“Of Scotland’s king I haud my house;
He pays me meat and fee;
And I will keep my gude auld house,
While my house will keep me.”
They laid their sowies to the wall,
With mony a heavy peal;
But he threw o’er to them agen
Baith pitch and tar barrel.
With springalds, stanes, and gads of airn,
Amang them fast he threw;
Till mony of the Englishmen
About the wall he slew.
Full fifteen days that braid host lay,
Sieging Auld Maitland keen;
Syne they ha’e left him, hail and feir,
Within his strength of stane.
Then fifteen barks, all gaily good,
Met them upon a day,
Which they did lade with as much spoil
As they you’d bear away.
“England’s our ain by heritage;
And what can us withstand,
Now we ha’e conquer’d fair Scotland,
With buckler, bow, and brand?”
Then they are on to the land of France,
Where auld king Edward lay,
Burning baith castle, tower, and town,
That he met in his way.
Until he came unto that town,
Which some call Billop-Grace:
There were Auld Maitland’s sons, all three,
Learning at school, alas!
The eldest to the youngest said,
“Oh, see ye what I see?
If all be true yon standard says,
We’re fatherless all three.
“For Scotland’s conquer’d up and down;
Landmen we’ll never be!
Now, will you go, my brethren two,
And try some jeopardy?”