Gude Lord Græme has ta'en up the cup,5
"Sir Robert Bewick, and here's to thee!
And here's to our twae sons at hame!
For they like us best in our ain countrie."—
"O were your son a lad like mine,
And learn'd some books that he could read,10
They might hae been twae brethren bauld,
And they might hae bragged the Border side.
"But your son's a lad, and he is but bad,
And billie to my son he canna be;"
* * * * * * *
"[I sent] him to the schools, and he wadna learn;15
[I bought] him books, and he wadna read;
But my blessing shall he never earn,
Till I see how his arm can defend his head."—
Gude Lord Græme has a reckoning call'd,
A reckoning then called he;20
And he paid a crown, and it went roun',
It was all for the gude wine [and free].
And he has to the stable gane,
Where there stude thirty steeds and three;
He's ta'en his ain horse amang them a',25
And hame he rade sae manfullie.
"Welcome, my auld father!" said Christie Græme,
"But where sae lang frae hame were ye?"—
"It's I hae been at Carlisle town,
And a baffled man by thee I be.30
"I hae been at Carlisle town,
Where Sir Robert Bewick, he met me;
He says ye're a lad, and ye are but bad,
And billie to his son ye canna be.
"I sent ye to the schools, and ye wadna learn;35
I bought ye books, and ye wadna read;
Therefore my blessing ye shall never earn,
Till I see with Bewick thou save thy head."