Then by there came two gentlemen,

At twelve o’clock at night,

And they could neither see house nor hall,

Nor coal nor candle-light.

6.

6.4 ‘For,’ i.e. to prevent: cp. Child Waters, 28.6 (First Series, p. 41).

‘Now whether is this a rich man’s house,

Or whether is it a poor?’

But ne’er a word wad ane o’ them speak,

For barring of the door.