"It's I, Jamie Telfer o' the fair Dodhead,
And a harried man I think I be;90
There's nought left in the fair Dodhead,
But a greeting wife and bairnies three."
"Alack for wae!" quoth the gude auld lord,
"And ever my heart is wae for thee!
But fye, gar cry on Willie, my son,95
And see that he come to me speedilie.
"Gar [warn the water], braid and wide,
Gar warn it sune and hastilie;
They that winna ride for Telfer's kye,
Let them never look in the face o' me!100
"Warn Wat o' [Harden], and his sons,
Wi' them will Borthwick Water ride;
Warn Gaudilands, and Allanhaugh,
And Gilmanscleugh, and Commonside.
["Ride by the gate at Priesthaughswire,]105
And warn the Currors o' the Lee;
As ye cum down the Hermitage Slack,
Warn doughty Willie o' Gorrinberry."
The Scotts they rade, the Scotts they ran,
Sae starkly and sae steadilie,110
And aye the ower-word o' the thrang
Was—"Rise for Branksome readilie!"
The gear was driven the [Frostylee] up,
Frae the Frostylee unto the plain,
Whan Willie has look'd his men before,115
And saw the kye right fast drivand.
"Whae drives thir kye?" gan Willie say,
"To make an outspeckle o' me?"
"It's I, the Captain o' Bewcastle, Willie;
I winna layne my name for thee."120
"O will ye let Telfer's kye gae back?
Or will ye do aught for regard o' me?
Or, by the faith of my body," quo' Willie Scott,
"I'se ware my dame's cauf skin on thee."