The Captain turned him round and leugh;
Said—"Man, there's naething in thy house,
But ae auld sword without a sheath,
That hardly now would fell a mouse."
The sun wasna up, but the moon was down,25
It was the gryming of a new-fa'n snaw,
Jamie Telfer has run ten myles a-foot,
Between the Dodhead and the [Stobs's Ha'].
And when he cam to the fair tower yate,
He shouted loud, and cried weel hie,30
Till out bespak auld Gibby Elliot—
"Whae's this that brings the fraye to me?"
"It's I, Jamie Telfer, o' the fair Dodhead,
And a harried man I think I be;
There's naething left at the fair Dodhead,35
But a waefu' wife and bairnies three."
"Gae seek your succour at [Branksome Ha'],
For succour ye'se get nane frae me;
Gae seek your succour where ye paid black-mail,
For, man, ye ne'er paid money to me."40
Jamie has turned him round about,
I wat the tear blinded his ee—
"I'll ne'er pay mail to Elliot again,
And the fair Dodhead I'll never see!
["My hounds may a' rin masterless,]45
[My hawks may fly frae tree to tree,]
[My lord may grip my vassal lands,]
[For there again maun I never be!"]
He has turn'd him to the Tiviot side,
E'en as fast as he could drie,50
Till he cam to the [Coultart Cleugh],
And there he shouted baith loud and hie.
Then up bespak him auld Jock Grieve—
"Whae's this that brings the fraye to me?"
"It's I, Jamie Telfer o' the fair Dodhead,55
A harried man I trow I be.