C
Communicated to Percy by Robert Lambe, Norham, October 4, 1766, being all that a servant of Lambe’s could remember.
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1
‘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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