Classic Poem

Tune, The babes o' the wood

'Twas in the seventeen hunder year
O' Christ and ninety-five,
That year I was the waest man
Of any man alive. —

On March, the three and twentieth morn,
The sun raise clear and bright,
But Oh, I was a waefu' man
Ere toofa' o' the night. —

Earl G — — y lang did rule this land
With equal right and fame;
Fast knit in chaste and haly bands
Wi' B — — n's noble name. —

Earl G — — y's man o' men was I,
And chief o' B — — n's host:
So twa blind beggars on a string
The faithfu' tyke will trust. —

But now Earl G — — y's sceptre 's broke,
And B — — n's wi' the slain;
And I my ancient craft may try,
Sen honestie is gane. —

'Twas on the bonie banks o' Dee,
Beside K — — t towers,
The St — — t and the M — — y there
Did muster a' their powers. —

The M — — y on his auld grey yad,
Wi' winged spurs, did ride;
That auld grey yad, a' Nidsdale rade,
He lifted by Nid-side. —

And there was B — — ie, I ween,
I' th' front rank he wad shine;
But B — — ie had better been
Drinking Madeira wine. —

And frae Gl-nk-ns cam to our aid
A Chief o' doughty deed:
In case that Worth should wanted be,
O' K — — re we had need. —

And by our banner march'd M — — d,
And B — — le was na slack,
Whase haly Priest-hoods nane could stain,
For wha can dye the Black. —

And there, sae grave, Squire C — — ss
Look'd on till a' was done:
So, in the tower o' C — — ss
A houlet sits at noon. —

And there led I the B — — y clan;
My gamesome billie Will,
And my son M — — nd, wise as brave,
My footsteps followed still. —

The Douglas and the Heron's name
We set nocht to their score:
The Douglas and the Heron's name
Had felt our might before. —

Yet D — — ses o' weight had we,
The pair o' lusty lairds,
For building cot-houses sae fam'd,
And christening kail-yards. —

And there R-dc-stle drew the sword
That ne'er was stain'd wi' gore;
Save on a wanderer, lame and blind,
To drive him frae his door. —

And last cam creeping C-1 — — n,
Was mair in fear than wrath:
Ae Knave was constant in his mind,
To keep that Knave frae scathe. —