Says—"Well met, well met, true Thomas!
Some uncouth ferlies shew to me."
Says—"Christ thee save, Corspatrick brave!
Thrice welcome, good Dunbar, to me!
"Light down, light down, Corspatrick brave,
"And I will shew thee curses three,
"Shall gar fair Scotland greet and grane,
"And change the green to the black livery.
"A storm shall roar, this very hour,
"From Rosse's Hills to Solway sea.
"Ye lied, ye lied, ye warlock hoar!
"For the sun shines sweet on fauld and lea."
He put his hand on the earlie's head;
He shewed him a rock, beside the sea,
Where a king lay stiff, beneath his steed,[47]
And steel-dight nobles wiped their e'e.
"The neist curse lights on Branxton hills:
"By Flodden's high and heathery side,
"Shall wave a banner, red as blude,
"And chieftains throng wi' meikle pride.
"A Scottish king shall come full keen;
"The ruddy lion beareth he:
"A feather'd arrow sharp, I ween,
"Shall make him wink and warre to see.
"When he is bloody, and all to bledde,
"Thus to his men he still shall say—
'For God's sake, turn ye back again,
'And give yon southern folk a fray!
'Why should I lose the right is mine?
'My doom is not to die this day.'[48]
"Yet turn ye to the eastern hand,
"And woe and wonder ye sall see;
"How forty thousand spearmen stand,
"Where yon rank river meets the sea.
"There shall the lion lose the gylte,
"And the libbards bear it clean away;
"At Pinkyn Cleuch there shall be spilt
"Much gentil blude that day."
"Enough, enough, of curse and ban;
"Some blessing shew thou now to me,
"Or, by the faith o' my bodie," Corspatrick said,
"Ye shall rue the day ye e'er saw me!"