A Bundle of Ballads [39]
"Set fire to the house!" quo' false Gord-on, All wood wi' dule and ire: "False lady, ye sall rue this deed, As ye bren in the fire!"--
"Wae worth, wae worth ye, Jock my man, I paid ye weel your fee: Why pu' ye out the ground-wa' stane, Lets in the reek to me?
"And e'en wae worth ye, Jock my man, I paid ye weel your hire; Why pu' ye out the ground-wa' stane, To me lets in the fire?"--
"Ye paid me weel my hire, lady; Ye paid me weel my fee; But now I'm Edom o' Gordon's man, Maun either do or dee."
O then bespake her little son, Sate on the nurse's knee: Says, "Mither dear, gi'e o'er this house, For the reek it smithers me."--
"I wad gi'e a' my gowd, my child, Sae wad I a' my fee, For ane blast o' the western wind To blaw the reek frae thee."
O then bespake her dochter dear, She was baith jimp and sma', "O row me in a pair o' sheets, And tow me o'er the wa'."
They rowd her in a pair o' sheets, And towd her o'er the wa': But on the point of Gordon's spear She gat a deadly fa'.
O bonnie bonnie was her mouth, And cherry were her cheeks, And clear clear was her yellow hair, Whereon the reid bluid dreeps.
Then wi' his spear he turned her o'er,-- O gin her face was wan! He said, "Ye are the first that e'er I wished alive again."
He turned her o'er and o'er again,-- O gin her skin was white! "I might ha' spared that bonnie face To hae been some man's delite.
"Busk and boun, my merry men a', For ill dooms I do guess; I canna luik in that bonnie face, As it lies on the grass."--
"Tham luiks to freits, my master dear, Then freits will follow thame: Let it neir be said brave Edom o' Gordon Was daunted by a dame!"--
But when the ladie see the fire Come flaming o'er her head, She wept and kissed her children twain, Said, "Bairns, we been but dead!"
The Gordon then his bugle blew, And said, "Awa', awa'; This house o' the Rodes is a' in flame, I hauld it time to ga'."
O then bespied her ain dear lord, As he came o'er the lee; He spied his castle all in blaze Sae far as he could see.
Then sair, O sair his mind misgave, And all his heart was wae; "Put on! put on! my wighty men, So fast as ye can gae!
"Put on! put on! my wighty men, Sae fast as ye can dree; For he that is hindmost of the thrang Sall neir get guid o' me!"
Then some they rade, and some they rin, Fou fast out-o'er the bent, But ere the foremost could get up, Baith ladie and babes were brent.
He wrang his hands, he rent his hair, And wept in teenefu' muid: "O traitors! for this cruel deed Ye sall weep tears o' bluid!"
And after the Gordon he is gane, So fast as he might dree; And soon i' the Gordon's foul heart's bluid He's wroken his dear ladie.
THE CHILDREN IN THE WOOD.
Now ponder well, you parents dear, These words which I shall write; A doleful story you shall hear, In time brought forth to light. A gentleman of good account In Norfolk dwelt of late, Who did in honour far surmount Most men of his estate.
Sore sick he was, and like to die, No help his life could save; His wife by him as sick did lie, And both possessed one grave. No love between these two was lost, Each was to other kind; In love they lived, in love they died, And left two babes behind:
The one a fine and pretty boy, Not passing three years old; The other a girl more young than he, And framed in beauty's mould. The father left his little son, As plainly doth appear, When he to perfect age should come, Three hundred pounds a year.
And to his little daughter Jane Five hundred pounds in gold, To be paid down on marriage-day, Which might not be controlled: But if the children chance to die, Ere they to age should come, Their uncle should possess their wealth; For so the will did run.
"Now, brother," said the dying man, "Look to my children dear; Be good unto my boy and girl, No friends else have they here: To God and you I recommend My children dear this day; But little while be sure we have Within this world