The Baron of Brackley
No: 203; variant: 203B
- 'Baron of Brackley, are ye in there?
The're sharp swords at yer yetts, winna ye spear.'
- If they be gentlemen, lat them cum in;
But if they be reavers, we'll gar them be taen.'
- It is na gentlemen, nor yet pretty lads,
But a curn hir'd widdifus, wears belted plaids.'
- She called on her women and bade them come in:
'Tack a' yer rocks, lasses, and we'll them coman.
- 'We'll fecht them, we'll slight them, we'll do what we can,
And I vow we will shoot them altho we shod bang.
- 'Rise up, John,' she said, aend turn in yer kye,
For they'll hae them to the Hielands, and you they'l defie.'
- 'Had your still, Catharine, and still yer young son,
For ye'll get me out, but I'll never cum in.'
- 'If I had a man, as I hae na nane,
He wudna lye in his bed and see his kye tane.'
- 'Ye'll cum kiss me, my Peggy, and bring me my gun,
For I'm gaing out, but I'll never cum in.'
- There was twenty wi Invery, twenty and ten;
There was nane wi the baron but his brother and him.
- At the head of Reneeten the battle began;
Ere they wan Auchoilzie, they killed mony a man.
- They killed Harry Gordon and Harry of the Knock,
The mullertd's four sons up at Glenmuick.
- They killed Harry Gordon and Harry of the Knock,
And they made the brave baron like kail to a pot.
- First they killed ane, and then they killed twa,
Then they killed the brave baron, the flower o them a'.
- Then up came Craigievar, and a party wi him[
If he had come an hour sooner, Brackley had not been slain.
- 'Came ye by Brackley? and was ye in there?
Or say ye his lady, was making great care?'
- 'I came by Brackley, and I was in there,
But I saw his lady no making great care.
- 'For she eat wi them, drank wi them, welcomed them in;
She drank to the villain that killed her guid man.
- 'Woe to ye, Kate Fraser! sorry may yer heart be,
To see yer brave baron's blood cum to yer knee.'
- There is dule in the kitchen, and mirth i the ha,
But the Baron o B[r]ackley is dead and awa.