| 6 |
But up bespake his cornet then,
'It's be wi nae consent o me;
I ken I'll neer come back again,
An mony mae as weel as me. |
| 7 |
'There is not ane of a' yon men
But wha is worthy other three;
There is na ane amang them a'
That in his cause will stap to die. |
| 8 |
'An as for Burly, him I knaw;
He's a man of honour, birth, an fame;
Gie him a sword into his hand,
He'll fight thysel an other ten.' |
| 9 |
But up spake wicked Claverse then —
I wat his heart it raise fu hie —
And he has cry'd, that a' might hear,
'Man, ye hae sair deceived me. |
| 10 |
'I never kend the like afore,
Na, never since I came frae hame,
That you sae cowardly here suld prove,
An yet come of a noble Gra+eme.' |
| 11 |
But up bespake his cornet then,
'Since that it is your honour's will,
Mysel shall be the foremost man
That shall gie fire on Loudoun Hill. |
| 12 |
'Your command I'll lead them on,
But yet wi nae consent o me;
For weel I ken I'll neer return,
And mony mae as weel as me.' |
| 13 |
Then up he drew in battle rank —
I wat he had a bonny train —
But the first time that bullets flew
Ay he lost twenty o his men. |
| 14 |
Then back he came the way he gaed,
I wat right soon an suddenly;
He gave command amang his men,
And sent them back, and bade them flee. |
| 15 |
Then up came Burly, bauld an stout,
Wi 's little train o westland men,
Wha mair than either aince or twice
In Edinburgh confind had been. |
| 16 |
They hae been up to London sent,
An yet they're a' come safely down;
Sax troop o horsemen they hae beat,
And chased them into Glasgow town. |
