He turnd hir owre and owre againe,
O gin hir skin was whyte![670]
I might ha spared that bonnie face
To hae been sum mans delyte.
Busk and boun,[671] my merry men a',105
For ill dooms I doe guess;
I cannae luik in that bonnie face,
As it lyes on the grass.
Thame, luiks to freits, my master deir,[672]
Then freits wil follow thame:[672]110
Let it neir be said brave Edom o' Gordon
Was daunted by a dame.
But quhen the ladye see the fire
Cum flaming owre hir head,
She wept and kist her children twain,115
Sayd, Bairns, we been but dead.
The Gordon then his bougill[673] blew,
And said, Awa', awa';
This house o' the Rodes is a' in flame,
I hauld it time to ga'.120
O then bespyed hir ain dear lord,
As hee cam owr the lee;
He sied[674] his castle all in blaze
Sa far as he could see.
Then sair, O sair his mind misgave,125
And all his hart was wae;
Put on, put on, my wighty men,
So fast as ye can gae.
Put on, put on, my wighty[675] men,
Sa fast as ye can drie;[676]130
For he that is hindmost of the thrang,
Sall neir get guid o' me.
Than sum they rade, and sum they rin,
Fou fast out-owr the bent;[677]
But eir the foremost could get up,135
Baith lady and babes were brent.
He wrang his hands, he rent his hair,
And wept in teenefu' muid:[678]
O traitors, for this cruel deid
Ye sall weep teirs o'bluid.140