Minstrelsy of the Scottish Border Volume I Part 23

The captain was run thro' the thick of the thigh, And broken was his right leg bane; If he had lived this hundred years, He had never been loved by woman again.

"Hae back thy kye!" the captain said; "Dear kye, I trow, to some they be!

For gin I suld live a hundred years, There will ne'er fair lady smile on me."

Then word is gane to the captain's bride, Even in the bower where that she lay, That her lord was prisoner in enemy's land, Since into Tividale he had led the way.

"I wad lourd[140] have had a winding-sheet, And helped to put it ower his head, Ere he had been disgraced by the _border Scot_, Whan he ower Liddel his men did lead!"

There was a wild gallant amang us a', His name was Watty wi' the Wudspurs,[141]

Cried--"On for his house in Stanegirthside, If ony man will ride with us!"

When they cam to the Stanegirthside, They dang wi' trees, and burst the door; They loosed out a' the captain's kye, And set them forth our lads before.

There was an auld wyfe ayont the fire, A wee bit o' the captain's kin-- "Whae dar loose out the captain's kye, Or answer to him and his men?"

"Its I, Watty Wudspurs, loose the kye!

I winna layne my name frae thee!

And I will loose out the captain's kye, In scorn of a' his men and he."

When they cam to the fair Dodhead, They were a wellc.u.m sight to see!

For instead of his ain ten milk kye, Jamie Telfer has gotten thirty and three.

And he has paid the rescue shot, Baith wi' goud, and white monie; And at the burial o' Willie Scott, I wat was mony a weeping e'e.

[Footnote 132: _Ranshackled_--Ransacked.]

[Footnote 133: _Gryming_--Sprinkling.]

[Footnote 134: _Ca's_--Calves.]

[Footnote 135: _Minnie_--Mother.]

[Footnote 136: _Outspeckle_.--Laughing-stock.]

[Footnote 137: _Toom_--Empty.]

[Footnote 138: _Knapscap_--Headpiece.]

[Footnote 139: _The Dinlay_--is a mountain in Liddesdale.]

[Footnote 140: _Lourd_--Rather.]

[Footnote 141: _Wudspurs_--Hotspur, or Madspur.]

NOTES ON JAMIE TELFER OF THE FAIR DODHEAD.

_It was high up in Hardhaughswire_.--P. 140. v. 1.

Hardhaughswire is the pa.s.s from Liddesdale to the head of Tiviotdale.

_It was laigh down in Borthwick water_.--P. 140. v. 1.

Borthwick water is a stream, which falls into the Tiviot, three miles above Hawick.

_But, gin ye'll gae to the fair Dodhead_.--P. 140. v. 2.

The Dodhead, in Selkirks.h.i.+re, near Singlee, where there are still the vestiges of an old tower.

_Now Jamie Telfer's heart was sair_.--P. 140. v. 4.

There is still a family of Telfers, residing near Langholm, who pretend to derive their descent from the Telfers of the Dodhead.

_Between the Dodhead and the Stobs's Ha'_.--P. 141. v. 1.

Stobs Hall, upon Slitterick. Jamie Telfer made his first application here because he seems to have paid the proprietor of that castle _black-mail_, or protection-money.

_Gar seek your succour at Branksome Ha'_.--P. 141. v. 4.

The ancient family-seat of the lairds of Buccleuch, near Hawick.

_Till he cam to the Coultart Cleugh_.--P. 142. v. 2.

The Coultart Cleugh is nearly opposite to Carlinrig, on the road between Hawick and Mosspaul.

_Gar warn the water, braid and wide_.--P. 144. v. 4.

The water, in the mountainous districts of Scotland, is often used to express the banks of the river, which are the only inhabitable parts of the country. _To raise the water_, therefore, was to alarm those who lived along its side.

_Warn Wat o' Harden, and his sons_, &c.--P. 144. v. 5.

The estates, mentioned in this verse, belonged to families of the name of Scott, residing upon the waters of Borthwick and Tiviot, near the castle of their chief.

_Ride by the gate at Priesthaughswire_.--P. 145. v. 1.

The pursuers seem to have taken the road through the hills of Liddesdale, in order to collect forces, and intercept the foragers at the pa.s.sage of the Liddel, on their return to Bewcastle. The Ritterford and Kershope-ford, after mentioned, are noted fords on the river Liddel.

_The gear was driven the Frostylee up_.--P. 145. v. 3.

The Frostylee is a brook, which joins the Tiviot, near Mosspaul.

_And Harden grat for very rage_.--P. 146. v. 4.

Of this border laird, commonly called _Auld Wat of Harden_, tradition has preserved many anecdotes. He was married to Mary Scott, celebrated in song by the t.i.tle of the Flower of Yarrow. By their marriage-contract, the father-in-law, Philip Scott of Dryhope, was to find Harden in horse meat, and man's meat, at his tower of Dryhope, for a year and a day; but five barons pledge themselves, that, at the expiry of that period, the son-in-law should remove, without attempting to continue in possession by force! A notary-public signed for all the parties to the deed, none of whom could write their names.