That Rowley was the first man that did them spy,
With that he raised a mighty cry;
The cry it came down Rookhope burn,
And spread through Weardale hasteyly.
Then word came to the bailiff's house65
At the [East-gate], where he did dwell;
He was walk'd out to the Smale-burns,
[Which stands above the Hanging-well.]
His wife was wae when she heard tell,
So weel she wist her husband wanted gear;70
She gar'd saddle him his horse in haste,
And neither forgot sword, jack, nor spear.
The bailiff got wit before his gear came,
That such news was in the land,
He was sore troubled in his heart,75
That on no earth that he could stand.
His brother was hurt three days before,
With limmer thieves that did him prick;
Nineteen bloody wounds lay him upon,
What ferly was't that he lay sick?80
But yet the bailiff shrinked nought,
But fast after them he did hye,
And so did all his neighbours near,
That went to bear him company.
But when the bailiff was gathered,85
And all his company,
They were numbered to never a man
But forty under fifty.
The thieves was numbered a hundred men,
I wat they were not of the worst90
That could be choosed out of Thirlwall and Willie-haver,
[I trow they were the very first.]