“I ne’er was afraid of a traitor-thief;
Although thy name be Hughie the Græme,
I’ll make thee repent thee of thy deeds,
If God but grant me life and time.”
“Then do your worst now, good Lord Scroope,
And deal your blows as hard as you can!
It shall be tried, within an hour,
Which of us two is the better man.”
But as they were dealing their blows so free,
And both so bloody at the time,
Over the moss came ten yeomen so tall,
All for to take brave Hughie the Græme.
Then they hae grippit Hughie the Græme,
And brought him up through Carlisle town;
The lasses and lads stood on the walls,
Crying, “Hughie the Græme, thou’se ne’er gae down.”
Then hae they chosen a jury of men,
The best that were in Carlisle town;
And twelve of them cried out at once,
“Hughie the Græme, thou must gae down.”
Then up bespak him gude Lord Hume,
As he sat by the judge’s knee,—
“Twenty white owsen, my gude lord,
If you’ll grant Hughie the Græme to me.”
“O no, O no, my gude Lord Hume!
For sooth and sae it manna be;
For, were there but three Græmes of the name,
They suld be hanged a’ for me.”
‘Twas up and spake the gude Lady Hume,
As she sat by the judge’s knee,—
“A peck of white pennies, my gude lord judge,
If you’ll grant Hughie the Græme to me.”
“O no, O no, my gude Lady Hume!
For sooth and so it must na be;
Were he but the one Græme of the name,
He suld be hanged high for me.”
“If I be guilty,” said Hughie the Græme,
“Of me my friends shall have small talk;”
And he has louped fifteen feet and three,
Though his hands they were tied behind his back.